MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Paper Discovery Center
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 57
BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Laura Leimer, Tom Sutter, Dave Buss, Gwen Sargeant, Linda Muldoon, Brian Schneider, Karen Probst and James Richter.
. REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
· August 15 - Tim Trettin- The 125 year history of Brettschneider-Trettin Funeral Home.
· September 19 - Bill Lecker, Executive Director of Parks and Recreation, City of Appleton, will discuss the History of the Appleton Park System.
· October 17 – Tony Knuppel – History of Appleton Marble and Granite Works
· November 21 - Appleton Picture Show- BYOP to share and discuss.
· December – No Monthly Meeting, Happy Holiday!
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 – Laura Leimer
E. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
F. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
G. David Buss, Research Specialist
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Thanks to Chris Mehring for his June Program on “Appleton Professional Baseball and It’s History”
B. Thanks to the Paper Discovery Center and Kathleen Lhost, Executive Director, for the use of the facilities and their hospitality.
C. Membership Report- 54 paid renewals to date. Past members and interested parties are encouraged to join a great organization that continues to prosper.
D. Everyone should be receiving the newsletter via e-mail.
E. You can find previous meeting presentations on YouTube.
F. On July 11th the AHS Board of Directors voted to donate $100.00 to the Appleton Fire Department for it’s Save the Seagrave Fundraiser. This donation will go toward restoring an historic Appleton Fire Department engine to it’s former glory.
G. Also on July 11th the Board approved the payment of a $50.00 annual Partnership Fee to join the Fox Wisconsin Heritage Parkway.
H. Asked for a show of interest to continue our annual Christmas at Conkey’s event during the Appleton Christmas Parade the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Full support received from members attending.
I. Drawing and Door Prize – Kay Forton won a J. D. ‘s Restaurant Gift Certificate.
AHS COMMUNICATIONS REPORTS:
A. Jim Richter , AHS Secretary:
1. Planning is underway for our next two History Fairs at the City Center Mall during upcoming Winter Farm Market Events. Djuanna Hugdahl, Market Manager, reports “Thanks again for thinking of us to host your historical fairs, the vendors love it and appreciate the additional exposure.”
2. Richter also noted that hard copies of AHS May and June Meeting minutes are available at the registration table and also upon request..
B. Gwen Sargeant, Board & Technical Services and Communications Committee Member:
1. Gave a summary of upcoming AHS programs (See List Above).
2. Announced that AHS will be doing a Cemetery Walk, Sunday August 19th, at 3:00 p.m. at the Riverside Cemetery. Urged all to attend, a number of familiar ghosts will speak.
3. Outagamie Museum is also doing Cemetery Walks and are seeking volunteers.
PROGRAM SPEAKER – Ken Syring, local air travel historian, “Growth of Aviation in the Appleton area”.
Syring’s Presentation:
APresented a Chronology of American Aviation beginning with the Wright Brothers on December 17, 2003.
BLocally the first airfield was built in Menasha, near the intersection of the corner of the current Appleton Road and Airport Road. The George A. Whiting Airport, named after it’s founder was built to serve Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah. The airport had grass runaways. When built the airport was on Highway 41, which was later moved to west of the Fox River.
CTheWhiting Airport finally built a terminal building in 1928. That building is still in existence and is now the Kitz and Pfeil Hardware building.
DIn 1933 the Outagamie Airport was formed from 102 acres at the corner of Hwy #00 and Ballard Road in Appleton.
EFrom the 20’s on aviation grew rapidly in the Appleton area. Eventually four airlines originated here.
FOn April 4, 1928, the North American Airways Co. was created:
1. Their planes flew from the George A. Whiting Airport.
2. It was funded by five Appleton businessmen.
3. They flew the famous Ford Tri-Motor Aircraft, which originated in the 1920’s.
4. One of their planes was labeled the “Pride of Appleton”.
GIn 1939 FWD Corporation, Clintonville, started a little airline that grew into Northwest Airlines.
HIn 1948 Midwest Airlines was formed by Kimberly Clark Corporation as a shuttle for it’s employees to reach major plants throughout the country:
1. In 1969 Kimberly Clark started K. C. Aviation to provide maintenance for corporate aircraft in the area.
2. With airline deregulation, Kimberly Clark merged the two units into Midwest Express on June 11, 1984. The were known for their fresh cookies served in flight.
3. Eventually Gulfstream purchased the K.C Aviation component and operates one of it’s major facilities at the Outagamie Airport.
IIn 1965 Carl Baldwin and John Conway started the local airline Air Wisconsin.
JMaxAir, an independent firm, was created at the Outagamie Airport to provide maintenance facilities, aircraft flight training, and small aircraft rentals.
KIn 1964 feeling great pressure to expand, 52 acres were purchased from the Town of Greenville to relocate the Outagamie Airport to it’s current site and has grown rapidly into a major Regional Airport in Wisconsin.
Outagamie County Airport Facilities and aircraft (from Wikipedia):
(Currently) The Outagamie County Regional Airport covers an area of 1,638 acres (663 ha) at an elevation of 918 feet (280 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways with concrete surfaces: 3/21 is 8,002 by 150 feet and 12/30 is 6,501 by 150 feet (1,982 x 46 m).[1] In 2000 the airport added a new ground level eight gate concourse and renovated the existing passenger terminal which was designed by architect Paul W. Powers. The architectural theme was representative of the river flowing through the historic paper manufacturing region.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 49,710 aircraft operations, an average of 136 per day: 55% general aviation, 34% air taxi, 11% scheduled commercial and <1% military. At that time there were 69 aircraft based at this airport: 75% single-engine, 19% multi-engine and 6% jet.[1]
The current terminal was constructed in 1974, with expansions taking place in 1983, 1990, and 1998[3]. In 2001, the terminal underwent its most extensive renovaton and expansion to date. Enhancements within this new 30,000 square foot gate area included more spacious seating areas with natural lighting, ambient in floor heating, new passenger paging system, and five aircraft boarding bridges[4]. It cost $10.7 million and was designed by Mead & Hunt, Inc[5].
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Respectfully, James L. Richter,
AHS Secretary 7/30/12