For 47 years, Milwaukee County Stadium at 201 South 46th Street was the beating heart of sports in Milwaukee — a public-funded ballpark that gave the city a big-league identity, hosted three World Series, and watched Hank Aaron hit his final career home run.
This guide covers the stadium’s full story: how it was built, why the Braves left for Atlanta, how the Brewers arrived from Seattle, the record-setting moments that happened on its field, and exactly what occupies the site today — down to the little league park and the plaque marking where Aaron’s last home run landed.
Quick Answer
Milwaukee County Stadium was a 53,192-seat ballpark at 201 South 46th Street in Milwaukee, open from April 6, 1953 to September 28, 2000. It was home to the Milwaukee Braves (1953–1965) and Milwaukee Brewers (1970–2000), plus part-time Green Bay Packers games (1953–1994). It was demolished in February 2001; today the old infield survives as Helfaer Field, a public Little League park, with the rest of the footprint converted to parking for American Family Field.
Origins: The First Publicly Funded MLB Ballpark
County Stadium broke ground on October 19, 1950 on the site of the old Story Quarry on Milwaukee’s west side. Construction was slowed by steel shortages during the Korean War, but the $5.9 million ballpark — designed by Osborn Engineering and built by Hunzinger Construction — was ready in time for the 1953 season. It holds the distinction of being the first major league ballpark built entirely with public money, with the bonds fully paid off by 1964. It was also among the first MLB stadiums built with permanent lighting already installed.
The stadium was originally built for the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, replacing the aging Borchert Field. But just weeks before the 1953 season opened, the National League’s Boston Braves were approved to relocate to Milwaukee, and County Stadium became a major-league ballpark before it ever hosted a game.
Opening Day and the Braves’ First Season
County Stadium formally opened on April 6, 1953. The Braves played their first regular-season home game there on April 14, 1953 against the St. Louis Cardinals, and Bill Bruton delivered an instantly legendary moment — a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to win the game 3–2 in front of a sold-out crowd. Milwaukee, which had gone without major league baseball entirely, turned out in record numbers that first season, and the Braves led the National League in attendance for several years running.
Seating Capacity: How It Grew Over Time
County Stadium’s capacity expanded several times over its lifespan. It opened in 1953 with 28,111 permanent seats and standing-room capacity up to about 36,011. By 1954, the single-decked grandstands down the foul lines were double-decked, pushing capacity into the low-40,000s. In the 1970s the stadium was enlarged again, extending the upper deck to the foul poles, which brought final capacity to 53,192 — the number most fans associate with the stadium’s later Brewers years.
The 1975 MLB All-Star Game drew 51,480 fans, though that wasn’t the stadium’s all-time high. The Brewers’ own final game there on September 28, 2000 pulled a larger crowd of 56,324, the biggest regular-season turnout in the ballpark’s history, and a Packers-Vikings game on November 26, 1989 drew 55,892, a stadium record for football.
The Milwaukee Braves and the Move to Atlanta
The Braves were an instant hit in Milwaukee, winning the 1957 World Series over the New York Yankees, then returning to the Fall Classic again in 1958. But after Lou Perini sold the team to a Chicago-based ownership group led by William Bartholomay in 1962, new leadership began shopping the franchise to bigger, growing television markets almost immediately. Attendance had declined through the early 1960s, and Atlanta offered the Braves a package Milwaukee couldn’t match: a new publicly financed stadium, control over parking and concession revenue, and a regional television contract covering several untapped Southern states.
A Wisconsin court injunction forced the Braves to play a lame-duck 1965 season at County Stadium, drawing fewer than 560,000 fans, before the franchise officially completed its move to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for the 1966 season.
How the Brewers Arrived: The Seattle Pilots Connection
Milwaukee went without major league baseball for four seasons after the Braves left. That changed on April 1, 1970, when the Seattle Pilots — an American League expansion team that had played just one season and lost heavily at Seattle’s Sick’s Stadium — were declared bankrupt in federal court. A Milwaukee investment group led by Bud Selig purchased the franchise and relocated it to County Stadium just days before Opening Day, renaming it the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers opened their inaugural Milwaukee season on April 7, 1970 against the California Angels and immediately drew far bigger crowds than the Pilots had in Seattle, cementing County Stadium as the Brewers’ home for the next three decades.
Record-Setting Moments and Milestones
County Stadium’s field hosted some of baseball’s most legendary performances. On May 26, 1959, Pittsburgh’s Harvey Haddix threw 12 consecutive perfect innings against the Braves before losing the game in the 13th — still regarded as one of the greatest pitching feats in baseball history. On July 20, 1976, Hank Aaron hit the 755th and final home run of his career at County Stadium while playing for the Brewers. On September 9, 1992, Brewers shortstop Robin Yount collected his 3,000th career hit on the same field, becoming one of the youngest players ever to reach the milestone.
The stadium hosted the MLB All-Star Game twice, in 1955 and 1975, and three World Series in 1957, 1958, and 1982 — the latter featuring the Brewers against the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Green Bay Packers at County Stadium
From 1953 through 1994, the Green Bay Packers split a handful of home games each season between Lambeau Field in Green Bay and County Stadium in Milwaukee, a long-standing arrangement meant to keep the team connected to fans across the state. The practice ended in the mid-1990s as the Packers consolidated their home schedule at Lambeau Field.
A Concert Venue, Too
Beyond sports, County Stadium doubled as Milwaukee’s largest outdoor concert venue for decades, hosting major touring acts including the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Paul McCartney. Its size and open-air layout made it the natural home for stadium-scale shows in the city before other large venues existed.
The Final Game and Demolition
The Brewers played their last game at County Stadium on September 28, 2000, a 8–1 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in front of 56,324 fans. Braves legend Warren Spahn threw out the ceremonial first pitch. The team moved across the parking lot into the newly built Miller Park (now American Family Field) the following season.
Demolition began in December 2000 and was completed on February 21, 2001, closing the book on 47 years of Milwaukee sports history at the site.
What’s There Now: Helfaer Field and the Hank Aaron Marker
The stadium’s old infield wasn’t paved over — it became Helfaer Field, a public Little League ballpark that opened in 2002 with funding from the Evan Helfaer Foundation. Helfaer Field reuses the original foul poles from County Stadium and plays to roughly 200 feet down the lines and to center, with a marker on the concourse identifying where home plate once stood. It’s still an active youth-baseball facility today, tucked just outside American Family Field.
The rest of the County Stadium footprint is now a parking lot for American Family Field. A plaque embedded in the pavement, roughly where the outfield once stood, marks the exact spot where Hank Aaron’s 755th and final home run landed on July 20, 1976 — a small but popular stop for visiting baseball fans on game days.
Visiting the Site Today
The former County Stadium grounds sit at 201 South 46th Street, directly adjacent to American Family Field, and are open to the public year-round as parking lots and the Helfaer Field park — there’s no admission fee to see the home plate marker or the Hank Aaron plaque. The easiest time to visit is on a Brewers game day, when the surrounding lots are open and Helfaer Field’s youth games are often underway.
For current Brewers game schedules, parking rates, and directions to the area, check the official American Family Field ballpark page, since the old stadium’s site is now managed as part of that complex.
Milwaukee County Stadium FAQs
What teams played at Milwaukee County Stadium?
The Milwaukee Braves (1953–1965) and Milwaukee Brewers (1970–2000) both called it home for baseball, and the Green Bay Packers played a handful of home games there each season from 1953 to 1994.
Why did the Milwaukee Braves move to Atlanta?
New ownership that took over in 1962 wanted a bigger television market. Atlanta offered a new publicly financed stadium, control over parking and concessions revenue, and a regional TV deal, which Milwaukee couldn’t match.
How did the Brewers end up at County Stadium?
The Brewers began as the Seattle Pilots, an expansion team that went bankrupt after one season. A Milwaukee group led by Bud Selig bought the franchise in 1970 and moved it into County Stadium just before Opening Day.
When was Milwaukee County Stadium demolished?
Demolition began in December 2000, shortly after the Brewers’ final game there, and was completed on February 21, 2001.
What is at the Milwaukee County Stadium site now?
Helfaer Field, a public Little League ballpark, occupies the old infield. The rest of the site is now parking for American Family Field, including a plaque marking where Hank Aaron’s final home run landed.
Can you still visit the Milwaukee County Stadium site?
Yes. The address, 201 South 46th Street, is open year-round as public parking and the Helfaer Field park, with no admission fee to see the home plate marker or the Aaron home run plaque.
What was Milwaukee County Stadium’s seating capacity?
It opened in 1953 with roughly 36,000 total capacity and grew through several expansions to a final capacity of 53,192 by the 1970s and 1980s.
Get More from Milwaukee County Stadium
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Milwaukee County Stadium, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.