Wisconsin Historical Society Press

01/27/2025

is an excerpt this week! Michael Perry shares a memory in his book, “Danger, Man Working.”
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“Don’t ram on it,” my father used to tell us boys when we were using equipment on the farm, but we always did, until the object in question shattered, snapped, or bent—as, eventually, did the latch to my office door. I heard a crack! The door handle spun freely, and I found myself effectively locked out.
I should call Terry, I thought. Terry is a legitimate handyman. When the screen door on my porch went bad and my repair attempts made things worse, I hired Terry. When we needed new windows in the house, I hired Terry. But Terry costs money, I thought, and what kind of man can’t fix his own door latch? Using a butter knife, direct blows, and blowtorch curses, I broke in and unscrewed the catch from the door frame so I wouldn’t be locked out again, figuring the springs would hold the door closed anyway.
Which they did, until a gust of wind sucked the delatched door open, ripping out both springs, badly warping the frame, and cracking the jamb to an extent that now Terry is going to be very expensive indeed.
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Michael Perry’s “Danger, Man Working” is available at a bookstore near you. Your copy can also be purchased online at: https://wihist.org/3WecQMI
Michael Perry

01/25/2025

Milwaukee has taken many names over the years, such as the Midwest’s “Brewtown” and America’s “Cream City,” but none more telling than the “City of Stories” for those who know its secrets. Few people share those stories better than celebrated Wisconsin historian and author John Gurda, who has been studying his hometown since 1972.

As a columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Gurda’s work had a common theme: working to understand history as “why things are the way they are.” Now retired, Gurda’s story-telling legacy lives on through his many books, including “Brewtown Tales: More Stories from Milwaukee and Beyond.”

In this collection of essays, Gurda’s “Brewtown Tales” captivates with his personal reflections on growing up and growing older in his home city and offers wise insight of the personalities, places, politics, and distinctive charm that has made Milwaukee famous.

Learn more about this title or other work published by John Gurda: https://wihist.org/3V1PubM

01/24/2025

Kelly Nelson’s “Brownie the War Dog” is available at bookstores and libraries throughout Wisconsin.

Brownie, the beloved family dog seen in this cover illustration, was volunteered to serve in the armed forces during World War II. Brownie served faithfully alongside troops in the Pacific Theater, ultimately losing his eye. Upon his return home, Brownie made frequent heartwarming visits to the Veterans Home in King, Wisconsin, where he would eventually be buried (the only non-human burial in a veterans cemetery).

Flashforward seven decades later, this true story has been beautifully captured in “Brownie the War Dog” by Kelly Nelson and illustrated by Aaron Boyd. Together, Nelson and Boyd have given young children throughout Wisconsin the chance to read about a local hero. To learn more about Brownie’s story, visit: https://wihist.org/4eQFhcN

Kelly Nelson, Author

01/21/2025

Get a lesson on how government works in Wisconsin with the newly-revised children’s book, “Voices and Votes” from WHS Press, coming soon to a bookstore or library near you!

Written for students in grades 3–5, “Voices and Votes” provides a comprehensive introduction to civics for young readers, covering such topics as the fundamentals of federal, state, local, and Tribal government, how Wisconsin’s constitution was created and how it has changed, and the way elections work and why voting matters.
“Voice and Votes” also answers questions such as: How are laws made?; What is a political party?; Who is allowed to vote in elections?; and How can citizens get involved in their communities? Readers will also learn about civic leaders and young people engaging with their communities, working to solve problems, and sharing their voices across our state.

This brilliantly updated edition will inspire new generations of readers to understand and participate in our democracy.

Learn more about “Voices and Votes” here: https://wihist.org/42mSgiw

01/17/2025

Jerry Apps and Susan Apps-Bodilly have written multiple books about interesting history for everyone to enjoy.

Their newest book, “Timber!,” is for young readers (and beyond) to learn about Wisconsin’s logging boom. In this chapter, Jerry and Susan discuss what was on the menu for a logging camp of 35 lumberjacks. The cook and cookee would wake up at 3:00 am to start preparing breakfast made on the wood burning stove. Breakfast was an important meal for the lumberjacks who would work 12-hour shifts in freezing cold, wet weather.

You can find interesting stories that share important Wisconsin history throughout “Timber!” Designed for children in grades 3-5 but suitable for all readers, this heavily illustrated book is the perfect read those interested in Wisconsin’s logging history, lumberjacks, and logging camps. Visit our website to learn more: https://wihist.org/4eVOpw3

Jerry Apps Susan R. Apps-Bodilly

01/16/2025

In her book “Seventh Generation Earth Ethics,” Professor Patty Loew explores Wisconsin’s rich tradition of sustainability through a collection of Native biographies, including one from each of the twelve Tribal Nations of Wisconsin.

The Native people whose lives are depicted in “Seventh Generation Earth Ethics,” from anti-mining activists like Walt Bresette (Red Cliff Ojibwe) and Hillary Waukau (Menominee) to treaty rights advocates like James Schlender (Lac Courte Oreille Ojibwe), understood the cultural gravity that kept their people rooted to their ancestral lands and acted in ways that ensured the growth and success of future generations. Loew’s work also includes artists like Truman Lowe (Ho-Chunk) and educators like Dorothy "Dot” Davids (Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians), along with tribal genealogists, land stewards, and preservers of language and culture.

Learn more about Patty Loew’s “Seventh Generation Earth Ethics”: https://wihist.org/4j6LELb

01/16/2025

We are saddened by the loss of Wisconsin broadcasting legend, Bob Uecker, who passed away today at the age of 90.

Our beloved “Mr. Baseball” was raised in Milwaukee, where he watched the minor league Brewers play at Borchert Field. He got his start as a professional baseball player with the hometown Milwaukee Braves, spending six years as a catcher for the franchise’s minor league squads—including the Eau Claire Braves—before getting called up to the major league club in 1962. He went on to be a backup catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves, winning a World Series ring with the Cardinals in 1964. After a brief and largely unremarkable playing career, Uecker hung up his glove in 1967.

Uecker’s career expanded beyond baseball, including television and film, but most Wisconsinites know him as the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers. For 54 years, beginning in 1971, he was in the booth, calling games and sharing in-depth—and often hilarious—tales from his life and career. His accolades were many, including being named National Sportscaster of the Year five times, and he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. His “50” banner will hang in the rafters of Milwaukee’s American Family Field next to those of his good friends Robin Yount and Paul Molitor for years to come.

It is a sad day for Milwaukee, for Wisconsin, and for baseball fans everywhere. We will continue to remember Bob Uecker and his lasting legacy in Wisconsin. The WHS Press book “Milwaukee Braves: Heroes and Heartbreak” touches on Uecker’s playing and broadcasting career in Milwaukee. You can find this book at your local library or online.

Image:
Baseball card was printed for Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. of Brooklyn, New York in 1963. Wisconsin Historical Museum object 2008.107.6

01/15/2025

This is Wisconsin’s 32nd “Red Arrow” Infantry Division marching through the streets of Milwaukee after World War I (circa 1919).

The 32nd Infantry Division is globally recognized for suffering high casualties during its effort in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in World War I. As global conflict broke out for the second time, Wisconsin’s 32nd Infantry Division fought in the Pacific Theater during World War II, traveling to places like Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Japan, and Australia along the way.

Our book “Red Arrow across the Pacific: The Thirty-Second Infantry Division during World War II” is the perfect read for those with roots this historic National Guard unit. “Red Arrow” spent 654 total days in combat (the most of any U.S. Army Division). “Red Arrow” was: the first army division to fly into a combat zone, the first U.S. Armed Forces unit to use a flamethrower in combat, and the first Army division to both meet and defeat the Japanese in battle.

Author Mark D. Van Ells shares the stories of these soldiers. What was it like for these young men to make friends from different cultures? Who did these men turn out to be? Who did these men look up to during what seems like incessant battle? Get a copy for your own bookshelf today: https://wihist.org/4ejjp84

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Wisconsin Historical Image, ID #26240. “Parade celebrating the return of the 32nd Division after World War I.”

01/14/2025

The The Mill, Bonduel welcomes Kelly Nelson, Author, reading from her children's book, “Brownie the War Dog.”

Kelly will be reading from her book “Brownie the War Dog” and signing copies. During World War II, families all over the country volunteered their pet dogs to serve in the Dogs for Defense Program. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the true story of a Wisconsin family and their beloved dog, Brownie, who served alongside the troops and returned home to become a companion to wounded vets.

01/13/2025

from “Survival Food” by Thomas Pecore Weso.

In this award-winning memoir, Weso provides us with coming-of-age tales from growing up on the Menominee Indian Reservation during the 1980s and 1990s. These stories are largely driven by foods and the memories they induce, such as canned pork, dried beans, powdered eggs, and other subsistence meals.

“Survival Food provides ample nourishment for the mind and body” according to Lucille Land Day. Learn more about this Library of Congress Great Read title from the State of Wisconsin: https://wihist.org/45xawUm

01/12/2025

Yesterday was Aldo Leopold’s birthday! For those interested in learning more about the life of this celebrated naturalist, check out this article from the “Wisconsin Magazine of History’s” archive: https://wihist.org/41Z6rKt

In his piece, Matt Blessing shines a light on a loosely studied part of Leopold’s historic career: how he studied and his use of history. Leopold relied heavily on historical analysis to conduct his research, an approach that Blessing argues “was particularly important in shaping the emerging discipline of wildlife ecology.” In his lifelong pursuit for the preservation of wilderness and study of land management, Leopold consistently turned to history books for guidance. Also in this article, learn more about Leopold’s life, including his upbringing and connection to Wisconsin.

This article comes from the 2020 Winter issue of the “Wisconsin Magazine of History.” Our quarterly magazine is a benefit of membership to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Old issues are available for individual purchase through our online store, while supplies last. To learn more about WHS membership, visit: https://wihist.org/49ArMvl

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From the 2020 Winter issue of the “Wisconsin Magazine of History.” Image courtesy of UW-Madison Archives SO2029 / Aldo Leopold Foundation.

01/11/2025

Happy Birthday, Aldo Leopold!

“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that the consequences of science are none of his business, or he must be the doctor who sees the marks of death in a community that believes itself well and does not want to be told otherwise.” ―Aldo Leopold, “A Sand County Almanac”.

Born in Burlington, IA, Leopold ventured to Madison, WI, in 1924 where “he pioneered a new science for the conservation of land and biological resources and in so doing, improved the birthright of all humanity.” (UW Madison, UW Housing). In 1933, Leopold founded the Wisconsin Department of Wildlife Management, accepting the chair position of the department and writing a wildlife management textbook—a first of its kind. Leopold wrote many prolific essays on the philosophy of land conservation, including the widely known “Land Ethic”.

“Land Ethic” introduced a fundamentally different vision of the environment. Leopold’s new vision held that our community not only consists of people, but rather a dynamic relationship between people and land. Leopold believed there to be a moral responsibility to care for the land just as there was in the care for people. Continue reading through the teachings of Aldo Leopold and other prominent environmentalists in the WHS Press book “Walking Home Ground: In the Footsteps of Muir, Leopold, and Derleth” by Robert Root: https://wihist.org/443qhmI

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Wisconsin Historical Images ID #93909 & #2290. “These two pictures show Aldo Leopold in characteristic poses on that 140-acre farm on the Wisconsin River, a weekend retreat for the Professor of Wildlife Management, at UW Madison. In one Leopold’s shown inspecting a young white pine tree, and the other, he’s about to embark on an inspection and bird-watching tour . The cane had a pointed end for probing purposes. When purchased it was a very much run-down farm with fertility near exhaustion. Every spring for 18 years, he planted 2000 trees. Now fast reaching its original forested aspect.” This image was used in R. Bruce Allison's 1982 book, Wisconsin's Famous and Historic Trees, p. 108. It also appears in the 2005 second edition of that work, retitled Every Root an Anchor, p. 98.

01/10/2025

On this day in 1883, the Newhall House Hotel (once one of the nation’s tallest buildings), in Milwaukee, WI, caught fire, claiming the lives of more than 70 people. The fire went unnoticed until 3:30 a.m., when an overnight lift operator noticed smoke coming from the elevator doors on the sixth floor. After rushing outside, the staff found a large plume of smoke already billowing from the building's Michigan Street entrance.

Before the fire, Milwaukee’s fire department had nicknamed the building a "tinderbox.” The fire was determined to be an act of arson, and the case remains unsolved! Rising from the smoky flames was a great mystery. Who set the fire, and who was to blame for the deaths of all these innocent people?

News of this tragedy reached the global stage, honoring those who made daring escapes and reporting the heart-wrenching tales of the victims. The Newhall House hotel fire remains among the deadliest unsolved arsons in American history. Learn more about the heroes, victims, and survivors of the fire, as well as who may have started it and what may have made it so deadly, in Matthew J. Prigge's WHS Press book, "Damn the Old Tinderbox!," available at your local library, favorite bookstore, or in our online store: https://wihist.org/3GpSVnO

Image: Wisconsin Historical Images, ID #7466. “Elevated view of Newhall House. A number of horse-drawn vehicles are parked along the curb.” Wisconsin Historical Images, ID #54278. “A large crowd is on the street surrounding the burning building. Fire fighters are struggling with horses pulling the fire engine, and on the left a group of fire fighters have a sheet to catch falling people. The power lines are broken and burning.”

01/09/2025

01/09/2025

Test your knowledge of Wisconsin with some trivia collected from WHS Press books! (answers below)
What is the official state tree of Wisconsin? (Sugar Maple)

Which famous “Usonian” Wisconsinite was born in Richland Center? (Frank Lloyd Wright)

What is the northernmost lighthouse in Wisconsin? (Devils Island Lighthouse in Ashland County)

Which early 20th century Wisconsin politician was considered a leader of the “progressive” movement? (Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette)

01/08/2025

It’s been 46 years since Vel Phillips became the 29th Secretary of State of Wisconsin. Phillips was the first woman and first person of color to ever hold the position.

Fair housing advocate, civil rights champion, and civic leader Vel Phillips spent her life breaking barriers and fighting for justice for all people. As the first Black woman on the Milwaukee Common Council, Wisconsin’s first Black judge, and the first Black woman to win statewide office when she was elected secretary of state of Wisconsin, Phillips left a lasting legacy that has inspired generations to continue the fight for justice and equality.

Upcoming from WHS Press is “Valiant Vel: Vel Phillips and the Fight for Fairness and Equality.” Written by Jerrianne Hayslett and illustrated by Aaron Boyd, this new book for young readers is one of the first to honor the extraordinary career of Vel Phillips and her lifetime of dedication to advancing civil rights. Discover more about “Valiant Vel” online: https://wihist.org/4fM3wb4

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Wisconsin Historical Images, ID #118359. “Vel Phillips in a floral top and wearing headphones and a name tag. She is sitting at a desk with a microphone and a sign that says ‘United States of America.’ Vel is attending the United Nations Decade for Women conference.”