About 6 years ago I had the opportunity to acquire an awesome piece of AC history that I couldn't pass up. We restored a Farmall M for an implement dealership, and the gentleman who set up the restoration said he had a piece of Allis-Chalmers history I might be interested in. He showed me these… Continue reading AC Drafting Table
Blog Posts
WAW Infographic
West Allis Works Building Directory
I've assembled a list of the buildings at the WAW that I was able to find. A big thanks to the West Allis Historical Society! If you have not been to the West Allis Historical Society, I highly recommend you pay them a visit to see more of their AC collection.
Intercity Rail Through the Fox Valley?
It has been over 40 years since the last passenger train roared down the rails in the Fox Valley. The Chicago & North Western's 400s were among the last to offer intercity rail service between Chicago, Milwaukee, and Green Bay. The popularity of the automobiles and airlines put rail travel in peril. Private railroad companies had to cut back or discontinue passenger rail… Continue reading Intercity Rail Through the Fox Valley?
Better By Design: A Century of Allis-Chalmers Tractors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HlYucCMCQw Wow, what a fun experience speaking at the West Allis Historical Society fall banquet about Allis-Chalmers tractors. I met a few people with some great stories about the company. I had a great time preparing my presentation and sharing it. So, I thought ahead and recorded the event for you, my follower, to hear. I also linked… Continue reading Better By Design: A Century of Allis-Chalmers Tractors
Speaking Event
I have a big talk coming up in 2 weeks! The West Allis Historical Society contacted me about a month ago about giving a talk about Allis-Chalmers tractors at the fall banquet. How could I turn it down?! What an honor to go to the city named after the company that was its center and… Continue reading Speaking Event
A Look Back : Postcards of Oshkosh | OSHKOSH PUBLIC LIBRARY
For those of you interested in Oshkosh history, here is a cool talk coming up this Wednesday at the library! A Look Back : Postcards of OshkoshA Look Back : Postcards of Oshkosh presented by Ron MetzWednesday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Lower level meeting room.Ron Metz of the Oshkosh Memorabilia Club shares a slice… Continue reading A Look Back : Postcards of Oshkosh | OSHKOSH PUBLIC LIBRARY
New Blog
My wife and I are teaming up to document the work on our home. I thought I would post on this blog, but decided to dedicate a blog just to the house. Earlier this year we bought a 1921 Craftsman home, and now we have some work cut out for us. I don't want to give… Continue reading New Blog
Book Review
I know it's been a while since my last post, but I am going to try to pick up the pace as fall sets in. I thought I would write a short review on a book I just finished. John Gurda is one of my favorite historians. He has some spectacular history books about Milwaukee.… Continue reading Book Review
Pioneer Power- Chapter 1
I recently acquired a book published by Allis-Chalmers in 1942. This book covers the history of the firm and products since 1847. Instead of scanning this book, which could damage it, I will transcribe each chapter in a series of blog posts. Forward: The following pages tell a story about this company's growth that covers… Continue reading Pioneer Power- Chapter 1
The Weekend Historian 