Here's a follow-up to yesterday's story. It seems like a reasonable explanation, but why return to the scene (or vicinity) of the crime? I'd really like to know how much time he served for this offense but I'm still looking, to no avail.
October 17, 1908, Menasha Record
Crime rears its ugly head in our fair city, forging checks from a notable civic leader and businessman. Now, $65 doesn't sound like much but the inflation calculator I found tells me the buying power for that 65 dollars in 1908 amounted to $2174. Yes, it IS hard to believe. And that $500 bail? $16,227.66. Wow.
October 23, 1908, Menasha Record
Loescher Hardware makes it known that it is tough on the competition and won't stand for imposters who claim their prices are lower and have a higher quality of merchandise. That illustration of a "tough guy" from this era is a hoot. He looks like he'd knock your block off if given half a chance.
I'm taking the next week off from the blog, so I'll see you back on October 30th!
October 13, 1961, Oshkosh Northwestern
We at the blog just can't leave this smorgasbord alone! (What is it, the fourth time alone this calendar year?!) But with those names, my Polish and German palates are in high gear for trying these dishes! My goodness!
October 11, 1935, Menasha Record
What is so interesting here is not so much the Columbus Day program but the one that followed it, featuring Max Gilstrap, "The Whistling Ranger from the western wonderland." I did some research and he was a minor celebrity, in the 1930's... a former park ranger, famed whistler, and expert at bird calls who traveled the country and gave lectures. He even had a record album. See below:
In later years, he was an editor for the Christian Science Monitor, and during World War II was the editor of "Stars and Stripes" in Britain, France, Belgium and Germany. He also went to the Pacific Area as Officer in Charge of "Yank", the Army Weekly.
October 1, 1904, Menasha Record
A sampling of ads from this day's edition of the Menasha Record. So smart of the C & NW Railway to throw in the St. Louis World's Fair as an enticement to use their rail line. Parenthetical note: the 1944 film, Meet Me in St. Louis was about this fair and gave us memorable songs to include the title tune and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. I wonder how many Menasha residents were able to go to the fair, departing on the train from the depot on Doty Island.
October 4, 1904, Menasha Record
Let's hope the only temptation at the Methodist church that evening was the fine dining the ladies prepared for the faithful to partake of. Methinks the editor of this little column had his tongue firmly entrenched in cheek while writing it.
October 8, 1888, Oshkosh Northwestern
From our "You can't please all of the people all of the time" department, comes this little item. I'd bet that whomever hired the German band thought they were doing honors to a fellow with a German sounding name like "Lieb." (Which, when translated, is "dear.")
September 24, 1924, Menasha Record
The early twentieth century found itself under the influence of social reformers who promoted what became known as the "playground movement." This was a means to better the lives of young people (and later, adults) by having planned public spaces in cities and towns. Along with this would be organized activities, sports teams, leagues, classes, and the like which would, it was thought, promote morality, physical health and educational success. The playground movement originally took hold in larger, more urban cities in the late 1890's- Boston, Chicago, etc. to give tenement children a chance to blossom, so to speak, in green spaces and take them out of the streets and alleyways they'd frequent with no other options available. As seen here, it eventually wound itself down to smaller cities and towns by the 1920's. Without this movement, city recreation departments were essentially nothing or just did not exist.
September 19, 1855, The Weekly Wisconsin (Milwaukee, WI)
Menasha was barely a village when this pronouncement was made in the local newspaper, quoted here in the large Milwaukee weekly. Was it just optimistic fluff issued by a conscientious editor for his little enclave or the real McCoy? Whatever the case, readers of the Weekly Wisconsin might have been obliged to check out the growing little village on the north end of Lake Winnebago. In a few decades, it would be a manufacturing hub strong enough for the railroads to take notice of and for diverse investors around the state to pay attention to as well.
October 23, 1968, Twin City News-Record
It looks like pumpkin pies were a big deal in 1968 Menasha. Either that, or Best Bakery came up with some sweetheart deal with all the retailers downtown. Yes, picking up a pie with a new suit or dress at the local clothiers was a bit unorthodox. And, parenthetically...looking past what would be a definite un-PC graphic in each of the ads, are we allowed to have an "Indian" summer any more? Just wondering.
October 19, 1925, Menasha Record
We've made it known before in the blog that there was renewed effort to make the Tayco Street and Main area a shopping mecca for Menasha in the 1920's. This culminated in the construction of the Brin Building in late 1928 on the remnants of the old Landgraf Hotel. This ad from 1925 showcases other businesses that hoped to entice shoppers to the area. The area DID have a history of commerce, as a bridge across Little Lake Butte des Morts was once in operation and terminated in this area in the late 1800's. See the following link: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/12/first-butte-des-morts-bridge.html
October 23, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
Over the years at the blog, we've grown accustomed (and appreciative) of reporting on the delightful and affordable spreads put on by the Hotel Menasha. In some years it was known as a buffet. For a time, it was popularly called a smorgasbord. In almost all cases, it was an "all you can eat" affair. Depending upon the holiday, we've seen duck, turkey, game hens, ham, crab legs, roast beef, you name it. This seems like the first time it was labeled a chicken and seafood combined buffet, though I'm sure other special days rivaled it.
There's no special point to make here; it just seems like the longer I do this, the more the memories come alive for things that were formerly with us. Is that historic, nostalgic, or just melancholy?
.jpg)
October 20, 1967, Twin City News-Record
I knew this bridge well behind the downtown Banta plant. I wonder how many knew it was across the Lawson Canal, much less knowing what the Lawson Canal even was. Do a search on the term and you'll find a number of posts about the canal over the years.