Farmers Market 1970's

Just sorting more photos today, making sure they are labeled correctly in our database, and I came across these old photos of a Fond du Lac Farmers Market, being held on Main St.
It is just so neat to check out the old buildings.   I wish that the original photos were a little clearer, but beggars can't be choosers.

WOW,  ice cream cones for 30 cents.

Midtown Lighting helps to date these photos in the 1970's.

Evangelical Reformed Church of Elmore

The Evangelical Reformed Church of Elmore

Local quarried limestone was used to construct this church in 1867.

There are 34 men in this photograph.  Wish I knew the occasion.  Perhaps this was the dedication of the church?  One man in front is holding a ledger book.  

Elmore, WI

Fairgrounds

Scanned in some old slides that were taken of the county fairgrounds, back in the good ol' days.  I had totally forgotten about the old horse barn that used to be on the north end of the grounds.

Remember the old Merchants Building?

Aerial view showing the old horse barn and old merchants building.

Gantners Tavern Christmas Party

It isn't every day that I receive a new photo at the historical society, let alone, one that has a picture of ME in it.  But I can remember with fondness, the Christmas party that we used to go to at Gantners Tavern, located on Highway 45, located just across the road from Goebel's dance hall on Lake DeNeveu.    One year, my mom made my sisters and I practice singing "Silver Bells" for a week,  and then when we went to the Christmas Party, my sisters and I sang this song for everyone.   I was very little then, but what I remember the most was that every child there received a brown lunch bag 'present' from Santa, which contained a popcorn ball and candy.   This was my first ever popcorn ball, and I was not sure what to do with it, and could not wait to get home to bite into it.

Here is our family photo, of my sisters and I singing at Gantners.  I do not know who played Santa, nor who was playing the accordian.  I'm the cute little one by Santa!  HA!

This week, I received additional pictures of this event, held every Christmas at Gantners.  This is a photo of all of the kids who attended one year. I am guessing that the year is 1951, based on my sister Sarah's age.

   

If you know the names of anyone pictured here, please let me know, and refer to the person number in the picture below.  In this photo, #3 = ? Reitz, #4 = David Reitz and #5 = Barbara Reitz;  #6= John Kovarik; 11, 12 and 21 are my sisters Barb, holding Sarah, and Peggy Reinhardt; 22 is me..Tracy Reinhardt, half hidden behind my sister Barb. #14 is Barbara Retzlaff, and half-hidden #15 is Judy Retzlaff.  I think 13 and 23 are Robert and Kenneth Tonn. #24 and 25 could be Pat Hensel and her sister.  Any help with the others would be wonderful. 

This second picture is of the same event, probably the next year.  a few more children involved, and some parents are in the background.  This picture is probably taken ca. 1952.

#21 and #30 are Diane and Peggy Reinhardt; #33 is my sister Sarah Reinhardt, and #37 is yours truly, Tracy Reinhardt. #6 is Mrs. Tonn, #11 is Mrs. Kowarik; #13 is Bernice Batterman; #22 is John Kovarik, #23 is Carol? Reitz,  #34 and 38 are Judy and Joan Kovarik.

Any help identifying anyone would be appreciated.

Thank you to Carol Reitz for the pictures.

Ashford church history

A new donation just came in to the library.  It's a history of St. Martin's Church in Ashford, by Gerald Jaeger.  I am really happy to see that he covered so much of the history, including the stained glass windows, their symbols and names of donors.  

Stop in the store at Ashford if you want to get a copy.

A Song from the 1860's

Found among our original documents, is a paper with the lyrics to an old song from the 1860's

The Charming Young Widow

I was born in New Jersey. One morning last summer

I received a dispatch that my uncle was dead.

And it also requested I should come to the city

For a large sum of money was left me they said.

Of course I determined to go on the journey

The very next train of cars I did take.

For had I stayed over I ne’er should encountered

That charming young widow I met on the train

The widow and I side by side sat together

The seat it contained but us two and no more.

Till silence was broken by my fair companion

Who inquired the time by the watch that I wore.

I soon satisfied her and then conversation

Was opened and freely discussed by us both.

Till my brain fairly swirled I became so enchanted

With this charming young widow I met on the train

Some minutes elapsed. We arrived at the station

Within a few miles of that great busy town.

When my fair one remarked as she looked from the window

Good Gracious alive sir. There goes Mr. Brown

He’s my late husband’s brother. Oh will you sir kindly

Consent for one moment my child to maintain.

Of course I consented and off from the platform

Tripped this charming young widow I met on the train.

Three minutes elapsed and the signal bell sounded

The cars began moving. No widow appeared.

I cried out “Stop. Stop.” But they paid no attention

With a snort and a jerk started off as I feared.

In this dilemma I sought for the hour

And my watch, oh where was it. Where where was my chain.

My purse and gold pencil and ticket was gone sir

And so was the widow I met on the train.

While thus deeply lamenting the loss of my money

The conductor came round . ‘Your ticket please sir.’

I told him my story while prancing the infant

The loss I sustained but he doubted my word.

He called more officials they gathered around me

Uncovered the infant, how shall I explain

Twas not a real baby but only a “rag one”

This swindling young widow I met on the train!

Satisfied I’d been robbed I took my departure

Although I agreed to settle next day

And now I’d advise all young men from the country

Not to get caught in a similar way

Look out for all widows who ride on the railway

Who dress in deep mourning, whose tears fall like rain

And look out for your money, for fear they resemble

This charming young widow I met on the train.

Crescent Opera House and "Social" invitations

It takes a long time to sort through papers when a new donation is getting cataloged and indexed.  As always, there are plenty of surprises, including discovering this program from the Crescent Opera House, dated June 25, 1895.  This program comes from a new donation of papers that once belonged to Nan and Zirian Blish, of Fond du Lac, and their mother Martha Aldrich Blish. The Blish sisters resided in Beruit (then part of Syria) for several years ca. 1930.   Zirian Blish later taught at Goodrich High School.

The following "Social" invitations are part of a Blish scrapbook.  These show the many organizations and locations for social activities found in Fond du Lac in the 1870's.

Note:  The name Washington Fire Co. is a bit misleading.....it was in fact the Fond du Lac Fire Dept., and the members choose to name themselves after George Washington.  Almost all of the members of the fire department played a musical instrument.