Wisconsin 101

An Iron Kinship: Abraham Darby and William Aylward Sr.

In 1872, William Aylward Sr. combined air, coal, and iron ore to produce his first plowshares and other agricultural implements.[1] The founder of what would become the Neenah Foundry followed a process developed by an English man named Abraham Darby more than…

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September 29, 2021

Object Histories / Neenah / Industry / Wisconsin Made / Manufacturing & Trade / Winnebago County / 1987-2011 / Region 5 - Center East / Neenah Foundry Manhole Cover

OBJECT HISTORY: Neenah Foundry Manhole Cover

Since opening in 1904, the Neenah Foundry has earned a worldwide reputation for producing manhole covers. Manhole covers are removable lids fitted for tunnels large enough for people to access underground sewer and storm water systems. Made from strong and long-lasting cast…

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September 29, 2021

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Brown County / Green Bay / Art & Design / Education / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / Politics & Government / 1965-1987 / Society & Religion / Region 5 - Center East / The Land of the Freed-up Woman

Marge Engelman and Equal Opportunity at UW-Green Bay

In the 1940s, it was rare for young women like Marge Engelman to pursue higher education. Having grown up in Illinois on her parents’ farm, Engelman was pressured by her father to stay on the family farm and to marry a farmer. In…

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August 19, 2021

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: <i>The Land of the Freed-up Woman</i>

Brown County / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Green Bay / Art & Design / Object Histories / Ethnicity & Identity / 1965-1987 / Society & Religion / Region 5 - Center East / The Land of the Freed-up Woman

OBJECT HISTORY: The Land of the Freed-up Woman

Marge Engelman’s The Land of the Freed-Up Woman embodies 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 her artwork transformed the recognizable flag into a message…

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August 19, 2021

Appleton / Home Furnishings / Science & Technology / Related Stories / Everyday Life / 1877-1900 / Outagamie County / Science & Medicine / Region 5 - Center East / Hearthstone House Chandelier

The Hearthstone House and Electricity to Wisconsin

Built in 1882, the Hearthstone House operated using the first system of central electricity designed by Thomas Edison and it was the first private residence in the nation powered through hydroelectricity. The house was originally known as the Henry J. Rogers House,…

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June 7, 2021

Appleton / Home Furnishings / Object Histories / Everyday Life / 1877-1900 / Outagamie County / Science & Medicine / Region 5 - Center East / Hearthstone House Chandelier

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 electric lights with the same general components…

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June 7, 2021