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[jon_margerumleys]

I lived in Milwauke from age 7 to age 17 and consider it one of my hometowns (the others are Madison, WI; Windsor, VT; Colorado Springs, CO; Arroyo Grande, CA; Ann Arbor, MI; and Dexter, MI).

Milwaukee was a wonderful place to grow up.  It has a whole bunch of great cultures (Polish, German, Serbian, Mexican, Jewish, African American), with diverse viewpoints, interesting festivals, great food; all the things that come with diversity.  It is very segregated, no doubt.  I didn't notice that when I was a kid, but do now going back to visit.  And racial tensions in this town go way back.

It's also true that political activism goes way back.  The German Socialists in the late 1800s were a driving force in Milwaukee's cultural development.  There has been a critical mass of Lefties in Milwaukee for well over a hundred years.

My mom was a teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools.  There's a history of innovation there, but the quality at the present time is not so great.  If I were going to live in the greater Milwaukee area, I'd probably try to live somewhere outside the district. That last sentence pains me:  My grandmother worked for the Philadelphia Public Schools, mom worked for Milwaukee, and I've supervised student teachers in the Detroit Public Schools.  I believe in working for reform from within districts.  But I wouldn't want my daughters to be students in the Milwaukee Public Schools.

That said, there are some great districts within an easy drive of UW-M.  I still have a few contacts in Milwaukee.  If you haven't chosen a place to live yet, please feel free to PM me and I'll try to put you in touch.

Bottom line:  I'd move back to Milwaukee in a flash.  It's a great town, one of my favorites in the whole world.  If you really value diversity (racial, ethnic, religious, economic, political) you'll find plenty of it in Milwaukee.  Unfortunately, for the most part you won't find those groups living together; it's one of the tragedies of Milwaukee at this time.  You'll also find a lot of nice Midwestern folks, a practical can-do attitude, beautiful lakefront scenery, proud sense of history, reasonably-priced housing, great restaurants, one of the best zoos in the country. . . I could go on.  I predict you'll love it there.

Jon

[iomhaigh]

The airport has a killer used book store, a branch of Rennaissance Books.

That is almost reason enough when compared to the McBookStores one usually encounters in the airports of America . . .

I totally forgot about that bookstore!  It is glorious!  Glorious, glorious, glorious!  Even if you just visit or fly through, go see it.

[chemchick]

The airport has a killer used book store, a branch of Rennaissance Books.

That is almost reason enough when compared to the McBookStores one usually encounters in the airports of America . . .

I totally forgot about that bookstore!  It is glorious!  Glorious, glorious, glorious!  Even if you just visit or fly through, go see it.

I'm from Milwaukee and had to chime in....YES that bookstore in the airport is awesome.  Milwaukee is sort of like that--there are some very cool things about the town (arts, restaurants, festivals) that tend to get overlooked and unfortunately overshadowed by the racial problems.  Incidentally if the OP is still reading, I would recommend living by UWM on the "fashionable East side".  The suburbs are boring.

I don't really know why Milwaukee has the race problems that it does.  The police department certainly has a history of racial incidents, but in retrospect it sadly doesn't seem to be much different from other cities in that respect.

[dr_stones]

Race problems --- not just for Southerners anymore.

Never were, come to think of it . . .

[daniel_von_flanagan]

I'll be in the M'waukee airport day after tomorrow -- where in the airport is the bookstore? - DvF

[dr_stones]

I'll be in the M'waukee airport day after tomorrow -- where in the airport is the bookstore? - DvF

You can't miss it!  It is right there in the main terminal, just outside the security perimeter.

[foolstop]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for sharing all these brilliant insights about the town.  I loved that comment about race problems not being for southerners anymore...Lol.

Well the time approaches...

I got to visit Milwaukee last weekend for the first time, and hope to again, to find some accommodation, in the next couple of weeks.  The weather was fantastic, and I thought the city was awesome.  I only had a few hours to explore, but walking the puppy by the lake was joyous, and I found the neighbourhoods I visited (and neighbours I spoke with) really great.   Its a dirty-lookin town in some ways -- I really loved all the old industrial stuff on the periphery of town.  I have to say that for the few hours I spent there, the rumours I heard appeared to be largerly unfounded, though I appreciate how that is likely the result of said segregation.  I happened on a rally of some sort down town-that awakened my race and class conscience a bit, however.  Nice to see that kind of agitation in the midst of seeming harmony. 

Turns out my wife is probably going to stay in the twin cities for a time, due to lack of gainful employ.  Ah...segregation.  I did discover the "megabus" runs between these two midwestern hubs for a measly $15 a pop (or less).  This way I don't have to negotiate that messy Marquette junction....Its going to be a fun commute--and I'll keep you posted. 

Cheers

foolstop

[nonny]

the rumours I heard appeared to be largerly unfounded, though I appreciate how that is likely the result of said segregation.

This is true, but keep in mind that many of us in other cities are able to avoid having to see racial tension and segregation thanks to a large scale form of racial segregation that exists on a national scale.  It's unfortunate that so many use cities like Milwaukee as a way of pretending there isn't a real race problem in the US (as if it's limited to a few smaller places), rather than recognizing a shared national problem becomes visible in such places.

On the one hand, in many underpopulated red states, the minority populations are too small to notice tension or segregation.  On the other hand, the academics' favorite cities--the Boulders, Ithacas, and the like--might as well be gated communities reserved for upper middle class, so they're pre-segregated by economic selection.  And in any case, every major American city, even if it's not noticeably segregated in the "nice" parts of town, is certainly so in the "bad" neighborhoods. 

I happened on a rally of some sort down town-that awakened my race and class conscience a bit, however. 

What kind of rally?  One thing I found pretty striking when I lived there was the strong progressive and activist streak that so many shared--it seems to come from the city's working class, unionized factory worker roots, but it's still very much alive and seems to have shaped the character of Milwaukeans of all backgrounds. 

[music_teacher]

Are you people for real?

[foolstop]

We are people.  For Real. 

[nonny]

Are you people for real?

Um.  What?

[dr_stones]

Can we rename this "The Thread that Made Milwaukee Famous"?

[dismal_sci]

  I did discover the "megabus" runs between these two midwestern hubs for a measly $15 a pop (or less). 
foolstop

What is this megabus?  A bus runs from the Twin Cities to Milwaukee for $15?

[foolstop]

Absolutely right.  I've never rid it, but sometimes seats are as low as a buck. Can't argue with that, really. 

http://www.megabus.com/us/schedules/minneapolis_milwaukee.php