Frog Legs and Greyhound Buses

November 20, 1934, Menasha Record

Due to the news that Greyhound bus service suddenly ceased operations to the Fox Valley yesterday, I offer a happier time for the bus line when such travel was more acceptable.  Greyhound was founded in 1914 and quickly became the largest provider of intercity bus transportation in the country.  The bus line had a long presence in northeast Wisconsin. It once had multiple routes a day coming through Appleton and Green Bay, but that has been scaled back considerably in recent years.  When the C&NW ceased operations in 1971, my aunt who lived in Milwaukee and had previously used the train to visit exclusively, then had to rely upon the Greyhound to come up to Menasha.  I always had thought, as a kid, that the train was so much more glamorous than the bus.

Hey Kiddies!

October 29, 1943, Menasha Record

In the midst of World War II, the Brin ensured the kids of Menasha had a good time for Halloween.  You can't go wrong with the King of the Cowboys, Roy Rogers.  Or, for the older set, the midnight show could be fun with spine tingling tales of horror to be shown.  It sounds like it was a blast for all ages! 

Halloween Visitor

October 17, 1966, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Adding a bit of whimsy and frivolity to the fall holiday, these ladies decorated their front yard in fun fashion.  And judging from the residents' names, I suspect this Halloween visitor, if he had an identity at all, was simply known as "John Smith." 

Souvenir Postal Cards

November 1, 1904, Menasha Record

At the height of the post card craze, pre-World War I, and when the best postcards came from Europe (mainly Germany), Menasha's local druggist John Rosch was on it.  For all I know, some of the cards in my collection might have come from his store.  We've spoken a little bit about Mr. Rosch before.  He was a one-term mayor of Menasha (1894) and was said to have been the first druggist to have a soda fountain in the city.  A Democrat, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention several times and even entertained William Jennings Bryan at his home during a speaking engagement in the city. He served on the Menasha school board and was even nominated as the Democratic candidate for the governorship, which he declined.  In 2014, we spoke about his distinctive residence in the blog:  http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2014/06/george-stein-house.html 

January 15, 1887, Saturday Evening Press

Monotype Machine

October 13, 1920, Menasha Record

From its earliest days on Main Street, the Banta Company was devoted to quality printing.  With its then-new location on Ahnaip Street, the company finally had the space to expand its operations and extend its production line, using the most modern equipment available.  Banta, in this ad, showcases some of that technology it was so proud of.

Alien Permits

October 24, 1918, Neenah Daily Times

June 8, 1917, Menasha Record

A while back, I lamented that I hadn't kept us up to date with what Menasha was experiencing during our involvement in World War I as we commemorate 100 years since the war ended.  I first touched upon this particular issue in 2013 after I had located an article about renaming Berlin Street as Paris Street in the midst of World War I.  Evidently, anti-German sentiment had run high enough at the time, despite Menasha's extensive German heritage, to cause this change to be passed by the city council: https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/07/95-years-ago.html  In that blog post, I detailed and showed the identity papers my grandfather had to carry around for the rest of the war, despite having gained his own American citizenship in 1906.  

In researching the war year of 1918, I came across an evolution of the alien registration act, now requiring women to be registered, as evidenced by the first news article.  Of course, one can argue that special times dictate special circumstances and we were at war.  America took its xenophobia to a higher level when it imprisoned Japanese-Americans and their families during World War II.  I'll get off my soapbox now, but I shudder when I see the anti-foreigner biases in this country today and the potential for that.  History often repeats itself. 

New Fire Truck

October 22, 1946, Appleton Post-Crescent

What could be better on a fine Fall afternoon...gathering with friends down by the river, watching the new fire truck in action.  At least for the time being, it beat raking leaves.  

Father Hummel

October 20, 1953, Appleton Post-Crescent

Growing up, I was regaled with stories of this man by my mother.  Even though he had passed on before I was born, Father Hummel had baptized my mother, performed her marriage, and had baptized several of my siblings before I came along.  In that "that was the way it was back then" voice, she told me of how strict he was.  Of course, it was a different era- the Latin Mass was the norm, he expected his students to tow the line, and he did not suffer fools gladly.  But at a time when the parish needed leadership, Father Hummel led St. Mary's through two world wars and the Great Depression.  His life was that of service, and he freely gave his all, as attested to in this article. 

Doty Island Love Letter

November 18, 1979, Appleton Post-Crescent

This is a nice snapshot in time of almost forty years ago when the writer expressed, what I feel were the feelings of many residents, about how they felt about living on Doty Island.  While my own time in Menasha did not include residing on the island, I was, of course, quite familiar with its residents and haunts.  My father worked there, my best friend lived there, I played there.  Crossing the bridges was a no-brainer and one didn't even think of the distinction from "mainland" Menasha.  Yet, as the author says, the island was and is a melting pot of socio-economic classes, of homes, of businesses, of industries.  There is no one typical resident of Doty Island, yet the use of the word "community" seems to sum up its existence; at least it did in 1979.  I suspect it is still true today.  Common ground, indeed.

Playerphones

October 16, 1918, Menasha Record

December 14, 1918, Menasha Record

I was intrigued by these "talking machines" and then I realized it was just a term for record players or phonographs and Playerphone was just a brand name.  Evidently, most phonograph companies used the "phone" or "play" in their names- Gramophone, Qualitiphone, Playonola .  My research even found a trade journal for the industry titled The Talking Machine World, so that phrase was a thing.  Like "horseless carriage" for automobiles, it didn't withstand the sands of time, but just serves as sort of a benchmark for an innovative time when recorded music was all the rage.  In a few short years, network radio would develop and having "wireless sets" (as they were first known) would be the new rage.  Remember when "world wide web" was synonymous for the internet?  Nobody says that anymore either. 

FYI, Mr. Swenson was a jeweler in Menasha at 209 Main Street for about thirty years until his death in 1939.  During this time period, his advertising often suggested watches and other gifts to be sent to the "boys over there," serving in The Great War.  Here's a trade ad for the Playerphone I was able to find.  Sorry it isn't larger and more readable.

Rake Those Leaves

September 30, 1974, Twin City News-Record

Ah, the joys of Autumn!  Raking leaves, falling temperatures, but fun is what you make of it and these kids had the right idea.  Living in the south now, I sometimes get confused about how early fall arrives up north.  (And in a state where the leaves don't really fall until February, it isn't hard!)  But then an article like this jolts me back to reality.  Jumping in leaf piles is as American as Charlie Brown trying in vain to kick the football every season.

Halloween Movies

October 28, 1960, Appleton Post-Crescent

I remember only too well the excitement of the special Halloween shows at the local movie theaters, as well as the regular Saturday matinees that were so affordable and gave Mom and Dad a break from the kiddies.  I'm not sure I would have had the patience to work in one of those theaters with all the craziness of kids running around, but I'm glad someone was able to pull it off.  It was a more innocent time, before all the things we take for granted now came along and took our attention away from those cheesy ghostly effects on a large screen that made us cringe somehow. Those were some days.

A Good Bracer...

October 30, 1905, Menasha Record

An interesting ad for Menasha's own Walter Brothers Beer, featuring a woman.  One would think that ads of this era would not utilize women but surprisingly, that isn't the case.  Around this time, and, undoubtedly, more well-known, Miller High Life introduced its famous "girl in the moon" logo.  But that was mere eye candy for its time.  This ad seems to be marketing the beer to women, instead of just using them as an attractive companion to their beer, as was the wont of brewers for years afterwards.  And though the message is that the beer will be a "tonic" of sorts, to bolster the weak "constitution" that women were shown to have in many, many early ads, it is still noteworthy for a Menasha brewer to do this.

Mystery Photos

October 14, 1939, Neenah-Menasha News-Times

 

October 23, 1939, Menasha Record

 

October 27, 1939, Appleton Post-Crescent

History often presents itself with many unanswered questions and leaves the researcher with unfulfilled frustrations.  This is one of those cases.  How wonderful to be able to view such a treasure trove of pre-World War II photographs, if only one knew if a) it still existed, and b) where it was kept.  The news article implies it is still photographs, even though it is billed as "motion pictures."  I suspect it was still color photos put on film, perhaps with music and narration, again, implied by the phrase "...sound commentated throughout, in much the same manner as other news reels you have seen."  But when it was all over, what happened to it?  Did the Brin keep it and it was lost or forgotten over the years?  Was it given to the local historical society?  Was it kept by Mr. Clayton, the director, or Life Newsreels? It is so frustrating to learn about the existence of such resources but have no idea about whatever happened to them.  Apparently, this was an ongoing thing, as a little more research revealed an article from July 1939 about filming a similar type newsreel in Kokomo, Indiana.  I can see how such a vehicle could be quite the civic morale booster and a thrill to theater patrons to see oneself and one's friends and family on a local big screen.  I just wish we could all share in this thrill, though some eighty years later.

Voting Machine

September 16, 1968, Twin City News-Record

This is a timely piece, as elections are only weeks away.  I recall the first time I saw machines like this was as a small boy, accompanying my mother to Jefferson School so she could vote.  I was intrigued, to say the least, especially by the swipe of that final big lever which cast the vote and simultaneously opened the curtain.  What a marvelous contraption!  So, just get out and vote.  Maybe you'll get a similar thrill, or perhaps some other method will have to do, depending where you live.  But nevertheless, do your civic duty. 

Sweet Spot

October 17, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Be it Halloween items or getting a head start for Christmas, the Menasha Sweet Shop had it all well in hand for the consumer. And the stuffed animals on display were a veritable menagerie of toys to please kids of all ages, to include the owner, Mr. Steidl.  

Fire Safety

October 10, 1975, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

This week is Fire Prevention Week and Menasha firefighters ensured the younger folk of the city knew the ins and outs of fire safety with school visits and demonstrations.   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.  Growing up in the Menasha schools, I'm sure all our readers can recall the inevitable fire drills that October brought.

October 10, 1975, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day, much to the chagrin of many and known to few, save for government workers and bank employees.  Almost from its inception as a recognized American holiday in 1971, newspapers have been calling for its abolition, to include the Post-Crescent in 1972, as represented below.  A popular holiday in the 19th century, the day was commemorated with parades and the like.  But in the wake of American expansionism and manifest destiny thinking, today we are more apt to take a more pragmatic viewpoint and see the observance of this explorer as an affront to the natural peoples of the US and the forcible taking of their lands.  Contrast the article below from 1892 with the editorial from eighty years later.  You, the reader, can make your own conclusions.  But like it or not, there'll still be no mail service today, stock market activity, or banking available in Menasha or elsewhere. 

October 29, 1892, Appleton Post-Crescent

 

October 17, 1972, Appleton Post-Crescent

News From "Over There"

October 24, 1918, Menasha Record

With this being the centennial year of the end of World War I (or "The Great War" as it was once known until World War II came along) I find myself now feeling somewhat regretful that I didn't do more to inform the blog readers as to what Menasha was up to during that time.  The article above is of a letter received from a service member in France during that time.  Of special interest to me was that he had no discernable rank like Private or Sergeant, but maintained the technical title of "Mechanic" which, I learned, came somewhere between Private and Private First Class.  With the draft, special trades and occupations could be accessed into the Army more simply and with no pretense and our correspondent here seems to have fit the bill as a mechanic.  For our non-German speakers, the phrase on the belt buckles he was railing against in his letter translates to "God Is With Us," a trend which was carried over into the Second World War by Nazi Germany and I'm sure raised the ire of our service members then as well. 

Steeple Work

November 1, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I have nothing but the most admiration and awe for anyone who can do what this man did.  I would suffer a thousand paralyzing deaths, and no doubt, inevitable heart failure for being up that high and in such a precarious position.  I'm glad there are such fearless individuals who can do the work most of us would get nightmares from!

Fresh Fryers

October 16, 1957, Appleton Post-Crescent

It's not often I come across a photo of Wanserski's.  It was just a little place on Sixth Street, but their meats were oh so good!  I've extolled the virtues of their meat market in past year's posts, especially the ham salad, my personal favorite.  And though this photo is from 1957, the outside still looked the same as I grew up in the 60s and 70s and undoubtedly quite similar until its demise in the early 2000s.  Why tinker with success?

Where There's Smoke....

September 1, 1977, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Glad there was a still a short-term use for the old ball park before its demise. In retrospect, this might have been a good display for the community the following month when Fire Prevention Week occurs.  But as we all recall growing up, that was when the firefighters would visit schools and put on programs on fire safety for the kids.  Plastic fire hats for everyone!

Traffic Reroute

October 21, 1971, Twin City News-Record

An ordinary scene to be sure, but there's something nostalgic, at least to me, to see those two gas stations operating on Washington Street with the old St. Patrick's Grade School as well.  And check out those gas prices!  Of course, the internet is rife with many tables that translate those perceived cheap prices into today's dollars, so that 34 cents at both stations translates into $2.10 in today's buying power, by the reckoning of one table.  The OPEC gas crisis of 1973 was about two years away so it really was the calm before the storm.