Wisconsin 101

OBJECT HISTORY: Norwegian Trunk

In the 1800s, European immigrants coming to America had to find a way to preserve the objects indispensable to their lives, bringing their most precious belongings on an ocean voyage to a far-away new home. Most families were only able to bring…

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April 6, 2020

Agriculture / Industry / Food & Cooking / Beloit / Related Stories / Everyday Life / Rock County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / 1945-1965 / Science & Medicine / Region 7 - South Center / Clair Mathews' Feed Grinder

From Cow Feed to Korn Kurl

By the mid-1930s, the Flakall Corporation was trying to build up a customer base for its machine, a version of the feed grinder initially designed and built by Clair Mathews. But, as it turned out, the machine would end up being more useful for snack food manufacturers than farmers.

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September 23, 2019

Art & Design / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Home Furnishings / Object Histories / Lake Koshkonong / Ethnicity & Identity / Everyday Life / Jefferson County / 1877-1900 / Global Connections / Region 7 - South Center / Norwegian Genealogical Plaque

OBJECT HISTORY: Norwegian Genealogical Plaque

Created in 1879, this beautiful plaque features the genealogy of Sara Magelssen's family, including the story of her and her husband's immigration to Wisconsin in the 1860s.

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July 1, 2019

Home Furnishings / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Object Histories / Music, Theatre & Cinema / Everyday Life / 1877-1900

OBJECT HISTORY: Graphophone

The graphophone was one of the first ways to record and play sound. And without this invention we would not have things like voicemail, iTunes, or Spotify.

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May 1, 2019

Object Histories / Food & Cooking / Wisconsin Made / Random Lake / Everyday Life / Manufacturing & Trade / Sheboygan County / 1965-1987 / Region 5 - Center East / Jolly Good Soda

OBJECT HISTORY: Jolly Good Soda

What would a Southeastern Wisconsinite grab on a hot summer day in the 1970s and 80s? Jolly Good soda of course! Though you can’t find it on store shelves today, Jolly Good soda was once one of the most popular beverages in the region. This cola flavored can of Jolly Good soda features patriotic colors…

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March 1, 2019

Object Histories / Food & Cooking / Ethnicity & Identity / Everyday Life / 1877-1900 / Global Connections / Norwegians / Old World Wisconsin

OBJECT HISTORY: Lefse Stone

Can you think of a time when someone wanted you to eat something new? Did you eat it? For many people, if they saw lefse on a plate, they would not know what it was. Lefse looks like a tortilla, but it…

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December 1, 2018