Cream City Chronicles: Stories of Milwaukee’s Past
by John Gurda
Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2016 Paper: 978-0-87020-758-7 | eISBN: 978-0-87020-523-1 | Cloth: 978-0-87020-375-6 Library of Congress Classification F589.M657G86 2007 Dewey Decimal Classification 977.595
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Cream City Chronicles is a collection of lively stories about the people, the events, the landmarks, and the institutions that have made Milwaukee a unique American community. These stories represent the best of historian John Gurda’s popular Sunday columns that have appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel since 1994. Find yourself transported back to another time, when the village of Milwaukee was home to fur trappers and traders. Follow the development of Milwaukee’s distinctive neighborhoods, its rise as a port city and industrial center, and its changing political climate. From singing mayors to summer festivals, from blueblood weddings to bloody labor disturbances, the collection offers a generous sampling of tales that express the true character of a hometown metropolis.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
John Gurda is a Milwaukee-born writer and historian who has been studying his hometown since 1972. He is the author of twenty-one books, including histories of Milwaukee-area neighborhoods, churches, and industries. He is also a photographer, lecturer, and local history columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gurda is an eight-time winner of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Award of Merit. The common thread in all his work is an understanding of history as “why things are the way they are.”
REVIEWS
“John Gurda begins with recent events in Milwaukee's history and finds their past origins. His accounts of facts of the past are treated sensitively, and he interprets their meaning with unique observations. These stories will last as long as there is a Milwaukee.” (Frank Zeidler, Former Mayor of Milwaukee)
“The name John Gurda is synonymous with Milwaukee history. . . . Cream City Chronicles is perfect for classroom use or for anyone interested in Milwaukee history delivered in small, digestible bites. I recommend it highly.” (Timothy L. Ericson, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
“John Gurda's Cream City Chronicles is not only a richly evocative history of the city of Milwaukee but, in the tradition of the great cultural geographers of generations' past, is also a reflection of the uniqueness of place. . . . Gurda's stories present not merely the outline but the essence of a proud and ever changing city.” (David McDaniel, Assistant Professor of History, Carroll College)
“No Milwaukee writer today better knows this city's yesterdays, and no one more clearly explains how what was then led to what is now. Cream City Chronicles is aptly named; these snapshots, like handsome bricks stacked one on another, build an enduring portrait of Milwaukee.” (Dennis McCann,Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
"No living person knows more about Milwaukee's past than John Gurda, and Cream City Chronicles readily displays his gifts as a historian and a writer. . . . Cream City Chronicles is must reading for anyone who truly wants to understand and appreciate Milwaukee's rich heritage." (James Marten, Professor of History, Marquette University)
"This book of newspaper columns penned by Gurda is a perfect complement to The Making of Milwaukee. Instead of trying to tell it all, these essays focus on the interesting, the unique and the important. Fascinating tidbits that can be read sporadically or in one sitting." (Bobby Tanzilo, OnMilwaukee.com)
2007 Outstanding Achievement Award Winner from the Wisconsin Library Association 2006 First Place in the Humor Category from Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Awards
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction: History as Story XX
Spring XX
Solomon Loves Josette: Frontier Valentines Found Happiness in
Milwaukee XX
Elijah Loves Zebiah: Pioneer Sweethearts Gave Romance an Early Start
XX
The Early Years XX
From Indian Fields to Forest Home: South Side Corner Has Seen It All
XX
Flawed Founder: Byron Kilbourn Had a Cast-Iron Conscience XX
Lapham?s Legacy: Pioneer Scientist Casts a Long Shadow XX
To Green Bay the Long Way: Pioneers Would Have Missed the Kickoff
XX
Taking Their Toll: Pay-to-Drive Roads Have Been Tried Before XX
Unplugged: Periodic Blackouts Force a Return to the Distant Past XX
Diverse Neighborhoods XX
Black Power, Milwaukee Style: African-American Political Tradition Has
Deep Roots XX
Street of Many Nations: Chavez Drive Gives a New Face to Milwaukee?s
Historic Diversity XX
Highlighting Hebrew Heritage: Jewish Community Is Well Established in
Milwaukee XX
Outrage Revisited: Bennett Law Furor of 1890 Set a Precedent XX
Freeway to Oblivion: Marquette Interchange Erased the Tory Hill
Neighborhood XX
Where Poland Meets Mexico: Milwaukee?s South Side Blends Two
Cultures XX
Terrorism, Past Tense: When Patriotism Gives Way to Prejudice XX
Water: The City?s Lifeblood XX
Roots in the River: Milwaukee Rediscovers Its Other Shoreline XX
?Lake Michigan Bridged?: Lake Express Is the Latest Attempt to Bypass
Chicago XX
At Home on Jones Island: Modern Port Once Harbored a Polish Fishing
Village XX
The Flush of Success: Alterra Coffee and Sewerage District Brew an
Unlikely Winner XX
Summer XX
Wedding of the Century: Mitchell-Mackie Nuptials of 1881 Raised the Bar
XX
Meltdown at the Iron Mill: Heat Was Harder to Bear in 1881 XX
Milwaukee?s Singing Mayors: Fourth of July Has Always Been a Test of
Endurance XX
At Home in the Minors: When Baseball Meant Borchert Field XX
Labor and Commerce: Making a Living XX
Condos on Commerce: Luxury Homes Rise Where Canal Once Ran XX
The Father of Miller Time: Pioneer Brewer Built a Lasting Heritage XX
Brew City: The Story behind the Suds XX
From Beer to Gears: Falk Brewery Was a Pioneer XX
Milwaukee Leather: Pfister & Vogel Was Once the World?s Largest Tanner
XX
The Cost of the Eight-Hour Day: General Strike of 1886 Led to Bloodshed
XX
Working for Victory: Milwaukee Helped Win World War II on the Home
Front XX
Frozen Assets: Ice Trade Saved Winter for Summer?s Use XX
A Sense of Place XX
Justice and Jazz: Cathedral Square Has Been Holding Court since 1836
XX
?A Cemetery for the City?: History Lies at Rest in Forest Home XX
Summer under Glass: Mitchell?s Conservatory Preceded Mitchell Park
Domes XX
If These Halls Could Talk: Milwaukee Auditorium Was City?s Parlor XX
Two Birds on a Single Perch: Calatrava Addition Updates Spirit of War
Memorial Center XX
North Milwaukee No More: Former Industrial Suburb Blurs into North
Side XX
Requiem for a Shopping Center: Southgate Started the Malling of
Milwaukee XX
Mitchell Street Revisited: Historic South Side Shopping Center Still
Draws Customers XX
Fall XX
Schools Fit for a King: Fall Buzzer Recalls Beginning of Public Education
XX
A Harvest of Heritage: Folk Fair Means a Yearly Return to Roots XX
Close Call for Mr. Roosevelt: Campaign Trail Had Its Hazards XX
Playing under Winter Rules: Milwaukee Golf Waited for Cold Weather
XX
Serving the Community XX
Rogues and Reformers: A Menagerie of Milwaukee Mayors XX
When Graft Reigned Supreme: Good Government Was Once a Distant
Dream XX
Good Cop, Bad Cop: Milwaukee?s Police Chiefs Have Done It Their Way
XX
Hometown Hero of the Air: Billy Mitchell Helped Give America Its Wings
XX
All the News That?s Fit: Milwaukee?s Newspaper Heritage XX
An Unsung Home for Old Soldiers: Veterans? Complex Served the Boys in
Blue XX
?Every Person?s Gateway?: Public Library System Grew Up with the City
XX
The Roots of Public Education: MPS Was Born to Controversy XX
Freezing the Common Wealth: Cutting Is Not the Same as Governing
XX
Celebrations! XX
Beer, Bands, and Balloon Rides: Milwaukee?s Summer Gardens Offered
Something for All XX
An Old-Fashioned Fourth of July: Milwaukeeans of 1896 Paid for Their
Amusements XX
The First Summerfest: Forgotten Monument Recalls Forgotten
Celebration XX
Summerfest, 1930s-Style: Depression Spawned the First of Milwaukee?s
Lakefront Festivals XX
The Milwaukee Centurama of 1946: City Celebrated 100 in Style XX
Where City Meets Country: State Fair is Wisconsin?s Common Ground
XX
Winter XX
Winter at the Edge of the World: Milwaukee?s Pioneers Spent Months in
the Deep Freeze XX
A Feast of Christmas Past: The Main Course Was Raccoon 200 Years Ago
XX
When Reindeer Rode the Rails: Remembering Schuster?s Christmas
Parade XX
?Bah, Humbug!? in Old Milwaukee: Our Ancestors Got Tired of Shopping,
Too XX
O Tannenbaum, Milwaukee-Style: Socialists Put Up City?s First
Christmas Tree XX
Index XX
Cream City Chronicles is a collection of lively stories about the people, the events, the landmarks, and the institutions that have made Milwaukee a unique American community. These stories represent the best of historian John Gurda’s popular Sunday columns that have appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel since 1994. Find yourself transported back to another time, when the village of Milwaukee was home to fur trappers and traders. Follow the development of Milwaukee’s distinctive neighborhoods, its rise as a port city and industrial center, and its changing political climate. From singing mayors to summer festivals, from blueblood weddings to bloody labor disturbances, the collection offers a generous sampling of tales that express the true character of a hometown metropolis.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
John Gurda is a Milwaukee-born writer and historian who has been studying his hometown since 1972. He is the author of twenty-one books, including histories of Milwaukee-area neighborhoods, churches, and industries. He is also a photographer, lecturer, and local history columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gurda is an eight-time winner of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Award of Merit. The common thread in all his work is an understanding of history as “why things are the way they are.”
REVIEWS
“John Gurda begins with recent events in Milwaukee's history and finds their past origins. His accounts of facts of the past are treated sensitively, and he interprets their meaning with unique observations. These stories will last as long as there is a Milwaukee.” (Frank Zeidler, Former Mayor of Milwaukee)
“The name John Gurda is synonymous with Milwaukee history. . . . Cream City Chronicles is perfect for classroom use or for anyone interested in Milwaukee history delivered in small, digestible bites. I recommend it highly.” (Timothy L. Ericson, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
“John Gurda's Cream City Chronicles is not only a richly evocative history of the city of Milwaukee but, in the tradition of the great cultural geographers of generations' past, is also a reflection of the uniqueness of place. . . . Gurda's stories present not merely the outline but the essence of a proud and ever changing city.” (David McDaniel, Assistant Professor of History, Carroll College)
“No Milwaukee writer today better knows this city's yesterdays, and no one more clearly explains how what was then led to what is now. Cream City Chronicles is aptly named; these snapshots, like handsome bricks stacked one on another, build an enduring portrait of Milwaukee.” (Dennis McCann,Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
"No living person knows more about Milwaukee's past than John Gurda, and Cream City Chronicles readily displays his gifts as a historian and a writer. . . . Cream City Chronicles is must reading for anyone who truly wants to understand and appreciate Milwaukee's rich heritage." (James Marten, Professor of History, Marquette University)
"This book of newspaper columns penned by Gurda is a perfect complement to The Making of Milwaukee. Instead of trying to tell it all, these essays focus on the interesting, the unique and the important. Fascinating tidbits that can be read sporadically or in one sitting." (Bobby Tanzilo, OnMilwaukee.com)
2007 Outstanding Achievement Award Winner from the Wisconsin Library Association 2006 First Place in the Humor Category from Midwest Independent Publishers Association Book Awards
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction: History as Story XX
Spring XX
Solomon Loves Josette: Frontier Valentines Found Happiness in
Milwaukee XX
Elijah Loves Zebiah: Pioneer Sweethearts Gave Romance an Early Start
XX
The Early Years XX
From Indian Fields to Forest Home: South Side Corner Has Seen It All
XX
Flawed Founder: Byron Kilbourn Had a Cast-Iron Conscience XX
Lapham?s Legacy: Pioneer Scientist Casts a Long Shadow XX
To Green Bay the Long Way: Pioneers Would Have Missed the Kickoff
XX
Taking Their Toll: Pay-to-Drive Roads Have Been Tried Before XX
Unplugged: Periodic Blackouts Force a Return to the Distant Past XX
Diverse Neighborhoods XX
Black Power, Milwaukee Style: African-American Political Tradition Has
Deep Roots XX
Street of Many Nations: Chavez Drive Gives a New Face to Milwaukee?s
Historic Diversity XX
Highlighting Hebrew Heritage: Jewish Community Is Well Established in
Milwaukee XX
Outrage Revisited: Bennett Law Furor of 1890 Set a Precedent XX
Freeway to Oblivion: Marquette Interchange Erased the Tory Hill
Neighborhood XX
Where Poland Meets Mexico: Milwaukee?s South Side Blends Two
Cultures XX
Terrorism, Past Tense: When Patriotism Gives Way to Prejudice XX
Water: The City?s Lifeblood XX
Roots in the River: Milwaukee Rediscovers Its Other Shoreline XX
?Lake Michigan Bridged?: Lake Express Is the Latest Attempt to Bypass
Chicago XX
At Home on Jones Island: Modern Port Once Harbored a Polish Fishing
Village XX
The Flush of Success: Alterra Coffee and Sewerage District Brew an
Unlikely Winner XX
Summer XX
Wedding of the Century: Mitchell-Mackie Nuptials of 1881 Raised the Bar
XX
Meltdown at the Iron Mill: Heat Was Harder to Bear in 1881 XX
Milwaukee?s Singing Mayors: Fourth of July Has Always Been a Test of
Endurance XX
At Home in the Minors: When Baseball Meant Borchert Field XX
Labor and Commerce: Making a Living XX
Condos on Commerce: Luxury Homes Rise Where Canal Once Ran XX
The Father of Miller Time: Pioneer Brewer Built a Lasting Heritage XX
Brew City: The Story behind the Suds XX
From Beer to Gears: Falk Brewery Was a Pioneer XX
Milwaukee Leather: Pfister & Vogel Was Once the World?s Largest Tanner
XX
The Cost of the Eight-Hour Day: General Strike of 1886 Led to Bloodshed
XX
Working for Victory: Milwaukee Helped Win World War II on the Home
Front XX
Frozen Assets: Ice Trade Saved Winter for Summer?s Use XX
A Sense of Place XX
Justice and Jazz: Cathedral Square Has Been Holding Court since 1836
XX
?A Cemetery for the City?: History Lies at Rest in Forest Home XX
Summer under Glass: Mitchell?s Conservatory Preceded Mitchell Park
Domes XX
If These Halls Could Talk: Milwaukee Auditorium Was City?s Parlor XX
Two Birds on a Single Perch: Calatrava Addition Updates Spirit of War
Memorial Center XX
North Milwaukee No More: Former Industrial Suburb Blurs into North
Side XX
Requiem for a Shopping Center: Southgate Started the Malling of
Milwaukee XX
Mitchell Street Revisited: Historic South Side Shopping Center Still
Draws Customers XX
Fall XX
Schools Fit for a King: Fall Buzzer Recalls Beginning of Public Education
XX
A Harvest of Heritage: Folk Fair Means a Yearly Return to Roots XX
Close Call for Mr. Roosevelt: Campaign Trail Had Its Hazards XX
Playing under Winter Rules: Milwaukee Golf Waited for Cold Weather
XX
Serving the Community XX
Rogues and Reformers: A Menagerie of Milwaukee Mayors XX
When Graft Reigned Supreme: Good Government Was Once a Distant
Dream XX
Good Cop, Bad Cop: Milwaukee?s Police Chiefs Have Done It Their Way
XX
Hometown Hero of the Air: Billy Mitchell Helped Give America Its Wings
XX
All the News That?s Fit: Milwaukee?s Newspaper Heritage XX
An Unsung Home for Old Soldiers: Veterans? Complex Served the Boys in
Blue XX
?Every Person?s Gateway?: Public Library System Grew Up with the City
XX
The Roots of Public Education: MPS Was Born to Controversy XX
Freezing the Common Wealth: Cutting Is Not the Same as Governing
XX
Celebrations! XX
Beer, Bands, and Balloon Rides: Milwaukee?s Summer Gardens Offered
Something for All XX
An Old-Fashioned Fourth of July: Milwaukeeans of 1896 Paid for Their
Amusements XX
The First Summerfest: Forgotten Monument Recalls Forgotten
Celebration XX
Summerfest, 1930s-Style: Depression Spawned the First of Milwaukee?s
Lakefront Festivals XX
The Milwaukee Centurama of 1946: City Celebrated 100 in Style XX
Where City Meets Country: State Fair is Wisconsin?s Common Ground
XX
Winter XX
Winter at the Edge of the World: Milwaukee?s Pioneers Spent Months in
the Deep Freeze XX
A Feast of Christmas Past: The Main Course Was Raccoon 200 Years Ago
XX
When Reindeer Rode the Rails: Remembering Schuster?s Christmas
Parade XX
?Bah, Humbug!? in Old Milwaukee: Our Ancestors Got Tired of Shopping,
Too XX
O Tannenbaum, Milwaukee-Style: Socialists Put Up City?s First
Christmas Tree XX
Index XX
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
