The Manawa Mobile Park

It is yet another beautiful Saturday in Spring and I am off to explore Manawa again.  This time, I head North to check out the trailer park I had seen the other week.  After my run last time along the trail, I decided to do some research regarding the demographics of Manawa as I had not yet done so thus far.  My first stop was City Hall which was on the way to the trailer park.  As the clerk is only there for a few hours in the morning on Saturday, I need to get off to an early start today if I am going to make it before they close!

I spoke with Cheryl, the city clerk, who has been a lifelong resident of Manawa.  We spoke about the town, it’s history, and she showed me the census data that was last taken in 2010.  This basically showed me the same thing that I was able to look up online.  The demographics of Manawa are about what I had expected.  Over 96% of the residents are white, leaving less than 4% for all over minorities put together.  The second largest group noted was Hispanic coming in at 2%. 

In discussion with Cheryl, I learned that she expects the 2020 census to show a rise in the minority population.  Since 2010, the Hispanic population has grown significantly.  She attributed that to perhaps the increased demand for work at one of the local manufacturing companies.  Being a small rural community, perhaps the population is directly related to the success or failure of the local manufacturing company.  I set off to explore and learn more.

Set behind the local diner, the Walnut Grove Mobile Home Park is home to some 50 or so lots, of about which I would say 25% is currently not occupied.  As I walked through the neighborhood, I found that something very different about the neighborhood than the rest of town.  Here was a park of mobile homes, most of which were in some stage of disrepair.  But although the homes appeared to be neglected, I often found in the driveways vehicles that were new and very well taken care of.  I wondered why the odd disconnect?

As I continued to walk and look at the homes, I noticed that residents were starting to come outside and enjoy the nice early afternoon weather.  I was surprised to find that many of the residents I came across were not white, but Hispanic.  Is it possible that most of the minority population congregated to the same place in town?  Why is it that the homes are in disrepair yet their vehicles are so well cared for? 

Unfortunately, I have been walking for some time and need to return home, so these questions will have to wait for another Saturday.

Motown The Musical

Shortly after our Multicultural study of the March on Milwaukee in late March, I discovered that Motown the Musical was coming to a local performing arts center.  As it seemed so related to the topic at hand, I decided to purchase tickets for myself and my wife to attend.  The show turned out to be more than I expected.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Motown story, I'll provide a brief overview of what it is about.  Based on true events, the theme of this show revolves around Berry Gordy and his legacy at Motown Records.  Gordy was a young boxer that later became a significant force in the music industry and founded the label Motown Records. Some of the artists under his label were greats such as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, and Marvin Gaye.  This show is the story of his life in music and all the struggles he faced in the industry.

For those of you that are familiar with Gordy or even recognize some of the artists names I mentioned, you'll know that the story takes place shortly after the civil rights movement.  Gordy founded Motown Records in Detroit Michigan in 1959 and it still exists today.

Oh, and if I didn't mention it before, Gordy was black.  That's right, a black man in the early sixties that founded one of the most significant music labels of it's time.  While on the surface, the show was beautiful and the music was excellent.  Many of the great songs of the artists I mentioned above were performed by the singers of Broadway.

But while on the surface the show was bright and wonderful, the theme had dark undertones of segregation, discrimination, and hated.  Although I have listened and loved many of the artists produced under the Motown label, I never realized the personal stance they took on the civil rights movement.  Often times we will hear someone like Marvin Gaye or Smokey Robinson in cameos on the radio with contemporary artists, or perhaps we remember some of their earlier songs.  Now I hear those songs with a different tone.

The struggles that they faced in the music industry had come to the forefront. During the early days of Motown, mainstream radio only placed music by white artists.  The music by Motown artists was only placed on stations that were intended for the black audiences.  Motown changed that and was instrumental in bringing black artists music to the mainstream stations.

Shortly after the show, we were happily surprised to find that the performing arts center had provided food and drinks for both the guests and the artists on stage.  This was a unique opportunity to mingle with the artists that toured the country performing night after night.  I had always wondered what their lives were like and how different they were from mine.  What I found was shocking.

It turns out, they were not much different from the rest of us.  The cast of the show was predominantly black and only a few artists that were white. I always imagined that the life on Broadway was one of glamour and fame.  What I found was far from that.  As I mingled with the artists over food and wine, I came to find that they didn't live this life of luxury and fame, but struggled just like the rest of us.

Most of them dressed casually wearing everyday brands of clothes, not the $200 pair of jeans or the $300 pair of sneakers that I expected from those that lived a rich lifestyle. So although they travel and perform and are loving what they do, they are definitely not getting rich from it.  The younger artists struggle with trying to balance work and school while the adult artists talked about life away from home.

As the show travels from city to city, I would highly recommend seeing this show if it ever comes to your area.  It was a great experience, and one that I would definitely see again if it comes back to my area.

Over The River and Through the Woods...

It’s Saturday and it is finally warm enough to get out and see the town again!  Of course when I say warm enough, I mean it is above freezing and I can stand to be outside for more than fifteen minutes at a time.  On my first engagement with Manawa, I spent most of my time in a vehicle driving around town and getting familiar with the area.  You would think after living here for almost nine years, I would have explored all there given that the entire city is only a few square miles.  Sadly, living here has not provided me much time outside the house.  If I am not going to a local business, working in the yard, or commuting to and from work, there is little that I do in town here.

Of course now that it is finally warm enough outside, I have decided to move away from the gym and treadmill and take my run outside finally!  Having run a great deal in the service, I have found that I prefer the treadmill as it is easier on the joints, but in my exploration of Manawa, I have found that there are some off road areas worth taking a look at.

I decided to start my run from home and set off to take a look at the Little Wolf River Trail.  This trail was a new development a few years back in order to provide a scenic venue for residents and visitors to enjoy for walking, biking, or hiking.  This trail runs along the Little Wolf River, up near the Elementary School, and then back down to the central part of town.  Last year they completed a new section along the highway which provides a way to connect two sections of the trail.  It is maintained by a non-profit organization called the Little Wolf River Trails Organization.

Along my run I noticed that the trail system runs along the river, but never crosses it.  If you recall that old sawmill I mentioned in my last post, there exists today an old trestle that spans the river that has long since been out of service.  The local trail organization has been in contact with the railroad and the hope is that they will someday be able to claim that trestle and use it for the trail.  This would allow the Little Wolf River Trail to span the river and connect to the Tomorrow River Trail.  Once connected, the trail will span from Manawa over 30 miles away to Plover!

I also noticed off in the distance what appears to be a trailer park on the north side of town, but is off the main road a few blocks.  Having never known this was there, I was surprised when I saw how large it was.  Given that the total population of Manawa is only about 1,300 residents, I would say this would be large enough to house at least 10% of the population. 

Alas, I cannot run much further today and I'm off to see Motown the Musical, so for now, I am content with the discovery of the trail and will plan my next expedition to the northern part of town.

Manawa, The Place I Call Home

Manawa Wisconsin, probably a place most of you have never heard of.  When I tell people where I’m from, most people respond, ‘Oh, Manitowoc?”  No, I didn’t mispronounce, it is actually Manawa.  Manawa is the native word for “long bow”, which stems from the name of a Native American killed near the river on which Manawa is founded.  Located in Waupaca County in Wisconsin, this little town traces its roots back to a sawmill located on the Little Wolf River which runs through the center of town.  Some years after the sawmill was built, the river was bridged and became a primary place to cross which is what sparked growth.

I have not always lived here though. Originally from Colorado, I moved most of my life as both my father, and then I, were both in the service.  I finally landed in Manawa in the summer of 2007 after graduating with my Associate’s Degree and taking a full time position with one of the local companies, Sturm Foods.  Unfortunately, the company underwent several acquisitions, and I found myself working elsewhere not long after I purchased my house here. Today I commute about 45 minutes to work, but I love how peaceful this little town of Manawa is.

When I first moved here, the first thing I noticed was the smell.  Having never lived in a rural community, I was not familiar with the happenings of farm life and the surrounding areas. Although the town is home to a very large manufacturing company, its residents are still primarily farm workers and local business owners that support the farming community.  But besides the differences between rural and city living, there was one other thing I noticed that was different than what I was used to….it was all white people.

Having spent most of my life in the military in one form or another, I had come accustomed to being among a very diverse population.  I recall a few years when I was very young in which I actually did not have any friends that were white.  All my early childhood memories were with friends of another race or culture.  As I explored Manawa, I found myself asking why was there so very little diversity here?  For a rural community, I was surprised that much of it looks to be wealthy or upper class.  Although it is possible that farming for a living can earn a very good living, the farms I have seen in the area do not seem to tell that same story.

I will have to explore further…