Martin Drive History -- The story behind the naming of Martin Drive
Martin Drive
1100 North, between 4100 and 5700 West
Origin: Martin Drive
Morgan L. Martin, a Green Bay Lawyer and speculator, bought half of Solomon
Juneau's Juneautown property for $500 in 1833. In 1835 they co-founded
their
new village, with Martin responsible for the legal and promotional aspects while
Juneau took care of local issues. Martin, born in Martinsburg,
New
York in 1805 (his father founded the town), was a Wisconsin congressman,
assemblyman, and state senator, as well as Oneida Indian Agent in Green Bay.
He died in 1887.
A street in the village was named for Martin, but during the 1920s renaming program it was changed to State Street. To appease those who complained that Martin deserved a place on the city's map, this street, one block south of Juneau Avenue, was renamed Martin Drive in 1926.
From the Book :Milwaukee Streets: The Stories Behind their Names
By: Carl Baehr
Used by permission of the Author during a telephone conversation, permission granted Dec 22 2004