STREETS OF OLD MILWAUKEE DECORATED FOR HALLOWEEN SEPT. 19-NOV. 4

Decorations Reflect Halloween Traditions from Early 1900s Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE — Fall is in the air at Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM), where replica turn-of-the-century Halloween decorations, Museum collections items and seasonal props have been added to several of the businesses and homes in Streets of Old Milwaukee. This is the first time the walkthrough early 1900s-era streetscape exhibit has been decorated for the autumn season, which visitors can enjoy with general admission September 19 through November 4.

“Halloween decorations at the turn of the 20th century were creative and creepy, but far less elaborate and gory than what we see today,” said Nancy Kruschke, MPM’s Exhibit Maintenance Specialist & Artist. “How-to books encouraged people to create their own decorations using supplies they had around the house. Crepe paper was also a popular material for decorations and used to create colorful streamers, life-size cornstalks, wall artwork and more.”

Most families celebrated Halloween by attending holiday parties, since trick-or-treating wasn’t yet a tradition. At Granny’s House, visitors will notice Granny has moved from the front porch to be inside with her granddaughter, where their parlor has been decorated as if they’re hosting a haunted soiree. “Granny’s parlor is decked out with Halloween-themed crepe paper artwork, bats and streamers, as well as cardboard box lanterns created to mimic the arts-and-crafts-style decorations common back then,” Kruschke said. “Her granddaughter is wearing an authentic vintage Halloween party hat, and Granny is holding a copy of the horror classic Frankenstein for late-night reading.”

Visitors will also find seasonal items on display in some of the storefronts in Streets, such as (fake) candied applies and candy corn in the Candy Shop, handmade replica turn-of-the-century children’s orange and black rattles in the Toy Store and 120-plus-year-old Halloween postcards from the Museum’s collections in the Print Shop.

Find more press releases HERE.