Wisconsin 101

From Fairs to Football Games: A History of Camp Randall

University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium has been through many transformations yet has remained a pillar of statewide community. First put to public use as fairground enjoyed by residents across the state of Wisconsin, the site housed the state’s largest soldier training…

Comments Off

September 26, 2023

Military History / Dane County / Madison / Related Stories / 1848-1877 / Politics & Government / Box of Chlorinium / Region 7 - South Center

Camp Randall Prison Camp

Madison residents crowded outside the local railroad station in April of 1862 and awaited the arrival of Confederate prisoners to be held at Camp Randall. Surprisingly, the Northerners met the newcomers, many among which were riddled with disease, with sympathy and curiosity…

Comments Off

September 26, 2023

Health & Medicine / Military History / Object Histories / Dane County / Madison / 1848-1877 / Politics & Government / Box of Chlorinium / Science & Medicine / Region 7 - South Center

OBJECT HISTORY: Box of Chlorinium

Madison’s beloved Camp Randall Stadium holds a rich history many football fans are unaware of as they pass under the iconic Memorial Arch entrance. A box of chlorinium, tucked away in the Wisconsin Historical Society archives, opens the window to Civil War-era…

Comments Off

September 26, 2023

Military History / Broad History / Manitowoc / Maritime Industry / Industry / Related Stories / Manitowoc County / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / Politics & Government / Transportation & Tourism / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

Manitowoc’s Maritime Identity

The city of Manitowoc has been deeply shaped by its maritime industry. Located directly on the shores of Lake Michigan, Manitowoc’s identity is intimately tied to the Great Lakes. Manitowoc utilized the access to Lake Michigan to build an economy fueled by…

Comments Off

May 29, 2023

Military History / Baraboo / Related Stories / 1848-1877 / Sauk County / Politics & Government / Society & Religion / Region 7 - South Center / The Canfield Temperance Case

The Whiskey War of 1854

Alcohol consumption is an integral and often contentious facet of American life and has been for most of the nation’s history. In the 1800s, the public believed alcohol had medicinal properties and regulated health. However, the harmful effects of drunkenness on the…

Comments Off

October 4, 2022

Military History / Manitowoc / Object Histories / Industry / Maritime Industry / Manitowoc County / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Politics & Government / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc's WWII Era Christening Bottle

OBJECT HISTORY: Christening Bottle

Shards of a broken champagne bottle; wrapped in a decorative casing of red, white, and blue fabric; packed with red, white, and blue ribbons inside a 15½” x 5” x 5½” wooden box. This broken bottle was used to christen the USS…

Comments Off

June 21, 2022