Wisconsin 101

OBJECT HISTORY: Slovak Catholic Altar

During the 19th and early 20th century, immigrants from all across Europe began coming to Wisconsin. Some had heard of economic opportunity from industries like mining, logging, or farming. Some were being treated unfairly in their home countries because of their race or religion.…

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April 6, 2020

Agriculture / Object Histories / Education / Dane County / Madison / Curators' Favorites / Manufacturing & Trade / 1918-1945 / Society & Religion / Region 7 - South Center

OBJECT HISTORY: Jar of Marbles

Today, the Wisconsin State Fair is full of attractions, rides, and great food, but in its early years, it was a place for farmers to gather and share ideas about the agricultural industry. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the state…

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April 6, 2020

Berlin / Object Histories / Green Lake County / 1877-1900 / Society & Religion / Region 4 - Center / Science & Medicine / Wade House Museum

OBJECT HISTORY: Silsby’s Steam-Powered Pumper

In the late 1800s, the Silsby Company created the Steam Powered Pumper in New York. This technological advancement made the lives of firefighters everywhere easier. They no longer had to rely on bucket brigades to fight fires. This impacted communities all over the country, including in Berlin, Wisconsin.

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September 10, 2019

La Crosse / Madison / Dane County / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / 1848-1877 / Global Connections / La Crosse County / Region 3 - Center West / Society & Religion / Region 7 - South Center / Norwegian Genealogical Plaque

The Emigranten and Other Norwegian-Language Papers

Throughout the 19th century, Wisconsin was home to dozens of foreign-language newspapers representing cultures from throughout Europe. These papers provided opportunities to create connections in America, maintain homeland networks, and keep current with news in their native language.

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July 1, 2019

Broad History / Ethnicity & Identity / Related Stories / Global Connections / Society & Religion / Norwegian Genealogical Plaque / Norwegians

Norwegian Women Immigrants

Norwegian women played a vital role in the agricultural and social lives of rural communities. Spurred by a cultural acceptance of work, women on the farm took on both domestic chores and contributed to the family’s economy through production of food and material goods.

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July 1, 2019

Broad History / Ethnicity & Identity / Related Stories / Global Connections / Society & Religion / Norwegian Genealogical Plaque

Norwegian Communities in Wisconsin

When Norwegian immigrants like Kristian Magelssen came to Wisconsin in the 1860s, they found an incredibly active Norwegian Lutheran Church. Comprised of fourteen distinct synods often divided by theology, these institutions provided a foundational compass for constructing and maintaining a sense Norwegian…

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July 1, 2019