A blog which supplements my two books, Menasha, and Neenah and Menasha: Twin Cities of the Fox Valley
Pages
Downtown 1958
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
A Study in Black and White
December 29, 1969, Appleton Post-Crescent
Like silhouettes against a vast expanse of white, Jefferson Park gives this day in 1969 to us an interesting study in light and dark, in perspective, and also in minimalism as Mother Nature does her usual thing. I've often heard that the simplest things can be the most interesting, or most pleasurable. When it comes to art, less is often best.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Happiest New Year
Monday, December 28, 2020
"Tapespondents"
Friday, December 18, 2020
Yes, Virginia....
December 24, 1935, Menasha Record
Thursday, December 17, 2020
Story of Christmas
December 23, 1964, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
A more traditional Christmas play was the subject of Menasha High's theater department this day in 1964. Today, such a display might not ever happen due to political correctness and the fear of offending the non-believers. But back in this day, it was still okay and MHS seniors did their utmost to put on a rousing and, I'm sure, a touching show.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Christmas City of the Valley
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Sing Nowell!
December 23, 1943, Appleton Post-Crescent
I must admit, I wasn't aware of this show as a Christmas favorite. But I did a little research and learned that it is based on traditional Anglo-American songs and carols. Purportedly, the show always features two aspects of the season: the familiar Christmas story as recounted in the New Testament, and the visiting customs involving gift-giving, performing dances and plays, and sharing food and drink with neighbors and family. I'm sure their fathers, serving all over the world during the war, were justifiably proud to receive this photo clipped out of the newspaper and included in a welcome letter from home.
Monday, December 14, 2020
A Variety of Savings
Friday, December 11, 2020
Satisfied
December 18, 1958, Twin City News-Record
The Menasha Rotary Club couldn't have asked for a better result from their pre-Christmas dinner according to this roving reporter. Children reap the magic of the season and it surely was evident that day, if little Eugene Johnson was to be believed.
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Christmas Spruce Up
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Closing Early
December 24, 1941, Appleton Post-Crescent
I'm assuming Ralph meant 10 pm on Christmas Eve, though that isn't specifically stated. And nice to know we could still rely on him for Christmas Day libations in case we ran out. Seventeen days earlier, we declared war on Japan after the disastrous Pearl Harbor attack; maybe Ralph knew how much we needed a stiff drink. The blog first visited Ralph's way back in 2012: https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2012/11/ralphs-beer-depot.html.
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Time for Change
Monday, December 7, 2020
Not Too Late
Friday, December 4, 2020
Whew!
December 20, 1948, Menasha Record
Either Santa has asbestos underpants or he really DOES have magical powers! Assuming he DID come down the chimney, that kid who seems to be warming his hands is darned lucky Santa didn't skip his house altogether! I'm too young to remember the Menasha Record, but I DO recall Christmas Seals and similar illustrations on the front pages of the Post-Crescent or Northwestern newspapers.
Thursday, December 3, 2020
A One-Two Christmas Punch
Wednesday, December 2, 2020
The Sign of Flavor
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Avalon Cafe Bar
We've visited the Avalon a couple of times in the past. The links below reference those posts, in 2013 and 2016. To refresh your memory, the Avalon sat next to the rear of the Bank of Menasha on Main Street. In the early 1960's, the property was sold to one Fred Thurston and his partner who turned the bar into something called The Left Guard. You might have heard of it.
Monday, November 30, 2020
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Downtown Dinner
November 29, 1922, Menasha Record
Above...the menu for Thanksgiving at the Hotel Menasha. I must admit, despite my advanced age and my growing up in Wisconsin, I was still totally unaware of the famed "Watertown Goose," as presented by the hotel that day in 1922. The geese were somewhat unique, in that they were filled with German noodles instead of a breaded stuffing. My research found that since the late 19th century, the geese were raised and prepared in Watertown, Wisconsin and found their way to the tables of wealthy people in the east- New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other eastern cities usually purchased the bulk of them. Orders were placed weeks and even months in advance and some wealthy families had standing orders from year to year to be certain of getting them. Over the years, the idea fell out of favor, both due to labor intensity plus animal rights concerns and by the 1950's, only one farm in Watertown still produced the birds. But this link to the Watertown Historical Society tells much more about the geese than I could ever tell: http://www.watertownhistory.org/articles/stuffedgeese.htm. It's always fun to learn something new.
I'm taking a little time off over Thanksgiving, so I'll see you next week! Enjoy whatever time you can carve out with your loved ones, be it in person or via technology. But please keep yourself and them safe. Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Dressed for Dinner
Monday, November 23, 2020
Good for Our Souls
Friday, November 20, 2020
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Thursday, November 19, 2020
A Horrible Tragedy
March 31, 1999, Appleton Post-Crescent
As disclosed yesterday, avid voter Mr. Brezinski survived a horrible, tragic accident earlier in his life. Today, we reveal the terrible story of that fateful night in 1911. His life, and those of so many others, would never be the same. Thankfully, the version I provided above lacks a lot of the lurid details that newspapers of 1911 didn't mind putting in. I had difficulty envisioning the site of the accident until I found the diagram below. The location is a few blocks south of Winneconne Avenue in Neenah.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Long Time Voter
November 4, 1980, Twin City News-Record
Mr. Brezinski was a dedicated voter, year after year, never failing. No excuse was great enough to keep him from the polls. And yes, he DID vote in the 1984 election. Within this article you will find another interesting fact, about how he survived that infamous hayride-train collision in 1911. Most do not not know of this tragedy, but more on that tomorrow.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
"Give a Darn"
Monday, November 16, 2020
Let's Go Shopping!
November 15, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
Fifty-three years ago, Menasha banking customers awaited their Christmas Club checks to begin their holiday shopping. The list of Menasha retailers above brings back pleasant memories, though I find it somewhat humorous that so many "watering holes" were represented. But, as it was a list of places for cashing the checks, we can give a pass to the funeral homes as well!
Friday, November 13, 2020
Dance
November 17, 1971, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
With Thanksgiving so near, we might see more of students' lessons in the history of the holiday, which sometimes led to learning other aspects of life during that time. While I understand we live in a more enlightened era, when cultural appropriation is a major issue, scenes such as this are a rarity today. While we at the blog do recognize this was a different time, we don't disregard the implications of doing this today and make no judgments about the accuracy of any of the above.
Thursday, November 12, 2020
This is How We Do It
November 19, 1974, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
My father also worked on this machine in Banta's bindery department. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to tour the plant, as these students did, but he told me about it many times and I understand it was state-of-the-art for its time. He was proud of what he did.
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Old School Viewing
November 28, 1983, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
Was it not so long ago that Menasha residents lived in a more analog era, before cable, before streaming, before Wi-Fi... where something this huge and monumental was necessary to give us more viewing choices? I know it is hard to believe for the younger blog readers, that there ever was a time such as this, but I am here to testify that it is oh, so true. Imagine having to get out of our chairs to even change a channel, or to adjust the volume. Oh, the horrors.
Monday, November 9, 2020
Rats!
November 5, 1947, Menasha Record
I suppose this is (was) a necessary evil, but I was still startled to see this notice staring me in the face during a cursory look at this edition of the Record. I assumed there had been a significant problem within the city's boundaries to warrant this idea and further research revealed the following from two days' before:
Friday, November 6, 2020
Holiday Values
November 3, 1963, Appleton Post-Crescent
We're entering the holiday shopping season and though times have changed and much of our buying is online, we still like to feature the fabled Valley Fair from time to time. Please examine some of the anachronistic merchandise above, because, after all this IS 1963. Typewriters were THE lifeline of any office, so it made sense to give your kid a "junior" typewriter, readying him or her for that business future. Plus, no home was complete without smoking accessories, to include a nifty elevated ashtray which would have been right at home in the finest hotel lobbies and train station waiting rooms. And that hair dryer...my sister had one like that. (Do they still make those?) Putting all those "dated" devices aside, I cannot let it be ignored that I owned that Big Bruiser wrecker from Grant's. I was a typical boy, engrossed in cars and trucks and all that sort of thing. That is, until 1964 came, bringing G.I. Joe and 1965 which introduced me to comic books, so cars and trucks intrigued me less and less as time went by. But this wrecker truck, coupled with my Texaco Fire Chief pumper truck (which shot real water through the hose, by the way) were so emblematic of my childhood.
Thursday, November 5, 2020
The Walls Come Tumblin' Down
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
Discussing Operations
November 16, 1961, Oshkosh Northwestern
The US Postal Service has gotten a lot of press this election season with so much mail-in and absentee ballot traffic making its way through postal channels. Since its inception in the 18th century, the postal service has enjoyed a well-earned reputation of reliability, trust, and efficiency through the years. And no less important to the USPS are all those letters from America's kids to that jolly old elf this time of year. Postal staff ensure they all get to the right place in a timely manner.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Voting Day
Apologies for yesterday's technical glitch but.,.here it is...Election Day! Today's election has gotten more attention than some in recent years, but let's hearken back 102 years when the big question was, to local voters, ...wet or dry? In a few years, the question would be moot, when an entire country would have mandated Prohibition until the early '30's. But let's see what the Twin City voters chose....
Monday, November 2, 2020
Friday, October 30, 2020
Halloween Fun
October 30, 1980, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern
Let's end this Halloween-themed week while featuring the smallest of revelers, the ones to whom Halloween likely means the most. And while this pandemic is stalling usual efforts to have a great time, let's hope the ingenuity of some of the parents out there can at least salvage some of the Halloween experience while not putting anyone in unnecessary peril. Happy Halloween, everybody!
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Pranks Afoot
October 29, 1890, Oshkosh Northwestern
Halloween was even a thing back in the 1890's, though this article raised several questions in my mind. First of all, what was the local grocer going to do with the beans? Shoot them at offending trick or treaters? And what is a Hibernian? Turns out the Ancient Order of Hibernians was (and still, is) an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be male, Catholic, and either born in Ireland or of Irish descent. And was the devil himself going to make an appearance at their event? And what about these "tick-tacks" that are to be employed? No, it's not the familiar breath mint we now find at checkout counters, but as best as I could find, it was a noisemaker employed to rattle windows and create a scare for the average homeowner. The article below from a Le Roy, Kansas newspaper (some forty years later, mind you) explains the idea in much detail and it looks rather complicated. Needless to say, Halloween promised to be quite the event in 1890. Sadly though, a snow storm hit the area and curtailed activities sooner than desired.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Costume Parade
November 4, 2004, Twin City News-Record
Not so historical, but yet relevant to our Halloween-themed week is this relatively recent (by blog standards) costume parade outside Jefferson Elementary. Participants cross the intersection of Second and Ice Streets, showcasing their carefully designed outfits for this, one of the most important holidays to kids nationwide.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Trick or Treating for a Cause
November 13, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent
Menasha kids prove it isn't just about them as they collect funds during normal trick or treating for a good cause. I remember these containers very well and the whole effort beginning when I was in my prime Halloween years in the 1960's. Undoubtedly, I'm sure many of my contemporaries recall it, too.