Wisconsin 101

UW-Eau Claire & The Council Oak Tree

Oak Trees have been regarded for centuries as a symbol of strength, moral, and knowledge, and throughout history have been represented in different mythologies to show these attributes. And for the original Council Oak Tree, grown in Eau Claire, it also held…

0 Comments

October 5, 2021

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: Council Oak Tree Bench

The Historic Council Oak Tree Bench housed in the McIntyre Library on UW Eau Claire's campus. Photo courtesy of Greg Kocken.

Eau Claire / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Object Histories / Ethnicity & Identity / Eau Claire County / Nature & Environment / Region 3 - Center West / 1980-2000 / 2000-2020 / Council Oak Tree

OBJECT HISTORY: Council Oak Tree Bench

Dating from the early 1800’s, the Council Oak Tree, planted in Eau Claire stood for over 150 years with little to no disturbance. However, on July 10, 1966, a summer storm blew through the city and lightning struck the tree, leaving a…

0 Comments

October 1, 2021

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Grafton / Object Histories / Ozaukee County / 1840-1860 / Paramount Records 78 / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / Region 8 - South East

OBJECT HISTORY: Paramount Records Power Wheel

Located near the heart of Grafton, WI, a rusted power wheel sits on the steep west bank of the Milwaukee River. Despite its corroded appearance, this metal device once powered an entire factory responsible for pressing popular shellac records. The history of…

0 Comments

December 29, 2020

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: Beaver Felt Hat

Image courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

1600-1800 / Clothing & Fashion / Curators' Favorites / Global Connections / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment

OBJECT HISTORY: Beaver Felt Hat

The beaver felt hat was one of the main reasons for the success of the fur trade in northern states, such as Wisconsin, and in Canada. But why was this hat more popular than others? Clothing allows for people to choose their…

0 Comments

October 6, 2020

Wisconsin Bicycle Tourism

M.C. Rotier, the publisher and editor of The Pneumatic, a Wisconsin periodical and trade journal dedicated to bicycles in the 1890s, called bicycling “the most independent, healthful, rapid, and convenient mode of travel” in the nineteenth century.[1] Rotier, a leading bicycle advocate…

0 Comments

September 24, 2020

Pre-1600 / La Farge / Education / Ethnicity & Identity / Related Stories / Vernon County / Nature & Environment / Politics, Society & Government / Region 6 - South West / A Dam Tower in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve

Wisconsin’s Ancient History in the Kickapoo Valley

If you look closely, the landscapes around us tell stories about the past. Sometimes in the curve of a road, a line of trees, or stretch of prairie careful observers can find evidence of the people and animals that used to call…

0 Comments

September 24, 2020