Harley-Davidson has always been just as much about the community as it is about the bikes. For decades, the company has been holding events celebrating the joy of motorcycling. And now, the MoCo has taken this a step further with the inauguration of Davidson Park.
Situated at Harley’s home for more than a century, the Juneau Avenue campus in Milwaukee, Davidson Park was once a four-acre parking lot, and is now a vibrant green space for the Near West Side community.
Davidson Park was developed in partnership with local schools, artists, and the Forest County Potawatomi community, and features numerous attractions for enthusiasts and visitors of all ages. For starters, Union Plaza, which is the park’s main entrance, welcomes visitors into the area and leads into Main Street. Here, community events like fairs and farmers’ markets can be held for everyone to enjoy.
Right next to Main Street is The Hub, a large, multipurpose event space and amphitheater decorated with lush trees and plants. The park also has massive lawns on its north and south sides, providing additional space for community events. And kids will also have a blast at the Little Legends Playground, a nature-inspired playground equipped with log climbers and stepping stones.
Nature lovers can also head over to the Potawatomi Serenity Garden to enjoy a variety of native plants significant to the tribe. Meanwhile, the Viewing Hills give spectators a wide field of view of all the goings on in the park, while of course, being surrounded by lush greenery.
And once you’ve had your fair share of all the attractions at Davidson Park, you can head over to the 1903 Tavern, an open-air bar that pays homage to the year of Harley-Davidson’s birth. Here, you can select from a wide selection of beverages.
"Davidson Park is a result of community collaboration," said Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studios. "It’s a space where people can enjoy Wisconsin's nature, local art, and community events."
And while Davidson Park already has quite a number of attractions, Harley-Davidson is far from finished. In the near future, Davidson Park is expected to feature a STEAM Lab to promote education in science, technology, engineering, and art. It will also be home to the Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Headquarters, and offer onlookers and visitors a behind-the-scenes peek into H-D’s racing initiatives.
If we zoom out and look at the bigger picture, Davidson Park is so much more than just a showcase of Harley-Davidson’s history and legacy. It’s a tool that will build the motorcycling community, while at the same time serving as a community center for people to mingle and socialize in.
It’ll undoubtedly serve as a tourist attraction, too. Not just for motorcycle enthusiasts, but for people eager to learn a thing or two about the history and natural beauty of Wisconsin.
