Wilmer at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
In our final “Curator’s Favorite” video, Project Curator Sarah Kapellusch discusses one of Wilmer D. Schlafer’s photographs from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Held in St. Louis, the World’s Fair tried to recapture the spirit and popularity of the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893. The fair even recycled parts from Chicago’s grandiose exhibit buildings and its enormous Ferris wheel. St. Louis is perhaps best known for popularizing new foods like cotton candy and for exhibits that displayed living indigenous peoples. Native inhabitants from places like the Philippines were exhibited to demonstrate their lifestyles, and many were forced to live in traditional housing for the fair’s duration.
You can learn more about the St. Louis Exposition by visiting this terrific website sponsored by the St. Louis Public Library. Several original films of the fair can be found on YouTube. I especially enjoy this video showing a parade of boats through the main canals. The terrace and buildings in the background are recognizable in Wilmer’s photograph collection.
Be sure to visit “Progressive Appleton” to view many of Wilmer’s snapshots from St. Louis.
Enjoy!
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Appleton’s First Flight
What is your favorite photograph in the History Museum’s latest exhibit, “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer?” Deputy Director Matthew Carpenter’s favorite is a series of W.D.’s photographs that documented the first human-controlled flight in Appleton. Watch this video to learn more about the flight and why Matthew selected this image.
Enjoy!
Nick Hoffman, Curator
We can’t all agree, can we?
Trying to select one favorite photograph from the museum’s extensive W.D. Schlafer Collection is a difficult task. Last month I challenged the museum’s curatorial staff to pick their favorite photograph and explain why they made the selection. Finding a consensus is hard when the collection includes over 3,000 images of Appleton, Lake Winnebago, and family vacations throughout the United States between the years 1899 to 1920.
We never came to a consensus, but the reason why each curator made their pick, and the stories behind each photograph, are worth sharing. Enjoy these two short videos of Curator of Education Patty Wagner and I describing the photographs we selected.
Before “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer” opens, I will share two other selections made by Curator of Collections Sarah Kapellusch and Deputy Director Matthew Carpenter. Your chance to select a favorite from the W.D. Schlafer Collection will occur when the exhibit is unveiled on November 15.
Enjoy!
Nick Hoffman, Curator
How many football players does it take to move a Locomobile?
This morning, as ten Lawrence University football players moved a Locomobile Runabout into the museum, I couldn’t help but wonder what would Dr. James Reeve think? Reeve was one of Appleton’s first automobile owners. The second car he owned was an 1899 steam-powered Locomobile Runabout, nearly identical to the vehicle that we moved this morning. I am sure he would be amused to know that over 100 years later, the museum is going through such great lengths to interpret part of his life.
Your first chance to see the Locomobile will be on November 15 when “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer” opens to the public. In the meantime, here are two great photographs showing how the vehicle entered the building. Our biggest challenge was sliding it through the museum’s narrow front doors and up the entry stairs.
Thank you Lawrence University Athletics and Football for volunteering to provide the strength to move the Locomobile. The entire project was carefully planned and brilliantly executed by AZCO Integrated Construction. Volunteers Dick Rank and Pete Green also provided their time and expertise to transport the vehicle on site. Once again, special thanks are due to Wayne Coffman for lending his Locomobile to the museum for Appleton to enjoy!
Back to finishing the final details of the exhibit. . .
Nick Hoffman, Curator
25 for 25 Charity Challenge
Friends of the History Museum at the Castle,
Please take a few moments to vote for the History Museum in the Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region’s 25 for 25 Charity Challenge. Top vote receiving institutions will have an opportunity to win a $25,000 endowment or a $2,500 grant.
Click here to vote.
It is easy to vote, just follow the instructions. When you select the History Museum at the Castle from the list, scroll down to the bottom and click on “submit.”
You can vote once every 24 hours per email address from October 16 to October 25. Please forward the link to all your family and friends. Mobilize your networks!
Thank you for supporting the History Museum.
Sincerely,
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Dr. Reeve’s Locomobile
On Monday afternoon I had the chance of a lifetime to ride in a vehicle special to Appleton’s history. Dr. James Reeve was the first automobile owner in Appleton when he purchased a Duryea Runabout around 1899. Reeve thought the vehicle was unreliable and later that year replaced it with a steam-powered Locomobile Runabout. After a long drive to Tiffin, Ohio, I met with early automobile collector Wayne Coffman who graciously fired up his Locomobile and gave me an incredible ride through his neighborhood.
Riding the Locomobile was a thrill. Steam clouds rushed out the back of the vehicle, but besides some hissing, the ride was very quiet compared to modern gas automobiles. Starting the vehicle took an hour to prepare by filling the water tank, adding air pressure, oiling moving parts, igniting the boiler, and waiting for steam to produce. Wayne said the vehicle can travel about 20 miles and reach speeds around 45 miles per hour. We never topped 25 miles per hour, but perched atop the machine I felt like we were going much faster.
Keep posted to the blog for video of my ride through Tiffin, Ohio. In the meantime, watch this great YouTube video featuring Dr. John Hennessy describing the restoration of his Locomobile.
I bet you are wondering, “why did Nick travel to Ohio to ride the Locomobile?” Thanks to Wayne Coffman, you will get a chance to view this incredible machine soon! The Locomobile is currently residing in Appleton as the featured piece in our next exhibit “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer.” Transporting the vehicle to Appleton was made possible by driver Pete Green, Deputy Director Matthew Carpenter and the use of Dave Weber’s car trailer. The Locomobile will appear next to a photograph taken by W.D. showing Dr. Reeve riding his Locomobile past Soldiers Square in 1900.
Thank you, Wayne! I will never forget that ride.
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Past into Present
Final details are starting to come together for the History Museum’s next temporary exhibit: “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer.” Earlier I announced that the exhibit would include quick response (QR) codes throughout the gallery. Using a “smart” cell phone, visitors will be able to download short videos that compare Wilmer D. Schlafer’s photographs to contemporary views of the same locations.
In July, the museum and Image Studios partnered to replicate Wilmer’s photographs using Appleton’s modern landscape. Intern Heidi Heideman from UW – Eau Claire researched the locations using city directories and fire insurance maps. With a basic map showing the approximate location, each photographer had the challenge to attempt to replicate the photograph. Sometimes that included gaining access into downtown businesses, boating to the location, tramping through underbrush, and determining the same camera lens he used. The final result of their hard work is really incredible.
Here is a preview of two “Past into Present” videos.
Did you recognize the location of Wilmer and May Schlafer’s home? You are correct if you guessed the parking lot directly behind the museum!
The exhibit will include about thirty “Past into Present” videos, as well as a few other QR code surprises. Visitors without a smart phone will be able to watch the videos on a touch screen computer. Special thanks are owed to Image Studios for supporting this project and providing beautiful modern renditions of Wilmer’s photographs.
Back to exhibit work,
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Did you say “bubbler”?
Doing research in primary sources can often lead to fascinating tangents. For example, last week I came across the word “bubbler” while writing the script for the museum’s next temporary exhibit “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer.” W.D. took a series of photographs of Woolworth’s Five and Ten store on College Avenue when they re-opened in 1915 after a major renovation. Area newspapers described the store’s new features, including a sixty-foot candy counter, indoor restrooms, and a “public bubbler.” I was surprised to read an early use of the word “bubbler.” The reporter who wrote the story used the word casually without any definition, thus indicating his or her readers knew what was being described. I had to wonder when bubbler became a commonly used word in Wisconsin?
After some quick research, I found conflicting dates when the term originated in 1888 or 1914. Both dates are associated with a public drinking fountain that was designed by Kohler. Later they trademarked the name of the product as a “bubbler.” None of the articles or online sources I found were definitive or cited sources. I will be sure to post a follow up if I discover any further information on Wisconsin’s bubbler origins.
Wisconsinites frequently receive harassment from outsiders for our use of the word bubbler to describe a drinking fountain. Interestingly enough, through the Center for Upper Midwest Studies, I came across a fascinating map showing where bubbler is commonly used throughout the United States. We are not alone. Apparently our brethren in Massachusetts also use the term. How frequent is “bubbler” still used today? Let me know which term you prefer to use.
Can you think of any other regional dialects that are popular in the Fox Cities?
I vote bubbler.
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Oral History Aspirations
Sometimes you just need a break from writing. I have spent the majority of the last two weeks drafting script for the upcoming exhibit “Progressive Appleton: Through the Lens of W.D. Schlafer.” Among the best cures for writer’s block is to spend time listening instead of plugging away at the keyboard.
Last month I announced the awarding of a grant from the Wisconsin Labor Historical Society to record oral histories of union members in the Fox Cities. Taking a brief hiatus from my writing, I took the opportunity to research and listen to examples of similar oral history programs in Wisconsin. Several projects that I discovered online really struck me as impressive. I was interested in how each institution made their recordings accessible to the public and if they included any related exhibit application.
Take some time to investigate these links. What did you like about each project? Please post your thoughts in the comment section.
- Black Thursday Project (UW-Oshkosh)
- Sterling Hall Bombing of 1970 (UW-Madison Oral History Program)
- Timeless Voices of Aviation (E.A.A. AirVenture Museum)
- March on Milwaukee: Civil Rights History Project (UW-Milwaukee Libraries)
- Many other great oral history projects are occurring throughout Wisconsin.
The Minnesota Historical Society also conducted an oral history program to collect immigration stories. You can view a summary of their oral history gathering on their YouTube Channel.
Earlier this week I ordered the recording equipment to commence our story gathering before “Progressive Appleton” opens in November. The bulk of the project will be completed during the winter. In addition to recording labor histories, I hope to gather a few stories from longstanding restaurant owners, servers, or cooks for a food related project. Send me an email at nick@myhistorymuseum.org if you know of any potential narrators who have connections to local food service.
Back to writing exhibit script,
Nick Hoffman, Curator
Your Museum, Rebranded!
Check out the changes to the History Museum’s website!
Communication Specialist Melissa Taylor recently re-launched the website to feature the institution’s new brand. For those who are familiar with our previous design, you will notice a new color scheme and logo. The website’s links and layout remain the same, as well as the online exhibits and educational resources. The logo and design scheme was developed by A2Z Design.
Let me know what you think of the new look.
Enjoy!
Nick Hoffman, Curator
