Rethinking Milwaukee’s History
A new collection by Lyle Oberwise inspires a new look at the city
B Y C H R I S T O P H E R M I L L E R
PHOTOS FROM THE LYLE OBE RWISE COLLECTION, MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Lyle Oberwise hardly seems to be the kind of man who could force an entire city to reconsider its past. He never held political office, never advocated for public policies, never challenged the status quo. The Batavia, Ill., native and Marquette University graduate lived a relatively normal life in Milwaukee during the 20th century, working for a variety of industrial concerns, getting married, serving in World War II and cultivating a hobby. It is the remarkable output of this hobby—amateur photography—that now challenges an entire generation of Milwaukeeans to rethink the way they look at the history of their city. His photos are the subject of a new book from the Milwaukee County Historical Society, compiled by Marilyn Johnson, titled Milwaukee at Mid-Century: The Photographs of Lyle Oberwise.

The Story We Tell Ourselves
Everyone who grows up in Milwaukee knows the loose outlines of its history: Germans and beer! Those who paid attention in grade school might remember the Bridge Wars during the frontier days, famous brewers and America’s best-known socialist government. Those really in the know might remember the late-19th-century “corruption” of mayor David Rose, the influx of immigrants who repeatedly transformed the city or the musical stylings of Henry Maier.

But the most significant characteristic of Milwaukee’s communal sense of history is that it stops well in the past, perhaps with the images of The Fonz or Laverne and Shirley. The recent redevelopment of historic neighborhoods such as Brewers Hill and the Third Ward reveals an almost desperate grasping for something, anything historic. But when

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