Published Works
Wauwatosa Historical Society Newsletters: Our newsletter, Historic Wauwatosa is a rich resource. Because of its in-depth historical articles, it has received the prestigious Reuben Gold Thwaites Award from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
Community Histories: Community histories are an important starting point for any research. Significant volumes in the WHS collections are: Reminiscences of Early Wauwatosa by Emma Clapp Watner (1902); Sketches of Wauwatosa compiled by Elizabeth Foley (1932); The Wauwatosa Story (1961 & revisions), and Images of Wauwatosa (2004). Since Wauwatosa did not incorporate as a village until 1892, its early years were connected to the Town of Wauwatosa, which is chronicled in Memoirs of Milwaukee County by Jerome Watrous (1909), and From Trading Post to Metropolis: Milwaukee County’s First l00 Years.
Wauwatosa City Directories provide an excellent tool for finding people who once lived in Wauwatosa. The directories list the head of household alphabetically by surname, along with their address and occupation. WHS has directories from 1892 to 1989 (but not inclusive). Regular publication began in 1926. The 1932 book includes new street name and number changes. Directories also contain listings for businesses and churches. There are also a few comparable county directories: a 1926 and two 1940’s books for the Town of Wauwatosa.
Assorted Published Books: Assorted published books are also part of our collection. Topics include Wauwatosa, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and the State, as well as architecture, historic preservation, landmarks, and works by Wisconsin authors.