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

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

Madison / Dane County / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / Society & Religion / 1965-1987 / Region 7 - South Center / The Land of the Freed-up Woman

Wisconsin’s Feminist Leaders and the National Organization for Women

In the early nineteen sixties, American women organized in pursuit of socio-political change and gender equality. In Wisconsin, women challenged inequitable policies and societal norms by organizing the Wisconsin Commission on the Status for Women and participating in the National Organization for Women…

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August 19, 2021

La Crosse / Industry / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / 1848-1877 / Global Connections / 1877-1900 / 1900-1918 / La Crosse County / Manufacturing & Trade / Region 3 - Center West / King Gambrinus Statues of LaCrosse

The Heileman Family: A German Immigration Story

The G. Heileman Brewing Company is often remembered by historians as the vision of the two ambitious men who founded the brewery in La Crosse, Wisconsin. At the height of its popularity in 1983, Heileman’s was the fourth largest brewery in the…

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August 17, 2021

Art & Design / La Crosse / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Industry / Object Histories / Ethnicity & Identity / Global Connections / La Crosse County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / 1965-1987 / Region 3 - Center West / King Gambrinus Statues of LaCrosse

OBJECT HISTORY: King Gambrinus Statues of La Crosse

The King Gambrinus statue located in La Crosse, Wisconsin depicts the king of beer and brewing.[1] The origins of the statue, specifically its sculptor and construction date, are unknown. Weighing in at approximately 2,000 pounds, this concrete statue is 15 feet tall.…

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August 17, 2021

Indigenous Wisconsin / Aztalan / Object Histories / Pre-1787 / Ethnicity & Identity / Clothing, Apparel & Fashion / Everyday Life / Jefferson County / Region 7 - South Center

OBJECT HISTORY: Aztalan Copper Maskettes

Aztalan Copper Maskettes, 1000-1200 AD. Courtesy: Milwaukee Public Museum Found at the Aztalan archaeological site in southeastern Wisconsin, these small copper artifacts were most likely used as ornate jewelry.[1] Specifically, Mississipian people likely wore the mask-shaped copper designs as earrings. Although Native…

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December 18, 2020

Madeline Island / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Indigenous Wisconsin / Art & Design / Object Histories / 1787-1848 / Ethnicity & Identity / Bayfield County / Region 1 - North West / Politics & Government / Society & Religion / Ojibwe Presentation Pipe

OBJECT HISTORY: Ojibwe Presentation Pipe

This Ojibwe presentation pipe consists of two pieces: a pipe bowl and a pipe stem. It was most likely for spiritual ceremonies. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the pipe bowl is carved from heavy stone, and has two common images to…

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November 17, 2020