Wisconsin 101

OBJECT HISTORY: Marathon Brewing Company “Superfine” Beer bottle

The "Superfine" beer bottle is from the 1940/1950s from the Marathon City Brewing Company. Superfine was one of the many labels produced by Marathon City Brewery over eight decades from 1881 to 1966, featuring names such as Tannenbaum, Marathon Holiday, Marathon Bock,…

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August 31, 2021

La Crosse / Industry / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / 1848-1877 / Global Connections / 1877-1900 / La Crosse County / 1900-1918 / 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 / Object Histories / Industry / Ethnicity & Identity / Global Connections / Manufacturing & Trade / La Crosse County / 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

Agriculture / La Crosse / Industry / Object Histories / La Crosse County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1965-1987 / Region 3 - Center West / King Gambrinus Statues of LaCrosse

OBJECT HISTORY: World’s Largest Six-Pack

Located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the “World’s Largest Six-Pack” is a popular tourist attraction and landmark structure representative of the city’s renowned brewing history. At 54 feet tall, the six steel storage tanks, shaped and arranged to resemble a six-pack of beer,…

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August 17, 2021

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Grafton / Object Histories / Music, Theatre & Cinema / Ozaukee County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Nature & Environment / Region 8 - South East / Paramount Records 78

OBJECT HISTORY: Paramount Records Power Wheel

Located near the heart of Grafton, WI, a rusted power wheel sits on the steep west bank of the Milwaukee River. Despite its corroded appearance, this metal device once powered an entire factory responsible for pressing popular shellac records.The history of this…

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December 29, 2020

Health & Medicine / Home Furnishings / Object Histories / Sheboygan / Industry / Wisconsin Made / Everyday Life / Manufacturing & Trade / 1900-1918 / Sheboygan County / Region 5 - Center East / The 1904 Kohler “Armeda” Toilet

OBJECT HISTORY: The 1904 Kohler “Armeda” Toilet

By the year 1904, when the “Armeda” toilet pictured here appeared in the Kohler Company’s product catalogue, Sheboygan-based Kohler had become one of the largest makers of bathroom furnishings in the United States. Even at this early date in its history, as…

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November 10, 2020