Wisconsin 101

Early Fishing in Northern Door County: Before the Turn of the 20th Century

The impact of the fishing industry on Door County cannot be understated, as it held the keys for the original formation of the County and many of its cities and villages. Although commercial fishing has waned, the tradition persists in area as…

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April 10, 2024

Milwaukee County / Wauwatosa / Related Stories / Everyday Life / 1877-1900 / 1900-1918 / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Region 8 - South East / Lefeber Glass Plate Negatives

Wauwatosa’s Lefeber Brothers Department Store

“A clerk had to show Mother each item. She retrieved a pair of folded silk stockings and carefully inserted her hand to show how the color looked against the skin.”--Jean Lobe, from her memoir recounting her experiences growing up in Wauwatosa in…

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January 25, 2024

Dairy Industry / Agriculture / Industry / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Society & Religion / National Guard Nightstick

The Wisconsin Milk Strikes of 1933

As the effects of the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the Great Depression rippled through the United States, many working-class Americans felt the economic impacts, including Wisconsin’s farmers. Midwestern farmers were already suffering even before the Depression, and since Wisconsin served as…

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June 27, 2023

Shawano / Agriculture / Food & Cooking / Industry / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Region 2 - North East / Politics & Government / Shawano County / National Guard Nightstick

The Consolidated Badger Cooperative and the Shawano Milk Strike of May 1933

In the aftermath of the 1929 Wall Street Market Crash and the subsequent Great Depression, Wisconsin farmers struggled to meet the costs of production associated with dairy commodities. As a tool to improve their standard of living, some of Wisconsin’s farmers turned…

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June 27, 2023

Agriculture / Shawano / Object Histories / Industry / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Region 2 - North East / Society & Religion / Shawano County / National Guard Nightstick

OBJECT HISTORY: National Guard Nightstick

In mid-May 1933, battles, clashes, and strikes erupted throughout Wisconsin. The catalyst? Milk. On the orders of Governor Albert G. Schmedeman and Adjunct General Ralph M. Immell, an army of 600 National Guardsmen, 800 special deputies, and local law enforcement marched into…

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June 27, 2023

Broad History / Military History / Manitowoc / Industry / Maritime Industry / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / Manitowoc County / Nature & Environment / Politics & Government / Region 5 - Center East / Transportation & Tourism / Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

Manitowoc’s Maritime Identity

The city of Manitowoc has been deeply shaped by its maritime industry. Located directly on the shores of Lake Michigan, Manitowoc’s identity is intimately tied to the Great Lakes. Manitowoc utilized the access to Lake Michigan to build an economy fueled by…

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May 29, 2023