MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Atlas Coffee Mill
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 52
PLANNING COMMITTEE IN ATTENDANCE:
Mark & Karen Moderson, Tom Sutter, Christine Williams, James Richter, Linda Muldoon, Laura Leimer, Brian Schneider, Dave Buss.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
•JULY 20TH MEETING. Frank Anderson, author of “Wicked Fox Cities”.
•AUGUST 17TH MEETING. Anne Biebel and Harlan Kiesow - History of Appleton’s locks, dams and canals
•SEPTEMBER 21ST MEETING. Janice Krahn, Corporate Archivist and Historian for Thrivent Financial – the History of the Aid Association for Lutherans.
•OCTOBER 19TH MEETING. Cindy Czarnik, History of Appleton’s Bellaire Ct. neighborhood. NOVEMBER 16TH MEETING. Speaker to be announced.
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
•Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Jack Voight
E. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
F. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
G. David Buss, Research Specialist
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Upcoming Programs summarized.
B. Introduction of Officers and Board Members.
C. Sutter has received DVD’s of the Trolley Program and will sell at $20.00 a copy.
D. July 15th the Paper Discovery Center is hosting a Fox River Open House. They have asked AHS to participate.
E. July 23rd the Paper Discovery Center is doing a Celebrate the Fox event in which AHS wlll be doing a display.
TREASURER’S REPORT:
In the absence of AHS Treasurer Jack Voight, President Sutter gave a Treasurer’s Report.
We have some 240 individuals on our mailing list and 57 formal memberships thus far. Balance in our Treasury is $1,224.00,
with an outstanding insurance bill of $501.00. Available cash then is $723.00.
ZUEHLKE BUILDING EXHIBIT REPORT:
Mark Moderson had been contacted by Zuehlke Building management regarding a display case on their first floor mezzanine. Jim Richter reported that the display has been completed and has been well received. With a special display shelf constructed by member John Marx and with a new AHS Banner ordered by Brian Schneider the exhibit looks terrific! Antique items provided by Dave Walz, Mark Moderson, and Jim Richter as well as AHS information round out the display. As this could be a long term display, exhibits will be rotated periodically. Everyone is encouraged to stop by and see the exhibit.
REMINDER TO CHECK THE AHS WEBSITE REGULARLY:
To reach our Web Site go to www.focol.org/appletonhistory
PROGRAM SPEAKER –
Tricia Adams, Executive Director, Hearthstone Historical House Museum – Life in Appleton during the Victorian Era.
•Tricia’s background:
A. Received a B. A. from the University of Tennessee.
B. Received an M.A. in History from the University of Alabama.
•Tricia’s Research:
A. Hearthstone Historic House Museum Archives
•Tricia’s Presentation:
A. The Hearthstone Historic House Described:
1. Located at Memorial Drive and Prospect Avenue in Central Appleton
2. Built for Henry Rogers in 1882. He lived there with his wife, Cremora, and daughter, Florence, for just over ten years.
3. The house is unique being the first with electric lights fed by an Hydroelectric Power Station.
4. The home received it’s name as the Hearthstone in the 1930’s when the owners at that time turned it into a tea house. The name comes from the nine fireplaces and the beautiful tile and stone work around the hearths.
5. The last family to live at Hearthstone moved out in the early 1980’s.
6. The Friends of Hearthstone was formed in 1986 to help save and preserve the home. As a result it formally became a museum on December 1, 1986.
B. The Hearthstone Upcoming Events:
1. Until June 26th displaying a Civil War exhibit.
2. In July Hearthstone commemorates the World’s Fair by providing displays and programs on the World’s Fair. They are seeking loans of Artifacts and Pictures of past World Fairs.
3. On July 23rd they will begin a 3 day Summer Celebration.
4. In October they will have a Haunted Hearthstone Tour.
5. As with every year they will be doing a Victorian Christmas. It will begin the week of Thanksgiving and end the 2nd week of January.
6. Everyone encouraged to check their Web site periodically: hearthstonemuseum.org
C. Tricia’s Topic for the day: Victorian Appleton:
1. The Victorian Era basically covered the period of Great Britain’s Queen
Victoria who served from 1837 to 1901.
2. Tricia essentially covered the late Victorian Era – 1880’s to 1910 – and highlighted these facts:
a. This was a time when Technology was really taking off.
b. There continued to be an emphasis on morals and manners during this time, just like when Appleton was formed in 1857.
c. The average salary was $13 to $15 a week.
d. Soldiers from Appleton went to Puerto Rico to fight during this period.
e. The era spring boarded us to the present time.
f. In 1870 Appleton physicians formed the first Medical Society.
g. In 1875 the Northwestern Surgical Institute opened above a downtown retail store.
h. From the late 1800’s to about 1905 the area was affected by a Smallpox Epidemic.
i. From 1894 to 1895 City Closed Schools due to a Diphtheria outbreak.
j. In 1904 the Fox River Dental Society was formed and included 30 dentists from around the Fox River Valley.
k. Transportation increased measurably with the addition of Trolley Cars.
l. In 1892 the Advancement Society was formed to recruit new businesses.
m. During this time Appleton had 16 Cigar factories which were producing up to 2 million cigars a year.
n. Records show some 240 manufacturer’s were in operation in the City.
o. At the turn of the Century 3 Bridges were built in the City. Although budgeted for $20,000, final costs totaled $38,000.
p. Appleton’s population in 1900 exceeded 15,000.
q. Law and Order prevailed at this time, but there were 5 murder cases prosecuted. 23 lawyers practiced in the area to handled these and other cases.
r. In 1886 the County Asylum was built and served 85 patients.
s. After many water problems, the City put a Water Works into operation in 1889.
t. Bicycles were very popular with both men and women. For young couples it was especially so as no chaperones were required while bike riding.
u. Cars came to Appleton in 1903.
v. A huge circus was held in Appleton in 1900 with over 18,000 attending.
Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary 6/26/11