Name: The Swiss of New Glarus
Brand: Kim D. Tschudy
SKU: 9780738551531
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

The Swiss of New Glarus

9780738551531

$24.99

New Glarus is the only town in America founded by the Swiss Immigration Society. These early settlers, laborers in the textile industry back in Switzerland, became the famous Wisconsin dairy farmers of later generations. While embracing the American ways of their new home--adopting, for example, the midwestern vernacular and Greek Revival boomtown architecture so popular at the time--the Swiss of New Glarus never lost sight of their rich European heritage. In 1937, the town decided to present the Wilhelm Tell Pageant to the public. Performed every summer to this day, it is the longest-running play in a foreign language in the United States. The annual Wilhelm Tell Festival, along with historic Puempel's Tavern, social clubs such as the New Glarus Yodelers, and the 14-building complex called Swiss Historical Village, each seen in this book through vintage images, is testament to why New Glarus has been dubbed "America's Little Switzerland."

Neenah

9781467113236

$24.99

Neenah rests in the heart of the Fox Valley, positioned between Appleton and Oshkosh. The city sits at the junction of Lake Winnebago and the Fox River, which has always been central to its draw for both recreation and business. Flour and paper milling utilized the river's powerful flow and brought Neenah's biggest booms. The successes of paper mills such as Neenah Paper, which opened in 1866, and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, which opened in 1872, led to the natural development of the Paper City nickname. Today, industry continues to flourish in Neenah. The region has become a hub for several major corporations with broad, international reach, yet lifelong residents remain the true community heroes. Vintage photographs highlight the notable lifestyles of Bergstrom, Aylward, and Mahler, as well as the day-to-day activities of shopkeepers, churchgoers, factory workers, teachers, deliverymen, bankers, politicians, craftsmen, and other locals who were better known as friends or neighbors. Featuring both the storefronts and aisles of popular establishments such as Krueger Hardware, Jandrey's department store, and Burts Candies, this book invites readers to take a trip down memory lane. .

Cover image for Neenah, isbn: 9781467113236

Mineral Point

9780738552156

$24.99

Mineral Point is home to the only surviving territorial governmental buildings in the United States, the first Wisconsin capitol, and the oldest surviving railroad depot in the Badger State. The village obtained its name from the mineral spring waters that filled the caves and lead mines of the region. With its scenic beauty and amazing architecture, Mineral Point is well poised to cultivate heritage tourists, who long to experience places and activities that authentically represent the past. They are seeking the irreplaceable historic, cultural, and natural resources that can only be found in a town as rich with history as Mineral Point. This artists' mecca offers pottery and art shops to explore and appreciate. The combination of both provides the explorer an unusual and interesting place to visit for a long weekend or a family vacation.

Milwaukee Ghosts and Legends

9781467138178

$21.99

Beneath Milwaukee's calm façade, its ghastly past awaits.

The overbearing spirit of Frederick Pabst keeps persistent watch over the mansion that shares his name. The remains of the Newhall House Fire, the city's deadliest disaster, may lie beneath a new building, but those who lost their lives that night refuse to rest in peace. Even the suburbs hold their share of ghoulish secrets, including the furtive dwarves of Haunchyville, the fabled Bray Road Beast and the stubborn spirits lurking in Deacon West's house. Tour guide and founder of Gothic Milwaukee Anna Lardinois shares the spine-tingling tales of the Beer City's famous, and not so famous, specters and legends.

Cover image for Milwaukee Ghosts and Legends, isbn: 9781467138178

Devil's Lake, Wisconsin and the Civilian Conservation Corps

9781609492779

$21.99

Thousands of young men embarked on the adventure of a lifetime when they joined the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

Service at Wisconsin's popular state park offered notoriety absent at most camp assignments. While most of the CCC work around the country was in remote forests and farmlands, at Devil's Lake tourists could view CCC project activity each day, forging that labor into an essential part of the park experience. Historian Robert J. Moore interviews veterans and mines the archives to preserve this legacy so that the gasps of wonder at nature's marvels remain mixed with respect for the men who helped bring them forth.

Cover image for Devil's Lake, Wisconsin and the Civilian Conservation Corps, isbn: 9781609492779

Walworth County Fair

9780738534459

$24.99

Dubbed the "Great Fair" in 1918, the Walworth County Fair is one of the largest in the United States. The fair festivities have been summer's final fling and a chance to welcome the coming autumn for generations of local residents and
visitors alike. Each Labor Day weekend, thousands of enthusiasts from across the Midwest flock to the city of Elkhorn; in early years, 19 special trains even shuttled visitors from southeastern Wisconsin and every town along the length of the state line. Through a collection of 200 vintage images, author Taylor Pipes details the fair's rich history from its founding in 1851 to the present. Photographs depict celebration and fire, 4-H judging and
showing animals, and the rides and food booths that form an integral backdrop for any fair.

Milwaukee School of Engineering

9781467103541

$24.99

Founded in 1903 by Oscar Werwath, the School of Engineering of Milwaukee (now the Milwaukee School of Engineering) has emphasized educating students and the wider community about the newest scientific and technological advances. Close partnerships with local businesses helped determine the most useful practical skills for young engineers to have, and the school was comprised of four distinct institutes in its early days: the College of Electrical Engineering, the Institute of Electro-Technics, the School of Practical Electricity, and the School of Automotive Electricity. As the skills necessary for success in the workforce evolved, the school remained focused on innovation, offering degrees in areas such as welding, mechanical engineering, nursing, business, computer engineering, and many more. In recent years, the school has continued to remain at the forefront of modern developments while still placing emphasis on the success of the individual student in a changing world.

Cover image for Milwaukee School of Engineering, isbn: 9781467103541

Wicked Watertown:

9781596298613

$21.99

Watertown is a perfect place to raise children, where criminal mischief and scandal are the rare exception to the rule. Discover over a century and a half's worth of exceptions. Travel back to the origins of Watertown, when the house next door might be a brothel and the man on the street might be a serial killer. Hear the tale of poor ninety-five-year-old Mary Kodesch, whose son left her to freeze to death in the barn, and that of the two young boys whose 1890 campaign of arson targeted everything from a church to a box factory. Then press on into the violent history of the Cleveland Street poltergeist house as Jannke delivers a thrilling combination of thoroughly researched fact and inexplicable mystery that will leave the hardiest Watertown residents torn between eagerly turning the next page and nervously looking over their shoulders.

Whitefish Bay

9780738583952

$24.99

The abundance of whitefish in the Lake Michigan bay that frames this village gave it its name. The whitefish also helped feed the appetites of patrons of the resorts that once graced the community. Whitefish Bay quickly grew away from fishing and resorts to become the Gold Coast village north of Milwaukee. Nestled close enough to the city to allow an easy work commute, yet far enough away to provide an attractive community atmosphere, Whitefish Bay became a desirable location for families to put down roots. Stately homes went up alongside early farmhouses. Stores and other vibrant commercial enterprises quickly followed along with schools, churches, clubs, and organizations that continue to provide residents with a strong sense of community.

Cover image for Whitefish Bay, isbn: 9780738583952

Beloit's Club Pop House

9780738552095

$24.99

For baby boomers who grew up in and around Beloit, memories of that era would not be complete without the Pop House. To high school students, this teen nightclub was a weekend music mecca. Friday and Saturday nights were reserved for dancing and listening to live music provided by countless bands and solo acts. Owner George Stankewitz, born and raised in Beloit, became friend, father figure, and even boss to hundreds of area teenagers. From swing to pop to rock, notable acts to take the stage at the Pop House between 1946 and 1973 include such jukebox staples as Bobby Vinton, Johnny Tillotson, and Del Shannon, along with a tidal wave of Beatles-inspired local favorites. Summer softball leagues and championship basketball teams are recalled as well as the annual Turkey Bowl that continues to this day. And who can forget the annual chili festival with the crowning of a chili queen or a menu famous for its specialty sandwiches like the Snead and the Smiley?

Haunted Chippewa Valley

9781609499778

$21.99

The Chippewa Valley is nestled snugly in a vast tract of Wisconsin farmland that offered early settlers a secure place to settle into the American dream. But the valley also harbors a strange and sometimes confusing past. From the boisterous activity of the lumber boom to the lingering stillness of the Eau Claire Asylum, this northwestern corner of the Badger State is filled with tragic stories and tall tales. Cast off with the ghost ferries of Caryville or stand vigil in the small, secluded cemetery where the spirits of children come out to play. Join Devon Bell on a journey into the eerie history of the Chippewa Valley.

Cover image for Haunted Chippewa Valley, isbn: 9781609499778

Milwaukee's Bronzeville

9780738540610

$24.99

With the migration of African American sharecroppers to northern cities in the first half of the 20th century, the African American population of Milwaukee grew from fewer than 1,000 in 1900 to nearly 22,000 by 1950. Most settled around a 12-block area along Walnut Street that came to be known as Milwaukee's Bronzeville, a thriving residential, business, and entertainment community. Barbershops, restaurants, drugstores, and funeral homes were started with a little money saved from overtime pay at factory jobs or extra domestic work taken on by the women. Exotic nightclubs, taverns, and restaurants attracted a racially mixed clientele, and daytime social clubs sponsored "matinees" that were dress-up events featuring local bands catering to neighborhood residents. Bronzeville is remembered by African American elders as a good place to grow up--times were hard, but the community was tight.

Milwaukee's Brady Street Neighborhood

9780738551746

$24.99

Milwaukee's Brady Street neighborhood, bounded by the Milwaukee River, Lake Michigan, Ogdon Avenue, and Kane Place, is arguably the most densely-populated square mile in the state of Wisconsin. A mix of historic shops, single-family homes, apartments, and condos, Brady Street boasts of great diversity that draws from many distinct eras. It began in the mid-19th century as a crossroads between middle-class Yankees from the east and early German settlers. Polish and Italian immigrants soon followed, working the mills, tanneries, and breweries that lined the riverbank. After these groups had assimilated and many of their descendents moved to the suburbs, the hippies in the 1960s arrived with their counterculture to fill the void. By the 1980s, the area fell into blight, neglect, and decay; now, a true model for new urbanism, the Brady Street neighborhood is in the midst of a renaissance.

Washington County's Aluminum Industry

9780738560441

$24.99

The aluminum and cookware industries in Washington County were main employers during the 20th century. Manufacturing competitors West Bend Aluminum Company and Kewaskum Aluminum Company (later Regal Ware, Inc.) began production early in the 20th century only eight miles apart. These company histories, while interesting in themselves, would be remiss without discussion of broader influences. Both companies had a substantial effect on American consumerism, women's social roles, and industrial design. Today the West Bend Company and Regal Ware, Inc., are two of the best-known makers of cookware and small appliances around the world. Their ability to survive economic depression, war, and changing times are three reasons for their success and make them excellent examples of the American dream come to life. With deep roots in Washington County, they were able to spread wide nets and capture loyalty around the globe.

Cover image for Washington County's Aluminum Industry, isbn: 9780738560441

University of Wisconsin Basketball

9780738541211

$24.99

The University of Wisconsin owns one of the greatest basketball histories in the United States. That is the bold claim author Dave Anderson makes--and backs up--in this stunning book. With fascinating photographs and compelling research, Anderson reveals the first golden era, 1900-1941, when University of Wisconsin men dominated college basketball. He adds in wonderful Badger women's basketball, an exciting second golden era, historic game programs, the transition from tiny Red Gym to majestic Kohl Center, and more. In the end, after spanning over 100 years of legendary players and coaches from Christian Steinmetz, Emmett Angell, Dr. Walter "Doc" Meanwell, and Albert "Ab" Nicholas up to Michael Finley, Alando Tucker, Jane Albright-Dieterle, Bo Ryan, and more, readers will agree--the University of Wisconsin does own one of the greatest basketball histories there is.

Fox Cities Murder & Mayhem

9781467138697

$21.99

The safe and sedate Fox Cities have seen their share of horrible crimes. A must-read for fans of true crime and Wisconsin history.

Cold Blooded murder, kidnapping, prostitution, organized crime and other misdeeds shocked and appalled not just the community known as the Fox Cities, but the entire state of Wisconsin. Murderer Porter Ross tried to commit suicide by eating bedsprings. Wenzel Kabat mutilated and burned a man in order to take over his farm. The Appleton Butcher left dismembered human remains on a playground for children to find.

In this volume, crime writer and leading expert on the Milwaukee Mafia Gavin Schmitt turns his magnifying glass on the dark underbelly of small-town America. Revisit these skeletons in suburban closets that will have you looking over your shoulder as you read.

Cover image for Fox Cities Murder & Mayhem, isbn: 9781467138697

Baraboo

9781467125109

$24.99

Like many small Midwestern cities, Baraboo has had the usual share of postcards printed featuring its buildings and landscapes. However, Baraboo's unique place in Wisconsin history provided for a much richer array of subject matter. As the original winter quarters of the Ringling Brothers Circus, along with its proximity to Devil's Lake and its place as a division headquarters for the Chicago & North Western railroad, Baraboo has always provided an interesting setting for postcard images.

Voices of Milwaukee Bronzeville

9781467148887

$21.99

A history of the Cream City's lost Black neighborhood told by the people who lived there

Some people don't have to imagine what Milwaukee's Bronzeville was like. They have only to remember. They recall Walnut Street alive with businesses serving a hard-working Black population making something out of the meager resources available to them. They describe religious establishments such as St. Marks Methodist Episcopal, St. Benedict the Moor, Calvary Baptist, and St. Matthews CME attending to the spiritual life and remember the Flame, the Metropole, and Satin Doll night clubs taking care of entertainment and secular needs. Above all, they recollect a people looking out for the well-being of all within its realm.

Gathering interviews with residents of the now vanished neighborhood, Dr. Sandra E. Jones reimagines Bronzeville not just as a place, but as a spirit engendered by a people determined to make a way out of no way.

Waupaca

9780738540207

$24.99

In 1849, the Native American lands of central Wisconsin were opened, by way of treaty, for land claims by settlers. The area of eastcentral Wisconsin was a favorite to men from Vermont. Vermont men had settled the wild country from Poy Sippi to Waupaca--a stretch of about 15 miles. That year, the county's earliest pioneers set out from Sheboygan to stake a claim for their homesteads. Told of a place called "the Falls," now known as Waupaca, they mapped out three 80-acre plots after their arrival. As more settlers came to the area, Waupaca was formed into a village and incorporated in 1857. The accumulation of vintage photographs that appear in Waupaca depict the town's old way of life in a vivid manner.

Markesan

9780738582504

$24.99

The area of what is now the city of Markesan had its humble beginnings as early as 1844, when John B. Seward erected the first homestead in what would become a thriving community. In 1849, the area was platted out, and records show the name "Granville" being chosen for the village. However, Wisconsin already had a village named Granville, and the postal service found it challenging sending the mail to the correct Granville. In 1854, a village committee was assembled to decide on a new name. The name selected was submitted by village businessman Henry Wright, who took the name of the newly discovered Marquesas Islands and creatively came up with Markesan. As time went on, the sleepy village of Markesan emerged as a bustling community thriving with farming, granite mining, and railroad activity, propelling it forward as one of the richest communities in the United States.

Milwaukee's Live Theater

9780738560595

$24.99

Milwaukee's live theater scene is the sum of several exciting parts. For many, Milwaukee live theater means world-class productions done by resident actors at one of the nation's leading regional theaters. For others, it has been defined by the machinations of a respected experimental theater troupe that traveled throughout Europe in the 1980s and was once honored with an Obie Award. There was a time when Milwaukee live theater meant a big top arena where some of the biggest stars of American musical theater frolicked and played for local audiences. Audiences in Milwaukee have enjoyed the classics, new plays, and contemporary hits performed by never-say-die producers who boast personalities larger than the stages their companies play upon. The Milwaukee theater style is not fussy or overblown. It is informed by a thrilling past, buoyant future, unsurpassed community support, and unfailing devotion to solid midwestern work ethics channeled into artistic innovation. Simply put, Milwaukee's live theater scene is the best-kept artistic secret in the United States.

Cover image for Milwaukee's Live Theater, isbn: 9780738560595

Watertown

9780738539980

$24.99

The ever-changing face of Watertown is captured in this fascinating collection of postcard images dating from the early 1900s to the present. The postcards in this book come primarily from the extensive collection of W. F. Jannke III. He has presented an entertaining history of the city, from the changing face of its business district to the different forms of recreation once enjoyed by its inhabitants. Other images highlight scenes of calamitous events, most notably the 1914 cyclone. All will find this work to be a most engaging guide to the way life was lived in Watertown in "the good old days."

University of Wisconsin Football

9780738539829

$24.99

From their humble beginnings as an intramural club in 1889 to Rose Bowl champions in 1994, 1999, and 2000, the Wisconsin Badgers have risen among the ranks of college football to become one of the elite teams in the nation. The University of Wisconsin football program can claim 11 conference championships, 16 bowl game appearances (8-8 record), and 7 National College Football Hall of Famers. The legendary names of Pat O'Dea, Alan Ameche, and Ron Dayne may span decades, but they are timelessly united in meaning to generations of the Badger faithful. Great coaches like Phillip King, "Ivy" Williamson, and Barry Alvarez likewise share a winning tradition that dates back more than 100 years. Each season Wisconsin football fans return to fill the seats--all 80,000 plus--at Camp Randall stadium to witness more history in the making.

Reedsburg

9780738598642

$24.99

Initially a milling village on the banks of the Baraboo River, Reedsburg has experienced growth and change. It was established in the pioneer era of the 1850s and is home to nearly 10,000 residents and various thriving industries. Throughout history, the people of Reedsburg have created conditions for economic success and overcoming setbacks. Today, visitors are drawn to the city's historic downtown, with its specialty shops and restaurants, as it has adapted to changing times. Once a railroad stop on the Chicago and Northwestern line, Reedsburg is now the trailhead for the 400 State Trail Bike Trail. Despite fires and floods, the community has always shown an ability to adapt for success.

Cover image for Reedsburg, isbn: 9780738598642

McDougall's Great Lakes Whalebacks

9780738551432

$24.99

During the last years of the 19th century, the Duluth Harbor, situated between the sister cities of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, was the birthplace of a bold and innovative and decidedly odd-looking class of Great Lakes barges and steamships known as whalebacks. Capt. Alexander McDougall and his American Steel Barge Company built the curved-decked, snout-nosed whalebacks on the shores of the harbor, first at Duluth's Rice's Point and later in Howard's Pocket at Superior. The vessels were a radical departure, in design, form, and construction,
from the standard shipbuilding concepts of the era but proved themselves more than capable as a number of the boats sailed the Great Lakes and the seaboards
of America until the 1960s. All the whalebacks are gone now--either scrapped or sunk--with one exception. After sailing the lakes for more than 70 years, the
last whaleback, the SS Meteor, returned home to Superior in 1972 and is now continuing its service as a magnificent maritime museum on Barker's Island.

Chippewa Falls

9780738533544

$24.99

In 1869, the Suez Canal was completed and the city of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, the chief sawmill town on the Chippewa River, was incorporated.

Chippewa Falls grew in popularity and influence. It persevered through hardships and experienced the ebb and flow of wealth and power--and 135 years later, Chippewa Falls remains a vital community. This pictorial history documents the heritage of Chippewa Falls from 1896 through the present, with chapters such as Women at Work, Made in Chippewa for the Rest of the World, Family Albums, and Celebrate! Celebrate! By blending contemporary photographs with archival images and providing opportunities for reflection and comparison, this book contributes significantly to the preservation of the community's collective history.

Cover image for Chippewa Falls, isbn: 9780738533544

American Indians in Milwaukee

9780738582580

$24.99

Milwaukee is an Algonquin word meaning "the gathering place." Wisconsin's 11 American Indian tribes have long gathered in the city, contributing to its name and origins. American Indians continue to assist in Milwaukee's growth through nationally recognized innovations in education, gaming, and cultural representation. The city's "founding mother," a Menominee Indian, continued trading partnerships with the area's native residents until Indian removal in the 1830s. Over the next century, Indians returned to Milwaukee as visitors, creating villages at the state fair and lakefront grounds. By the 1930s, Indians again called the city home and expressed their common heritage through Pan-Indian organizations. Later the new ideals of the national Red Power movement helped transform those organizations into successful city institutions such as the Indian Community School, Potawatomi Bingo and Casino, and Indian Summer Festival.

The Canepa School of Dance

9780738540832

$24.99

This popular dance school was formed in 1955 in Baraboo after local appliance and tire store owner Tony Canepa tap-danced at the Sauk County Fairgrounds as the "Mystery Merchant." Upon learning his identity, friends and neighbors begged him to give their children dance lessons. The handsome Canepa was a dancer at the University of Wisconsin. His svelte wife, Alberta, had taken dancing lessons from the third grade through high school. Eventually the dancing duo had 11 children of their own, and as the dancing school grew, so did the "dancing Canepa family." Over 3,500 students have learned to dance from the Canepa family. This volume depicts the yearly dance recitals that were staged to benefit St. Mary's Ringling Hospital, the Circus World Museum, and Camp Wawbeek, an Easter Seal Society camp for handicapped children located in Wisconsin Dells. There are also many photographs of the Canepa family, who as a troupe performed professionally for over 25 years.

Sauk Prairie

9781467114677

$24.99

Ringed by bluffs, prairie, and the wide, flowing Wisconsin River, the two communities of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac have grown up since the first settler staked claim here in 1838, asserting this colorful, natural landscape as a direct extension of their joint identity. From the freewheeling Agoston Haraszthy to the German Freethinkers, farmers, inventors, and multiple long-standing family-run businesses, the people of Sauk Prairie work and play with a voracity that can outshine even the coldest of winters. In 1914, the construction of the Prairie du Sac Hydroelectric Dam added another natural jewel when it created Lake Wisconsin. Everyone from summertime jet skiers to the wintering bald eagles had yet another reason to enjoy the region known for its festival of cow chips, the Witwen Fourth of July Parade, and the woman who gave the world the recycling symbol.

Lighthouses of Lake Winnebago

9781467124560

$24.99

Lake Winnebago has a rich history as a major settlement area in the Midwest, and a significant part of its times gone by involved water transportation for both commerce and passengers. Throughout its history, the 137,700-acre lake has been home to six current lighthouses, two navigation lanterns that have long disappeared from the landscape, and one that was scheduled to be built but never came to fruition. History has forgotten a few, but Lighthouses of Lake Winnebago will take you on a trip around the largest lake within Wisconsin's borders and show you the familiar, while introducing you to the forgotten.

Cover image for Lighthouses of Lake Winnebago, isbn: 9781467124560

Ripon

9781467111133

$24.99

From its first settlement by Fourierite communards in the 1840s, before Wisconsin became a state, Ripon has had a long and distinguished history, swept by and nourishing important currents of the nation's saga. The party of Abraham Lincoln was born here in 1854, in the nation's first public gathering to call itself "Republican Party." On the eve of the Civil War, Ripon's "Booth War" brought the city to national attention as a hotbed of abolitionism. Ripon is the birthplace of suffragette Carrie Chapman Catt and department store pioneer H. Gordon Selfridge. Its stately homes and neighborhoods remind many visitors of New England, and its historic downtown remains one of the best preserved in the region. Ripon College, founded in 1851, has often been described as the "Harvard of the Midwest." Its alumni include actors Spencer Tracy and Harrison Ford, jazz singer Al Jarreau, American physicist and health researcher Elda Emma Anderson, and astronaut Jeffrey Bantle.

Edgerton

9781467110747

$24.99

Edgerton became a city in 1853. It was named after a modest railroad engineer, Benjamin Hyde Edgerton, who warned people to "wait until after I'm dead, because I might do something in the meantime to discredit the name." In the 1880s, Edgerton was the Wisconsin birthplace of Pauline Pottery, still sought by antique collectors. For more than 100 years, Edgerton was the Midwest king of tobacco. The hometown of Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era author Sterling North, Edgerton is now a city of festivals, including Tobacco Days, Chilimania, and the Edgerton Book and Film Festival.

Irish Milwaukee

9780738532134

$24.99

This visual history captures the story of Milwaukee's Irish community in photographs, covering everything from the early wave of immigration to today's annual Irish Fest.

Milwaukee's Irish can claim a long and distinguished heritage throughout the city's history. The fact that Irish immigrants could speak English gave them an advantage and enabled them to become community leaders and gain economic independence. Irishman Thomas Gilbert was village president in 1844, two years before Milwaukee became incorporated. In 1839, Fr. Patrick Kelly built Milwaukee's first Catholic Church, St. Peter's.

Watertown:

9780738523927

$24.99

From early encounters with Native Americans to today's thriving tourism industry, Watertown, Wisconsin has proven itself a friendly and welcoming city. The large German population belies the fact that New Englanders actually began the process of taming the Rock River and the land that would become Watertown. This land, surrounded by an oxbow in the Rock River, began calling to American pioneers such as Timothy Johnson in 1836, a siren song of rolling hills and grand rapids. Sawmills, plank roads, and the railroad spurred the town's growth and prosperity, but the people still had obstacles to overcome. Watertown's resolute citizens now work hard to preserve their history while encouraging growth and change.

Watertown: A History is the story of how a serene village became a center for industry, shopping, and recreation while focusing on its best asset-the energetic and hardworking people who lived the Watertown story. Readers will discover how riots broke out when politics took center stage just before the Civil War due to strong anti-Republican sentiments. The bond scandal only decades later is highlighted as the event that plunged Watertown into her darkest days. This volume recounts these stories and more through both images and narrative, fostering a deep respect for the commitments and sacrifices made by its residents of today and yesterday.

Evansville

9780738560090

$24.99

Uncover the history of Evansville, Wisconsin through vintage images in this pictorial history.

The Evansville area was settled in 1839 and the village platted in 1855 on the hopes that the railroad would come through. It was named for Evansville's first physician, Dr. John M. Evans. When the railroad arrived in 1863, Evansville's prosperity was assured. There were many opportunities for growth in agriculture, manufacturing, and commerce. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad offered passenger and freight service to major markets in Chicago and the West. Local farmers found national and international markets for their prizewinning livestock and produce. The Evansville Seminary and a strong public school system provided educational opportunities. Literary societies, churches, and veterans groups provided social activities. Talented 19th- and 20th-century architects and craftsmen were responsible for the fine collection of architectural styles in Evansville.

Cover image for Evansville, isbn: 9780738560090

Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer

9781467152495

$23.99

Chippewa Falls' First World War II Casualty Young Harry Wellington Kramer was looking for adventure and a leg up in Depression-era Wisconsin. He found both aboard the Navy battleship USS California . Traveling across the western United States and the Pacific Ocean, Harry was quick to share his experiences with family and friends in Chippewa Falls. As he realized his dreams and served his country, his parents anxiously followed the developments that would lead to America's involvement in World War II. All of these events converged with the attack on Pearl Harbor, in which Harry was tragically killed fulfilling his duties. Though gone, Harry W. Kramer is not forgotten. Compiling thirty-three letters between Harry and home, local author and history teacher John E. Kinville tells the story of a life cut short but well lived.

Chippewa Falls World War II Hero Harry W. Kramer

Kenosha

9781467114127

$24.99

Kenosha is a suburb of both Chicago and Milwaukee, and it draws visitors from both metro areas and from all over the United States. A historic downtown, frequent community events, and a fierce dedication to the arts have catapulted the city into tourism stardom. Although big businesses have steadily come and gone, the residential population remains strong. From family-owned stores that have been downtown for nearly 100 years, to a vintage streetcar system still in use, to a new minor-league baseball team, residents put their entire hearts into maintaining the city's culture and pride.

Green Bay Beer

9781467140775

$21.99

Although often overshadowed by Milwaukee's brewing reputation, Green Bay has its own rich and proud brewing heritage.

Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Blesch, Rahr, Hochgreve, Hagemeister and Van Dycke pioneered the art of brewing and brought the love of beer to the city and beyond. When Prohibition struck, some breweries couldn't make it, others could and some pushed the limits of the law to bring people the beer they wanted.Today, Green Bay is a thriving beer city once more. The names are different--Titletown, Hinterland, Badger State and more--but the love and passion for tasty suds remain the same. Grab a pint and join author Cameron Teske on his beer journey from 1850 through today.

Lost Fox Cities

9781467140331

$21.99

The lumber kings and paper barons of the Fox River Valley transformed a wilderness of vast, rich timberlands and raging river waters into empires of pine, paper and power. In Oshkosh, lumber dynasties such as Paine and Morgan helped rebuild a nation ravaged by fire and war. Four young Neenah entrepreneurs with no experience in papermaking formed Kimberly-Clark, one of the largest paper manufacturers in the world. H.J. Rogers of Appleton watched his home light up the night after he wired it with Edison’s electric lightbulbs, the first in the world to do so utilizing hydroelectricity. These men ushered in an era of opulence shining with steamboat excursions along the river, palatial mansions in plush neighborhoods and lavish hotels and movie houses. Much of this bygone age now exists only in photographs, written accounts or memories. Local photographer and historian Scott Wittman recovers this vanishing history.

Cover image for Lost Fox Cities, isbn: 9781467140331

Wisconsin Literary Luminaries

9781467136051

$21.99

From the humble Ingalls family cabin in the woods to Ayad Akhtar's multicultural conflicts, the Badger State's stories and imagery have long inspired. Explore how Aldo Leopold and Lorine Niedecker drew on their close observations of the natural world. Contrast the distinct novels that Jane Hamilton and Larry Watson set on Wisconsin apple orchards. Delve into Thornton Wilder's enduringly popular Our Town and the wild fiction of Ellen Raskin and Cordwainer Smith, who wrote like no one else. Join Jim Higgins for a detailed account of ten notable Wisconsin writers that blends history, literary criticism and fact.

Cover image for Wisconsin Literary Luminaries, isbn: 9781467136051

Hidden History of Sturgeon Bay

9781467119702

$23.99

Beyond the stunning beauty of Wisconsin's Sturgeon Baylies a hidden past of colorful characters, tragic shipwrecks and compelling community achievements.

Arriving as an immigrant to the town, Joseph Harris Sr. became a founding father, creating the Door County Advocatenewspaper and leading a campaign to construct the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. More than one hundred local volunteers formed the ranks of Company F, nicknamed Les Terriblesby the French for their bravery and sacrifice in World War I. After surviving the Civil War, former slave Peter Custis endured unimaginable tragedy while forging a life in the city.

Authors Heidi Hodges and Kathy Steebs expose the forgotten history of Sturgeon Bay. It's a story of dogged perseverance.

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Columbus

9781467115339

$24.99

From the earliest days of Columbus, rural dwellers and city residents have shared a common goal of making the area a comfortable place to call home. The early Welsh and German settlers found fertile soil, lumber, a source of water in the Crawfish River, and generally adequate rainfall to successfully grow crops for their families and to sell for income. They needed little else except their own industrious spirits. With the establishment of the Columbus Canning Company in 1900, the village was transformed into an industrial hub that thrived for the next 75 years. Businesses related to the production of canned peas, corn, pumpkin, tomatoes, and beans flourished, benefiting both growers and processors. Columbus offers a quiet, low-key environment with access to post-secondary education and world-class cultural experiences within an hour's drive.

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Haunted Burlington, Wisconsin

9781626193215

$21.99

Burlington's historical district rests uneasily on top of twenty-seven ancient burial mounds. No wonder everyone in the seemingly sleepy Wisconsin town owns a ghost story or two. Residents have spotted the White Beast of Burlington near the old fish hatchery, bumped into a Confederate apparition on Academy Road and caught a glimpse of the Lady in Blue at the Malt House Theater. Mary Sutherland spent fourteen years chasing local lore through the underground tunnels and eerie skies of this hotbed of supernatural activity. Now she stands as a ready guide to the mysteries of the Burlington Vortex.

Walworth County

9780738545752

$24.99

From 1870 to 1950, Walworth County, Wisconsin, experienced a period of dramatic social change. This fascinating collection of photographs provides a
visual journey through time, depicting major changes in transportation and its effects on the beautiful shores of Lake Geneva. Developments in the railroad provided a huge catalyst for change before the turn of the century. Farmers were able to ship milk to Chicago and the annual influx of summer residents from the Chicago area quickly grew with the easy access to Lake Geneva's wealthy south shore. The advent of the automobile sparked a second radical change in the face of the county, opening up a vast radius of the Midwest to families who had once been restricted by the horse-drawn wagon. The oneroom school became a thing of the past, and the lakes became popular destinations for weekend visitors set to enjoy the leisurely pursuits of boating and fishing.

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Soul of a Port:

9781609490812

$21.99

Ever since her boat drifted up against the mammoth docks in Milwaukee's harbor, Leah Dobkin has been enthralled by the evolution of the port and the city so firmly moored to it. From an era when it was a "Milwaukee Miracle" to make landfall without losing luggage to a promising future powered by alternative energy, Soul of a Port is steered by that same sense of wonder. And since the port's story is not just one of nuts, bolts and cranes, Dobkin's narrative is also well crewed by the characters who have given the place such a fascinating legacy. Settle in for an entertaining passage that includes a longshoreman's poetry, the Milwaukee Clipper's recipe for prime rib, a tugboat ghost story and much, much more.

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Chronicles of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

9781626192171

$23.99

Wander through a history of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, told largely through the letters and recollections of early residents of the village. Current residents can get a sense of what it was like to live in their community during its formative years, as it was becoming the sort of place where literally every house has a story. In addition to giving a voice to familiar landmarks and beloved local characters, the story of Whitefish Bay also provides prime seating for the drama of Wisconsin at large during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Join editor Thomas Fehring as he fishes out the fascinating history of this remarkable coastal town..

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Historic Milwaukee Public Schoolhouses

9781609497804

$21.99

It's no surprise we feel a connection to our schools, where we learn to read, write and forge social bonds of all kinds. They are potentially the scenes of our first crushes (and the second and third). They are where we learn to create ourselves. For more than a century, Milwaukee has taken its schoolhouses seriously, and it has a matchless variety of gorgeous landmarks to prove it. Robert Tanzilo pays homage to some long-lost schools, salutes some veteran survivors and examines the roles they play in their neighborhoods. Learn a little about some remarkable Milwaukee architects and see what the future may hold for some of the city's most beloved old buildings.

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Legendary Locals of Prairie du Chien

9781467101936

$24.99

From the day Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet entered the Mississippi River in 1673, fur traders, and then settlers, were drawn to Prairie du Chien. Red Bird and Black Hawk opposed American expansionism, while Zachary Taylor enforced the change. John Muir admired the majesty of the Mississippi River, and John Lawler accepted the challenge to bridge the waters. As people came to Prairie du Chien, generations worked to form a small, cohesive community. Some, like George and Dorothy Jeffers, Ralph and Albina Kozelka, Henry Howe, and Frank Stark, began businesses that descendants continue to operate. John Peacock and Mike Valley found a livelihood from the river. Art Frydenlund, Jim Bittner, and Fred LaPointe promoted and encouraged all to come. B.A. Kennedy and Jack Mulrooney created an outstanding educational and sports program. Peter Scanlan and Cal Peters recorded the rich history. Roy and Geraldine George established the George Family Foundation, and Morris MacFarlane led a movement to create scholarships. Lori Knapp helped disabled people without realizing her impact. Politician Patrick Lucey and cowgirl Elaine Kramer gained national recognition. All these people and others, like Dr. T.F. Farrell and Robert Garrity, were neighbors. Their stories fill these pages.

Civil Rights Activism in Milwaukee

9781626193789

$21.99

In the early 1960s, as members of Milwaukee's growing African American population looked beyond their segregated community for better jobs and housing, they faced bitter opposition from the real estate industry and union leadership. In an era marked by the friction of racial tension, the south side of Milwaukee earned a reputation as a flashpoint for prejudice, but it also served as a staging ground for cooperative activism between members of Father Groppi's parish, representatives from the NAACP Youth Council, students at Alverno College and a group of Latino families. Paul Geenen chronicles the challenges faced by this coalition in the fight for open housing and better working conditions for Milwaukee's minority community.

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Lake Geneva in Vintage Postcards

9780738533988

$24.99

An overview of Lake Geneva's rich history.

Lake Geneva was originally called Kishwauketoe by the Oneota tribe, a name meaning clear or sparkling water. Carved out by a glacier, this same crystal water has attracted residents and tourists for centuries, and continues to be a retreat for many in every season. Through a collection of vivid vintage postcards, authors Carolyn Hope Smeltzer and Martha Kiefer Cucco provide an inside look of Lake Geneva's past, rendered in views of mansions, cottages, and camps, and in images of recreation, the surrounding towns, and, of course, Lake Geneva itself.

Wisconsin Veterans Home at King

9780738532851

$24.99

The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Wisconsin, was incorporated in 1887 by the Wisconsin Department of the Grand Army of the Republic. Initially a retirement home for Civil War veterans and their spouses, the Home slowly evolved into a health care facility as the original members aged and new veterans arrived from World War I. Images within Wisconsin Veterans Home at King allow the reader to experience the early grandeur of the old Home. Some original buildings still exist today, and the Home currently cares for approximately 800 veterans and spouses.

Racine's Horlick Athletic Field:

9781626194441

$23.99

Launched in 1919 by William Horlick, the inventor of malted milk, Horlick Athletic Field has hosted two NFL teams, the Racine Belles professional women's baseball team (immortalized in A League of Their Own)" and thousands of semiprofessional- and industrial-league games. But it is the drum and bugle corps shows that have made the stadium one of the most iconic landmarks in its corner of the state. From an archive of fond recollection and painstaking record, Alan Karls has pieced together a history of Horlick Athletic Field that justifies the reverence that drum and bugle corps have felt for the place for almost a century."

Milwaukee Garage Bands

9781609496258

$23.99

Milwaukee hasn't earned a reputation as a launching pad for hopeful rock stars, but for generations it has had the perfect acoustics for the garage band rock scene. Of course, the whole point of garage rock is that every place has the perfect acoustics, but just try telling that to the folks who heard Blitzkrieg Over Kenosha for the first time. With dual citizenship in the research library and the basement show, Peter Roller follows Milwaukee's garage rockers everywhere they haul their amps, observing bands like the Stilettos, the Angry Daisies, the Palmettos, the Chevelles and the Violent Femmes in their natural habitat.

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Haunted Wausau

9781609491109

$21.99

Walk through the "Gateway to the Northwoods" into a place teeming with apparitions, electrical disturbances, physical manifestations and veiled forces. Glide among the praying whispers in the basement of Rogers Theater or the unmanned piano music floating through the halls of the Hotel Wausau and gaze upon the unusual acorn pyramid at the Gillett home. Join Wausau Paranormal Research Society members Shawn Blaschka, Anji Spialek and Sharon Abitz as they present what they have discovered about Annie and the Blue Cowboy, the Bat-Man and the Mosinee poltergeist. This chilling collection of ghost lore searches out the dark secrets of Wausau's most public places.

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Wicked Fox Cities:

9781596299306

$21.99

Visit the wicked Fox Cities, full of place names like La Grand Butte des Morts (the Big Hill of the Dead") and Winneconne ("the Place of Skulls") that date from an era when "settlement" was frequently synonymous with "slaughter." Even after the firm establishment of modern civilization, there remained an uneasy truce between lined pockets and bared knuckles that was often only brokered by heavy drinking. Stumble across the frozen Fox River and barge into local watering holes, where the only pauses in the revelry are discussions about desecrating Joe McCarthy's grave. Points of interest include the Oshkosh rat-betting scene, the Appleton "Union Street Resorts" and the Neenah tavern, where a world-champion boxer hid from the doctor who had bought his bones."

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Milwaukee Food

9781626196704

$21.99

Milwaukee's culinary scene boasts more than the iconic beer and bratwurst. It possesses a unique food culture as adventurous as any dining destination in the country. Sample the spreads at landmark hotels like the Pfister that established the city's hospitable reputation, as well as eateries like Mader's that cemented it. Meet the producers, chefs and entrepreneurs who helped expand Milwaukee's palate and pushed the scene to the forefront of the farm-to-fork movement. Milwaukee native and food writer Lori Fredrich serves up the story of a bustling blue-collar town that became a mecca for food lovers and a rising star in the sphere of urban farming.

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Milwaukee County's Oak Leaf Trail

9781467140683

$21.99

Milwaukee loves the Oak Leaf Trail, a 125-mile path connecting the major Milwaukee County parks. But many don't know the history behind the trail.

Believing parks to be the “lungs of the people,” long-range thinkers like Charles Whitnall advocated for the verdant spaces the trail would later snake through. To promote biking as an alternative to precious gasoline during wartime, Harold “Zip” Morgan designed a route that 1960s riders built on. Years later, bicycling enthusiasts worked overtime with local leadership to get a 76-mile route ready for the country’s bicentennial, creating the beloved 76 Bike Trail. Join local author Jill Rothenbueler Maher as she uncovers the previously untold stories of a Milwaukee County treasure.

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Swiss in Greater Milwaukee

9780738583778

$21.99

A few men and women, mostly from German-speaking cantons, pioneered this remarkable Swiss community in the mid-1830s. Thousands who followed in their footsteps participated actively in the development of a vibrant new city, branding it with a unique style of efficiency and progressivism. The immigrants and their progeny prospered and distinguished themselves in various fields of science, commerce, art, and industry. They helped launch Charlie Chaplin's career, produced coumarin used in flavorings and perfumes, wrote a popular guide for 19th-century immigrants, and helped shape the nation's banking industry. Among their finest were Milwaukee's first archbishop, a world-renowned surgeon, an elected governor, an influential radical "free-thinker," a kindergarten pioneer, a wine grower, a successful whiskey distiller, and a prolific architect.

Hidden History of Milwaukee

9781626194519

$21.99

Join OnMilwaukee.com's Bobby Tanzilo for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Milwaukee's incredible past.

Sail out to the Breakwater Lighthouse, scramble up the wings of the Milwaukee Art Museum and dig up the city's roots on the corner of Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Seize the chance to do a little urban spelunking and explore basilicas, burial grounds and breweries. Ring the bell in the city hall tower, and take a turn around the secret indoor track at a Montessori school. No space is off limits in these untold stories of the Cream City's most familiar places and celebrated landmarks.

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Green County

9780738583860

$24.99

This book presents a glimpse into Green County's colorful and historic past. Not only are the communities of present-day Green County included, but also within are the ghost towns Attica, Dayton, Dutch Hollow, Martintown, Postville, and Schultz. While far from a complete photographic history of Green County, the reader will get a glimpse of many of the lesser-known facets of its history, both physical and personal. It is the author's hope that this book will serve as a beginning point for the reader to venture deeper into Green County's collective past.

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Sheboygan Tales of the Tragic & Bizarre

9781609490355

$21.99

The untold stories of the tranquil town of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, that have been swept under the rug or lost over the years.

Sheboygan deserves its reputation as a conservative city clean, quiet and law-abiding. But here are some stories that have been swept under the rug or lost overboard. Venture into the mists of the ""Lake Michigan Triangle"" that have swallowed boats, planes and entire tribes. Investigate speakeasy shootings, safes burgled by a fly swatter, poisoned Christmas candy, flaming shipwrecks and the hoax that had militiamen firing on their own cattle. Or just sit down with some bizarre anecdotes about a hometown you thought you knew, from the town's first baseball game to the man freed from jail by a jug of whiskey to the deputy sheriff who had to enforce Nicholas Hoffman's first bath in 50 years.

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Early Whitewater Industry

9780738561899

$24.99

After the arrival of the Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad in 1852, Whitewater became a regional shipping center that blossomed into a powerful industrial town. The Esterly Harvesting Machine Company and the Winchester and Partridge Wagon Works established their first factories in Whitewater after the coming of the Milwaukee and Mississippi. Their manufactured goods were known around the country for exceptional quality. A myriad of new inventions and patents came from Whitewater's business population, and Whitewater's farmers and dairymen consistently won prizes for their produce, while its factories produced reapers and wagons that won national competitions. In the 1890s, however, development suddenly stopped and Whitewater lost its economic clout in a few short years. This book explains what happened to Whitewater.

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Mysterious Madison:

9781609493691

$21.99

The city of Madison is no stranger to odd goings-on and events that just don't add up. Plunge into murky waters in search of the Lake Mendota monster or briefly part the clouds of the Great Airship Mystery of 1897, which was witnessed by such credible sources as "Wisconsin judges, good church-going folk and those not predisposed to drink whiskey." Please don't stare for too long at Myrtle Downing's shoes, which were said to be made from human skin. Revisit some of the murders that earned the intersection of Murray Street and Desmond Court the epithet "Death's Corner." And that is just a portion of the unsolved crimes, strange creatures and bizarre happenstance that make up Mysterious Madison.

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Haunted Green Bay

9781596299856

$21.99

Green Bay has always been a city with a fierce sense of tradition complemented by a friendly atmosphere. Those qualities seem to attract not only living visitors but also spirits of the dead.

Tour the city's haunted past with Tim Freiss as he follows the trail of the tragic, the inexplicable and the just plain spooky. From the desecration of the father of Wisconsin's burial spot to the winery that was a stop on the Underground Railroad to the nightclub haunted by a bullet-riddled love triangle, Haunted Green Bay stirs up the kind of history that keeps us awake a little bit longer once the lights are out.

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Lost Green Bay

9781467158367

$21.99

Step back in time to one of Wisconsin’s oldest cities

Green Bay has seen numerous landmarks and industries come and go over the centuries. Built during a tuberculosis epidemic, the Hickory Grove sanatorium nobly served its purpose, and then its ruins sat empty for years, tempting local youth to explore them. Henry’s Hamburgers, a chain that once rivaled McDonald’s, fed Green Bay’s east side for a decade before shuttering. The Port Plaza Mall and the Brown County Arena created memories for several generations before they were both torn from the landscape.

From beaver pelts to paper, from trading posts to the first businesses, journalist and author Kris Leonhardt chronicles the structures that once called the Greater Green Bay area home.