Most German or Northern European places? (Milwaukee, La Crosse: work, homes, crime)

[Fidelia]

My husband and I are considering moving up North from Florida; we have lived in the Deep South most of our lives. I love the old Southern cities of Charleston and Atlanta, but the middle class has been squeezed out.
Also, as much as we love the South, and we both have some Scots-Irish ancestry, crime has just gotten so God awful and we have always felt a little out of place, anyways, because we are so quiet.

We both identify much more strongly with our German sides so we've been considering northern Kentucky and the Midwest. New England was a possibility, but I tend to believe we wouldn't be wanted and I do respect those who want to safeguard their culture. My husband works in IT, so he much of the Midwest is out, but Wisconsin is in.

My Grandmother is from Wisconsin, and her ancestors lived there and Minnesota for 3 generations and the description of the natives is so uncannily similar to myself: reserved, shy, tends towards family, but still friendly. We also absolutely will not tolerate crime or a shoddy government. We have a large family that we homeschool, too.

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

[Minnehahapolitan]

Of course you have Milw..
La Crosse is a great college (UW-LaX) town on the Mississippi, most bars per capita in the nation. Close to Mpls., historic downtown, gourgeous scenery (the limestone bluffs on the river)and they are known for their annual Oktoberfest.
New Ulm is a disneyified version of Germany (in an OK, tolerable way), but the statue of Hermann the German is about the size of the Statue of Liberty.
The Upper Midwest is Mayberry safe and Milw. isn't as bad as Milwaukians say it is. The economy is generally good and stable, and government is clean and progressive.
It is great that you are making a move that suits your culture, more people need to do the same, IMO. Good luck on wherever you end up. This website was also pretty interesting.
German American - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
---Minnehahapolitan

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

If you're looking to explore and celebrate your German heritage, then Milwaukee would be right up your alley.

Milwaukee is a well-known center for Tuetonic culture. If you come for a visit you will notice the Germanic influence on our downtown architecture. Any number of buildings downtown look like they would fit in perfectly in Hamburg or Munich. The building I work in, built in 1896, was the headquarters for the largest German-language publisher in the US.

Every summer there's a German fest, and every September an Oktoberfest centered on Old World Third Street, home to a Hoffbrau beer hall, Usinger's Sausage, and Mader's, one of three German restaurants operating in Downtown Milwaukee.

The Goethe Center in Glendale (northeast suburb of Milwaukee) is a German-American social club that runs German language classes, organizes sporting leagues, German-language choirs, and runs its own Oktoberfest every year.

The Milwaukee Turners are another German-American club that runs a concert hall, a German restaurant, and gymnastics and fitness classes.

In Milwaukee it's not uncommon to hear German accents or German language being spoken -- especially among older people. The traditions are losing steam every year, but thanks to organizations like Goethe and Milwaukee Turners, 30-something German Americans (like myself) are rediscovering their heritage.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee Ronnie

Every summer there's a German fest, and every September an Oktoberfest centered on Old World Third Street, home to a Hoffbrau beer hall, Usinger's Sausage, and Mader's, one of three German restaurants operating in Downtown Milwaukee.

Small point of order here. The Old German Beer Hall is not owned or operated by Hofbrau. They have simply entered into a marketing agreement with Hofbrau. Their own website disclaims, "HB Milwaukee LLC (Old German Beer Hall) is authorized to utilize the "HB" logo for the purpose of marketing Hofbrau München Beers. HB Milwaukee LLC is in no way employed by or acting on behalf of the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München." There are only two Hofbrau-owned and operated locations in the U.S., and they are in Las Vegas and Newport KY, with a third opening soon in Pittsburgh.

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Drover

Small point of order here. The Old German Beer Hall is not owned or operated by Hofbrau. They have simply entered into a marketing agreement with Hofbrau. Their own website disclaims, "HB Milwaukee LLC (Old German Beer Hall) is authorized to utilize the "HB" logo for the purpose of marketing Hofbrau München Beers. HB Milwaukee LLC is in no way employed by or acting on behalf of the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München." There are only two Hofbrau-owned and operated locations in the U.S., and they are in Las Vegas and Newport KY, with a third opening soon in Pittsburgh.

Jim Haertel, who owns one of the buildings in the old Pabst complex, has been trying to open a Hofbrau-owned brewpub on that site. I don't know the status of this.

Thanks for the clarification.

[Drover]

You'd think that of all the places in America that Hofbrau would open an official hall, Milwaukee would be one of 'em. I can understand opening one in Newport since Cincinnati also has a very German heritage, and Vegas just because of the tourist volume. I can even see them opening up shop in Pittsburgh because it's a phenomenal beer town (though it already has its own German-style brewery and beer hall). But I can't understand how they've overlooked Milwaukee over all these years.