moremilwaukeememoriespage5

Remembers cream filled coffee cakes
I lived in Milwaukee for 17 years, grade school and high school. I moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1975 and still live here. I miss Milwaukee very much and all the wonderful things the city offered. I was thrilled to find this web site. I lived on Capital Drive just off of Fond du lac Ave. When we lived there my parents bought a house on Capital Drive and was "impressed" that a policeman walked the "beat" outside our home and neighborhood.

The best thing about Milwaukee was the food and the sites. Food, first of course. "La Joys" my family's favorite. Cops on Capital Drive.....the Sheanan's had the BEST fish fry and rye bread ever on Fridays.

But the food I miss the MOST is the coffee cake with the cream frosting center. The topping was a crumble. My girlfriend from Chicago thought it was called a "swedish flop". I never knew the name, but everyone knows this coffee cake and the people in Chicago as well. I returned to Milwaukee two years ago and could no longer find anyone making it.

Does someone have the recipe that they are willing to share? (A past baker?) There is one on the internet, but I believe it was only a "similar" recipe. My Chicago friends speak of this coffee cake. Funny how one food item is so regional!

Love your web site. If someone would please share the recipe with me...I would be eternally grateful as I have to stay in Tucson, with Milwaukee roots and many wonderful Milwaukee memories. Editors Note : I found these cream filled coffee cakes in our local 'Jewel 'store in West Allis. The label read "Swedish Flop Coffee Cake Danish" two varieties were available, regular and cream with cherries.

Gail Franklin

danceone3@comcast.net or

gfranklin@fnf.com

This site was like being 5 again
I grew up on 21st street off of Oklahoma, just around the corner from Pulaski and down the block from Southlawn.

I remember when the smell of tar would waft into the bedroom as they were "tarring" the road again. The kids would meet down at the curb and we would pop the bubbles and play in the tar. Many a time we would end up with new haircuts the next day because the tar would get stuck in our hair as we played.

Remember the traintracks that ran behind the alley on 21st street. They would lead right into a cement business. It was a place to walk and play if you didn't get caught.

I remember when Southgate was being built. It would be the first "mall" for Milwaukee. None of knew what a mall was but we knew it would be good.

My best friends lived in Southlawn and so what?

I remember going to Audubon junior high when it first opened. It was across the street from Alverno normal school, where the "sisters" lived and trained. Who knew that in just a few years it would be Alverno College and I would graduate from there.

I remember going to Pulaski football games when they were still at night. I remember the fun when the competition was tough when we would play Boy's Tech. I also remember the thousands of tissue paper flowers we would make for the homecoming floats. And who can forget Mazo's for early morning breakfast after a date or hanging out at Renraws (sp.) when you got out of school.

I remember the first McDonalds on 27th and Morgan and skipping class to get a hamburger. And of course, who can forget Leons.

I also remember taking the trolley downtown, Mitchell Street Days, and the smell of Goldman's when we used to take our shoes to the repair store in the basement so they would last another 6 months.

I remember working at St. Lukes when it was a single building and how homelike it was. I also remember the excitement of opening the "new building" at St. Lukes and caring for the first Heart Transplant patient.

I remember when you could walk down the street and be greeted by friends and when the neighborhood cared for the child and if the parent didn't know you were smoking behind someone's garage, they found out soon enough.

Thanks for the chance to reminisce. JK

Modjeska and More
A couple of years ago I went with my son as he tried out for a theater training program at the old Modjeska theater. I walked in and I was 13 again. From the bright pink bathroom walls to the old candy counter to the balcony--nothing changed.

A few more landmarks that have gone but are not forgotten.

Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Palomar skating rink on S 27th street.

Hills department store

The elevators in the back of the Hills department store.

The lunch counter at Goldman's.

People standing behind each other waiting for a space to eat at the counter of the first Walgreens "dime store"

The 5 & 10.

Piecheks (sp.) drugstore on 13th and Oklahoma.

St. Gerard's grade school

The old Johnston's emergency Hospital.

Trying to figure out if you were going to try to be part of the "click" or be a "grub" when you got to high school.

Wigwam socks and tennis shoes.

Pleated skirts and Bobbi Brooks clothes.

Where you were when the Beatles came to Milwaukee

Leon hot dogs and root beer and their most wonderful hot fudge sundaes.

Big Boy restaurants

Midnight bowling

The Christmas parade

Listening to Billie the Brownie

Thanks for the memories.

Jan

Sputnik Bubble Gum
I was born in 1951 in what is now the far south side of Milwaukee. I went to Walter-Allen grade school, Kosciusko Jr. High, and graduated from South Division in 1970.

We live on 3rd between Orchard and Greenfield, then on 6th and Lapham, 18th and Mitchell, and 13th and Greenfield.

I remember Kunzelman-Essers Christmas display with the animated Santa and carolers.

I remember the county flooding playgrounds during the winter for ice skating.

Taking a boat ride on Kozy lagoon with my dad, and ice skating there too.

Does anyone remember sputnik bubble gum? It was turquoise and covered with sugar.

Remember trick or treating at night until your curfew? And having to go home to drop off your grocery bag full, getting another one and going out again?

When Southside Armory had wrestling on either Fri. or Sat. night.{ I can't remember which one or both}.

It was a wonderful time growing up in the 50's and 60's.

Or is it just that we were kids and that is a magical time no matter what decade?

Carol

Menu from "The Tux" on Downer Avenue....  
Dates to early 60's.   
 Great little bar down the street from UWM.  While there, I could eat (and 
drink) for about $5/week.

Credit Policy at "The Tux":
 Our credit manager is Helen Wait; if you want credit, go to hell and wait!

Jim Frank

Some of my memories of Milwaukee:

1. Notre Dame High School on the corner of 5th and Mitchell Sts.

2. The Palomar roller Skating rink on 27th st. with live organ music.

3. the Route 14 bus line. I think it was the only bus line in Milwaukee that was totally electric with the wires over the road.

4. the old American Motors Company located just off of Capitol Drive.

5. the TOWNE theatre just around the corner from the Riverside when it was showing movies instead of "live" entertainment. It was a real treat if you had a "school tour" go there for a movie like THE TEN COMMANDMENTS or BEN HUR.

6. The original ATTIC dance hall and bar on 2nd St between Wisconsin and Michigan Sts.

7. Watching Doctor Cadaverino and Igor (the headless wonder) on channel 6 right after Shock Theater.

8. Jim King Chevrolet, Humphrey Chevrolet, Wisco Gasoline, and Harley Davidson sold a motor scooter for $125.00.

9. the SPECTACLE OF MUSIC in South Milwaukee.

10. the SPECTACLE CITY MARINERS drill team of "hoodlums" and "ruffians" as my parents called the youth that joined the drill team, that is, until I joined them when they became a drum and bugle corps.

11. A & W root beer sold for $1.00 in a glass bottle that you took home and returned for a refill.

12. When the Milwaukee Symphony played in the Auditorium on Kilbourn Ave downtown.

13. "Fritz the Plumber"...Earl Gillespie...Jack duBlon...too name but a few of the TV personalities I can still remember.

14. "POPS" and the Bijou Theater on TV featuring the Three Stooges...."ROLL 'EM, LESTER!"

15. The enclosed Pavilions at Grant Park that sold Ice cream, potato chips, etc. to hungry swimmers on the beach and picnicers near the "swan" lagoon.

16. The trails along the lakefront from Sheridan Park to Grant Park that lead down to Lake Michigan and back up again before the erosion washed these "Indian" trails into history.

17. The CENTRE THEATRE across from the original Attic on 2nd St. where you could enjoy a good meal and without leaving your seat, watch a live Broadway show.

18. White Castle Hamburgers sold in the White Castle building located at the junction of Mitchel St., 2nd St. and KK. It was here that the route 14 (electric) bus line turned off Mitchel St. and headed North into Milwaukee.

19. When Boy's Tech was a high school for boys only!

20. The 41 Twin Outdoor Theater. The first drive-in movie theater to specialize with 2 screens not 1.

The list could go on but my memory can't. I was born in 1946 and lived most of my life in Cudahy during those years and when I became a teenager, that's when most of my memories were set with a lot of those memories I listed above. What a great way to relive those days of my youth.

Thank you for this retro-trip

Dave Zdrojewski

White Tower Hamburgers

My ancestors emigrated to Milwaukee in the 1890's
My dad was born in a house (still standing) on N. 13th St. in 1913.
I was born in 1950. The first house I knew was on the (then) far
northwest side of Milwaukee on 89th and Townsend near Lisbon Ave. We
lived there until 1956 when we moved to the (then) small hamlet of
Grafton. Milwaukee was still a part of my life until I was 18.

some 1950's memories:

-St. Amelians Orphanage on Capitol (it had a great hiking field).
-Joe Dorsey, Robb Thomas, and Gordon Hinkley on the radio.
-Joe Szot and the Hotshots on WTMJ radio.
-WOKY playing polka music
-WMIL with a German announcer
-Kindergarten at the 95th street school; my teacher: Miss Draws
-Watching the construction of (then called) Concordia Park in 1955.
-Custard stands
-Fluoroscopes at the shoe store
-Schuster's Christmas parades
-only two TV stations to watch (4 and 12)
-getting polio shots
-Disembarking from a streetcar in front of the Arena.
-Talking to an operator to get a long distance connection across the county line.
-Our Milwaukee phone number in 1955: Hilltop 4-4871
-Spic and Span cardboard models of Milwaukee Braves players.
-Going to Braves games but watching the trains in the Milwaukee Road yards instead.
-Watching the North Shore trains go across the 6th St. viaduct.
-Touring the Borden Milk plant

Bob Wundrock
Verona, WI

Chicks Chicken Shack
I was born in the "Town of Lake" Milwaukee County, in December of 1939.

I remember going to Wisconsin Ave. at Christmas time to see the in store window Christmas decorations at Gimbels Dept. Store as a child and later taking our kids to see them, Gimbels was across the street from the Riverside Theater. Also Chicks Chicken Shack on 6th and Wells that had the best chicken and cole slaw you ever tasted. I've yet to find a close match. I went to St. Veronica's School and Church and can remember walking a mile or more to and from school. After we moved to 57th & Morgan I went to Blessed Sacrament School. I can remember our mom taking us on the street car from Howell and Howard to downtown Milwaukee to have our teeth pulled with "Gas". Those were the days when people never locked their doors.

My husband and I both worked at Allen Bradley and can remember the kids Christmas Party. They used to get a big toy and a #10 net bag full of small toys and huge fruit. That was great until we had 4 and 5 kids and had to carry it all!

I also remember every Saturday night mom and dad took us to Mitchell Field to see the airplanes come in then we'd go to Al's Drive-in for a custard, Those were the Good ole days. I went to Pulaski and my husband went to Boys Tech.

Thanks for a look back in the better times. M.A. Jaroch

I grew up on 48th and Wright in the 50's,...
....on a tree lined street of bungalows and two story flats. Our neighborhood was blessed by a multicultered population of mostly first and second generation Italians, Jews and Germans. Every house I entered smelled different...some like garlic and some like sausage.

On Saturdays I'd take my allowance and walk up to Center Street to spend my money at the Ben Franklin store. One week I'd buy a bag of marbles, the next week some bubble gum and/or trading cards and occasionally, I'd have enough money for a new pink or red scarf to wear around my neck.

I learned about art by collecting trading cards, I had a shoebox full of them. I also learned about selling and negotiation when I would try to trade a card with the picture of a bouquet of flowers for a classical picture of a horse, dog or cat. Trading marbles was the same thing--what ever happened to that wonderful hobby of trading?

Center street had a flower shop, a kosher bakery, a dance studio, a dime store, a drugstore and a few apparel shops (one specialized in infant clothing). My dentist was within walking distance so I could go to my appointments myself after school or on Saturday mornings. He'd give me a plaster of Paris head of Beethoven or Abraham Lincoln if I didn't cry as he drilled on my teeth.

The summer of the polio quarantine, we had a blast sneaking our friends into the yard behind the garage. At the time, there were concrete ash boxes that were great hiding places. We played kick-the- can and red light/green light in the alley till our moms called us in after dark. When the quarantine lifted the following year, we resumed "park life" again which included swimming in the pools, flirting with the boys by the swings as we leaned against our freshly polished Schwinn bikes and making hiding places in the bushes were we ate the sandwiches our mothers packed for us.

I have fond memories of Sherman Park, the Center Street Library, Sherman school, and the Sherman theater on Burleigh. I'm especially grateful that I got to witness the rare appearance of the rag man that blessed our street riding a horse drawn wagon yelling, "rags to buy...rags to buy." And I can't forget the scissor and knife sharpener who also yelled his way down my street looking for ladies who wanted there utensils sharpened.

My favorite memories were of my best friend and I sitting on the front porch on hot summer afternoons licking orange or chocolate popsicles...remember, we used to have chocolate popsicles. When we wanted to call for a friend, we would go to their house, stand by the back door and yell as loud as we could, "Oh D o n n a!" until they appeared at the back door or their mom stuck her head out the kitchen window to tell you Donna had accordion lessons and wouldn't be home for another hour.

The fifties was a great time to be in the world...a great time to live in Milwaukee! Thank you for reminding me. Pattie

Southgate and Sears
My fondest memories growing up in Racine was going shopping in Milwaukee with my parents in the early 60's.

Every few weeks on a Friday night we would drive up Hwy 41 to Southgate. We really did not have anything like that in Racine at the time. We would usually just go to Gimbles, but before shopping there we would go downstairs to the restaurant and have dinner. I always got a hamburger, fries, and a glass of chocolate milk. I remember the burgers were really good. That store seemed enormous to me then, and that plaza seemed like it went on for miles!! As a kid I always though how cool it would be to live near a place like that .I really envied people that lived up there!

But even bigger than that was our occasional trips to the old Sears store on 13th St. I remember the guy who sat up on the fire escape and directed traffic in the parking lot. He would call out something like "green Pontiac row 3". Does anyone else remember that? Never saw anything like that again.

Also that store had a huge candy counter that served popcorn, hot nuts, and what seemed like hundreds of varieties of candy. I remember the smell walking in the store. It was a combination of chocolate, and popcorn..What a time! Before Southridge, Brookfield Square, Northridge and the hundreds of strip malls! those stores had character.

Gary Wolk

St Petersburg, Florida.

By Schusters and yet two blocks

Schuster's was more than a department store to a kid born in 1937. At Christmas time it was a virtual playground. The toy department was huge and they had this gigantic model railroad that we used to sit for hours and watch. Schuster's was: Santa, Billy the Brownie, Metek the Eskimo, the reindeer out in the parking lot, the Christmas displays in the windows where you waited for the streetcar and watched the snow magically melt on the sidewalks--it was frozen malts and wrapped candy under the counters that a stealth minded kid could mine in ten seconds. Then there were the record booths where you could actually play the 78 rpms. Of course the clerks soon found we were just candy munching kids and not customers and told us very nicely to move along...but it still does not spoil the memory. Then in 1947 came the ten inch television sets with big magnifying glasses on them where we could sit and watch Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob. When Sieferet School put on a mock trial on WTMJ-TV (Channel 3 back then) to showcase our student government program, our parents (all poor of course) went to Schusters to watch us perform. Later when I was in sixth grade I was one of the cadet patrol that guarded the doors after school to prevent kids coming in and causing mischief after school. Schusters rewarded us later with a banquet and told us all we had a job there when we got older. I could go on and on. I stood for hours watching that guy up in the tower above the parking lot calling out the names of the cars and directing them to a parking spot. I thought he had to be the smartest guy around to know the make and year of every car. Schusters at 12th and Vileet (not sure of that spelling) was a real neighborhood friend.

Phil Pluta

Sebring, FL

Born and raised @1322 Cherry Street in 1937

Wauwatosa

I grew up in Wauwatosa in the 1960s-1970s. I remember when there was a barn with cows on 122nd St north of Woodland. In the other direction there was Yarnee's bakery at 122nd and North where George Webb's now stands. It smelled so great in there and my mother would send me up there to buy milk and allow me to use the 4 cents change on a cookie. I worked at that George Webb's as a teen when it was half the size it is now because Chris's Hair Styling place was next door. We walked to 31 Flavors on North Ave around the corner of George Webbs to buy an ice cream cone for 26 cents and loved to get Golden Fried Chicken across from the Kohls with the curved roof at 124th and North. We bowled at Boleros and played tennis at the old Fisher School building. We could ride our bikes to the Elm Grove Pond to fish or to a stable in Brookfield. We could run with the kids all day until dark without any concern of being abducted. We went to the Tosa "dump" to find cool junk on 116th St. We walked to 117th? and North to the Boy Blue for ice cream and then crossed the street to buy candy at the PDQ. We went to the Melody Top Tent for musicals in the summer and Summerfest only cost $3.00. There were impromptu concerts and anti war demonstrations in the playing fields behind Fisher School at 122nd and North. We ice skated on the skating rink that was flooded there during the winter. We also skated at Mayfair and saw horseshows over the covered ice on a few occasions in the middle of the mall. At Brookfield Square there was a restaurant in a dept store with a balcony that overlooked the inside of the mall. You could also eat in the restaurant in the back of the Kohl's Department Stores. We went to the Kooky Cookie House every Christmas at Capital Court. When you shopped in the Penny's there was a fake Trolley that had shoes in it and this is where you would try on your kids shoes. In Elm Grove there was a dime store where the Penolopes restaurant now is. It had a nice lunch counter in the back. At Mayfair they had a Walgreens with a restaurant in it also. We ate at the Captain's Steak Joint at Mayfair on dates in high school. Life was safe back then and we slept out in tents in the back yards all summer.

Cynthia Totty

Cynthia L.Totty-Hefley

1919
was brought up in Milwaukee starting in 1919 and have enjoyed every year here. I remember the dance floor on the roof oif the Wisconsin Theater at 6th and Wisconsin as well as the covered roller skating rink at North Avenue on the east bank of the Milwaukee River. There was a massive ski jump at Gordon Park, on Humboldt and the Milwaukee River. The runout was on the river ice, and if the ice was melting the skier had to stop short or end up in the river!

The North Shore Railroad had its station at 6th and Michigan, and when they were shuffling cars to make up three car trains Michigan was plugged up. The cars ran along the street until they were past St. Josephs and then had their own freeway. The interurbans ran south to East Troy, west to Oconomowoc and Watertown, and north to Sheboygan. Their Milwaukee station was in the Electric Co. Building on 3rd and Michigan, shared with bus lines. The cars went in one door, discharged passengers and took on more, and then left through the other end. There was a short tunnel to get under the 6th Street hill and on to their various routes. The rapid growth in auto use hurt the interurban ridership, and gradually the lines were discontinued. The remaining one to East Troy was the scene of an accident when the operator of the line piloted a train too fast, off the track, and into a tree. This killed the operation.

Reddy Kilowatt, the electric co. emblem, in the Electric company building, was where you could redeem blown light bulbs for new ones.

The Milwaukee Road's Olympian was a long train for its transcontinental run to Seattle and Portland, and it blocked St. Paul Ave. daily each way.

Eating on the north side had a great number of restaurants including Buckets Goldenberg's Pappys, the Silver Spring Dinner, (both on Silver Spring and the Port Road) Marc's Big Boy, the Milky Way on Capital and the river, Mama Mias on Silver Spring west, and Aliotas. Buckets was a commercial wrestler and I remember seeing him catapulted from the Auditorium ring onto the floor. Toy's was on 4th near Kilbourn, and Charlie had a smaller restaurant on 3rd near State which was his pride and joy for the cuisine, and it did not serve liquor. Shakeys on Hiway 45 was the first to offer pizza and drew from all over the city. Echo Bowl on the Port Road was a well known bowling alley.

The vessel Christopher Columbus ran to Chicago, starting its runs for their World's Fair, and docked on the Milwaukee River west side at Michigan. The various Goodrich liners docked at a nearby dock, as they started their scheduled runs to Wisconsin and Michigan ports.

At 6 in the morning the clop-clop of a horse and bakery wagon came down the street to deliver breakfast buns, followed by the milk man (a sign in the window told him how much to leave) then the dairy and eggs man, and finally the ice man. He also had a sign to order. Ted Friedlander

Ya Ya Milwaukee
Great website!Born in '74 I know that's late by some peoples standards, but I still have some great memories to share. I lived on 23rd and Scott, but

grew up on 25th and Mineral when it was clean and safe even at night! Here's a list of some things I recall...Jahrs on 16th and Greenfield. Bargain Bills. Novos pizza. Grossmans.

Dons burgers on 5th& Greenfield. Who's Inn (now Miss Katies). Vnuks on 23rd & National.

Select T.V. WQFM,WLPX,Hot 102, Z-95. Casanovas on Muskego. A&P on 33rd and Greenfield. Red Owl on Muskego. Pick-n-Save on Pabst&Forest Home (They had the black crayons for pricing). Mrs Karls on Pierce. Orchard Inn. Whitlock Auto. El Sombrero restaurant.

Onion Crock at Southgate. 6th district police station on Burnham. KFC on 25th& National.

Big Boy on Mitchell also on 29th and National. Bizzy Bobs on 2nd and Mitchell. Pinkys bowl.

Rumors bar on Greenfield. C J's custard on Mitchell. American Soda Water. Crystal Palace on

National. Gimbels. Sears on Forest Home. Treasure Island later Zayres on 27th. Robs Cozy Inn. The Fat People trucks. The old Wisconsin Av.,6th st, 16th st,27th st & 35th st viaduct before they re-constructed. Red Corvette bar. Odd Rock bar. Billy's old Mill. Mainstream music. South Side Spirit paper. Sail-n-Rail bar. Who's on 1st. Graf's soda plant on 43rd&Greenfield. Ben Franklin on Burnham. National liquor bar & store. Southridge theatre. Maria's pizza when it was on 7th. Gull pharmacy on 16th. Fabians barber shop.

Richard's butcher shop(I used to work there).The Love Rock!!! B.S. Wisnewski.

Kodak hut in southgate parking lot. Head shop on 16th & Mitchell(My parents were hippies).

Aurther Treachers. Purple Heart on National. Linsay Meat packing on National. Dairy Chef on Burnham. Grebe's 6th & Mitchell. Linebarger st foot bridge. Natatorium on 4th & Mitchell also on 16th & Greenfield. Ground round's popcorn covered floors. Jewell later Tates shop rite on 27th.The Port fish frys on Beacher (yum yum)! South Division free cheese. St Mathews fest & rides. Old kiddie pool at Clarke square. Petroffs on Forest Home. Suburpia (Thank God their back)! Golden Chicken 11th & Greenfield. Vieau cabin in Mitchell park. Mural for injured industrial workers on 11th & Greenfield. Tadych furniture frog (Tadych,Tadych,Tadych...boing). Continental grain now Nidera. J C Penny on Mitchell also in West Allis. Scandahouse. Showbiz pizza on 27th. Farrell's ice cream parlors. Skate U all niters! Handy Andy. Kizavats(sp?) Kluglitches(sp?) HBO antennas (some illegal) pointed at Bank One. Southside Church of God (my pre-school). 6'' lannonstone curbs that destroyed some of dads car doors. Boy Blue on 16th & Mitchell also 24th & National. Mitchell st. fest.

Bike trail by Riverside actually had working train tracks. When The Tracks bar had "tracks" running through the property. Gloriosos restaurant. Black and white generic beer cans. Black and white street name signs. The Mojeska. Rainbow airport Franklin. Marine bank on 16th.

Kohls foods on 35th & Greenfield also on 14th & Burnham. Avalon's starry cieling. North av. dam. T.V store on 16th& pierce(name???). Candyland on 23rd & Greenfield. Loves home juice .Golden Gurnsey home deliveries. Meyer restaurant on 27th. Paddle boats and ice skating at Mitchell park. Christan center caravan played movies and had free popcorn for kids in Clarke square. Fire alarm boxes with the blue light on top. Sunken gardens at Mitchell park. The Fruitboat. Hallmark on 27th & National (the old man working there chain smoked those brown cigarettes.) Finally my last memory was being one of the few African American children growing up on the Southside. So I was not forced to bus in the 70's went to Longfellow elementary. Christ Lutheran. Walker & finally the soon to be razed TECH!!! C/O '92!!!!

YA YA Milwaukee!!!!

Alex H

This is great
Thanks for the memories. Trying to put a history story together honoring and remembering the famous Dutchland Dairy Restaurants mentioned many times here. My dad Perry supervised many of those stores for many years. As kids, my two sisters and I were on the TV commercials, and they were even "Dutchland Dairy Girls" in blue and white uniforms (but did not really slide off of the roofs like the commercials showed). Quick note: their were 15 stores total. Owned by Joe Clark (brother Emory Clark- owner of the Clark Gas Stations). Later many were converted to Meurer Bakeries. ;69th and 95th and Lincoln, 6th and Oklahoma, 39th and National, Menomonee Falls, etc. etc.

Haystack onions started here, as did the grub-in-a-tub. Brown bottles of milk, great custard, Chicken dinner specials on Sundays. Stay tuned for the book... more to come. Keep up the site and great work. Jim M.

"Fonzi" days
I was a teenager in the "Fonzi" days and grew up in Shorewood. My fond
recollections of Milwaukee include - Riverview Roller Skating Rink on E.
North Ave, the greasy hamburgers at the Milky-Way Drive-In on Port Road, the
Pig & Whistle's frozen custard, Schaft's Sausage, The Plankinton Penny
Arcade and people look at you strangely when you ask where a "bubbler" is,
Benfeldt Ice Cream, Washington Park Lagoon, Lake Park, Sherman Park and
Brown Deer Park ice skating, the Yankee Doodle Restraunt on Oakland &
Capitol, the Bluemound Mound Rd. drive-in theater, Black Eagle Gas on
Oakland & Edgewood and who can forget the aroma as you pass by the Ambrosia
Chocolate factory. There are many places, people and events to relive and
remember about Milwaukee. It's great to have these reminders of the
"Good Old Days."

Thanks and keep this site going.

GSP (former Shorewoodite)

Wisco 99
Saw reference to Wisco 99. As I understand it, it was owned by the
Schroeder family. My father was the local Wisco 99 distributor in
Madison. I have a few pictures of his truck and one copy of the logo,
but have a hard time finding anyone who remembers much about the
company. In Madison at least, the company was legally known as
Hollywood Oil Company and I have no idea why. There were 6 stations in
Madison. They were the first "gasoline only" stations in the area, and
were discounters. They had double stamp days on Tuesday and "Ladies
day" on Thursday. On ladies day women who filled up got a free gift.
They also gave away Hop Along Cassidy mugs, which were very popular. I
would love to hear more from anyone who has any knowledge or pictures of
Wisconsin stations or operations. The corporate entity was apparently
Wisconsin Independent Oil Company and at least in later years was based
in Palatine, Illinois. They also had stations in Kenosha and Rockford.

Randy Paul