MEETING MINUTES
& PROGRAM SUMMARY
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Thompson Community Center
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 80
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, Gwen Sargeant, David Buss, Brian Schneider, Linda Muldoon, Karen Probst, Jim Krueger
SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING REGULAR AHS MONTHLY MEETINGS:
Effective January 1, 2014, the Appleton Historical Society will be holding all of it’s regular, monthly, public, meetings at the Thompson Community Center. Also we will have new meeting times: The 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 7pm.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
February 12th Boldt Company, 125th Anniversary, by Oscar and Tom Boldt
March 1st History Fair at the Appleton Winter Farmers Market 9am to 12:30 pm
March 12th Appleton Bicyling History , by Gwen Sargeant
April 9th Appleton- Then and Now, by Scott Mahnke
May 14th Hoffman Construction, since 1892, by Paul Hoffman and Miles Girouard
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER OPENING REMARKS:
A. Sutter welcomed all to our new Regular Monthly Meeting location at the Thompson Community Center. We will be using the main meeting room at a rental cost of $75.00 a month. Our deepest appreciation goes to Karin Krablean of the Thompson Community Center Management Team for facilitating the change to our new home.
B. Thanks to Gwen Sargeant and Brian Schneider for their November program “The Appleton Picture Show”. We had great attendance and many of our members and guests brought in pictures for the show.
C. Door Prize – a $25.00 Gift Certificate provided by Frank’s Pizza Palace, our new neighbor across the street. The Prize was won by Mona Bartman.
F. Thanks again to Randy Stadtmueller, the Atlas Coffee Mill and the Paper Discovery
Center for use of the historic Atlas Paper Mill for our past meetings.
G. Just a reminder that previous meeting presentations can be found on YouTube.
H. Another reminder that Sutter and Schneider still have DVD videos of Appleton’s
historic trolley cars and their history.
AHS 7TH HISTORY FAIR REPORT - December 7, 2013:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, gave the final report on our December 7, 2013, History Fair. It might have been a very cold day, but our 7th History Fair had great response from the community. The event was again held as part of the Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market at the City Center in downtown Appleton. With attendance of 290 visitors, 10% increase over our last event, people showed great support and positive comments for the themes we have chosen, and the diversity of our exhibits.
Due to the significance of December 7th, we chose a Central Theme of Appleton at War, with Focus Exhibits on World War II. A wide array of exhibits and artifacts were displayed, not only on World War II, but also on World War I and the Spanish American War. Personal accounts and stories on individual Appleton soldiers who served were of great interest.
Exhibitors included:
(1) Appleton Historical Society, David Buss and Christine Williams – Welcome Table
(2) Brian Schneider – historic videos, artifact scanning and PC End of War Article
(3) John Marx, Appleton – World War II Pictures and Artifacts
(4) Scott Mahnke, Appleton - John Bradley & Iwo Jima Pictures and Artifacts
(5) Joe Gaerthofner, Appleton-1915 Newspaper, WWI & Spanish American War Photos
(6) Oshkosh Military Veterans Museum, Dave Kersztyn, Vice President –Exceptional two table World War II display of pictures and artifacts attended by three OMVM members in period correct uniforms
(7) Gwen & Don Schwandt, Appleton - Military Medal Collection of All Wars, Sword
(8) Terry Engelhardt, Appleton – Large Display Boards of WWII Military Patches
(9) Bo Dutcher, Appleton -Framed Prints of the Spanish American War
(10)Dave Kalz, Appleton – WWI & WWII Period Photos of Appleton
(11)Gwen Sargeant, Appleton - Company G Photo, WWI & WWII Photos
(12)Tom Sutter, AHS President – Historic Newspapers, Period Maps
(12)Mike Broeren, Appleton - 48 Star American Flags, WWII era Artifacts
(10)Don Hameister – Historic Appleton Pictures
(11)Karen Probst, Appleton Public Library – Volumes on Appleton WWII History
(12)Alex Schultz, Appleton – Spanish American War Pictures and Artifacts
Thanks have been extended to Jennifer Stephany and Djuanna Hugdahl, Appleton Downtown Inc. for making the event possible. Thanks also to Pfefferle Companies Inc. and their City Center Staff for providing space, equipment and assistance. We also appreciate the excellent news coverage that was provided prior to the event by the Appleton Post Crescent, the Bargain Bulletin, and finally to Adam Bordeaux of Spec Totum Conta for taking pictures of the event. James Richter and Mark Moderson, Co-Chairmen
Officer and Committee Chair Reports:
Gwen Sargeant, Board and Communications Committee Member, gave a report on:
(1) Upcoming programs and events.
(2) Final research and editing of our Images of Appleton book are underway. Urges us to get final pictures and copy to her so they can be included.
(3) Asks us all to regularly check our Web page regularly, our newsletters and meeting minutes are chock full of information.
PROGRAM – “Happy New Year 1880”, Presented by Tom and Janet Sutter.
Speaker Backgrounds:
A. Tom Sutter is a local attorney. He is a Founder of, and has been President of, the Appleton Historical Society since it’s inception.
B. Janet is Tom’s wife. She is an accomplished concert orchestra musician.
C. Both have a love of area history and routinely conduct research on local history topics.
Basis of the Sutter Presentation:
A. Tom and Janet are portraying Walter and Imogene in their Appleton living room on January 1, 1880.
B. The heart of the role playing is Walter’s reading, and the couple discussing, the January 1, 1880, issue of the Appleton Crescent Newspaper.
Pertinent Facts about this Issue and the Community:
A. This issue is packed with numerous maps and illustrations prepared just for the reader.
B. The Appleton map shows the location of key buildings.
C. This is a very special paper with 12,000 copies printed, at a total cost of $1,200.00.
D. The 1880 Population of Appleton was 8,002.
Excerpts from the Newspaper with Comments:
1. The Turner Society of Appleton will be doing the most unique and elaborate Ball that Appleton has ever had.
2. The Montgomery Drug Store ad is offering a major patent medicine that everyone is talking about.
3. Another ad is showing Appleton Belle Cigars being offered by L.C. Schmidt.
4. This issue has many articles on the community and it’s progress.
5. The Fox River and it’s development were noted:
a. Begins with a lady describing her trip from DePere to Appleton in 1825. The trip was then continued in a bark canoe, ending in Prairie du Chein.
b. Outlined were changes to the Fox River since Appleton was started in the 1840’s, and the tremendous progress shown these 40 years later.
c. The Lower Dam is in poor condition, but will be replaced with a new, cut stone, dam next year.
d. The Upper Dam has already been replaced with an effective cut stone, dam.
6. Manufacturing is reported as Appleton’s lifeblood in 1880. All of these firms produced $2,500,000 of business in the last year:
a. We have 8 paper and pulp mills, with the largest run by Mr. Rogers.
b. We also have multiple flour mills, including the Genesee, Appleton, Riverside, and 4th Ward Mills.
c. The Appleton Woolen Mill is also an asset.
d. Also of note are the Appleton Chair & Bedstead Factory, the Hub & Spoke Factory and several lumber mills.
e. We are blessed with the Appleton Manufacturing Company, which is a large producer of Agricultural Implements.
7. Retailing is also doing well in the community:
a. Pettibone and Company.
b. Fleming Company at 145 E. College Avenue, known as Fleming’s Trade Palace.
c. 6 Different Grocery Stores are in operation.
d. Hardware and General Merchandise Stores also are in abundance.
8. The Railroad is the great artery of transportation that makes Appleton a success:
a. In 1879 more railway development came to Appleton.
b. We now have not only the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, but also the Milwaukee and Northern Railway.
9. Our many Banks have kept the city financially stable.
10. Real Estate and it’s development have been significant:
a. Mr. Welcome Hyde has shown himself to be the major realtor in the area.
b. Judge Harriman has properties in three different wards.
c. Humphrey Pierce, Reader Smith and Herman Erb also have numerous properties.
11. Fraternal Orders and Societies are very active and important to the community:
a. The Waverly Masonic Lodge.
b. The Odd Fellows.
c. The Daughters of Rebekah (an international service oriented society).
d. The Good Templars.
e. The Turner Society (for the mental and physical culture of it’s members).
f. The Northstar Lodge.
g. The I.O.B.B., a Jewish organization, has 40 local members.
h. The Knights and Ladies of Honor.
i. The Royal Arcade.
Sutter Then Gave a Power Point Presentation on Appleton Monuments and Memorials:
Appleton has for years honored the past for the future by collaborating in the construction and erection of numerous memorials throughout the City. A number of these were then shown, and are listed below, first by location and then with a description of the memorial:
1. Pierce Park - Statute Commemorating Our Native Americans
2. Lutz Park - Monument Recognizing Arrival of Hippolyte Grignon in 1835
3. Soldiers Square - Monument to the Civil War erected in early 1900’s
4. Pierce Park - Monument to the Gettysburg Address erected June 10, 1934
5. Riverside Cemetery - Monument to the Grand Army of the Republic
6. Pierce Park - Monument to the Spanish American War
7. South Memorial Drive - (Tip of Boulevard) Statute to the Doughboy of World War I
Donated by Oney Johnson American Legion Post #38. Restored in 2006
8. 400 Block of East College Avenue - Lawrence Memorial Chapel dedicated to Myra
Plantz and Helen Naylor in 1918
9. Veterans Park - (West of South End of Memorial Drive Bridge) Monument to Soldiers
and Sailors
10. Lutz Park - Monument to the Lutz Family and it’s Contributions to the Community
11. Lutz Park - Stone to the Lutz Family and it’s Contributions to the Community
12. Reid Memorial Golf Course - Plaque Recognizing Mrs. Estelle Reid
13. Appleton High School West - Monument to World War II
14. Appleton High School West - Stained Glass Windows with Plaque
15. Appleton High School West - Display Case Recognizing Veterans
16. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post - Plaque Recognizing Edward Bahcall
17. Jaycee Park - Monument in Memory of Michael DeYoung
18. Front of Outagamie County Courthouse - Monument Recognizing All Veterans
19. Veterans Memorial Garden - Monument Recognizing All Veterans
20. Island at Corner of College Avenue and Richmond Street - Plaque on Monument with
Statement by President John F. Kennedy
Respectfully, James L. Richter
AHS Secretary, 1/20/14