This photograph from about 1905 shows the George Banta Printing Company in the Masonic Building, downtown Menasha. Located at 165-167 Main Street, the company moved to Ahnaip Street in 1911. Started as a hobby, the business later became the printer for Banta’s insurance business- calendars, notepads, desk blotters, and the like were produced as promotional and advertising premiums for his insurance customers. The George Banta Company was incorporated in September 1901 and, in time, became a major printer of fraternity and sorority magazines as well as university catalogs, yearbooks, and textbooks and, by 1930, it was printing some 130 periodicals.
I started working at the downtown location in 1965. I eventually transferred to the Midway location until the strike in 1977. I worked with a great group of people at both locations. Those were great times.
ReplyDeleteI remember sitting with others along the curb during breaks on hot summer nights. I still think about many of the people I worked with.