Wisconsin 101

OBJECT HISTORY: A Duck Decoy

With its painted black bill, brown head, and white and black body, it is likely obvious to humans that this object is made out of wood. This object is called a duck decoy, and was intended to fool other ducks into settling…

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September 9, 2020

Read more about the article OBJECT HISTORY: Vulcan Bowling Pin

Vulcan Bowling Pin. Photo credited to Joe Hermolin.

Sports & Games / Wisconsin Made / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Object Histories / Antigo / Langlade County / Global Connections / Manufacturing & Trade / Region 2 - North East / 1945-1965 / Vulcan Bowling Pin

OBJECT HISTORY: Vulcan Bowling Pin

This bowling pin was produced by the Vulcan Corporation in Antigo, Wisconsin, sometime in the late 1950s after Vulcan had introduced its patented “Nyl-Tuf Supreme” plastic coating (as indicated by the pin’s red label).

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September 8, 2020

The Pauline Pottery

Art & Design / Industry / Wisconsin Made / Edgerton / Art, Sport & Entertainment / Home Furnishings / Dane County / Related Stories / Curators' Favorites / Everyday Life / Manufacturing & Trade / 1877-1900 / Region 7 - South Center / Pauline Pottery Covered Jar

The Pauline Pottery

Chicago-born artist and entrepreneur Pauline Jacobus was the central figure of Edgerton, Wisconsin's art pottery movement. In 1888, Jacobus and her husband Oscar relocated the Pauline Pottery from Chicago to Edgerton to take advantage of the area's quality clay.

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April 20, 2020

Agriculture / Industry / Wisconsin Made / Beloit / Related Stories / Rock County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Region 7 - South Center / Clair Mathews' Feed Grinder

The Flakall Corporation

In Beloit, Clair Mathews, Earl Baker, Clarence Shwebke, and Harry Adams formed the Flakall Corporation in 1933. Flakall would go on to patent several machine designs used in the production of snack foods - the most famous being the Korn Kurl.

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September 23, 2019

Agriculture / Industry / Wisconsin Made / Beloit / Food & Cooking / Related Stories / Everyday Life / Manufacturing & Trade / Rock County / 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

Agriculture / Wisconsin Made / Object Histories / Whitewater / Jefferson County / 1848-1877 / Manufacturing & Trade / Region 7 - South Center / Esterly Broadcast Seeder

OBJECT HISTORY: Esterly Broadcast Seeder

George Esterly, a southern Wisconsin farmer and inventor, helped revolutionize farming practices across the nation with the creation of the Broadcast Seeder.

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May 9, 2019