Emerson East and Eken Park: Demetral Park, the Yahara River and places to start

How the city describes the area

The Common Council adopted the Emerson East-Eken Park-Yahara Neighborhood Plan on January 5, 2016, as a supplement to the comprehensive plan. A 1998 plan came before it.

The plan says Emerson East was developed in the 1920s after the city's Central Marsh was drained, providing housing for workers at nearby factories, including Oscar Mayer and French Battery Company. It places the neighborhood between East Washington Avenue, the Yahara River, Fordem Avenue, Packers Avenue, Commercial Avenue and North Street.

Eken Park lies along the west branch of Starkweather Creek, between Aberg Avenue, Packers Avenue, Commercial Avenue, North Street and East Washington Avenue. The Yahara area, by contrast, is described as mostly apartments, townhomes and condominiums; the plan counts 37 buildings and 217 units at the Sherman Terrace Condominiums alone.

The Sherman Avenue shore

The plan says homes in the Sherman area, on the east shore of Lake Mendota, date back to 1892, with many built in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. The neighborhood crosses the City of Madison, the Town of Madison and the Village of Maple Bluff, and the plan says residents' shared connection to Burrows Park ties it together.

The Wisconsin Historical Society's record for the Erdall House at 1228 Sherman Avenue gives some of the background. In 1892 the Willow Park Land Company bought marshy lakeshore between Brearly Street and the Yahara River and began dredging and filling it. The 1895 Erdall House, built for the company's corporate secretary, is described as the first house built on Sherman Avenue, and it is part of the Sherman Avenue Historic District.

Burrows Park, at 25 Burrows Rd., is 10.56 acres on Lake Mendota. The city lists a stone shelter, a playground, a multipurpose field, fishing (a Wisconsin DNR license is needed for ages 16 and up), canoe and kayak storage racks, and a historic Native American burial mound, and notes that a local sailing club stores and launches boats there. The city's history page says George B. Burrows left the land to the Madison Park and Pleasure Drive Association in 1909. For the village next door, see our Maple Bluff guide and lakes guide.

Demetral Park

Demetral Park, at 601 N. Sixth St., covers 49.18 acres near East High School. The city lists a reservable shelter, a playground, three lighted softball diamonds, a small basketball court, a multipurpose field, two sand volleyball courts and a fenced off-leash dog area of about 0.57 acres that requires a daily or annual dog permit. Park hours are 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. The neighborhood plan adds that Emerson East volunteers planted a native prairie berm there.

The city's history page for the park is about its namesake. Jimmy Demetral was born in Greece in 1895, came to the United States in 1912, won a world middleweight wrestling title in 1928 and died in 1978. The city says he promoted an annual wrestling benefit in Madison for 45 consecutive years, raising money for underprivileged and disabled youth.

Along the Yahara and Starkweather Creek

The Yahara River forms the neighborhood's southwest edge. The city's Yahara River Parkway page lists 7.66 acres and fishing as its feature, and Burr Jones Park at 1820 E. Washington Ave. sits on the same stretch. The 2016 plan notes that the Yahara Bike Path through Burr Jones Park leads north to East Johnson Street.

On the Eken Park side, Starkweather Creek runs through the northeast corner of the planning area. Nearby city parks, as the city lists them:

• Eken Park, 2407 Coolidge St.: 2.07 acres with a shelter, playground, basketball court and multipurpose field.
• Washington Manor Park, 801 N. Oak St.: 2.47 acres with a basketball court and playground.
• McCormick Park (dog park listing), 702 McCormick Ave.: 0.38 acres with a fenced off-leash dog park that requires a dog permit.

See our parks guide for the rest of the system.

Getting around

Metro Transit's text descriptions, as of 2026, list Route B on North Street, Commercial Avenue and Packers Avenue, and Route D2 on Fordem Avenue, North Sherman Avenue and Packers Avenue. Route 28 uses Sherman and Fordem at peak hours. Route A runs on East Washington Avenue. Routes change, so check Metro's planner. Our getting around guide covers buses and bikes.

Places to start on Sherman, East Johnson, Packers and East Washington

These are businesses in our directory on or near those streets. Descriptions come from their directory listings. Hours and menus change, so check with each one.

• Ancora: a roomy Maple Bluff café with seasonal brunch daily, craft lattes and house-made pastries.
• Bear & Bottle: a craft beer bar with a fast-rotating mix of West Coast and Wisconsin taps, plus tacos, burgers, poke bowls and brunch.
• Lola's Hi/Lo Lounge: a vinyl bar for music fans and food lovers, with live music and events.
• Great China: a Chinese restaurant serving noodles, rolls and other Asian dishes.
• Milio's Sandwiches E Johnson St: sandwiches on bread baked in-store every four hours.
• Chico's Villa Tap: a sports bar near the airport, run by Chico since 2011, with a Friday fish fry.
• Smoky Jon's Number 1 BBQ: a family-owned wood-smoked barbecue spot on Packers Avenue since 1970.
• The Lone Girl Brewing Company Taproom: the brewery's Madison taproom on East Washington Avenue, with Roman-style pizza.
• Mint Mark: seasonal small plates from James Beard-recognized chefs, with a rooftop bar.
• Inner Fire Yoga East: a hot yoga studio serving Madison since 2002.
• Communication: a DIY all-ages arts and music nonprofit at Roundhouse Studios, with concerts, films, comedy and free craft nights.
• Eli's Art Supplies: an art supply shop focused on mixed media, mural and graffiti supplies, with a legal wall.