Red Arrow Park, located just north of Milwaukee City Hall, is dedicated to the men and women of the U.S. Army's Red Arrow Division. The park features a red granite 8-foot high memorial honoring the men and women who served in the Red Arrow Division. The Red Arrow Division suffered more than 24,000 casualties during World War I and World War II alone, with many of the soldiers from the Milwaukee area.

The Red Arrow Division was officially designated “Les Terribles” by the French military during World War I in tribute to their fierce determination. The monument itself represents their shoulder patch insignia, which contains a line shot through with a red arrow, signifying the piercing of every enemy battle line placed before it.

The park has an interesting history, and is now a popular downtown attraction with a winter-time ice skating rink, warming house and year-round restaurant (currently a Starbucks). During warm weather months, the park is a pleasant downtown green space.

Red Arrow Pak was originally located on Wisconsin Avenue just west of Central Library. The park was moved to its current location in 1970, with the ice skating rink and amenities added in 1999. The addition of the ice rink and amenities caused quite a controversy when proposed, as some thought it was disrespectful to the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. Others thought it helped highlight the American way-of-life made possible through their sacrifice. The reader can decide for themselves.

Prior to the park, this area was a parking lot for City Hall. However, pre-dating the parking lot, the site was home to the infamous brothel run by Kitty Williams. The brothel was famous for the lavish decor of its 42 rooms, including the "Roman Room" with a sunken floor, marble baths, and running fountains. Milwaukee's red light district was cleaned-up in 1911, and Kitty Williams' brothel was shut down. She lived in the house until her death in 1943 at the age of 79. When the building was demolished, it became the parking lot for City Hall.

As a side note, one of the rooms of Madam Kitty's house is featured in the Milwaukee Public Museum’s Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit (above the optometrist’s shop)!

See below for more information on the Red Arrow Division. When ready to move on, cross State Street. Continue walking north on Water Street one block to Highland Avenue. Turn right (east) on Highland Avenue.

If you're getting tired or hungry, the heart of Milwaukee's famous Water Street nightlife district sits just north of Highland Avenue. This is a good area to break for some food or drink. Duke's On Water, on the corner of Juneau and Water, is a favorite sports bar among locals with fantastic happy hour specials!

The Red Arrow Division Story
During World War I, Army National Guard soldiers from Wisconsin, many of them from Milwaukee, combined with units from Michigan, to form the U.S. Army’s 32nd Division. The division was sent to France and fought for 6 months with just 10 days off. During the time, the division lost more than 14,000 soldiers.

On Oct. 4th, 1918, the division became the first to break through the heavily defended Hindenberg Line, one which the German Army had been ordered to hold at all costs. Fierce fighting continued for three weeks, with the Red Arrow Division defeating 11 German divisions. The three weeks were costly, with almost 6,000 Red Arrow casualties, many from Milwaukee.

During World War II, the division fought in six major engagements in the Pacific, logging 654 days of combat during the war (the most of any U.S. Army division) and incurring 7,268 casualties.

The unit is currently known as the 32nd Division Red Arrow Infantry Brigade Combat Team. The men and women of Red Arrow proudly continue the tradition of service and sacrifice to United States.