MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 13th, 2016 Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“The History of Railroads in Appleton”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 91
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Mark Moderson, Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant, John Marx, James Krueger, and Diana Sandberg.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
February 10 Appleton Police Chiefs – Arnie Nettekoven
Dairy Queen – Steve Liebziet The Surley Surveyor – Rob Nurre
March 9
April 13
May 11
June 8
July 13
August 10 WHBY – Steve Bell
September 14 Rio Theater and Worlitzer organ – Tom McNeely October 12 Haunted Appleton – Chad Lewis
November 9 The Appleton Picture Show. Bring your own photos for show and tell!
Fox Valley Symphony – Janet and Tom Sutter Hidden Churches – Angie Knutson
Appleton War Memorials – Alex Schultz
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
AHS Officers:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Gwen Sargeant C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
AHS Board of Directors:
A. Terms through November 2017:
1. Mark Moderson
2. John Marx
3. Laura Leimer
4. Diana Sandberg
B. Terms through November 2016:
1. Linda Muldoon
2. Jim Krueger
3. Gwen Sargeant
4. Brian Schneider
C. Terms through November 2018:
1. Tom Sutter
2. Christine Williams
3. JamesRichter
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows: A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss and Diana Sandberg, Research Specialists D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
E. Christine Williams, Monthly Programs
F. Gwen Sargeant, Publications
Upcoming Special Events
March 5 9-12:30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer’s Market, City Center Plaza August 21 2pm - Riverside Cemetery Walk, “Pioneer Appleton Residents” December 3 9-12:30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer’s Market, City Center Plaza
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. President Sutter welcomed all while wearing a train conductor’s hat in preparation for the evening’s program.
B. Introduced Officers and Board Members.
C. Thanks to the Post Crescent for it’s announcement of tonight’s meeting and all of it’s support.
D. The big news to report is the planned closing of our monthly meeting place, the
Thompson Community Center. Lutheran Social Services, owner of the building, no longer can continue to operate at a loss to provide this community facility. As a result, they plan to close the facility effective March 31st. Our AHS Board of Directors is already studying a list of potential new sites for our meetings. The audience was asked for suggestions, but none were proposed.
E. Sales of our book Images of America-Appleton continue to go well. Books are available at the registration table.
F. Thanks to David Buss and Christine Williams for November’s program “The Appleton Picture Show”.
G. Sunday, December 13th we had another Book Fair at Barnes and Noble. We received $146.65 as a portion of all the day’s store sales. Thanks to all those who volunteered.
H. Sutter read a letter he received from Randy Bandour thanking Sutter and Sargeant for a
great job serving as tour guides for a boat trip on the Fox River last fall.
I. Sutter urged members to renew their memberships as soon as possible.
J. The door prize of a Fazoli’s Gift Certificate was won by Steve Krueger.
AHS OFFICER AND COMMITTEE REPORTS:
1. New AHS Vice President Gwen Sargeant gave a report on next year’s monthly programs and special events.
THE APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S 11TH HISTORY FAIR REPORT:
Co-Chairman James Richter gave a report on our December 5, 2015, History Fair. It was a beautiful day for December and so many folks chose to work on Christmas decorations in their yards and go shopping, as a result our attendance was 304 for our 11th History Fair.
The event was again held as part of the Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market at the City Center in downtown Appleton. Those who attended showed great support and pos-
itive comments for our theme, and the variety of exhibits displayed. The kids loved our electric train set running in the front window. Several copies of our book, Images of America- Appleton, were sold at the event.
Exhibits focused on Historic Appleton Public Transportation and included displays on Trains, Buses, Trolley Cars, Taxicabs and even Bicycles and Scooters! A wide variety of exhibits were displayed.
(1) App Historical Society Welcome Table- Tom Sutter
(2) Brian Schneider - showing a Trolley Car Video, an old Appleton Police Department, Bike
Safety Video, also will do free scanning of pictures and artifacts.
(3) Tom Sutter - large historic maps and artifacts.
(4) Jim Richter – copy of menu from dining car of the Chicago Northwestern Railroad.
(5) Jim Krueger-transportation pictures & artifacts.
(6)Mark Moderson -transportation pictures, post cards, business items and artifacts.
(7)John Marx - transportation items, pictures, post cards and artifacts.
(8)Dave Kalz - railroad and railroad station photos and postcards.
(9)Dave Kalz (2nd) – model railroad setup in action.
(10)Gwen Sargeant-AHS Book and Appleton Bike Shop historical items.
(11) Sheilah Bruchs – transportation items, bicycles and scooters, and artifacts.
(12) Tom McNeely – Appleton Trolley Car System.
(13) Dave Buss – Appleton’s Historic Taxi Services, and Bus Lines.
(14) Diana Sandberg, Appleton Public Library – The Historic Trail System that flowed through Appleton and other cities.
Many thanks to our dedicated exhibitors and all the time and effort they committed to our success! We thank Jennifer Stephany and Djuanna Hugdahl of Appleton Downtown Inc. for making the event possible. Thanks also go 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 WHBY Radio. Thanks also to Community 1st and Capital Credit Unions for marquee ads.
PROGRAM : “The History of Railroads in Appleton”
Presenters: Kraig and Rece Kasten Speaker’s Background:
Kraig is a 17 year veteran of the Appleton Fire Dept, he is 43 years old with a wife and 2 kids, a 15 yr old son and 13 yr old daughter. Kraig has lived in Appleton all of his life and fell in love with trains beginning with his first Christmas train set in 1978! Kraig and his son, Rece, are avid rail fans and have taken many railroad-related trips. Kraig and his son belong to the Paper Valley Model Railroad Club, which started out in an old CNW railroad depot. He has a passion for the history of the city of Appleton and the cities railroads.
The Program:
Appleton has a significant history with trains, since they first came to the area in 1861. The following is a chronology of events with railroads from 1861 to the present:
1861 CNW completes its Line Between Oshkosh and Appleton
1862 CNW Completes Appleton - Green Bay Line
1873-1880 Milwaukee and Northern Leased by Wisconsin Central
1879-1880 Menasha and Appleton RR Leased to Wisconsin
Central
1880 Menasha and Appleton Sold to Milwaukee and Northern
1893 Milwaukee and Northern Purchased by Milwaukee Road
1987 Wisconsin Central takes over Soo Line trackage
1988 FVR Purchases C&NW trackage in Appleton
1993 Fox Valley and Western RR Purchases the FVR
2001 Canadian National RR Takes Control of all Trackage in Appleton
A list of the railroads that served the Appleton area included:
Appleton & New London Railway 1866-1875
Menasha & Appleton Railway 1879-1880
Wisconsin Central 1880
Milwaukee and Northern 1880-1893
Milwaukee Road 1893-1982?
Milwaukee Lake Shore & Western Railway 1872-1893
Wisconsin & Northern Railroad 1906-1921
Soo Line Railroad 1921-1986
Chicago & Northwestern Railroad 1861-1988
Fox River Valley Railroad 1988-1993
Wisconsin Central Railroad 1993-2001
Canadian National 2001-Present
Kraig and Rece then displayed a pictorial experience with the showing of a Power Point. Many scenes of railroads and trackage were shown. Images and significant facts included:
President Eisenhower came through Appleton on the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad during a campaign stop.
In 1961 the 32nd Red Arrow Division loaded for deployment to Fort Lewis Washington from the Soo Line Station at 800 W. College Avenue.
Passenger service ended in the Fox River Valley in 1971.
Appleton had several train depots at one time:
a.The Chicago & Northwestern Depot at North and Oneida Streets, which closed in the late 50’s.
b.The Appleton Junction Train Depot at the end of Spencer Street was in operation until the late 70’s.
c.The Milwaukee Road Depot in the Flats in 1985.
d.The Soo Line Depot on West College Avenue where the
Thompson Community Center currently stands.
Double long bridges now under the Oneida Skyline bridges were a useful feature.
The old Second Street Yard (Junction) is still in use.
The old John Street Bridge.
The former Chicago & Northwestern Bridge below the hill of Lawrence University, and other city bridges.
The Mill district between S. Oneida and Lawe Streets.
The bridge that is behind the Fox River Mills Apartments and the Courtney Woolen Mill.
The bridge in front of the old Foremost Dairy site linking with John Street bridge.
Fox River Valley Railroad sign under the East Wisconsin Avenue trestle.
A Canadian National Railway engine of today.
The iron bridge behind the old Riverside Paper office building on South Lawe Street.
In 1985 cabooses were phased out, and a “Fred” car was put at the end of a train.
The first Appleton train track was laid in 1861.
In 1870 the Wisconsin and Northern Railroad went from Appleton to Ashland, Wisconsin.
Appleton never had a roundhouse, but did have a building that housed three engines.
Kraig thanked his son Rece for helping put the program together and man the Power Point projector. He hopes the audience thoroughly enjoyed old railroads in Appleton as much as they have. An unusually high number of questions came from the audience.
PRESIDENT SUTTER CLOSING REMARKS:
Thanks to all of you for making the Appleton Historical Society a great success.
Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary, 1/25/16