Bubbler Talk

Bubbler Talk

By WUWM 89.7 FM - Milwaukee's NPRSociety & Culture

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Bubbler Talk episodes

October 16 The long shadow: How deindustrialization hit cities across the Midwest
The Midwest was a major hub for industry — middle wage jobs, strong unions, thriving neighborhoods. And then, over decades, they went away, and whole cities were devastated.
19 min
October 08 Milwaukee, Detroit or Chicago: Which city has the best encased meats?
Why do Midwestern cities have such strong associations with certain hot dogs or sausages? In Milwaukee, it’s the bratwurst. In Chicago, the Chicago dog. Detroit has the Coney dog.
10 min
October 01 What it takes to move a masterpiece to the Milwaukee Art Museum
Have you ever wondered how the art you admire gets to the museum? Bubbler Talk explores the art of moving masterpieces.
5 min
September 25 Does Walworth County have more severe weather?
A WUWM employee noticed a pattern on her drives between Milwaukee and Illinois, and wondered whether Walworth County is a magnet for severe weather.
5 min
September 18 Milwaukee maintains bowling spirit despite losing 'America's Bowling Capital' title
Bowling is a beloved American pastime. The sport's roots run deep in Milwaukee, which previously held the title of "America’s Bowling Capital."
5 min
September 11 What's the steampunk scene like in Wisconsin?
Steampunk is a subculture where people express themselves through Victorian-era costumes with a science fiction twist. For Bubbler Talk, we’ll learn about how southeastern Wisconsin is a major steampunk hub.
5 min
September 04 Are St. Francis Seminary Woods at risk as the campus is renovated?
In urban areas, parcels of undeveloped land are becoming rarer and rarer. One of them is Seminary Woods in St. Francis.
5 min
August 28 The 'renegade' Racine architect behind southeast Wisconsin's round houses
In the mid-1900s, a Racine man named Anton Kratochvil built more than 20 round or semi-circular houses and apartments in southeast Wisconsin. But why round?
6 min
July 0210th anniversary: Ice cream cocktails
WUWM is celebrating 10 years of Bubbler Talk, our series driven by listeners’ curiosity. We’re listening back to some of our favorite episodes from the last decade and talking with the reporters who brought them to life. To close out the season, we listen to Maayan Silver’s story about ice cream cocktails and their connection to Milwaukee.

Stories mentioned in this episode:
Ice Cream Cocktails, Milwaukee-Style
What Happened to Milwaukee's Signature Yeast Smell?
What's that smell when you drive over Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge?
A Mystery Tree Grows In Milwaukee
Just in time for Valentine's Day: The 'blind date cookie' and its Milwaukee connection
There's a radio haunting this century-old Milwaukee area bar
Have a question for Bubbler Talk? Submit it here: wuwm.com/bubblertalk.
22 min
June 2510th anniversary: Why Milwaukee is called ‘Cream City’
WUWM is celebrating 10 years of Bubbler Talk, our series driven by listeners’ curiosity. We’re listening back to some of our favorite episodes from the last decade and talking with the reporters who brought them to life. This week, we listen to Ann-Elise Henzl’s 2017 story about how Milwaukee got the nickname “Cream City.”

Mentioned in this episode:
How Milwaukee Got The Nickname 'Cream City'
Cream City brick: From Ice Age glaciers to Milwaukee's early strip malls
In Wisconsin, A Bloody Mary Isn't Complete Unless It Has A Beer Chaser
The saga of Milwaukee's water tower dragon
WUWM 2026 Election Survey
Have a question for Bubbler Talk? Submit it here: wuwm.com/bubblertalk.
21 min

About Bubbler Talk

From the publisher's feed

What's got you scratching your head about the Milwaukee area? WUWM investigates your questions.