Wisconsin Historical Society

???????????????????? ???????????????? ?????? ????????????????! ???? ??????’???? ???????? ????????????, ???? ???????????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????????????? ???? ????????????????????, ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????????? ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ????????????????! The ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ???????????????? helped deliver Fashionable French Designs, sewing patterns, stories and advertisements to women across the U.S. in the 19th century. Throughout the 1800s, fashion boasted change as women flipped through the pages of magazines. Middle-class women gained autonomy through the adaptation of sewing patterning, as paper patterns became purchasable and adorned magazines and sewing machines became commonplace. Businesswomen like Ellen Demorest developed tissue paper sewing pattern designs that expanded fashion into the hands of women. The ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ???????????????? was a publication run by Ellen Louis Demorest, or Ellen Curtis “Madame” Demorest. Along with her husband, William, the two took prominence in New York’s fashion industry, as Ellen developed and sold her innovative tissue paper sewing patterns and published magazine issues with her designs inside. The Demorests owned business, such as the “Demorest’s Fashion Emporium” in New York City, which made its way to the “Ladies Mile” of fashion by the mid/late 1800s. William and Ellen Demorest ran several periodical magazines that ended up converting into ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ????????????????. They also published magazines such as Mme. Demorest’s What to Wear and How to Make it. The ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ???????????????? included stories, French fashion trends, the sewing designs of Mme. Demorest and advertisements. The magazine even advocated equal rights, and the notable journalist, under the pen name Jenny June, Jane Cunningham Croly, was a contributing writer for the magazine. Croly was an advocate for equal rights for women in society and assembled a national convention of women’s clubs in 1889. She used her columns to advocate for rights, and alongside Ellen Demorest, the two were early women’s rights activists. Ellen Demorest was also an abolitionist; she hired Black Americans in her workplaces and advised that those who disagreed with this advancement could find services in other places. She hired over 200 women in her business. Beautiful and captivating, the magazine tells a tale of fashion as well as progress. The ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ???????????????? catalogue is available for viewing in the archives here at the Wisconsin Historical Society. ??: ????????????????’?? ?????????????? ??????????????????

Did you know that three quarters of the 114 known dugout canoes from Wisconsin were found in shallow lakes, marshes or along rivers? As such, cached canoes have been found in lakes and rivers throughout Wisconsin, and most have been discovered by cottage owners or sportsmen. In May 2024, the Wisconsin Historical Society announced the discovery of up to 11 canoes in Lake Mendota, Madison, Wisconsin ranging back to 4,500 years ago. The canoes were found submerged and buried in what archaeologists believe was once an ancient shoreline. Caching, or the purposeful sinking of dugout canoes to store them was a common practice in the past. This act helped to prevent freeze/thaw damage and injury from ice shoves in winter, and from otherwise drying out while the occupants were away. Ethnohistorians indicate that this was a common practice for the Ho-Chunk to bury their canoes in the lake bottom sediment and in other parts of Eastern North America, other tribes would sink their dugout canoes with rocks as well as sediment. Collections of multiple canoes found in one place, like the ones in Lake Mendota, often indicate an intermodal transportation node. Canoes were likely left in this place to access a trail. This would be akin to leaving your car at a busy airport parking lot today – where you leave you car, fly to your destination and when you come back, your car is there waiting for you. This spring while you are paddling along Wisconsin’s shorelines and backwater marshlands, keep an eye out for the outline of submerged dugout canoes in the shallows that may have been left behind. If you think you’ve found a dugout canoe – leave it in place, take a picture, grab a GPS coordinate if you can, and report its location to [email protected] Learn more about the Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project: https://wihist.org/44DkYKB Learn more about the Mendota Canoes: https://wihist.org/4kSnQLZ Learn more about Wisconsin Shipwrecks: The Lake Mendota Dugouts: https://wihist.org/4kBitAt View the Sketchfab 3d Dugout Canoe Model Collection: https://skfb.ly/puSQK ??: 2021 Lake Mendota Dugout Canoe | WHS Maritime Preservation Program ??: 2022 Lake Mendota Dugout Canoe | WHS Maritime Preservation Program. ??: Sissel and Tami with Menominee Dugout Canoe at UW Stevens Point | Wisconsin Dugout Canoe Survey Project ??: Screenshot of 3d Model of Lake Mendota Dugout Canoe 2 | Zach Whitrock

Have you heard of Hands-On History? It brings the best practices of museum education into your classroom. Each onsite 1-hour session is designed to engage the minds and excite the imaginations of young history explorers, all while helping educators meet a wide array of standards. We recently brought Hands-On History to North Lakeland Elementary School in Manitowish Waters. Learn more and request Hands-On History in your classroom here: https://wihist.org/3XRvDiY ??: March 2025

The Spring 2025 issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History has just been released! ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??????????: ?????? ???????????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????????????? During the Vietnam War, underground newspapers—produced by GIs for GIs—allowed disaffected GIs to build a powerful, and increasingly visible, peace movement within the ranks. The movement, led by US soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen, many of whom had spent time in Vietnam during the war, began in the late 1960s. They created underground newspapers like RAGE and Up Against the Bulkhead to tell “the truth about the war in ’Nam,” offering support and an alternative news source for soldiers questioning the war. Using newspapers, flyers, and other material from the GI Press Collection, an online archive hosted by the Wisconsin Historical Society, author Ron Carver shares stories of the burgeoning peace movement within the military during the Vietnam War era. Check out this story and learn more in this current issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press: https://wihist.org/3RhbejD Did you know a subscription to the Wisconsin Magazine of History is just one of several exclusive benefits offered through the Wisconsin Historical Society’s membership program? When you become a member, you’re chipping in to help us deliver unforgettable stories from Wisconsin history so they can be shared for generations to come. ??: Spring 2025 Issue

Here are some great ideas for some day trips in Wisconsin! Be sure to check out the historic sites section and add some to your summer plans!

We are pleased to welcome Leo Landis, the director of public history, to the Wisconsin Historical Society! Landis brings a wealth of experience in the field of public history to his role at the Society and previously held positions with a variety of cultural history organizations throughout the Midwest including Salisbury House & Gardens, Living History Farms, The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village and Conner Prairie. His most recent position being curator at the State Historical Society of Iowa which he held since 2013. “We are thrilled to welcome Leo to the team at this critical point in the Society’s journey to deliver a premier history destination to the people of Wisconsin when the future Wisconsin History Center opens its doors in 2027,” said Jill Sterrett, director of collections and collections administrator for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “He has consistently positioned himself at the intersection of programs and outreach, curatorial work and education. Leo’s broad expertise spanning civics education, material culture, agricultural history and more will position him for lasting success in his new role.” Landis will focus on bolstering the importance of a public history approach in making the Society’s sites and attractions across Wisconsin destinations of inspiration and exploration for local, regional, and national visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Landis is particularly excited about the opportunity to connect people to the past through community engagement, historically accurate storytelling and sharing historically significant collections. Learn more: https://wihist.org/4ikU28Z

Teachers, what a great tool to use in your classroom! Wisconsin Adventures: Dreams & Nightmares welcomes you to Barribault, a sleepy little village north of Spirit Lake. The circus is in town, yet not all is as it seems! Players will learn about our state's rich history and legends in this new educational role-playing game from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Adventures combines the myths and legends of Wisconsin’s past with the deep learning opportunities in fantasy roleplaying games. Shop Wisconsin Adventures: https://wihist.org/4icmhqo

March is National Agriculture Month! ?? ?? Did you know that the International Harvester Company was the largest and most influential farm equipment manufacturer of the 20th century? The combined McCormick-International Harvester materials comprise the largest single collection held by the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives. This massive collection includes hundreds of thousands of images dating from the 1840s through the 1980s, created by and for the McCormick and International Harvester companies, and Cyrus McCormick and his family. These images document the history of the agricultural equipment industry as well as rural life, small towns, architecture, industrial labor, technology, transportation and advertising. See more than 10,000 images from this collection: https://wihist.org/41OVM3p ??: 1954 | WHI Image ID 24612 ??: 1923 | WHI Image ID 6701 ??: 1948 | WHI Image ID 26322 ??: Before 1890 | WHI Image ID 8929

It’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic changed our lives in ways we never expected. But how will future generations understand what it was really like to live through it? Thanks to the Wisconsin Historical Society's COVID-19 Journal Project, 228 personal journals- both physical and digital- have been cataloged and preserved, with more still being added. From frontline workers to students, business owners to retirees- many perspectives of this historic moment were captured. These journals will serve as a powerful window into the past for those looking back decades from now. Swipe through to see a few journals that are part of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s collection. A huge thank you to everyone who participated and to the Greater Madison Writing Project for supporting this effort! ??: Wisconsin Historical Society Archives

Did you know women represent about one-fifth of the brewing industry? "You see these husband and wife teams for taverns all around the state today," says Rob Novak of Old World Wisconsin. "It happened back then too. It was just a lot more difficult for women to break in." Learn more about Wisconsin's women in brewing in this WKOW-ABC 27 article.