Wisconsin Historical Society Press

11/01/2024

November is National Native American Heritage Month – A celebration of the rich traditions, languages, stories, and cultures of Indigenous peoples.

WHS Press is proud to have numerous titles written by and about indigenous authors, from Ojibwe’s Seventh Generation philosophy with Patty Loew to stories and recipes from the Menominee reservation with Thomas Pecore Weso.

We strongly recommend browsing our resources to find a great book to read this Native November. Visit our page to find a book that interests you: https://wihist.org/3YqQ4mh. These titles are available at bookstores and libraries throughout Wisconsin. You may also purchase your own copy online.

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween! Celebrate the spooky season with a story of moonshine and murder – A Prohibition Murder Mystery…

This real-life saga happened in Juneau County where an illicit moonshine conspiracy included the town's sheriff. As authorities worked to unveil an entire illicit brewing empire, a shocking murder on the banks of the Lemonweir River pulsed through the community. Investigators would follow a trail of blood which ultimately led one individual into the courtroom…

Continue reading this free story from our archives: https://wihist.org/3tZsktW

We pulled this article from the spring 2020 edition of the “Wisconsin Magazine of History."

10/30/2024

On this day in 1862, the 32nd Wisconsin Infantry Regiment left for the war from Camp Bragg in Oshkosh.

The 32nd Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Bragg in Oshkosh and mustered into service on September 25, 1862. The regiment left Wisconsin for Memphis, Tennessee, on October 30 and moved through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Washington D.C.

During the Civil War, the 32nd infantry fought in the Siege of Atlanta, Sherman's March to the Sea, the Battle of Bentonville and the surrender of the Confederate army. The regiment mustered out on June 12, 1865, after it had lost 281 men during service. One officer and 26 enlisted men were killed. One officer and 253 enlisted men died from disease. (Wisconsin Historical Society)

“In the years after the Civil War, states reformed their militia forces, providing more money and more supervision, and began to refer to them as the National Guard. Wisconsin adopted the term in 1879 and Michigan in 1891. . . .

Wisconsin and Michigan National Guard troops came together in the Thirty-Second Division. The division gathered for the first time in September 1917 near Waco, Texas, at Camp MacArthur—named in honor of Milwaukee’s Arthur MacArthur, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his heroism at the 1863 Battle of Missionary Ridge” (from “Red Arrow across the Pacific” by Mark D. Van Ells).

If you’d like to learn more about “Red Arrow across the Pacific,” visit: https://wihist.org/3XPXTSc

Images:
(1) Wisconsin Historical Image, ID #33513. Three-quarter length seated portrait of an unidentified Civil War soldier. (2) From 32nd Infantry, chapter 40 from E.B. Quiner's Military History of Wisconsin (Chicago, 1866). 32nd Infantry Regimental Roster from October of 1862.

10/30/2024

WHS Press’s upcoming history inspires readers to explore, protect, and learn about trees in their own communities!

“Timber!: A Northwoods Story of Lumberjacks, Logging, and the Land” is a new nonfiction children’s book by Susan R. Apps-Bodilly and Jerry Apps. Over 200 years ago, forests of giant white pines covered Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest. Revered for thousands of years by the Native peoples, the Northwoods were forever changed with the arrival of European and American migrants in need of lumber, as towns and cities grew with the westward expansion of the United States. The logging boom was on!

Father-daughter duo Jerry Apps and Susan Apps-Bodilly examine a complex and pivotal chapter in our state and nation’s history, utilizing a host of primary sources and engaging discussion questions to encourage thoughtful conversations. Geared for students in grades 3-5, Timber! includes over 100 images, a glossary, and suggested activities, plus an extensive list of resources, including books, websites, teaching materials, museums, and outdoor places to visit.

This title is shipping to bookstores and libraries near you! For more information about the book and its authors, check out https://wihist.org/3YjWRj8

10/28/2024

Here is some interesting history ahead of the Packer game this weekend, which will be their 190th meeting with the Detroit Lions.

Did you know that the Green Bay Packers almost played the Detroit Lions at Louisiana State University for a group of soldiers that would eventually fight in WWII?

HISTORY OF THE RED ARROW DIVISION, WWII:
PACKERS v. LIONS: THE GAME THAT ALMOST WAS

This weekend, the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions will meet for the 190th time. On the eve of US entry into World War II, another meeting between these National Football League rivals almost took place.

With war raging in Asia and Europe in the fall of 1940, President Roosevelt mobilized National Guard divisions for training. That October, the Thirty-second “Red Arrow” Division, made up of soldiers from Wisconsin and Michigan, departed for Camp Beauregard near Alexandria, Louisiana. While training hundreds of miles away, some Red Arrow troops grew homesick. Others took to excessive drinking and other unseemly activities while in Alexandria. To keep the soldiers occupied and out of trouble while off duty, Red Arrow morale officials organized athletic events, musical and theater groups, tourist excursions, and a wide range of social clubs.

But finding ways to pay for these recreational activities proved to be a challenge. That fall, division officials dreamed up a scheme to raise funds for recreation – an exhibition game between the Packers and the Lions. The proposed game was to take place at the Louisiana State University Stadium in Baton Rouge on December 28, 1940. Under the plan, the Red Arrowmen would travel to Baton Rouge in a truck in a convoy to watch the game for free. The public would pay an admission fee of about two dollars. Lieutenant Colonel F.C. Standiford, division adjutant, claimed that the game would be “in the nature of a Christmas present” to the troops of Wisconsin and Michigan, many of whom were big fans of the teams.

Standiford secured the tentative approval of Louisiana State for the use of the stadium and flew to Green Bay and Detroit to coordinate the event with the teams. But coming at the end of a long season, both football clubs seemed hesitant. “We realize that thousands of young soldiers will be away from their homes this Christmas,” said Packer coach Curly Lambeau, but he also noted that “our players want to be home for Christmas time, too.” He added that many of his top players, such as Clarke Hinkle and Don Hutson, would be on the West Coast for the NFL Pro Bowl game and could not attend. “The fans might not like it so much,” claimed Lambeau.

In the end, the game never happened. The NFL ultimately nixed the proposal, according to the Detroit Free Press, “on the ground that its constitution limits to three the number of post-season games that may be played.”

SOURCES: Detroit Free Press, 11 December 1940; Green Bay Press-Gazette, 3 December 1940, 11 December 1940.
PHOTO: Don Hutson, Wikipedia (public domain)

For more on the Red Arrow Division during WWII, see:
https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS17247
Wisconsin Historical Society Press

10/28/2024

The Village of Cottage Grove Library Board invites you to hear from author Jim Draeger as he discusses his book “Bottoms Up: A Toast to Wisconsin’s Historic Bars & Breweries” at Grace Coffee Co.!

“Bottoms Up” celebrates Wisconsin's taverns and the breweries that fueled them. Beginning with inns and saloons, the book explores the rise of taverns and breweries, the effects of temperance and Prohibition, and attitudes about gender, ethnicity, and morality. Contemporary photographs of unusual and distinctive bars and breweries of all eras illustrate the story of how Wisconsin came to dominate brewing.

Local Wisconsin beers will be available for purchase. This is an adult program.

10/27/2024

This amazing photograph of Villa Louis Historic Site’s second floor landing also happens to be the cover of our Autumn 2021 “Wisconsin Magazine of History.” In this edition, Mary Elise Antoine discusses the Villa Louis site in further detail.

Recent back issues of the “Wisconsin Magazine of History” become available for purchase in our online store after a new issue is released. You can also browse through older editions of the “Wisconsin Magazine of History” (like this one) for free online at: https://wihist.org/48qs3AG

"The Wisconsin Magazine of History" is the full-color quarterly magazine of the Wisconsin Historical Society. It informs and delights readers with intriguing articles about Wisconsin culture and the people, places and events of Wisconsin's past. Since it was first published in 1917, the Wisconsin Magazine of History celebrates all that makes Wisconsin special.

“Trained stair-climbers should be the healthiest as well as the most beautiful of women. In going up stairs there should be no waddling from side to side, no trudging, no leaning forward, and no apparent weariness.” This excerpt was taken from the Manual of Social Forms by Maude C. Cook, Ethics for 1896-97. You too could traverse all the stairwells of the mansion (without waddling) tomorrow on our second to last Behind the Scenes Tour which takes you to the attic and to the basement! Book your tickets today!

📷Photo by Roger Grant, Villa Louis, 2018.

10/26/2024

We are excited that the UW Madison Friends of the Library have invited James Lattis and Kelly Tyrrell to share compelling discoveries and insights from their book, “Chasing the Stars.”

Join us this Tuesday, October 29, from 5:00-6:00 P.M. at the Wisconsin Historical Society for a presentation on the history of the University of Wisconsin’s Washburn Observatory. A reception and book signing will follow the conversation.

This event will be recorded but not livestreamed. Registration for the event and a link to the recording: https://go.wisc.edu/vr407g

Visit https://wihist.org/3vHzUL4 to learn more about “Chasing the Stars.”

10/25/2024

We ❤️ our Wisconsin libraries! It’s —a celebration honoring the volunteers who provide time and resources in support of the libraries in their communities. For all they do, whether they’re buying books and equipment, holding book sales, coordinating events, or helping library staff, we owe thanks to our ,

WHS Press encourages you to consider becoming a Library Friend. To learn more about your local library system, visit https://dpi.wi.gov/libraries/public-libraries.

Image:
Courtesy of the

10/25/2024

WHS Press has crossed state lines!

We are proud to display our titles at the Minnesota Library Association this week in Rochester, Minnesota. Today is the second day of the conference and we've enjoyed taking part in sharing new ideas, best practices, and developing new partnerships.

Do you recognize any of these titles?

10/24/2024

WHS Press’s history of combat and culture celebrates a National Guard Unit from the Midwest!

“Red Arrow across the Pacific” reveals the long-overdue story of the Thirty-Second “Red Arrow” Infantry Division and the crucial role it played in the Pacific during World War II. Discover how this National Guard unit with origins in Wisconsin and Michigan became one of the first US military units deployed overseas in World War II, eventually logging more combat hours than any other US Army division.

Far more than a traditional battle narrative, “Red Arrow across the Pacific” offers a cultural history of the Red Arrow’s wartime experience, from its mobilization in 1940, to its deployment across New Guinea, Australia, and the Philippines, to its postwar occupation of Japan. Drawing from letters, memoirs, and interviews, author Mark D. Van Ells lets the soldiers speak for themselves, describing in their own words the terror of combat, their impressions of foreign lands, the struggle to maintain their own humanity, and the many ways the war profoundly changed them.

Stay tuned and follow along with Wisconsin Historical Society Press for more information!

10/24/2024

Arcadia Books in Spring Green welcomes Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden, discussing their new book, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It! Eat All About It!: Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers.”

A blend of cookbook and bite-size history, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!” offers a unique glimpse into the Midwestern culinary landscape between 1870 and 1930. Fifty recipes selected from Wisconsin newspapers are served alongside brief essays that dig into the history behind the food trends of the time.

In addition to capturing quirky food fashions, like breakfast parties and paper-bag cooking, the recipes provide insights into regional cooking traditions. Each original recipe appears alongside the authors’ updated, easy-to-follow version. Mouthwatering modern photographs showcase the revived dishes for the first time in their long history, and newspaper clippings, ads, and illustrations give the book a charming vintage look.

Learn more about “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!” or purchase your own copy for the event through Arcadia Books: https://wihist.org/4dRFEC4

10/20/2024

On this date a record-breaking muskellunge ("muskie” or “musky") was caught on the Chippewa Flowage near Hayward. The fish weighed 69 pounds, 11 ounces. The muskie became the official state fish of Wisconsin in 1955.

You might know that the muskellunge (AKA muskie or musky) is Wisconsin’s state fish, or maybe you’ve visited the 143-foot-long muskie sculpture at the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward. But did you know that the world record muskie was caught in Wisconsin?

Depending on who you ask, there are a couple different fish that are considered the world record, but some sources assert that the largest muskie ever caught was landed by Louis Spray on October 20, 1949. As you can read in this newspaper article, Spray, who had previously caught two other record size muskies, caught the 69 pound 11 ounce fish in the Chippewa Flowage near Hayward using an 18-inch sucker as bait.

At the time, this muskie was accepted by Field & Stream as the world record. A new record was set by an angler from New York in 1957, but after three decades, that record was determined to be falsified, putting Spray back on top, at least temporarily. After Field & Stream merged their recordkeeping with the International Game Fish Association, the IGFA disqualified Spray’s fish because he killed it with a firearm before landing it in the boat. However, the IGFA lists another Wisconsin fish as their record, a 67 pound 8 ounce muskie caught by Cal Johnson in July 1949 in Hayward. The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources both still list Louis Spray’s muskie as the All Tackle and Hook-and-Line records, respectively.
Whichever record you choose to accept, the muskellunge or “fish of 10,000 casts” is one of Wisconsin’s claims to fame.

Fishing Hall of Fame

📸: Leader-Telegram October 23, 1949

10/19/2024

Next month, hundreds of thousands of registered hunters will flock to Wisconsin’s wooded areas with the start of the whitetail deer rifle season on November 23.

Do you or someone you know hunt?
A great recommended read for deer hunting enthusiasts is “Blaze Orange: Whitetail Deer Hunting in Wisconsin” by Travis Dewitz. In 130 color photographs, Dewitz captures the joy, excitement, and camaraderie of deer hunting in Wisconsin—from a ride-along with hunters and a game warden to visit a local mom-and-pop store where hunters gather, and much more!

You can find “Blaze Orange” at your local library or favorite book retailer. Or purchase it online at https://wihist.org/BO.

Image:
From “Blaze Orange: Whitetail Deer Hunting in Wisconsin” by Travis Dewitz.

10/18/2024

On this day in 1967, an anti-war protest on the UW Madison campus turned into a bloody conflict between students and police.

Protesting the presence of Dow Chemical officials who were job recruiting on campus, hundreds of students blocked access to the university's Commerce Building, linking arms and sitting from wall to wall inside. Dow Chemical was the producer of na**lm, a highly flammable mix of chemicals the United States military used during the war in Vietnam.

Shortly after 1:30 p.m., Madison police went to remove the protesters by force, and it quickly turned violent. It was the first time that tear gas was used against protesters in an anti-war demonstration. By the time it was over, at least 46 students and 19 police officers were treated at the University Medical Center and other area hospitals.

If you’d like to learn more about the events that unfolded on this day, check out the book “Madison in the Sixties” by Stuart D. Levitan. Levitan provides an hour-by-hour timeline of the Dow Protest, including the moments leading up to, during, and after the event. “Madison in the Sixties” also explores the landmark civil rights laws passed during the decade, other campus protests, a spring block party that turned into a three-night riot, and more. This book is available for purchase at your local bookstore, or online at https://wihist.org/3STZKV6.

Image:
Wisconsin Historical Images, ID #2289. University of Wisconsin-Madison students clash with riot police during campus demonstration to protest Dow Chemical involvement in the Vietnam conflict. Here, several police officers with clubs hold a student down on the floor.

10/17/2024

Join Randi Ramsden and Jane Conway at Books & Company as they discuss their brand-new cookbook, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!”!

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required: https://wihist.org/484xZ23. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

In the newest WHS Press book, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!: Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers,” authors Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden dive into historic newspapers to uncover the Midwest’s culinary past. This new book features 50 retro recipes, and Conway and Ramsden serve them up alongside brief essays that dig into the history behind the food trends of the time.

To learn more about this book, visit: https://wihist.org/4eAn4zB

10/16/2024

Join Ken and Barb Wardius at Community Library (Salem, WI) this coming Monday, October 21, for a discussion on Wisconsin’s historic lighthouses!

Ken and Barb will be drawing information and amazing photographs (covering nearly one-third of the lighthouses in the state) from their book, “Wisconsin Lighthouses: A Photographic and Historical Guide.” This event is free; however, registration is required: https://wihist.org/3Nskq2I

In “Wisconsin Lighthouses: A Photographic and Historical Guide,” Ken and Barb Wardius tell eerie tales of haunted structures and ghosts of past keepers; mariners of yesteryear anxiously hoping to reach safe haven around rocky shorelines; and dedicated keepers manning the lights. Ken and Barb take readers on an intimate tour of lighthouses on Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, and Lake Winnebago. Learn more about this book online at https://wihist.org/3s6HeKd.

10/15/2024

Endeavor Public Library welcomes Susan R. Apps-Bodilly for a potluck dinner at 5:00 PM and a discussion about her book “Old Farm Country Cookbook” at 5:45 PM.

Susan will be presenting recipes from the Great Depression era. Guests are invited to bring a dish and recipe to share! This event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Friends of the Endeavor Library.

Co-authored by Susan and her father, Jerry Apps, “Old Farm Country Cookbook” takes readers back to a time when all food was local and farming was a family-run affair. In this warm-hearted, memoir-style cookbook, Susan and Jerry share farm-family food plucked right from the Depression-era recipe box of Jerry’s mother, Eleanor. Copies of “Old Farm Country Cookbook” will be available for purchase at the event, or you can order a copy online at https://wihist.org/3X1oud3.

10/14/2024

10/13/2024

The Chippewa Valley Book Festival welcomes BJ Hollars to discuss his book “Wisconsin for Kennedy” and highlight the role that JFK's wit and humor played in the make-or-break 1960 Wisconsin primary campaign.

This event is at L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, Riverview Room. To learn more or register for the event, visit https://wihist.org/4gZ9FCL

While President Kennedy is well-known for his political feats, less is known of his wit and wisdom, both of which contributed to his campaign style throughout the 1960 Wisconsin primary. The campaign was filled with folly, from mistaken identity to stand-up jokes, car trouble to Jackie Kennedy posing with hams. Wisconsin provided Kennedy plenty of opportunities to transform mishaps into humor, and in doing so, he found the wisdom of laughing at oneself and winning over Wisconsin voters in the process.

Learn more about “Wisconsin for Kennedy” or get your own copy at https://wihist.org/435TEV3

10/13/2024

October is Polish American Heritage Month!

Wisconsin’s second largest immigrant population after Germans, Poles put down roots in all corners of the state, from the industrial center of Milwaukee to the farmland around Stevens Point, in the Cutover, and beyond. In each locale, they brought with them a hunger to own land, a willingness to work hard, and a passion for building churches.

This history and more is told in “Poles In Wisconsin” by Susan Gibson Mikos. This WHS Press book is part of our People of Wisconsin Series. Learn more online: https://wihist.org/3NlNtFe

10/12/2024

Please join us for one of these upcoming Wisconsin Book Festival author presentations!
…
10/18 – James Lattis & Kelly Tyrrell, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Explore the remarkable story of Wisconsin astronomers whose curiosity, persistence, and innovation helped us better understand our universe. James Lattis and Kelly Tyrrell’s new book “Chasing the Stars” examines the people and science behind Wisconsin’s astronomical innovations. Designed for lay readers and budding astronomers alike, “Chasing the Stars” inspires all of us to look up at the sky in wonder. Hosted by Doug Moe at the Discovery Building – DeLuca Forum. Learn more: https://wihist.org/4eD0VjZ
10/18 – Peter Jest with David Luhrssen, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Copies of “We Had Fun and Nobody Died” will be distributed for FREE to all attendees, courtesy of the Wisconsin Book Festival. Foreword author and music critic David Luhrssen will chat with Peter Jest about this new biography that provides a rare window into the music industry from the perspective of an independent and irreverent promoter. From a young age, Peter Jest was determined to make a career in live music, and despite naysayers and obstacles, he did just that, bringing national acts to his college campus at UW–Milwaukee, booking thousands of concerts across Wisconsin and the Midwest, and opening Shank Hall, the beloved Milwaukee music venue named after a club in the cult film “This Is Spinal Tap.” Learn more: https://wihist.org/3U3zY0P
10/19 – Jane Conway & Randi Julia Ramsden, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
A blend of cookbook and bite-size history, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!” offers a unique glimpse into the Midwestern culinary landscape between 1870 and 1930. Fifty recipes selected from Wisconsin newspapers are served alongside brief essays that dig into the history behind the food trends of the time. In lively prose, authors Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden reveal how coconuts and oysters made their way to 1800s Wisconsin, how the state came to lead the nation in commercial pea canning, how bakers gauged the temperatures of their wood burning stoves, and how our predecessors really did slip on banana peels, among other flavorful facts. Learn more: https://wihist.org/3BOwJ6R

10/12/2024

It’s National Farmer’s Day!

From dairy and livestock to cranberries and sweet corn, Wisconsin’s history cannot be told without mentioning the state’s farming industry. Today, we celebrate the men and women who work long hours to feed and fuel our world.

Interested in learning more about Wisconsin farms? Looking for a nostalgic connection with relatives who farmed or are farming? Consider “One Small Farm: Photographs of a Wisconsin Way of Life” from WHS Press.

“One Small Farm” captures in stunning photography the life of a Wisconsin farming family as they maintain the rhythms and routines of small-farm life near Pine Bluff. "Milk in the morning and milk at night. Feed the cows and calves. Plant crops. Grind feed. Chop and bale hay. Cut wood. Clean the barn. Spread manure on the fields. Plow snow and split wood in winter. In spring, pick rocks from the fields. Cultivate corn. Pick corn. Harvest oats and barley. Help calves be born. Milk in the morning and milk at night.” Learn more about “One Small Farm” online: https://wihist.org/428qT8B

Image:
From “One Small Farm: Photographs of a Wisconsin Way of Life” by Craig Schreiner.

10/10/2024

Hot off the Press!

In the newest WHS Press book, “Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!: Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers,” authors Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden dive into historic newspapers to uncover the Midwest’s culinary past. This new book features 50 retro recipes, and Conway and Ramsden serve them up alongside brief essays that dig into the history behind the food trends of the time.

In addition to capturing quirky food fashions, like breakfast parties and paper-bag cooking, the recipes provide insights into regional cooking traditions. Each original recipe appears with the authors’ updated, easy-to-follow version for modern cooks. Mouthwatering photographs showcase the rediscovered dishes, and newspaper clippings, ads, and illustrations give the book a charming vintage look.

“Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!” is now available at your favorite local bookstore or library! To learn more about this book, or to purchase a copy online, visit: https://wihist.org/4dHYMlY.