Why is Montello, Wisconsin so mean? (Milwaukee, Madison: movies, high school, campground)

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by gossi1

Moved to Montello in 2003. We bought a business, contributed to the local economy, put our kids in the schools, and proceeded to get treated like crap. To say that Montello is "cliquey" is an understatement. The people there are inbred hillbillies. If you're not from town, forget it. The townspeople do not and will not frequent local business and if you're not a "local" definitely not. We had a fire at our business and very few people in the business community or populace were helpful. We did not hear one word from the village, this Marquette Now group, not one in business in town. Our kids friends from school had bigger hearts and more class than their parents. Some people were actually spreading rumors that we started the fire! One business owner, who I had never even met, went to a local tavern and bought a round of drinks to celebrate the fact that we were out of business! (this person was in the same business we were in, so there was competition). Prior to this fire, we did alot of our shopping, etc in town, but no more. We decided not to invest anymore of ourselves on this crappy town and sold the property. We did buy a house near here so we didn't have to switch schools. So, now that we are not in business anymore, I just make sure I do all my shopping, auto work, etc in Portage. I will not contribute, if possible, to the crap hole that is Montello. If anyone asks where I live, I say "north of Portage" My consumer $ go elsewhere.

Montello never seemed to bad. Then again I'm from Portage.

It's nice to see someone from around here.

[heartbroken no more]

I was the original heartbroken2004. Our stories are very similar and my sympathy is with you completely. I got to know other business owners there, and some had stories similar to yours and mine. Some of the people in Montello think they own the town, but they know that the only ones who'll possibly take that seriously are people who don't know any better: newcomers. These Montello people have no future, just the occasional chance to be nasty to those same newcomers. In fact, being nasty to newcomers is their only community sport, the only thing they have to talk about when they get together. I bet when that guy bought a round of drinks to celebrate the demise of your business it was the only time he EVER bought a round of drinks. It's a pity that these humans have control over such a lovely piece of God's green earth.

[heartbroken no more]

MBLL's comments speak for themselves about the people of Montello. There is judgmentalism, spite, and apparently, self-justification and admission of the nasty way they treated Gossi1. We did none of these things that are quoted--we DID invest, we did tell everyone we wanted to stay there the rest of our lives, our prices were reasonable...and we were still treated as badly as you. I'm sorry, Gossi1. But be patient, and take heart. The people of Montello are taking their chance to respond to what we have said, and using it to prove our points. This thread has been going on two and a half years, and has been read 8,469 time. People say they are reading it all the way through...this means that the people of Montello are being seen as they are, and the whole world has a chance to read about them.

[gbrulz]

I don't know what possessed me to read this entire thread. Probably because out of every town I have ever in, in WI..Montello was the biggest dump I've ever been in. The people there are beyond rude, especially the local car dealer.

[KatWisc7]

Originally Posted by gbrulz

I don't know what possessed me to read this entire thread. Probably because out of every town I have ever in, in WI..Montello was the biggest dump I've ever been in. The people there are beyond rude, especially the local car dealer.

gbrulz-

Omg! This is the funniest post I've read in a long time. And every bit of it is true, I'm sure. I haven't been on this website in months, but just received this post in my email, and after a good laugh, decided to login once again...

[montelloparttimer]

I bought a summer home in Montello three summers ago and I love it. I have had nothing but good experiences with the locals. When I walk into one of the local taverns I am greated by my first name even though I only get out to them once in a while. When we started to do landscaping work in our yard people would stop and introduce themselves and comment on how great the yard looked. The folks who live on either side of us are like family. Helping us to take our boats and piers in and out, and whith any other tasks that come up. My nine year old daughter said she wants to move here when she grows up because everyone is so nice. Not like the people at home. This came from my nine year old!. I think any town is what you make of it. Where I live in Illinois I don`t even know any of the people that live on my court or what they do for a living, yet I can tell you when the people who live next to me in Montello moved there. When their birthdays are. How old they are. I Know their kids, their grandkids. I talk to them daily when there and weekly when I`m not. I think if you move into a town expecting to be excepted you are fooling yourself .You have to except the people in that town for them to except you. You whine about people talking amongst themselves about you and then go onto the WWW and do the same thing. Pretty pathetic! Think about it!

[heartbroken no more]

Originally Posted by montelloparttimer

I bought a summer home in Montello three summers ago and I love it. I have had nothing but good experiences with the locals. When I walk into one of the local taverns I am greated by my first name even though I only get out to them once in a while. When we started to do landscaping work in our yard people would stop and introduce themselves and comment on how great the yard looked. The folks who live on either side of us are like family. Helping us to take our boats and piers in and out, and whith any other tasks that come up. My nine year old daughter said she wants to move here when she grows up because everyone is so nice. Not like the people at home. This came from my nine year old!. I think any town is what you make of it. Where I live in Illinois I don`t even know any of the people that live on my court or what they do for a living, yet I can tell you when the people who live next to me in Montello moved there. When their birthdays are. How old they are. I Know their kids, their grandkids. I talk to them daily when there and weekly when I`m not. I think if you move into a town expecting to be excepted you are fooling yourself .You have to except the people in that town for them to except you. You whine about people talking amongst themselves about you and then go onto the WWW and do the same thing. Pretty pathetic! Think about it!

I hope you continue to have happiness in Montello.

[luvmontello]

Whoever wrote that there are many people who are related in Montello is right, and maybe that's why I don't have any problems when I visit. I was born in Ripon, lived in Montello for two years, and visited every summer for 18 years. By 1987 my grandparents had passed away and I didn't return until 2005, but during that trip, my daughter and I had a blast! We met new people at the resort where we were staying, and they were very friendly. Granted, they were from different places: northern Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, etc. I was the only one from the South, and they found my accent intriguing, to say the least. The people we did meet from Montello were very friendly, accommodating, and interesting. Because my trip was, in part, a genealogy visit, I had lots of questions, and everyone in Montello was cooperative and very willing to talk about the town, the quarry, the lakes and rivers, the waterfalls, the locks, the "schools on the hill," etc. Maybe the key to Montello is showing some interest in your surroundings. I love Montello and the people who live there!

[tjschmi]

I can't belive that. Montello is very nice. Did you do something? Wautoma seems more mean to me.

[Josh WI]

I've lived here my whole life. And I must say it's not just Montello. I've had trouble making friends here my whole life, and it hasn't been like that when I've left WI. It's the entire state. Especially Central and southern Wisconsin. It's not just me either. People I've known from out of state who go come here make the same comment. I've personally noticed when I'm on vacation that people in other states (even MN and IL, especially down south) are far more approachable. Even down around Milwaukee it's rather unfriendly.

There are a couple of reasons for this that I can think of. First is the German ancestry. Almost everyone here is of German descent. They're very stoic and they love to be left alone. It's just a custom carried down from the german settlers who settled Wisconsin. Second is the drinking culture here. Almost all socialization here revolves around liquor. It's very difficult to approach people here unless they're intoxicated (even then it's not easy (even as a college student)), and I'm not the only one who's noticed.

Some places in Wisconsin are okay though. The east side of Milwaukee and the city of Madison are far more friendly than the rest of the state. But overall if you're looking for nice, approachable neighbors, that you can become friends with relatively quickly, Wisconsin isn't the right place to be. I too am looking to leave WI as fast as possible.