Writer Robin Tillman, a Chippewa Valley native, and her husband, Michael, at Jaquish Sunflower Farm. (Submitted photo)

It’s only after you leave a place for a while and come back, do you truly realize everything your small hometown has – and doesn’t have – to offer.

I am a native of Chippewa Falls, specifically the Town of Lafayette. I grew up among the rolling hills of the apple orchards, where my family has lived for generations.

I moved to Oshkosh in 2014 so my now-ex could pursue schooling. I was terrified at first, having never been away from home, but I quickly grew to love it. Many weekends were spent exploring the numerous “seaside towns” on Lake Michigan – Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Two Rivers, Port Washington, and others. There was no shortage of things to do and see and places to eat.

When the ugly end of our relationship took me to Green Bay, I used my new-found freedom to explore every park I could find within an hour drive. I was absolutely enamored with the “east coast” of Wisconsin, and had no intention of leaving.

But the Universe had different plans.

A series of unfortunate events led my husband and I back here in April 2023. Because of the traumatic events that had been taking place in our lives at that time, being back home with family was an instant balm to my soul. I remember the first time I looked up at the night sky and saw the brilliance of countless stars, unpolluted by city lights – it brought tears to my eyes. When was the last time I had been able to see that?

Being back in the country of my homeland was instantly comforting and refreshing. Life was safe here, and predictable. Our first summer back was one of the best summers of my life. We spent weekends relaxing on the boat and laughing around bonfires; we went to the fair, Pioneer Days, and Jaquish Sunflower Farm. I showed my husband Big Falls and Irvine Park. We enjoyed many dates getting ice cream at Olson’s and walking around downtown. It was peaceful and perfect.

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I remember the first time I looked up at the night sky and saw the brilliance of countless stars, unpolluted by city lights – it brought tears to my eyes. When was the last time I had been able to see that?

ROBIN TILLMAN

We have been back for a year now, and while we still enjoy our little sanctuary in the Wissota Woods, this time has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I love about this area … and what it’s missing out on.

The first thing I fell back in love with was the water. Upon moving to the east side of the state, I was very surprised – and dismayed – to learn that people don’t swim in Lake Winnebago. In fact – because of the amount of industry over there, it’s actually very difficult to find a nice beach with clean water. And no one seemed to be as disturbed by this as I was. I grew up in between Big Falls and Ray’s Beach – swimming was literally a 10-minute drive away in either direction – so to be next to the LARGEST lake in Wisconsin and be told I can’t swim in it just blew my mind. As you can imagine, I was super excited to be living next to beautiful bodies of water again, and I went swimming as often as I could.

The writer savoring victory at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair in Chippewa Falls.

The first thing I missed upon moving back was the variety of restaurants. I apologize if this offends any hard-core Chippewa Vallians, but this area is sorely lacking. The Green Bay area has more authentic Mexican restaurants than you can count, plus any other ethnicity your heart desires. They also excel in health food – it’s not difficult to find a joint serving delicious dishes made from fresh ingredients. It often feels like my choices here are burgers, steaks, and fried fish, with a side of potatoes. My husband – who has lived in California and Colorado – loves to remind me of Wisconsin’s stereotype that we are the land of milk and cheese – cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, actual cheese – and that we like to put all of these ingredients in ALL of our dishes. I don’t think it’s much of an exaggeration, to be honest.

One thing this area does do extremely well, and shouldn’t be afraid to brag about, is music. I love that there is such a vibrant music scene, from open mics to weekend bar-closers to music in the park and multi-day festivals. They’re also affordable (or free), which is not something big-city concert venues can brag about.

I just love the accessibility of music and events in this area – it’s fantastic. Downtown Eau Claire in general is fantastic. That was something I sorely missed. Aside from the Packers, Green Bay didn’t really have that “vibe” – that vibe of “This is my city, and I’m invested in it, and I’m proud of it.” That’s something I’ve always loved about Eau Claire.

When I left in 2014, Altoona’s River Prairie development was just getting started. The Pablo Center at the Confluence didn’t exist. When I interned at Volume One in 2007-08, I participated in the first April Fool’s Day Pillow Fight and helped develop the very first Eat Scene. I knew Eau Claire had amazing potential, and I knew Volume One was going to be a driving force in that. It’s been incredible to watch this area grow, and to see Chippewa Falls follow suit with its new waterfront park. No matter where I go in this life, I will always be proud to say I’m from this area.

Every town has its pros and cons, obviously. And what one views as those pros and cons is very dependent on their hobbies, age, vocation, personality, etc. I also strongly believe that the characteristics of a city can serve us differently depending on where we are in our lives. The excitement and adventure of Wisconsin’s east coast was exactly what I needed at that time in my life; the easy-going, slower-paced, go-to-a-small-town-festival-every-weekend-in-the-summer atmosphere is what I need right now. For some people, this is home, and that’s wonderful. For others, like my husband and I, it’s a rest stop, and we’re going to enjoy all that it has to offer until it’s time to move on to the next chapter of our lives.