WXPR A Northwoods Moment In History: Recent Episodes
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We turn back the clock with local historians to find out what life in the Northwoods used to be like. This is part of an initiative by WXPR to tell the history and culture of northern Wisconsin.You can receive a book of A Northwoods Moment in History stories as a thank you gift for your donation to WXPR.
On Friday, March 12, 1920, the Rhinelander Woman’s Club gathered at the Teachers Training College in the old Oneida County Courthouse for a special “mock election.” This wasn’t just a simple exercise—it was the final exam for a citizenship class that aimed to prepare local women for their first opportunity to vote in a U.S. Presidential election.
Anton Sarocka, known as Tony, was a standout football player for Rhinelander High School. Born in Port Washington on October 11, 1910, Tony graduated in 1928.
Sunday, September 21st, 1924 is listed on the Wisconsin Watch website as the third worst day of tornadoes in state history.Few single communities were impacted that day as much as Three Lakes, Wisconsin, which suffered the worst tornado in it’s history
Few people know that the Northwoods was once exposed to intense radiation for scientific research amid fears of nuclear war. Fifty-one years ago, a site near Rhinelander, Wisconsin, was developed to study radiation’s effects on northern forest ecosystems, known as the Enterprise Radiation Forest Project.
Whenever talk turns to military tanks in the Northwoods, one story still echoes through the forest: the time a mighty tank was swallowed by the infamous McNaughton Swamp, some 65 years ago.
“Massive Human Bones and Indian Relics Unearthed near Pelican Lake” read a Rhinelander New North newspaper headline on July 28th , 1908. The sensationalist commentary that followed was all the “proof” the unidentified writer needed to confirm that giant people once lived and were buried in the vicinity of Pelican Lake, Wisconsin.
In the fall of 1895, a team from the University of Wisconsin school of agriculture, including Dean William A. Henry, Madison photographer Harvey J. Perkins, and others, traveled to every county north of a line drawn from Green Bay to Hudson. They compiled information and photographs from cutover lands, and already existing farms, in an attempt to showcase the potential of the area.All this work was put into a 200 page booklet titled “Northern Wisconsin: A Handbook for the Home Seeker”.
Fifty-one years ago, the United States left Vietnam on March 29th, 1973, after 8 years of fighting. The conflict left a lasting impact on our country, including the Northwoods, where it forever changed the lives of the service members involved and their families. This is one of those stories.
Kids corner Pizza in Rhinelander is located in one of the oldest frame buildings in downtown Rhinelander. Kerry Bloedorn – Northwoods Historian, shares the history of that building, The Martin Flat, on this installment of A Northwoods Moment in History on WXPR
In 1926, Three Lakes Wisconsin held a winter sports carnival on a big hill at what is now Camp Luther, and on the ice of Range Line Lake below. A number of winter sporting events were organized, including toboggan races, hockey games, and Wisconsin’s first ever snowmobile race.
Prohibition began in 1920, banning all sales of alcoholic beverages, as defined by the Volstead Act. The quiet Northwood’s of Wisconsin became a haven for big city black market liquor production and smuggling.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas 1944, Americans were tuned into newspaper headlines about a German offensive in the Ardenne forest of Belgium between Germany and France. One young soldier from Pelican Lake, would earn a bronze star in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
One of the many construction projects in Rhinelander that was completed this year was a water main repair, causing the closure of the Phillip Street Bridge, located behind the Rhinelander Paper Mill. This bridge has collapsed not once, but twice in its history.
At the end of the famous book, Tarzan of the apes swoops in to rescue his beloved Jane Porter in the Northern Forests of Wisconsin. This part in the closing chapters of the book never made it into the dozen film adaptations produced over the decades, which is why most Northwoods folk aren’t quite familiar with that part of the adventure.
With the return of school comes the return of Friday Night Football.One of the biggest rivalries in the Northwoods is between Rhinelander and Antigo.Local historian and director of the Pioneer Park Historical Complex Kerry Bloedorn shares the story of the Bell Game in this episode of A Northwoods Moment in History.
Today, Rhinelander seems like an unlikely place for a presidential hopeful to campaign, but at one time, it was a must stop on the road to the Whitehouse. So it was during a campaign tour in 1959 for a young Senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy. Learn about his visit on A Northwoods Moment in History
As the famous dairy state of the U.S., cheese is no doubt a staple in Wisconsin. As such it seems only fit that we have an official state cheese. Efforts by law makers in recent years have pushed to make Colby cheese the official state cheese.
The Northwoods has seen its fair share of extreme weather, from blizzards to tornados, but one storm on Independence Day in 1977 swept across the region with such ferocity, it is still remembered vividly today.
The Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport has been fielding planes at its current location just west of Rhinelander since the early 40s. But Rhinelander’s aeronautical history goes all the way back to a flight that occurred in 1912.
One day in 1986, dubbed Black Tuesday, went down in History as the most wildland fires fought in a single day in Northern Wisconsin. By the end of that Tuesday, 64 fires would burn hundreds of acres.
Rivers and Lakes are beginning to open up in the Northwoods. During the logging boom in Northern Wisconsin, that meant it was time to start the river drive. Moving tens of thousands of logs by water to sawmill towns was a deadly business. And so it was on the first log drive north of Grandfather Falls on the Wisconsin River, 165 years ago.
Contentious elections have been going on since the time of Ancient Greece. One election in the Northwoods in 1912 saw lumberjack votes tossed out, but too late. Hear the story on A Northwoods Moment in History.
What started out as a small race on Eagle River’s Dollar Lake in 1964, quickly turned into the world Championship of Snowmobile racing. Much has been written about the history of the famous derby, but several visits from notable Green Bay Packers helped give it even more traction in the early days.
During the first cross-country endurance race in Wisconsin, the Hodag International Cross-Country Marathon, racers came from all over, including Canada. However, there were few women among the entrants. MaryAnn Montgomery was one.
Downtown Rhinelander was decked for the holiday season in December of 1968 when the Christmas celebrating was put to a sudden stop. A historic fire swept through the city, destroying dozens of storefronts.
Rumors about Molly’s Rock in Sugar Camp are plentiful. But what’s the true story behind the legendary haunted boulder?
An explosion shattered the quiet air of Minocqua Lake early in the morning on August 13, 1977. The blast killed the man carrying the bomb, severely injured the perpetrator of the bombing and left a dark mark on Minocqua history.
An explosion shattered the quiet air of Minocqua Lake early in the morning on August 13, 1977. The blast killed the man carrying the bomb, severely injured the perpetrator of the bombing and left a dark mark on Minocqua history.
Rhinelander resident Henry Hanson was a captain onboard a ship during World War I when it was torpedoed by German U Boats.
Rhinelander resident Henry Hanson was a captain onboard a ship during World War I when it was torpedoed by German U Boats.
Although relatively slow moving, trains do not stop easily. No shortage of vehicles or persons came head-to-head with locomotives in their time, often with fatal effect. So too did trains occasionally collide with other trains. One such incident occurred at Rhinelander in the summer of 1951.
The Oneida County Courthouse in Rhinelander is purported to be one of the most photographed buildings in northern Wisconsin. Let’s learn a little bit about it with Director of the Pioneer Park Historical Complex Kerry Bloedorn.
Many talented and intriguing personalities have called northern Wisconsin home throughout history, from the naturalist Sam Campbell to actress Joan Valerie, and baseball player Cy Williams. But this musically magical couple stands apart from the rest.
In 1947, the Henkelmann family moved to Arbor Vitae. Henry and Mary built Henkelmann's Museum, opening around 1950.
The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, is one of the most storied and well thought of government programs in United States History. The CCC left a legacy that has withstood the tests of time, and evidence of it can be seen in parks, landscapes, and communities across America, including the Northwoods of Wisconsin.
This an archived episode of A Northwoods Moment in History. It originally aired July 24,2019.
Before the days of ground penetrating technology and advancements in geological study, people presumed oil could be found almost anywhere as long as a drill could reach deep enough into the earth.
In 1925 steel was being rolled for a new train engine at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Pennsylvania. A logging engine had been commissioned by the Thunder Lake Lumber Company located in the northern Wisconsin city of Rhinelander.
After four years of sharing special moments of history from all across the Northwoods, Gary Entz is putting down the microphone and picking back up his pen.
Cross country skiing, ice hockey, dog sledding, tobogganing, and snow shoeing all have devotees in the Northwoods. At one time, enthusiasts from across several states would come to Rhinelander to compete in organized winter athletic events.
There have been several NFL players who have gone on to earn a law degree after their time playing football ended, but very few have earned a law degree before playing. Perhaps the first to do so was a player from the Northwoods. He played center, but his life was so much more than NFL football.
Snowmobiling is as popular today as it has ever been. Snowmobiles are used for work, recreation, and sport. While Eagle River is known for its championship snowmobile derby, it was not so long ago that Rhinelander hosted on of the nation’s premier snowmobile races too.
Today when people want dairy products they go to a supermarket or convenience store. But in the past dairy products were either delivered directly to an individual home or a shopper went to a creamery store. One of the largest creameries, serving both the Northwoods and the U.P., was in Rhinelander.
New Year’s Eve celebrations have been going on for a very long time. But as the time of the celebration has shifted over the centuries, one thing that has not changed is the fact that some people must work over the holiday.
In the 1930s the price of a tree averaged two dollars, which is about thirty-four dollars when adjusted for inflation. This was a lot of money during the Great Depression, which meant that tree theft became a problem.
Public decorations are part of the holiday tradition in towns and communities across the Northwoods. Streets are gaily decorated, and a community Christmas Tree is put up for all to enjoy. But where did this tradition come from?
In June 1929, hikers found the charred body of a man near the town of Three Lakes. It was a mystery that led to a flood of speculation and a surprising conclusion.
Vilas County is named after William Freeman Vilas, who represented Wisconsin in the United States Senate. But there was another man from the Vilas family who had an impact on the Northwoods. Logan Vilas was an adventurer who set several Northwoods firsts.
Rhinelander was founded as a sawmill town, and in its earliest years little thought was given to the need for a National Guard unit. When one was established, an armory was needed as a storage and training facility. For most of its history, Rhinelander’s armory served as an important community center.
The settlers from Kentucky who came to Forest County at the turn of the century transformed the region. But a few got involved in illegal activities, and one small group created a large enough ruckus that the National Guard got involved.
In the days before recorded music, if anyone wanted to listen to music they had to sing or learn to play an instrument. The fiddle was an especially popular choice for long winter nights in Northwoods lumber camps.
A recent question on the television game show Jeopardy! Wanted to know what the most boring year in the twentieth century was. The answer was 1954, and more specifically, the most boring day was April 11, 1954. Was it really that boring, including here in the Northwoods?
In the past Halloween was a time of pranks and petty vandalism, and in 1931 Rhinelander tried a new idea to put a stop to it all.
Most shelterbelts date to the 1930s, but one Northwoods farmer recognized their benefits long before that.
The Northwoods has produced many remarkable people. While many thrive in northern Wisconsin and never want to live anyplace else, others must leave to reach their full potential. Winifred Dunn is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary women ever to come out of the Northwoods.
The black bear is a living symbol of Wisconsin’s Northwoods. Summer visitors thrill at seeing one, and hunters look forward to the opportunity to take part in a seasonal bear hunt. Black bears are important to the Northwoods, but in the not-so-distant past they were seen as more of a nuisance with hunters taking unlimited numbers.
In the United States, the first great ventriloquist was Harry E. Lester, and Lester considered the Northwoods to be his home.
Railroad accidents were common in the late nineteenth century. Because safety was an issue, some train robbers in the Northwoods thought they could use it to their advantage.