Christopher Latham Sholes (1819-1890) had a number of interests, one of which was spending time at Kleinsteuber’s Machine Shop in Milwaukee. While there, he met other tinkerers including Samuel Soule who was a printer …
Objects
OBJECT HISTORY: Marathon Brewing Company “Superfine” Beer bottle
The “Superfine” beer bottle is from the 1940/1950s from the Marathon City Brewing Company. Superfine was one of the many labels produced by Marathon City Brewery over eight decades from 1881 to 1966, featuring names …
OBJECT HISTORY: The Land of the Freed-up Woman
Marge Engelman’s The Land of the Freed-Up Woman materializes the progressive thinking of the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s. Engelman’s decision to use two symbols of womanhood—birth control pills and bras—as the medium for …
OBJECT HISTORY: King Gambrinus Statues of LaCrosse
The King Gambrinus statue located in La Crosse, Wisconsin depicts the eponymous king of beer and brewing.[1] The origins of the statue, specifically its sculptor and construction date are unknown. Weighing in at approximately 2000 …
OBJECT HISTORY: World’s Largest Six-Pack
Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the “World’s Largest Six-Pack” is a popular tourist attraction and landmark structure representative of the city’s renowned brewing history. At 54 feet tall, the six steel storage tanks, shaped and …
OBJECT HISTORY: Frank Lloyd Wright Bench
For over a century, the First Unitarian Society of Madison has been a center for like-minded individuals to share ideas and connect. The Society’s Meeting House was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and stands as …
OBJECT HISTORY: Hearthstone House Chandelier
Known as Edison Light Fixtures, the original lighting fixtures of Appleton’s Hearthstone House, were created by Bergmann and Co., in association with the Edison Company for Isolated Lighting, out of New York. They designed the …
OBJECT HISTORY: Two-sided Spork
The Door County fish boil is a culinary event local to Northern Wisconsin and it involves a few custom tools not found anywhere else. The Master Boiler cooks a meal of fish, potatoes, and vegetables …
OBJECT HISTORY: Paramount Records Power Wheel
Located near the heart of Grafton, a rusted power wheel sits on the steep west bank of the Milwaukee River. Despite its corroded appearance, this metal device once provided power to an entire factory responsible …
OBJECT HISTORY: Aztalan Copper Maskettes
Found at the Aztalan archaeological site in southeastern Wisconsin, these small copper artifacts were most likely used as ornate jewelry.[1] Specifically, Mississipian people likely wore the mask-shaped copper designs as earrings. Although Native Americans seldom …