Special Luncheon

June 12, 1963, Appleton Post-Crescent

With Father's Day around the corner, perhaps a special meal at the Birchwood might have tickled Dad's fancy.  Nice inside view of the decor.   And lest we forget, it is "air-conditioned for (your) dining comfort."

Memorial Day 2022

I repost this every year. 

 

The VFW in 2013 said it well.  I cannot improve on this:

Many Americans have forgotten the true meaning of a holiday that we as veterans hold so close to our hearts. For too many, Memorial Day now signifies nothing more than the start of summer and is celebrated with holiday sales. Trips to the lake and shopping extravaganzas have replaced memorial visits, remembrance ceremonies or simply put, a day to reflect upon all of the luxuries—like freedom—that we as Americans enjoy daily.  

As proud veterans, we know the true meaning of Memorial Day. 

On Memorial Day, we honor our fallen comrades of the United States military in the form of remembrance. And with that, comes a deep sense of appreciation for both their selflessness in protecting the land of the free, and for their sacrifice in ensuring it stays that way. 

Each and every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have given their lives to protect our way of life. While giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, today, we merely attempt our repayment in the form of remembrance. We dedicate this day to them.

As we go about our activities, we should take the opportunity to not only remember the sacrifices of our fallen and mourn their departure, we should celebrate the spirit with which they served and reflect upon their contributions in making America, truly, the land of the free.

The VFW thanks all service members, veterans and their families for their contributions and service to the United States of America.

Let's Be Frank

 

Marathon does it again with innovative packaging for the food industry.  Like so many cigars with cigar bands, Marathon saw fit to identify each hot dog with its own distinctive band, something new for 1949!  And while we don't necessarily see individual banded franks anymore, I believe that plastic wrapper or something very similar is still in use.  By the way, those ideas for using hot dogs on skewers and whatnot is quite derivative of the convenience era that really gained a lot of ground in post-war America.  Fun, fast, and innovative...that was the watchword for a culture that brought you the tv dinner and other time savers.

Steeples

July 14, 1972, Appleton Post-Crescent

Almost fifty years ago,, the steeples came down from St. John's church.  The fiberglass domes were eliminated eventually too, though this fuzzy 1977 photo shows them as they were intended.

We first encountered St. John's in 2013:  http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/04/st-johns.html, where you can see a photo of the church today.  

Gas, Of Days Gone By

May 30, 1979, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Now, I don't even remember where this station was located in Neenah, but that's beside the point.  To think the author of this caption was nostalgic a year later, after it had closed, for the prices then that were (shudder) hovering near a dollar.  Imagine if those same folks time- travelled to our present where the gas in my area is well over $4.17 per gallon.  Wow.

Order of March

 May 29, 1934, Menasha Record

Listed above is the order of march for the 1934 Memorial Day.  Let's hope there was no rain that day as it might have been rather crowded at the S.A. Cook Armory.  Needless to say, the Twin Cities did their best to honor those who gave all.

All the News....

May 25, 1889, Saturday Evening Press

Great rundown of local news of 133 years ago.  Of note, the fake vanilla scam perpetrated against unsuspecting individuals, the plans for the upcoming Memorial Day, and the warning about dark conditions in the vicinity of the Germania opera house.  The Press did a great job in keeping the citizens abreast of Menasha's news.