The Kinnickinnic

The Kinnickinnic River is one of the three major rivers that flow into Milwaukee harbor (the others are the Menominee and the Milwaukee) and the only one with a south to north watershed. Near here, it runs east along the southern edge of Lincoln Village, then turns north near Baran Park, and continues its course, flanked by warehouses, marinas, and the Barnacle Buds fish restaurant towards Lake Michigan.

There's a lot history associated with the Kinnickinnic River and there are some big projects in the works for its preservation today, but let's start with the basics. Kinnickinnic is a hard word to spell, so that is probably why so many Milwaukeeans refer to Kinnickinnic Avenue (which anchors the Bayview neighborhood) as "KK Avenue." But what is Kinnickinnic and what does it mean?

Kinnickinnic, also known as bearberry, is a plant that grows in northern climates like Wisconsin's.

It is edible, but the fruit is tasteless. The leaves of the Kinnickinnic were prized by Natives for their healing properties. These leaves were made into teas and contain a powerful, antiseptic astringent used to treat kidney and bladder ailments. Many Natives also mixed the leaves with other ingredients and smoked them. "Kinnickinnic" is the Algonquian term for "mixture."

A brief introduction to Baran Park

Baran Park is a small neighborhood nestled between Lincoln Village to the west and Bay View to the east. The neighborhood may not be as well known as these two, but it has an enviable location and much, much more.

The neighborhood is named for - surprise! - Baran Park, a Milwaukee County Park that runs north to south, parallel to 1st Street and the Kinnickinnic River corridor. The park is named after an early St. Josaphat's pastor, Felix Baran, and today it is a hot spot for local baseball league play during summer. And there is another baseball connection in Baran Park. Klement's Sausage, the Milwaukee staple and creator/sponsor of the Milwaukee Brewers Racing Sausages, is located along 1st Street on the southern end of the neighborhood.

Milwaukee Pallet, another homegrown Milwaukee company, is located among a grouping of industrial buildings and some available office lofts. And across the Kinnickinnic from these is Inland Seas High School, a Milwaukee maritime-themed charter school with after-school boat building programs. The school has a very appropriate placement; the KK River was one of Milwaukee's busiest waterways during the heyday of early industry, and today, several marinas and docking facilities are located just downstream.

In some ways, Baran Park seems like an island, but this island - located as it is between Lincoln Village and Baran Park, where Lincoln Avenue crosses over Interstate I-43 and with the Kinnickinnic River running through it - is not an isolated one by any means.