Lee Matz, Author at Milwaukee Independent

Map: Another Walk Across Milwaukee – Two Years Later

Posted by Lee Matz | Oct 13, 2017 |

A return look at the city’s slow shift from decay to renewal On October 6, 2015 the Milwaukee Independent made the 84 block, 5.5 mile hike across North Avenue to photo-document the corridor’s condition as a geographical reference with images for future news reports about community projects. Inspired by the HOME GR/OWN story for development and urban transformation, the trek passed through the East Side, Riverwest, Brewers Hill, Halyard Park, Lindsay Heights, Park West, Metcalfe Park, Sherman Park, and Uptown neighborhoods of Milwaukee. On the second anniversary of that journey, October 6, 2017, the Milwaukee Independent retraced those steps...

A Journey along North Avenue tells neighborhood stories

Posted by Lee Matz | Oct 13, 2017 |

After reviewing photographs taken in 2015 with new ones from the 2017 Another Walk Across Milwaukee, there is a contrast between how much has changed and how time stood still in those 24 months. On October 6, 2015 the Milwaukee Independent made the 84 block, 5.5 mile hike across North Avenue to photo-document the corridor’s condition as a geographical reference with images for future news reports about community projects. On the second anniversary of that journey, October 6, 2017, the Milwaukee Independent retraced those steps. Places that did not exist during the first walk included Pete’s Fruit Market on...

Discovery World breaks ground on a new decade of learning

Posted by Lee Matz | Oct 12, 2017 |

“We’ve been in business now for over a decade and the needs of the community have changed, the future needs of the community are going to be different and this allows us to adapt and grow along with the community and eventually to have the kind of impact we want to have on the future workforce.” – Joel Brennan, Discovery World CEO & President Discovery World broke ground on October 10 for the first phase of its $18 million expansion project, featuring a 10,000 square foot space that will be located along Lake Michigan on the science museum’s north...

Milwaukee’s last Civil War veteran memorialized on his 75th anniversary

Posted by Lee Matz | Oct 10, 2017 |

The public was invited to a special ceremony presented by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) that honored Milwaukee County’s last living Civil War veteran, Charles L. Blanchard, with a special marker at Forest Home Cemetery on September 17. Blanchard was a private in Company D of the 40th Wisconsin Infantry, a unit that guarded supply lines around Memphis, Tennessee. He served for four months in 1864 at age 18, and went on to live until the start of World War II at 96 years old. More than 91,000 men from Wisconsin served in the...

Valley Week explores foundations and transformation of the Menomonee area

Posted by Lee Matz | Oct 9, 2017 |

The inaugural Valley Week celebrated Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley from September 23 to 30, highlighting the history and evolution of the vital industrial region, ending with a special tour of the area. The week of events invited the community to explore and experience the Menomonee Valley, from a beer run, to a bike ride along the Hank Aaron State Trail, to a Menomonee River Kayak Tour, to family-friendly campfire gatherings, and tree plantings with environmental education about the urban district. Hosted by the Menomonee Valley Business Improvement District #26, Menomonee Valley: Behind, Above, & Below the Scenes was a special...