Cudahy Historical Society

4647 S Kinnickinnic Ave

Cudahy, WI 53110

Mission Statement

The Cudahy Historical Society's Mission is to keep alive the interesting history of our city and to share it with all its residents, young and old. As owners of the city's Railroad Depot, we have a place to store the artifacts and documents that tell the city's story. We invite all the city's residents and friends to add to that history and to share in our appreciation of the past.

History of the City of Cudahy

Back in the early 1800's the land that the city of Cudahy lies on now was Potowatomi Tribal grounds. As our Country expanded westward the Native Americans turned the land over to the Federal Government through a treaty. there was a small settlement on the land called Buckhorn. It consisted of a railroad station called Buckhorn Station, a dirt road called Packard Avenue and a few farms, homes, a tavern and a general store. Three other dirt roads led into Buckhorn. Lake Road was an old Indian Trail along the lake. Old Chicago Road was cut through the wilderness by the United States Army to haul supplies from Chicago to Green Bay. It is now called Whitnall Avenue. The third road ran along the railroad tracks and was called Kinnickinnic Avenue.

The Federal Government began selling the land in 1839. Patrick Cudahy bought 700 acres sometime in the late 1800's to build his meat packing plant. The boundaries of the original land sale were, Lake Michigan to the east, the Chicago and Northwestern railroad tracks to the west, Lunham Avenue to the north and Grange Avenue to the south.

Patrick and John Cudahy built the "Cudahy Brothers" meat packing plant in 1892. That same year a new depot was built. The railroad named it Cudahy in honor of Patrick.