Wisconsin 101

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…

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September 26, 2023

Shawano / Agriculture / Food & Cooking / Industry / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Politics & Government / Region 2 - North East / Shawano County / National Guard Nightstick

The Consolidated Badger Cooperative and the Shawano Milk Strike of May 1933

In the aftermath of the 1929 Wall Street Market Crash and the subsequent Great Depression, Wisconsin farmers struggled to meet the costs of production associated with dairy commodities. As a tool to improve their standard of living, some of Wisconsin’s farmers turned…

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June 27, 2023

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

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May 29, 2023

Manitowoc / Maritime Industry / Industry / Object Histories / Manufacturing & Trade / Manitowoc County / 1900-1918 / Nature & Environment / Politics & Government / Transportation & Tourism / Region 5 - Center East / Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

OBJECT HISTORY: Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

Many of us can easily picture a lighthouse in our minds. You may think of a tall structure that’s right along a lake or ocean, illuminating the water and land it protects. Whatever comes to mind, lighthouses have an everlasting cultural presence…

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May 29, 2023

Maritime Industry / Related Stories / 1848-1877 / 1877-1900 / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / Politics & Government / Transportation & Tourism / Wind Point Lighthouse

Orlando Metcalfe Poe and Wisconsin’s Waterways

Orlando Metcalfe Poe (1832-1895) was an engineer who shaped the landscape of Wisconsin’s harbors and waterways, playing a crucial role in the development of Wisconsin’s commerce. Through his lighthouse designs and his design of major systems of ship locks and canals on…

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May 10, 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…

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October 4, 2022