A blog which supplements my two books, Menasha, and Neenah and Menasha: Twin Cities of the Fox Valley
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Downtown 1958
Friday, January 30, 2015
Early Map
This portion of an 1872 map of Menasha, besides highlighting the location of the Wisconsin Central Railroad shops, shows some oddities, to include the first passenger (non-railroad) bridge spanning Little Lake Butte des Morts and the "fanciful" (for lack of a better term) Lake Street which never really existed. With the map having been published by H.B. Stranahan of Philadelphia, one might be a little forgiving, especially if there had been a plan for such a street at some point. But I have yet to find any reference.
We first encountered the mysterious Lake Street in the blog last April when we discussed plans as early as 1856 to rename LLBDM as Peepeek Lake: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2014/04/peepeek-lake.html
Thursday, January 29, 2015
CNW Station 1969
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Governor Pulleys
from about 1920 or so, as featured in a dairy farming journal
As if you haven't had our fill of pulleys by now, comes this ad for specialized pulleys designed for the dairy industry. We first encountered US Tractor last January 28th when we spoke of Menasha's brief flirtation with car manufacturing:
http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-harris-six.html .
http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-harris-six.html .
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Old Pulley Company Pix
Last Thursday's post about the Old Wood Split Pulley Factory led some of our readers to wonder how the area looked before the apartments were built on the site. I remembered that I had these old photos in my collection, obtained from the Historical Society about the time I did research for the book. They were undated but I think they are from the 1960's/early 1970s. I'm not sure when the apartments were built, but this is the way I remember it from my childhood.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Red Bird
April 27, 1961
We first encountered the Red Bird statue at High Cliff on the blog in September 2012. http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/09/red-bird-at-high-cliff-state-park.html
Here's a photo of the crew responsible for installing it there. Top: Roland Kippenhan, Pres., P.G. Miron Construction Company.; Herman Lind, P.G. Miron Construction Company; William Dorschner, crane operator; Bob Ulrich Company. Bottom: J.H. Wilterding, President, George Banta Company; Robert Lilly, Manager, Appleton Erecting Company; Henry Radtke, Foreman, P.G. Miron Construction Company; James Petersen, Appleton Erecting Company.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Hey, Look Me Over
from the Wisconsin Central Railroad Centennial celebration booklet of 1971
George Banta, Jr. and Robert E. Anderson, sales manager for the Soo Line in Menasha, look over a caboose stove which was donated to the Stonefield Museum in Cassville.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Wood Split Pulley
Another aspect of Menasha's manufacturing legacy is shown here in this "real photo post card," circa 1910. The photo shows the relative size of one of the split pulleys produced by P.V. Lawson's Wood Split Pulley Company off Sixth Street near Little Lake Butte des Morts. We first encountered the Pulley Company back in 2012: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/06/menasha-wood-split-pulley-company.html and again in 2013: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/04/menasha-split-pulley-company-revisited.html. Olde Pulley Lane and the namesake apartments on that street reflect the legacy of the old pulley factory.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Gilbert House
from the American Architect, January 12, 1921
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Hunting Scene
Purportedly a hunting scene near Brighton Beach, this postcard helped to perpetuate the idea of the Menasha area as a vacation wonderland with beaches, hunting, and the like. Of course, with no landmarks present, this scene might have been repeated a thousandfold throughout the US with any of a number of communities listed. Just fill in the blank.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Passenger Station
The Wisconsin Central passenger station, built in 1872 and later enlarged, was a very busy place during the early years of the WC. Pictured to the left rear is the engine house which was in operation for many years. To the right is the silhouette of St. Mary's Catholic Church. As described in this blog in past posts, the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie, also known as the Soo Line, acquired majority ownership of the capital stock of the Wisconsin Central in 1908. By 1909, the Soo Line took control of all WC property and the Soo Line became the chief railroad presence in Menasha.
Friday, January 16, 2015
As Low as 20c Per Day
January 14, 1967 NM Northwestern
Back in the days of the Mom and Pop one-stop appliance store (every town had one), we were blessed with Druck's on Main Street. Gilbert Drucks began his business in Menasha in the early 1930s and with its blue and white neon sign, the store was a familiar sight at the intersection of Racine and Main Streets for decades.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Beautiful Furniture with a Future
February 20, 1968 N-M Northwestern
As we've featured in the blog and seen periodically in the Northwestern, here is one of the lengthy articles devoted to local businesses. This time, the focus is on a furniture store in the Town of Menasha. I like that they surrounded this feature with ads from other Town businesses as well.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
A Healthful Drink
From, of all places, the 1917 Menasha High School yearbook, comes this ad for Walter Bros. Gold Label beer, touting its "health" properties. Written in the style of the best patent medicine ads of the day, the only thing lacking is a litany of the ailments to be cured by consuming it. I'm just disappointed we don't learn exactly why these "leading physicians" of the day recommend its use.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Tranquil Scene
from The Booming City of Menasha, Wisconsin, 1887
This tranquil artwork was featured as an illustration in the aforementioned text. We've discussed this booklet before; it was used as a public relations vehicle to publicize and generate interest in Menasha for outside merchants and industries to relocate to our fair town.
CORRECTION: In the blog post of January 8th, I mistakenly listed Tip Top's former address as 113 Main. In reality, it should have read 216 Main. I had looked at the wrong city directory which had a listing for another business named "Tip Top" with no other identifying information. I regret the error.
Friday, January 9, 2015
A Study in Brick
The familiar square chimney of the George A. Whiting Paper Company provides a stark contrast against the sky on a crisp, cold day. The weathered bricks do not belie the history of this stalwart employer, in continuous operation since 1882. Despite being one of the smallest and oldest mills in Wisconsin, it was managed under five generations of family ownership until January, 2014 when it was sold to its current CEO. After over 130 years, Whiting continues.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Service is the Heart of Their Business
Picture is the side entrance to Tip Top Radio and TV at the corner of Third and Racine, circa 1980. Tip Top began life downtown at 216 Main Street and we encountered it more extensively in a past post: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/05/tip-top.html
photo courtesy, Menasha Public Library
photo courtesy, Menasha Public Library
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Letter to the Editor
October 21, 1948 Milwaukee Journal
Today we feature a letter published in the afternoon Milwaukee newspaper. An irate Menasha resident takes the editors of The Milwaukee Journal to task, and rightly so. Like the comedian Rodney Dangerfield, Menasha gets no respect.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Pleasant Under Glass
Monday, January 5, 2015
Two-Way Radios in Every Truck
February 11, 1961 Appleton Post-Crescent
Who didn't remember these trucks tooling around town while growing up? I particularly remember that van at the bottom.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Landgraf Tokens
from 1903-1904
from 1905-1921
These tokens for the Landgraf Hotel are examples of an often common substitute for currency in the late 19th and early 20th century. The era of 1870 through 1920 marked the highest use of "trade tokens" in the United States, spurred by the proliferation of small stores in rural areas. Thousands of small general stores and merchandise stores were to be found all over the United States, and many of them used trade tokens to promote trade and extend credit to customers.
For more about the Landgraf Hotel, please follow this link: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/06/landgrafs-hotel.html
For more about the Landgraf Hotel, please follow this link: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/06/landgrafs-hotel.html
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy New Year!
December 31, 1964 NM Northwestern
Let's go back in time to wish you a happy 1965 along with the many other familiar merchants of the Fox Valley we grew up with.
Happy New Year, and may 2015 be your best year ever!
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