Algoma, Wisconsin- rule of the good ol' boys (Madison, Appleton: transplants, real estate) - (WI) - City-Data Forum

oldengineer · 10-13-2007, 07:14 AM

Moving here to semi-retire was an education. Specifically, it was a lesson in never settling somewhere based on surface appearances. It looked like a nice, quiet little town to settle down in. What we soon found was a hive of red-neck bigots and good-ol' boys. In fact, we found that there was no rule of law- only the rule of good ol' boys.

An example of this was during the High School homecoming. I objected to a mob of local students vandalising my property as part of the "festivities." About 20 foul-mouthed little scum threatened to kill me with baseball bats and burn my house down. When I went to the local police I was told that they "didn't care"- that this was part of their local "tradition." I WAS TOLD BY A SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT HE WAS REFUSING TO ENFORCE THE LAW OF THE LAND BASED UPON PERSONAL WHIM. What was perhaps just as disturbing is that I got zero help from my neighbors during this- I actually believe that I could have gotten beaten and they would have done nothing. Afterall, outsiders are treated like second class citizens here...

I have done some investigating of how things are run in this corner of Wisconsin. Rule of the "good ol' boys" appears to be the rule rather than the exception. I've uncovered multiple cases of what I would clearly consider hate-crimes, yet they are covered up or labelled as something else by the locals. They do not want to hurt the tourist business or real estate values, so they do everything they can to avoid that "hate crime" label. You expect this kind of crap in the deep South, but actually encountering it in Northern Wisconsin comes as a shock.

We are so sorry that we bought a house here. The fact that our real estate taxes are going to support police and schools like this make us want to vomit. This town stinks as badly as its slimy green beach.

berries · 10-13-2007, 12:36 PM

Just wondering where you moved from and what was it like there. In Wisconsin people have the dream that they are going to move UP NORTH, they come form Illionis, Minn, and lots from california because they think they are going to get a tremendous bang for there buck, and it will be pretty, and nice light snowfalls, and the people will all be from a norman Rockwell painting. I do not know where they get these ideas, I think they create them in their minds. Did you really think you were going to be real welcome in an area that is generational. We never take real kindly to transplants as they wish to change things to make it just like where they escaped from. If you mean by vandalizing your property they were toilet papering and you called the police than you are the one who really does not belong there, and no....people will never like you there if that is what you did.

Just the facts

Good luck

And dont forget the local cops knows all the kids and is related to some and went to school with their parents , and played foootball with them and so on.

People need to get over there retirement fantasies and stay where they are. Why leave where you lived all your life just because you retire??? always seems foolish

And don't forget folks in the northwoods we do not have much for healthcare except helicopters. If your in a town under 25 k the care is not the best.

BacktoNE · 10-13-2007, 03:32 PM

oldengineer, I'm sorry you had that experience. From what I can tell, all of WI is opposed to "outsiders". Hopefully you can sell your house and either return home or find somewhere that is far more friendly, outside of WI.

That is our plan next year.

ekg56 · 10-13-2007, 08:04 PM

We moved here 20 years ago from Chicago and have never felt like outsiders. I know some people who have come here had problems because they thought they were better then people from here. I think a lot has to do with your mindset. I found it incredibly friendly. We were at an auction 3 weeks ago and I think we talked to about 30 different people about different items. My brother was up from Chicago and loved talking to all the locals about the different equipment. My husband travels all over WI for business and has never found a place where people weren't willing to talk. Maybe we just look like approachable friendly people and that is why we have never had problems.
My younger sister moved from Chicago to Plymouth WI and she has never had a problem either. They love it and have fit right into the community too.

KateDaum · 10-13-2007, 08:38 PM

Old Engineer you could be writing about our experience in New Hampshire. It is the most unfriendly place in the US. My children and I are moving to the Bayfield area November 1st and my husband should be able to come the middle of January. We have had a 2nd home in the great state of WI and we are finally going to be able to call it home. We have lived in a few states but hands down our stay in NH was the worst experience of our lives. We started to think their was something wrong with us that we couldn't ever get a smile out of 90% of the people. But spending time in Northern WI has shown us there are many people welcoming to outsiders.
The funniest thing is a good friend up north has to move to Kennebunkport. She has cried buckets. A house comparable to what they had near Bayfield is almost $300,000 more and taxes will increase from $3500 to over $7300. Her husband has been there since August and has told her it is a very closed community. He told her he can't even get the grocery clerk to smile. The good news for her is they only have to go for 18 months. So they are keeping their home in WI.
I love WI and have found the people very accomodating to outsiders. Our family has no ties to WI but the people in our new community have been great. They took care of our place when we weren't there, plow the drive in winter, cut grass in summer. They treat us like family.
Maybe Algoma isn't a great place but we sure love the great north! I can't wait to smell the pines, there is nothing like it!

ekg56 · 10-14-2007, 01:15 PM

Kate, I am so happy you are finally making the move to WI. We love it and I am sure you will too. My husband travels to Bayfield for business and I have also been there. It is a beautiful place. In winter we would go up for a long weekend and snowmobile.

Wi_Girl · 10-14-2007, 04:08 PM

My brother in law moved there from Virginia 13 years ago and said he will NEVER move back to VA. He loves it up there, and has not had any problems with feeling like an outsider or anything. So as far as I can tell, you could go anywhere and have that experience. I myself dont care for where I live and had a hard time fitting in at first but I did it and even though I'm still not crazy for the area, I have lots of friends. We're planning to mvoe back to WI in 3 years and CANT WAIT. It may not be for everyone. If you hate it so much then move, you have 49 other states to chose from.

oldengineer · 10-15-2007, 10:27 AM

I moved down from the UP. Up there we leave a man alone if we don't care for him. Of course we also raise our kids to have more respect for people's property and rights.

If we are talking just the facts, then the facts are that I was threatened with violence for simply defending my property. Next time I'll do my objecting with a Madison or Chicago attorney. We have the rule of law in this country- not the rule of mobs and the consensus of the ignorant and intolerant. The smug, arrogant, complacency of the good ol' boys in charge needs to be dynamited out in the courts.

Of course this was Joe McCarthy's old district- and the John Birch Society is headquartered over in Appleton...

LML · 10-15-2007, 02:23 PM

I wish you would be more specific about what the kids did to your property. Was it really something as silly as toilet paper? If so, especially if it was at homecoming time, then you really did put your foot in it. Communities have their traditions and to come into a community and want them to change that tradition just for you is really asking to be made the "town grouch." If it was something really destructive that they did then that is another story. Can you be more specific?

Escape Wisconsin · 10-15-2007, 09:56 PM

Yikes...isnt Algoma that charming little city on the lake???