Over the past 45 years, there has been a growing worldwide fascination and appreciation for the beauty and craftsmanship of manhole covers. Some enthusiasts have even created a subreddit aptly titled, Manhole Porn: Sewer covers …
Science & Technology
From the Fox River Valley to the Windy City: The Roaring Twenties and the Neenah Foundry
The 1920s began with economic prosperity, new technologies such as telephones, radio and movies, and important new cultural movements such as jazz and Art Deco. As one of the most rapidly growing cities in America, …
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 …
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 …
Origins of the QWERTY Keyboard
Was QWERTY designed to slow down the typist, or was it a deliberate design for telegraphers? The QWERTY keyboard appeared on the first Remington typewriters produced and sold in 1848.[ii] It is commonly thought that …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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: 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 …