immigrants, its location on the Milwaukee River provided both wood for homes and fertile soil for crops. There are many stories about how Brown Deer got its name, all of which are colorful, and none of which can be corroborated. Brown Deer was incorporated in 1955 to prevent it from being annexed by Milwaukee. A series of its annexations, followed by court-ordered divestments over the next several years, changed its area from an original 1.8 square miles to 22 square miles, and finally to its present size of 4.5 square miles. PROUD OF ITS DIVERSITY Today, Brown Deer prides itself on being a very diverse community, with a mixture of races and ethnicities, older residents and newcomers, and younger and more mature families. “We are one of the most diverse communities in the county, as well as the state,” says Village President Wanda J. Montgomery. “The blend works very well.” Village Manager, Tyler Burkart asserts, “We did a community survey in 2023 and there were 15 different perception-type questions that we asked.” “The one area that received the highest perception rating was ‘embracing diversity.’That goes to show the high value that residents and community members see howwell we do that here in Brown Deer,” he adds. Brown Deer is also diverse regarding its commercial, retail, and industrial sectors. Its three largest employers include Badger Meter, a leading innovator and manufacturer of flow measurement, and water quality and control products; TAPCO, a manufacturer and distributor of roadway safety products; and FIS Global, a Fortune 500 company that provides technology and services to communities, businesses, and financial institutions. “Those are three big anchors for the community,” notes Community Development Director, Nate Piotrowski. “Badger Meter predates the Village’s incorporation; they have been here since the 1940s. They make all the water meters that are in your house; you probably 73 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 03 BROWN DEER, WI
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