Milwaukee

This article is about the city in Wisconsin. For other uses, see Milwaukee (disambiguation).

Milwaukee
City
Top: Milwaukee Skyline, Center Left Miller Park, Center Right Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lower Left Milwaukee River, Lower Right Milwaukee City Hall
Flag Official seal of Milwaukee Seal
Nickname(s):  Cream City, Brew City, Mil Town, The Mil, MKE, The City of Festivals, The Wauk, Deutsch-Athen (German Athens) ' '
Location of Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Counties	Milwaukee, Washington, Waukesha
Government
• Mayor	Tom Barrett (D)
Area
• City	96.9 sq mi (251.7 km2)
• Land	96.1 sq mi (248.8 km2)
• Water	0.9 sq mi (2.2 km2)
Elevation	617 ft (188 m)
Population  (2009)
• City	605,013
• Density	6,296.3/sq mi (2,399.5/km2)
• Metro	1,760,268
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	414
FIPS code	55-53000Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	1577901Template:GR
Website	www.city.milwaukee.gov

Milwaukee pronounced /mɪlˈwɔːkiː/) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 26th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Its estimated 2009 population was 605,014. Milwaukee is the main cultural and economic center of the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha Metropolitan Area with a population of 1,739,497 as of 2007. Milwaukee is also the regional center of the seven county Greater Milwaukee Area, with an estimated population of 2,014,032 as of 2008.

The first Europeans to pass through the area were French missionaries and fur traders. In 1818, the French-Canadian explorer Solomon Juneau settled in the area, and in 1846 Juneau's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the City of Milwaukee. Large numbers of German and other immigrants helped increase the city's population during the 1840s and the following decades.

Once known almost exclusively as a brewing and manufacturing powerhouse, Milwaukee has taken steps in recent years to reshape its image. In the past decade, major new additions to the city have included the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Frontier Airlines Center, Miller Park, an internationally renowned addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Pier Wisconsin, as well as major renovations to the Milwaukee Auditorium. In addition, many new skyscrapers, condos, lofts and apartments have been constructed in neighborhoods on and near the lakefront and riverbanks.

History

Main article: History of Milwaukee

Statue of Solomon Juneau, who helped establish the city of Milwaukee

The Milwaukee area was originally inhabited by the Menominee, Fox, Mascouten, Sauk, Potawatomi, Ojibwe (all Algic/Algonquian peoples) and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) (a Siouan people) Native American tribes. French missionaries and traders first passed through the area in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Alexis Laframboise, in 1785, coming from Michilimackinac (now in Michigan) settled a trading post; therefore, he is the first European descent resident of the Milwaukee region. The word "Milwaukee" comes from an Algonquian word Millioke which means "Good/Beautiful/Pleasant Land", Potawatomi language minwaking, or Ojibwe language ominowakiing, "Gathering place [by the water]". Early explorers called the Milwaukee River and surrounding lands various names: Melleorki, Milwacky, Mahn-a-waukie, Milwarck, and Milwaucki. For many years, printed records gave the name as "Milwaukie." One story of Milwaukee's name says,

[O]ne day during the thirties of the last century [1800s] a newspaper calmly changed the name to Milwaukee, and Milwaukee it has remained until this day.

The spelling "Milwaukie" lives on in Milwaukie, Oregon, named after the Wisconsin city in 1847, before the current spelling was universally accepted.

Milwaukee was first settled by a French Canadian called Alexis Laframboise in 1785; it was only a trading post. Therefore, Solomon Juneau was not the first to arrive in the area, in 1818. However, Juneau founded the town called Juneau's Side, or Juneautown, that began attracting more settlers. Byron Kilbourn was Juneau's equivalent on the west side of the Milwaukee River. In competition with Juneau, he established Kilbourntown west of the Milwaukee River, and made sure the streets running toward the river did not join with those on the east side. This accounts for the large number of angled bridges that still exist in Milwaukee today. Further, Kilbourn distributed maps of the area which only showed Kilbourntown, implying Juneautown did not exist or that the east side of the river was uninhabited and thus undesirable. The third prominent builder was George H. Walker. He claimed land to the south of the Milwaukee River, along with Juneautown, where he built a log house in 1834. This area grew and became known as Walker's Point.

By the 1840s, the three towns had grown quite a bit, along with their rivalries. There were some intense battles between the towns, mainly Juneautown and Kilbourntown, which culminated with the Milwaukee Bridge War of 1845. Following the Bridge War, it was decided the best course of action was to officially unite the towns. So, on January 31, 1846, they combined to incorporate as the City of Milwaukee and elected Solomon Juneau as Milwaukee's first mayor.

German immigration

Drawing of Milwaukee in 1854

A great number of German immigrants increased the city's population during the 1840s and continued to migrate to the area during the following decades. Milwaukee has been called the "Deutsches Athen" (German Athens), and into the twentieth century had more German speakers and German-language newspapers than it had English speakers and English-language newspapers. The German heritage and influence in the Milwaukee area is widespread. As of 2010, the Greater Milwaukee phone book includes more than 40 pages of Schmitts or Schmidts, far more than the pages of Smiths.

During the middle and late 19th century, Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area became the final destination of many German immigrants fleeing the Revolution of 1848 in the various German states and in Austria. In Wisconsin they found the inexpensive land and the freedoms they sought. Over the next ten years over a million people left Germany and settled in the United States. Some were the intellectual leaders of this rebellion, but many were impoverished Germans who had lost confidence in their governments' ability to solve economic problems. Others left because they feared constant political turmoil in Germany. One prosperous innkeeper wrote after arriving in Wisconsin: "I would prefer the civilized, cultured, Germany to America if it were still in its former orderly condition, but as it has turned out recently, and with the threatening prospect for the future of religion and politics, I prefer America. Here I can live a more quiet, and undisturbed life." One journalist commented in the Houston Post that "Germany seems to have lost all of her foreign possessions with the exception of Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cincinnati."

Polish immigrants

St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, the mother church of all of Milwaukee's Polish parishes

Although the German presence in Milwaukee after the Civil War remained strong, other groups made their way to the city. Foremost among these were Polish immigrants. The Poles had many reasons for leaving their homeland, mainly poverty and political oppression by Germany (many immigrants came from the German part of Poland). Because Milwaukee offered the Polish immigrants an abundance of low-paying entry level jobs, it became one of the largest Polish settlements in the USA.

For many residents, Milwaukee's South Side is synonymous with the Polish community which settled here. The group's proud ethnicity maintained a high profile here for decades and it was not until the 1950s and 60s that the families began to disperse to the southern suburbs.

By 1850, there were seventy-five Poles in Milwaukee County and the US Census indicates that they had a variety of occupations: grocers, blacksmiths, tavernkeepers, coopers, butchers, broommakers, shoemakers, draymen, laborers, and farmers. Three distinct Polish communities evolved in Milwaukee, with the majority settling in the area south of Greenfield Avenue. Milwaukee County's Polish population of 30,000 in 1890 rose to 100,000 by 1915. Poles historically have had a strong national cultural and social identity, maintained through the Catholic Church. A view of Milwaukee's South Side skyline is replete with the steeples of the many churches these immigrants built, churches that are still vital centers of the community.

St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and the surrounding neighborhood was the center of Polish life in Milwaukee. St. Stanislaus was the first Polish church in urban America. As the Polish community surrounding St. Stanislaus continued to grow, Mitchell Street became known as the "Polish Grand Avenue". As Mitchell Street grew denser, the Polish population started moving south to the Lincoln Village neighborhood, home to the Basilica of St. Josaphat and Kosciuszko Park. Other Polish communities started on the east side of Milwaukee and Jones Island, a major commercial fishing center settled mostly by Poles from the Baltic Coast. Today, St. Stanislaus is staffed by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, which intends to restore the historic edifice.

There were about 30,000 Poles in Milwaukee by the late 1880s compared with over 50,000 Germans—a considerable number, placing the group in second place among the ethnic immigrant communities.

Milwaukee has the third largest Polish population in the U.S. at 157,485 (7.5), behind New York City 213,447 (2.7%) and Chicago 210,421 (7.3%). The city experienced a major increase in its Polish population during the last 10 years. The city holds America's largest celebration of Polish culture and cuisine at Polish Fest.

Other immigrant groups from Europe

In addition to the Germans and Poles, Milwaukee received large influxes of other European immigrants from Lithuania, Italy, Ireland, France, Russia, and Sweden, which included Jews, Lutherans, and Catholics. Italians number in the city at around 300,000. The largest Italian American festival Festa Italiana is held in the city. By 1910, Milwaukee shared the distinction with New York City of having the largest percentage of foreign-born residents in the United States. Milwaukee has a large Serbian population with Serbian restaurants and Serbian churches along with an American Serb Hall. The American Serb Hall in Milwaukee is known for its Friday fish fries and popular events. Many U.S. presidents have visited Milwaukee's Serb Hall in the past.

African-American migration

During this time, a small community of African Americans who emigrated from the South formed a community that would come to be known as Bronzeville. As industry boomed, the African-American influence grew in Milwaukee.

Socialism

During the first half of the twentieth century, Milwaukee was the hub of the Socialist movement in the United States. Milwaukee elected three Socialist Party mayors during this time: Emil Seidel (1910–1912), Daniel Hoan (1916–1940), and Frank Zeidler (1948–1960). It remains the largest city in the country to have done so. Often referred to as "Sewer Socialists", the Milwaukee Socialists were characterized by their practical approach to government and labor.

Historic neighborhoods

Main article: Neighborhoods of Milwaukee

The historic Third Ward

In 1892, Whitefish Bay, South Milwaukee, and Wauwatosa were incorporated. They were followed by Cudahy (1895), North Milwaukee (1897) and East Milwaukee, later known as Shorewood, in 1900. In the early 20th century West Allis (1902) and West Milwaukee (1906) were added, which completed the first generation of "inner-ring" suburbs.

In the 1920s Chicago gangster activity came north to Milwaukee during the Prohibition era. Al Capone, noted Chicago mobster, owned a home in the Milwaukee suburb Brookfield, where moonshine was made. The house still stands on a street named after Capone.

With the large influx of immigrants, Milwaukee became one of the 15 largest cities in the nation, and by the mid-1960s, its population reached nearly 850,000. Starting in the late 1960s, unlike many cities in the "rust belt", Milwaukee's population continued to increase. Milwaukee escaped white flight, while every other major city experienced a decrease in population because of it.

In recent years the city has begun to make strides in improving its economy, neighborhoods, and image, resulting in the revitalization of neighborhoods such as the Historic Third Ward, Lincoln Village, the East Side, and more recently Walker's Point and Bay View, along with attracting new businesses to its downtown area. The city continues to plan for revitalization through various projects.

Milwaukee's rich European history is evident today. Largely through its efforts to preserve its history, in 2006 Milwaukee was named one of the "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In 2010, the Census Bureau released revised population numbers for Milwaukee that showed the city gained population, growing by 1.3%, between 2000 and 2009. This was the first population increase the city of Milwaukee has seen since the 1960 census.

Historic Milwaukee walking tours provide a guided tour of Milwaukee's historic districts, including topics on Milwaukee's architectural heritage, its glass skywalk system, and the Milwaukee Riverwalk.

Panorama map of Milwaukee, with a view of the City Hall tower, ca. 1898

Geography

Aerial view of downtown Milwaukee

Milwaukee lies along the shores and bluffs of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic, and the Milwaukee. Smaller rivers, such as the Root River and Lincoln Creek also flow through the city.

Milwaukee's terrain is sculpted by the glacier path and includes steep bluffs along Lake Michigan that begin about a mile (1.6 km) north of downtown. In addition, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Milwaukee is the Kettle Moraine and lake country that provides an industrial landscape combined with inland lakes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 251.7 km² (96.9 square miles), most of it land.

Cityscape

Panoramic view of Downtown Milwaukee at night, grid system visible

The city runs largely on the grid system, although in the far northwest and southwest corners of the city, the grid pattern gives way to a more suburban-style streetscape. North-south streets are numbered, and east-west streets are named. However north-south streets east of 1st street are named, like east-west streets. The north-south numbering line is along the Menomonee River (east of Hawley Road) and Fairview Avenue/Golfview Parkway (west of Hawley Road), with the east-west numbering line defined along 1st Street (north of Oklahoma Avenue) and Chase/Howell Avenue (south of Oklahoma Avenue). This numbering system is also used to the north by Mequon in Ozaukee County, and by some Waukesha County communities.

Milwaukee is crossed by Interstate 43 and Interstate 94, which come together downtown at the Marquette Interchange. Interstate 894 bypass runs through portions of the city's southwest side, and Interstate 794 comes out of the Marquette interchange eastbound, bends south along the lakefront and crosses the harbor over the Hoan Bridge, then ends near the Bay View neighborhood and becomes the "Lake Parkway" (WIS-794).

One of the distinctive traits of Milwaukee's residential areas are the neighborhoods full of so-called Polish flats. These are two-family home with separate entrances, but with the units stacked one on top of another instead of side-by-side. This arrangement enables a family of limited means to purchase both a home and a modestly priced rental apartment unit. Since Polish-American immigrants to the area prized land ownership, this solution, which was prominent in their areas of settlement within the city, came to be associated with them.

Climate

Milwaukee's location in the Great Lakes Region means that it often has rapidly changing weather, producing a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfa), with cold, windy, snowy winters, and very warm, humid summers. The warmest month of the year is July, when the 24-hour average is 72.0 °F (22.2 °C), while January is the coldest month, with a 24-hour average of 20.7 °F (−6.3 °C). Of the 50 largest cities in the United States, Milwaukee has the second-coldest average annual temperature, next to that of Minneapolis.

Milwaukee's proximity to Lake Michigan causes a convection current to form around mid-afternoon in light wind regimes, resulting in the so-called "lake breeze," a smaller scale version of the more common sea breeze. The lake breeze is most common between the months of March and June. This onshore flow causes temperatures to be sometimes milder near the lake compared to inland locations. Residents of the area refer to this phenomenon through the phrase "cooler by the lake."

The light (a "gas flame") on top of Wisconsin Gas Building (center-right) gives basic forecast. Here, blue indicates "colder temperature tomorrow."

As the sun sets, the convection current reverses and an offshore flow ensues causing a land breeze. After a land breeze develops, warmer temperatures flow east toward the lakeshore, sometimes causing high temperatures to be reached during the late evening. The lake breeze is not a daily occurrence and will not form if southwest to northwest winds generally exceed 15 mph (24 km/h). The lake acts to moderate cold air outbreaks along the lakeshore during winter months.

Despite Lake Michigan, overnight lows in downtown Milwaukee are often much warmer than suburban locations because of the urban heat island effect. Onshore winds elevate daytime relative humidity levels in Milwaukee as compared to inland locations nearby.

Ice skaters downtown at Red Arrow Park off of Water Street

Workers spread salt manually on ice

Thunderstorms in the region can be dangerous and damaging, bringing hail and high winds. In rare instances, it can bring a tornado to the more inland parts of the city. However, almost all summer rainfall in the city is brought by these storms. In spring and fall, longer events of prolonged, lighter rain bring most of the precipitation. Snow commonly falls in the city from early November until the middle of March, although it has been recorded as early as September 23, and as late as May 31. A moderate snow cover can be seen on or linger for many winter days, but there are relatively many days with less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the ground.

Milwaukee tends to experience highs that are 90 °F (32 °C) or above on 9 days per year, and subzero lows (< −18 °C) on 12 nights. Extremes range from 105 °F (41 °C) set on July 24, 1934 down to −26 °F (−32 °C) on both January 17, 1982 and February 4, 1996. The 1982 event, also known as Cold Sunday, featured temperatures as low as −40 °F (−40 °C) in some of the suburbs as little as 10 miles (16 km) to the north of Milwaukee.

Climate data for Milwaukee (General Mitchell International Airport)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	63 (17)	68 (20)	82 (28)	91 (33)	94 (34)	104 (40)	105 (41)	103 (39)	99 (37)	89 (32)	77 (25)	68 (20)	105 (41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	28.0 (−2.2)	32.5 (0.3)	42.6 (5.9)	53.9 (12.2)	66.0 (18.9)	76.3 (24.6)	81.1 (27.3)	79.1 (26.2)	71.9 (22.2)	60.2 (15.7)	45.7 (7.6)	33.1 (0.6)	55.9 (13.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	13.4 (−10.3)	18.3 (−7.6)	27.3 (−2.6)	36.4 (2.4)	46.2 (7.9)	56.3 (13.5)	62.9 (17.2)	62.1 (16.7)	54.1 (12.3)	42.6 (5.9)	31.0 (−0.6)	19.4 (−7.0)	39.2 (4.0)
Record low °F (°C)	−26 (−32)	−26 (−32)	−10 (−23)	12 (−11)	24 (−4)	33 (1)	40 (4)	42 (6)	28 (−2)	18 (−8)	−14 (−26)	−22 (−30)	−26 (−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.85 (47)	1.65 (42)	2.59 (66)	3.78 (96)	3.06 (78)	3.56 (90)	3.58 (91)	4.03 (102)	3.30 (84)	2.49 (63)	2.70 (69)	2.22 (56)	34.81 (884)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	15.0 (38)	11.3 (29)	7.4 (19)	2.6 (6.6)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.4 (1.0)	3.7 (9.4)	11.9 (30)	52.4 (133)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	12.3	10.1	11.9	12.8	10.9	10.7	10.2	9.9	9.1	9.6	11.4	11.7	130.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	10.4	7.7	6.1	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0.3	3.4	8.5	38.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours	139.5	152.6	186.0	213.0	275.9	303.0	322.4	282.1	216.0	176.7	114.0	105.4	2,486.6
Source 1: NOAA, National Weather Service (extremes)
Source 2: HKO (sun, 1961-1990)

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1840	1,700	—
1846*	9,655	+467.9%
1850	20,061	+107.8%
1860	45,246	+125.5%
1870	71,440	+57.9%
1880	115,587	+61.8%
1890	204,468	+76.9%
1900	285,315	+39.5%
1910	373,857	+31.0%
1920	457,147	+22.3%
1930	578,249	+26.5%
1940	587,472	+1.6%
1950	637,392	+8.5%
1960	741,324	+16.3%
1970	717,099	−3.3%
1980	636,212	−11.3%
1990	628,088	−1.3%
2000	596,974	−5.0%
2009	605,013	+1.3%

Population

As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 596,974.Template:GR As of 2000, there were 232,188 households, and 135,133 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,399.5/km² (6,214.3 per square mile). There are 249,225 housing units at an average density of 1,001.7/km² (2,594.4 per square mile).

There are 232,188 households, of which 30.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.2% are married couples living together, 21.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% are non-families. 33.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.50 and the average family size is 3.25.

According to the 2000 Census, there were at least 1,408 same-sex households in Milwaukee which accounts for 0.6% of all households in the city. Although this number is slightly lower than other cities in the region such as Chicago and Minneapolis, Milwaukee continues to be noted for its generally accepting attitudes towards the LGBT community. As a result, many gay-friendly communities have developed in neighborhoods such as Walker's Point, Bay View, Historic Third Ward, Riverwest, and the East Side. In 2001, Milwaukee was named the #1 city for lesbians by Girlfriends magazine.

In the city the population is spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $32,216, and the median income for a family is $37,879. Males have a median income of $32,244 versus $26,013 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,181. 21.3% of the population and 17.4% of families are below the poverty line. Despite the high poverty rates, home renters of Milwaukee face an increasing rate for rent, up an average of 3% in the last six months. Out of the total population, 31.6% of those under the age of 18 and 11.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. At 43% in 2007, Milwaukee has the second highest black male joblessness rate in the country behind Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Race in Wisconsin and Milwaukee
Race	Milwaukee	Wisconsin
White	43.6%	91%
Black	39.5%	6.48%
Native American	0.8%	1.3%
Asian	3.6%	2.21%
Pacific Islander	0.05%	0.09%
Other race	7.3%	N/A
Two or more races	2.1%	N/A
Hispanic	14.9%	3.35%
Note: Hispanics may be of any race.

Race and ethnicity

According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, the racial composition of Milwaukee was as follows:

• White: 46.8% (Non-Hispanic Whites: 40.4%)
• Black or African American: 38.3%
• Native American: 0.8%
• Asian: 3.2%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
• Some other race: 8.5%
• Two or more races: 2.3%

• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 15.7%

Source:

According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, 38.3% of Milwaukee's residents reported having African American ancestry and 20.8% reported German ancestry. Other significant population groups include Polish (8.8%), Irish (6.5%), Italian (3.6%), English (2.8%), and French (1.7%). Hispanics makeup 15.7% of the population. Also every year the largest Italian festival in the United States, Festa Italiana is held in the city, showing off Milwaukee's large Italian population.

The metropolitan area was cited as being the most segregated in the U.S. in a Jet Magazine article in 2002. The source of this information was a segregation index developed in the mid 1950s and used since 1964. In 2003, a different study was conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee which found evidence that Milwaukee is not "hypersegregated" and instead ranks as the 43rd most integrated city in America. Through continued dialogue between Milwaukee's citizens, the city is making an effort to reduce racial tensions and reduce the rate of segregation. With demographic changes in the wake of white flight, segregation in metropolitan Milwaukee is primarily in the suburbs rather than the city as in the era of Father Groppi.

Religion

St. Josaphat Basilica, in Milwaukee's historic Lincoln Village.

The Association of Religion Data Archives reported on the religious composition of the Milwaukee-Racine area as of 2000. Approximately 55% of residents were adherents to one of the 188 groups included in the data.

Of them, 58% were Catholic, 23% Lutheran, 3% Methodist, and 2.5% Jewish. Others included adherents to other Protestant denominations, Orthodox churches, and Eastern religions. Historically African-American denominations were not included in the data.

Milwaukee is home to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The School Sisters of the Third Order of St Francis have their mother house in Milwaukee, and several other religious orders have a significant presence in the area, including the Jesuits and Franciscans. Milwaukee, where Father Josef Kentenich was exiled for 14 years from 1952–1965, is also the center for the Schoenstatt Movement in the United States. St. Joan of Arc Chapel, the oldest church in Milwaukee, is located on the Marquette University campus. St. Josaphat Basilica was the first church to be given the Basilica honor in Wisconsin and the third in the United States. Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, located northwest of Milwaukee, in Hartford, Wisconsin, was also made a Basilica in 2006.

Milwaukee is home for several Lutheran Church Synods, including The Greater Milwaukee Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), which operates Concordia University in Mequon and Milwaukee Lutheran High School, the oldest Lutheran high school in the nation; and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), which was founded in 1850 in Milwaukee and maintains its national headquarters there.

In addition, numerous mosques, synagogues, and temples serve Milwaukee's Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Unitarian Universalist, and Buddhist communities.

Masons have various meeting locations in Milwaukee. The Tripoli Shrine Temple and Mosque, located on Wisconsin Avenue, is architecturally inspired by India's Taj Mahal and is home to the headquarters of all Shriner activities in Milwaukee. Completed in 1928, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and one of Milwaukee's most unique landmarks. Shriners, or Shrine Masons, belong to the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine for North America.

Education

Merrill Hall at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

The John P. Raynor, S.J. Library at Marquette University

Higher education

Milwaukee has one of the highest per capita student populations in North America, ranking 6th among U.S. and Canadian cities in number of college students per 100 residents, according to a January 2000 study from McGill University

Milwaukee area universities and colleges:

• Alverno College
• Bryant and Stratton
• Cardinal Stritch University
• Carroll University (Waukesha)
• Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon)
• Herzing University
• Marquette University
• Medical College of Wisconsin (Wauwatosa)
• Milwaukee Area Technical College
• Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Mount Mary College
• National-Louis University
• Sacred Heart School of Theology (Hales Corners, Wisconsin)
• University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
• University of Wisconsin–Waukesha (Waukesha)
• Wisconsin Lutheran College

Primary and secondary education

Main article: Milwaukee Public Schools

Milwaukee maintains Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), the largest school district in Wisconsin and thirty third in the nation. As of 2007, it had an enrollment of 89,912 students and as of 2006 employed 11,100 full-time and substitute teachers in 323 schools. Milwaukee Public Schools operate as magnet schools, with individualized specialty areas for interests in academics or the arts. Washington High School, Riverside University High School, Rufus King High School, Ronald Wilson Reagan College Preparatory High School, Samuel Morse Middle School for the Gifted and Talented, Golda Meir School, Milwaukee High School of the Arts, and Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School are some of the magnet schools in Milwaukee. In 2007, 17 MPS high schools appeared on a national list of "dropout factories" - schools where fewer than 60% of freshmen graduate on time. Milwaukee is also home to over two dozen private or parochial high schools (e.g., St. Anthony High School, Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Thomas More High School, Dominican High School, Messmer High School, Marquette University High School, Milwaukee Lutheran High School, St. Joan Antida High School, Pius XI High School, and University School of Milwaukee among others) and many private and parochial middle and elementary schools.

Of persons in Milwaukee aged 25 and above, 84.5% have a high school diploma, and 27% have a bachelor's degree or higher. (2000)

Government and politics

Main article: Government of Milwaukee

Milwaukee has a mayor-council form of government with a strong-mayor plan. The mayor oversees a Common Council of elected members, each representing one of 15 districts in the city. Milwaukee has a history of giving long tenures to its mayors; from Frank Zeidler to Tom Barrett, the city has had only four mayors in the last 60 years. When 28-year incumbent Henry Maier retired in 1988, he held the record for longest term of service for a city of Milwaukee's size.

Milwaukee has been a Democratic stronghold for more than a century, with Democrats dominating every level of government, except for its Socialist mayors and (for briefer periods) other city and county offices. The city is split among three state Senate districts, each of which is composed of three Assembly districts. All 12 of the officials representing the city in the State Legislature are Democrats.

Milwaukee makes up the overwhelming majority of Wisconsin's 4th congressional district. The district is heavily Democratic. The Democratic primary for the seat is considered more important than the general election. The district is currently represented by Democrat Gwen Moore.

Milwaukee residents elect representatives to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. The County executive is Republican Scott Walker.

Economy

Rockwell Automation Headquarters and Allen-Bradley Clock Tower

Milwaukee and its suburbs are the home to the headquarters of 13 Fortune 1000 companies, including Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual, Manpower Inc., Jefferson Wells, Kohl's, Harley-Davidson, Rockwell Automation, Fiserv, Inc., Marshall & Ilsley Corp., Wisconsin Energy, Briggs & Stratton, Joy Global, A.O. Smith, GE Healthcare Diagnostic Imaging and Clinical Systems and MGIC Investments. The Milwaukee metropolitan area ranks fifth in the United States in terms of the number of Fortune 500 company headquarters as a share of the population. Brookfield is the leading commercial suburb of Milwaukee. Milwaukee also has a large number of financial service firms, particularly those specializing in mutual funds and transaction processing systems, and a number of publishing and printing companies. The Milwaukee area is also the headquarters of Midwest Airlines, American Signal Corporation, Bucyrus International, the Koss Corporation, Harken, Lesaffre Yeast Corporation, Evinrude Outboard Motors (Sturtevant, Wisconsin) and Master Lock.

Service and managerial jobs are the fastest-growing segments of the Milwaukee economy, and health care alone makes up 27% the jobs in the city. Twenty-two percent of Milwaukee's workforce is involved in manufacturing, second only to San Jose, California, and far higher than the national average of 16.5%.

In 2009, five Milwaukee-area companies were selected as leaders in their industries as Fortune magazine recognized “The World’s Most-Admired Companies.” Two Milwaukee companies ranked second in their field: Manpower Inc. in the temporary help industry and Northwestern Mutual in life and health insurance. Johnson Controls Inc., Glendale, placed fourth among motor-vehicle parts firms. Ranked fifth were Fiserv Inc., Brookfield, in financial data services and Kohl’s Corp., Menomonee Falls, among general merchandisers.

Brewing

Milwaukee became synonymous with Germans and beer beginning in the 1850s. The Germans had long enjoyed beer and set up breweries when they arrived in Milwaukee. By 1856, there were more than two dozen breweries in Milwaukee, most of them German-owned and -operated. Besides making beer for the rest of the nation, Milwaukeeans enjoyed consuming the various beers produced in the city's breweries. As early as 1843, pioneer historian James Buck recorded 138 taverns in Milwaukee, an average of one per forty residents. Beer halls and taverns are abundant in the city to this day although only one of the major breweries—Miller—remains in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee's founding fathers had a vision for the city. They knew it was perfectly situated as a port city, a center for collecting and distributing produce. Many of the new immigrants who were pouring into the new state of Wisconsin during the middle of the 19th century were wheat farmers. By 1860, Wisconsin was the second ranked wheat-growing state in the country and Milwaukee shipped more wheat than any place in the world. Railroads were needed to transport all this grain from the wheat fields of Wisconsin to Milwaukee's harbor. Improvements in railways at the time made this possible.

Entrance to Miller Brewery in Milwaukee

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The Pabst Brewery Complex, closed in 1997

There was intense competition for markets with Chicago, and to a lesser degree, with Racine and Kenosha. Eventually Chicago won out. Due to its superior position on major railroad lines connecting east and west, Chicago had a distinct advantage over Milwaukee. The wheat market though, guaranteed Milwaukee's place as the commercial capital of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries (Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller), and was the number one beer producing city in the world for many years. Despite the decline in its position as the world's leading beer producer after the loss of two of those breweries, its one remaining major brewery, Miller Brewing Company remains a key employer by employing over 2,200 of the city's workers. Because of Miller's solid position as the second-largest beer-maker in the U.S., the city remains known as a beer town despite now only representing a fraction of its economy.

The historic Milwaukee Brewery, located in "Miller Valley" at 4000 West State Street, is the oldest still-functioning major brewery in the United States. In July 2008, it was announced that Coors beer would be added to the list of beers brewed in Miller Valley. This created additional brewery jobs in Milwaukee, as its world headquarters moved 100 miles (160 km) south from Milwaukee to Chicago.

Besides Miller and the heavily-automated Leinenkugel's brewery in the old Blatz 10th Street plant, the only other currently operating stand-alone breweries in Milwaukee are Milwaukee Brewing Company, a microbrewery in Walker's Point neighborhood, and Lakefront Brewery, a microbrewery located in Brewers Hill. The suburb of Glendale is home to Sprecher Brewery, another locally popular microbrew. Various brewpubs can be found throughout the Milwaukee area, including Milwaukee Ale House and Water Street Brewery.

Three beer brewers with Wisconsin operations made the 2009 list of the 50 largest beermakers in the United States, based on beer sales volume. Making the latest big-breweries list from Wisconsin is MillerCoors at No. 2. MillerCoors is a joint venture formed last year by Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co. and Golden, Colorado-based Molson Coors Brewing Company. The Minhas Craft Brewery in Monroe, Wisconsin which brews Huber, Rhinelander and Mountain Crest brands, ranked No. 14 and New Glarus Brewing Company., New Glarus, Wisconsin whose brands include Spotted Cow, Fat Squirrel and Uff-da, ranked No. 32.

Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley, both of them sitcoms that aired on ABC in the 1970s and 1980s, were set in Milwaukee, and often used the Milwaukee breweries as a backdrop for the storyline.

Manufacturing

Rail tracks along the industrial Menomonee River Valley, ancestral home of the Menominee Indians

Because of its easy access to Lake Michigan and other waterways, Milwaukee's Menomonee River Valley has historically been home to manufacturing, stockyards, rendering plants, shipping, and other heavy industry.

Reshaping of the valley began with the railroads built by city co-founder Byron Kilbourn to bring product from Wisconsin's farm interior to the port. By 1862 Milwaukee was the largest shipper of wheat on the planet, and related industry developed. Grain elevators were built and, due to Milwaukee's dominant German immigrant population, breweries sprang up around the processing of barley and hops. A number of tanneries were constructed, of which the Pfister & Vogel tannery grew to become the largest in America.

In 1843 George Burnham and his brother Jonathan opened a brickyard near 16th Street. When a durable and distinct cream-colored brick came out of the clay beds, other brickyards sprang up to take advantage of this resource. Because many of the city's buildings were built using this material it earned the nickname "Cream City", and consequently the brick was called Cream City brick. By 1881 the Burnham brickyard, which employed 200 men and peaked at 15 million bricks a year, was the largest in the world.

Flour mills, packing plants, breweries, railways and tanneries further industrialized the valley. With the marshlands drained and the Kinnickinnic ?.

Along with the processing industries, bulk commodity storage and machining and manufacturing entered the scene. The valley was home to the Milwaukee Road, Falk Corporation, Cutler-Hammer, Harnischfeger, Chain Belt Company, Nordberg and other industry giants.

Early in the 20th century, Milwaukee was home to several pioneer brass era automobile makers, including Ogren (from 1919 to 1922) and LaFayette (from 1922 to about 1924).

In 2007, three Milwaukee-area companies were among nine firms honored for manufacturing excellence in the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year competition. Astronautics Corporation of America and Brady Corporation, both of which have headquarters in Milwaukee, and Wisconsin Plating Works Inc., Racine, each received special awards. Privately held Astronautics, a major supplier of government and commercial avionics, was honored for its high-technology research and development program. Brady, a publicly owned manufacturer of signs, labels and other identification and security products, received an award for corporate excellence. Privately owned Wisconsin Plating Works, which provides metal finishing services, received an award for employee and environmental stewardship. Nominated companies were evaluated in areas such as financial growth or consistency, technological advances, product development, environmental solutions, operational excellence/continuous improvement, commitment to employees, and effective research and development.

In 2009, a group of elected officials and business leaders is trying to entice Boston-Power Inc., a Massachusetts-based battery maker, to open a factory in Milwaukee. Milwaukee Alerman Tony Zielinski has introduced a resolution to have the city of Milwaukee appropriate from $1 million to $20 million for a factory for Boston-Power, the Westborough, Mass.-based manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for laptop computers, personal digital assistants, mobile telephones and other portable devices. Stimulus package funds are included in the $787 billion stimulus package signed by President Barack Obama for lithium-ion battery development, he said. Boston-Power’s interest in locating a plant in Milwaukee stems in part from the area’s manufacturing heritage and that it’s home to Johnson Controls Inc., the manufacturer has been developing lithium-ion batteries for hybrid-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles and electric vehicles.

Health care

Milwaukee's health care industry includes several health systems. The Milwaukee Regional Medical Complex, located between 8700 and 9200 West Wisconsin Avenue, is on the Milwaukee County grounds. This area includes the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, the Ronald McDonald House, Curative Rehabilitation, and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Children's Hospital of Wisconsin was ranked in the top three children's hospitals in the United States in 2006. Aurora Health Care includes St. Luke's Medical Center, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, West Allis Memorial, and St. Luke's SouthShore. Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare includes St. Joseph's Hospital, Elmbrook Memorial (Brookfield), and others in the Milwaukee area. Columbia St. Mary's Hospital is on Milwaukee's lakeshore and has established affiliations with Froedtert Hospital and the Medical College of Wisconsin. The Medical College of Wisconsin is one of two medical schools in Wisconsin and the only one in Milwaukee.

Other health care non-profit organizations in Milwaukee include national headquarters of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and the Endometriosis Association.

Tourism

Milwaukee's skyline visible from a sailboat out on Lake Michigan

Milwaukee is a popular venue for Lake Michigan sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, ethnic dining, and cultural festivals. Milwaukee is recognized for its museums, fine dining and hotels, professional sports, performing arts, gardens and parks, and Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens.

Crime

Violent crime in Milwaukee has declined substantially since the late 1990s : For several years, Milwaukee ranked among the ten most dangerous large cities in the United States. However, despite its improvement, Milwaukee still fares worse than average when comparing specific crime types to the national average (e.g., homicide, rape, robbery); only aggravated assaults occur less frequently in Milwaukee than the national average. In 2008, under the leadership of Police Chief Edward A. Flynn, Milwaukee's homicide rate fell to a 23-year low, according to the Journal/Sentinel website, which credits targeted policing and cooperation among law enforcement agencies as the main reasons for the decline.

Also showing encouraging progress is Milwaukee’s confrontation of gang activity. A story in Milwaukee Magazine documented

“tens of thousands of gang members in the city – black, white, Latino and Asian gangs – all involved in some way in the drug trade and almost all riddled with rats - hundreds of informants reporting back to the cops in the Milwaukee Police Department’s Gang Unit.”

The unit was reactivated in 2004 after Police Chief Nannette Hegerty was sworn into office. In 2006 alone, the story noted, some 4,000 charges were brought against criminals through Milwaukee’s Gang Unit.

Reference

Culture

Museums

Milwaukee is home to a wide variety of museums:

Art

The Milwaukee Art Museum

• The Milwaukee Art Museum is perhaps Milwaukee's most visually prominent cultural attraction; especially its $100 million wing designed by Santiago Calatrava in his first American commission. The museum includes a "brise soleil," a moving sunscreen that unfolds like the wing of a bird.
• The Grohmann Museum, at Milwaukee School of Engineering is home to the world's most comprehensive art collection dedicated to the evolution of human work. It houses the Man at Work collection, which comprises more than 700 paintings and sculptures dating from 1580 to the present. The museum also features a spectacular rooftop sculpture garden.
• Haggerty Museum of Art, located on the Marquette University campus houses several classical masterpieces and is open to the public.
• Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum
• Charles Allis Art Museum
• William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design

Science and natural history

Discovery World

• The Milwaukee Public Museum has been Milwaukee's primary natural history and human history museum for 125 years, with over 150,000 square feet (14,000 m²) of permanent exhibits. Exhibits feature Africa, Europe, the Arctic, and South and Middle America, dinosaurs from 65 million years ago, the tropical rainforest, streets of Old Milwaukee, a European Village, a Sampson Gorilla replica, the Puelicher Butterfly Wing, hands-on laboratories, and animatronics. The Museum also has an IMAX movie theater/planetarium. Milwaukee Public Museum is home to the world’s largest dinosaur skull.
• Discovery World, Milwaukee's largest museum dedicated to science, is just south of the Milwaukee Art Museum along the lake front. Visitors are drawn by its high-tech, hand-on exhibits, salt water and freshwater aquariums, as well as touch tanks and digital theaters. A double-helix staircase wraps around the 40-foot (12 m) kinetic sculpture of a human genome. The S/V Dennis Sullivan Schooner Ship docked at Discovery World is the world's only re-creation of a 1880s-era three-masted vessel and the first schooner to be built in Milwaukee in over 100 years. It teaches visitors about the Great Lakes and Wisconsin's maritime history.
• Betty Brinn Children's Museum is geared toward children under 10 and is filled with hands-on exhibits and interactive programs, offering families a chance to learn together. Voted one of the top 10 museums for children by Parents Magazine, it exemplifies the philosophy that constructive play nurtures the mind.

Social and cultural history

The Pabst Mansion

• Pabst Mansion Built in 1892 by beer tycoon Frederick Pabst, this Flemish Renaissance Mansion was once considered the jewel of Milwaukee's famous avenue of mansions called the "Grand Avenue". Interior rooms restored with period furniture, to create an authentic replica of a Victorian Mansion. Nationally recognized as a house museum.
• Milwaukee County Historical Society features Milwaukee during the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Housed within an architectural landmark, the Milwaukee's Historical Society features a panoramic painting of Milwaukee, firefighting equipment, period replicas of a pharmacy and a bank, and Children's world - an exhibit that includes vintage toys, clothes and school materials. The museum houses a research library, where scenes from the movie Public Enemies were shot.
• America's Black Holocaust Museum, founded by lynching survivor James Cameron, features exhibits which chronicle the injustices suffered throughout history by African Americans in the United States. The museum closed temporarily in July 2008 as a result of financial difficulties; no formal re-opening date had been set.
• Jewish Museum Milwaukee is dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the Jewish people in southeastern Wisconsin and celebrating the continuum of Jewish heritage and culture.
• Mitchell Gallery of Flight, Located at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee's aviation and historical enthusiasts experience the history of General Mitchell International Airport with a visit to the Gallery of Flight. Exhibits include General Billy Mitchell; replicas of past and present aircraft including the Lawson Airline, the first commercial airliner; the Graf Zepplin II, the sistership to the tragically legendary Hindinberg; a 1911 Curtis Pusher, an airplane with the propeller in the rear of the plane; and the present day giant of the sky, the 747. Other exhibits include commercial air memorabilia, early aviation engines and airport beacons.
• Harley-Davidson Museum, opened in 2008, pays tribute to Harley-Davidson motorcycles and is the only museum of its type in the world.

Arenas and performing arts

Milwaukee is home to a number of musical groups and venues, including:

• First Stage Children's Theater
• Festival City Symphony
• Florentine Opera
• Marcus Center for the Performing Arts
• Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
• Milwaukee Theatre
• Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
• Milwaukee Ballet
• Milwaukee Repertory Theater
• Milwaukee Shakespeare
• Milwaukee Youth Theatre
• Pabst Theater
• Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps
• The Rave /Eagles Ballroom
• Riverside Theater
• Skylight Opera Theatre
• Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
• Turner Hall
• Bradley Center
• Miller Park
• Marcus Amphitheater on the Henry Maier Festival Park Summerfest Grounds

In 1984 ComedySportz was founded in Milwaukee by native Dick Chudnow and has since become a franchise, with numerous venues throughout the United States and England. In July 2009 the ComedySportz world championship returned to Milwaukee to coincide with their 25th anniversary.

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  The Rave/Eagles Ballroom
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  Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
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  Turner Hall

Public art and monuments

Milwaukee has some 75 sculptures to honor the many people and topics reflecting the city's history. Among the more prominent monuments are:

• Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
• Tadeusz Kościuszko
• Casimir Pulaski
• Solomon Juneau
• Abraham Lincoln
• George Washington
• Arthur "The Fonz" Fonzarelli
• Pope John Paul II
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• The Victorious Charge
• Leif Ericson
• Jacques Marquette
• Goethe-Schiller Monument
• Memorial to the Postal Carriers Union
• Memorial to the three workers who died in the "Big Blue" crane accident at Miller Park

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  Leif Ericson monument
• 
  Tadeusz Kościuszko monument in Kosciuszko Park in Historic Lincoln Village.

City of Festivals

Henry Maier Festival Grounds during Summerfest

While Milwaukee had been previously marketed as "A Genuine American City" as well as "A Great Place on a Great Lake," it has earned the nickname, the "City of Festivals."

The city hosts the Wisconsin State Fair, as well as an annual lakefront fair called Summerfest. Listed in the 1999 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest music festival in the world, for the last several years Summerfest has attracted around 840,000 visitors each year to its eleven stages.

Milwaukee is home to a variety of primarily ethnically themed festivals throughout the summer. Held generally on the lakefront Summerfest grounds, these festivals span several days (typically Friday plus the weekend) and celebrate Milwaukee's history and diversity. In 2008 Riversplash, which markets itself as 'the official opening of summer', kicks off festival season on the last weekend of May. Festivals for the LGBT (PrideFest) and Polish (Polish Fest) communities follow in June. Summerfest spans 11 days at the end of June and beginning of July. Milwaukee hosts the Great Circus Parade in July. In 1960, the Shamrock Club of Wisconsin was started in Milwaukee with chapters in other parts of the state. There are French (Bastille Days), Greek, Italian (Festa Italiana) and German (German Fest) festivals in July. The African, Arab, Irish, Mexican, and American Indian powwow www.IndianSummer.org events wrap it up from August through September. Milwaukee is also home to Trainfest, the largest operating model railroad show in America, in November.

Cuisine

Milwaukee's ethnic cuisines include German, Italian, Russian, Hmong, French, Serbian, Polish, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern and Ethiopian.

Famous Chef Julia Child visited Milwaukee and selected Milwaukee native chef Sanford D'Amato to cook for her 80th birthday. D'Amato, trained in New York City, is the executive chef for Milwaukee's five star restaurant Sanford, and Coquette Cafe Milwaukee.

Milwaukee County hosts the Zoo-A La Carte at the Milwaukee County Zoo, and various ethnic festivals like Summerfest, Festa Italiana to celebrate various types of cuisine in summer months.

Music

Main article: Music of Milwaukee

Aerial view of "Jazz in the Park," Cathedral Square Park

Milwaukee has a long history of musical activity. The first organized musical society, called "Milwaukee Beethoven Society" formed in 1843, three years before the city was incorporated. This was later replaced with the Milwaukee Musical Society.

The large concentrations of German immigrants contributed to the musical character of the city. Saengerfesten were held regularly.

Grafton, a northern suburb of Milwaukee, was the home of the predominantly blues record label Paramount Records in the 1920s and 1930s.

More recently, Milwaukee has enjoyed a vibrant history of rock, hip hop, jazz, soul, blues, punk, ska, industrial music, electronica, world music, and pop music bands. Milwaukee's most famous music venue is Summerfest, the world's largest music festival. Venues such as Pabst Theater, Marcus Center for Performing Arts, the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts, Marcus Amphitheater (Summerfest Grounds), Riverside Theater, the Northern Lights Theater, and The Rave frequently bring internationally-known acts to Milwaukee. 'Jazz in the Park', a weekly jazz show held at downtown Cathedral Square Park, has become a summer tradition; free, public performances with a picnic environment. The Milwaukee area is known for producing national talents such as Steve Miller (rock), Wladziu Valentino Liberace (piano), Al Jarreau (jazz), Eric Benet (neo-soul), Speech (hip hop), Daryl Stuermer (rock), BoDeans (rock), Les Paul (rock), the Violent Femmes (alternative), Coo Coo Cal (rap), Die Kreuzen (punk), Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy (punk), Eyes To The Sky (hardcore), Rico Love (rap), Andrew 'The Butcher' Mrotek of The Academy Is... (alt-rock), The Promise Ring (indie), the Gufs (alt rock), Kid Cut Up (hip hop) and Decibully (indie).

Municipal wireless

Through its Milwaukee Wireless Initiative, the city has contracted with Midwest Fiber Networks to invest US$20 million in setting up a municipal wireless network city-wide. Under the plan, the city will designate numerous government and public service websites for free access, and city residents will be able to access unlimited content for a monthly fee. Full wireless coverage was expected by March 2008, but delays have been reported.

The city had previously established free wireless networks in two downtown city parks: Cathedral Square; and Pere Marquette Park.

Parks and recreation

Main article: Parks of Milwaukee

Panoramic view of Lake Park, circa 1890.

Milwaukee County is known for its well-developed Parks of Milwaukee park system. The "Grand Necklace of Parks", designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park, includes Lake Park, River Park (now Riverside Park), and West Park (now Washington Park). Milwaukee County Parks offer facilities for sunbathing, picnics, grilling, disc golf, and ice skating. Milwaukee has over 140 parks with over 15,000 acres (6,100 ha) of parks and parkways. Early commissioners conceived of a park system that would form a "green belt", a series of scenic drives and parks, which would encircle the county. Parks were located in outlying areas to allow for population expansion. Commissioners selected land not only for its natural beauty and interest, but also for its fitness for various forms of active and passive recreation.

Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds) The Henry Maier Festival Park was built on Milwaukee's former Maitland Air Field on Lake Michigan in the Milwaukee Harbor. The grounds were named after Milwaukee Mayor Henry Maier, and host many festivals. Summerfest, best-known of the festivals, offers entertainment in late June and early July each year. This international festival features top and local musicians and performers from James Taylor to Metallica, and is one of the largest musical festivals in the world. Additional festivals held during the summer months celebrate Milwaukee's cultural diversity.

Parks and nature centers

Leisure boats on the Milwaukee River

Havenwoods State Forest entrance

Boerner Botanical Gardens

Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, "The Domes"

The Milwaukee River flows along a scenic route into the city and features a number of low level rapids, and several dams to portage. Access to the river is available at parks and dams along the river and in the city. Within Milwaukee city limits, the use of kayaks or canoes is possible from several access points.

Havenwoods State Forest, 217 acres (88 ha) of trees, grass, and wildlife tucked away within Milwaukee's urban environment, features an environmental center and naturalist programs. It includes 1 mile (1.6 km) of nature trails, 7 miles (11 km) of hiking trails, and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of cross-country trails.

Boerner Botanical Gardens, internationally known as a horticultural showplace, serve as an educational and leisure center for gardeners and plant lovers. Housed within the 1,000-acre (400 ha) Whitnall Park Arboretum, the garden features landscaped collections of perennials, herbs, and annuals; a rock garden, the largest ornamental crab apple tree collection in the nation; and over 500 varieties of roses.

Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, also known as "The Domes" is the only horticultural structure of its kind and features three enclosed six-story glass structures that cover 1-acre (4,000 m²) of garden space under each dome. Each has its own specialized theme: the Show Dome features five seasonal floral displays each year and each theme dictates the setting, landscape, and design; the Arid Dome features the deserts of the Southwest, Africa, Madagascar, South America, and Mexico; and the Tropical Dome features over 750 species of tropical plants including orchids, economic plants, exotic flowers, lush foliage and waterfalls.

Schlitz Audubon Center provides over 200 acres (81 ha) of wildlife sanctuary featuring 6 miles (9.7 km) of trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

Wehr Nature Center, created and maintained by the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, is a "living laboratory" designed to raise environmental awareness. Field trips, tours, lectures, and demonstrations guide visitors through this special environment and teach about the delicate balance between the woodlands, wetlands, prairie space and lake that make up this area.

The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, the Milwaukee Yacht Club, and the South Shore Yacht Club offer social, educational, and recreational sailing opportunities. The Queens Cup Sailing race departs from Milwaukee to Michigan each summer.

The U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee (formerly the Greater Milwaukee Open) is a PGA Tour event held at Brown Deer Park Golf Course in the neighboring suburb of Brown Deer.

Opportunities for sports fishing are provided by Lake Michigan.

Milwaukee County Zoo, modeled after the San Diego Zoo in California, is filled with attractions, such as pony rides, a petting zoo, a safari train, and a zoomobile.

Monarch Trail is a 1.25-mile (2 km) trail that highlights the fall migration of the Monarch butterflies.

Milwaukee Parks outdoor sculptures include Beverly Pepper's Cleopatra's Wedge in Burns Commons and two sculptures by Wisconsin artist Nancy Metz White: "Tree of Life" in Mitchell Boulevard Park and "Magic Grove" in Enderis Park.

During the summer months, Cathedral Park in Downtown Milwaukee is home to "Jazz in the Park" on Thursday nights.

Milwaukee County public markets

The Milwaukee Public Market

Milwaukee Public Market, located in the Third Ward neighborhood, is an indoor market that sells produce, seafood, meats, cheeses, vegetables, candies, and flowers from local businesses.

Milwaukee County Farmers Markets, held in season, sell fresh produce, meats, cheeses, jams, jellies, preserves and syrups, and plants. Farmers markets also feature artists and craftspeople. Locations include: Aur Farmers Market, Brown Deer Farmers Market, Cudahy Farmers Market, East Town Farm Market, Fondy Farmers Market, Mitchell Street Market, Riverwest Farmers Market, Silver Spring Farmers Market, South Milwaukee Farmers Market, South Shore Farmers Market, Uptown Farmers Market, West Allis Farmers Market, and Westown Market on the Park.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Milwaukee

Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers

The Bradley Center

Milwaukee has a rich history of involvement in professional and nonprofessional sports, since the nineteenth century. Abraham Lincoln watched cricket in Milwaukee in 1849 when he attended a game between Chicago and Milwaukee. In 1854, the Milwaukee Cricket Club had 150 members. Currently, Milwaukee's sports teams include:

Club	Sport	Founded	Current League	Stadium
Milwaukee Brewers	Baseball	1969 (moved to Milwaukee in 1970)	National League (MLB)	Miller Park
Milwaukee Bucks	Basketball	1968	National Basketball Association	Bradley Center
Milwaukee Admirals	Hockey	1970	American Hockey League	Bradley Center
Milwaukee Wave	Indoor soccer	1984	Major Indoor Soccer League (2009)	U.S. Cellular Arena
Milwaukee Iron	Arena football	2009	Arena Football League	Bradley Center
Milwaukee Bonecrushers	Indoor football	2008	Continental Indoor Football League	U.S. Cellular Arena
Milwaukee Bavarians	Soccer	2003	National Premier Soccer League	Bavarian Soccer Club
Milwaukee Marauders	Semi-Pro Football	2005 est.	North American Football League	Milwaukee Sports Complex
Milwaukee Momentum	Women's American Football		National Women's Football Association
Milwaukee Bombers	Australian Rules Football		Mid American Australian Football League

Milwaukee is the host city of The Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic, presented by Time Warner Cable, which includes the men's and women's Superweek Pro Tour races, featuring top professional and elite amateur cyclists and teams from across the U.S. and more than 20 foreign countries.

Between 1933 and 1994 the Green Bay Packers of the NFL split their home games between Green Bay and Milwaukee.

Transportation

Air

Timmerman Field

Milwaukee is home to two airports, General Mitchell International Airport on the southern edge of the city, and the smaller Timmerman Field on the north side. Mitchell is served by 12 airlines, which offer roughly 240 daily departures and 245 daily arrivals. Approximately 90 cities are served nonstop or direct from Mitchell International. It is the largest airport in Wisconsin. The airport terminal is open 24 hours a day.[11] Since 2005, Mitchell International Airport has been connected by the Amtrak Hiawatha train service, which provides airport access via train to Chicago and Milwaukee.

Train and bus

The Milwaukee Intermodal Station

Milwaukee's Amtrak station was renovated in 2007 to create the Milwaukee Intermodal Station near downtown Milwaukee and the Third Ward. The renovated station is home to Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, and Jefferson Lines intercity bus transportation. Milwaukee is served by the Hiawatha Amtrak express service up to seven times daily between downtown Milwaukee and downtown Chicago, including a stop at the Milwaukee Airport Railroad Station, Sturtevant, WI near Racine, WI, Glenview, IL. Amtrak operates its Empire Builder passenger train daily between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, with stops near Madison, Wisconsin Dells and Minneapolis. In 2010, $800 million in federal funds were allocated to the creation of high speed rail links from Milwaukee to Chicago and Madison.

The Badger Bus and station in downtown Milwaukee provides bus service between Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. Stops include the UW–Madison Memorial Union, Madison Bus Depot, Johnson Creek, Goerkes Corners, Milwaukee 84th St, Milwaukee Bus Depot (downtown Milwaukee), and Milwaukee Airport.

The Milwaukee County Transit System provides bus services within Milwaukee County.

Highway

The Hoan Bridge

Two of Wisconsin's Interstate highways intersect in Milwaukee. Interstate 94 comes north from Chicago to enter Milwaukee and continues west to Madison. Interstate 43 enters Milwaukee from the southwest and continues north to Green Bay. Milwaukee has two branch interstate highways, Interstate 894 and Interstate 794. I-894 extends from the western suburbs to the southern suburbs, bypassing downtown. I-794 extends east from the Marquette Interchange to Lake Michigan before turning south over the Hoan Bridge toward the airport, turning into Highway 794 along the way. Milwaukee is also served by three US highways. U.S. Route 18 provides a link from downtown to points west. U.S. Route 41 and U.S. Route 45 both provide north-south freeway transportation on the western side of the city.

In 2010, the Milwaukee area was ranked the 4th best city for commuters by Forbes.

Water

The Lake Express Terminal

See also: Lake Express

Milwaukee connects with Muskegon, Michigan through the Lake Express high-speed auto and passenger ferry. The Lake Express travels across Lake Michigan from late spring to the fall of each year.

Bicycle

The Oak Leaf Trail on the East Side

Milwaukee has over 65 miles (105 km) of bicycle lanes and trails, most of which run alongside or near its rivers and Lake Michigan. The Oak Leaf Trail, a multi-use recreational trail, provides bicycle trails throughout the city and county. Still pending are the creation of bicycle lanes along major commuting routes, such as the Hoan Bridge connector between downtown and the suburbs to the south. The city has also identified over 250 miles (400 km) of streets on which bike lanes will fit. It has created a plan labeling 145 miles (233 km) of those as high priority for receiving bike lanes. As part of the city's Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force's mission to "make Milwaukee more bicycle and pedestrian friendly", over 700 bike racks have been installed throughout the city. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin holds an annual Bike to Work Week. The event, held in May each year, has frequently featured a commuter race between a car, a bus, and a bike; and also a morning ride into work with the mayor. In 2006, Milwaukee obtained bronze-level status from the League of American Bicyclists, a rarity for a city its size.

Starting on June 4, 2009, the Milwaukee County Transit System has begun installing bicycle racks to the front of county buses. This "green" effort has been done, in part, with hopes of settling an asbestos lawsuit leveled by the state at the county in 2006. The lawsuit cites the release of asbestos into the environment when the Courthouse Annex was demolished.

Future transportation

Tram

A tram system known as the Milwaukee Connector was proposed and passed by the Common Council, but Mayor Tom Barrett vetoed the bill because of problems of cost and availability. A 0.5% sales tax has been proposed for the counties of Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha by the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority to fund an extension of the Chicago Metra commuter rail from Kenosha to Racine and then downtown Milwaukee. The tax would also be used to fund the bus systems in those counties that currently rely on property taxes.

High speed train

In 2009, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, with seven other governors of Midwestern states and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley have joined in bipartisan support of a high-speed rail network that would link cities around the region. Milwaukee would be connected to Madison and Chicago as part of the first phase of the system. “President Obama’s vision of making high-speed rail a part of our nation’s future transportation network holds great promise,” Doyle and co-signers wrote in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We recognize that a high-speed rail network has the potential to reduce highway and airway congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.” Governors Pat Quinn of Illinois, Jay Nixon of Missouri, Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Chet Culver of Iowa, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Ted Strickland of Ohio and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota were co-signers of the letter. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and mandates high-speed passenger rail and the Midwestern network would include 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of existing rights of way to connect cities with trains capable of at least 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) Chicago would serve as the hub, just as it does for freight. The rail network would link large and small metropolitan areas, airports, bus stations and highways. The administration of President Barack Obama announced $823 million in federal stimulus spending to build high speed rail for the southern half of Wisconsin. The rail line connecting Milwaukee and Madison, which Governor Jim Doyle touted as revolutionary, will start out at roughly 79 mph (127 km/h) when it begins in 2013 and won't reach its top speed of 110 mph (180 km/h) for at least several years. The state's application for the federal funds puts the acceleration in 2016, when the line is expected to expand to the Twin Cities.

Media

See also: List of television stations in Wisconsin and List of radio stations in Wisconsin

The WITI TV Tower is located off of the Oak Leaf Trail, just north of Capitol Drive.

Milwaukee's only surviving daily newspaper is the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel which was formed when the morning paper the Milwaukee Sentinel merged with the afternoon paper Milwaukee Journal. The most prominent alternative weekly is Shepherd Express, a free publication. Other local newspapers, city guides and magazines with large distributions include M Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, The Bay View Compass, and Riverwest Currents. OnMilwaukee.com is an online magazine providing news and events. The UWM Post is the independent, student-run weekly at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The Onion, a weekly satirical publication, is distributed free in Milwaukee (one of the paper's earliest markets) in addition to nine other U.S. cities.

Milwaukee's major network television affiliates are WTMJ 4 (NBC), WITI 6 (Fox), WISN 12 (ABC), WVTV 18 (CW), WCGV 24 (MyNetworkTV), and WDJT 58 (CBS). Spanish language programming is on WBWT 38 (Azteca America) and WYTU-LP 63 (Telemundo). Milwaukee's public broadcasting stations are WMVS 10 and WMVT 36.

Other television stations in the Milwaukee market include WMKE 7 (America One), WVCY 30 (FN), WMLW 41 (Independent), WBME 49 (ME-TV), WWRS 52 (TBN),Sportsman Channel, and WPXE 55 (ION)

There are numerous radio stations throughout Milwaukee and the surrounding area.

Journal Communications (a NYSE-traded corporation), in addition to owning the Journal Sentinel, also owns: WTMJ-TV; WTMJ and WLWK radio stations; and well over a dozen local weekly newspapers in the metropolitan area, all of which establish a highly conservative journalistic lens. As a result, it has been repeatedly criticized for having a near-monopoly in local news coverage., with critics concerned about a certain uniformity of thought and coverage, as well as to lack of coverage of topics unfriendly to Journal Communications interests in such matters as labor disputes. Journal Communications at one point created an ersatz "alternative weekly", MKE, which failed due to a lack of credibility as an "alternative" to its own parent company.

Sister cities

The city of Milwaukee has several sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International and Milwaukee's Sister Cities:

• Białystok, Poland
• Carora, Venezuela
• Galway, Co. Galway, Republic of Ireland
• Manisa, Turkey
• Morogoro, Tanzania
• Nuevitas, Camagüey, Cuba
• Omsk, Russia
• Tiberias, Israel
• Schwerin, Germany
• uMhlathuze, South Africa

Cooperation

• Ningbo, People's Republic of China

Although this relationship is not recognized by SCI, officials from Milwaukee and Ningbo have signed an agreement to promote business and cultural ties between the two cities and their respective nations.

In popular culture

• In FRIENDS season 1 episode 7 "The One With the Blackout", when the friends are sitting together discussing the weirdest place they've "done it", Phoebe (played by Lisa Kudrow) answers "Milwaukee".
• The comic book superheros Great Lakes Avengers keep their base of operations in Milwaukee.
• The Futurama episode Love & Rocket has the cast taking a trip to Milwaukee in the year 3002 where it has become known as "The World's Most Romantic City" and "Birthplace of Beer Goggles."
• In The Simpsons episode Sweets and Sour Marge, it is announced that Springfield, home of the Simpsons family, is now America's 'fattest city', prompting Homer Simpson to shout triumphantly "In your face Milwaukee!" (Ironically, in 2002, the year the episode was aired, Milwaukee was not even ranked amongst the 20 fattest US cities according to Men's Health [2])
• Milwaukee appears as a setting under the name Millhaven, Illinois in the later works of Milwaukeean Peter Straub
• Milwaukee was the setting for popular American television shows in the 1970s and 1980s, including Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. Milwaukee unveiled a life-sized, bronze statue of Fonzie from Happy Days along the downtown Riverwalk on August 19, 2008.
• Milwaukee has appeared in scenes from a variety of feature films, including:

• • The Hindenburg (1975)
  • The Blues Brothers (1980)
  • Major League (1989)
  • Wayne's World (1992)
  • Camp Nowhere (1994)
  • Hoop Dreams (1994)
  • One Night Stand (1997)
  • BASEketball (1998)
  • The Big One (1998)
  • Dogma (1999)
  • American Movie (1999)
  • Chump Change (2001)
  • Love Actually (2003)
  • Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003)
  • Mr. 3000 (2004)

• • Dawn of the Dead (2004) - set in Milwaukee, actual filming was done in Ontario
  • 5000 Miles (2006)
  • Chasing Sound: Les Paul at 90 (2007)
  • Michael Clayton (2007)
  • Crossed (2008)
  • The Incredible Hulk (2008)
  • Up in the Air (film) setting based in Milwaukee(2009)
  • Public Enemies (2009)
  • No God No Master (2010 film)
  • FreeTv's Two Kids from Milwaukee (I, II,III) www.freetvnj.com
  • "Transformers 3" (Not yet released)

See also

• Great Lakes Megalopolis
• Neighborhoods of Milwaukee
• Parks of Milwaukee
• List of people from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• List of mayors of Milwaukee
• Flag of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Seal of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Third Coast
• List of tallest buildings in Milwaukee
• Milwaukee Flood of 2010

External links

• City of Milwaukee website
• Greater Milwaukee Convention Bureau
• Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
• Template:Wikitravel