Wisconsin 101

Curling’s Growth in Wisconsin

When the Scottish migrated to the United States in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, they brought more with them then just bagpipes; they brought the growth of curling, a winter sport in which the players slide heavy granite blocks across icy terrain…

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June 20, 2024

Broad History / Columbia County / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Lodi / Sports & Games / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / Global Connections / Society & Religion / Region 7 - South Center / Wooden Curling Stone

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

Broad History / Military History / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Dane County / Madison / Sports & Games / Related Stories / 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

Broad History / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Milwaukee / Industry / Milwaukee County / Related Stories / Sports & Games / Manufacturing & Trade / Transportation & Tourism / Region 8 - South East / The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine

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

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Industry / Marathon / Related Stories / Sports & Games / Marathon County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Region 4 - Center / Marathon Brewing Company "Superfine" Beer Bottle

Marathon City Brewing and the Wee Willy Basketball Team

The Marathon City Brewery sponsored local sports teams like the Wee Willy basketball team, originally known as the Catholic Youth Organization Team, which organized in 1936. Though the team temporarily disbanded during World War II, in the mid-1940s, young men from the…

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September 14, 2021