Wisconsin 101

The Lodi Curling Club: 150 Years of Curling

How do you bring leisure and fun to a newly founded city? Build a curling club of course! At least that’s what James Otis Eaton did just over a decade after the small Wisconsin town of Lodi was officially founded in 1869.…

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June 20, 2024

Columbia County / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Lodi / Object Histories / Sports & Games / 1877-1900 / Region 7 - South Center / Wooden Curling Stone

OBJECT HISTORY: Wooden Curling Stone

A stone slides across the ice as millions of people hold their breath. Furiously, two men sweep their brooms across the ice, attempting guide the hurdling block of granite to its destination. The stone slows to a crawl, hovering across the slick…

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June 20, 2024

Art & Design / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Milwaukee County / Object Histories / Wauwatosa / Everyday Life / 1900-1918 / Region 8 - South East / Lefeber Glass Plate Negatives

OBJECT HISTORY: Lefebers’ Glass Plate Negatives

Kodachrome? Fujifilm? Ektachrome? All too modern! We're stepping back more than a century to an era when photographers used glass plates – not film – to capture an image. Glass plate negatives can be professionally restored and digitally scanned. These before-and-after images are…

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January 25, 2024

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Military History / Broad History / Madison / Dane County / Related Stories / Sports & Games / Politics & Government / Box of Chlorinium / Region 7 - South Center

From Fairs to Football Games: A History of Camp Randall

University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium has been through many transformations yet has remained a pillar of statewide community. First put to public use as fairground enjoyed by residents across the state of Wisconsin, the site housed the state’s largest soldier training…

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September 26, 2023

Rhinelander / Hodag Decanter / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Lumber Industry / Related Stories / 1877-1900 / 1900-1918 / Nature & Environment / 1918-1945 / Region 2 - North East / Oneida County

Paul Bunyan and the Hodag

The Hodag and Paul Bunyan folklore are two of the most iconic stories of the American frontier. The Hodag is a mythical creature from the Northwoods that is described as a dragon-like creature with horns, sharp claws, and a spiked tail. Paul…

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May 23, 2023

Rhinelander / Hodag Decanter / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Lumber Industry / Related Stories / 1877-1900 / 1900-1918 / Nature & Environment / 1918-1945 / Region 2 - North East / Oneida County

The Myth of the Hodag in Rhinelander

Rumored to stalk the Northwoods of Wisconsin, the monstrous Hodag is a legendary creature that has captivated the imaginations of locals and visitors alike. With its fearsome appearance and mysterious origins, the Hodag has become a symbol of folklore and intrigue in…

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May 23, 2023