Larry Widen is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer.

MILWAUKEE HISTORY BOOKS
Larry Widen's new book, "VINTAGE MILWAUKEE POSTCARDS," is now available for purchase online.
See breweries, theaters, hotels and stores that have long since vanished from the landscape. This 162-page book features 250 full-sized images of Milwaukee, Wisconsin as it appeared in the early 20th century. The Gargoyle Restaurant, the Charlotte Hotel, the Dreamland Dance Hall, and the Bijou Opera House are just a few of the fabulous views collected here. Additionally, each postcard is captioned with information about the image, and what's currently on the site. The book is 6"x9" with full-color covers. To learn more about the book, or to order online, click here.

MILWAUKEE MOVIE THEATER BOOKS
The first book about Milwaukee's historic theaters, "Milwaukee Movie Palaces," was published in 1986 by the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Along with nearly 100 vintage and modern photos, the book detailed the story of how the movies came to Milwaukee in the early 20th Century. Currently "Milwaukee Movie Palaces" is out of print. Collector's copies show up from time to time on Amazon and eBay. However, a brand new book, "Silver Screens: A Pictorial History of Milwaukee's Movie Theaters" is being published in September 2006 by the Wisconsin Historical Society. See the cover photo and read advance reviews here.

READ MORE OF LARRY WIDEN'S MILWAUKEE HISTORY
LEDGERS, PHOTOS BRING BACK VAUDEVILLE - May 24, '06 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Charles Braun spent his life working in Milwaukee's theaters in an age when they were most people's main entertainment destination. By the time he died in 1968, Braun had worked at nearly 30 Wisconsin theaters. (Read entire story)

GHOSTS OF THE GARFIELD - April 11, '06 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Glimpses of this 1927 movie palace's former glory linger as an African-American congregation finalizes preparations to move their members in. (Read entire story)

FOUNDING FAMILIES - February '06 - M Magazine
Pabst, Cudahy, Miller. These titans of industry left their mark on the city in which they lived. (Read entire story)

BURGER KING - January '06 - M Magazine
Long before McDonald's and other fast food franchises appeared on the landscape, a restaurant owner named George Webb became Milwaukee's undisputed 'Hamburger King' by selling them seven for a dollar. (Read entire story)

A CENTURY OF MOVIES - December 6, '05 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
John Freuler was one of several pioneers who brought motion pictures to Milwaukee at the turn of the century. (Read entire story)

STAR SEARCH - October '05 - M Magazine
The list of celebrities with connections to Milwaukee is longer than you might think. A number of renowned actors, writers, musicians and athletes once called this city home. (Read entire story)

WHERE ARE THE GOOD OLD DAYS? - August '05 - MetroParent
When I talk to my teenagers these days, it seems that more than a few conversations begin with the words, "When I was a kid . . ." (Read entire story)

FIELD OF DREAMS - August '05 - M Magazine
Long before the city spent $300 million on Miller Park, Milwaukee residents loved nothing more than whiling away an afternoon watching baseball at Borchert Field. Baseball detective Jim Nitz is working to ensure that the former baseball field's legacy isn't forgotten. (Read entire story)

SIN CITY - June '05 - M City Lifestyle
In the 1890’s, Milwaukee’s Red Light district rivaled that of San Francisco’s Barbary Coast or New York City’s Tenderloin. Surprisingly, more than 20 house of prostitution flourished just one block from City Hall. (Read entire story)

FOUNDING FORE - City Lifestyle
In 1894, real estate man John Tweedy and local banking executives James Ilsley and Grant Fitch traveled to Chicago on business. While in that city, their host introduced them to golf, a European sensation recently caught on in the United States. (Read entire story)

FORGOTTEN TEMPLES - City Lifestyle
- In 1931, the Wisconsin, Palace, Strand, Merrill, Alhambra, Garden, Warner, and Riverside theaters lined Wisconsin Avenue from Sixth Street to the river. The Miller, White House, Magnet, Empress and Princess lined both sides of North Third Street between Wells and Wisconsin. (Read entire story)

MILWAUKEE’S AMUSEMENT PARK HISTORY - City Lifestyle
At the beginning of the 20^th century, city residents traveled by electric trolley to the parks for an afternoon or evening of music, theater, dancing, and fun. Their destinations included Pabst, Blatz, and Schlitz Parks, and the fabulous White City. But the biggest and brightest of the local amusement parks was a 33-acre wonderland located on the Milwaukee River in Shorewood. (Read entire story)

FADED SHADOWS - City Lifestyle
During the city’s gaslight era, daily life for Milwaukee’s residents was often more difficult than nostalgic reminiscing would indicate. (Read entire story)