Wisconsin 101

OBJECT HISTORY: Fromm Fox Fur Coat

This coat was made from the fur of foxes raised on the Fromm Fur Farm in Hamburg, Wisconsin. The jacket is covered in light-silver fox fur and lined with a taupe fabric. Straps allow the coat to also be worn as a cape. In the early decades of the 20th century, it was fashionable to use…

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December 9, 2017

Sheboygan County / Region 5 - Center East / Greenbush / Manufacturing & Trade / 1840-1860 / 1860-1880 / Science & Medicine / 1880-1900 / 1900-1920 / Object Histories / Nature & Environment

OBJECT HISTORY: The Muley Sawmill

If you grew up in Wisconsin, you may be familiar with some of Wisconsin’s forests like the Black River forest, Menominee forest, or the Chequamegon-Nicolet forest. For hundreds of years these forests have provided Wisconsin with lumber used for building homes, factories,…

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September 10, 2017

Green County / Region 7 - South Center / New Glarus / The Hefty-Blum White Barn / Manufacturing & Trade / Food & Cooking / 1860-1880 / Object Histories / Nature & Environment

OBJECT HISTORY: The Hefty-Blum White Barn

Barns are a defining feature of the Wisconsin landscape, and hold a special place in the history of Wisconsin. Among the many barns that contributed to Wisconsin’s place as a major dairy producing state is a Swiss barn that was built in 1878 in Green County. This barn, the Hefty-Blum White Barn, was used to…

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September 10, 2017

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

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

Kenosha County / Kenosha / Region 8 - South East / Sterling Safety Bicycle / Manufacturing & Trade / Art, Sport & Entertainment / 1880-1900 / Object Histories / Transportation & Tourism

OBJECT HISTORY: Sterling Safety Bicycle

What did a bicycle rider in 1890 look for in a new bike? Safety and comfort, of course, but also beautiful construction—many of the same qualities that contemporary bicycle riders also seek. Sterling Bicycle advertisement featuring Annie Oakley on the safety bicycle, 1890s. The bicycle pictured here was donated to the Wisconsin Historical Museum, where it…

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September 10, 2017

Region 2 - North East / Oconto County / Migrant Worker's Cabin / Oconto / Related Stories / Food & Cooking / Manufacturing & Trade / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / Nature & Environment / 1940-1960 / 1960-1980 / Ethnicity & Identity

Migrant Workers and the Bond Pickle Company

The Bond Pickle Company of Oconto, Wisconsin was founded in 1915 by five brothers. The Bond brothers quickly developed the firm, by 1917 acquiring 10 “salting stations” where the cucumbers were received from local farmers and a processing factory on West Main Street in…

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September 1, 2017