Some 250 moviegoers attending the afternoon showing of "Run for Cover" on May 12, 1955 at the Riverside Theatre, had to run for cover themselves when a coupling on an air refrigerating unit exploded at the theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave. The explosion took place in the basement but was heard throughout the building. The fire department responded with three engines, two ladder trucks, a rescue squad, an ambulance, the fire chief, two deputy chiefs ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe2Cd4NSm00#MKE#OldMKE
Imagine! No television, VCR, stereo, CD player, boom box, computer or even radio. Perhaps a telephone in the back of the house somewhere, but otherwise only books, art items and the piano - quiet, refined comfort known to few. This photo was taken around the turn of the century in the since-demolished home of Amos A.L. Smith (1849-1906) near present-day 23rd St. and Wisconsin Ave. The music room of this elegant Queen Anne residence included the u ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1_tQuSm00#MKE#OldMKE
The intersection of Western av. (now N. 35th st.) and Villard av. looked like this when viewed from the roof of the Smith, Barnes & Strober Piano Co. on a Sunday afternoon in July, 1903. At that time the area was part of the village of North Milwaukee, "the city's most flourishing and promising suburb." Horses and buggies rolled over unpaved streets and pedestrians walked on wooden sidewalks. Villard av. was the "end of the line" for Milwaukee st ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1u07Piy00#MKE#OldMKE
A weekend rainfall of nearly six inches created this flood scene and many others like it in the Milwaukee area June 21-23, 1940. Autos sloshed through water-covered roads in many spots, such as this view of Highway 41 north of Silver Spring Rd. The rains were responsible for at least two deaths, including a child swept away while wading. The water washed away top soil, damaged crops, isolated a number of homes and forced many families to flee fro ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1gHHjum00#MKE#OldMKE
The pumpkin on the doorstep and the wishbones on the window of Retzer Bros. Quality Grocers reminded shoppers in 1908 that the feast was rapidly approaching. The Gold Medal Flour window display was another indication of the times. In those days, a 25 pound bag of flour was the smallest you could buy. A favorite holiday beverage was cider. Neighbors would bring their gallon jugs to be filled from huge 50 gallon drums. Fresh cranberries, nuts in th ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1ZQKKGa00#MKE#OldMKE
It was Christmas time in 1924 when this picture was taken at a tavern at 379 1st Ave. (later 929 S. 6th St.), between Walker and Mineral Sts. The tavern was the headquarters for Slovenians. There they could obtain legal advice on becoming American citizens, and they eventually formed a Slovenian lodge named Sloga No. 1. Behind the bar was owner John Lenko, and standing in front was Albert Tratnik, a clothing store owner. Photograph and informatio ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1Lhuz0W00#MKE#OldMKE
You could get to John Trost's place either by car or horsedrawn buggy. Once you were there, there was convenient parking for the latter by way of hitching posts along the front and side yards. We can assume that Trost was proud of his establishment, but judging from the size of the names on his sign, he was even more eager to advertise the fact that he served "Gettelman's $1,000 Beer." This photo is believed to have been taken around 1910, and th ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe1Epa9ue00#MKE#OldMKE
Timothy Appleton Chapman established T.A. Chapman & Co. in 1857, moving to the southeast corner of what is now N. Milwaukee St. and E. Wisconsin Ave. in1872. The first store on that site was distinguished by its arched entrance and the decorative eagles perched atop the building. It was one of the largest dry-goods houses in the region at the time. The building was destroyed by fire in October 1884, with damage so total that "a piece of lace big ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe115qxiu00#MKE#OldMKE
At the turn of the century, customers walked down wooden sidewalks on old Mitchell St. to do their daily errands. Among buildings located there was the Surges Bros. saloon and grocery story at 510 Mitchell St. (now 9th and Mitchell Sts.), at an angle from St. Anthony’s church. John Surges, wearing a white apron, stood outside the establishment in a pose typical of the day. At his side stood a well-known community figure, Policeman Heke. Joe Surge ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe0wDJZ0y00#MKE#OldMKE
This was the northwest corner of Kane pl. and Summit av. about 1892. The large home at the right, fronting on Summit and Lake Michigan was the home of Howard Morris, president of the Wisconsin Central railroad. The site is now occupied by the Shorecrest hotel, the first part of which, facing Summit, was erected in 1925 (the addition facing Prospect av. was erected in 1928). The corner in the foreground is now occupied by an apartment building, th ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe0iUUpam00#MKE#OldMKE
Today's high meat prices cause many to think back very fondly to the days when a dollar bought a lot at the butcher shop. It has been many years since numbers like 8, 15 and 17 referred to the cost of meat per pound, but those were some of the prices which were advertised in the window of Emil Blaskovics' meat market, 92 10th St. (later 508 N. 10th St.) in 1910. Back then, suckling pigs were priced at 17c per pound; veal, 8c per pound; center cut ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe0bcsGyy00#MKE#OldMKE
Thomas Strupp and his family served their neighborhood around N.33rd and Clarke Sts. from 1919 to 1965 with delicious baked goods, produce, a few grocery items and even tobacco. The work day, or night, was long. Bakers Howard and Robert Strupp helped their father set the dough around 8 in the evening, then slept, ready to start work again at 1 a.m. so the baked goods would be ready for customers who arrived as early as 5:30. This 1931 photo shows ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe0Nuaj8i00#MKE#OldMKE
In the early 1940s, buses supplied some transportation but streetcars still ruled Wisconsin Ave. The view looking east from N. 8th St. was different then. Most notable is the dominant height of the Schroeder Hotel, which was the tallest building on the south side of W. Wisconsin Ave. until the Clark Building overshadowed it in 1968. The Carpenter Building had billboards then, as now, but Ruby Chevrolet was advertising a five story location at N. ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe0H02Guu00#MKE#OldMKE
In January, 1910, when this picture was taken, snow shovelers were busy in front of Charles Cowalsky & Co. livery, 605-609 Walnut (later 607-609 W. Walnut), clearing the path for car No. 196. In 1910, 61.5 inches of snow fell in Milwaukee. Other memorable snow years included the "winter of the deep snow" - 1881, especially March 19, when no trains operated in or out of the city; Jan. 6-7, 1918, when 19.5 inches of snow fell; May 3, 1935, when 22 ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qe03IXsqW00#MKE#OldMKE
The William Steinmeyer Co. was established in 1865 as a wholesale and retail grocery. Twenty-eight years later, the business moved from the southeast corner of N. 4th St. and W. Juneau Ave. to this five story building on the corner of N. 3rd St. and W. Highland Ave. The store attributed its early success to the cash system, which permitted customers to "purchase their goods much cheaper than by resorting to the credit system." It received a good ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qd-yQQZua00#MKE#OldMKE
The history of St. Michael's Church, 1453 N. 24th St., dates back before the close of the 19th century, when Michael Heiss was of archbishop of Milwaukee. What was then the new and fast developing extreme western section of the city needed a church for its Catholic residents, and the archbishop encouraged a new congregation, formed out of St. Joseph's Parish. The cornerstone of this church was dedicated in 1883 and the building completed by the e ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qd-kglGKW00#MKE#OldMKE
It's unlikely any readers alive today will remember Old St. Mary's Church when it was new, for the church was started in 1846 - but this is too rare a photo to miss. Taken in 1868, it shows the new tower facade and rear sanctuary addition to the Roman Catholic church - an addition which was constructed in 1867. At the time, although the clock faces were in place, they had no hands - clockworks were not installed until 1870. According to one Milwa ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qd-dpfaKu00#MKE#OldMKE
The first black congregation in Wisconsin, St. Mark's African Methodist Episcopal Church, was organized in 1869. This church, at 4th and Cedar (later W. Kilbourn Ave.) was the second home of the congregation, but its first real church. The cornerstone was laid on Dec. 5, 1886, and it was dedicated on May 29, 1887. E.T. Mix was the architect. Mix also designed All Saints' Episcopal Cathedral (originally built as Olivet Congregational Church), Imma ... https://tmblr.co/ZANp-Qd-Q52Oee00#MKE#OldMKE
I found this photo of me running sound at The Unicorn. We used to do punk shows on Sundays and this was when I was not in a band, so I'd just show up for the show and hang out.
One day we asked Gus where the sound guy was for a Sunday show and he just said "You do the sound!" so we figured it out and did the sound. I think after that he stopped getting a sound guy and we just did it ourselves.
Behind me is Sam and Lil Duane from Lack of Social Decency. Probably 1991.