|
 This
collection is comprised of selected folders from the larger Ada James Papers (Wis Mss OP) housed
at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Ada James (1876-1952) was a leading a social reformer, humanitarian,
and pacifist from Richland Center, Wisconsin and daughter of state senator David G. James. The
Ada James papers document the grass roots organizing and politics required to promote and guarantee
the passage of women's suffrage in Wisconsin and beyond. Three out of thirty boxes of the popular
Ada James papers were digitized in 2006 as an experiment in making the process of digitizing archival
manuscript materials more efficient. As such, the organization of the materials varies from other
archival collections in the UWDC. |
 The
first title in this group is a unique gem for genealogical researchers. Record of the Pioneers
of Outagamie County is a wonderful collection of information, often including photos, about
the people living in Outagamie County in 1898 and their families. The introduction explains how
this book came to be, and how it grew to include "over 1200 names, including the children of the
pioneers." The record was intended to be useful "in settling estates, as many people are very neglectful
in keeping their family records." An earlier edition provides biographical sketches of about 100
of the earliest settlers of the County, and their families, their children, and grand-children,
as well as the records of the Pioneer Association from 1875 to 1895. Land ownership records are
also useful tools for genealogical research. This collection includes four Outagamie County plat
books representing dates from 1889 to 1942. Some indexes are included within the plat book itself,
and a separate name index to the 1889 Outagamie plat book is available at the Appleton Public Library.
Those not available yet online are in the process of being made accessible from the Library's homepage
at www.apl.org. Many more local history resources, including historic
photographs and postcards, are available at www.foxvalleymemory.org.
<more> |
|
 One
of the country's largest concentrations of Walloon-speaking Belgians is found in northeastern Wisconsin,
resulting in a unique cultural and social flavor. The largest wave of Belgian immigration to Wisconsin
occurred in the mid-1850s. While the 1850 U.S. Census lists only 45 persons of Belgian nativity
in the state, by 1860 the number had increased to 4,647. The 1890 U.S. census also shows that 81%
of Belgians in the state lived in the northeastern counties of Brown, Kewaunee, and Door. The Belgian
immigration into northeastern Wisconsin came to an abrupt halt in about 1858, when word reached
the homeland of the physical and economic hardships and the cholera epidemic sweeping the settlement. |
|
 This
collection consists of the personal and travel photographs of the Brittinghams, a prominent and
influential Wisconsin family. Spanning the years 1897-1922, these images capture the private lives
of a wealthy family at the turn of the century, and document their travels to 22 states and 32
countries.
The subjects of this collection range widely from informal pictures of children at play to detailed
interior shots of the Brittingham homes. Scenic landscapes, cityscapes, and street scenes from
around the world are in abundance. The Brittinghams traveled from the Grand Canyon to Eastern Asia,
and everywhere captured particulars of dress, architecture, and locomotion. |
Brown, Door, Kewaunee, Oconto and Shawano Counties: Historical Atlases, Directories, Plat Maps & High School Yearbooks
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.NicoletLocHist
 This
collection of historic materials includes atlases, directories, and plat books providing accessibility
to early information about Northeastern Wisconsin, specifically Brown, Door, Kewaunee and Shawano
counties. A variety of plat books and atlases were chosen because of their frequent use and fragile
condition. They are widely used by the public for local history and genealogy. They assist persons
seeking the origin of street names and trace neighborhoods that were once farmland or heavily forested
lands. |
|
 This
digital collection of four published books provides accessibility to early information about Fond
du Lac County. Two city and county directories were chosen because of their historical value. Our
earliest city directory is the Brigham & Co.'s Fond du Lac City Directory and Business
Advertiser of 1856-57. Our earliest county directory is the Fond du Lac County Gazetteer:
Containing Directories of Fond du Lac, Ripon and Waupun, and Historical and Descriptive Sketches
of the Several Townships of the County, published in 1868. The directories list residents
with their addresses and occupations and include advertising for local businesses. They present
a glimpse of Fond du Lac at specific points in its history. Fond du Lac Illustrated 1898
presents photographic views of the city. Photos of many public buildings, parks, streets, schools
and factories show the city at that time. A large section provides photos of many notable residences. |
|
 The
state of Wisconsin has a proud and colorful history. One of its richest and most romantic chapters
is its maritime history, staged on the waters of Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, on hundreds of smaller
lakes and a whole network of rivers. Much of that fascinating story has been captured in photography
and art and this material brings to the public eye some of its highlights. |
|
 The
photograph collection contains images of citizens and businesses along Main Street beginning about
1880 and progressing through the early 1970's. They are part of the historical photograph collection
at the Hoard Historical Museum in Fort Atkinson. <more> |
|
 This
digital collection of historic plat books and city directories provides accessibility to early
information about South Central Wisconsin, specifically Columbia, Dane, Portage and Wood counties.
A variety of the oldest plat books, atlases and city directories were chosen because of their frequent
use and delicate condition. They are widely used by the public for local history and genealogy
and even for those trying to find out why a street got its name. The historic plat books help people
to trace neighborhoods and streets from what was once farmland.
<more> |
|
 This
volume constitutes the general introduction to the Town Studies of the Wisconsin Domesday Book.
It also presents a tentative sketch of the history of agriculture in this state, at the time of
publication (1922). |
|
 The History
of Wisconsin Agriculture and Rural Life collection is based on a bibliography compiled
as part of the National Preservation Project for Agricultural Literature. Items in the bibliography,
primary and secondary materials published through 1945, were initially ranked by a review panel
for preservation microfilming. Now, through funding from the Council of University of Wisconsin
Libraries, you will have access to a growing subset of this material through our digital collections.
Link to bibliography: http://steenbock.library.wisc.edu/subjectguide/wisagbib/index.htm
|
|
 The
Home Front: Manitowoc County in World War II is a digital collection of photographic images,
oral histories, published sources and documents, artifacts, and other resources which help to
document and explain the history of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin during the period from 1939 to
1947—both the more universally shared home front experiences and activities as they played
out in this specific county, and those more unique activities which especially defined the area
during the War. |
|
 Reminisce
about historic Lake Geneva by browsing this collection of over 500 souvenir-quality photographs
and postcards selected from the Lake Geneva Public Library local history collection. Evoke memories
of the grandeur of Lake Geneva in its heyday when it came to be known as the "Newport of the West." Enjoy
vintage images of elegant summer homes, picturesque shoreline, city parks, and downtown businesses
from every decade of the 20th century. |
|
 Janesville,
located in southern Wisconsin near the Illinois border, was settled in 1835, making it one of the
earliest communities in the state. In 2005, it was Wisconsin's 11th largest city and one of the
fastest growing in the 1990s. Its 2000 population was 60,200. Thirty-nine percent of the total
Rock County population lives in Janesville. The photographs digitized on this Web site present
views of Janesville from its earliest days in the 1840s to the 1980's. |
|
 Kenosha County is situated in the most southeastern part of Wisconsin adjoining the Illinois State border. In 1830, Kenosha County was a remote corner of the largely unsettled Michigan Territory. Beginning in 1835 settlers arrived from New York and New England, making Kenosha County and City the southernmost settlement in the state. From 1835 through the 1880s the region's main commercial activity was agriculture. In the 1870s the County and City barely survived a local depression, which stifled industrial growth. By 1890 industrial expansion had greatly improved in the City and County with continued growth until the Great Depression of the 1930s. The C.E. Dewey Lantern Slide Collection contains images of this time period from the 1830s to the early 1940s.
The eight books chosen for this collection represent the early days of European-American settlement in Kenosha County, document the history of Racine and Kenosha Counties, and profile prominent residents. Kenosha landscapes, parks, public buildings, residences, businesses, and industries from the early 20th century are described and photographed. |
|
 The Ku Klux Klan in Northwestern Wisconsin, circa 1915-1950 is a digital collection of records, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and artifacts. These materials document a popular movement that most Americans would rather forget - a so-called "reform" movement driven by xenophobia and bigotry. In the post World War I era, however, the Klan was a popular and widely accepted organization that played a significant role in the social life of some American communities.
The KKK advocated patriotism, nativism, and anti-Catholicism. Although largely gone from Wisconsin by the late 1920s, the Klan persisted through the 1940s in northwestern Wisconsin. As evidenced by these materials, areas of Klan activity included Chippewa, Clark, and Pierce counties. Material for this collection has been drawn from the Wisconsin Historical Society, the University of Wisconsin--Eau Claire, and the University of Wisconsin--River Falls. |
|
 Libraries
and Schools in Marathon and Lincoln Counties contains historic images representing central
Wisconsin schools and libraries in Marathon and Lincoln Counties.
Libraries and Schools in Marathon and Lincoln Counties is collaborative project
completed by the UWDCC and the Marathon County Public Library with
support and contributions from the following Central Wisconsin Ditigization Project members: Marathon
County Historical Society, Merrill Historical Society, TB
Scott Library and the University of Wisconsin Marathon County. |
Log book of Preston Reynolds: one of the 4 river rovers on a trip down
the Wisconsin, Mississippi, and up the Rock and Yaharra Rivers
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.ReynoldsP
 This
log book kept by Preston ("Pick") Reynolds documents a canoe trip he made with three other young
men from Madison, Wis. in 1903. The trip began in what is now Wisconsin Dells and proceeded down
the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi as far as Rock Island, Ill., and then started up the Rock
River. The trip was supposed to continue up the Rock and Yahara Rivers to Madison. Instead, the "4
River Rovers" completed the trip by train from Coloma, Ill. Reynold's companions included "Pucks" Anderson, "Chub" Fowler,
and Sid Jackson (later a founder of the Jackson Clinic in Madison). In addition to colorful descriptions
of their adventures, Reynolds has illustrated the volume with many pen and ink and wash drawings. |
|
 Explore
the history of Manitowoc and surrounding communities through more than 1,400 searchable images
dating from the late 19th century through 1995. Most of the images were taken between 1890 and
1930. Peruse these images when you are doing historical or genealogical research, school assignments,
business or civic presentations, or just for the fun of it! |
|
 This group of material includes maps and atlases of La Crosse County of a variety of types, including plat (rural land ownership), highway, soil, topographic; city of La Crosse (Wisconsin) including zoning, parks, and street; other La Crosse County municipalities; and representative pre- and post-lock and dam charts and maps of the Upper Mississippi River. The date range of this map collection is approximately 1854-1987 and explores the rich history of the area from the days of logging to the post-lock and dam system on the Mississippi River. |
|
 Menasha
is located at the mouth of the Fox River on the north end of Lake Winnebago. Menasha, with settlers
as early as 1835, became a village in 1849 and was incorporated as a city in 1874. Mrs. Doty, wife
of Judge James Doty, used the Indian word Menasha, meaning The Island, to name the site. The city
became a center for wooden ware industries using water power provided by the river. The Menasha
Wooden Ware Company became known as the world’s largest producer of turned wooden ware products.
In 1871, the Wisconsin Central Railway was established here. In later years, companies switched
from wood products to paper manufacturing. |
|
 Neenah,
a city of 25,000, is a part of the Fox Cities and located in east-central Wisconsin, on the northwest
shore of Lake Winnebago. Originally known as Winnebago Rapids, Neenah was incorporated as a village
in 1856 and had a population of 1,296 in 1860. Thanks in part to its location on the Fox River,
in the mid-1800's Neenah attracted flourmills and the lumber industry. By the 1870's paper mills
began to take over the industrial landscape of the area and has continued to play an important
role in the city's economy. |
|
 The
Fox River led early French-Canadian explorers and later American settlers to the west shore of
Lake Winnebago. In the 1840 census Winnebago County had 135 inhabitants; by 1850 about 10,000 had
been added to that number. In addition to Yankees, there were communities of Swiss in Town of Black
Wolf, Welsh in Towns of Nekimi and Utica, and Norwegians in the Towns of Winchester, Wolf River
and Clayton. German settlers were scattered throughout the county. |
|
 Public
Documents of the State of Wisconsin, commonly known as Wisconsin Public Documents (WPD),
consists of the annual and biennial reports of all important Wisconsin state agencies from 1852
through 1914. It was issued annually for 1852 to 1881/82 and biennially for 1882/84 through 1912/14.
WPD is by far the most important collection of documents issued by the state of Wisconsin during
this time period. In addition to the annual and biennial reports of various state officers, departments
and institutions, WPD is a source for Wisconsin statistical tables, financial charts, vintage
photographs, supplementary documents, maps, other graphics and research monographs on specific
topics. Virtually all aspects of the social sciences in Wisconsin during the 1852-1914 timeframe
are represented in this collection of 118 volumes which occupies nearly thirty linear feet in
the paper format. |
|
 Lucien
B. Caswell was born in Swanton, Vermont in 1827. Drawn by the rich farmlands just opened to settlement,
he and his family, stepfather, mother, and siblings, arrived in frontier Wisconsin in 1836 and
settled along the Rock River, just south of Lake Koskonong, in what is now Fulton Township, Rock
County, where they built the third house in the county. Young Caswell was ambitious, attending
Milton Academy and Beloit College and studying law. He moved to Fort Atkinson and opened a law
practice in 1851. By 1855, he had served as district attorney for Jefferson County, married a teacher,
Miss Elizabeth H. May, and been elected to the school board, a post he would hold for over sixty
years. During the Civil War years, he served as a state representative and a draft commissioner
and was with Governor Harvey on his fatal trip south to visit Wisconsin troops. Between 1875 and
1891, he served seven terms in the United States House of Representatives, where he was active
in establishing the Federal appeals court system and construction of the Library of Congress. In
his later years, he became involved with banking and the Northern Pacific Railroad. He also traveled
extensively to Europe and the American West. Caswell published his memoirs in 1900 in the Jefferson
County Union. He died in 1919 in Fort Atkinson.
His legacy in business and education continues in the Rock, Jefferson, and Walworth County area.
The bank, he founded in 1883, is still in operation in Fort Atkinson. The Arthur G. McGraw Jr.
Computing Center of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is named for Caswell's great-grandson
who was a Whitewater native and member of the faculty for thirty-six years.
Lucien Caswell's life in Wisconsin ran from the beginnings of settlement to the Progressive Era.
Even in his last years, the politicians in Madison would come to Fort Atkinson and ask him for
advice. |
|
 This
collection provides snapshots into the social, economic, and political history of Sheboygan County.
The Sheboygan Centennial and Homecoming Souvenir booklets provide historical information from the
period of the early Native American settlements to the mid-twentieth century. In addition, these
items, along with a number of other titles, include historical photographs of the county with an
emphasis on the City of Sheboygan. Sheboygan County Plat Maps from 1875 to 1920 also offer unique
glimpses into the development of this county. |
|
 The
photographic images in this collection were taken by the Taylor Brothers photographic studio of
Adams County, Wisconsin, circa 1910-1930. In 2001, Murphy Library, UW-La Crosse received the collection
as a donation from a private estate. There were 665 glass plate photographic negatives in the donation.
Most of the negatives have multiple images on them so there are actually 934 separate photographs.
The physical condition of the glass plates was generally high resulting in crisp images with striking
detail and clarity. |
|
 The
Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters is an independent, nonprofit membership
organization. It was chartered by the state legislature in 1870 with the mission of gathering,
sharing, and acting upon knowledge in the sciences, arts and letters for the benefit of the people
of Wisconsin.
The foundations of the modern day Transactions lay in the very first
publication of the Academy: the Bulletin of April 1, 1870. Written by ex-governor of Wyoming Territory
John Hoyt, a founder of the Academy and its first president, this document argues the need for
a publication like Transactions. Essential to the Academy's central goal of uniting scientists,
humanities scholars, and artists together to stimulate learning and exchange of research was that "each
member . . . devote as much time as possible to the investigation of such subjects as have special
attractions for him, and in the preparation of papers thereon, to be published in its volumes of Transactions." Transactions was
of key importance because it would enable the Academy to participate in research exchange with
other academies and societies beyond the boundaries of Wisconsin. The Academy's constitution, also
contained in the Bulletin, further emphasized the need for Transactions in its goals to
form a general library and to "disseminate correct views of the various departments of Science,
Literature, and the Arts."
|
|
 The
Walworth County Plat map of 1857 is the oldest and one of the most frequently used map
in the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater Archives collection. The 1857 Walworth County
Plat map is frequently consulted by students, local historians and genealogists researching the
area. This digitized and interactive map allows users to click a township within Walworth County
and view the database results for all residents and properties within that township, as documented
in 1857. 10 color village maps and 12 color illustrations of houses and structures border the
map. Walworth County is the only perfectly square county in Wisconsin and contains 16 townships. |
|
 Western
Racine County pioneer families began staking their claims in the Waterford area in the fall of
1836. The early years of settlement are documented here by a collection of historical artifacts
digitized from a variety of formats including books, manuscripts, photographs, maps and newspapers.
This collection is a collaboration of many Waterford area agencies including Waterford Public Library,
the Village of Waterford, Waterford Area Chamber of Commerce and the personal collections of many
of the descendents of pioneer families. |
|
 The
Wisconsin Academy Review is a quarterly publication of the Wisconsin
Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters that has been published since 1954. It includes articles
covering a broad range of styles and content, from scientific or literary, to short works of
fiction and poetry, to reviews of recent publications, as well as numerous illustrations. Contributors
to the publication all have a "Wisconsin connection." |
|
 The
State of Wisconsin Blue Book remains the primary one-volume reference source about the state, documenting
the organization of the state’s three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial).
Typically, each volume includes extensive description and statistics on virtually all aspects of
life in Wisconsin, including major sections on the state’s population, geography, history, election
data, educational resources, social services, finance, agriculture, industry, transportation system,
etc. Various useful lists are also provided, such as of statewide associations, news media, local
governmental units, post offices, political parties, etc. |
|
 Wisconsin
Goes to War: Our Civil War Experience is a collection of first person narrative accounts
of Wisconsin soldiers and citizens. Through their letters, diaries, poems and other records, we
learn about the state's contributions to the Union victory that cost the lives of over 12,000
of the state's men. The collections were originally selected for digitization among those of the
Wisconsin Historical Society for use by Civil War history courses taught at UW Oshkosh. These
records were chosen based on the subject matter and legibility of the documents. The original
UW Oshkosh digital project has now been reconceived and enhanced by the UWDC to provide for greater
operability and discovery. |
|
 Wisconsin Local History documents the early history of Adams, Columbia, Dane, Green, Portage, Sauk, and Wood Counties. |
|
 The
Wisconsin Pioneer Experience is a digital collection of diaries, letters, reminiscences,
speeches and other writings of people who settled and built Wisconsin during the 19th century.
The project has been made available through the partnership of the Council
of University of Wisconsin Libraries (CUWL) and the Wisconsin
Historical Society (WHS).
The historic papers included in the Wisconsin Pioneer Experience were drawn from
the collections of the Area Research
Centers (ARC), as well as the headquarters of the Wisconsin Historical Society. The ARC system
is a joint venture of the WHS and CUWL member libraries designed to collect, preserve and place
historic and important archives relating to Wisconsin in repositories located within the communities
where those records originated. There is an ARC located in each four-year UW system school (except
Superior) and WHS owned institutions in Ashland (the Northern Great Lakes Center) and the Superior
Public Library, providing convenient access to many of the state's greatest historical treasures.
Today, through digitization technology and the Internet, selected historic papers of the WHS and
CUWL member libraries are more accessible than ever. |
|
 The
Wisconsin State Capitol Historic Structure Report presents the architectural history of
the state's capitol building in 6 volumes published between 1995 and 2005.
The first volume describes the Capitol Building as a whole and details its history, use, and
alterations. This volume also documents the building's restoration and rehabilitation projects
occurring between 1998 – 2000. The subsequent volumes address specific areas of the Capitol, including
the north wing (v.2); west wing & northwest pavilion (v.3); south wing, southeast & southwest
pavilions (v.4); central portion, dome and rotunda (v.5); and east wing and northeast pavilion
(v.6). |
Text-Only Version
The
State of Wisconsin Collection brings together, in digital form, two categories of primary
and secondary materials: writings about the State of Wisconsin and unique or valuable materials that
relate to its history and ongoing development. 
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