Merry Christmas Wishes

December 24, 1966, Appleton Post-Crescent

Christmas wishes come in all shapes and sizes when it comes to the Fox Valley's businesses and merchants, at least in 1966.  And here's one more Christmas wish, from me, to you.  May the blessings of the season be upon you and your families.  My thanks to you for your interest and support of this blog throughout the year.  Merry Christmas.  I'll be back after the New Year.

Buy Them Fresh for the Holidays

December 14, 1962, Oshkosh Northwestern

As we wind towards Christmas, here's another advertisement to get you in the mood.  Model Bakery was located on Main Street next door to the Ace Bar and filled the space of the former A&P.

Received Payment

Another "found" artifact associated with the ol' home town.  John B. Stitgen was the proprietor of the Hotel Menasha until 1920.  

This envelope is reminiscent of so many other documents of the 19th/early 20th century, with elaborate logos and that blocky style print you only see now on currency and old stock certificates.  

Racine at Main

From about 1980, we look towards Racine and Main Streets, from the vantage point of the corner of Broad and Racine.  Nothing remarkable about this photo, other than the fact that this area never gets the photo play that Main Street gets.  On the extreme left edge is the Racine Street bridge.  The last building on the right, before you turn right to enter Main Street is the old Loescher Hardware, which, over the years, later became Menasha Bike and Toy, Anderson's Coins and Novelties, and currently is a part of Club Liquors.  The other buildings in the photo have been a carousel of businesses over the years as well, but the one constant was usually a tavern at the location marked by the Schlitz sign. 

A Sparkling List of Gifts

December 10, 1967, Appleton Post-Crescent

With Christmas Club checks in the mail, what better time than now to get started on all your holiday shopping? 

Brin Christmas Party

 December 26, 1967 N-M Northwestern

What joy it must have been for these kids to have received these bikes at Christmas time!  It's bordering on quoting clichés to mention this, but it is so easy to lose sight of the real spirit of giving at this time of year.  The writer of this caption had it right, in capturing the magic of that party for these two little ones.

Drainer Bottoms

Here is an 1890's era advertising card from the Menasha Wood Split Pulley Company.  As we all know, Menasha had a long history of manufacture using wood, originally making chairs and other wooden ware- barrels and pails.  Eventually other firms used wood to make paper and paper products.  And of course, wood split pulleys from this company.  While not sexy products as Detroit's cars or Hollywood's movies, seemingly mundane items like this nevertheless fueled Menasha’s economy and helped broaden its companies' product lines.