Brighton Beach Idyll

July 5, 1899, Oshkosh Northwestern

"Menasha people" were all inspired to attend the Independence Day celebration at Brighton Beach, to celebrate America's 123rd birthday in 1899.  Nearing the dawn of the 20th century, the country was about to gain superpower status in the world.  The 1898 Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish-American War ceded important Spanish possessions to the United States—notably Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and the small island of Guam. The United States was suddenly a colonial power with overseas dependencies.  The country enjoyed a second industrial revolution, fueled by vast manufacturing capabilities, new inventions, and reliable rail transport.  The US was number one in the world in many aspects and Menasha's manufacturing base was no small component of the country's collective wealth.