Gertie the Duck is a world famous mallard and an icon of Milwaukee history. The story of her heroic efforts to hatch six ducklings became an inspiration for many Americans near the end of World War II. Gertie's story unfolded as a daily serial in the local newspaper for 37 days, captivating the residents of Milwaukee, the state and eventually the country.[1]
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Gertie's story began in April 1945 when The Milwaukee Journal outdoor writer Gordon MacQuarrie reported that a mallard duck was nesting on a wood piling under the Wisconsin Ave. bridge.[2] A total of nine eggs were laid and the duck kept vigil atop her nest despite throngs of visitors and motorists stopping on the bridge daily to check the progress of the expectant mother. Public interest continued to swell as wire services picked up MacQuarrie's stories and Mother's Day cards began arriving for the mallard. The Boy Scouts' formed a Gertie Patrol and a Wisconsin Humane Society officer was stationed to watch the brood as six of the nine eggs eventually produced chicks.[3] Despite flooding storms and fire on some nearby pilings, five ducklings and Gertie survived the ordeal and were put on public display in the nearby Gimbels department store windows, where more than 2 million visitors peered in to see the famous feathered family. The ducks were later relocated to the Juneau Park lagoon on Milwaukee's lakefront.[1]
Gertie the Duck, a 4-foot bronze sculpture of the mallard, was created by sculptor Gwendolyn Gillen and installed in September 1997 on the northwest side of the Wisconsin Ave. bridge over the Milwaukee River in downtown Milwaukee. The original cost of the sculpture was $15,000 and it was given to the city from the Eppstein Uhen Architects firm.[3] The sculpture can be found along the Milwaukee Riverwalk as part of the art displays called RiverSculpture!
Nicholas P. Georgiady and Louis G. Romano, two Milwaukee-area teachers, wrote the children's book "Gertie the Duck" in 1959.[4] The book was reissued in 1988 after selling more than 800,000 copies and translated into six languages.[1]