A New Use

March 25, 1984, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern

More research from yesterday's blog post about Dura Products and its connection with the old Menasha Wood Split Pulley Company revealed this beauty- a use of old technology, repurposed for a new era.  Plus, a great explanation of how wood split pulleys were a mainstay in the industrial revolution.

A Connection to the Past

August 28, 1978, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

My friend Steve Krueger recently made the following announcement in Facebook:

During the month of August there will be a historical display in the Elisha D. Smith Public Library showing the Menasha Wood Split Pulley Company. This will be a joint effort between Stan Sevenich and Steve Krueger to have artifacts from both private collections on display, which will include a variety of pulleys from the factory, advertisements, sale cards. invoices, and a cool history lesson on the company. 

In my own research, I found this interesting item, that the pulley company was sold to this Neenah firm which is still in business today.  Their business focus might have changed, but to think that there is a link to this past iconic firm still extent in the business world today is fascinating.

Hidde Retirement

July 10, 1985, Twin City News-Record

Mr. Hidde was a mainstay downtown for many years, 44 to be exact.  His pharmacy was prime real estate, right near the traffic light at Main and Mill Streets, right next to the present Lemon Loves Lime, if memory serves me correctly.  As a boy, I used to ride my Schwinn stingray bike to the Broad Street alley behind the store, walk in the back door and pay the phone bill there, of all things.  Mom told me it was wasteful to mail it in and use what was then, a 6 cent stamp, but I knew the real reason- she just wanted to keep me busy.

Courtesy Counts

June 24, 1966, Appleton Post-Crescent

Would there even be such a completion today if that mall still existed?  Standards of service and courtesy have undoubtedly changed over the course of the last fifty years, though some degrees of civility must still apply.  The background in this photo features the Valley Fair central concourse where all the foliage was.  My barber was located on the right side of that central area, just past the Fanny Farmer store.  Boy, I miss that place.

A Happy (and Safe) Fourth!

Happy birthday, America!  Have a happy Fourth of July holiday! 


Along with a cautionary message from your local insurance man:

Be safe!

Telegraph Invention

October 17, 1900, Harrisburg (PA) Telegraph

Invention comes to Menasha.  Not to be undone by inventions that provided notoriety to Menasha with improvements for paper making and the like, Mr. Landgraf provides a silent receiver for the telegraph, with applications for deaf use as well.  In association with the American Novelty Company of Milwaukee, Landgraf assigned the market rights to the firm for one year with royalty and planned to submit patents to Canada, England, and Germany as well depending upon the outcome of this relationship. 

At first notion, I assumed George was related to Valentine Landgraf, hotel proprietor for the hotel that sat on the grounds of the present Brin building for forty plus years, but my research has not yielded a positive outcome to this idea.  I DO know he is not Valentine's son, as his obituary reports his only son's name was Alex.  I shall continue to research, unless someone comes forward with info I do not possess.

A Tale of Desire...and Beer

July 14, 1900, Appleton Crescent

With events that seem as if they could have been the inspiration for the movie, The Postman Always Rings Twice, comes this tale of desire, punctuated with actions that certainly, for that era, qualified as a crime of passion.  Even in the perceived mundane environs of the Fox Valley, emotions and passions could run high.