Anyone From Wisconsin Move and Come Back? (Milwaukee, Madison: crimes, house)

[Wi_Girl]

I moved from Wisconsin in May of '99. I wanted to try something different and I moved to Virginia to be with my now husband. Well, we both hate it here and we want to move to Wisconsin. I'd just like to hear from anyone who grew up in WI and then moved back. What was it like for you? I'm hoping to get back to WI in the next few years, just waiting to finish my college degree (my jobs gives me tuition reimbursement). We are looking to move to the Appleton area. Any suggestions or comments appreciated!

[DaBears]

LoL...i moved away in 97 and you would have to pay me to move back...have lived in the 'south' for just as long andf enjoy it better in NC

[Putty]

I do, and I may if my upcoming plans to relocate somewhere else doesn't work out, I may just go back to WI......I do miss it, but I also forget how cold it gets!............I don't want to be get there, and go thru my first winter wondering what on earth I was thinking about........lol.

But, I miss my family and the environment the most!

[Ladybugga]

We are moving back after 2 years. I can no longer take the parents buying middle school kids smokes and have them drinking on the curb and the police turn a blind eye. With 2 kids we need to have them on the right track and staying here is not an option any longer. Wisconsin here we come!

Just to add we were going to move out west (Arizona) but have decided to move back to Wisconsin.

[115db]

Ive heard of people going from one extreme to the other, moving from WI to Az because our winters arent quite as brutal (we've had 60 degree days at times) but when summer gets here, the 110+ furnace sends 'em back. (113 is about average but 115, give or take, is no surprise either).
Ive only been to WI twice and would move there in a heartbeat, for the right reasons. A person can always bundle up and toss another log into the fireplace, but you can only shed so much clothing in the summer here.

[EnjoyEP]

I just did.

I grew up for my first 26+ years of life in Wisconsin (in and around various areas of Milwaukee metro). I got married to my wife in 2000 (a non-Wisconsin / non-Midwest native) and we lived here for a few years even still.

Then, in very early 2004 we moved to Albuquerque, NM. We loved it overall there...we really did. It was a great place and a great place for us. However, we had two little ones there, and missed all of our family and friends in Milwaukee metro / WI. And...even with all of the multitude of great things of living in the high desert...we missed many things that make Milwaukee great.

Just moved up here ~2 weeks ago. Just ended my first full week on the job in Downtown Milwaukee. We bought a house in the Village of Greendale, which we look forward to moving into in a couple of weeks. So far...so good / great! However, admittedly it is still the summer right now...we'll see how the first winter goes! (Actually, I don't think I will mind the first winter back with my enthusiasm to be back...we'll see how the second winter goes!).

[phlute23]

I grew up in the Milwaukee area, lived in Whitewater for 4 years in college and lived in Middleton a year before moving to Iowa for grad school. I currently live in San Diego where my husband has a temporary position. We absolutely cannot wait to move back to the midwest next summer. We are hoping my husband will get a position at UW-Madison or U of Iowa. We really miss the season changes, midwestern values and an affordable standard of living, not to mention our family and friends there. Wisconsin is a great place to live and raise kids. The schools in many areas are great although I know property taxes can be high. We can't wait to be home again....

[115db]

Lol. Stock up that firewood pile now, while you can. I know the winters there are c-c-c-cold but thats what wood burning stoves and fireplaces are for. I'd SO love to go there in the winter, just to check it out.

[shawtay425]

I too am thinking of moving back to milwaukee. I was born in Chicago and raised in the slums of the city of Milwaukee. Unfotunately I witnessed a lot of drug activities as well as other serious crimes. Thats why my parents moved. my family moved in 1992 to Alaska and then moved to washington in 2000.My favorite uncle recently has suffered some medical complications. and I miss my family there.The delima that i'm faced with is that, I will be moving back as a single mother of a son 17 who is no stranger to the wrong crowds or friends but he's always been the peace maker of the "clicks".That have recently gotten him a black eye.My daughter is 13 and she's a beautiful outgoing child with lots of positive friends. I'm just wondering if I will be able to keep my son out of danger. Is milwaukee as bad as i've heard it is.Will there be positive activities and neigborhoods for us to adjust to.Washington has crimes (i.e)drugs, shootings,prostitution.We live in the mist of it all. Shoot,my car was stolen last month I've only lived in this apt. 2mons. I believe in my heart of hearts that my neigbors did because I made a complaint about their drug issues. So I don't know if I would be going from bad to worst basically.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by Wi_Girl

I moved from Wisconsin in May of '99. I wanted to try something different and I moved to Virginia to be with my now husband. Well, we both hate it here and we want to move to Wisconsin. I'd just like to hear from anyone who grew up in WI and then moved back. What was it like for you? I'm hoping to get back to WI in the next few years, just waiting to finish my college degree (my jobs gives me tuition reimbursement). We are looking to move to the Appleton area. Any suggestions or comments appreciated!

You hate Virginia?!

Why?!!!! You don't like commuting 2hrs from Stafford Co. to Crystal City every day (EACH WAY?) on I-95? You don't like the suburban sprawl? You don't like not being able to buy liquor on a Sunday, or being hassled by someone with three teeth who says a US passport isn't a "State ID", and won't sell booze to you because you're using a passport to buy it?

Come on!!!

I lived in Spotsylvania Co., and in DC. I feel your pain. I loved the area itself, and the unpretentious people of Spotsy. DC was another story, not particularly nice, but very historic and lots of action.

However, the whole bible-belt thing just didn't play well with me, nor did the rat race on I-95, people FIGHTING to earn $80k/year and willing to drive 2hrs each way to do it. What is wrong with this country?

As I said, I loved living out there, in ways. DC is nice, and offers nice urban amenities, parks, and culture. Suburban VA offers history and different amenities. I loved driving the country roads to Fairview Beach and drinking beer or bloody marys on the Potomac River. I loved the battlefields of Spotsylvania County (of which I lived next to one). I loved the history and the down to earth people of the suburban/rural areas. I loved the mountains. But the DC suburban rat race, I could do without. I got out of it fortunately, but I now live in Arizona, which is like a 1/4 intensity Washington suburb, with less traffic.

In terms of Wisconsin, much different than VA in terms of traffic and hassles. However, similar in some ways, such as the nature and the landscape (in many areas). Plus, people are pretty nice in both areas.