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.
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 Little League park, with the rest converted to parking for American Family Field.
Origins: The First Publicly Funded MLB Ballpark
County Stadium broke ground in October 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 the first MLB stadium constructed 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 three 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.
Seating Capacity: How It Grew Over Time
County Stadium’s capacity expanded three 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 to roughly 43,340. 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, the largest crowd at the stadium for that event at the time — though it 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, leading the National League in attendance for several seasons and 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 over $300,000 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, which helped make it the city’s go-to destination for large-scale entertainment outside of baseball and football.
Closing, Demolition, and What Stands There Today
County Stadium played its final game on September 28, 2000, as the Brewers prepared to open the retractable-roof Miller Park next door. Demolition began that December and was completed on February 21, 2001.
The site wasn’t erased entirely. The old infield was preserved and rebuilt into Helfaer Field, a 722-seat Little League park that opened in 2002, using the original foul poles from County Stadium. A bronze marker on the third-base plaza there commemorates home plate’s original location, and a separate plaque in the Brewers Lot 1 parking area marks the exact spot where Hank Aaron’s final home run landed. The rest of the old stadium footprint was converted into parking for what is now American Family Field.
Visiting the Site Today
Milwaukee County Stadium itself no longer exists, but its former grounds sit immediately adjacent to American Family Field and are freely accessible as part of the stadium’s surrounding grounds and parking lots on game days and many non-game days. Fans can walk to Helfaer Field and the Hank Aaron home-run marker before or after a Brewers game, though hours, gate access, and lot availability follow the current ballpark’s operating schedule.
For up-to-date hours, directions, and event schedules for the area — since the historic markers sit on Brewers property — check the official American Family Field website before planning a visit.
Milwaukee County Stadium history FAQs
What teams played at Milwaukee County Stadium?
The Milwaukee Braves (1953–1965) and the Milwaukee Brewers (1970–2000) were the primary baseball tenants. The Green Bay Packers also used the stadium for select NFL home games from 1953 through 1994.
Why did the Milwaukee Braves move to Atlanta?
New ownership under William Bartholomay saw bigger financial upside in a growing Sun Belt market. Atlanta offered a new publicly financed stadium, control over parking and concession revenue, and a wide regional TV deal, prompting the Braves to relocate for the 1966 season after a court-ordered final year in Milwaukee.
How did the Brewers end up at County Stadium?
The expansion Seattle Pilots went bankrupt after just one season in 1969. A Milwaukee ownership group led by Bud Selig bought the franchise out of bankruptcy and moved it to County Stadium days before the 1970 season, renaming it the Milwaukee Brewers.
When was Milwaukee County Stadium demolished?
Demolition began in December 2000 and was completed on February 21, 2001, shortly after the Brewers’ final season there ended on September 28, 2000.
What is Milwaukee County Stadium famous for?
It hosted three World Series (1957, 1958, and 1982), two MLB All-Star Games (1955 and 1975), and was the site of Hank Aaron’s 755th and final career home run on July 20, 1976. It was also the first MLB ballpark built entirely with public funding.
What is at the Milwaukee County Stadium site now?
The old infield became Helfaer Field, a Little League park that reuses the stadium’s original foul poles and marks the spot of home plate. The rest of the footprint is now parking for American Family Field, and a plaque nearby marks where Hank Aaron’s final home run landed.
What was Milwaukee County Stadium’s seating capacity?
It opened in 1953 with about 36,000 seats, grew to roughly 43,340 after the grandstands were double-decked in 1954, and reached its final capacity of 53,192 after a 1970s expansion extended the upper deck to the foul poles.
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