Cambridge Heights, Milwaukee

Cambridge Heights

Cambridge Heights (or Cambridge Woods) is a small neighborhood located on the Northeast side of Milwaukee. It is bounded by the Village of Shorewood to the North, Downer Woods (which contains the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee) to the East, Riverside to the South and the Milwaukee River to the West. The neighborhood is made up primality of small apartment buildings dating from the 1920's and 30's and large, two to three story duplexes built around the turn of the century.

Cambridge Heights along Oakland Avenue

The neighborhood's overall feel could probably be described as "modest." No structure stands more than three stories, orimentation (even on the neighborhood's older buildings) is sparse, commercial ventures are confined to the neighborhood's Eastern boarder along Oakland Avenue, and the area's color palette is made up primarily of whites, earth-tones, and subtle pastels.

That said, Cambridge Heights has many positive urban qualities. The neighborhood is served by two easily accessible bus lines, the first (the Green Line) runs North-South down Oakland Avenue while the second (the 22) runs East-West along Locust. The lots are compact with few, if any, driveways cluttering up the sidewalk while the streets are narrow, treelined, and in several places feature small circles that calm traffic along the neighborhood's residential lanes.

Traffic Circles

Cambridge Heights also sits along two separate bike paths: the Oak Leaf Trail, which runs over the old Chicago and Northwest Railroad next to the Milwaukee River, and the Oakland Avenue bike path that connects the Village of Shorewood to North Avenue. The neighborhood also directly abuts Cambridge Woods, a slim strip of forested parkland that runs along the river.

Cambridge Woods

Remnants of the old Chicago-Northwest Railroad

Defaced Mural along the trail

Architecturally Cambridge Heights is made up of what you might call "vernacular architecture." The neighborhood's buildings are typical of the area and Milwaukee in general. While single family homes are present, the lion's share of the housing is made up of large multi-family duplexes.

The the oldest of these duplexes are a series of three story cream brick houses located along Providence Avenue.

"German Duplex"

Note the "fish scale" shingles

Cream brick was largely used during the mid to late 19th century. These buildings in particular, with their relatively steep gables and wooden ornamentation, were probably built by German immigrants sometime in the late 19th century. The most common building type, however, are two to three story duplexes built during the early part of the 20th century.

Milwaukee Vernacular

The three story model in particular is characteristic of this part of Milwaukee and can be found throughout the city. While not present in this neighborhood, the duplex tradition these buildings represent may have been an outgrowth of the so-called "Polish Flat," another common form found throughout Milwaukee from the late 19th century. While resembling a more-or-less standard cottage the Polish Flat was actually a building made in two stages: First, the owner (often Polish) would build a modest cottage on a plot of land. Then, after acquiring sufficient capital, the owner would elevate the structure and excavate a shallow basement beneath the original site. This new half-subterranean room would then be converted into a small apartment that could be rented out.

Block of three-story duplexes

Note the modest ornamentation

In addition to duplexes Cambridge Heights also has a number of small brown brick apartment buildings dating back to the 1920's-1930's. These are quite common for the area and a number can be found in neighboring Shorewood and along Oakland Avenue.

Brown brick apartments

The most common type of single family home in the neighborhood are bungalows, most of which were built after the turn of the century before World War II.

Cambridge Heights Bungalows

Bungalows are characterized primarily by being only one to one-and-a-half stories with broad, low roofs and overhanging eves. While there are a number of different bungalow types, in the United States bungalows are closely associated with the Arts and Crafts movement, and often feature decorative elements from that school.

In terms of contemporary architecture Cambridge Heights sports a couple of fairly unremarkable condominiums located along Locust Street. The East side of Milwaukee has always had a number of wealthy areas and is gentrifying in many places. Cambridge Heights, however, is a little harder to get a read on. The area is certainly wealthier than average for Milwaukee, however, you get the sense that the neighborhood, which began as a working to middle class enclave, is now primarily middle to upper middle class.

Meh.

Cambridge Heights' most interesting feature, however, would have to be the home located at 3138 N. Cambridge, also known as the Edmund Gustdorf; Milwaukee's very own boathouse.

Admittedly the lighthouse is a little off-kilter

Facing the Milwaukee River on the neighborhood's quite West side the Edmund Gustdorf was built as a custom home sometime in the mid 1920's by her namesake, Edmund B. Gustdorf. The houseboat is one of Milwaukee's lesser known, yet none-the-less cherished, landmarks and is often the focal point of neighborhood gatherings.