New Year's Preparations

December 30, 1939, Menasha Record

Eighty years ago, the Menasha community collectively got itself ready for its New Year's celebration.  Many shops were available for purchase of beverages of a certain type, or if that didn't meet your needs, dance bands were holding court at various venues across the valley. 

Community Greetings!

December 23, 1944, Appleton Post-Crescent

A small leftover from Christmas I forgot to post.  However, with the coming of the New Year, this array will do double duty as it is a favorite of the blog to portray local businesses at such a time and provide well wishes for the holiday season, which, of course DOES include the New Year.  In this case, we journey back to 1944 and World War II.  Menasha has seen its finest gone to serve for several years now, but in a year's time, things will be quite different in the ol' town.  

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from me to you.  I am going to take some time off to be with family and enjoy the season. And to finish my shopping!  I hope the last 12 months have been good to you, but if not, my wish is that this holiday season will help you salvage some good of what's left of the year. 

Enjoy your families and your time off.  I will strive myself to remember the real meaning of Christmas, for as someone once told me, if Christmas isn't found in our hearts, if won't be found under a tree. 

I am thankful for you, my dear readers who have kept up with me all these years.  I so greatly appreciate your support, your contributions, and your friendship.  I hope to return to this on December 30th.  Let's set the stage to share some more Menasha memories in 2020.  See you then!

Banta Goes to War

December 22, 1943, The News-Times

Businesses in World War II, especially at Christmas-time, addressed to the public their not having their full-time staffs often and thoroughly.  An example shown above is the Christmas acknowledgement by the George Banta Company, of which my father was an employee.  In a virtual roll call, the firm gave the public an update on the doings (as best it could) of its employees, their whereabouts, etc.  It kept people informed as well as it being a nice shout-out to those workers who had answered the call of Uncle Sam to serve their country.  And at this time of year, they were sorely missed.

Santa, the Dandy

December 1, 1966, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

I guess it was only a matter of time before Santa would succumb to the fashion of the day, in order to be perfectly coiffed for his adoring public.  Or maybe it was always like this and somehow his defenses were let down and he was caught by a wandering paparazzo during this tonsorial procedure.  Needless to say, it wasn't his best moment, but one that most kids will forgive him for.  This blog reporter remembers his own Mom being seen in public with curlers in HER hair and no one was hurt and only a little bit of pride was numbed by the experience, mostly his own.  So, Santa we forgive you this sartorial lapse and understand that you must do what is necessary in order to maintain appearances.  After all, Christmas comes but once each year and we DO want you to be feeling your very best.  Besides, we're told that being polished and groomed DOES make the man.  And Santa, you are SO the man.

Flying In

January 30, 1935, Menasha Record

Amidst all the society page items of dances and garden club committees, a world famous flyer made her way to a podium at the local armory to enchant the audience with stories of her latest solo flight from Hawaii to California.  In a few short years, she will take that ill-fated flight which will make her even more of a legendary figure.  But until then, she will continue to sell out auditoriums nationwide to satisfy a ravenous crowd, eager for tales of adventure.  The folks of Neenah-Menasha were the lucky recipients of her selective appearances.

Thank You, Santa!

December 13, 1968, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Once again, the jolly old elf proves that he is a timeless presence during the holiday season. Be it any year, the expected reaction to his actions is undoubtedly similar to this.  Every time.  

Bridge Over Navigable Waters

December 7, 1956, Twin City News-Record

What a great idea, but then, every year in the spring, there'd be that announcement in the paper about moving it out of the way so the navigation season could begin. See below.  That was just the way it had to be along the canal.

April 19, 1961, Twin City News-Record

What's Old is New Again

December 1, 1969, Oshkosh Northwestern

As we get ready for the big day, some things are out and some things make a comeback.  Yes, the decorations might change from year to year but one cannot tinker with the timeliness of Santa.  As the young lady above experienced, the kid in all of us never forgets the jolly old elf and what he meant to us in former years.  It is an adult joy to share that memory with our own children, giving us a glimpse into our own pasts.  Ah, Christmas!

Post-Christmas Idyll

December 28, 1954, Appleton Post-Crescent

Okay, so I accelerated things a bit...we're not THAT close to Christmas yet.  But how often do you get a dynamic shot of the Seventh Street playground rink?  

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care....

December 16, 1954, Appleton Post-Crescent

I've heard it said that this is a typical division of labor- Sandy does the heavy lifting, as it were, while dreamy-eyed Gary ponders the existence of Santa, and, having satisfied that requirement, checks on his progress. In the post-World War II decade of plenty, this slice-of-life makes a fine tableau of what those service members were fighting for less than ten years before- home and hearth and a consumerism to counter the lean years leading up to the war.  I am nothing, if not all things Christmas.  You're welcome.

Let's All Chip In For Mother

December 23, 1937, Menasha Record

This clipping contains a multitude of riches for aficionados of Menasha's businesses of the mid-20th century.  From the famous Loescher's Hardware to the Clothes Shop to Walter Bros. Brewing, they had us covered.  I've said it before, but I love how the brewery's phone number was "2!"  If memory serves me, the Hotel Menasha was "1." 

Toyland for Girls and Boys

November 26, 1964, Twin City News-Record

Our look back at 1964 concludes.  I remember so many of these toys.  Who didn't play with an Etch A Sketch or have a spirited game of Monopoly?  I was just disappointed there were no GI Joes, as this was the breakout year for the popular action figure.  

Mass in English?

November 27, 1964, Twin City News-Record

So far, this week has been all about 1964.  Gee there was a lot going on that year.  Among other things- Gulf of Tonkin, Johnson elected, a little thing called The Beatles...Vatican II dictated that celebrants would now incorporate English into the Mass.  Not so surprising for we students at area Catholic schools- we'd been hearing about it for awhile, but I cannot imagine the shock and dismay that regular parishioners must have felt when first encountering this strange intrusion into the traditional Latin Mass.  

Christmas Tree Lane

November 26, 1964, Twin City News-Record

Sure it's Neenah...but we all went there anyway!  And being a grand old man of eight years old in 1964, Colonel Caboose was my guy, and I would have gone anywhere to see him.  We first encountered the Colonel in 2012, shortly after the advent of this blog in conjunction with a little trifle known as the fizz-nik:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/08/fizz-nik-party-with-colonel-caboose.html.  (Read the linked blog post if you don't know what I'm talking about!)

Parking Utopia

November 27, 1964, Twin City News-Record

Here's a rarely seen view of a part of a Menasha downtown that is barely recognizable now.  This is roughly pictured from the current location of Mihm's, looking east towards a parking lot that might be the one next to the current Riverview Plaza building.  The wholescale rerouting of Chute Street and the revamp of Curtis Reed Square project made this photo just a historical footnote to a moment in time, to be sure.

First Grade Pride

November 25, 1964, Twin City News-Record

We're all about Thanksgiving leftovers here at the blog, so it is no surprise that I would bring forward this gem from our file of days gone by.  These kids were more or less contemporaries of mine, maybe a year behind me in school age, so I recognize the clothes and the poses of accomplishment for a job well done.  I don't know if the history lesson stuck with the kids but the turkey might have gotten the job done.  If nothing else, they can thank the ol' blogmaster for resurrecting an art/history hybrid from some fifty-five years ago they can now share with their grandchildren.