"This was a crowded bar that was lots of fun and never “raided”. Out-of-towners found it by going north on 12th from Jesu Church. Locals often called it "12th and Vine" so outsiders wouldn’t know what they were talking about."
                                - Mark, 2005

"Despite the location in "The Core," the clientele was 99% white, older professional men [I was 25/26 at this time]. The owner of the Seaway Inn, I think his name was "Ollie," was there many nights with his black partner. Other frequent customers were: a buyer for the Boston Store in Madison, a professor from Mount Mary College who also acted with the Milwaukee Rep, a married doctor with an expensive red sports car, some other librarians and school teachers and many who were active with local theater companies.

"The Forum had a piano, which was not used very often, but on a few occasions a black pianist by the name of Billy Cunningham, I think, played late at night. I think Billy was a regular entertainer at another bar in town. I remember the Journal or Sentinel did have an article on him.

"I remember driving a very drunk Harold Lang back to the Knickerbocker Hotel one night. (Ed: Harold Lang (1920-1985) was a a popular American dancer and actor in ballet and musical theatre at the time; he was in Milwaukee performing in "Show Boat" in 1963.) I also met a traveling book-salesman from either New York or Boston. There was also a technician who worked for Muzak. I won a frozen turkey in a lottery there for Thanksgiving, in November 1963.

"I went to the Forum on a regular basis from the summer of 1963 into spring of 1964; after that we hung out at the Regency East, until I was mugged one night in 1968 or early 1969."
                                - KKK, 2011