More Menasha Halloween Fun

 

October 31, 1970, Appleton Post-Crescent

Halloween activities, old and new, were the watchwords at Gegan Elementary this day in 1970.  Here's hoping that your Halloween is all treats and no tricks…but save some of the candy for the little ones!

Fright Fest

October 31, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

As if trick or treating in 1959 wasn't enough, the valley offered several Halloween themed events that year, parties, dances and oh yes, the special movie programs.  Who can forget those schlocky horror films we willingly spent our hard earned nickels and dimes on? 

A Couple of Long-Standing Businesses

October 24, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

After all the changes in the downtown area over the years, these two remain in one form or another.  I remember only too well that giant Gunderson ad painted on the side of the building near the Racine Street Bridge in bright yellow and green paint.  I wish I had a good photo of it right now.

Bear Hunt

October 26, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

I found this photo while routinely combing through the sports pages recently.  To be honest, I was taken aback, expecting the usual football oriented fare on those pages.  After living down in South Carolina for the last 20+ years, I sometimes lose sight of the fact that such hunting continues in dear old Wisconsin.

Library Dedication

October 22, 1898, Menasha Evening Breeze (Library Edition)

Over the years, we've spoken about the original public library many, many times.  But what I bring you today is something truly special.  The above is a reproduction of the first page of a local Menasha newspaper commemorating the dedication of the original public library on Mill Street in 1898.  The newspaper contains remarks from the mayor, M.M. Schoetz, and Mr. Elisha D. Smith, the library's benefactor.  Additionally, you will find a chronology of the library's inception, a floor plan, a short biographical sketch of the first librarian, Miss Lucy Lee Pleasants, and other fascinating information.  I urge you to click the link following or paste it into your browser to peruse this newspaper. There, you can zoom in freely. I cannot reproduce it here as well as at its actual web site, so please visit this site. You won't be disappointed.
https://books.google.com/books?id=R99DLen7cWwC&pg=PA1&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

Fire Safety Revisited

October 9, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

In keeping with Fire Prevention Week, Menasha firefighters did their part back in the day, schooling local children on the hows and whys of fire safety.  National Fire Prevention Week is observed in the US and Canada, during the week (from Sunday to Saturday) in which October 9 falls. In the US, the first Presidential proclamation of Fire Prevention Week was made in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge.  I'm sure some of our readers remember the annual visits of local firefighters and the mandatory fire drills.

Ski Jump Disapproved

March 15, 1963, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

 

Finally, Wisconsin Dells could breathe a sigh of relief...efforts to have our own Tommy Bartlett Water Show on Little Lake Butte des Morts failed this time around.   And no ubiquitous bumper stickers out there touting our water pageant, either. 

Flag Raising

October 12, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I remember only too well when Gegan was built on Airport Road, as my grandparents lived on that road.  Once again, the lure of construction viewed by this kid from his stingray bike made its siren call.  How could I resist? 

End of Month Coupon Days

October 25, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

Time once again to reminisce about those long-gone businesses from around the two towns.  Aside from Krueger's in Neenah (since relocated from their downtown), they're all long gone.

Sandblasting

October 16, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

It's always nice to browse through the old papers and find these slide-of-life photos to break up the mundane and depressing news of the day.  I'm quite familiar with this scene, having seen it repeated many times over the years as I walked back and forth to school at St. Mary's.  It was always nice to pause for a moment and admire somebody's work, be it paving the streets or something more artistic, like this. 

History is Being Made!

October 29, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

Of course, the ad here refers to the historic Kennedy-Nixon presidential race of 1960, but how timely to get ready for THIS year's historic race, albeit with a bit more modern television.  Whatever your political affiliation, Admiral had you covered at the Music Box in the Brin building.   We've met this retailer before:

http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/07/music-box-associates.html.  While not as long-lived as Druck's at the other end of Main Street, it's interesting to see two major dealers in such a small space vying for your appliance dollars 

Avalon

October 10, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

Before the Left Guard took over the same real estate, the Avalon was resident in the downtown area, just behind the Bank of Menasha.  Originally a bar, then a bar/grill....

Don't Forget to Write

October 15, 1976, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

An article like this does my heart good, being a postcard kind of guy.  But of course, receiving them in the mail is definitely a hit-or-miss proposition these electronic days. Postcards are still available and some might take the time and trouble to send them on to their friends, though it's often difficult to find them.  It's just too easy to send a text note saying, "having a great time, wish you were here."  Or a series of texts (or tweets) throughout your vacation.

Railway Express Agency

That big diamond logo on the wall of the old CN&W depot was for the Railway Express Agency, or REA.  REA was a national monopoly set up by the Federal government in 1917. Rail express services provided small package and parcel transportation using the existing railroad infrastructure, similarly to how UPS functions today using the road system. The US government was concerned about the rapid, safe movement of parcels, money, and goods during World War I and REA was its solution to this problem. REA concentrated solely on express refrigerator service from 1940 on, but business declined dramatically due to the increase in refrigerated motor truck shipments. REA ceased operations in 1975 after a decades-long decline in revenues.  By this time, overall rail express volume had also decreased substantially to trucking companies and large volume shippers like UPS and FEDEX. 

Stylish Hats

Louisa Beck, on the left, with her daughter Rose Beck.  We've met the Becks before, as they owned the premier meat market on Main Street for many years: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/03/186-main-street.html. This photo dates to the first decade of the 20th century.




Photograph courtesy of the Menasha Public Library.

Boxcar Line

October 22, 1966, Appleton Post-Crescent

Another Monday, another periodic railroad think piece.  This looks to be the type of thing I would have jumped on my stingray to check out.  I always did enjoy a survey of the railroad yards.

MHS Swim

November 14, 1961, Appleton Post-Crescent

My first response when I saw this was: Oh. My. God.  This could never fly today, in the interests of political correctness, bullying, and/or rampant litigious parents ensuring their child's self-esteem wasn't harmed.  I found the arguments for the continuation of this practice to be hilarious.  I couldn't find out when this practice ended. Readers?

Menasha Sheet Metal

October 12, 1973, Appleton Post-Crescent

Another in a series of blatant out and out advertisements, disguised as news items in the paper.  I feature this, if only to remind us of this simple structure that used to grace the west side of Racine Street before the railroad tracks, while heading north and before the old Menasha ball park came into view. 

White Soda

January 28, 1961, Appleton Post-Crescent

I ran across a humorous article the other day about the seemingly silly things Wisconsin residents say (or at least to the outside world).  One of the items mentioned was "white soda."  Now, I've been removed from the upper Midwest for many a year, having moved to South Carolina 21 years ago and before that, not having lived full-time in Wisconsin since 1979.  I recall white soda growing up, especially the Graf's brand.  Do people even say that anymore?  And can it be purchased any longer? 

Every state has its oddities as far as language is concerned.  Shortly after I moved here, I went to the deli at my local supermarket and asked for shaved ham.  They looked at me as if I'd just landed from Mars.  That same day I learned that shopping carts were "buggies."  By then I thought it best to not ask about buying bakery. 

Pugilistic

October 22, 1966, Appleton Post-Crescent

Back when downtown Menasha had the beginnings of an unsavory reputation on the south side of Main Street, comes this little news item.  It's probably enough to say that things got worse before they got better in the downtown area over the coming years. 

Colored Oleo for Wisconsin!

October 24, 1966, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

How many of us remember this?  When Wisconsin was the last hold-out in the country against colored oleomargarine?  When normal, law-abiding citizens would knowingly break the law and make "oleo runs" to the U.P. and bring back this illegal product to our fair city?  Yes, Virginia, there WAS a time when the state felt this was a crime against nature, when it threatened the all-American way of life, and the social order of mankind.  Of course, by 1967, that was all forgotten and we were free to add those trans fats to our daily diets.  Once outpacing butter at the checkout aisle, the reverse is true now, that dietary evidence seems to indicate that the saturated fats in butter may not be so bad after all, compared to the alternative.  Perhaps, the bellowing political roar against margarine wasn't so wrong after all. 

There's a great article on this subject from the Wisconsin Magazine of History, Autumn 2001: http://spotidoc.com/doc/437317/the-%E2%80%9Coleo-wars%E2%80%9D . Check it out!