I received one of the coolest Easter gifts ever last Sunday. We had the whole family up for dinner at our home, and my father-in-law says, "come out to the car and help me with something." First he hands me a small, glass tabletop and then the big surprise. He pulls out a 1962 Civil Defense… Continue reading My Easter Basket
Tag: Shelter
The Neenah Shelter
This past Wednesday was a big day for our exhibition. The local news stations came to stories, and since then the story has gone national! How exciting that the exhibit is starting to pick up that kind of attention. I had my first appearance on television as well. It is amazing how USA Today, Huffington… Continue reading The Neenah Shelter
Take Cover Neenah! My First History Exhibit Project
As May approaches the opening day of Take Cover Neenah! exhibit at the Neenah Historical Society gets closer! It has been a great opportunity to work with fellow historians to assemble an amazing exhibit about Cold War history in the United State and in Neenah, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Humanities Council awarded a grant to the historical society to help fund the… Continue reading Take Cover Neenah! My First History Exhibit Project
Going Underground…What Would You Bring?
Imagine a world where you live in constant fear of being annihilated by nuclear weapons. You are going about your day, and in the late afternoon the neighborhood sirens blast, your radio and TV switched to emergency messages saying terrorists are launching a nuclear attack on the United States. You have 15 minutes before the bomb hits,… Continue reading Going Underground…What Would You Bring?
Taking Shelter at UW-Oshkosh
Most universities have procedures in place for just about any emergency event. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh's emergency information can be found in the Emergency Procedures Guide (EPG). It outlines almost any emergency procedure that could happen on campus or the surrounding area. Two emergency categories that seem very extreme, but also very relevant to our… Continue reading Taking Shelter at UW-Oshkosh
Blast From the Past
My recent work on historical projects related to Civil Defense and the Cold War era are strikingly similar to the events unfolding in North Korea. According to USA Today, North Korea is planning to launch a multi-stage rocket that is capable of carrying nuclear warheads. CNN reports that North Korean officials stated that the missile… Continue reading Blast From the Past
Wisconsin Civil Defense
Wisconsin civil defense unofficially began on August 29, 1950, by the order of Governor Oscar Rennebohm.[i] The formal incorporation of the Wisconsin Office of Civil Defense was through the passage of the Act 433, Laws of 1951. By the time Wisconsin formally organized its state organization, the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) had already been… Continue reading Wisconsin Civil Defense
Austin M. Frederick 