Packing houses populated the valley floor near the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad stockyard. A young Patrick Cudahy worked his way up through the ranks and went on to become owner of what is now Patrick Cudahy, Inc. Cudahy moved his operations to what later became the Milwaukee suburb of Cudahy, Wisconsin in 1892. Along with the processing industries, bulk commodity storage and machining & manufacturing entered the scene. The valley was home to the Milwaukee Road, Falk Corporation, Cutler-Hammer, Harnischfeger Corporation, Chain Belt Company, Nordberg Manufacturing Company and other industry giants. Heavy pollution and noxious odors became a problem as early as 1874 when a distillery was charged for producing "a nuisance simply stupendous in character." A Grand Jury was assembled in 1886 to tour the river and discover the origin of all the filth. One lecturer remarked that he "nearly stifled as the steamer came up the harbor this morning." The city also built an ill-conceived garbage crematory in 1890 that, along with the factories, locomotives and foundries, pumped clouds of acrid smoke which covered the valley in a thick layer of soot. After World War II the economics of the valley declined because of a shift from rail and ship transportation to the interstate highways. Milwaukee also became part of the Rust Belt as recession set in, and the heavily industrialized Menomonee Valley was affected the most. By the late 1970s the Menomonee Valley was perceived by many to be an ugly blight in the heart of the city. Rejuvenation During the administration of Mayor Henry Maier the city purchased land for redevelopment. It paved roads to improve truck access and built a municipal garage along Canal Street, but these token gestures were not enough. It was not until a series of coordinated efforts started by Mayor John Norquist in 1988 that the valley began to see new growth. A "Renew the Valley" initiative was formed to revitalize the Menomonee Valley and increase available green space. Menomonee Valley Partners, Inc., a nonprofit organization, was formed in 1999 through a public-private partnership to oversee and coordinate efforts to revitalize the valley. Anchors such as Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District facility spurred development. Marquette University built an athletic field across the river just south of the main campus, and Emmpak Foods helped to beautify the area with a sculpture garden. A segment of the