Wisconsin 101

Beyond the Dirt Track: Harley-Davidson Expands to New Markets

“Typical Bikemen of the 1920’s,” Courtesy of the Milwaukee Police Historical Society. Harley-Davidson motorcycles may have had their first exposure on the dirt-track racing circuits of the early 1900s, but their legacy did not end with extreme sports. 1908 marked the Milwaukee…

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June 18, 2022

Region 8 - South East / The Harley-Davidson V-Twin Engine / Related Stories / 2020-2040 / 2000-2020 / Milwaukee / Milwaukee County / Manufacturing & Trade / Art, Sport & Entertainment / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / 1940-1960 / 1960-1980 / 1980-2000 / Transportation & Tourism

Harley Davidson and Milwaukee

It’s no secret that Harley-Davidson’s history is deeply rooted in Milwaukee. From dealerships to museums, the motorcycle giant serves as a cultural landmark and has become synonymous with the sprawling city. Thus, one may be surprised to learn of its humble beginnings.…

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June 18, 2022

UW-Eau Claire & The Council Oak Tree

Oak Trees have been regarded for centuries as a symbol of strength, moral, and knowledge, and throughout history have been represented in different mythologies to show these attributes. And for the original Council Oak Tree, grown in Eau Claire, it also held…

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October 5, 2021

Read more about the article From the Fox River Valley to the Windy City: The Roaring Twenties and the Neenah Foundry

Neenah Foundry Standard Design. Courtesy of Keith Kaziak, 2020.

Winnebago County / Region 4 - Center / Neenah Foundry Manhole Cover / Neenah / Related Stories / Manufacturing & Trade / 1920-1940 / Transportation & Tourism

From the Fox River Valley to the Windy City: The Roaring Twenties and the Neenah Foundry

The 1920s began with significant economic prosperity and an emphasis on social and culturally rich energy with an influx of jazz, Art-Deco, telephones, film, and radio in cities like Chicago, IL. With the City of Chicago flourishing, The Neenah Foundry of the…

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September 29, 2021

Marathon Brewing Company "Superfine" Beer Bottle / Marathon / Related Stories / Marathon County / Region 2 - North East / Food & Cooking / Manufacturing & Trade / Art, Sport & Entertainment / 1920-1940

Marathon City Brewing and the Wee Willy Basketball Team

The Marathon City Brewery sponsored local sports teams like the Wee Willy basketball team, originally known as the Catholic Youth Organization Team, which organized in 1936. Though the team temporarily disbanded during World War II, in the mid-1940s, young men from the…

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September 14, 2021

Read more about the article The Heileman Family: A German Immigration Story

John Gund Brewing Company postcard, c. 1911, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, Image 35952.

La Crosse County / Region 3 - Center West / King Gambrinus Statues of LaCrosse / Related Stories / La Crosse / Manufacturing & Trade / 1840-1860 / 1860-1880 / 1880-1900 / 1900-1920 / 1920-1940 / 1940-1960 / 1960-1980 / Ethnicity & Identity / 1980-2000 / Global Connections

The Heileman Family: A German Immigration Story

The G. Heileman Brewing Company is often remembered by historians as the vision of the two ambitious men who founded the brewery in La Crosse, Wisconsin. At the height of its popularity in 1983, Heileman’s was the fourth largest brewery in the…

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August 17, 2021