It was the custom to have several plays, a half-dozen songs and a number of recitations, depending on the number of students in each of the eight grades. The success of the program either raised or lowered the social status of the teacher – even more than her performance in the classroom.

As in most wars, civilians step up to the plate and help their nation in any way they can, even if they have no experience. For some workers who built submarines, it might have been their first time using the tools or working with the specific materials. Despite not knowing exactly what they were doing at first, they did it for their country.

For many who experienced Pearl Harbor, it was one of those days that you can recall nearly everything you witnessed. Some Wisconsin veterans were there and detailed their memories of that day in December of 2001, the 60th anniversary of the attack.

The building and construction of the Opera House finished up in 1881. From that time on, the building was seemingly rarely empty. Each month the owners of the Opera House sponsored one dance, and in addition to this there were seasonal dances.

The Forget-Me-Not creek ran through the Kuehn property. Kuehn’s mother-in-law lived in the home with Kuehn and his wife and bought the forget-me-not seeds from Europe to plant on the banks of the creek. During the Civil War Kuehn invested his own money, along with the banks, in Confederate bonds. This ended tragically for Kuehn, as well as those who placed their faith in his Manitowoc and Two Rivers banks.

In 1847, Daniel Smith, a lumberman from New York State, plotted a small village around his dam and mill, seven miles north of Two Rivers, naming it for his friend Old Chief Mishicott. The Potawatomi leader is also the namesake of the Town of Mishicot, organized in 1852, and the Mishicott River (now called the East Twin) in Manitowoc County.

Soon after arriving, the agents became aware that the task of destroying the plant and equipment, estimated to be worth $100,000 or more, was beyond them and called for reinforcements, another carload of operatives arriving during the night. The following day the distillery was dismantled, all of the metal being purchased by a Two Rivers dealer in scrap metal.

On Sunday evening, October 7, 1883, news reached Manitowoc that a destructive fire had raged that afternoon in Mishicott, and that the western end of the downtown on both sides of Water Street (now E. Main) had been wiped out. The fire started in the smokehouse of Louis Levenhagen, who was rendering lard at his butcher shop.

On November 8, 1960, voters in the City of Manitowoc approved one way streets. On the following day, City Council met for the official canvas of votes and the results became official, 6,227 “Yes” to 5,927 “No” votes. A margin of 300 votes.

This is the letter that got sent to Edwin Sykora notifying him that he was drafted.

In August of 1976, six educators, fifteen high school students, a playwright, and a priest embarked on an eight-month voyage down memory lane. Their goal was to recreate the voyage that Robert Cavelier Sieur de La Salle undertook in 1681 and 1682 and dramatize how important it is to understand the past while building the future.

According to the local paper, Earhart’s presence at the carferry slip in Frankfort soon became known and scores of residents and travelers kept her busy signing autographs.

The village of Mishicot, located 12 miles northwest of Manitowoc, started out as a small settlement near the East Twin River. A walk through town reveals a pleasant mixture of old and new as historic buildings have been renewed to fit the needs of today’s ever-growing society.

Taken in September of 1948, this photo shows the Haucke family living in the cabin in Lincoln Park. Six children and Mrs. Haucke can be seen in the photo doing daily tasks such as making the bed and shining shoes.

Walking into Lincoln High School’s historic auditorium, your eyes are met with the large mural that lays high above the stage. At first glance it appears to be just another mural that recalls the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln. However, upon further investigation the mural is subject to a mystery.

Company F of the 26th Wisconsin Regiment consisted almost entirely of German-born soldiers from Manitowoc County. They came from towns like Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Gibson Rockland and Maple Grove and had such familiar surnames as Neumann, Kreuger, and Schmidt.

The ban on dancing and rock music, in the 1984 classic movie Footloose, sometimes seems to be a bit farfetched. This type of ban, however, was not all that uncommon in many American towns and cities in the 1920s.

Manitowoc County has its own instance of going somewhat “footloose” in 1924 when a dance hall ordinance was passed by the Manitowoc County Board. Although this ordinance did not ban dancing and dance halls completely, these events became heavily regulated. Regulations typically required dance halls to obtain licenses and be subject to inspections. Ordinances also limited the number of dances and hours of operation, along with instilling an age requirement to attend.

Imagine the bright lights of a theater marquee sign. As you read the letters on the sign you expect to learn what theatrical performance or a musical group is in town. In Manitowoc, however, the theatre marquee sign likely once glittered for indoor baseball and women’s wrestling.

The recently completed mural of Ruth West in downtown Manitowoc is a colorful and meaningful tribute to an avid gardener, patron of the arts and a beloved humanitarian. But many local residents and Lakeshore visitors may not know the story of her life, how she came to call Manitowoc home and about her many gardening, art and civic achievements.

Rockwell Lime Co. was founded in 1906 in Chicago. The company’s main office was located on Rockwell Street, and became the name of the business. The Allwood Lime Company began in 1913 by Miss Mary E. Squire and Dr. Jessie Carpenter of Chicago.