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he following story has become associated with The Crystal Ballroom. Because it has passed through many decades, managers and memories, it is offered not as a historical account, but rather as a glimpse into the time when The Crystal Ballroom became known as a favorite wedding venue in Milwaukee.
When people see The Crystal Ballroom, they immediately think the room gets its name from the crystal chandeliers and other crystal adornments about the room. It's a logical assumption; however, it is incorrect.
According to legend, the real story begins during World War II...
uring the Second World War, women had to work in factories across the county to keep the economy alive; Milwaukee was no different. Then known as the "machine shop of the world," Milwaukee was home to factories such as the Nordberg Manufacturing Co. Female workers at the plant on Milwaukee's south side spent their days drilling submarine torpedo tubes to support the war effort at home. The women often shared with each other letters sent by their boyfriends and husbands on the front lines. One young woman, Theresa Wenzel, would listen intently to the letters read by her coworkers and dream of the day she would have a husband and a family of her own.
While at the 1944 Wisconsin State Fair, Theresa visited a fortune-teller who told her the man she would marry would soon be returning from the campaign in the South Pacific. The fortune-teller even described the couple's future wedding in great detail, including a vivid description of the room where the ceremony would take place.
In just about a year, the war was over, and the woman met and fell in love with a soldier who had indeed fought in the South Pacific. Her dream of having a family of her own was nearing. As they began to plan their wedding, the woman visited many rooms around Milwaukee in search for the perfect place for her ceremony.
When she went to the Hilton Milwaukee City Center - then the Schroeder Hotel - and saw one of the ballrooms, she gasped in awe. It was exactly like the one her mind's eye had created during her visit to the fortune-teller more than a year earlier.
The bride immediately called it her "crystal ball room" and knew she found the right place for her nuptials. The bride and groom wed, had three children and enjoyed a loving marriage for 56 years - her dream had become a reality.
Though merely one woman's nickname at first, "The Crystal Ballroom" eventually became the room's formal name and remains in place today.
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