Region 5 – Center East

Broad History / Manitowoc / Military History / 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

Manitowoc / Maritime Industry / Industry / Object Histories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1900-1918 / Manitowoc County / Nature & Environment / Politics & Government / Transportation & Tourism / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

OBJECT HISTORY: Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

Many of us can easily picture a lighthouse in our minds. You may think of a tall structure that’s right along a lake or ocean, illuminating the water and land it protects. Whatever comes to mind, lighthouses have an everlasting cultural presence…

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May 29, 2023

Two Rivers / Education / Related Stories / Global Connections / Manitowoc County / 1918-1945 / Politics & Government / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc's WWII Era Christening Bottle

The Sojourner

During World War II, Americans on the home front searched for ways to become involved in the war effort. Victory gardens, scrap metal drives, and the sale and purchase of war bonds all rose in popularity to support the US military. Certain…

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July 4, 2022

Manitowoc / Military History / Maritime Industry / Industry / Object Histories / Manufacturing & Trade / Manitowoc County / 1918-1945 / Politics & Government / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc's WWII Era Christening Bottle

OBJECT HISTORY: Christening Bottle

Shards of a broken champagne bottle; wrapped in a decorative casing of red, white, and blue fabric; packed with red, white, and blue ribbons inside a 15½” x 5” x 5½” wooden box. This broken bottle was used to christen the USS…

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June 21, 2022

Art & Design / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Industry / Neenah / Related Stories / 1848-1877 / Everyday Life / Manufacturing & Trade / Winnebago County / 1965-1987 / 1987-2011 / Region 5 - Center East / 2011-Today / Neenah Foundry Manhole Cover

Manhole Cover Designs and Contemporary Aesthetics

Over the past 45 years, there has been a growing worldwide fascination and appreciation for the beauty and craftsmanship of manhole covers. Some enthusiasts even created a subreddit aptly titled, Manhole Porn: Sewer covers in all their glory!, celebrating this ubiquitous iron…

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September 29, 2021

Neenah / Industry / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Winnebago County / Region 5 - Center East / Neenah Foundry Manhole Cover

From the Fox River Valley to the Windy City: The Roaring Twenties and the Neenah Foundry

The 1920s began with significant economic prosperity and an emphasis on social and culturally rich energy with an influx of jazz, Art-Deco, telephones, film, and radio in cities like Chicago, IL. With the City of Chicago flourishing, The Neenah Foundry of the…

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September 29, 2021