Wisconsin Life

Have you ever wondered what the biggest animal in Wisconsin is? If so, you’re a lot like Alstan Van Overmeer of Mineral Point. When he was in 4th grade, he asked WPR’s WHYsconsin project to find the answer for him. So, WPR’s Colleen Leahy went to track down the state’s biggest animals.

Jesse Brookstein takes snacking seriously. The New York native has fond memories of his uncle sharing unique, flattened meat snacks with the whole family during the Upstate summer vacations of his childhood. When Brookstein relocated to Wisconsin a few years ago, he noticed those same meat snacks from his childhood on display all over the place in area taverns, gas stations and grocery stores. The self-described “all-around meat geek” got curious about it, started doing some research, and eventually wrote the book, “A Perfect Pair: The History of Landjaeger in Green County, Wisconsin.”

Madison’s Greenbush Neighborhood has a rich history that many people have forgotten. But as Maria Brunetta tells us, business owner and long-time Madisonian, Sam Brown is working to preserve the legacy of the historic neighborhood.

One day, Ali Muldrow of Madison, Wisconsin realized she was using some of the same catchphrases on her daughters that her parents used on her. So, Muldrow  started to think about the kind of person she is versus the kind of person she wants her kids to be able to become. To her surprise, her eldest daughter was right there to help her figure it out. The following story was told at The Moth, during an open-mic StorySLAM in Madison  where the theme of the night was “Wonders.” Here’s Ali Muldrow live at The Moth.

While Joseph Rey Torres of Oneida was on his path of self-discovery, something finally clicked for him. He realized he was two-spirit, which for him, meant embracing masculine and feminine identities. Torres talked about this with his adopted nephew and mentee Cory Carline of Green Bay during a StoryCorps Mobile Tour Stop in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The old GM Assembly plant on the south side of Janesville is just 240 acres of rubble now. But the old GM worker’s bar, Zoxx Social Club, is still there — and it’s thriving. As city redevelopment plans are threatening its survival, WPR’s Nick Rommel met the bar’s owners and regulars during open mic night to talk about why this bar matters to them.

A lot of deer hunting consists of sitting around, waiting patiently in the woods for the perfect moment. As writer Ron Weber tells us, he takes the down time to admire the natural world around him, the perfect moment omnipresent without a deer in sight. His story comes just as gun deer season begins Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Wisconsin.

Thousands of Ojibwe horses once roamed in the northern United States and Canada in the early 20th century. But, the rare breed almost disappeared entirely by the late 1970s. Last year, a descendant of the White Earth Nation raised money to rescue six Ojibwe horses and give them a home in northwestern Wisconsin. WPR’s Danielle Kaeding brings us this audio postcard about Emily Loerzel, who founded a nonprofit organization called the Humble Horse, which aims to keep the rare breed alive.

Many people preserve their genealogy through family trees, mapping the branches and roots out on paper. Heewone Lim brings us the story of a unique genealogical work of art: a Norwegian genealogical plaque. It’s part of the Wisconsin 101 project, which tells the history of the state through objects.

When serving in World War II, 101-year-old Tom Sitter of Madison, Wisconsin didn’t expect to fight his own countrymen. Though there were tussles with a tank division during his training days, he came to learn that differences were put aside with his fellow soldiers when the going got tough.

The following story was told on May 8, 2017 at The Moth during an open-mic StorySLAM in Madison where the theme of the night was “Karma.” Here’s Tom Sitter live at The Moth. As a warning, this story contains strong language.