A Corner Institution

A 1906 postcard with a drawing of the Hotel Menasha, at its familar corner of Main and Mill Streets.  Surprising that there aren't any carriages or streetcars in the illustration, as so many we've seen in the past include those details.  In later years, photographs of the hotel at this angle will be de rigueur for its postcard line.

New and Elegant Sleepers!

February 11, 1885, Oshkosh Northwestern

 

This ad is another in our series commemorating the golden age of railroad travel in the Fox Cities, this time for the Wisconsin Central.

Bathing at Waverly Beach

A colorized postcard ca. 1909 attributing Waverly Beach to Appleton

 

As we end this week, the first Friday of the fall season, let's hearken back to those lazy, crazy days of the fleeting summers of the early 20th century.  It was a time when bathing at the beach involved more clothes than many of us wear walking around the mall today!   

I'll be away from the blog next Monday but expect me to start it up again on Tuesday. Happy Weekend! 

Annexation?

June 4, 1965, Neenah-Menasha Northwestern

 

 

 June 17, 1965, Neenah-Menasha Northwestern

 

In the sense that growth" means getting bigger, comes this demonstration of vitriolic name calling between two neighbors.  Being an 8 year old kid when this was going on and with more interest in Batman, naturally, than in civic affairs, I'm sorry I missed out on this. 

 

But reading this now, when I can appreciate the nuances of a good insult, my fondness for the City's arrogance that they were going to "save" the Town of Menasha from the "colossus giant," Appleton, is only surpassed by the Town of Menasha's response that the City of Menasha is nothing more than a city of gas stations and taverns.  Ouch!

New Taste Delight

June 4, 1965, Neenah-Menasha Northwestern

 

While technically just across the "border" in Neenah, I think few of us would quibble about including this establishment in a blog about Menasha.   Robby's was a chain of hamburger restaurants based in Wisconsin and quite popular for its time.  What fascinated me most as a kid was that Green Bay Packer fullback Jim Grabowski was a Vice President of the chain.  He appeared in many of their advertisements, as evidenced below. At their peak, there were at least 13 Wisconsin locations as well as five in Minnesota and two more in Michigan. But they went out of business in the '70s.  It was around this time that I heard rumors that their product was, shall we say, of an equine nature?  Was this the main reason they closed shop, or was it generally due to the beef shortages that plagued the food industry in the early '70s?  One theory is that the meat crisis was caused by, of all things, a massive reduction in the population of anchovies living off the coast of South America. As these tiny fish migrated elsewhere, farmers who relied on them for animal feed had to pay ever-increasing prices, driving up the cost of beef. This, in turn, led to black market butchers, runs on beef supplies, and the rise of pasta as a main dish for many families. Others blame a lag in grain production which was a vital component of animal feed at the same time as demands mounted for more beef.  In time, of course, meat supplies stabilized and prices dropped, but the damage had been done.  And when the smoke cleared, smaller restaurant chains, like Robby's, were the victims.

December 6, 1969, Appleton Post-Crescent

On the Square

July 19, 1967, Oshkosh Northwestern

I don't remember seeing too many ads for Menasha Furniture in my research, but this building nevertheless had a long and storied history at its location on the corner of Milwaukee and Chute streets.  In its many incarnations, it was a dry goods store, the first location for the city's public library, a movie theater, and finally a furniture store.  Over the years, the upstairs offices headquartered businesses as diverse as attorneys and even a radio station. 

Merge Counties?

September 21, 1967, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

 

A trip back in the ol' time machine to 48 years ago today brings us to this editorial on the front page of the Northwestern, decrying the then-recent idea to merge Outagamie, Winnebago, and Calumet Counties into one.  It was an idea thought up by the editor of the Appleton Post-Crescent and then run with by Appleton Assemblyman Harold Froehlich.  The proposal even included moving the county seat to the Town of Menasha, more or less in the center of the area. 

 

But within a month or so, the idea fell by the wayside and little more of it was heard again.  For the time, it brought some heated discussions within the valley and between the main competing newspapers, especially when Oshkosh was left off the map for this idea, hence the caption above.  (It references Winneconne having been left off the state map earlier that year; remember that?!)

A Photo Study

An ordinary corner.  An ordinary corner we passed by so often that we didn't give it a second thought.  An ordinary corner adorned with a kitschy sign, promising a "wee nippee" at the lounge inside.  To so many of us, it was always there.

A lot can be garnered from studying photographs, good or bad.  And while this color shot from the early seventies isn't the greatest composition in the world, it still holds a lot of data, a lot of memory, and a lot of heart.  Granted, it isn't the best.  I'm no expert, but I'd have suggested the cameraman lower the lens to include the street.  Maybe back up and move to the right a bit so the sign is in clear view.  But that's quibbling.  To this amateur historian, I'd rather see a hundred photos like this than the cliched poses that graced the picture postcards of the era. 

An ordinary corner, yes.  Yet an ordinary corner that held so much history. Heck, it even had an official plaque commemorating a historical event that had happened on the spot. And despite whatever goes up in its place, whatever is designed to invigorate the downtown, to stimulate the economy, to jumpstart development, that will be the new ordinary.  In my mind's eye, this will always be there, an ordinary corner no more.

Civil War Letters

Appleton Post-Crescent, April 21, 1962

 

A bittersweet account of the Civil War as provided by Mr. Ralph Moon's grandfather in his letters, his initial enthusiasm eventually tempered by the horrors of war.  A most interesting presentation to the Menasha Historical Society, I'm sure. 

 

A side note...the "Wigwam" that was mentioned was a convention center and meeting hall that served as the site of the 1860 Republican National Convention. It was located in Chicago at Lake Street and Market (later Wacker Drive) near the Chicago River.

Otto Kloepfel

Many of Menasha's "characters" from its past come to my awareness just by chance.  This calling card, for example, was for sale some weeks ago on eBay.  So of course, being a curious guy, I took it as a challenge to learn more about this Otto Kloepfel.  Yes, he was a piano tuner.  That much was in evidence, as well as on the reverse of his business card where Otto displayed that he had completed a special course in repairing and tuning player pianos.

  

Standard Player Monthly, February 1916

 

Player pianos were more than just a novelty at the turn of the century, so much so that a whole journal was devoted to the industry.  Looking up his piano tuning school resulted in this find. Could Otto be in this photograph?

 

January 22, 1937, Oshkosh Northwestern

 

But then a scan of local newspapers from his lifetime merited this gem.  Otto also had an interest in ice skating, as evidenced by many newspaper articles I came across about his prowess at an advanced age, which must have made him quite the popular topic around town.  In this particular case, the match was eventually cancelled because unseasonably warm weather that winter had made the rink conditions intolerable for the match, but it was obvious that Otto had a reputation as a skater, which by this time, most likely outshone his musical past.

 

September 22, 1939,  Appleton Post-Crescent

 

It was evident that Otto Kloepfel had a varied life- a harpist, conductor, piano tuner, baseball player, and skater in Menasha.  He lived in a period where he saw the dirt streets of horse and buggy Menasha and player pianos in parlors evolve into the paved avenues of sleek automobiles and radio shows.  My maternal grandfather lived in such an era as well; I wonder if he knew Otto Kloepfel?  I would love to know.

ShopKo

September 15, 1970, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

Before the current ShopKo, there had been another, on the grounds of the current Goodwill center on WI 47.  Combining a discount department store with a grocery store, it followed the model of the Treasure Island store in Appleton and offered extended hours.  From 45 years ago...some prices, huh?  But to put it in perspective, minimum wage back then was $1.60, with today's buying power of $9.84, per the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Junior Bowling

September 14, 1972, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

It's that time of year when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of...bowling?  And so it was 43 years ago today with bowling programs designed for "interested youngsters."  Organized programs or not, many a fine time was spent at that facility in my formative years.

182 Main

Zooming in on interesting architectural details of our legacy buildings, this one at the corner of Main and Milwaukee.  Such work is definitely a throwback to the past.  Sometimes if we just look up, there is a lot to see. 

Verbrick's Gas Station

Daily News Times,January 31st, 1936

From a simpler time when spending a whole buck at the gas station could give you perks, this ad reflects the grand opening of Verbrick's gas station near the corner of Washington Street and Garfield Avenue. Adjacent to the Washington Street Bridge, this business was a part of that English-themed commercial district put forth by the Menasha Wooden Ware to emulate the Brin building that was completed in 1928.  We first encountered Verbrick's in 2012: 
http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/09/verbricks-service-station.html .

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And an announcement:  I am partnering with my friend Steve Krueger to author a sequel volume to the Menasha book that was published in 2012. This book will feature color photography and update the history of Menasha from the 1960's to the present.  We hope to have it published sometime next year.  Look for more details to follow in the coming months!

A Complete Success!

 

June 2, 1877 Neenah Gazette

 

Hearkening back to our blog post of August 28th when we spoke of John Robert's career in the hotel business in Menasha and Neenah.   Once again, Don Nussbaum was nice enough to provide the details of Roberts Resort's opening in 1877. 

 

I found it interesting that the festivities didn't begin until after "the company" began arriving at 9 pm in "the house."  Was this so the guests could enjoy walking the grounds before nightfall?  They then fed the 300 or so guests within the hour so dancing could begin around 10 pm in the same dining room.  Quite efficient, I'd say.

Samuel Lombard "Lum" Hart

 

 

Samuel Lombard "Lum" Hart is just one of 37 businessmen shown in a photograph composite of prominent Menasha businessmen of 1871.  It hangs in the Menasha Public Library and he is listed simply as Lum Hart of Hart & Co Machine Works.  Most who view this photo montage do not know that he had a larger, more famous role to play in later years. As if his life wasn't interesting enough, having had two separate tours of duty with Union forces in the Civil War under his belt, he would later witness one of the old West's greatest gun battles and forever associate his name with such legendary figures as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Samuel Lombard Hart was born in 1830 in Solon, Ohio. At a young age he apprenticed to a local gunsmith and later opened his own shop with his father in Menasha. He continued in the trade until July 1861 when he joined Company C, Wisconsin 10th Infantry. He was discharged as a Second Lieutenant on Sept. 14, 1862 due to disability,  He then rejoined on June 9, 1864 in Company D, 41st Wisconsin Infantry and was mustered out as a Captain in September,1864. The record shows that he also served as an Assistant Signal Officer for the 4th Division of the Army of the Tennessee seeing action in several battles including Pittsburgh Landing, the Siege of Corinth and Forest's Raid into Memphis. Upon leaving the Army, Mr. Hart resumed his gunsmith trade, first in Menasha and continuing later, when he and his brothers moved west.  He set up a gunsmithing business in Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

One cold October afternoon in 1881 Hart heard gun shots from outside his gun shop. He looked out his door and saw men a block away to his west in the middle of Freemont Street shooting at each other. Hart had become an eye witness to what would become known as the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Over his ten years in Tombstone, S.L. Hart became one of the town's leading citizens and businessmen. His daughter Minnie taught school in Tombstone's first school house.

Hart's was not the only gun store in Tombstone. Firearms and ammunition could be purchased at several places, including one run by G.F. Spangenberg where the Clantons and McLaurys loaded up before the O.K. Corral gunfight. But if gun repairs were needed, Hart's on Freemont Street was the place to go. Guns that were re-worked or repaired by Hart were often stamped with his logo, which was the letters S and L over a "heart,"  an artistic yet compact and simple way of saying "S.L. Hart."

Later in 1890, Hart and his family moved to Tucson, probably to be nearer better medical facilities. Hart had been diagnosed with cancer. On July 14, 1893 the Tucson Star  reported: "S.L. Hart, formerly of Tombstone, but a resident of Tucson for the past six months (actually Hart had been living in Tucson for almost three years), had died at his residence at 7 o'clock last evening. Mr. Hart had been suffering from cancer for some time and died from the effects of an operation performed on him." Hart was later exhumed from his original burial location in Tucson and then re-interred to Tucson's Evergreen Cemetery on August 11, 1910.

It has been said that the legacy of S.L. Hart as gunsmith to the cowboys, gamblers, lawmen, and gunfighters of Tombstone cannot be over estimated. Today a firearm with the "S.L. Hart" stamp is almost priceless.

From his seemingly humble origins in Menasha, Lum Hart led quite the amazing life.  That photograph back at the Menasha Library gives no clue as to what was to come. 

second Hart photo and gravestone courtesy of Find-a-grave.com:http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=17918984&PIpi=5251006 as well as much of the Tombstone, AZ information

example of Hart's markings

courtesy of James D. Julia, Inc., auctioneer: http://jamesdjulia.com/item/lot-2071-extremely-rare-samuel-lombard-hart-colt-single-action-army-revolver-with-tombstone-arizona-history-42246/

School Safety

September 4, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

From 51 years ago today...with the new school year fresh on our minds, a plea from concerned business concerns about driving safely with all those students about.  The illustrations may be a bit dated but it's a message that still resonates, be it 1964, or today. 

 

Have a great Labor Day weekend.  I'll be back next Tuesday.

The Castle

Dating from 1895, this is one of Menasha's older buildings left downtown, set in what is known as the Romanesque Revival style. I've heard this building referred to as "the castle."  Looking at it with its turrets at the top, it makes sense.  This ediface used to house Beck's Meat market long ago.  Today it is the home of the Weathervane restaurant. 

 

top photo courtesy Menasha Public Library, bottom photo courtesy Appleton Post-Crescent

A Very Fine Building on the River Bank

from the Tourists' Guide to the Health and Pleasure Resorts of the Golden Northwest, 1879

This guide, similar to the one published by the C & NW Railway and shown yesterday, was put out by the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway, also known later as "The Milwaukee Road."  In this guide, Menasha got "credit" for Roberts' Resort, even though it was situated on the Neenah side of Doty Island.  In the woodcut above, the National Hotel didn't look exactly as illustrated, but like most illustrations of that era, it certainly has a nice Currier and Ives feel.

"...All the Pleasant North-western Summer Resorts of the Northwest."

from The Northwest Illustrated for Tourists of 1875

 

I can never get enough of the old railroad posters and this guide book, put out by the Chicago & North Western Railway  in 1875 is full of them.  Interesting too, is that the text later in the book for the entry on Menasha and Neenah was taken verbatim from John B. Bachelder's  Popular Resorts, and How to Reach Them: Combining a Brief Description of the Principal Summer Retreats in the United States, and the Routes of Travel Leading to Them, also published in 1875.  

I first mentioned that book in a blog entry from 2013:
http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-climate-is-salubrious.html

 

Hearkening back to last week's entry on John Roberts' tenure at the National Hotel, this book doesn't fail to mention his service to the community.