A Digital Museum Created By You
Wisconsin 101 is a statewide, collaborative project exploring Wisconsin’s diverse, interconnected histories through objects. Learn more.
The Latest Objects and Stories
Jolly Good Soda
What would a Southeastern Wisconsinite grab on a hot summer day in the 1970s and 80s? Jolly Good soda of course! Though you can’t find it on store shelves today, Jolly Good soda was once one of the most popular beverages in the region. This cola flavored can of Jolly Good soda features patriotic colors…
Soo Line Engine #1003
In the second half of the nineteenth century, railroads remade the geography of the Midwest. In an era when roads were often muddy filled with holes, the railroad made it faster to travel from Superior to Milwaukee by rail than from Superior to Ashland by wagon. In Wisconsin, the Chicago and Northwestern, The Milwaukee Road,…
Bark Spud
The bark spud is an iron tool used to remove bark from cut timber. Most bark spuds have a steel head with a hard wooden handle. The head is rounded or dish-shaped and has one cutting edge. The sharp wedge on the end of the bark spud slides between bark and wood on a log…
Tell a Story
Propose an Object: Is there an object connected to WI history that you think someone who write a post about? Let us know!
Choose an Object: Interested in writing a post for us, but haven’t yet found the perfect object? Choose one from this list!
Respond to an Object: Ready to start writing? Find instructions and inspiration for your post.
New Videos On Wi101
MUSEUM MINI TOURS
Find out a bit more about the docents’ favorite objects at Old World Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Historical Museum & download lesson plans for your favorite museums around the state.
Mini tours Lesson plans
In the World & On the Map
“Teaching first-year students Wisconsin history through and with objects allowed for a deep and collaborative investigation of location, identity, and primary source research.”
— Krista Grensavitch, Instructor, UW-Milwaukee