Germans in Milwaukee: A Neighborhood History

Author

Dr. Jill Florence Lackey and Rick Petrie

Summary

Germans dominated Milwaukee like no other large American city. Their presence inhabits the city’s neighborhoods, from its buildings and place names to its parklands and statuary. Their influence also lives in the memories shared by local residents. A small Milwaukee neighborhood south of Miller Valley was christened after a farmer’s pigs, and a busboy turned beer baron built the famous Pabst Brewery in West Town. A ghost is said to haunt the old Blatz Brewing compound. And the remains of the early tanning industry can still be seen in Walker’s Point. Compiling more than 1,200 interviews, authors Jill Florence Lackey and Richard Petrie share these ground-level perspectives of the lasting German influence on the Cream City.

About the Authors

Dr. Lackey, having taught anthropology at Marquette University for twelve years, was the founder of Urban Anthropology Inc., where she continues to serve as principal investigator in charge of research. Having earned a doctorate in urban cultural anthropology, she is the author of thirteen books, including "Ethnic Practices in the Twenty-First Century: The Milwaukee Study," "Strolling through Milwaukee’s Ethnic History" and "Milwaukee’s Old South Side." Rick Petrie is the executive director of Urban Anthropology Inc. He has a certificate degree in applied anthropology and a BA in art from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and has worked as part of the administrative staff for a variety of Milwaukee museums, including the Charles Allis Museum, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum and the Old South Side Settlement Museum. He currently is on the staff of the Milwaukee County Historical Society and is the coauthor of "Strolling through Milwaukee’s Ethnic History."

Details

• Paperback
• Size:  6" (w) x 12" (h)
• Pages: 224
• Images: 59
• Published: 2021 by The History Press