Object Histories

Manufacturing & Trade / 1820-1840 / 1840-1860 / Science & Medicine / Object Histories / Nature & Environment / Ethnicity & Identity

OBJECT HISTORY: Galena

Galena, the official state mineral of Wisconsin, is the raw material used to produce lead. During the Wisconsin “lead rush” of the 1820s-40s, lead was more valuable than gold. That is because just about everybody, rich or poor, used objects made of lead in their daily lives ­­– products that ranged from plumbing to toothpaste!…

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December 9, 2017

Region 2 - North East / Fromm Fox Fur Coat / Hamburg / Marathon County / Manufacturing & Trade / Clothing & Fashion / Object Histories / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940

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

Region 8 - South East / Draft Drum / Ozaukee County / Politics, Society & Government / 1860-1880 / Object Histories

OBJECT HISTORY: Draft Drum

The hollow metal cylinder sits on the rusted, triangular metal base. A latch and a small hinged door are open, exposing a small square hole where the names of potential draftees could be placed. A thin metal crank protrudes from the center of the cylinder ready to be turned at any moment. This is a…

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November 9, 2017

Sheboygan County / Region 5 - Center East / Greenbush / Manufacturing & Trade / 1840-1860 / 1860-1880 / 1880-1900 / Science & Medicine / 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 / Food & Cooking / Manufacturing & Trade / 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