History UsefulNotes / Milwaukee

Situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan and known as as [[ArtifactTitle "Brew City" or "The Brew"]] for having been home to four major brewing companies throughout its history [[note]]Blatz, Schlitz, Pabst, and Miller... the first two are now owned by Pabst and the last two are now headquartered in Illinois[[/note]]. Milwaukee is also home to Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle manufacturer that is known just as much for their [[BadassDecay clothing line, hotel and restaurant chains, and making high-priced toys for wealthy executives]] nowadays. [[WaynesWorld One of the more interesting aspects about Milwaukee]] [[Music/AliceCooper is that it's the only major American city to have ever elected three Socialist mayors]].

Milwaukee's status in the world of pop-culture has been [[BrokenBase a contentious issue for its citizens]]. Never was this more obvious than in 2008 when a privately-funded bronze statue of [[HappyDays Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli]] was erected along the city's Riverwalk to heavy controversy. Many residents feel that the city's portrayal as an urban {{Eagleland}} in HappyDays and its spinoff, LaverneAndShirley was not only historically inaccurate [[note]]During the RedScare in TheFifties, when the shows took place, Milwaukee's mayor was Frank Ziedler, one of the three Socialists whom Alice Cooper alluded to in the ''Wayne's World'' quote at the end of the last paragraph.[[/note]], but has hurt the city socially and economically by stigmatizing it as a stodgy, blue-collar town. In fact, GarryMarshall, the shows' producer, had never even stepped foot in the state of Wisconsin until the statue's dedication. So much of an issue is this locally that Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, upon being elected in 2004, quipped that one of his goals was to let the world know that "[[TakeThat Laverne and Shirley don't live here anymore.]]"

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WaynesWorld It's prounounced]] [[Music/AliceCooper "mee-lay-wau-kay."]]]]

* ''StepByStep'' took place in Port Washington, a RealLife Milwaukee suburb.
* ''That70sShow'' took place in a fictional Milwaukee suburb in Kenosha County. A few episodes even took place in Milwaukee itself.

* "[[Wrestling/AmericanWrestlingAssociation Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski]] was a native of South Milwaukee who [[TropeMakers developed the beer-drinking tough-guy gimmick]] that would be adopted decades later by [[Wrestling/{{ECW}} The Sandman]] and Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin. His Polish-Milwaukeean heritage was also a huge part of his persona and he'd brag about "takin' the dollies to polka up and down Wisconsin Avenue."

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was founded in 1956 [[hottip:* :out of a merger between the already established Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee on the upper east side to the University of Wisconsin Extension in Downtown Milwaukee]], and has since grown to boast one of the top film schools in the world. Many UWM Film School grads find work in Hollywood and over 100 episodes of {{CSI}} have been shot by UWM alumni. The film school is also credited for the numerous film festivals that now call Milwaukee's East Side home, the biggest of which is the Milwaukee Film Festival, which takes place every September and into October.

The original Juneautown is now known as Eastown, and makes up the eastern half of Downtown Milwaukee. It's most well-known landmark is the ''Brise Soleil'' ("Sun Breaker") of the Milwaukee Art Museum[[hottip:* :the sailboat-looking thing on the left side of the page image]].

* ''MajorLeague'' (Milwaukee County Stadium and Milwaukee's television/radio stations become the SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute of {{UsefulNotes/Cleveland}} in the film)
* ''WaynesWorld'' (the Alice Cooper Scene)

[[caption-width-right:350:[[WaynesWorld It's prounounced]] [[AliceCooper "mee-lay-wau-kay."]]]]

Situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan and known as as [[ArtifactTitle "Brew City" or "The Brew"]] for having been home to four major brewing companies throughout its history [[note]]Blatz, Schlitz, Pabst, and Miller... the first two are now owned by Pabst and the last two are now headquartered in Illinois[[/note]]. Milwaukee is also home to Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle manufacturer that is known just as much for their [[BadassDecay clothing line, hotel and restaurant chains, and making high-priced toys for wealthy executives]] nowadays. [[WaynesWorld One of the more interesting aspects about Milwaukee]] [[AliceCooper is that it's the only major American city to have ever elected three Socialist mayors]].

* '''Far Southside''': When TheBeatles toured Milwaukee in 1964, JohnLennon famously quipped that Milwaukee southsiders reminded him of [[OopNorth Liverpudlian scousers]]. Indeed, most of what people think of as the "traditional" Milwaukee south side applies here as the area is marked by a now-aging population of blue-collar Polish and Serbian Catholics, many of whom pack into Serb Hall for the traditional Friday night fish fry. This area also tends to be more conservative, politically and socially, than the rest of Milwaukee, and (right or wrong) many of its residents draw comparisons to [[AllInTheFamily Archie Bunker]]... especially its infamous Alderman Bob Donovan.

* "[[AmericanWrestlingAssociation Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski]] was a native of South Milwaukee who [[TropeMaker developed the beer-drinking tough-guy gimmick]] that would be adopted decades later by [[Wrestling/{{ECW}} The Sandman]] and StoneColdSteveAustin. His Polish-Milwaukeean heritage was also a huge part of his persona and he'd brag about "takin' the dollies to polka up and down Wisconsin Avenue."

Situated on the western shore of Lame Michigan and known as as [[ArtifactTitle "Brew City" or "The Brew"]] for having been home to four major brewing companies throughout its history [[note]]Blatz, Schlitz, Pabst, and Miller... the first two are now owned by Pabst and the last two are now headquartered in Illinois[[/note]]. Milwaukee is also home to Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle manufacturer that is known just as much for their [[BadassDecay clothing line, hotel and restaurant chains, and making high-priced toys for wealthy executives]] nowadays. [[WaynesWorld One of the more interesting aspects about Milwaukee]] [[AliceCooper is that it's the only major American city to have ever elected three Socialist mayors]].

Unlike the other two "sides," this is the only side that's almost never referred to as _____ Milwaukee or "The ____." Presumably, this hasn't caught on due to the existence of South Milwaukee, a completely separate town [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin just south of Milwaukee's border]]. It is also the hardest "side" to classify, many neighborhoods that don't fit traditional south side definitions have emerged in the past two decades. Milwaukee's south side includes the following:

* '''Far Southside''': When TheBeatles toured Milwaukee in 1964, JohnLennon famously quipped that Milwaukee southsiders reminded him of Liverpudlian "scousers." Indeed, most of what people think of as the "traditional" Milwaukee south side applies here as the area is marked by a now-aging population of blue-collar Polish and Serbian Catholics, many of whom pack into Serb Hall for the traditional Friday night fish fry. This area also tends to be more conservative, politically and socially, than the rest of Milwaukee, and (right or wrong) many of its residents draw comparisons to [[AllInTheFamily Archie Bunker]]... especially its infamous Alderman Bob Donovan.

Towards the end of TheSixties, the east side's corner bars and coffee shops became incubators for the growing counterculture that eventually centered on Brady Street. Predictably, this led to a wave of gentrification through TheNineties, turning the surrounding area into a [[BourgeoisBohemian bourgeois bohemia]]... especially on or near the lake. In turn, the original Brady Street scene has since moved west across the Milwaukee River into the neighborhood of [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Riverwest]].

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was founded in 1956 [[hottip:* :out of a merger between the already established Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee on the upper east side to the University of Wisconsin Extension in Downtown Milwaukee]], and has since grown to boast one of the top film schools in the world. Many UWM Film School grads find work in Hollywood and over 100 episodes of {{CSI}} have been shot by UWM alumni. The film school is also credited for the numerous film festivals that now call Milwaukee's East Side home, the biggest of which, is the Milwaukee Film Festival, which takes place every September and into October.

Today, the north side is predominantly African-American, though the outer reaches have more of a racial mix and is often stereotyped as a blighted {{Gangsterland}}. This is understandably a point of contention for many local residents, as the north side is a fairly large area with its share of middle-class residents; and only a handful of neighborhoods are truly as bad as portrayed on the local news, where many of the stereotypes come from.

Sometimes referred to as North Milwaukee or simply, "The North." The north side grew out of the original Kilbourntown as it was settled by Bavarian immigrants, many of whom fled what is now known as Germany after an unsuccessful revolution in 1848 and brought with them their beer and pro-labor politics.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was founded in 1956 [[hottip:* :out of a merger between the already established Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee on the upper east side to the University of Wisconsin Extension in Downtown Milwaukee]], and has since grown to boast one of the top film schools in the world. Many UWM Film School grads find work in Hollywood and over 100 episodes of {{CS!}} have been shot by UWM alumni. The film school is also credited for the numerous film festivals that now call Milwaukee's East Side home, the biggest of which, is the Milwaukee Film Festival, which takes place every September and into October.

Towards the end of TheSixties, the east side's corner bars and coffee shops became incubators for the growing counterculture that eventually centered on Brady Street. Predictably, this led to a wave of gentrification through TheNineties, turning the surrounding area into a [[BourgeoisBohemian bourgeois bohemia]]... especially on or near the lake. In turn, the original Brady Street scene has since moved west across the Milwaukee River into the neighborhood of [[[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Riverwest]].

* '''Historic Third Ward''': Wedged bewteen Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers, the Third Ward was originally a community of Irish immigrants. An inferno wiped out the neighborhood in 1892, which became a warehouse district for most of the 20th century. The combination of a boom of high-rise condominiums early in the 21st century, and the emergence of MIAD as a premier art school turned the area into a [[BourgeoisBohemian]] art district almost overnight. As such, many smaller, independent boutiques and art galleries can be found here.

'''East Side''': Sometimes referred to as East Milwaukee or simply, "The East." The east side grew out of the original Juneautown settlement into an Italian neighborhood, and is still home to a large number of Italian-owned businesses such as restaurants and bakeries.

'''North Side''': Sometimes referred to as North Milwaukee or simply, "The North." The north side grew out of the original Kilbourntown as it was settled by Bavarian immigrants, many of whom fled what is now known as Germany after an unsuccessful revolution in 1848 and brought with them their beer and pro-labor politics.

'''South Side''': Unlike the other two "sides," this is the only side that's almost never referred to as _____ Milwaukee or "The ____." Presumably, this hasn't caught on due to the existence of South Milwaukee, a completely separate town [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin just south of Milwaukee's border]]. It is also the hardest "side" to classify, many neighborhoods that don't fit traditional south side definitions have emerged in the past two decades. Milwaukee's south side includes the following:

* Walker's Point: Sometimes referred to as the Fifth Ward or The {{Gayborhood}}, the third original Milwaukee settlement is now home to the city's LGBT night life. Walker's Point is also home to the "Polish Moon," a lighted clock tower that sits atop a local manufacturing plant (currently owned by Rockwell Automotion) and got its name because the neighborhood was largely Polish when it was first built in 1962. The Polish Moon is the largest four-sided clock in the world.

* Historic Third Ward: Wedged bewteen Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee and Menomonee Rivers, the Third Ward was originally a community of Irish immigrants. An inferno wiped out the neighborhood in 1892, which became a warehouse district for most of the 20th century. The combination of a boom of high-rise condominiums early in the 21st century, and the emergence of MIAD as a premier art school turned the area into a [[BourgeoisBohemian]] art district almost overnight. As such, many smaller, independent boutiques and art galleries can be found here.

* Near Southside: Depending on the definition, this area could include Walker's Point, but it's usually used to describe the largely Hispanic community near Downtown centered on Caesar Chavez Drive (Walker's Point's western border). This area emerged in the 80s and 90s thanks to a wave of Mexican immigrants, who were later joined by many Puerto Ricans who moved up from Chicago and down from Riverwest.

* Far Southside: When TheBeatles toured Milwaukee in 1964, JohnLennon famously quipped that Milwaukee southsiders reminded him of Liverpudlian "scousers." Indeed, most of what people think of as the "traditional" Milwaukee south side applies here as the area is marked by a now-aging population of blue-collar Polish and Serbian Catholics, many of whom pack into Serb Hall for the traditional Friday night fish fry. This area also tends to be more conservative, politically and socially, than the rest of Milwaukee, and (right or wrong) many of its residents draw comparisons to [[AllInTheFamily Archie Bunker]]... especially its infamous Alderman Bob Donovan.

* Bay View: Just down the lake from the Third Ward. Bay View wasn't part of Milwaukee until the turn of the 20th century, but its residents still consider Bay View to be socially and culturally different from the rest of Milwaukee, even more that usual. They even tend to list their addresses technically incorrectly as "Bay View, WI." Indeed, Bay View does retain a "small town" feel and its commercial center, Kinnickinnick Avenue, is not unlike many small town Main Street's (albeit, with a more urban and [[BourgeoisBohemian bohemian]] flair).

Known as [[ArtifactTitle "Brew City" or "The Brew"]] for having been home to four major brewing companies throughout its history [[note]]Blatz, Schlitz, Pabst, and Miller... the first two are now owned by Pabst and the last two are now headquartered in Illinois[[/note]]. Milwaukee is also home to Harley-Davidson, a motorcycle manufacturer that is known just as much for their [[BadassDecay clothing line, hotel and restaurant chains, and making high-priced toys for wealthy executives]] nowadays. [[WaynesWorld One of the more interesting aspects about Milwaukee]] [[AliceCooper is that it's the only major American city to have ever elected three Socialist mayors]].

Alternatively, Milwaukee will be portrayed in the mass media as a blighted {{Gangsterland}} of declining industry and rising crime. This portrayal is a more localized one, showing up with the greatest frequency in the local TV news, and is the subject of even more local controversy. If the portrayal is being done by a PoliceProcedural, expect the story to revolve around a [[NeverLiveItDown Jeffrey Dahmer]] {{expy}}.

While both of these portrayals have shreds of truth in them--after all, Milwaukee did originally grow as a city due to its abundance of high-wage, blue-collar jobs before it befell the same fate as other "Rust Belt" cities due to the loss of industrial jobs--they are exaggerated in the present day. The crime rate is now lower than it has been in decades thanks to Milwaukee having been the beneficiary of generous amounts of urban renewal over the past 10-15 years. Furthermore, the city has been undergoing economic rebirth by focusing on healthcare, education, and technology.

The high-rise condos that now line Lake Michigan shoreline and have turned sections of the city such as Brady Street and the Third Ward (an arts district) into upscale [[BourgeoisBohemian Bourgeois Bohemias]] are perhaps the most obvious examples of the city's renewal. The resulting gentrification sent many of Milwaukee's hippies, [[GranolaGirl granolas]], aspiring musicians and [[StarvingArtist starving artists]] into other parts of the city such as Riverwest and Bay View, sparking a similar renewal of those neighborhoods... but not without each attracting its share of yuppies and hipsters who are now moving into new condo developments in those areas and starting the cycle over again. Northeast Milwaukee (known locally as the Eastside or simply "The East"), has emerged as a college town on par with Madison or Ann Arbor thanks to the growth of UWM [[note]](University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)[[/note]] from a low-profile commuter campus into a major urban research university which also boasts one of the top film schools in the world. Walker's Point is known for its [[{{Gayborhood}} LGBT-friendly establishments]] and having a pretty cool ClockTower. [[note]]The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower is the largest four-sided clock in the world.[[/note]] Other neighborhoods, such as Washington Heights, Sherman Park and Northwest Milwaukee (along with Riverwest) are known for their racially-integrated and family-friendly environments.

Local citizens, however, know better than to hold their breath until any of this comes up in a popular portrayal of their city.

* ''MajorLeague'' (Milwaukee County Stadium and Milwaukee's television/radio stations become the SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute of {{Cleveland}} in the film)

* "[[AmericanWrestlingAssociation Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski]] was a native of South Milwaukee who [[TropeMaker developed the beer-drinking tough-guy gimmick]] that would be adopted decades later by [[Wrestling/{{ECW}} The Sandman]] and Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin. His Polish-Milwaukeean heritage was also a huge part of his persona and he'd brag about "takin' the dollies to polka up and down Wisconsin Avenue."

* "[[AmericanWrestlingAssociation Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski]] was a native of South Milwaukee who [[TropeMaker developed the beer-drinking tough-guy gimmick]] that would be adopted decades later by [[ExtremeChampionshipWrestling The Sandman]] and StoneColdSteveAustin. His Polish-Milwaukeean heritage was also a huge part of his persona and he'd brag about "takin' the dollies to polka up and down Wisconsin Avenue."

The high-rise condos that now line Lake Michigan shoreline and have turned sections of the city such as Brady Street and the Third Ward (an arts district) into upscale [[BourgeoisBohemian Bourgeois Bohemias]] are perhaps the most obvious examples of the city's renewal. The resulting gentrification sent many of Milwaukee's hippies, [[GranolaGirl granolas]], aspiring musicians and [[StarvingArtist starving artists]] into other parts of the city such as Riverwest and Bay View, sparking a similar renewal of those neighborhoods... but not without each attracting its share of yuppies and hipsters who are now moving into new condo developments in those areas and starting the cycle over again. Northeast Milwaukee (known locally as the Eastside or simply "The East"), has emerged as a college town on par with Madison or Ann Arbor thanks to the growth of UWM [[note]](University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)[[/note]] from a low-profile commuter campus into a major urban research university which also boasts one of the top film schools in the world. Walker's Point is known for its LGBT-friendly establishments and having a pretty cool ClockTower. [[note]]The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower is the largest four-sided clock in the world.[[/note]] Other neighborhoods, such as Washington Heights, Sherman Park and Northwest Milwaukee (along with Riverwest) are known for their racially-integrated and family-friendly environments.

While both of these portrayals have shreds of truth in them... after all, Milwaukee did originally grow as a city due to its abundance of high-wage, blue-collar jobs before it befell the same fate as other "Rust Belt" cities due to the loss of industrial jobs, they are exaggerated in the present day. The crime rate is now lower than it has been in decades thanks to Milwaukee having been the beneficiary of generous amounts of urban renewal over the past 10-15 years.

While both of these portrayals have shreds of truth in them... after all, Milwaukee did originally grow as a city due to its abundance of high-wage, blue-collar jobs before it befell the same fate as other "Rust Belt" cities due to the loss of industrial jobs... they are exaggerated at best and textbook cases of bad research at worst. In fact, the crime rate is now lower than it has been in decades thanks to Milwaukee having been the beneficiary of generous amounts of urban renewal over the past 10-15 years.

* ''LaverneAndShirley''