How did you become a Wisconsinite?

**Kris10** · 08-27-2008, 09:19 AM

Were you born in the dairy state or did other circumstances bring you to Wisconsin? Share how you ended up as a cheesehead in our poll!

pk · 08-27-2008, 09:31 AM

I am actually from a small town just across the border in Illinois called Zion. When I grew up Zion was a wonderful, safe, family town. I actually raised my first 2 children there until they were in their teens.

I then married again and my second husband and I were looking for a house and realized that we could not get as much for the $$ since housing started to really climb in Zion along with the population (and crime). I always loved Kenosha (my first husband lived here when I met him and his family founded a Church here). ... so we started looking up here. I liked the idea that this would be a new place for both of us since my 2nd husband was also from Zion. Being that we planned on having more children the schools I noticed offered more than in Zion also.

All and all we found a better house then we could have for our money in Illinois and I really loved the city of Kenosha. So we moved with the understanding that we would only be here for no more than 5-7 years and we would buy another house and yet here we are 14 plus years later. lol

I am guessing that someday we will move away from the 'city' area of Kenosha when the kids are done with the schools. But hopefully we will stay in Wisconsin since it really is a very nice state.

Latina · 08-27-2008, 01:44 PM

When i was a child my family migrated from Texas to WI for seasonal work, so in turn i spent half of every year in WI/TX up until i was 14, at which time my parents were involved in a car accident & we ended up staying a year to fight their case against the semi driver who had hit them & fled the scene. In that yr my parents decided to buy a home here & stay (dad had found a good job, sister started college here etc...).

I was almost 18 when my parents divorced, my mother moved back to TX and dad stayed here, however i had already been living on my own for a couple years by then & had a child, so i chose to stay.

Been here ever since.

**keith** · 08-28-2008, 11:42 AM

Born in Oconomowoc.

Lived in 82 places in Southeastern Wisconsin by high school. Then a few more. (long story) From very rural to south side of Milwaukee to suburbs.

Trained in the service in Missouri and Alabama, then 2 years in Germany (great!) and 7 months in Maryland / DC. Then back home for the last 30 years, and glad to be here (except occasionally in February when I think it's crazy!). Would love to be a snow bird to some extent one day, but otherwise plan to work and live here.

Regards,
Keith

ekarvala · 09-14-2008, 03:07 PM

I was originally from Chicago but grew up in the burbs. I went to college at the University of Illinois for a while but decided I needed to break away from my clique of friends in order to find myself, so I transferred to UW-Whitewater, and met and married my husband, Kyle, shortly thereafter. After two years living in Clearwater, FL (he played in the minors for the Phillies), we moved back to his hometown (New Berlin, WI). Eventually we bought a home in Oconomowoc, and we have no intentions of leaving "Lake Country"--we love it here! (sans the brutal winters)

One interesting thing I've noticed since moving to WI is that family roots seem to grow deep here--people are much more transient in IL (and FL) by comparison. Also, there are simply less people to deal with, which is a huge bonus. I’m a terribly impatient person who hates traffic jams, waiting in long lines, etc. Wisconsin provides me with the level of space and solitude I need. When I crave a dose of “culture”, I can drive 45 minutes west to Madison, 25 minutes east to Milwaukee, and less than two hours south to Chicago, which is great!

pk · 09-15-2008, 12:01 PM

Quote:

When I crave a dose of “culture”, I can drive 45 minutes west to Madison, 25 minutes east to Milwaukee, and less than two hours south to Chicago, which is great!

That's why I love living right here in Kenosha. It is a nice size City that offers alot. But if you want more we are within a short drive from Chicago, Milwaukee, and maybe 2 hours from Madison. Gotta love it.

pk · 09-15-2008, 12:05 PM

Looking at the Bubbler's Poll I was impressed with the fact that 86.67% of the members said they were born here in the state. I was actually one of the few that responded that I moved here. lol

The good thing is that I lived just across the border from Wisconsin when growing up so I was still here in Wisconsin quite a bit in my younger days before actually moving here.