Facts About Milwaukee

Long before the first settlers came to this area, the Algonkian Indians had a special name for the land: Millioki, which means "gathering place by the waters." The Indians may have picked the name because they used the area for tribal gatherings or because they observed how three rivers (the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic and the Milwaukee) met before flowing into the waters of Lake Mie-sit-gan (Michigan).

Milwaukee is home to the world's largest music festival according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Summerfest. This eleven-day event features a variety of music from national headline acts to up-and-comers on 12 different stages.

The Allen Bradley Clocktower is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Milwaukee. The Guinness Book of World Records lists the Allen Bradley Clock as the largest four-faced clock in the world. It is actually four separate clocks. Each of the octagonal clock faces is nearly twice the size of the clocks on London's Big Ben Tower. Each hour hand is 15 feet 9 inches long and weighs 490 pounds. Each minute hand is 20 feet long and weighs 530 pounds. Hour markings on each face are four feet high. The clock serves as an official navigation aid and is so designated on the maps of the United States Coast Guard.

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