Wisconsin 101

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

New Object Histories / Shawano / Object Histories / Food & Cooking / Manufacturing & Trade / Region 2 - North East / Politics, Society & Government / 1920-1940 / Shawano County / National Guard Nightstick

OBJECT HISTORY: National Guard Nightstick

Police nightstick, signed by National Guard Members who participated in Milk Strike, 1933. Image courtesy of Nick Censoprano In mid-May 1933, battles, clashes, and strikes erupted throughout Wisconsin. The catalyst? Milk. On the orders of Governor Albert G. Schmedeman and Adjunct General…

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June 27, 2023

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 / Object Histories / Manitowoc County / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / 1940-1960 / 1960-1980 / Region 5 - Center East / Transportation & Tourism / 1980-2000 / 2000-2020 / 2020-2040 / Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

OBJECT HISTORY: Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse

Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse. Image courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society ID:59505. 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.…

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May 29, 2023

Racine / Object Histories / Racine County / Manufacturing & Trade / Nature & Environment / 1880-1900 / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / Science & Medicine / 1940-1960 / Transportation & Tourism / 1960-1980 / 1980-2000 / 2000-2020 / 2020-2040 / Region 8 - South East / Wind Point Lighthouse

OBJECT HISTORY: Wind Point Lighthouse

Photo of Wind Point Lighthouse. Image courtesy of Cheryl Kaufenberg (June, 2016). Wind Point Lighthouse is located in the Village of Wind Point, which sits just north of the Racine harbor on Lake Michigan. The lighthouse was constructed in 1880 and stands…

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May 10, 2023

New Glarus / Food & Cooking / Related Stories / Ethnicity & Identity / Green County / Global Connections / 1860-1880 / Manufacturing & Trade / 1880-1900 / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / Region 7 - South Center / Swiss Cheese Kettle

Early Cheese Factories in New Glarus

Green County has long been known for its cheese factories, particularly ones making Swiss cheese. However, when the first Swiss immigrants arrived it wasn’t at all clear that they would go into cheesemaking at all. New Glarus’s rise to prominence as a…

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April 17, 2023