jan 1, 1856 - Over 24 breweries are operating in Milwaukee

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By 1856 there were more than two dozen breweries in Milwaukee, nearly all of them owned and operated by Germans, and oriented to German customers. The foundations of fortunes later associated with the Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, and Blatz families were all in place well before the Civil War. Breweries were not the only German landmarks associated with beer. The first tavern was Zum Deutschen Little Tavern. It opened on State and Water streets in 1837. The Bierstube was a focus of fellowship and an anchor of the neighborhood. Beer halls were nearly as common as bakeries and butcher shops in some sections of Milwaukee. The scene shifted outdoors during the summer months. The city's first beer garden opened on the banks of the Milwaukee River (near Cherry Street) in 1844, and others soon followed. In the days before public parks, the beer gardens were immensely popular retreats, particularly on Sunday afternoons, when immigrant families gathered for German beer, music, and fellowship.

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