April 6, 2017, will mark the 100th anniversary of the United States of America officially entering World War I. The US was hardly prepared to fight a war in 1917. When war was declared, there were only 208,000 men in its standing army--80,000 of them were part of the national guard. Additionally, weapons and munitions were in short… Continue reading Winnebago County’s Gold Stars of WWI
Blog Posts
Archival Organization Project
I've been a board member of the Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological Society here in Oshkosh for the last three years. We have an awesome facility in the old John Morgan house. The Morgans were the founders of one of the reputable sash and door factories back in Oshkosh's heyday of the lumber industry. Our society… Continue reading Archival Organization Project
TIMELESS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSYZJGAGvww (Timeless Trailer from Television Promo) Molly and I were really excited for fall television programming to begin again. The days are short, the nights are cool, and there is nothing better than curling up on the couch for some TV after a hard day at work. Besides Survivor on CBS, we now have another… Continue reading TIMELESS
Winnebago County Courthouses-Part 2
In a previous post I wrote about the establishment of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, and the construction of the county's first courthouse. That first courthouse was a simple, two-story structure constructed in 1849. That building was outgrown shortly after completion, and county officials began discussing a plan to build a new facility. According to one account, court was no longer… Continue reading Winnebago County Courthouses-Part 2
Sunday Evening Reflections
Fall is here again, and soon winter will bring snow. Colder weather means more time to sit down and write--or at least that is my plan. It has been a busy but short summer here at the Frederick house. Molly and I have had quite a few weddings to go to this year, and Molly even stood up… Continue reading Sunday Evening Reflections
Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Every now and then I learn something new about Allis-Chalmers. One of those new tidbits I have recently discovered is the betatron lab the company had at the West Allis Works. Last year I had the opportunity to step inside this old testing lab and see some of the equipment left behind. The machine was essentially… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Betatron Lab
Last Off Line
There are certain objects you can own that give you bragging rights in a community of enthusiasts. Maybe you have a rare painting signed by the artist or a campaign poster signed by a beloved U.S. president. In the Allis-Chalmers tractor community there are a few tractors that come with bragging rights: A prototype tractor, a… Continue reading Last Off Line
Winnebago County Courthouse Preservation: Part I
I've been keeping myself busy these past few months with all sorts of historical projects and am finally getting a chance to blog again. I would say a lot of people out there go to work, put in their time, and punch out at the end of the day. Lately, my line of work has… Continue reading Winnebago County Courthouse Preservation: Part I
Allis-Chalmers Greendale Research Facility
In 1958, Allis-Chalmers announced that it would build a research laboratory for development and testing of nuclear technology. The 30-acre site chosen was a few miles south of West Allis in the village of Greendale, Wisconsin, a planned community built during the Great Depression. The facility consisted of 2 main structures totaling 27,000 square feet* of space for labs, office areas,… Continue reading Allis-Chalmers Greendale Research Facility
Our Adventure in Manitowoc
Molly and I have been suffering from cabin fever like most Wisconsinites this time of year. We decided to hit the road and travel to Manitowoc for some fun. Molly wanted to check out a new yarn store that just opened, and I wanted to visit the Wisconsin Maritime Museum along the lakeshore. We planned… Continue reading Our Adventure in Manitowoc
The Weekend Historian 