Wisconsin 101

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

Rhinelander / Hodag Decanter / Art & Design / Object Histories / Food & Cooking / Lumber Industry / Wisconsin Made / Oneida County / Region 2 - North East / 1965-1987

OBJECT HISTORY: Hodag Decanter

A fearsome sight to behold, the horrible Hodag is rumored to stalk the Northwoods of Wisconsin. First “spotted” in the lumber town of Rhinelander in the late 1800s, the hoax of the Hodag took on a life of its own and made…

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May 15, 2023

Greenbush / Object Histories / Industry / Lumber Industry / 1848-1877 / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / Sheboygan County / Region 5 - Center East / Wade House Museum

OBJECT HISTORY: The Muley Sawmill

If you grew up in Wisconsin, you may be familiar with some of Wisconsin’s forests like the Black River forest, Menominee forest, or the Chequamegon-Nicolet forest. For hundreds of years these forests have provided Wisconsin with lumber used for building homes, factories,…

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September 10, 2019

Soo Engine 1003 / Maritime Industry / Lumber Industry / Related Stories / Mining Industry / 1877-1900 / 1900-1918 / 1918-1945 / Region 1 - North West / Transportation & Tourism

The Soo Line

In the second half of the nineteenth century, railroads remade the geography of the Midwest. In an era when roads were often muddy filled with holes, the railroad made it faster to travel from Superior to Milwaukee by rail than from Superior…

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April 15, 2019

Medford / Industry / Lumber Industry / Related Stories / 1877-1900 / Manufacturing & Trade / 1900-1918 / Nature & Environment / Bark Spud / Taylor County

Tanning in Taylor County

Tanning in Taylor County In early 1890, members of a wealthy Boston-based family, the Shaws, visited Wisconsin to find new sources for the tannic acid needed to produced leather for horse harnesses and boots. The Shaw Family operated tanneries in Maine, Massachusetts,…

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April 1, 2019