Wisconsin 101

Early Lifesaving Stations in Wisconsin

A Slow Beginning As maritime commerce grew in the early 19th century, the loss of vessels and crews to shipwreck increased. In 1848, the federal government, through the United States Revenue Marine, established its first lifesaving stations along the New Jersey coast. The…

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May 21, 2018

Milwaukee / Milwaukee County / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1880-1900 / Nature & Environment / Transportation & Tourism / Region 8 - South East / Lifesaving Medal

The Wreck of the Tanner

The Wrecked VesselThe Tanner was a barque, or three-masted ship, whose foremast was square-rigged and whose main-and mizzenmasts were fore-and-aft rigged. It measured 156.38 feet long by 31.75 feet in breadth. The ship was built in 1863 by the Milwaukee shipbuilding firm Ellsworth & Davidson and…

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May 21, 2018

Read more about the article The Rescuers of the Tanner

Lifesaving Service crew, about 1910. This image, which was taken by Milwaukee photographer J. Robert Taylor, likely shows the crew of the Milwaukee station. Wisconsin Historical Society Image ID 55832.

Milwaukee / Milwaukee County / Related Stories / 1860-1880 / Manufacturing & Trade / Transportation & Tourism / Region 8 - South East / Lifesaving Medal

The Rescuers of the Tanner

On September 10, 1875, six rescue boat volunteers were dispatched to aid the crew of the Tanner, a cargo ship foundering in Milwaukee Harbor after being struck by a powerful storm. All six of the rescue boat volunteers – but not the captain…

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May 21, 2018

Object Histories / Food & Cooking / Random Lake / Manufacturing & Trade / Sheboygan County / Region 5 - Center East / Transportation & Tourism / 1960-1980 / 1980-2000 / 2000-2020 / Jolly Good Soda

OBJECT HISTORY: Jolly Good Soda

What would a Southeastern Wisconsinite grab on a hot summer day in the 1970s and 80s? Jolly Good soda of course! Though you can’t find it on store shelves today, Jolly Good soda was once one of the most popular beverages in the region. This cola flavored can of Jolly Good soda features patriotic colors…

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May 9, 2018

Education / Door County / Related Stories / Politics, Society & Government / 1940-1960 / Region 5 - Center East / Transportation & Tourism / Door County Book Mobile

Creating the Door County Bookmobile

Door County Library Bookmobile service began in 1950 through a Wisconsin Free Library Commission experiment called the Door-Kewaunee Regional Library Demonstration. The Demonstration was developed to explore the possibilities of providing library service to remote areas of the state. This was during a nationwide movement to…

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November 1, 2017

Art, Sport & Entertainment / Grant County / Ellenboro / Object Histories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1880-1900 / Transportation & Tourism / Region 6 - South West / Sterling Safety Bicycle

OBJECT HISTORY: The Crab Tree Special

In the 1890s, mass-produced safety bicycles sparked a bicycle craze across Wisconsin. However, despite the lowered costs associated with mass production, not everyone could afford this new luxury. Walter Atkinson of Ellenboro, Wisconsin, was not going to let a $100 price tag deter him from experiencing the liberating power of bicycle transportation. Tapping into the…

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September 10, 2017