Time Machine

Monday, February 2, 2026

Time Machine Trip to February 1886

This Trip is sponsored by:

Look Back in Time

Antiques and Collectables

112 E. 2^nd St.

Kaukauna, Wi 54130

920-759-1985

Kaukauna Times and Sun

By Lyle Hansen KAHS

February 5, 1886

The Badger Paper Mill started the pulp mill on Friday last for the first time. So far everything works to the perfect satisfaction of the proprietors. Four grinders and one wet machine were started. One paper machine is now in place, but some of the shafting and other attachments remain to be adjusted before it will be set in motion.

Three bills are pending in Congress to authorize the construction of railways across the Indian Territory. Several other lines are pointing from Kansas in that direction. Congress can hardly long refuse to open up the Indian Territory to civilization.

February 12, 1886

A hub and spoke factury 1880's

The Reuter Hub and Spoke Factory is now at work on an order for a carload of hubs for parties in Cleveland. When this order is completed in about nine weeks, the company will be relocated in Barron County. The material fit for use is nearly exhausted in this locality.

Cleveland, Oh. – The casket of James Garfield was placed in an ornamented bronze sarcophagus costing $2000. The military guard will be continued until the end of June.

February 19, 1886

On Wednesday evening last north side fire department assembled and organized a hook and ladder company. The following officers were elected:

Jos. Driessen, Foreman; Gus Hilgenberg, First Assistant; Dan Reardon, Second Assistant;

Thos. Reese, Secretary; Geo. Butler, Treasurer; Jo. Rivers, Steward; John Watson, Trustee for one year;

Henry Schubert, Trustee for two years; John Mitchell, Trustee for three years.

February 26, 1886

Jacob Lummerding has constructed a bowling alley in the rear of his saloon. Lovers of that sport can now “roll the balls" to their hearts content.

Los Angeles, Cal., - The famous breach of promise case of Louise Perkins against “Lucky” Baldwin has resulted in a verdict for Miss Perkins for $75,000. Miss Perkins said she was 18 when she met Baldwin. He was about 60 at the time. After a time, he proposed, but married Miss Bennett before their wedding day arrived. He denied that he ever spoke to her of marriage.

St. Louis, Mo – Several weeks ago, Charles Knollman and Henry Kroeger, two youths, stole a large sum of money from Kroeger’s father and started out to see the world. They traveled east then decided to go West after some scalps. On the morning of the 22nd, while fooling with a revolver they had purchased for their trip, Kroeger accidentally discharged it. The bullet entering Knollman’s heart. Kroeger was arrested.

The strike of more than 2000 New York Street railroad employees began on Monday morning and ended 10 hours later with a complete victory for the men who demand that 12 hours be made a day's work with no reduction in pay. The men knew nothing of the strike being ordered by the Knights of Labor committee until they reported to work at the several depots. Not a man complained, and all return home to escape at least one day of the bitter cold. The railroad officials found themselves with nearly 8000 horses in the stables and not a man to care for them. The railroad gave in agreeing to 12 hours at $2.00 a day for conductors and drivers and $11.50 per week for stablemen.

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Time Machine Trip to January 1976

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

January 6, 1976

Connie Jean Killian is the first baby of the new year from Kaukauna. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Killian. Connie received a U. S. saving bond from the Kaukauna Hospital auxiliary and many gifts from Kaukauna merchants.

Driving to work or on shopping experiences takes you past the city's only set of traffic lights, pay particular attention to them from now on. As a result of request acted upon last year. The city has alternated the sequence of the lights as well as adding directional arrows to the signals to speed traffic at the Wisconsin Ave. and Lawe St. intersection according to Chief of Police William Nagel.

A heart attack in April left Harold Doering’s heart in a weakened state, so much so that he was told by his doctor that he must not drive out of the city without someone with him in the car. Doering suggested that in lieu of a regular passenger, he installed a citizen band radio with which he can summon help if necessary and his doctor agreed. Last week someone stole the unit from Doering’s car when it was parked in his garage.

Ross Giordana committed an act of larceny Tuesday evening, and he wasn't even arrested for it. The fleet footed Kaukauna guard swiped the ball from Green Bay East with 9 seconds left to go to preserve a slim win of 58 to 56 for a Kaukauna Ghosts victory.

January 8, 1976

Forty-one states, including Wisconsin now permit a right turn on a red light in some manner according to the American automobile association.

Neil Geiger Kaukauna, award-winning photo, will be on display at the Kodak photo gallery in New York City, January 13th through March 13th as part of a major presentation of the finalist in the 1975 Kodak International Newspaper Snapshot Awards. Geiger was a photojournalist student at Saint Norbert’s college when one of the coeds asked him if he would take a series of pictures of her in campus scenes to keep as a memento of her college days. As they passed a statue, she spontaneously said, “take one of me sitting on his lap”.

January 15, 1976

Cheerleaders from St. Al’s rooted their team to the championship in the Reedsville tournament and captured a third place in the cheering leading computation. They include front row; Joanne Schmidt and Mary Jo VandeHey; second row; Karen Van Linn and Patty Hubert, third row; Lezlie Vander Loop, Debbie Collins and Becky Welhouse; on top Kathy Meyers.

Bethany Lutheran Church will celebrate its 30th anniversary on January 18. Many guest pastors for these services will be here for the event.

Deaths and births dropped in Kaukauna in 1975 according to health and welfare director James Gertz. Overall births in Kaukauna totaled 166, the lowest in the past five years continuing a downward cycle. There were no fatality deaths in 1975, the first time that figure reached 0 in the past five years. Deaths in Kaukauna were less than in the past years; only 59 were recorded last year.

Construction has been completed on a $1.75 million Midland Cooperative feed mill in Little Chute. The mill took more than a year to build.

January 20, 1976

The Bicentennial festivities chairman John Arnoldussen placed the crown on Miss Peggy Pomeroy to his left as members of the court, Miss Kim Kromer and Mrs. Jane Hietpas join her.

Monday’s wintry day was not altogether an unexpected scene here for the month of January, but a red breasted Robin perched atop a pile of drifted snow. According to the calendar spring is 8 weeks away but the undaunted Robin hopping about the front yard of Donald Mangold residence on Glenview Ave. seemed oblivious to the calendar date.

January 22, 1976

Bill Knapp, a grade school basketball coach for more than 26 years, was presented the Kaukauna Athletic Club “Man of the Year” award at the Red Smith sports dinner Tuesday evening. The engraved plague cites his devotion to sports since the days he played on Kaukauna’s only championship basketball team in 1941.

January 27, 1976

Kaukauna will honor its two retired physicians at a recognition event scheduled for Saturday evening, February 7th at Van Abels, Hollandtown. Honored will be Dr. George L. Boyd, a native of this city, and physician and surgeon here for 40 years, and Dr. Alois M. Bachhuber, who had served residents of this city and surrounding communities for 36 years, prior to his retirement in June 1972. Doctor Boyd retired from active practice on May 1st, 1975. Honored posthumously will be Dr. Alphons Bachhuber, who served Kaukauna for 39 years. He died two years ago on April 23rd of 1973.

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Koester

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Schumacher

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Benz

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Jody Ludvigsen

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ristau

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Beach

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Richar Wilson

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Pociask

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Stumpf

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Van Rossum

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Meulemans

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Stumpf

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Vanden Heuvel

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Schiedermayer

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Frey

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Terence Weyers

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bay

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Allen Peckham

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Kihl

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Garry Whitney

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Conrad

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. David Sprangers

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Van Roy

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Aerts

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Steven Driessen

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Killian

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Heid

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Erickson

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Arndt

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. James Vissers

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Verlan Karpinske

Son born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Williamson

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Hietpas

Daughter born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Thiel

1976 Pontiac Trans AM

Sunday, January 25, 2026

Time Machine Trip to January 1966

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen KAHS

January 5, 1966

During 1965 the figures indicate births in Wisconsin showed the greatest numerical drop in history. A drop of about 7.2%. The 1965 decline marks the fifth consecutive year that births have shown a decrease. Will the planners have to scrap the blueprints? Are we building schools for boys and girls who will never be born? Especially puzzling the number marriages increased each of the past three years.

January 7, 1966

Plans are being completed for the operation of the Chicago White Sox Boys Camp again this summer. This will mark the third season for the White Sox Boys Camp which is located on Lake Winnebago at Brothertown. The camp, which is for young men ages 10 to 16, will again consist of three sessions.

Valarie Ann Sanderfoot, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Sanderfoot Kaukauna, was the first baby born at Kaukauna Community Hospital.

An amendment to the social security laws will help many students earn university degrees according to the Madison office of the Wisconsin state University system. If one parent died, became disabled or retired a child previously was eligible for a benefit payment averaging about $45 a month until reaching the age of 18. In 1965 an amendment makes an unmarried child who is a full-time student eligible for payments until age 22.

S/A Kenneth F. Koester is home on leave. He is currently stationed at the naval air station in Pensacola, Florida.

Coach Ken Vander Velden will see his charges go into action tonight against the Shawano Indians. Presently the Ghosts share fourth place with Clintonville, New London and Two Rivers all with a 1-3 record. Pat Kavanaugh leads Kaukauna with 72 points. The second-highest scorer for the Ghosts is Quin Vander Velden who has netted 50 points.

All switching action on the Chicago and Northwestern railway will be moved out of Kaukauna on July 1, 1966, to an Appleton switch yard according to testimony here Thursday.

January 12, 1966

It should be a warm gathering around the hot stove when the Red Smith Sports Award Dinner is held on January 18^th in Appleton. It has been announced that another sports luminary, Frank Howard, towering slugger of the Washington Senators, will be a guest.

The Kaukauna high school junior varsity wrestlers won their 20th victory in a row over two seasons by defeating the Neenah JVs by a 41-11 margin. Since the sport was started in 1964 on a conference basis, the JV unit hasn't lost a match.

Damage caused by a Tuesday fire at the Earl Verbeten home on 9^th Street was estimated at $15,000. The home was a complete loss, the fire trucks arrived at 7 AM and didn't leave until 12 noon. The blaze was believed to be caused by a faulty furnace.

The Galloping Ghosts are starting to jell as a 62-56 win over Shawano Friday night moving Kaukauna into a three-way tie for second place in the Mid-Eastern conference standings. 11 straight points in the fourth quarter brought the Ghosts from behind.

January 14, 1966

Miss Suzanne Sielaff, Kaukauna, will be among the 50 members of the Valparaiso University Concert band this year.

Kaukauna had eight pins in the match and two decisions. The Ghosts won the first eight matches before Clintonville recorded a point, but the Ghosts were already assured. The win brought Kaw’s record to three wins, one loss and one tie in conference competition.

The Ghost JV wrestling team continued their undefeated way at Clintonville Wednesday beating the Truckers JV team by a 41-13 score. This is the ninth straight win this season and 21^st victory over two seasons.

Bethany Lutheran Church of Kaukauna will observe the 20th anniversary of its founding on Sunday, January 16.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Trettin were selected as co-editors for the 1966 edition of the Kaukauna high school Alumni News. The announcement was made at the Board of Directors business meeting Tuesday evening.

Ron Borree shelling a 204 singleton and Den Bloy with a 383 two game series led the bowlers at the Boys junior recreation league on Saturday.

January 19, 1966

Leo Spindler shelling a 258 singleton and Cletus Baumgart, with a 595 series led the Keglers of the Knights of Columbus league on Wednesday at the Bowling Bar.

Seaman apprentice George C. Peebles, USN is serving aboard the USS Point Defiance which will return to the United States in late November.

Private John Weigman reported to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri after spending the Christmas holidays at home with his parents on Second Street. At present he is enrolled for an eight-week course at combat engineering school.

Seaman apprentice Kenneth L. Beach, Kaukauna, has reported to the naval support activity, Da Nang, Vietnam for duty. Approximately 3500 naval personnel are being assigned.

One of the featured events of the winter season for youngsters of the community is the annual Ice Carnival of the Kaukauna Recreation Department which will be taking place this Sunday, weather permitting.

The Kaukauna Ghosts knocked Menasha out of a first-place tie with a 69-58 win Friday night. Kimberly and Neenah now share first place. Pat Kavanaugh scoring 30 points and Quinn Vanden Heuvel scored 14 points to carry the scoring burden for the Ghosts.

A new program, through which 20 paid volunteer firemen will be added to Kaukauna Fire Department was announced Tuesday by Clayton Keefe, chairman of the fire and police commission. Addition of the volunteers to the 13 full-time firemen will place Kaukauna in a lower fire insurance bracket and lower insurance rates for businesses in the city.

January 21, 1966

Pvt. Gerald T. Maki is spending the holidays with his parents. He will be entering school at Ft. Ord, California.

The Chicago White Sox announced Tuesday that Grover “Deacon” Jones has been named player-coach of the Fox Cities Foxes.

Army Pfc. John E. Lamers, Kimberly, is participating in a four-week final training exercise near Grafenwehr, Germany.

Miss Mary Ellen Haen, 12, won first place in a speaking contest for elementary school students in the Brown County conservation contest.

The “Greatest farm Manager in baseball” is how Red Smith, left described Glen Miller, right, former Kaukauna resident and presently working for the Chicago White Sox. Looking on are Eddie Stanky White Sox manager and Arthur Allyn owner of the Sox. Miller is honored as winning the first Smith award.

Over 100 people from Kaukauna attended the first annual midwinter banquet in honor of Glen Miller, former Kaukauna resident, and current White Sox farm director, was presented with the Red Smith award. Miller said, “I don't know why I got this award, but maybe it's because I've survived seven general managers and four owners in Chicago.”

George E. Greenwood, 35, was named Kaukauna's outstanding young man for 1965 by the Jaycees here for his work on the Kaukauna Chamber of Commerce Committee for Higher Education. The award was presented to Greenwood by Neil Steinberg, chairman of the event at a dinner at Oakwood Hills Country Club Tuesday.

January 26, 1966

Over 50 years ago the father of William Rath, W. 3rd St., came into possession of an 1851 gold coin which is now supposedly worth $2.50. Rath recently sent the coin to the Treasury Department to see if it had increased in value. The Treasury Department thought the coin was counterfeit and sent it to the Secret Service for verification. The Secret Service not only verified the coin as being counterfeit but confiscated it as well. They sent a letter requesting that Roth advise them as to the source of the coin. It is believed the coin was dropped in a gum machine in Antigo owned by his father more than 50 years ago.