Madison, once named the “number one best place to live in America,” is still growing and thriving. But is it still a great place to live?
Money Magazine’s July 1996 and 1998 issues named Madison one of the best places to live in America, and the city has been on a list of bests since.
From one of the top 10 cities to have it all on the A&E Network in September 1999 to the number-one “Dream Town” in Outside Magazine July 1995, Madison consistently ranks as a top place to live, work, play and raise a family.
“I think [Madison] really has a reputation historically,” said Janna Lenz, director of communication and public relations for the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Most of Madison’s rankings and awards follow each other; it really puts Madison on the map.”
While the future of Madison can be debated, a 1946 issue of the Saturday Evening Post described Madison as “… a town where Lincoln could have grown up in harmony with his surroundings; where Galileo could have spoken his mind; and where Demosthenes could have been mayor.”
With a population of approximately 208,054 at last check, Madison is the only American city built on an isthmus, which offers a broad range of activities and events.
Also holding the state’s Capitol as well as an influential Big Ten university, Madison possesses an energy unique to central Wisconsin.
“Madison has a small-town feel, but it’s still a city,” Lenz said. “It’s in the Midwest, which is appealing to many ethically.”
However, Madison has seen many changes since 1996 and expects a great deal more. The Overture Center is already in progress in the 200 block of State Street, and a $15 million makeover of State Street is set to begin in spring of 2003. Other facilities recently introduced to the city, such as the Monona Terrace and the Kohl Center, have proved not only to enhance the city, but also to bring in added revenue to Madison.
“[Madison] is cultural and sports-oriented,” Lenz said. “It draws to many different groups.”
But will Madison’s distinctiveness prevail among many structural changes? Most residents hope so.
“The combination of State Street, the Thai Pavilion and the Olbrich Botanical Gardens all packaged together will be attractive to convention groups and leisure travelers,” Lenz said.
But others are still worried certain changes may be more important than others.
“We have a lot of good things going for us. [Madison] is a beautiful city,” Ald. Todd Jarrell, District 8, said. “The UW and the state government will draw people; that won’t change. But if we get rid of the people that live in the area [of State Street], we will have a serious problem.”
County Board Supervisor Scott McDonell agreed.
“I’m very much for development of downtown,” he said. “But right now it’s all high-end, and that’s a concern.”
Madison also has a rich history of progressive thought and protest, most famously with the Sterling Hall bombing in 1970. Many feel they can still express such thought freely in Madison.
“Especially in the context of the recent anti-war movement, I have seen many people expressing their thoughts the same as 30 years ago,” Jarrell said. “I don’t think that will change.”
