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.