As part of the popular Then and Now series, the city of Milwaukee is celebrated with archival photographs shown alongside specially commissioned contemporary images of the same scene. This visual account features over 100 photographs. It shows us how Milwaukee has evolved into the city it is today - a diverse range of architectural styles, where the massive arches of the old Federal Building, sleek lines of late 20th century high-rise offices, and the imposing mansions of Lake Drive all present one fascinating landscape.
Over the past 75 years, gays and lesbians have experienced tremendous social change in America. Gay and lesbian culture, once considered a twilight world that could not be spoken of in daylight, has become today's rainbow families, marriage equality victories, and record-breaking pride celebrations. For a medium-size Rust Belt city with German Protestant roots, Milwaukee was an unlikely place for gay and lesbian culture to bloom before the Stonewall Riots. However, Milwaukee eventually had as many--if not more--known LGBT+ gathering places as Minneapolis or Chicago, ranging from the back rooms of the 1960s to the video bars of the 1980s to the guerrilla gay bars of today.
"Across the city, fading advertisements and ghost signs tell the story of Milwaukee as it was in years gone by ... Join Milwaukee native and ghost sign hunter Adam Levin as he explores the national brands and local shops of the Cream City's past"--Back cover.
From City Hall to the Pabst Theater, reminders of the past are part of the fabric of Milwaukee. Yet many historic treasures have been lost to time. An overgrown stretch of the Milwaukee River was once a famous beer garden. Blocks of homes and apartments replaced the Wonderland Amusement Park. A quiet bike path now stretches where some of fastest trains in the world previously thundered. Today's Estabrook Park was a vast mining operation, and Marquette University covers the old fairgrounds where Abraham Lincoln spoke. Author Carl Swanson recounts these stories and other tales of bygone days.
Milwaukee's City Hall on East Wells and North Water streets is a landmark. Not only officially, but as part of Milwaukee's identity, from the city's flag to the Laverne and Shirley sit-com in the 1970s. The site for this familiar building was not easily chosen. The final location was not the first choice for most of Milwaukee's movers and shakers, and after it was finally settled upon, the difficulties only became bigger. Battles over designs and the bidding process became politically heated and personal in nature. Cost overruns in the construction, although common at the time, grew to gigantic proportions. The completed building was, however, structurally sound and pleasing to the eye. Still standing 115 years later, it is a monument to the Milwaukee government officials, architect and builder.
In the late 1800s, the area was developed by immigrant Poles, who became the dominant population for over 100 years. A survey nearly a half century later revealed that people of 110 national backgrounds now live on the Old South Side.
Get to Know the Wisconsin City’s Most Vibrant and Historic Neighborhoods Milwaukee is richly historic. This savvy, entertaining guide explores the best of it all. Local authors Royal Brevvaxling and Molly Snyder guide you through 31 unique walking tours that traverse Milwaukee’s length and breadth. Dive deep into the city with tours that illuminate its diverse neighborhoods, like the trendy East Side and the country-esque Northridge Lakes. Find everything from legendary Frank Lloyd Wright houses to custard stands to the birthplace of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These urban treks are great ways to soak in the vibe of Brew City. Inside you’ll find 31 self-guided tours through this amalgam of small town and big city Tips on where to dine, have a drink, and shop Clear neighborhood maps and vital public transportation and parking details Trivia about local culture, neighborhood history, and architecture Each self-guided tour includes full-color photographs, a map, and need-to-know details like distance, difficulty, and more. Route summaries make each walk easy to follow, and a “Points of Interest” section lists the highlights of every tour. Walking Milwaukee provides the perfect path for a weekend or an after-work ramble. So grab your walking shoes, and become an urban adventurer!
From grain to glass--a complete illustrated history of brewing and breweries in the state more famous for beer than any other Few places on Earth are as identified with beer as Wisconsin, with good reason. Since its first commercial brewery was established in 1835, the state has seen more than 800 open and more than 650 close--sometimes after mere months, sometimes after thriving for as long as a century and a half. The Drink That Made Wisconsin Famous explores this rich history, from the first territorial pioneers to the most recent craft brewers, and from barley to barstool. From the global breweries that developed in Milwaukee in the 1870s to the "wildcat" breweries of Prohibition and the upstart craft brewers of today, Doug Hoverson tells the stories of Wisconsin's rich brewing history. The lavishly illustrated book goes beyond the giants like Miller, Schlitz, Pabst, and Heileman that loom large in the state's brewing renown. Of equal interest are the hundreds of small breweries across the state started by immigrants and entrepreneurs to serve local or regional markets. Many proved remarkably resistant to the consolidation and contraction that changed the industry--giving the impression that nearly every town in the Badger State had its own brewery. Even before beer tourism became popular, hunters, anglers, and travelers found their favorite brews in small Wisconsin cities like Rice Lake, Stevens Point, and Chippewa Falls. Hoverson describes these breweries in all their diversity, from the earliest enterprises to the few surviving stalwarts to the modern breweries reviving Wisconsin's reputation as the place to find not just the most beer but the best. Within the larger history, every brewery has its story, and Hoverson gives each its due, investigating the circumstances that meant success or failure and describing in engaging detail the people, the technology, the marketing, and the government relations that delivered Wisconsin's beer from grain to glass.
The sky was the limit, as the Mafia indulged in running alcohol, extortion, protection rackets, adn skimming from Las Vegas casinos. The Cream City had its crooked lawyers, corrupt cops, and even a mayor on the take. There was the blood of those who dared to stand in the syndicate's way, who were found dead in ditches or as victims of car bombs. While now considered extinct, the Milwaukee Family was once a dominant force in the Midwest.
