Photo of the Cudahy Family Library
Cudahy Family Library

3500 Library Drive
Cudahy, Wisconsin 53110

(414) 769-2244

Local History Resources

Cudahy Family Library has an extensive collection of materials chronicling the history of Cudahy, Wisconsin. We take great pride in preserving the past for the Cudahy's future generations. The Local History collection is housed in the Local History Room of the Cudahy Family Library and is open by appointment only. To make a reservation, please contact the Reference Desk at (414) 769-2244 during business hours.

City Directories

Our collection includes city directories from the Milwaukee County area. The directories from Cudahy and Town of Lake are also available on microfilm.

Cudahy1921 - 1966
South Milwaukee1942 - 1962
Lake (Town of)1938 - 1950
Bresser's (Milwaukee metro area)1970 - current
Wrights/PORS (Milwaukee)1947 - current
Bird's Eye View of Cudahy

Clipping File

A collection of newspaper clippings, reports, scrapbooks, pamphlets, booklets, flyers, newsletters, and handouts on a variety of Cudahy subjects. Topics include coverage on:

Note: Duplicate copies of some of the pamphlet material in this file are also available in the Library's Vertical File Collection under the heading "Cudahy, Wisconsin -- History."

Dretzka's Department Store

Picture File

This companion to our clipping file is a collection of old photographs, arranged by subject. A card catalog is available for easy access and searching.

Yearbooks

Our collection includes copies of the Cudahy High School Yearbook, The Arrow. You can view the 1923 - 1967 copies on microfilm, or look at print copies from 1923 to the present year. We are missing 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1993. Donations of these yearbooks would be greatly appreciated by the Cudahy Family Library and highly beneficial to the members of the community.

Our collection also has two student alumni directories. The Cudahy High School Alumni Directory contains information on graduates from 1924 to 1995. The Wisconsin Lutheran High School Alumni Directory is a compilation of information on those as early as the class of 1903 to the class of 1998.

Kosciusko School

Newspapers

Our collection consists of paper and microfilm copies of local newspapers, with the primary emphasis on Cudahy's own Reminder/Enterprise.

Print Newspaper Archives

Advisor Press1892 - 1987
Free Press1980 - 1981
Reminder/Enterprise (complete)1933 - 1945
Reminder/Enterprise (incomplete)1959 - present

Microfilm Newspaper Archives

Milwaukee Courier11/1/1843 - 6/7/1847
Milwaukee Journal3/23/21 - 4/29/21
New Day6/12/20 - 7/22/22
Reminder/Enterprise1912 - present
Glisch's Tavern

Maps

A small collection of local maps, including zoning and political district maps of Cudahy. Highlights include:

Patrick Cudahy Company Archives

Gifts from Judge Richard D. Cudahy and the Patrick Cudahy Company make this collection a truly unique archive. Highlights include:

Cudahy Family

Books written about the Cudahy Family in our collection include:

For additional information

Old City Hall

Cudahy Facts and Figures

Cudahy Historical Society
P.O. Box 332
Cudahy, WI 53110
Cudahy Depot (414) 747-1892

Milwaukee County Historical Society
910 N. Third St.
Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414) 273-8288

Materials in our Local History Collection do not circulate. They are available for reference use only. An appointment is needed to view the collection.

The Library has a scanner, color photocopier, a microfilm reader/printer available for quality copies of reference materials.

The Cudahy Family Library gladly accepts donations of local history items for our collections.