Wisconsin 101

Beyond the Dirt Track: Harley-Davidson Expands to New Markets

“Typical Bikemen of the 1920’s,” Courtesy of the Milwaukee Police Historical Society. Harley-Davidson motorcycles may have had their first exposure on the dirt-track racing circuits of the early 1900s, but their legacy did not end with extreme sports. 1908 marked the Milwaukee…

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June 18, 2022

Region 8 - South East / Related Stories / The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine / Milwaukee County / Milwaukee / 2000-2020 / 2020-2040 / Manufacturing & Trade / Art, Sport & Entertainment / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / 1940-1960 / 1960-1980 / 1980-2000 / Transportation & Tourism

Harley Davidson and Milwaukee

It’s no secret that Harley-Davidson’s history is deeply rooted in Milwaukee. From dealerships to museums, the motorcycle giant serves as a cultural landmark and has become synonymous with the sprawling city. Thus, one may be surprised to learn of its humble beginnings.…

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June 18, 2022

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine

“1909 Harley-Davidson V-twin motor." Courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Archives.

Milwaukee County / Milwaukee / Region 8 - South East / The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine / Manufacturing & Trade / Object Histories / 1900-1920 / Transportation & Tourism

OBJECT HISTORY: The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine

“1909 Harley-Davidson V-twin motor." Courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Archives. When Edward Pennington unveiled the first prototype for what he deemed the “motorcycle” in 1895, inspiration struck the minds of two Milwaukee natives, William Harley and Arthur Davidson. Joined by Arthur’s brother, Walter,…

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June 18, 2022

Portrait of Christopher Latham Sholes posing at a typewriter, n.d., Courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, ID 3218.

Christopher Latham Sholes

Christopher Latham Sholes worked with his brothers at a Green Bay newspaper after having completed a printing internship in 1837, and in 1840 he moved to Kenosha to serve as the owner and publisher of the Southport Telegraph for a number of…

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September 22, 2021

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: Sholes & Glidden Typewriter

Sholes & Glidden typewriter developed by Christopher Latham Sholes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and marketed c. 1874. Courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, ID 1964.31.

Milwaukee County / Sholes and Glidden Typewriter / Milwaukee / Region 8 - South East / Manufacturing & Trade / 1860-1880 / Object Histories / Education / Global Connections

OBJECT HISTORY: Sholes & Glidden Typewriter

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 by trade and Carlos Glidden who was a…

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September 22, 2021

Milwaukee County / Milwaukee / Migrant Worker's Cabin / Region 8 - South East / Art, Sport & Entertainment / 1880-1900 / Object Histories / Ethnicity & Identity

OBJECT HISTORY: Piano and Song Recital Poster

Mr. Raphael Baez, a well-respected violinist, pianist, composer, and music professor, and his wife Mrs. Mary Schoen Baez, a noted vocalist, had performed together in various music halls in the city of Milwaukee since 1889. The Athenaeum, home of the Women’s Club of Wisconsin, had hosted Mr. Baez and his students throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth…

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September 10, 2020