I started attending Marquette University in 1969 and that fall applied for a job at a neighborhood library on Walnut Street. I've always been relatively fearless, not to mention at least a little naive, and walked from my dorm at 11th & Wisconsin to the library (in late afternoon) and back (in early evening). I seem to recall both empty lots and new "low-income housing," mostly side-by-side duplexes and 4-plexes. This area was a center of urban renewal, possibly because of some minor rioting, but also because the area was already run-down. About 5 or 6 years ago, I drove through that neighborhood again and it seemed like the housing was either in a bad state of repair or had been torn down or boarded up. The neighborhood had deteriorated rapidly within about 20 years. I think I may have read about some scandal regarding shoddy workmanship or substandard materials being used. Sadly the neighborhood around 20th to 27th & Highland has also deteriorated. This was an area of mansions belonging to many of Milwaukee's captains of industry. Unfortunately, their size made them unsuitable for an average family, and so they were broken up into either apartments or taken over as frat houses for Marquette. Many of them were gone, boarded up or empty lots when I passed through. Milwaukee lost some fine architecture here. Now we have only photos and our memories and imaginations to help us visualize what life was like there 100+ years ago. Mary Popovich

Mary Popovitch's article was interesting regarding Milwaukee neighborhoods. I grew up a bit north of what they now call Brewer's Hill....around Third and Wright in the 1950's. We moved to the suburbs in the mid 1950s and I would say the area started looking like inner city blight way before the riots. About 15 years ago we spent a week in a cabin north of Milwaukee. On Sunday the visiting priest came to talk about his mission. Usually these missions are in South America or Africa. His mission was the inner city Catholic schools right in my old neighborhood! We talked to him a bit and told him I thought the area looked like a war zone with boarded up windows, etc. He said that at that time it looked much better than it had looked for a long time. A few month ago my brother and I drove through the area. Our house is still there. It looks bad. Around the corner on Second Street some of the house look great. I guess it's sort of a hit and miss thing. But in general the area is very run down. It was a great area. But all of Milwaukee is not run down. My dad grew up in Bay View. That is a well kept place and although I don't know what it used to look like, it looks good now and seems like it always did. Lake Drive looks like it never changes...but maybe the real estate doesn't change hands either. Is this off subject? Pray for Peace, Maxine