This is the second of a four part series that commemorates the 100th Anniversary of a company very dear to my heart, McFarlane Mfg Co. I have been a member of the team there since 2002 and when the 100th anniversary came around, I wanted to use my skills to do something special. So we interviewed special folks from around the area that did and reflected upon significant things in our area that affected the entire world. Plus, with the help of my good friend Paul Wolter at the Sauk County Historical Society, we were able to list off and discuss interesting events that happened during each period of 25 years.
What became evident to me was how many things happened during that 100 years that we take for granted today. Think about it for just a minute, today's episode follows the 25 year period that saw, the end of our second world war, the development and use of the Atomic Bomb, a cure for Polio, the discovery of DNA (and the Beatles), the Civil Rights movement, and the beginnings of our exploration of other worlds. It's amazing. Hope you enjoy Part 2: 1943 - 1967.
Announcer: 0:04
Welcome to frame of reference informed intelligent conversations about the issues and challenges facing everyone in today's world, in depth interviews with salt counties, leaders and professionals to help you expand in and form your frame of reference, brought to you by the max FM digital network. Now, here's your host Rauel LaBreche.
Rauel LaBreche:
0:26
Welcome to part two of our series of shows entitled century of change. This was a special series of four shows that have because I'm a history buff, gave me and my listeners a chance to reflect upon how formative the years 1917 through 2017 were for our country, our county, and right here in Sauk. City, the oldest village in Wisconsin, don't you know, and those years were important, because we were celebrating our 100th anniversary here at MacFarlane manufacturing where I work full time. So no matter where you live, it doesn't hurt to just stop and think about how much can happen in 100 years, or in the case of each episode, just 25 years. Each generation we move a bit forward, and in some ways, perhaps a bit backwards. Maybe it will help stall widen our frame of reference in order to build a better future. If nothing else, it helps us to potentially avoid past mistakes. As the old saying goes, those that don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. So here we go with 1943 to 1967. See how many of the sound bites you can identify and let them take you back to a different time where they are the US.
Announcer:
1:46
This is century of change, a series featuring the rich history of the last 100 years,
Part 2 Sound Bites:
1:52
Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force. You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you the hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you all the way from Philadelphia. All the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe American people stand firm in the faith which has inspired this nation from the beginning. We believe that all men have a right to equal justice under law and equal opportunity to share in the common good we believe that all men have a right to freedom of thought and expression we believe that all men are created equal their cause they are created in the image of God yes I lost my little diamond the beats and five that's more Haley and his comics 123 o'clock four o'clock rock seven o'clock o'clock rock 1011 o'clock 12 o'clock rock we're gonna rock around the clock tonight Dan sensation in the last four years I think all the twist ladies and gentlemen here's the fetal disease
Rauel LaBreche:
4:30
well welcome ladies and gentlemen to another shining stellar, incredible episode. I'm trying to get pumped up here, because I was really pumped up after our first episode of this we're doing those of you that are just tuning in for the first time in celebration of Macfarlanes 100th anniversary we're doing a series of episodes entitled A Century of change. So last week, we covered the period from 1917 through 1942. And my guest this morning as well as he was last week Paul Walder is, I think, are we ready for a sprint again this morning?
Paul Volter:
5:04
That was it was quite a learning curve there last.
Rauel LaBreche:
5:07
Yeah, I think you came in prepared to talk about Aldo Leopold's dental record. Right. I did not have time. So if you want to know more about Aldo Leopold, standard dental records, just kidding,
Paul Volter:
5:18
actually contact his dentist. I don't have them. Right. We
Rauel LaBreche:
5:21
don't want to get into that. So well, we're starting out this week by where we ended last week. So this week's segment is 1942 through 1967, which is again, just a hugely packed period of time, not only nationally, as you heard from the sound clips at the beginning of the show, but in terms of what was going on locally. So we've got a lot to talk about. Let's get to it. Right. Okay. So 1942 we ended last week with talking about this 1942 event, which was a big, big deal in this area, which was bad your ordinance works is built on the sock insock parade below the bearable bluffs and the plant displaced, I don't know, at least at least at farm families and then brought workers into the sock prairie and barebow areas as well. Right.
Paul Volter:
6:06
Yeah. So 7500 People eventually started working at the plant.
Rauel LaBreche:
6:10
Okay. Yeah. In Berlin, Mueller actually had done an interview with us a while back back in June, when the Badger Army Ammunition museum got back up and running again. And I went back actually pulled out this small chunk that talks about like peak numbers of people that they had at Badger Army Ammunition, and just some other things about that in terms of how it opened and closed. So here, let's just play that clip right now from Berlin Mueller. This was recorded back in June of this year,
Verlyn Mueller:
6:36
that year was historically the best paying job in the Tri County area. I would say excluding Madison. Okay, hard to beat Madison,
Rauel LaBreche:
6:45
horseback and getting into Madison was a lot harder. Yeah. So
Verlyn Mueller:
6:49
and, but he was the biggest employer in this area. World War Two was over 12,000 construction and production. Korea and Vietnam were both about 5400. Okay, still biggest employer in the Tri County area. Okay.
Rauel LaBreche:
7:04
So and there had been dips in its employment cycle because of obviously, the war you're doing the more between
Verlyn Mueller:
7:10
the wars, it was shut down. Okay. After World War Two, they almost got rid of it. Okay. And somebody recognized that maybe we should keep it because they had a brand new rocket production facility and run for less than a year. Okay. So they, they kept the plant. And then after Korea, they maintained it in a standby arrangement or program where I think production areas were on standby where they could be in production, 90 days after notifications really, which is moving pretty fast. Yeah. Now that's, and that's not getting the complete line done. That's, that's starting production, and going from there.
Rauel LaBreche:
7:55
And we're back. So thanks to Verlyn, Verlyn and I are having another conversation about even more anecdotes that he remembers from working there. As he said in the interview, too, he actually worked there during the Vietnam War era, that's when he was on the premises on a daily basis. So 1967 ish, I think it's when he starts. So that's when we're ending today. But just Verlyn's just a great resource, a great community member, and just a lot of fun to talk to. So thanks for Verlyn, for that interview, and for the other one that we're about to do. And we'll be on the website for a century of change. So let's jump ahead to 1944 7500 people at that point were employed, you said, and I think Berlin said they got up to a peak of 12,000. So and then 1945. Finally the war ends and there were 93 Counting men dead due to the war, right. So big impact for our community, our size to that. Not easy. The number of families that were touched by that too, is really sobering than in 1948, County residents celebrated the Wisconsin State centennial, so I can honestly say I was here when the sesquicentennial was celebrated. So I feel I felt a connection to that right away. And also in 1948, very important year John McFarlane was born. So bringing it a little closer to home here. That was John, who's our current president and CEO at here at Macfarlanes. That was his birthdays or birth year I will say I'm not going to tell his birthday but at least you get an idea. Right. So then in 1949, a big event up in Baraboo happened the bear boo Island woollen mill closed. So Tom,
Paul Volter:
9:29
close to our hearts at the sock County Historical Society because our headquarters building is currently in the old Island woollen mill office building that we renovated few years back. So we know all about the Allen woollen mill, but it did cease operation in 1949 had been one of the largest Woolen Mills west of Philadelphia and one time once the county's largest employer, but you know, economics changed and bigger outfits, closed it down, and then it was the last We produced wool fabrics in barebow and in the county I believe so well there's actually
Rauel LaBreche:
10:04
a really nice display in the historical building that has some of the actual items
Paul Volter:
10:11
fabrics there including an army blanket that was they made a lot of army blankets and when they went through the through the Spanish American War a little worn and tattered and came back to us so I made it all the way home so there's a baseball uniform they're their own baseball with their own scratchy wool uniforms of course so I have
Rauel LaBreche:
10:30
a hard time you think about that even World War One where they had the wool uniforms? Yeah, only Um, can you imagine being in the summertime
Paul Volter:
10:37
tried to tell you it was cool but
Rauel LaBreche:
10:41
it's like when they say Arizona it's just it's just dry heat. It's still 114 Okay, so well and then electric motor mean by bear booze Hoggin company was used to time the rolls bowl football game I thought that was pretty cool is a small
Paul Volter:
10:57
short short term company they're in bearable because it got bought out and after a few years but settled there about 1948 And they made precision timing instruments and motors for scoreboards so was used in the 1949 Rose Bowl games so did they
Rauel LaBreche:
11:11
manage on the board? Did they have came from bear Buddha that we're able to write down?
Paul Volter:
11:16
I doubt that but somehow we know. Too bad that wasn't a Wisconsin near here. Unbearable. Unbearable.
Rauel LaBreche:
11:22
Yeah, you could say oh, that's our bomb. Sorry. I don't know the Badgers probably. No, they weren't they wouldn't have been in that game.
Paul Volter:
11:29
That's interesting. I don't know who have played in that game. Okay,
Rauel LaBreche:
11:31
so why obviously it stayed there for a while after there is right so while and then 1949 Here comes the plot for America Reedsburg fluoridated its water for the first time. So it's always fun. In 1950, onfarm, bulk cooling and storage for milk this is gonna be an important thing I'm sure for a lot of our egg customers that are out there. But 1950 is one that for that onfarm bulk cooling and storage for milk began to appear in Sauk County dairy farms in the days of cooling milk cans and a cold water bath and loading them by hand on a trucks for a trip to the cemetery. All that kind of Creamery, the creamery. Kramer not the cemetery. Oh, yes,
Paul Volter:
12:09
that's when they were dumping milk
Rauel LaBreche:
12:12
was dead milk, get rid of it. So,
Paul Volter:
12:14
yeah, so you can see just just the the economic and industrial changes that are happening. Sure. Now after the war, farming, you know, different manufacturing is starting up some is closing down. So it was it was changing times. And yeah, stability was was not always there.
Rauel LaBreche:
12:30
Well, and of course, you know, the part of it that isn't alluded to here, too, is that never would have happened had there not been electrification of farms, right, you know, which had to happen. We were actually quite ahead of the curve, right, in some ways, especially
Paul Volter:
12:41
in this area with the period of sack Damn, you know, I was just
Rauel LaBreche:
12:45
watching a special on the electrification I think it's called power for the Petersons or something like that. And it's a Walter Cronkite narrated piece that talks about in the 1930s how up to 90% of farms are without power even though all the cities were in by that point. Yeah. Electrified so they show the farm life before there was electricity and then after there was electricity it's really quite fascinating to think about you know mansion getting up when it's dark like it is this time of year and having no lights to turn of
Paul Volter:
13:16
course the first building to get electricity was not the house was the barn Exactly. For 15 watt bulbs,
Rauel LaBreche:
13:22
they had all these cute shots of kids fighting over the kerosene lamp, you know, one of the kids job was to you know, clean all the kerosene lamps age more and replace all the kerosene so just you know, we take it for granted how how much that that has changed our lives. So and then county population is what 30,000 By that point Yeah,
Paul Volter:
13:40
growing again after the kind of the stagnation in the 20s and 30s. Okay, yep. On another big company opens up right? Yeah. Flambeau opens Flambeau plastic soap is unbearable. Okay, eventually producing Dunkin yo Yos Dunkin you know, we're all made unbearable for certain point of time. Yeah,
Rauel LaBreche:
13:57
I did not know that. So all those those Duncan yo yo tricks that I learned when I was, you know, Scrapper? Yeah, back in Milwaukee that came from here and barebow huh, probably boy, what a deal. So then 1951 Badger armor now ammunition reopens again and again, Berlin talked about that briefly in his interview. But but that was interesting after the Korean War to the game mentions that we at that point after the Korean War, they kept it on Active status. So right,
Paul Volter:
14:24
right that it was they were starting to dismantle it after World War Two and then right, thought the better that Yeah,
Rauel LaBreche:
14:30
I figured out that they had just started making rocket fuel of some certain that was going to be valuable as well. Yeah. And then for all your baseball fans 1951 was phenomenal year and that it was the first little league baseball team was organized in Wisconsin, up in
Paul Volter:
14:43
Reedsburg. Pretty strong baseball tradition there.
Rauel LaBreche:
14:47
Okay, so batter up in Reedsburg. So and while we're doing batter up, we're gonna take a quick break here word from our sponsors. We'll be back and start talking about 1952 and four because there's some big events that happen in 52 and beyond. PowerPoint power naps power lunches everything these days is power power power. Well at McFarland, we've got the power to keep you moving, blowing and more. Our automotive and Power Equipment service centers can keep you powered up faster than you can save Steve McQueen make a powerful statement and come to Macfarlanes at seven at Carolinas Street, one block south of highway 12, open seven days a week at Macfarlanes dotnet. Where service is a family tradition, the room. Alright, we're back here in Sauk city broadcasting from our studio in Macfarlanes. My guest this morning as Paul older who is Walter Walter and I just want to say the old like it's an old but it's a German, it's Volta. Paul is the executive director at the sock County Historical Society and has been just an incredible resource for me, as we prepared for this show, as well as is a great resource for all of our county residents. So if you want to know things about this county and its history, go see Paul go to the Sauk County Historical Society, it's just a phenomenal resource for all of us to do as the adage says, learn from history, otherwise, we are doomed to repeat it. And some of it would not be a bad thing to repeat, but there's there's quite a bit that would not be so good. So thanks again, Paul for being on the show this again. So we're doing part two of our four part series on a century of change here at McFarland. So and our topic today is the years 1942 through 1967. So, we get to 1952 where the county board increased the bulky on what Paul what was that?
Paul Volter:
16:42
Dead malls as opposed to living malls, dead malls? So 10 cents can I know, I wish I knew more about this, but that's all I know.
Rauel LaBreche:
16:50
You can do they have that posted in the Post Office wanted?
Paul Volter:
16:53
I like to do bring them in to the county clerk or you know, proof of whatever right I don't know.
Rauel LaBreche:
16:59
Right? I just I mean, I think of that every spring when you know our backyard starts to look like you know, a small war has been fought right. But I didn't realize that there was actually a bounty on moles, but okay, wanted this mole was seen in my weird imagination gets going. So, also in 1952, red bark is constructed and Reedsburg right? So and in 1952 Another MacFarlane is born Stan McFarlane, who is in in charge of our manufacturing and structural steel facility. Stan was born to dad, Jim. And actually, you know, all three of those Macfarlanes those boys came back from World War Two, I believe Chuck was an active service as the youngest of the three, but all of them after World War Two decided, you know, they really didn't want to take over the shop from grandpa Earl. So that was really the this whole period was when we were in our kind of second generation, if you will, of Macfarlanes running the company. And you know, they grew the company significantly. The 50s was a big time for Oliver tractors. And we were leasing quite a few tractors, one of the first implement dealers to do that kind of thing. So and just just a fascinating time when you look back at the history of the company, in this time period to the store open for the first time in 1963. So coming up on that year before too much longer here. 1953 is the Korean War ends so how many sock county residents
Paul Volter:
18:25
for sock county men were lost in the Korean War?
Rauel LaBreche:
18:28
Okay, so So bring, thankfully not as bad as the 93 that were killed in World War Two but still an impact which when you think about the relatively smaller numbers of people that were killed in the Korean War compared to World War Two, that was a significant amount of folks. Right? Then also 1953 Another MacFarlane is born. Yes, Dick McFarlane was born in 1953. And those of you that come down to the store regularly see Nick Dec. He is normally Nick. No, he's not a neck. He's a deck. So he's Dick McFarlane, Richard. Richard was born in 1953. And is a always there to help customers carry things out. Tick does a great job of just making sure we have our best foot forward on things. And then 1954 consolidation of rural schools schools began in Troy, saw county software editor Leroy Gore leads a movement to recall Senator Joseph McCarthy. I thought that was interesting to there. Quite a bit of information on Senator McCarthy who started out I want to say 1947 or 48. He was first elected a senator served in World War Two came back and was in the became a senator and actually had the first three years I think I read that he were relatively uneventful. Yeah, but then as the House committee and I can shine American on American Activities, yes, got going. He was setting up that movement and really trying to make a name for himself. Unfortunately, it ended up being not such a good name for himself, right. But then we had a baby boom hit. 411 infants were born in it 54 at bearable hospital, the average house the income and Sacani was $4,100. Imagine Wow. Of course a house payment was 15 back then. So I guess you have to all put it in perspective. But John Kelly incorporated the circus world and convinced barebow city council to purchase the four first building our
Paul Volter:
20:20
first first steps towards what we now know a circus world museum opened in 1959. Okay,
Rauel LaBreche:
20:27
so I'm the Crandall family donated in Wisconsin Dells donated 1000 acres of land, including standard rock to the University of Wisconsin,
Paul Volter:
20:36
very generous bequest and created the nucleus of you know, the preserved areas of the upper Dells,
Rauel LaBreche:
20:43
so if any of that area were International Crane Foundation ended up being or any of those No,
Paul Volter:
20:48
I'll be upper Dells area. So Stan rock and, and that that area. Okay.
Rauel LaBreche:
20:55
So and then MacArthur mill is the largest producer of hammocks in 1955. So that's kind of, you know, what are you doing? I'm going to take care of Mark County and support our county by taking a nap in the backyard. Well,
Paul Volter:
21:08
it just be speaks the glorious 50s and the leisure time that once again became available and you had to have a hammock
Rauel LaBreche:
21:15
boy it does, isn't it so and we also then in 1955 Sacani was number one in Wisconsin for
Paul Volter:
21:21
cottage cheese production. All those cottages were going to deliver. I always my mom always served it with cottage cheese with brown sugar on top. And to this day, that's the only way I'll eat it. That people look at me and disgust but brown
Rauel LaBreche:
21:37
sure I have. Yeah, Mr. voltar. I've never had it before. I
Paul Volter:
21:43
know where that came from
Rauel LaBreche:
21:44
my French cuisine background. I must say that sounds a bit fishy to me as well. It's
Paul Volter:
21:48
wonderful. You know, everybody's into the salty sweet thing. Now when we were doing it back in the seven
Rauel LaBreche:
21:53
Well, why don't you just put some chocolate on there while you're at it. Okay. We might have started a fad here, you know, 100 years from now they'll be saying brown chocolate. That's how we eat ours now. Anyways, 1956 consolidation, rural schools begins in Honey Creek township by there. So
Paul Volter:
22:10
the rolling wave across the county of rural school consolidations, first with between smaller, you know, rural school districts and then ultimately, you know, all being bused into cities, although there was a few larger rural elementary school buildings, but yeah, it was.
Rauel LaBreche:
22:29
Yeah, right in our community tower rock and Blackhawk both and now just recently Blackhawk was closed down and tower rock is still going so there was some money invested in it even so, but then dial phone telephones are introduced ending the days of operator phone service, it's hard to believe that even 256 So no more Hello, Ellie, can you patch me into Paul's house? I need to talk to him. The party lines that those go away too. So I hope so. So that was always Are you listening Myrtle get off of the line. So Chicago Northwestern railroad open sets Quartzsite mine in Rock Springs in 1957. And then in 58 Badger ordinance closes again goes back into its waiting holding mode. Right, awesome. 1950 day 58 Is when Kuka records started. So I had the opportunity to talk with Jim Kirschstein. Just a few days ago, Jim and I recorded an interview talking about a he's obviously the owner and was the recording engineer that came out of the UW Wisconsin Madison and started to cook a records and had a pretty long history of recording and taking care of some incredible bands. In fact, we might be able to play a little bit of mule Skinner's blues here at some point underneath the show just so you guys remember that was their big hit that he sold out to Soma records to a guy up in the Twin Cities area but not before it made a pretty big name for Kuka and what they could record so here's that interview with Jim Kirstein your your big hit if I remember right, wasn't it the fender man that was like the first one that really brought you out or so
Jim Kirschstein:
24:06
yeah, and much later after that is still earn more money than my entire line of elements. But yeah, the phentermine were two guys, Jim Sundquist, and Phil Humphrey, they were at Wipro, well Cloudbooks have earned near Middleton salesmen that called on me because I was still maintaining a record store. Left is Hey, he said you got to listen to this. So I did. And I got a hold of them on New Year's Day. 1960 Okay, when I did that, okay, I set it on the shelf and got the chance to 9060 got a hold of them. They were all for it. So I recorded we recorded the mailscanner blues in my little studio and
Rauel LaBreche:
25:00
eMeals Skinner's blues that that I know is out there because I, in fact, I think there's even a little video of it two of those guys. They must have been on some television shows or something performing it and talk show that I was okay. Dick Clark show. A d it's fascinating because it h s that. What would you I gue s you'd call it rockabilly is ki d of the overall genr
Jim Kirschstein:
25:21
And that's big stuff, especially in Europe.
Rauel LaBreche:
25:25
And we're back. Thanks, Jim, again, for taking time out of your schedule to interview with me, that whole interview is available to on the website@wpq.com. So feel free to tune in to hear the rest about what Jim has to say about the recording industry and his experience and all the different artists he got to work with over the years. So now in 1959, a couple of important things happen that we're aware of at least one of them was Tom McFarlane was born. But then also closer to your neck of the woods ball up and bear Buddha circus world museum opened with 40,000 people, is that right? There's not too many zeros there.
Paul Volter:
26:00
Right. I think that was I don't know, that was the official opening day or that season. But yeah, did open in 1959. Quite a bit smaller than it is now. I think it was only a few wagons now. They have over 200 Circus wagons, the largest, basically the largest circus collection in the world care at circus world.
Rauel LaBreche:
26:19
Quite a bit of research material there. Yeah. I've done
Paul Volter:
26:23
a whole library just 10 hundreds of 1000s of items now.
Rauel LaBreche:
26:27
So all kinds of paraphernalia from different performers over the years and
Paul Volter:
26:31
business records, posters, photographs, you name it. Okay.
Rauel LaBreche:
26:35
It's their way. I suppose that becomes even more important now that Ringling Brothers Circus is no longer Right.
Paul Volter:
26:41
Right. Right. Yeah, I mean, there are the circus is still alive and other circuses. But of course, the flagship, the Ringling Brothers Circus closed earlier this year. So why
Rauel LaBreche:
26:51
so weird how things pass? I mean, they've been what 150 Some year tradition or so
Paul Volter:
26:56
well, since 1884, with Ringling Brothers, Barnum was Barnum and Bailey was before that even but Yeah, boy.
Rauel LaBreche:
27:04
Yes, how times change so and then Sauk County began block tapping the gravel railroads in 1960, which is, I have to say that was an important year to that was the year I was born. So I just, you know, just to throw that out there in case anyone wants to do the math, right, figure it out. So and then, let's see we had the county population is up to 36,001 97. So how much has it increased since the previous time in order? Do you remember it was
Paul Volter:
27:31
38,120 this 10 times before that's actually went down, down?
Rauel LaBreche:
27:35
Okay. So that's some peaks and valleys here, right. So and clarens hotter, erected the county's first center pivot farm irrigator I wish I knew more about what's a center pivot farm irrigator
Paul Volter:
27:48
and I am going to make a stab that it's you know, the big, the big. Oh, yeah, the big ones that roll through the field. Okay, the center pivot Yeah,
Rauel LaBreche:
27:55
that makes sense, then they don't have to have as many rolling back and forth or setting in different places are gonna cover a much bigger area with it. Okay, that makes sense. presidential candidate John F. Kennedy visited plane and Reedsburg in Baraboo Yeah, that's kind of cool to think about
Paul Volter:
28:10
Yeah, yeah, it is it's you know, before was Senator wasn't out and yet but then in the spring of 1960 came through plane Reedsburg unbearable spoke to the Quanah said the more in hotel and
Rauel LaBreche:
28:22
well, you know, nowadays they just would never a candidate mean the candidates don't come through those kinds of towns, right. It's, you know, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison and maybe La Crosse every once in a while, but that's pretty cool to think about him actually stopping especially a town like plane. I mean, that's a pretty small town because yeah, so no wonder he was worn out all the time. Right. So and then highway Police Officer James Jansen 1961 was slain and Lake Delton Police Chief Robert Cole was wounded in a lake Delton shootout. I remember seeing a fairly big display about that at Yeah,
Paul Volter:
28:54
yeah, we actually have a piece of the bullet written getaway car that that the three thugs that killed officer janss sped off in and the two of them got away so there was a tense week and saw county the manhunt of 1961 as a whole we have a whole book written on the subject but I was quite the was that
Rauel LaBreche:
29:16
the first time something like that had really happened in the area of
Paul Volter:
29:20
parkour. Wow. Yeah. As far as I am aware of and it really was kind of the kind of attributed as the the growing pains of Sauk County from this rural county to something more like we know today. Yeah, like metropolitan. Yeah, the sheriff was actually the sheriff was Dolly Spencer the first and only woman sheriff in Sauk. County history really? Yeah her husband had been Sheriff for two terms but by state law could not run again. So dolly is has her his wife ran and was elected sheriff although everybody knew the current arrangement would would remain the same but it was actually dolly Spencer that was interest Sheriff during the great man on 61 But they did dapper. And the last the other two suspects and
Rauel LaBreche:
30:02
so what was the reason for it all? I don't remember they were
Paul Volter:
30:05
they had been some some criminals in the Chicago area and and come up to the Dells to blow off some money and okay and kind of you know, got on the police radar there and then got pulled over and jumped out of the car and gunned down officer Jansen and wounded Bob Cole. So, you know, sure there was some alcohol involved and sure, and some some
Rauel LaBreche:
30:26
interesting because that kind of makes me think of the old days when was it Capone or Dylan during one of those guys had a place up north to that they use down frequently. So we get Illinois tourism and all kinds of ways. No. Sorry, couldn't help that little bit of black humor there. Hope you can all forgive me. 1962 then the rural school districts began merging with the village and city schools. So this continues on rural children are bused into city school
Paul Volter:
30:52
62 was done. And there were no more rural schools. There have been over 141 room schools in South County. Yeah. 140 Yeah. consolidated into some Summit, like a population of three. So it didn't make any sense. Sure. anymore with better roads and busing? Sure, and then to give them the opportunities of clubs and sports and better facilities and whatnot. Sure, sure. Of course I didn't relish you know, writing an hour into Reedsburg every morning but was built in
Rauel LaBreche:
31:23
study time, right? Yeah. Something sleeping goofing around. So pulling on people's pigtails on the link so so 63 mid cannon railway museum opens in North freedom the sock County Courthouse Annex was completed Wisconsin dairies cooperative began operations in Milwaukee holds the first circus parade just
Paul Volter:
31:43
four years after circus world open they were able to hold the first circus parade in Milwaukee. Yeah,
Rauel LaBreche:
31:49
and I remember those as a kid we we lived just a couple blocks from the railroad railway track that that would come in. Yeah. So in Milwaukee, my mom, boy, she would not miss that. That was like planned on the schedule. In the summertime, it was coming through and we track up a couple blocks to the railroad track and watch it go by um, yeah, maybe
Paul Volter:
32:07
maybe someday in the future can happen again. I mean, circus world still has all the wagons of course. Okay.
Rauel LaBreche:
32:14
loading it up and getting it out there. Yeah, it wasn't too long ago that they stopped doing
Paul Volter:
32:18
the parade was in Milwaukee. It's been it's been a number of years now. But now they're doing a smaller version in Bear Bear with a summer.
Rauel LaBreche:
32:25
And then we had a fire in 1964 that gutted the whole worn
Paul Volter:
32:30
this Kandak Kennedy had just been there for years before and it's kind of the last straw for the Warren hotel had been originally built in 1884 Expanding on an earlier hotel there. It was kind of the mainstay of downtown barebow unfortunately was gutted and eventually turned down boy
Rauel LaBreche:
32:47
and then county parks or establish Hemlock so the county park system really got going in 64. Yeah, Laval man mound Greenfield Gallo thunder Memorial Delton boy just parks popping up all over the place. So and then lapels Big Creek was dammed to create Lake Rez redstone 65
Paul Volter:
33:05
Yeah, it's one of the you know the really the only natural lake insock County is Devil's Lake you know there's our man made for some reason and again, like Lake Delton another this is a another man made lake specifically for recreational purposes and for real real estate development. So so very useful mirror like to would be one of those that was actually you know, a millpond started as a mill pond in 1860 Okay, and just happened to create the lake but Lake redstone of course purpose built for recreation and real estate
Rauel LaBreche:
33:37
boy and then we've got 1966 for almost their promise they're going badger Army Ammunition reopen that and again our interview with Earl and he talks about that a bit. Clayton Luthor is the first Saccone soldier to die in Vietnam, and then a finger brewery and bear boo closes. So which now we have the Driftless brewery though, right and
Paul Volter:
33:59
yeah, distillery distillery distillery hard spirits. Yeah. Okay. So the more things change the more they Yeah, they do now as micro breweries are popping up all over and soon we'll have on here and sock so sock city.
Rauel LaBreche:
34:10
Yeah, yeah. Vintage brewery is getting ready to open to before too much longer. And then lastly, the Baraboo river flooded at Reedsburg Rock Springs and beer booth. So that's been ongoing. Yeah, we saw that again this year did recurring theme. Yeah, over and over again. So well, we're gonna take another quick break for a word from our wonderful sponsors. Thanks for joining us this morning on a century of change. i My guest this morning is Paul Walter with the Suffolk County Historical Society and we'll be right back with a little preview of what's happening next week on century of change.
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34:43
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Rauel LaBreche:
35:12
Thanks for joining us for the second broadcast of the century of change. My guest this morning has been Paul Walter with the Suffolk County Historical Society. Paul, thanks again for this rambling through of the another 25 years of the the world and our country and sock County and specifically Macfarlanes here and and just had been so much fun to do this. I'm looking forward to next week. So next week on more r&r century of change. We'll be talking about everything from Wisconsin Power and Light and some changes that happened with them. As well as the Zana do falling house of tomorrow and also to so yes, and I mean, there's all kinds of fun things be to our next segment is 1967 through 1989. Now, what do I think? 9080 To 8090 to 90? Oh my gosh, do you think if I could cop 25? That'd be easy. Yeah. So yes, 1967 through 19 and 92. So
Paul Volter:
36:13
seem like history. But it's farther back? Yeah,
Rauel LaBreche:
36:15
you weren't, we'll have lots of good tunes, I'm sure playing in the background as the guys get some sound bites going for us. So that's the age of the hairband. So we'll be we'll be having some fun with all kinds of things that way. So join us next week on third edition of century of change. We hope you enjoyed this morning, and thanks for tuning in here on 99 Seven Max FM. Well, I hope you enjoyed our second trip down memory lane. Just think about it another 25 year period. And it saw the end of the Second World War, the development and first, hopefully last use of atomic bombs, the discovery of DNA, the invention of digital computers, widespread civil rights changes, and the beginning of our exploration of other worlds. It was another JAM PACKED time period. Join us next week for part 319 68 to 1992. Lots to reflect upon and that 25 year chunk of time as well. If you didn't already know that. And don't forget if you have suggestions or questions, visit us at www.forsauk.com Stay well
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