It's the Best!

June 16, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

It's the bane of every suburban weekend barbecue master...stained clothes! But it's Gunderson's Sta-Nu process to the rescue!  It helped salvage 1959's grilling season and kept Mr. Joe Average as an upstanding member of his neighborhood social circle.  As The Monkees said in Pleasant Valley Sunday eight years later..."charcoal burnin' everywhere!"

Crime Does Not Pay

June 26, 1959, Appleton Post-Crescent

This Wrightstown resident learned the hard way that when Menasha puts the hammer down, it means business.  One wonders if this crime was done in broad daylight or, perhaps, under cover of darkness after a night of carousing at any of Main Street's finer establishments of that era.  Needless to say, one hopes that he sounded the warning when he returned home that Menasha does not take kindly to outside interlopers assaulting our beautification measures.

Paying Homage

May 26, 1981, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

Here's a step back in time to 1981 and a look at the Memorial Day ceremonies that were held in the Twin Cities.  Then, as now, we pause to reflect on the sacrifices of those who fought and died for our country.

Memorial Day 2018

I repost this every year. 

 

The VFW in 2013 said it well.  I cannot improve on this:

Many Americans have forgotten the true meaning of a holiday that we as veterans hold so close to our hearts. For too many, Memorial Day now signifies nothing more than the start of summer and is celebrated with holiday sales. Trips to the lake and shopping extravaganzas have replaced memorial visits, remembrance ceremonies or simply put, a day to reflect upon all of the luxuries—like freedom—that we as Americans enjoy daily.  

As proud veterans, we know the true meaning of Memorial Day. 

On Memorial Day, we honor our fallen comrades of the United States military in the form of remembrance. And with that, comes a deep sense of appreciation for both their selflessness in protecting the land of the free, and for their sacrifice in ensuring it stays that way. 

Each and every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have given their lives to protect our way of life. While giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, today, we merely attempt our repayment in the form of remembrance. We dedicate this day to them.

As we go about our activities, we should take the opportunity to not only remember the sacrifices of our fallen and mourn their departure, we should celebrate the spirit with which they served and reflect upon their contributions in making America, truly, the land of the free.

The VFW thanks all service members, veterans and their families for their contributions and service to the United States of America.

Summertime Idylls

June 14, 1984, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

July 2, 1985, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

As we wind into the Memorial Day weekend, let's enjoy some nice weather and outdoor activities.  The above photos are from Jefferson Park but recreation can happen anywhere and sometimes, the best places are under our noses and don't require a whole lot of forethought or planning, as represented here. 

 

Let's also remember why we have this holiday in the first place as we give honor and thanks to those who gave their all so we can live the lives we have.  I'll see you next week.

Evelyn

June 22, 1967, Neenah-Menasha Daily Northwestern

We touched a bit upon the history of steamboats in the area last month:  https://menashabook.blogspot.com/2018/04/steamboats-comin.html  Now comes this story of the Evelyn, one of the last steamers on Lake Winnebago, as seen above.  The article below goes into great detail about the new steamer that used the Evelyn's boiler and engines. 

January 14, 1908, Appleton Post-Crescent

Old Habits Die Hard

May 26, 1981 Appleton Post-Crescent

Seeing this reminded me of a story my marketing professor at Oshkosh told in class on day.  He talked about driving north on then-US 41 and seeing a mileage sign that said, "Menasha 9, Neenah 8."  He said it was the only time he ever saw Menasha beat Neenah in anything.  I remember that it got a huge laugh in class that day, but it revealed a stark truth we'd all grown up with.  In a paired name, somebody had to be last, and convention dictates that the established pairing not be tampered with, be it Minneapolis-St. Paul, Hewlett-Packard, or in Neenah's case, Kimberly-Clark.  Of course, the danger is that the secondary partner can be forgotten or dismissed, a la Sears, Roebuck & Company.  I'm sure most people walking around today have no idea there was ever a Roebuck. (Of course, in a little while, Sears may be forgotten too, sadly.) 

I never did find any resolution to this in the newspaper archives.  When I was in the valley a few weeks ago, I recall driving south on 41 and don't believe I saw any Neenah-Menasha signs, but I could be mistaken, especially with the construction and all.  Plus, I've got 60+ years of that mindset to undo.  After all, my latest book was titled Neenah and Menasha: Twin Cities of the Fox Valley and I'm as guilty of this as anybody.