In the late 1800s, something was going on in the Midwest. Different industrial workers often found themselves putting in long hours for little pay; unsurprisingly strikes, and protests emerged. Unfortunately, such a protest would turn into something deadly in Milwaukee on May 5, 1886, during a march to the Bay View Rolling Mills. This is known as the Bay View Massacre (sometimes referred to as the Bay View Tragedy) and since its hundred years anniversary in 1986, the Wisconsin Labor History Society has been staging a reenactment of this event at the former mill site in Bay View.

The protests that culminated in this tragic event were born in fighting for labor reform. The working conditions were very different from what we have now. It was typical to work at least 10 hours a day, often six days a week. The standard wage was about $3 per hour, with no overtime, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, or any other help for the worker.

Haymarket Flyer

Back then, Milwaukee and Chicago were “ground zero” for workplace reform. Many workplaces were adopting an eight-hour working day. But the Rolling Mills at Bay View held out against acceptance for some time. With about 1,500 employees, the Rolling Mills was virtually the largest employer in Wisconsin. The Haymarket Riot in Chicago on May 4, 1886, intensified the already high tension between the workers and the companies.

As of 1886 Wisconsin had not established a national guard, so plant owners called a militia to the site. The militia captain approached the mill and gave the order to his men, “Pick out your man and kill him.” It was clearly not an order to fire into the air to scare the workers, but an order to shoot to kill. The plant was sending a clear message that industrial property is of higher value than industrial workers.

An official number of casualties remains undetermined, but it’s estimated that seven people were killed, including a 13-year-old boy.

The 139th Anniversary of the Bay View Massacre Commemoration is set for Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 3:00 PM. It will be at the same location as always, the historical marker on the corner of Russell Avenue and Superior Street in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. This year’s event will also include a march at 2:00 PM, stepping off from Lincoln Avenue and Bay Street and ending at the historical marker in time for the 3:00 PM commemoration. The march will follow the same path the marchers took in 1886.

Sources: WUWM NPR – Milwaukee, Wisconsin Labor History Society