MENASHA: City Directory

Let's finish the week with a sampling of ads from the back of the 1979 Neenah-Menasha City Directory.

About the Menasha book

Menasha was carved from the northeastern Wisconsin wilderness in the late 1840s. At the confluence of the Fox River and Lake Winnebago, the town’s early entrepreneurs and industrialists sought the promise of waterpower to fuel their mills and kick-start the engine of commerce. Taming the Fox with dams, canals, and a lock, Menasha initially made its mark with flour mills and lumber-based industry. At one time, the city was home to the largest manufacturer of wood-turned products in the world. In the late 19th century, however, the tides of change once again washed upon the city and industrial focus shifted to the paper industry. What made Menasha great were dependable waterpower, plentiful rail connections to centers of commerce in Milwaukee and Chicago, and a prolific labor force that coincided with an influx of European immigrants.

About the Neenah and Menasha book

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw a worldwide postcard craze. This new means of communication did not cost a lot and was accessible to everyone. Its only limitation was the availability of postcards that suited one's fancy enough to purchase and send off. The Twin Cities of Neenah and Menasha, Wisconsin, were not immune to its charms. Neenah and Menasha: Twin Cities of the Fox Valley captures this era, using 200 vintage postcards from the author's own collection. From the lush green spaces of Riverside and Smith Parks to their bustling downtowns, industrial mills, and factories, this book will present Twin City landmarks that have withstood the ravages of time, while honoring those that are gone forever.

MENASHA

Pages

Downtown 1958

Friday, November 8, 2013

City Directory

No comments:

Post a Comment

Menasha

About David Galassie

Links

Neenah and Menasha: Twin Cities of the Fox Valley

About the Menasha book

About the Neenah and Menasha book

Get new posts by email: