CJ Nicaumenee

Downtown and Bridgend​

Nicaumenee's history has inadvertently been tied to its location alongside the shores of Lake Michigan. Nicaumenee's trading port has been playing a key role in the city's economy, and it has ever been a gateway to the world outside. The small marinas serve are popular with sailors, and the beaches are oftentimes crowded during summers. So by no surprise are many of the city's landmarks and tourist spots decicated to the waters surrounding the city.



The first permanent European settlement was established after the Seven Years' War, after the British forces took control over the area. Before, the British soldiers brutally massacred many of the local Ojibwe, justifying their acts of terror by the Natives' support for the French troops. A small fort was erected on the hill, and soon thereafter, the first settlers arrived from the motherland. After the Treaty of Paris, the American forces took over the fort, and the small settlement, still serving as an outpost for fur traders, slowly expanded. After the construction of the Erie Canal in 1825, more and more settlers moved to the area, trying to participate in the lucrative fur trade. The construction of the Pilgrim Uniting Church dates back to those times.


The church's prominent spot atop the hill made it easily recognizable to the people, hence it was featured in the city's emblem when Nicaumenee was recognized as a city in the middle of 19th century.

Let us look at some more of Downtown's landmarks:

You can see Beacon Hill Marina with the scenic skyline in the background.


The Museum of Contemporary Art, exhibiting artworks dating back to the 1960s. Behind the museum, you can spot the Downtown BRT Hub.




The Bus Terminal with the Arena in the background. The building hosts the games of the Nicaumenee Ducks, a local NBA franchise, as well as large concerts and gala events.


City Square on the right side, with the city hall and the county's civil court being located vis-à-vis. At the back of the court building, you can spot a small park with some modernist sculpture.


You can spot parts of the city's main train station on the right side. The station is approached by local trains, as well as by Amtrak's Hiawatha Service.


A train maintenance facility next to the station. In an attempt to facilitate the car traffic throughout the city's core, a bridge was built crossing the railways leading to the city:



On the left side, you can spot the city's central library, which is also the main library of the Nicaumenee School of Engineering (NSOE). This private school offers 15 bachelor's degrees, and 8 master's degrees. through its institutions.



The Nicaumenee Old Harbour, nowadays a marina. In the foreground, you can spot the Nicaumenee Aquarium, hosting an extensive variety of fish from all over the world.





Let us move to Bridgend and its sights. The district is famous for hosting the University of Wisconsins at Nicaumenee (UWN), one of the nation's top research universities in the fields of human medicine and biology.

In the center, you can spot the main buildings, namely the Hartwright Tower and the Jefferson Hall. A bit apart, close to Union Square, you can spot the university's main library.



Hartwright Tower has been a landmark since its inauguration back in the early 1920s. It represents a mix of Renaissance and Greek Revival styles.


The city's main and university hospital, one of the top research institutions within the state and the nation.

Bridgend has always been subject to vast transformations. One of the most drastic changes was the construction of interstate I-143, which cut the district in two parts. Connecting the highway to the Downtown area and also to Bridgend itself demanded a complex solution of ramps and exits:

The connector bridges can be seen even from the shorelines:




In the center, you can see Liberty Square at night. The square forms the busiest intra-city public transportation hub, as most of the bus lines running towards Goose Island have a stop at the square.



We will end this update with some impressions of Bridgend's coastal part:

In the center, you can spot the Bridgend Water Purification Plant. The water is drawn from water cribs located far offshore Lake Michigan.




The Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Volodymyr.