SEGREGATION AND TRANSIENT The most recent census data (2010) forms a foundation for understanding the Washington Park neighborhood and its challenges. Shown in red, Washington Park is home to a population with meager income, large family size, and a low level of education. Careful inspection of the “racial dot map” adds to the story by showing us that Washington Park is not only home to a vibrant African American population, but also one of Milwaukee’s largest concentration of Asian residents.
The neighborhood’s housing stock of traditional, duplex houses (dating back to German and Polish immigration in the early 1900s) provides low-cost rentals and houses a largely transient population.
A CULTURAL INTERSECTION The intersection of 35th Street and Galena Street is particularly interesting. 35th Street acts as a loose, unofficial border between Asian and African American settlements.
In what was historically a “rough part of town,” recent investment has come in the form of Bethune Academy and a community garden. This investment has increased property values, given identity to the neighborhood, and has created a cycle of positive change for this neighborhood.