My first awareness of Wisconsin came through the children’s clothing company, Oshkosh B’Gosh, which I discovered was also headquartered in a Wisconsin city called Oshkosh. It was named after the Native American Menominee Chief Oshkosh, whose name means claw.

Years later, I learned of Milwaukee and Madison, as I toyed with the idea of going to school in Wisconsin. And then Wisconsin is reputed to be the land of cheese in the US, and I am partial to cheese.

Milwaukee was a pleasant surprise. I specifically wanted to see the North Point Lighthouse and a couple of museums, but I got turned around driving into the city and ended up driving through downtown. It was the most beautiful turnaround I have ever experienced! Driving through downtown was a delight. The massive, old buildings spoke to me and the residential neighborhoods I drove through were inviting. It’s the biggest city in Wisconsin, but I liked the size of it.

Madison is different from Milwaukee, perhaps because the University of Wisconsin-Madison is located close to downtown and gives the city the feel of a university town. The city is ranked 2nd in education in the nation. Madison is also the state’s capital. I toured the botanical gardens and spent some time by Lake Mendota, both of which I enjoyed tremendously. Still, if I had a choice between Madison and Milwaukee, I would pick Milwaukee.