Parade History Milwaukee St. Patrick's Day

A WEB SITE
OF THE
SHAMROCK CLUB
OF WISCONSIN

PARADE HISTORY

Milwaukee's St. Patrick's Day Parade Dates to 1843
Tradition Ranks Among Nation's Earliest Recorded Celebrations

Milwaukee is on record as having one of the earliest St. Patrick's Day Parades in the United States; celebrating its first on March 17, 1843. The event predates Milwaukee's incorporation as a city and the Statehood of Wisconsin. It was the first of its kind on the western frontier, and the first to be held outside the original 13 colonies. The early St. Patrick's Day Parades in the United States are:

   1) 1762 - New York, NY
   2) 1776 - Boston, MA
   3) 1780 - Philadelphia, PA
   4) 1812 - Savannah, GA
   5) 1833 - Carbondale, PA
   6) 1842 - New Haven, CT
   7) 1843 - MILWAUKEE, WI
       1843 - Chicago, IL
   9) 1852 - San Francisco, CA
  10) 1853 - Scranton, PA

According to UW-Milwaukee Irish historian John Gleeson, Milwaukee’s Parade was inspired and influenced by two major movements in Ireland at that time – the Repeal Movement led by Daniel O’Connell and the Temperance Movement led by Father Mathew. Father Thomas Morrisey and Father Martin Kundig from St. Peter’s Catholic Church and a number of Irish laymen including Richard Hacket, Thomas Fanning, Nicholas Hussey, James Devlin, and Richard Murphy, planned the Milwaukee Parade. Gleeson stated, “The large scale (*3,000 participants) and colorful style of the parade influenced the rapid growth and development of what was then the village of Milwaukee. It coincided with the passing of a Congressional Harbor Bill, which released funds for Milwaukee port construction and influenced the Catholic Church in creating the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. This made Milwaukee the Cathedral City, giving it primacy over then much larger and older settlements of Green Bay and Prairie du Chien.”

According to Gleeson, the Parade continued to be held primarily in downtown through the 1800s and early 1900s. The modern version of Milwaukee’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade began in 1967, again in downtown, with the Inaugural Shamrock Club of Wisconsin St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Wisconsin Avenue. It was planned by two of Ireland's finest exports: Danny O'Donoghue and "Kit" Nash. The Parade remained downtown through 1975 until major bridge repair and construction forced the adoption of a new route. Since then, the Parade has had several homes; most notably Mitchell Street and North Avenue. It returned to its original downtown home in 2002.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word “tradition” as “a long-established custom or practice that has the effect of an unwritten law.” Milwaukee’s celebration has taken on a life and force of its own over the last 162 years. Today Milwaukee boasts one of the finest St. Patrick’s Parades in the country. Milwaukee’s historic buildings, downtown entertainment districts, family friendly locations and the proximity to the Milwaukee river combine to give us the most ideal place to stage this event in the state of Wisconsin.

Legend has it that St. Patrick used the shamrock as a symbol to explain the mystery of the Trinity. Like the triad of the shamrock, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on different levels: culturally, socially, and charitably. At every level we honor Ireland’s rich history, the role of the Irish in the American experience and most importantly St. Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland.

The Parade Committee works tirelessly for an entire year to present the parade. All volunteer their time out of love and devotion to this historic event. Thank you to all who make it possible. To our 100,000 friends and neighbors joining us, “Cead mile failte; La le Padraig shone dhuit!” One hundred thousand welcomes and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We look forward to joining you on our favorite day of the year.

Milwaukee's St. Patrick's Day Parade Dates to 1843 Tradition Ranks Among Nation's Earliest Recorded Celebrations

Milwaukee's St. Patrick's Day Parade Dates to 1843
Tradition Ranks Among Nation's Earliest Recorded Celebrations