TM Rail Cars

Another form of transportation which began to emerge around 1900 was the urban trolley. Though a good many community leaders were adamant opponents to Waukesha's downtown being 'urbanized' by the addition of streetcar service, the newly formed Common Council eventually gave a franchise to the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company - otherwise known as the "TM" - to provide local streetcar service.

By 1898, the lines extended from the eastern outskirts of Waukesha and from there to Milwaukee, into the city and stopping at the corner of Barstow and Broadway. As the TM's popularity increased, the Railway Company proposed a plan to extend the rail line all the way through downtown and to Waukesha's western limits. The downtown businesses objected to the plan, but to no avail as, on July 6, 1899, workers began to tear up Broadway's pavement and lay tracks.

The fire bell rang and a large crowd arrived to protest. Leaders of the mob demanded that the workmen lay down their tools, and a fire hose was hooked up to a nearby hydrant as a bit of persuasion. Many of the workers ended up wet, and Broadway was quickly cleared. The street remained empty, tools strewn about, until a settlement was reached between the downtown businesses and the railway company - which didn't happen for nearly two days. The entire incident - fire bells, crowds, workers, and all - was frighteningly reminiscent of the 1892 water fight, in which James E. McElroy attempted to lay pipes carrying Waukesha water to the Chicago World's Fair.

Unlike McElroy, the railway company was eventually successful, and by 1900, trolleys were crossing from one side of Waukesha to the other. Eventually the rapid transit system would connect Waukesha to Milwaukee, Waukesha Beach, Delafield, Oconomowoc, Watertown, Racine, Kenosha, Port Washington, and many others. Today, the trolley serves as a symbol for the turn of the century, a reminder of days long gone.