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Greenbush and Vilas: history, parks and places to start south of campus

Greenbush and Vilas lie just south and southwest of the UW–Madison campus, around Regent Street, South Park Street and Lake Wingra. Greenbush was once the first stop for many of Madison's Italian, Jewish and African American families, and much of it was cleared in the 1960s. This guide follows the City of Madison's historic walking tour, its Regent Street plan and Wisconsin Historical Society and city park pages, and it ends with directory businesses in the area. For the whole city, see our Madison neighborhoods guide.

Checked against official sources · Updated November 11, 2026

The old Greenbush neighborhood

Chandler Chapman and John Smith platted the Greenbush Addition in 1854, according to the city's Greenbush-Vilas walking tour. Italian immigrants arrived around 1900, and the Italian Workmen's Club, a mutual benefit group, was founded in 1912. Jewish families lived along Mound Street, and Agudas Achim Synagogue was built at Mound and Park in 1904. The corner of Park and Regent was known as "Spaghetti Corners," and the tour says one Italian-owned grocery from 1923 at 802 Regent later became DiSalvo's Imported Foods.

The Wisconsin Historical Society describes Neighborhood House, founded in 1916 as Madison's only settlement house, as the neighborhood's main institution. Over time, working-class African Americans, Jews, Irish and Germans took part in its activities alongside the Italian families. A Park Street cultural tour from UW–Madison says Greenbush was for many years where Italian, Jewish and African American residents first arrived in Madison.

Urban renewal in the 1960s

The Wisconsin Historical Society says the 1960s urban renewal project "obliterated" the community. The city's tour says most Italian and Jewish community buildings were demolished for the Triangle Redevelopment Project and for the expansion of Madison General Hospital. Housing in Pregler's Addition, known as the Triangle, was demolished in 1962, and St. James's original church-school building was torn down in 1958. The Historical Society adds that the Neighborhood House building and many others came down in the early 1960s, dispersing residents, and that a new Neighborhood House Community Center opened at 29 South Mills in 1965.

UW–Madison's tour says that today the core of old Greenbush, the triangle between Park, West Washington and Regent Streets, is home to people of many cultures. After World War II, African Americans began settling in Bram's Addition, south of Wingra Creek; see our South Park Street guide.

Neighborhood House Community Center is still at 29 S. Mills St.

Regent Street today

The City of Madison's Regent Street–South Campus plan, adopted July 1, 2008, says much of its planning area was once part of the historic Greenbush neighborhood. It describes the Regent Street corridor as an older neighborhood commercial district, and it aims to make the street a viable corridor with a niche in everyday goods and services for nearby residents, students and workers. Its recommendations include mixed-use buildings with street-level retail, streetscape improvements and support for small local businesses. For the campus side of the plan area, see our campus area guide.

Vilas and Henry Vilas Park

The Vilas neighborhood wraps around the north shore of Lake Wingra. The city's walking tour says the Wingra Park Addition was platted in 1889 and annexed to the city in 1903, and that the electric streetcar line reached Monroe Street in 1897. According to the City of Madison's park history, Senator William Freeman Vilas gave $18,000 in 1904 to buy land for a park, work began in 1905 on a design by O. C. Simonds, and the park was named after Vilas's son.

Henry Vilas Park today has a beach, fishing piers, lagoon skating and three playgrounds, and the free Henry Vilas Zoo is next door. Our monroe street guide covers the neighboring shopping district, and our kids guide covers the zoo and nearby play spaces. Bear Mound Park, a shady 1.6-acre park, is on Vilas Avenue.

Brittingham Park and Monona Bay

On the east edge of Greenbush, the city's Brittingham Park covers 25.81 acres along Monona Bay at 829 W. Washington Ave. The city's page lists a beach without swim ropes or lifeguards, a boathouse that houses Camp Randall Rowing Club, boat rentals at Brittingham Boats, an accessible playground opened in 2017, courts, fields and a dog park. The tour says Italian-Americans called it "Columbus Park" and that it was built from 1905 to 1911 with funds from Thomas Brittingham.

Park Street's north end and the hospitals

South Park Street begins near the old Greenbush core. Meriter Hospital's emergency room is at 202 S. Park St. as part of UnityPoint Health - Meriter, and a UnityPoint outpatient pharmacy and weekend after-hours clinic are listed at the same address. UW Health also has a clinic at 20 S. Park St. In an emergency, call 911. For more on the corridor farther south, see our South Park Street guide.

Getting there

The area is a short walk or bike ride from campus. See our getting around guide for buses, parking and bike routes.

Places to start

These are businesses in our directory with addresses in the area. Descriptions come from their directory listings; hours and menus change, so check with each one.

Regent St

S Park St

Mills St

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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.