Who could have imagined that Wisconsin was once the leader of the U.S. hemp industry? What started off as an experimental cultivation in 1908 quickly turned into a thriving industry for Wisconsin. First off, I need to clarify a misconception about hemp. Hemp is not Marijuana, and it is not a psychoactive drug. Hemp is… Continue reading The Hemp Empire
Tag: Wisconsin
Guide to the West Allis Works
Here is a souvenir booklet from the Allis-Chalmers West Allis Works circa 1950 (click the photo below).
History at Work
Who ever said work could not be fun?! I work for Winnebago County as a seasonal laborer, and one of the areas our crew has to maintain are the recreational trails in the county (Wiouwash and Mascoutin). Both trails had previously been corridors of the Milwaukee Road and Chicago & North Western railroads. They now serve… Continue reading History at Work
History in Your Neighborhood
There are times I find myself driving through areas of the city or in the country and wondering what these areas used to look like. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard how there was a structure that stood in an area that is now a parking lot, or how a road… Continue reading History in Your Neighborhood
Holt & Balcom Logging Company
This past August my father-in-law planned a trip to the Holt & Balcom Logging Camp near Lakewood, Wisconsin. To my amazement, it is the only logging camp in the United States in its original location and is on the list of National Historic Landmarks. The original building is now surrounded by the McCauslin Brook Golf and Country… Continue reading Holt & Balcom Logging Company
Civil War Weekend
Molly and I made a trip to the Wade House Historic Site, part of the Wisconsin Historical Society, in Greenbush,Wisconsin. The Wade House is an old stagecoach stop built in the 1850s. The Wisconsin Historical Society acquired the historic property in the 1950s and opened it up as a museum. The museum hosts its annual Civil War Weekend on… Continue reading Civil War Weekend
Our Visit to SW Wisconsin
My wife and I made a Saturday trip to some historic locations. I had heard of Stonefield Historic Site in Cassville, Wisconsin, but I was never able to make it down that way to check it out. The museum is very intriguing! It features the Governor Nelson Dewey Home and Farmstead, Wisconsin Agricultural Museum, and the… Continue reading Our Visit to SW Wisconsin
To Live in a Bygone Era
At one point or another we have all said, " I wish I could go back in time." If only it was as easy as jumping into a DeLorean, setting a date of destination, and speeding to 88 mph and zipped into the past. Say for a minute that time travel was possible. The decade I… Continue reading To Live in a Bygone Era
AC Complex Rebuilt
I Found this article in the Milwaukee Journal that talks about the rebuilding of the Allis-Chalmers factory grounds. It seems demolition got underway shortly after the bankruptcy in 1987. The pictures below are more recent pictures of the former West Allis Works. The buildings that are left gives you an idea of just how big this place… Continue reading AC Complex Rebuilt
Hometown AC Ads
Scanning through old newspapers can be a great source of local AC history. I found these local dealership ads in our area newspapers. Check your local library for newspaper microfilms. You can also access some newspapers on Google Newspaper Archive or Newspaper Archive. Addition sources may be available through local historical societies, universities, and libraries.
The Weekend Historian 