Weekend Entertainment

January 23, 1975, Appleton Post-Crescent

There's no shortage of nostalgia on this blog and nothing tends to underscore that more than seeing the prices of entertainment from over 40 years ago.  Concert tickets have risen astronomically into the hundreds of dollars for popular acts but to think you could get the choicest seats for $6.00 boggles the mind.  Of course, in 1975, I was working part-time at JC Penney's in Neenah for $1.80 per hour, so even that haddock special for $2.25 was a drain on my teenage wallet!

Acme Paints

January 24, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

One of our usual ads masquerading as news stories that we feature periodically.  A full service hardware store, right on Main Street, with easy access from the Broad Street alley entrance..

Remodeling MHS

January 29, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

The reproduction from the newspaper microfilm makes it look like some ominous cat burglar is climbing the ladder at Menasha High. 

Moving Trees

January 23, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

I always found construction and anything that involved heavy machinery fascinating as a boy.  I'd have loved to have seen this crew in action. 

Where Intelligent Shopping is Done Economically

January 29, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Ads for two of the local grocers that used to grace Menasha.  If it wasn't building a set of encyclopedias a week at a time, it was adding dishes to your collection.  Anything to get shoppers into the store.  This time around, Stani's offered art reproductions.  (Have to admit, I hadn't seen that one before.)  I'm confident, that at other times, Herb's Food Town fell prey to the same types of offers.  But for this go round, we have to be satisfied that we're shopping intelligently AND economically.

Central Division

January 24, 1969, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Growing up, the annual Cerebral Palsy Telethon on WBAY was required viewing for this kid.  It was a chance to see some TV stars out of their element, but as shown here, it also featured local talent.  I know I missed seeing these guys at 3:30 am on a Sunday morning!  Sure, it wasn't a great time slot to showcase your efforts in an era when VCRs didn't exist in the home; families and friends had no other choice but to rise early to see them perform.  But they were on TV, when that was a big deal.  I'm sure they were the talk of St. Pat's and enjoyed some celebrity there. 

Invisible to the Unaided Eye

January 20, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

Back in an age when things weren't so disposable, people repaired their shoes and appliances and consequently, fix-it shops and shoe repair stores were in every town of a certain size and doing an appreciable business.  Today, if the toaster is on the fritz, you end up buying a new one because that fix-it shop will charge $75 just to look at it and you know you could buy 5 toasters for that price!.  I'm sure when Mrs. Sewall finally quit working, there wasn't a replacement for her in the pipeline, so our cigarette burned clothes just ended up in the rag pile.   

New Brin

January 18, 1929, Appleton Post-Crescent

I came across this and wondered why it was called the New Brin Threatre (sic) when it dawned on me that it hadn't been open that long, as of the date of this ad.  So I went back and found the following account of its opening on Christmas Day, 1928:

December 26, 1928, Appleton Post-Crescent

In my naivete, I never would have thought that this theater's opening on Christmas Day all those years ago would bring out so many curious patrons on this, the most sacred of the holidays.  In thinking of the past, I tend to view it as a more conservative time, when stores and businesses were traditionally closed on Sundays and holidays.  But it WAS the Roaring 20's after all, and the old adage of "give the public what they want and they'll show up for it" applies here, I suppose. 

Aspiring Artist

January 19, 1964, Appleton Post-Crescent

The upcoming inauguration had me looking for presidential type connections to Menasha and this is one thing I eventually found.  Of course, JFK has nothing to do with tomorrow's events, save for that fact that he, too, was inaugurated as President!  Of course, due to the preceding year, the late President Kennedy was undoubtedly a popular subject during this time.  Nevertheless, this human interest story about an aspiring artist just reinforces the notion that talent is everywhere, even in our home town.

Ice Thaw

January 18, 1973, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Akin to the recent weather in the Menasha area, this photo from forty-four years ago foretells the inevitable...an eventual thaw that will bring a more welcome spring to the valley. 

You Are Cordially Invited....

January 13, 1961, Appleton Post-Crescent

Over time, there have been mergers and acquisitions to this entity, but the Laemmrich tradition continues to this day in Menasha.  And the facility looks largely the same, as in this 1961 celebration of its expansion.

Midwest? Yes, But....

This latest postcard find showcases the Menasha lock, though it is attributed to the elusive Menasha, Minnesota!  Methinks the publisher of said image needed a lesson in geography, way back in the early 1900's. 

A New Modern Machine

January 13, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

Here's another in our continuing series of business promos disguised as news stories.  Gunderson's shows off its 1960-ish state-of-the-art dry cleaning machine.  As I've stated before, this is one of the few remaining Main Street businesses from my childhood. 

Just Sugar

January 29, 1962, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Malicious mischief was no friend to the Twin Cities in '62. Today, this would be seen as an act of terrorism.  Hopefully, this guy's cry for help would be answered and he got the help he needed; I never found any follow-up information about the case. 

 January 30, 1962, Appleton Post-Crescent  ·

Winnebago Rapids

from: Wisconsin: Its Geography, and Topography, History, Geology, and Mineralogy, Increase Allen Lapham; Milwaukee: I.A. Hopkins, pub (1846)
I've always been fascinated with the early, early days of Menasha.  You can find many refences to Menasha's early days on this blog and in my book.  Nothing highlights the infancy of the town more to me than this passage from the referenced Lapham history above that describes the raw, turbulent river from which so much manufacturing and commerce depended on.  That the river later became the Fox, rather than remaining known as the Neenah still amuses me.  Garlic Island, as mentioned here, lies north of current day Oshkosh and the reference to Clifton...well, that's better known today as High Cliff.   

Chevys Galore

January 10. 1963, Appleton Post-Crescent

Just before the dawn of 1960's car culture, comes these models. Except for the Corvette and the novelty of the rear engine Corvair, these were pretty bland 1950-ish family models.  The era of muscle cars coming a few years down the road fed into the trendy irreverence of the '60s counterculture. In an era of "do-your-own-thing" and pop art, mod fashions and longer hair, automakers would soon find creative ways to relate to this market.

Ecological First

February 23, 1974, N-M Daily Northwestern

We first visited this treatment plant in September:  http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2016/09/treatment-plant.html.  To me, the advertisement comes across like a bit much of tooting one's horn to mitigate controversy before it develops.  But whether or not it was good for the community, I'll let you be the judge. 

National Contest

January 23, 1970, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Somehow this escaped me the first time, but if I had known a few years earlier about this contest, I would have been all over it.  For all the comic books I read as a kid, it would have been common knowledge to me, as Revell was a major advertiser in those books.  But approaching the age of fifteen, I had put comics aside in an attempt to be more grown up. You'd think I would have glanced at the newspaper now and then. But just think, me with a real space suit....

Day and Night

November 21, 1968, N-M Daily Northwestern

I remember this business; I believe it was run out of the old Skelly gas station across from the post office, one of many businesses that went through that location like a revolving door.  That blurb about the automatic breathing apparatus sounds like something for undersea divers. 

A Never-Ending Chore

December 28, 1973, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

About once a year, I get nostalgic and miss the snow.  Then I see photos like this and give thanks I live in the South!  Granted, what's pictured here is nothing.  But believe me, even with that amount of snow, my town would literally shut down for days!  I've lived here 21 years and I've seen it happen several times. 

On the Move

December 27, 1975, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Yet another "slice of life" in the ol' town kind of picture the newspapers print now and again.  This time of year, it's a typical fit to see such activities portrayed in the media, though I suspect things are now a bit more modern than this photo portrays.  In an age that features GPS and sonar detectors, just sitting and waiting for fish to swim by seems like an ancient pastime.  But before such technology, as these pictured fishermen illustrate, you often had to just use your gut instincts way back when, or follow the crowd.

Happy New Year!

December 30, 1974, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Happy New Year from 1975, to include four area funeral homes, among other area businesses, many of which don't even exist anymore.  While no one looks forward to using their services, they are good neighbors nevertheless and join in the holiday wishing fun.