3 Exciting Days

July 17, 1962, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

It's that time of the summer when Prospector Days made its mark in the Twin Cities.  Not sure why the sidewalk sale was held on "Maxwell Trail Day," but it merited a name all right.  The newspapers of the time are rife with mentions of this special day.  Dear readers, any ideas what that was all about?  

Early Menasha Indian Life

July 22, 1966, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

Much has been written about Indian life on Doty Island, perhaps to the detriment of valid descriptions of Indian life across the river.  Regardless, Doty Island bears a strong, rich tradition of Indian heritage and gives credence to Bachmann's description of the island as being "a land of milk and honey."  Note: This schematic was originally featured on page 16 of the Menasha book, showcasing the Indian mounds in Smith Park. 

Hi-Fi Components at Mail Order Prices

When this ad appeared in 1958, the space race was all the rage and Sputnik had just been put in orbit in 1957 by the Soviet Union.  The tube with the electrons around it is reminiscent of a satellite and is just perfect for the tenor of the times. As related in earlier posts,Tip-Top would later move to the corner of Third and Racine Streets.

Bowling

Once upon a time, one didn't need to venture far from downtown or the city proper to find relaxation on the alleys.  Of course, in later years, newer venues opened up on Plank Road and off Hwy 47 between Menasha and Appleton.  But in the years before automatic pin setting was routine and before the family recreation center concept was in vogue, small intimate establishments were the norm. 

Love of Printing

July 24, 1963, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

This edition of the Northwestern provides a wonderful synopsis of the origins of the Banta Company, as described by Mr. George Banta, Jr. in his address to a museum.   As a special bonus were all the references to Prospector Days that year. The printing press cited by Mr. Banta was originally featured in this blog post: http://menashabook.blogspot.com/2013/05/banta-press.html.

Pizza

from the 1958 Neenah-Menasha Telephone Directory Yellow Pages

In an era when pizza was still considered novel, pizza reached downtown Menasha in the Tuchscherer's block in the 1950's.  It is said that before the 1940s, pizza consumption was limited mostly to Italian immigrants and their descendants. The big breakthrough came after World War II. Allied troops occupying Italy, discovered the pizzeria and brought the idea back to America.  You can see the Pizza Place's sign in the photo below if you squint really hard:

 

Yesterday's Skyrockets!

July 4, 1965, Appleton Post-Crescent

This Sunday news magazine article provides a detailed and quite entertaining accounting of how Neenah and Menasha showed up Appleton in their 4th of July events way back in 1865.  At least the good citizens of Appleton had alternatives to just sitting home on their porches. 

 

I'm taking the next week off from the blog, so let me wish you a happy and extended holiday weekend! See you back here on July 11th!