[milwaukee-electric] Re: Milwaukee slums during the 1940s and afterward

[Gary Schnabl]

On 11/7/2010 8:06 AM, Y Marti wrote:
> Gary,
>
> First off, the photo is not wikipedia's. It is a huge collection that
> the Library of Congress has. Photographer Carl Mydans took quite a few
> in Milwaukee during that time as can be seen here:
>
> http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=mydans%20milwaukee
>
> At that time there were many slums around downtown. One of the worst
> was around Walnut and 6th street which was the reason for the push
> towards the Hillside Terrace projects. Another slum was the third ward
> area from Michigan to St. Paul which was eventually cleared in the
> late 1950s. In the early 1940s the courthouse area was cleared because
> the City didn't want that slum in the shadow of the courthouse. The
> same was done around city Hall around the same time.
>
> One of the earliest and most dangerous slums was downtown area, west
> of the river and north of Wisconsin Ave. In the late 1800s and early
> 1900s this area was filled with gambling dens, opium dens, and
> flophouses. The most dangerous "tenderloin district" was on the near
> south side around 2nd&  Greenfield. Police on beat had to travel in
> pairs and even then they rarely patrolled the area.
>
> The freeway location changed as time progressed and the project became
> larger. Initial plans were of wide boulevards. Sixth street and
> Kilbourn were the first streets widened as "expressways".
>
> Yance
> www.oldmilwaukee.net
Did Marquette own most of those houses on Hibernia and nearby during the 
1950s? They were buying all kinds of properties near its campus, razing 
some elegant mansions in the process.

Marquette had mandatory phy-ed for freshmen when I attended, and bowling 
twice weekly at Gesu school (eight or so "pinboy" lanes in its basement) 
was an alternative "class." Gesu school also had open bowling, real 
cheap as a fundsraiser, taking advantage of the several students who 
liked to bowl and eat there regularly.

I noticed that Gesu parish had a significant Mexican congregation at 
that time and lived near Hibernia. BTW, Gesu sold hot dogs for a quarter 
and brats for 35 cents or so and sold hundreds of them from a Nesco or 
two there daily for a few hours around lunchtime during 1961 and 1962. 
Sure beat the cafeteria at the student union...
-- 

Gary Schnabl
Southwest Detroit, two miles NORTH! of Canada--Windsor, that is...