Season 3 Episode 7 | 26m 48s | Video has closed captioning.
Waukesha, Wisconsin is known as “guitar town” because it’s where Les Paul was born. But it’s also home to Carroll University, Chef Pam, an active civic theater, beautiful parks and a main street that’s made for TV.
Aired: 03/14/24
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- John McGivern: I am in Wisconsin in a city that is affectionately known as "Guitar Town."
- Announcer: Thanks to our underwriters.
- How to bring generations together?
Start by splashing together.
Maybe go on a ride together, see stuff together, or do something different altogether.
Wisconsin Dells: come together!
The waterpark capital of the world, WisDells.com.
- From the Green Circle Trail to Point Brewery, you'll find more fun in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
- At We Energies, we believe communities are stronger when we all work together.
For more than 40 years, the We Energies Foundation has supported charitable organizations across Wisconsin.
Together, we're creating a brighter future.
- Wisconsin's picture perfect historic downtown Greendale isn't just a great backdrop for photos.
It's the perfect place to experience history.
Get a treat for your furry friends or for yourself.
Grab some ice cream or a treat of a different kind.
Or slow down and relax.
Ask anyone who's made memories here.
We'll all tell you the same thing.
You just gotta see Greendale.
- Twenty-minute commutes, weekends on the lake, warm welcomes, and exciting career opportunities.
Not to mention all the local flavor.
There's a lot to look forward to in Wisconsin.
Learn more at InWisconsin.com.
- Heiser Automotive is honored to help John McGivern and his team arrive safely at many main streets.
Heiser itself has been in the community for over a hundred years.
We have worked hard to achieve the American dream, and now, it's your community's turn.
We are here to help.
- My father taught me that to make great bakery, you have to do it the right way.
O&H Danish Bakery, where Kringle traditions begin.
- Announcer: Thanks to the Friends of Plum Media and to the Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
♪ 'Cause these are our main streets ♪ ♪ Something about a hometown speaks to me ♪ ♪ There's nowhere else I'd rather be ♪ ♪ The heart and soul of community's right here ♪ ♪ On these main streets ♪ - This is Waukesha.
Waukesha is the seventh largest city in the state of Wisconsin, and it's known as Guitar Town because this is the hometown of Les Paul, the internationally known guitarist, songwriter, inventor, and of course, the pioneer of the solid body electric guitar.
Waukesha is in southeastern Wisconsin.
It's 18 miles west of Milwaukee, on the Fox River in Waukesha County.
- If you had wanted to come to this area back in the 1840s, what name would you have looked for on a map?
It was not Waukesha.
- Emmy, why do you do this?
I don't know.
- Emmy Fink: I just love when he doesn't know.
All right, in 1834, the natives were already here.
They had been planting corn and pumpkins and berries.
You can just imagine how pretty it was.
The first white settler that came here, his name was Morris Cutler, and he named this area Prairie Village because he thought it was so idyllic.
Well, that name only stayed for a little bit, and then, it got shortened by one syllable to Prairieville.
But then, in 1847, they named it "Waukesha" because of the newly formed county with the same name.
Now, what do you think the name Waukesha means?
- Again, I don't know.
- We'll just get right to it then.
It means 'Little Fox' in Ojibwe because of?
- Fox River.
- You got it.
- Yeah, it's a good story.
- Yeah.
- It says Carroll College.
This is really Carroll University.
It was Carroll College until 2008.
Founded in 1846, the oldest university in the state of Wisconsin.
In fact, it was here before Wisconsin became a state.
If you think I'm gonna talk about nursing or business, take a look at the lab.
- Mike Mortensen: We're aviation science and drone technologies.
So, we're set up to learn about flying drones, but also implementing sensors into the drones.
- John: And this program's been here how long?
- Started about three years ago.
And we just started the major this fall.
- Jack Groskreutz: Over the summer, I worked with the land and water department and I was looking at using a drone to sort of replace traditional surveying equipment.
- John: And technology-wise, does it change weekly?
- It changes daily.
- Daily?
- There's this talk about transporting people in drones.
- Thursday?
- Thursday.
- It's gonna happen.
- It's gonna happen pretty soon.
We call this the sniffer drone.
- Sniffer?
- Sniffer.
Where we have a sensor that can detect different chemicals in the air.
Right there is a thermal imaging camera so our students were using this drone to do some roofing inspections here on campus.
We have a claw here that we can put on to go pick up something.
We're designing and then testing, prototyping, and then analyzing the data.
And our students are doing this.
- Isa Toberman: Have you ever played video games?
- John: Never.
- What about an arcade game with joysticks?
Okay, it's kind of like that.
- So, left stick it up.
Keep going.
- John: Now, I want to go forward.
I go up, right?
- Mike: You go up, yep.
And now go forward with your right stick.
There you go.
Just so you can kind of get used to it.
Now, it's recording.
- Oh, nice!
- Isn't it?
- Look at that.
- Yeah, you're doing great.
- Isa Toberman: Something that's up and coming is using drones for prescribed burning.
- Cavan Williams: Cool ability that drones can have is they can go up and stitch photos together and create 3D mapping.
- We went to the racing competition and they had some of the top racers in the country there.
It's like a 16-year-old.
And I was-- - I believe I'm currently the only woman in the program.
- Oh, you are?
- Yeah.
- Me being the first woman and not only being Latina, I hope other women and little girls can look at me and think that they can do this.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Mike: See if you can land it on the H. Perfect.
- Its face is on there.
- Mike: Yeah.
[laughs] - I'm at an intersection known as Five Points.
If you had been at this intersection before 2002, you would've been confused.
Why?
Because there was a gazebo right in the middle of the street and all of the streets that came to that gazebo were one-ways.
2002, they moved that gazebo to the river.
They made these streets two-way, and they put up great signage.
Now, coming to downtown Waukesha, so easy!
I'm excited to be outside the Waukesha Civic Theatre.
And you've got a theater full of kids in there, don't you?
- Doug Jarecki: We do; That's why we had to step outside.
- I'm like, please, can we go somewhere else?
- So, these kids are taking singing, dancing, acting, and improv classes.
- John: And on day 14, they put on a show?
Is that what happens?
- Yeah.
The skills we're working on, these stage skills, these are skills that they're gonna use in anything they do in life.
You have skills like listening, learning how to clearly communicate ideas, creative problem solving, that kind of stuff.
- You put a group of kids together who come from all different schools and different backgrounds, that then is a new community.
- Doug: For these two weeks, these are my best friends.
These are the people I'm getting on stage with.
- Can you give us a short history of how did this place start?
- We'll be entering our 67th season as the Waukesha Civic Theatre.
- Good job.
- Well, I haven't been here for all of it.
- I was gonna say, "You look great."
- But I'll take credit.
- Very handsome.
- Doug: We used to be in a much smaller building over on Washington Avenue.
And this used to be the Pix Movie Theatre.
And it was generously donated to the Waukesha Civic Theatre.
- Given to them?
- Given to them.
We went from a 70-seat theater to 260 seats.
And I kind of likened to this moment now with the new black box almost ready, this feels like that next kind of pivotal moment in Civic Theatre's history.
- Yeah.
And it's thanks to the community.
- Oh, my gosh, we would not be here without them.
The money that was raised for this project, I was blown away by how energized people were about it.
It's a part of the community.
We partner with so many different restaurants around town.
And this is not competition.
We are all supporting each other.
Since I've been here, in 15 years, the number of new restaurants and bars and things, it's transformed.
It's delightful down here.
We did Rent here last year and we had a waiting list.
We sold out and people want newer stuff, and so, this is a really nice mix and there is something for everyone.
- Are you in any of this?
- Oh, no, no.
They expect quality.
[both laugh] - Music has been a tradition here at this bandshell since 1945.
It was renamed the Les Paul Performance Center in '88.
So of course Les performed here, but get this, this bandshell is located within Cutler Park, the same park that Les used to stuff newspapers that he would then go deliver.
And as a further tribute to Les, there are 15 large guitar sculptures all throughout Waukesha.
I found my favorite guitar!
- I have a good friend whose name is Phyllis Paul.
Paul is her real last name, unlike Les.
What was Les Paul's real last name?
- Les took the last name of Paul over the real name Polsfuss.
Hard to say, hard to spell.
Les, good call.
- On March 29th, 1859, the first issue of The Waukesha Freeman, a newspaper that was a weekly back then was delivered.
That was over 160 years ago.
Today, I'm talking to somebody who worked for The Freeman.
How long were you there?
- Tim Snopek: Just about 20 years.
- You came with a camera on your shoulder?
- I always have my camera.
- Oh, you do?
- Yes.
When my wife had the baby bag; I had the camera bag.
- You did?
[laughs] And your job at The Waukesha Freeman was what?
- Tim: I was a district manager in the circulation department.
'Cause I was in circulation, so I was always out of the office, I took a camera with me one time, and then I guess the rest is history.
- They were like, "Call Tim.
See if he was there."
- Tim: Well, sometimes I show up before everybody else would so it's like, "Did you start the fire or cause the accident?"
I still get that till this day.
The pictures I take, it might be your worst day, like a car accident-- - Do you wanna take a picture of me right now?
[both laugh] Can we talk about the beauty of Waukesha?
- Sure.
- On a good day instead of-- - Tim: Sure, absolutely.
- John: Where would you take great shots of Waukesha?
- Tim: Well, I mean, the parks.
We got great parks.
This is probably the showcase of the city.
Frame Park here.
The riverfront down by the dam area.
The downtown area.
- John: Downtown area's great, isn't it?
- Tim: But I love-- I like shooting the skyline, you know, hit a couple parking ramps in town and do the skyline, especially when it's stormy.
- John: So, were you a paper boy when you were a kid?
- Yes, I was.
- What'd you deliver?
- The Freeman.
- The Freeman.
Did you?
This wasn't so bad, was it?
- Tim: No, no, this was fine.
- My friend John Gurda, the historian, told me a story about this town being called "Spring City."
Do you know that story?
- Yes, I've heard it!
- No, wait a minute.
I wanna tell that story.
Is that okay?
- Yeah, it is your show.
- Let me tell this story.
This is Hobo Springs.
This is spring water, mineral water from the springs.
And here's the story, in 1868, there was a guy who was chronically ill with diabetes, and he drank six large dippers of this spring water and said he was healed.
Healed.
Well, the news made it everywhere and people were flocking here to drink the spring water.
So, between 1868 and 1914, there were over 60 spring companies.
There were health spas and resorts and it really put Waukesha, Wisconsin on the map, nationally and internationally.
- Well, a century later and this is what we have left.
This is the spring house of the Silurian Spring.
- I love to be inside the spring house.
- We can make that happen.
- No, no, no, no.
We are inside.
- I thought you meant down there.
- John: No!
There are some very cool things that come out of Waukesha because manufacturing is still very vibrant and it's very strong in Waukesha.
Now, I can't mention all of the industry, but have you ever heard of Waukesha Engine?
Okay, if you've lived in Waukesha, you probably have because it's been here since 1906.
That's when the Waukesha Motor Company began making multi-cylinder internal combustion engines because they were replacing big steam engines.
And their program right now is called reUp, because what they're doing is they're taking old and making it new.
This was an old engine and look what they did to it.
Now, it looks brand new.
Since 2019, they have been working under the INNIO brand.
And the best thing, they are still an employer here in this area.
We're at a place called Urethane Systems Plus, a place that makes baseball bases.
- Luis Hernandez, Jr.: I played ball for 34 years and over the course of time, you learn that every community has a ball field.
- Yeah.
- And at least one.
- And every field needs them, don't they?
- Every field needs them.
- It's such a smart thing to get into.
- We're made right here in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
- John: So nice.
- Luis: And I distribute all over the country.
- And a rough estimate of how many of these bases leave the door every year?
- I do about 5,000 sets a year.
- John: You do?
- Luis: And I'm looking to increase that.
- Phil Murphy: We're gonna make a base.
This is our turf base.
You can literally set up a baseball diamond just about anywhere with these.
- And you make 'em one by one?
- One by one.
- It's a waffle maker!
- Phil: Catch a little bit of that.
We have to close the mold quickly.
Now you can see the foam is rising and it's going into all four corners of the mold.
And ten minutes-- - What could go wrong?
- The solution is very susceptible to heat and humidity.
We have a lot of-- - Well, today it should go to crap then.
- It should!
We have to trim this excess off.
Now, we have to release the clamp.
- Do you want me to do that?
- Sure.
- This way?
- No.
- Shut up!
What do you think?
- I think it looks perfect.
- Great.
- Phil: Flip.
Keep going.
- I want one of these in my living room now.
That's for, I think this is for T-ball!
[Phil laughs] - Luis: John, what Olga's making here is our convertible T. - So what this fits into is buried into the ground?
- Buried into the ground.
- Boom, it'll fit right here.
Then your base is gonna fit over that?
- Luis: Fits over the top of it.
If somebody slides in, it just pops right off.
- John: It's nice.
- This one takes... [Luis speaking in Spanish] [Olga speaking in Spanish] - Okay, so everything's ten minutes; what do I know?
- You don't; You're new here.
- I'm new here.
- Phil: Our other style, A15s, when they're trimmed, they fit into this box.
- John: Perfectly.
- Phil: Which is mounted in the ground.
- Like that?
- Like that.
Our A15 base would come over the top of it.
- Now when it's knocked out, there's no way that anybody can get their foot stuck in here.
- Smart.
- So it becomes very safe.
You know, I'd love to say that "Oh, I've done this and everything else," but it wasn't me.
I have awesome people and they've kept me afloat.
- Now my friends are gonna be like, "Quit talking about bases, John."
- Yeah.
- I've had enough now.
- No, keep talking about bases, John.
- The Melendez family came to Waukesha in 1919 and they built their home right here.
This area is called The Strand, and it's where European immigrants first settled.
The Melendez' home, it almost became kind of a hotel for Mexican immigrants.
Back then, seasonal migration between Waukesha and Texas brought workers for agricultural businesses here.
Well, then, of course, they found strong manufacturing, which provided and still does provide an opportunity for thousands of families to continue to call Waukesha home.
In fact, over 12% of the population are Hispanic or Latino.
- You've got some tools?
- Carmen De La Paz: Yes, a little bit.
- I love a girl with tools.
- Just a little bit.
- Let's talk about what you do that you need all of this.
- Carmen: I'm a woodworker.
I'm a welder.
I work with glass, I work with cement, I work with stone.
So I need all the tools.
- Yeah.
- I teach wood turning in Puerto Rico and in Puerto Rico, saint carving is a big, big deal.
Full 3D.
And I said, you teach me saint carving and I'm gonna teach you wood turning.
It's an obsession.
I absolutely love woodworking.
- John: You're in this great building.
- Isn't it a neat building?
- It's a great building.
- Carmen: It's beautiful.
- John: And how'd you get this building?
- Four years ago, I had an aneurysm burst in my head right here.
- What?
- Yeah.
I woke up to a priest saying, "Are you prepared to die and would you like your last rites?"
I said, "Are you kidding me?"
- I'm hungry.
- I said, "Has it come to that?"
And this building is owned by La Casa de Esperanza, which is a very big community hub for Latinos here in Waukesha.
And the CEO came to visit me, and I'm all wired up, John, I'm a mess.
And I'm like, "If I get outta here, can I get that building?"
I swear.
And so, here I am.
- Here you are.
- Four years later, man.
- And who would know?
- Who would know?
- John: Can we talk about the parade for a moment?
- Well, you know we had this tragedy here in Waukesha.
Six people lost their lives with a tragic accident that happened in our Christmas parade.
The city wanted to create a memorial.
And so, I put together a concept and my sculpture will be part of the park.
- John: What is the piece?
- It's two hands that are like this.
And in the center, they're holding a heart.
So, this is my model.
And this will be six feet tall, four feet wide, and about six feet wide down here.
And then, they asked me to come up with a project for the community where everybody could be involved.
And I came up with the community tile project.
For a $25 fee, you can buy a tile, but you get the tile unmade.
You get to make it be whatever it is that you want it to be.
- I would love to have like, "Our 'Main Streets' honor your main street."
- I love it.
I really did not expect the level to which people are expressing their pain, their sadness in this healing process.
- And look what you did.
- And I'm happy.
- This is one.
- Yeah.
- You're little.
- I am.
That's what everybody tells me.
Everybody tells me that.
- Here's my Waukesha tip.
If you've never had a panzarotti, I mean, I'm telling you, you gotta!
- John: So this is how it works.
You are a chef by trade and you had a kitchen that you let people use, right?
- Pam Dennis: Yes, it was during COVID and everybody was doing things at home and wanting to be entrepreneurs so we moved to this space because this one offered four commercial kitchens.
- There's how many artisans that come in and use the kitchens?
- I'd say right now about 26 we have.
- And is each kitchen equipped the same?
- Brian Dennis: Each kitchen is a little bit different.
So mostly the stoves, convection ovens over here.
A lot of our caterers are ice cream folks, the folks that don't need a stove top work in here.
And then, our bakers will typically work over here with the convection ovens.
As Pam helps 'em with the culinary side, I get to help 'em with the business side.
So how do you price your product?
Where do I sell my product?
- This is our bourbon toffee.
We use triple spun bourbon out of Baraboo so it's all Wisconsin-based.
- And it's all made here?
- It's all made here.
I know.
Right?
- And the stuff that I don't have at home is right here all in front of me.
We help each other out.
- Good.
- We look after each other.
Just like Pam takes care of us, we take care of each other.
- And then we also do cooking classes here.
So tonight we're gonna make a mixed paella together.
I always say there's one troublemaker in the crowd.
- Bring the camera over here.
- There's no judgment.
If it doesn't look perfect, like we want it, it's okay.
It's gonna taste good.
- Give me yours.
And you take mine.
- Little bit bigger.
- Bigger?
- 'Cause you're gonna put these on the top of the cake.
- Pam: Like Diane has over here.
- Diane told me to do it thicker!
Can we get some more toffee?
- Pam: So this is referred to as the batonnet or the julienne cut.
- John: And how often are the classes?
- Pam: Five to six days a week.
- You're kidding.
- No.
[laughs] I have three chefs that work with us here that help teach the classes.
Kind of spread it out, stir it around and then we're gonna add two more ladles.
And then I like to move the pan around a little bit too.
- I do too.
- I love when you agree with me.
[all cheering] - John: And I bet these people who do a class together keep in touch, don't they?
- Pam: Oh, my gosh, and by the end of the night, they're exchanging emails and that's what my hope was.
I enjoy seeing people fall in love with cooking and then gathered around the table, the food and fellowship.
- Good job.
[all applauding] This is Club 400.
The address is not 400 east or west or north or south, whatever street this is.
No, it's a much better story than that.
Go ahead, take a guess.
- I'm across the street from Club 400, here at the old train station in Waukesha, which is now La Estacion, which is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Waukesha.
And La Estacion, it means the station.
I'm in the actual station.
Right here, this was the platform.
There are even original train cars as part of this restaurant, something I've never seen.
So, why 400?
Every day at four o'clock, the Chicago Northwestern locomotive number 400, it used to stop right here.
And across the street, that's where they built the Northwestern Hotel.
In 1948, Les Paul's dad and brother bought this place, after a lot of renovations, and they named it Club 400 after the locomotive.
Club 400, so much history and still a classic.
- You're known for being a mayor, but you're really known for your barbecue, aren't you?
- Mayor Shawn Reilly: I'm better known for my barbecue, I think, yeah.
- John: So is there an exact science to this?
- Mayor Reilly: No.
- So is there an exact science to being a mayor?
- No.
- So, you're doing well in all of your life.
- I don't have to be exact.
You've met a bunch of mayors, I'm sure.
And they're all different, aren't they?
- Do you wanna talk?
- Yeah, well, probably off camera.
- [laughs] Right.
There's all these sort of discussions around barbecue, like, is it Memphis?
- I'm Kansas City.
- You're Kansas City.
- I used to compete in Kansas City circuit.
- The mayor entrusted me with a slab of his ribs.
and his knife, and here we go.
You're okay?
Do you wanna step?
- Yeah, I'm just taking a step back.
And now you have to kind of find your way down along the bone.
It's not easy.
A lot of people have a tough time doing it.
You're above average.
- Thank you so much.
Cheers!
- Cheers.
A lot of flavor.
They're nice and tender.
There'll be two or three ribs left.
- I've been here since 7:30 this morning.
Here we go, you guys.
This looks good.
- Mayor Reilly: Employees bring the sides.
- Oh, they bring the sides?
- Yep.
- John: This looks delicious.
- Mayor Reilly: For any organization, doing things like this makes a big difference.
- John: And you know it does.
It's got to.
- Mayor Reilly: Employees talk to employees they don't normally talk to.
- Now what do you do for the city?
- I am the city attorney.
- All right, he's the guy we really need to know.
If we get into a pickle at all while we're here in Waukesha, we're gonna call you.
Are we talking big strategy here or are we not talking work?
- We're talking food.
- Weekend.
- We're talking weekend.
The mayor is not even eating.
He's eating all the sides, but he's not even eating his own ribs.
- Yeah, when they say, "Waukesha strong," that's not just a word.
It's an action, it's behavior.
- Emmy: Yep.
- We're all people helping each other and breaking bread together.
That's most important, breaking bread together, right?
- Yep.
- Cheers to everybody.
Thanks, you guys.
Emmy, what will you remember most about Waukesha?
- Ribs.
- I'm gonna fill up this plate and I'm gonna take it to go.
- Let's do it.
Can we do that?
- We love Waukesha.
- Yes, we do.
♪ There's nowhere else I'd rather be ♪ ♪ The heart and soul of community's right here ♪ - This is what 68 looks like, right here.
♪ I love singing, I love dancing, I love stuffing my gut ♪ - Emmy: Mmm!
[inaudible] - I know he wants you to dance.
- I'm not dancing.
- See what you do to me, John.
- We can go now, Lois.
- Announcer: Thanks to our underwriters.
- How to bring generations together?
Start by splashing together.
Maybe go on a ride together, see stuff together, or do something different altogether.
Wisconsin Dells: come together!
The waterpark capital of the world, WisDells.com.
- From the Green Circle Trail to Point Brewery, you'll find more fun in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.
- At We Energies, we believe communities are stronger when we all work together.
For more than 40 years, the We Energies Foundation has supported charitable organizations across Wisconsin.
Together we're creating a brighter future.
- Wisconsin's picture perfect historic downtown Greendale isn't just a great backdrop for photos.
It's the perfect place to experience history.
Get a treat for your furry friends or for yourself.
Grab some ice cream or a treat of a different kind.
Or slow down and relax.
Ask anyone who's made memories here.
We'll all tell you the same thing.
You just gotta see Greendale.
- Twenty-minute commutes, weekends on the lake, warm welcomes, and exciting career opportunities.
Not to mention all the local flavor.
There's a lot to look forward to in Wisconsin.
Learn more at InWisconsin.com.
- Heiser Automotive is honored to help John McGivern and his team arrive safely at many main streets.
Heiser itself has been in the community for over a hundred years.
We have worked hard to achieve the American dream, and now, it's your community's turn.
We are here to help.
- My father taught me that to make great bakery, you have to do it the right way.
O&H Danish Bakery, where Kringle traditions begin.
- Announcer: Thanks to the Friends of Plum Media and to the Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
- Can I get your cookbook, please?
- It's up here.
- I thought he was gonna say phone number.
[all laugh] That's where he was going.
- You'd be so disappointed.
