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East Washington Avenue and Tenney-Lapham: history, parks and places to start

East Washington Avenue leaves the Capitol Square and heads northeast across the isthmus. Tenney-Lapham sits on its north side, between the avenue, the Yahara River and Lake Mendota, and the stretch of the avenue closest to the Capitol is now known as the Capitol East District. This guide follows how the City of Madison and Dane County describe the area, then lists directory businesses on East Washington Avenue and East Johnson Street. For the whole city, see our Madison neighborhoods guide; for the neighborhood across the river, see our Willy Street guide.

Checked against official sources · Updated November 11, 2026

A short history

The City of Madison's Tenney-Lapham walking tour says the neighborhood is bounded by the Yahara River, Lake Mendota, North Livingston Street and East Washington Avenue, and takes its name from Tenney Park and Lapham School. Much of the land was low, marshy ground. A few dates from the tour:

  • 1850: Leonard J. Farwell built a flour and grist mill on the east side of the Yahara River, near where the Tenney Park locks are now.
  • 1852: Farwell laid out East Washington Avenue and planted it with trees, which set the neighborhood's south boundary.
  • 1854: the Milwaukee & Mississippi Railroad arrived.
  • 1871 and 1882: the Garnhart Reaper Works opened on East Washington Avenue, the area's first factory. Fuller & Johnson Manufacturing bought it in 1882, and its workers' housing reshaped the neighborhood.
  • 1892: an electric streetcar line began serving the area.
  • 1900: work began on Tenney Park, and the first Lapham School opened.

The city's 2008 Tenney-Lapham Neighborhood Plan describes a mostly residential neighborhood of about 6,000 residents with a small business district on East Johnson Street. It notes two local historic districts, Fourth Lake Ridge and Sherman Avenue, and says the neighborhood includes Madison's first African-American neighborhood, on the 600 block of East Dayton Street. The plan was adopted February 5, 2008, and amended in 2014.

The Capitol East District

The city's Capitol Gateway Corridor Plan, adopted February 5, 2008, covers the East Washington corridor between the Capitol and the Dane County Regional Airport. It rests on four principles: protect the Capitol view, respect existing neighborhoods, establish an employment center supported by transit, and create a vibrant boulevard. It also notes that rail-connected industries historically shaped the land between East Washington Avenue and Wilson Street.

A 2011 city news release describes the Capitol East District as the part of East Washington Avenue between Blair Street and First Street, and says the city was seeking developers for parcels in the 700 and 800 blocks. Today the avenue mixes offices, apartments, hotels, restaurants and music venues, as the directory list below shows.

Tenney Park and the Yahara River

Tenney Park is at 1414 E. Johnson St. The city says its 38.12 acres include a swimming beach on Lake Mendota with swim ropes and no lifeguards, and a frozen lagoon and hockey rink for winter skating when they are open. The Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association bought the site, then about 14 acres of marsh, in 1899 with a $4,000 gift from attorney Daniel K. Tenney, and hired landscape architect Ossian Cole Simonds to design it. The city designated it a City of Madison Landmark in 1995, and it is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Tenney Lock and Dam sits on Lake Mendota's eastern shore on Sherman Avenue. Dane County describes it as the largest of three boat locks on the Yahara River, connecting Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. The City of Madison bought the site in 1896 and built a boat lock, and the county has operated the facility since 1981. The lock is typically open May through October, so check Dane County's site for schedules and permit fees.

Along the river, the city's parks include the Yahara River Parkway (about 7.66 acres, with fishing) and Burr Jones Park at 1820 E. Washington Ave., a 4.68-acre park with athletic fields, a basketball court and Yahara River access. Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin DNR fishing license. The Tenney-Lapham plan supports the 1998 Yahara River Parkway Master Plan, which envisions walking and biking paths along the river. See our lakes guide and biking guide.

Breese Stevens Field

Breese Stevens Field sits just off East Washington Avenue. The city says it bought the land in 1923 from the widow of former Mayor Breese J. Stevens, and the stadium opened on May 5, 1926. Civil Works Administration crews built its stone walls in 1934, a 1982 project converted it into a soccer facility, and it became a City of Madison Landmark in 1995. For the teams that play there, see our sports guide.

Getting there

Metro's Route A, the East-West bus rapid transit line, runs along East Washington Avenue between the Capitol Square and East Springs Drive, where it splits toward Sun Prairie and the American Center. The city's text description has it leaving the avenue briefly on Mendota, Anderson and Wright Streets near the Capitol. The line launched in September 2024 with dedicated lanes and all-electric buses. Check Metro's planner for current times. For buses and bikes generally, see our getting around guide, and for parking, our downtown parking guide.

Places to start on East Washington and East Johnson

These are businesses in our directory with an address on East Washington Avenue (100 to 2000 blocks) or East Johnson Street. Descriptions come from their directory listings. Hours and menus change, so check with each one.

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Sources

Rules and dates can change. Check the official source before you rely on them, and suggest a correction if something is out of date.