Time Machine

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Time Machine Trip to October 1886

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen KAHS

October 1, 1886

The walls of the new Catholic school building are now complete as far as the first story and now begin to assume a very handsome appearance. The structure will be a great '' ornament to the city of Kaukauna.”

Four vacant dwelling houses in south Kaukauna for rent. Fine locations and convenient to business portion of the city. Will rent at prices ranging from $7 to $12 per month. For information apply to Manufactures Bank south Kaukauna.

Sheriff Hoefer came down from Appleton on Monday last to secure a witness in a case before a court in that city. The person whom he wished to secure did not wish to go and the sheriff had a hard time to serve the papers on him. After a chase the whole length of 3d street, in which the runners had narrow escapes from slipping and covering themselves with mud, (not glory) the sheriff captured his man and returned home in triumph.

October 8, 1886

A big black bear about 450 lbs. was seen at Wrightstown on Monday last, approaching almost within the village limits. Hunters from that burg shouldered their guns and started in pursuit of the animal. The bear made a miraculous escape despite the number of times he was shot at.

In the case of Mary Chopin vs Mrs. Green, both of Kaukauna, which was tried before Justice Heineman yesterday, the jury found the defendant guilty of an assault, but recommended that the fine be nominal, as it appeared from the evidence that it was a neighborly fight. The Justice therefore fined the woman $1 and costs, amounting in all to $41.65. The case is not likely to be appealed.

October 15, 1886

The first game of baseball for the championship of the world, between the St. Louis “Browns” of the American League and the Chicago “Whites” of the National League, was played at Chicago Monday and resulted in a victory for Chicago with a score of 5 to 0.

1886 CHICAGO “WHITES”

Superintendent Anderson’s monthly report submitted at the School Board meeting last night, shows that the present average enrollment per first grade teacher is 83 and that four half-day classes in the school have 108 to 130 children per teacher. This is cruelty to teachers even more exasperating than any ordinary act of cruelty to animals, which would prompt the Humane Society to take action.

Wanted - a Lady Clerk – A competent saleslady can find employment by applying at Aug. Mill's store, South Kaukauna. Applicant should be able to speak both English and German. References required.

There is but one opinion of visitors relative to the future of Kaukauna, and that opinion is the most flattering. Within the past two months the city has been visited by many people from near and far, who have heard of the place, its wonderful water-power and natural advantages for manufacturing facilities but had never beheld the sights with their own eyes. Their only wonderment on seeing the place and learning the possibilities that are in store for us is that capital is so slow to take advantage of the surroundings by locating factories, machine shops and mills here. There is not another city in Wisconsin, and we doubt if there is one in all the western states that has a better water power, better building material or better surroundings for a manufacturing city than Kaukauna.

October 22, 1886

Burglars entered the residence of Peter Rademacher one-night last week but failed to make a "Haul" as Mr. R. and his son happened to be awake and took after the thieves with double barrel shot guns.

The excitement in regard to the natural gas discoveries near Dundas has not died, but is only resting. Mr. Peter Killian Jr., on whose farm the most copious flow of gas was discovered, has been in communication with the Standard Oil Co., and they will soon send an expert to make tests and a thorough investigation. It would be no surprise to see petroleum exported from Calumet County.

John Kavanaugh and J. Thornton were injured by a runaway team on Sunday last. At the time of the accident Mr. Kavanaugh was driving and in making too short a turn capsized the buggy and throwing him out, the horse starting on a run. Mr. Thornton going to Kavanaugh’s assistance, slipped and fell, spraining his arm. The horse had not run very far when he stumbled and fell upon his head, breaking his neck.

October 29, 1886

The Sun Publishing Co. has received a proof of their bird's eye view of Kaukauna. The pictures are very fine and as nearly correct as it is possible to make a view. Every building in the city is distinctly shown, and at a glance one can with ease, locate any place in the city with which he is familiar.

Outagamie County Taxes

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Time Machine Trip to September 1976

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 2, 1976

Guy Krumm, recently retired Kaukauna High School Athletic Director, will be inducted into the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Athletic Hall of Fame this fall. During his college career at Point, Krumm was a member of both the football and basketball teams, being an all-conference basketball player for two straight years.

Contract negotiations will continue today in an effort to find agreement on a contract between the Thilmany mill and its two United Paperworkers International Union locals. A meeting by members of those labor groups is reported to be scheduled for Friday, although union officials were not available and company officials declined to comment on that report. Thilmany employs over 1,300 persons and has an annual payroll of over $11 million.

September 8, 1976

Funeral services were held at St. Mark's Church, Two Rivers, Friday for former Kaukauna resident Theodore Feller, who died of cancer last week after a long illness. He was 77. At the age of 16 Feller enlisted in the Army and served with the 32nd Division in France in World War I. Through an error in identity at a field hospital, he was reported to have died of combat wounds. A requiem mass was said for him at Holy Cross and a gold star placed in the service flag. Several weeks later his family received a letter from him, telling of his having been wounded and of his recuperation. Thus, he had the unusual experience of reading the report of his own death.

Employees of the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co., voting by a large margin, accepted a contract with the mill for the coming two years. The vote was 663 to 103 in favor of accepting the contract among representatives of local 147 of the United Paperworkers Industrial Union while members of local 20 voted in favor of the contract by a 174 to 21 margin.

Chuck Bayer, who has won two other area tournaments this year, added the Fox Valley Golf Club championship award to his trophy shelf, fashioning a three under par 143 over the Labor Day weekend. He edged out Tom Hanby, three times champion in the past, by two strokes.

September 10, 1976

Patricia M. Miller, Kaukauna High School 1945, graduate nurse and an officer in the Army nurse corps, was recently advanced to the rank of colonel. She is one of the very few women who are privileged to wear the silver eagle insignia. Her title is Chief of Career Activities Office, Army Nurse Corps.

Quarterback Reed Giordana, former Kaukauna High School star, completed 19 of 29 passes for 250 yards as he led the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to a 38-3 victory over Lakeland College in the Pointer's home opener. Giordana played just over half the game and threw for three touchdowns.

Todd Lunda forged a two-under par 33 for a new school record to steal individual honors and the Kaukauna Ghost golf team defeated Neenah on the first hole of sudden death in a dual meet at Bridgewood country club last Friday.

September 14, 1976

An agreement has been reached for the sale and transfer of the business and assets of the White Clover Cairy Co. of Hollandtown, producers of quality natural cheeses, to Gerber International Foods, Inc. of Stamford, Conn., a subsidiary of the Nestle Co., of White Plains, N.Y.

Leslie C. Smith, former director of industrial relations at Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company, who died at 10:00 p.m. Tuesday. He was 80. In a lifetime in the Fox River Valley.

September 16, 1976

As the closing seconds ticked off, Kurt Coenen booted a 27-yard field goal to give the Kaukauna Raiders a 3-0 victory over the always tough Neenah-Menasha 1,000 Yarders Saturday night at Doty Bayorgeon Field. The winning kick hit the cross bar, came down--hit the cross bar again and fortunately for the Raiders bounced through the uprights.

September 21, 1976

For the third time in four years the Kaukauna Ghost golf team captured first place in the Kaukauna Invitational tournament Saturday at High Cliff.

Jim Eifler Mark Van Abel

Senior Jim Eifler led the team and finished third individually with a fine round of 77, but the real surprise was Mark Van Abel, another senior, who shot a 78 playing in only his third varsity match of the year.

September 23, 1976

Three penalties following a fumble led to the only score of the game as the Little Chute Jets blanked the Kaukauna Raiders 6-0, stopping a streak of 26 straight Raider wins over the last three seasons.

Clarence Baumgartner won the annual Senior Tournament at the Fox Valley links last week-end, scoring a net 60 in the 18-hole handicap competition.

Shirley Heesakker won the ladies' senior trophy with a net 68 and Rita Boyd won the super senior competition.

September 28, 1976

A condition which has existed since the turn of the century, a "sliding" north Fox Riverbank, may delay the beginning of excavation on the Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District interceptor sewer in the river. Though the slope has been described as slipping for many years, the problem has intensified with the addition of fill matter more recently. Blasting, it is felt, may aggravate the situation, and cause more serious slippage.

The Soldier's Memorial along Lawe St. will stay--still in the same location, even when Taylor St. is extended through the present parkland to link up with Catherine St. City engineer Kenneth Schoenike has prepared new plans, calling for the relocation of sidewalks near the statue, rather than the statue itself.

Julie Young Vicki Biese

The Ghost girls, running in their first meet ever as a team, placed sixth in the 10-team field with 193 points and the Ghost JVs were 10th out of 16 with 213 points. Julie Young ran the two-mile course in 13:27 and finished 24th while teammate Vicki Biese was 25th in 13:29 to pace the Ghostettes runners.

September 30, 1976

Lt. Governor Martin J. Schreiber will be the featured speaker at today's dedication of a plaque commemorating the sale in 1793 of the first land in Wisconsin. The Bicentennial event will take place at the Badger-Northland Corp. property on Delanglade St. and highway OO. A highlight of the program will be the release of a cloud of balloons from the site. Subsequent to Ducharme's acceptance of the deed, it was ratified in 1796. The deed was registered in Brown County in December 1828.

Daughters to:

William and Susan Haas

Gary and Sandra Peterson

Neil and Susan Buchberger

Larry and Jane Scheibe

Daniel and Kathryn Lamers

Gary and Lois Mignon

Virginia and Alvin DeBruin

Shirley and William Clancy

Karen and George Broeren

Daniel and Gail Van Dyke

Keith and Karen Kaphingst

Lee and Kim Weyenberg

Ronald and Christine Lamers

Joseph and Patricia Glasheen

Gary and Jean Fietz

Pierre and Brenda Grienier

Sons to:

Patricia and Calvin Welch

Thomas and Lynn De Coster

John and Nancy Vandenberg

Paul and Carol Hennes

Stanley and Deborah Brill

Steven and Debra Buckoski

Glenn and Gail Bowers

Richard and Victoria Pingel

James and Geraldine Bohne

Allen and Kathreen Bouch

Bruce and Sallie Otto

Clifford and Jo Ann Verstegen

Clifford and Mary Doering

Richard and Nancy Wallace

Keith and Cheryl Baumgart

William and Cynthia Terry

John and Betty Borree

Don and Jeanne Sanders

New look on Wisconsin Avenue with this office of Mau Realtors.

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Time Machine Trip to September 1966

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 2, 1966

A photograph by Jerome L. Berendt, of the F. J. Pechman Studio, Kaukauna, was selected for exhibition in the 75th International Exposition of Professional Photography which was held recently in Chicago. The photograph selected for exhibition was a picture of Linda Skromme, three-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Skromme, 2004 Welhouse drive.

In four preseason games, Don Chandler kicked nine conversions and three field goals, in addition to punting 15 times for a 42.4-yard average. Workhouse Jim Taylor appears to be headed for another 1000-yard year: rushing 44 times for 238 yards in limited duty in four games. Jim Grabowski leads the team in rushing with a 6-yards average. Paul Hornung has a 5.1-yard average while scoring two touchdowns.

Awards for top swimming efforts were presented Monday night at a party held for the Kaukauna swim team members at the pool park. Trophies were given to most valuable swimmers and divers. Dick Van Dyke and Carla Popp were named most valuable swimmers in the 12 and under group. George Behnke and Jennie Gertz received the distinction for the 13 and over division. And diving Debbie Lewandowski, Scott Bay and Willie Fisher received the trophies. A ribbon for the best team attitude was given to Dave Bruehl.

The Green Bay Packers even their preseason record at 2-2 at the expense of the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday by the 17-3 victory before a sellout crowd of 58,861 in Green Bay.

READY TO LEAD the Kaukauna high school football team to victory in their first game against Abbot Pennings are the varsity cheerleaders. Shown, from left to right, are Vicki Weyers, Pam Pitz, Sue Anderson, Cheryl Kobs, Lynn Leddy and Cindy Noie. The girls have been working out for the past few weeks at the high school.

The largest enrollment in the history of Outagamie County Teachers college has registered this year, according to E. H. Gordon, Pres. of the school. 109 students, 50 freshmen and 59 sophomores took part in the opening session of the 1966-67 term last Monday.

On the heels of Wisconsin's worst monthly traffic death toll - 138 killed in July. Governor Knowles proclaimed a state of emergency to exist on our streets and highways until Labor Day. The states chief executive formed an emergency traffic safety committee of state officials whose resources will be drawn upon immediately to intensify the states attack on the accident problem. Officers of the state patrol have been ordered to work six-day 60 hour weeks until Labor Day. Each weekend national guardsmen will be on duty assisting the state patrol. The Conservation Department will have 130 wardens assisting state and local officers on weekdays throughout the campaign in addition to caring out their normal duties.

Father Andrew George Linsmeyer will be the new pastor of Holy Cross Parish, Kaukauna, taking the place of Father Andrew J. Quella.

The Girls Club of the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company will hold its 25th anniversary celebration on September 13. The club being organized in 1941.

September 7, 1966

A building permit was issued last week by Gene Ditter, Kaukauna building inspector, to the Giddings and Lewis Machine Tool Co. for construction of a $245,000 machine shop and storage shed building.

KHS cross country team coach, Don Jensen, in the midst of a rebuilding season predicts a pretty fair outfit for the season. In the last three years under Jensen the team has not finished below third-place in the eight-team conference. Veterans returning from last year's squad are seniors Jim DeGoey and Karl Kilgas and Juniors Terry Van Wychen and Tom Jakl.

September 14, 1966

Lightning struck twice Friday as Kaukauna High School football team opened up the 1966 football season with a 19-0 victory over Abbot Pennings for the second year in a row. Ghost quarterback John Van De Hey threw two touchdown passes to lead the victory. Pat Kavanaugh scoring on throws of 32 and 8 yards. Kavanaugh scored the other Ghost touchdown by running a blocked punt into the end zone.

Carl Bowers was crowned King of the 118th annual Hollandtown Schut. Bowers dropped the last piece of the bird with the 787th shot in the event. He unseated John Wurdinger, last year's champ and 84 other marksmen to win the event. Other shooters to win awards were James Gerrits shot the wing, Dave Jacobs: removed the head, Denis Runge who clipped off the other wing and Gerald Pesnow who nailed the tail.

The Hollandtown Raiders beat St. John's of Duck Creek 6-0 Sunday to open their 1966 football season. The only score in the game came from a 67-yard run with a pass interception by Tom Giordana. Hollandtown coach Bob Wurdinger reports that the game was a hard-hitting affair with both teams giving 100%. Standing out for the raider defense, which allowed St. John to get as far as their 20 only once in the game were Mark Vandeyacht and Al Borchardt.

Marine Private George W. Gast graduated from eight weeks of recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. He will now undergo four weeks of individual combat training and four weeks of basic specialist training in his military job field before being assigned to a permanent unit.

September 21, 1966

The first haircut is a terrible experience. Three and one-half year-old David Mischer is shown before and after going through his first trip to the barber shop. The barber is Vern Mullen.

Joseph P. Munes, who operated service stations here almost all of his adult life until his retirement five years ago, died at his home on Park Street he was 62. As a young man he worked at the service station at 229 E. 2nd St., later he became proprietor of the station at 200 West Wisconsin Ave. and finally at the corner of Dodge and Crooks where he was for 23 years.

September 23, 1966

New Cub Master, Larry Thiel, was introduced at the first meeting of the season for Cub Scout Pack 27 of St. Mary's Monday evening.

September 28, 1966

They glisten, they gleam, they smell new - you cannot resist them. Autumn’s great spectacular makes its appearance in Kaukauna this week. The new 1967 automobiles will be unveiled at the showrooms of area dealers. For the first time in many years all the new models will bow in on the same day.

1966 Ford Mustang

The big fall opening is being celebrated in downtown Kaukauna this week starting today. The big event, following the first official day of fall, has been ushered in with a week of bright and sunny days that make the homeowner get busy about the preparations for cooler weather. Merchants have been showing and selling fall clothing and furnishings for weeks, but these days bring it all into focus.

September 30, 1966

Joan Hartjes left last Thursday for San Diego she will train for six weeks before entering a year in VISTA – Volunteers in Service to America. VISTA is a domestic version of the Peace Corps serving in areas and possessions of United States.

Paul W. “Tarz” Hietpas, Little Chute, won the President cup golf tournament at the Fox Valley golf club against the field of 85 entries in the 18-hole handicap event. Hietpas fired a net 61 for a lead of 10 strokes over his nearest rival.

South side boy of the year, Leon Franzke, receives his trophy from Ken Vander Velden, southside athletic director at the awards ceremony at the Dodge street diamond.

Bob Van De Hey, KRD boy of the year northside, received his trophy at an award ceremony. Shown with Bob are Tom Berens, left and Scott Lewandowski right KRD athletic assistants.