Greendale (Wisconsin) — Online Webcam on Broad Street
Greendale: A Town Born of the New Deal
Greendale is not just another Milwaukee suburb. It is a living legacy of the Great Depression era, one of three experimental towns that the U.S. federal government built from scratch in the 1930s. When you look at the main street through this online camera, you see not a random American town, but a carefully planned settlement designed as a model of the ideal suburb for middle-income families.
Planning for Greendale began in 1936 as part of the Resettlement Administration's Greenbelt program. The project's lead architects were Walter G. Thomas and Harry H. Bentley, with the planning group headed by Elbert Peets assisted by Jacob Crane. The idea belonged to Rexford Guy Tugwell, head of the Resettlement Administration, and was implemented under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act of 1935. The official opening for settlement took place on May 1, 1938.
Greendale is one of three "greenbelt" towns created under Franklin Roosevelt's program, along with Greenbelt (Maryland) and Greenhills (Ohio). Unlike other New Deal programs, what was built here was not just a collection of houses but a "total community" — where everything from schools to shops was designed as a unified whole. On October 17, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Interior officially designated Greendale a National Historic Landmark.
Broad Street — The Heart of Greendale Village
Broad Street is the main artery of Greendale, and it is what the webcam shows. The town's public life is concentrated here: the shopping center, shops, and the village hall. On the corner of Broad Street is the Historic Greendale Welcome Center at 5680 Broad St — a place where you can learn in detail about the history of this unusual settlement.
The Greendale Historic District is bounded by W. Grange Ave., Loomis Rd., and Parkview Rd. and covers an area of about 0.8 sq km. This is the original government-built development from 1936–1952, and the live camera captures precisely this historic part of the town. The Greendale Historical Society, founded in 1975, still collects and preserves materials related to the "greenbelt" heritage.
Architecture: Colonial Revival Meets Art Deco
The original Greendale development is a fascinating blend of styles. The architecture is represented in the Colonial Revival style with elements of Art Deco and the International Style. On camera, this can be seen in the distinctive red tile roofs of the commercial buildings visible in the distance — a typical Colonial Revival feature that gives the town a cozy, almost storybook appearance.
The decorative brick plaza in the foreground, stone benches, cone-shaped trimmed shrubs, and brick posts with spherical finials — all are elements of a carefully planned landscape design that has remained unchanged for decades. Greendale was designed with extensive green spaces, including Root River Parkway, which is a key feature of the "greenbelt" concept — the town is literally woven into the natural landscape, not the other way around.
How to Get to Greendale from Milwaukee
Greendale is located in close proximity to Wisconsin's largest city. The distance from Milwaukee to Greendale is about 16 km (10 miles) by road. Driving time is approximately 16 minutes. The route passes through U.S. territory without crossing any borders, making Greendale a convenient day trip for Milwaukee residents and visitors.
You can drive there via I-43 or Highway 57 — both routes will take you directly to Broad Street. Public transit also connects Greendale with Milwaukee: Milwaukee County Transit System bus routes run regularly between the two cities. If you plan to visit the historic district, head to the intersection of Broad Street and Northway — that is where the village hall and the main commercial development are located.
Weather in Greendale: What the Camera Shows
The Greendale webcam is not only a way to observe street life but also a kind of real-time weather indicator. Wisconsin has a continental climate with cold winters and warm summers, and the camera allows you to instantly assess what is happening on Broad Street right now.
In winter, the camera shows snow cover on the green lawns and trees, as well as utility crews clearing the road with the yellow center line. In summer — the lush greenery of cone-shaped shrubs and trees, the bright glow of street lamps in the evening hours. Autumn Greendale is especially picturesque: the foliage on the trees along Broad Street creates a colorful backdrop for the brick building facades.
What the Camera Shows
The online camera is positioned overlooking the main street of a small American town — Broad Street in Greendale. In the foreground is a decorative brick plaza with stone benches, framed by cone-shaped trimmed shrubs and brick posts with spherical finials. Along the street are green lawns, trees, street lamps, and benches. Cars move along the road with the yellow center line, and a parking lot with parked cars is visible. In the distance are commercial buildings with red tile roofs and retail spaces. An American flag is displayed.
The live stream allows you to observe traffic, pedestrians, and the everyday life of this historic town in real time. The camera operates 24/7, and at any time of day you can see what is happening on Greendale's main street — from morning traffic to the evening quiet under the glow of street lamps.
