WHY MILWAUKEE?
Milwaukee is a community where people come to meet and history comes to life. Long before the first settlers came to this area, the Algonkian Indians had a special name for the land: Millioki, which means "gathering place by the waters." The Indians may have picked the name because they used the area for tribal gatherings or because they observed how three rivers (the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic and the Milwaukee) met before flowing into the waters of Lake Mie-sit-gan ( Michigan). The idea of Milwaukee as a meeting place continues today as the city's neighborhoods weave a patchwork of diversity, as characteristics of the German heritage blend with influences of many other cultures. Italian, Irish, Polish, African American, and Hispanic neighborhoods with ethnic restaurants and shops making up the fabric of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is one of the top cities of its size in the country for culture and lifestyle boasting 5 opera houses, a world-class symphony, many fine jazz clubs, a world class art museum, as well as professional basketball (Bucks), Baseball (Brewers), Soccer (Wave), hockey (Admirals) and Football (Green Bay Packers) teams. Milwaukee proudly possesses one of the finest park systems in the country (144 parks and parkways/over 15,000 acres), an exceptionally outstanding zoo (located on 200 wooded acres/2500 animals) and an official U.S. Olympic Ice Training facility. The Lake Michigan lakefront not only serves as a beautiful backdrop to the many cultural festivals but is easily accessible for a variety of outdoor activities. Milwaukee’s Midwestern effervescent charm and hospitality is truly the nucleus that makes Milwaukee “A Great City on a Great Lake”. Condé Nast Traveler ranked Milwaukee’s Airport as best in the nation for ease of connections, customs/baggage and safety/security. Ladies Home Journal ranks Milwaukee #33 on its list of the 200 best large cities in the U.S.
Milwaukee , from its beginnings as an Indian settlement to its hopeful days as a Great Lakes port, has always had a strong connection to its environment. This continues today as local and regional leaders support technological advances that will lessen the ecological footprint of our diverse urban lifestyle.
Over the course of history, the Great Lakes region has faced threats from many types of pollution. Many of these have been reduced but significant environmental challenges remain. The diversion of Great Lakes freshwater outside the basin and the introduction of invasive species are current challenges in which Milwaukee plays a significant role in the development of innovative solutions. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District’s deep tunnel project to handle wastewater runoff and the local production of Milorganite® fertilizer from waste products are good examples of pioneering resolutions to pressing environmental challenges. The Great Lakes region, with its rich environmental heritage, has been a leader in the development of environmental regulations that serve all the peoples of the US and Canada. Much of the original work on eutrophication and solutions for it were based on studies of Lake Michigan conducted in Wisconsin and Michigan. The valuable lessons learned have been used throughout North America and the world to manage freshwater ecosystems. Protection of quality of life through active stewardship of the land, air, and water resources, together with the long-standing commitment to preserving wild and green spaces have driven the region’s long-term goals for sustainable development.
