Time Machine: 2025

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Time Machine Trip to October 1885

This Trip is sponsored by:

Look Back in Time

Antiques and Collectables

112 E. 2^nd St.

Kaukauna, Wi 54130

920-759-1985

October 2, 1885

The new bridge and roadway leading from the Island to the South side canal is fast nearing completion under the supervision of Street Commissioner Posson. The old bridge will not hold out much longer and the new one cannot be finished too quickly.

The 5th ward sidewalks are now being built as ordered by a recent council resolution. Improvements of this kind the Islanders can fully appreciate after years of hard trials tramping through mud and mire whenever they wished to go in any direction.

There is small wonder that Texans adopt lynch law in the name of justice. Cattle thieves Jim and Pink Lee are charged with forty-five murders in the past two years. They have at last been shot down by men as desperate as themselves and who by the act have earned $7,000 reward.

A party consisting of three men, a woman and a boy were ambushed by a band of Apaches in Sonora on the 17^th. Two of the men being killed, the boy wounded, and the woman carried into captivity. A later battle between soldiers and the Apaches resulted in the killing of seven and the capture of thirty-five women and children.

The new ten-hour law of Michigan, allowing men to collect extra pay for work over ten hours per day went into effect on the 21^st. The owners of the mill of Menominee wanted the laborers to sign an agreement not to collect the extra and work eleven hours. The men refused, twelve hundred men are now out of work, and the mills were not started. The Marinette mill men are in sympathy and will stop work unless the Menominee men go back to work.

Winnipeg – Wandering Spirit was sentenced to hang for murder and a dozen other Indians were sentenced from four to fourteen years for arson and horse stealing. Dressyman and Charieois were convicted of murdering a squaw and were sentenced to hang. Bright-Eyes was given twenty-two years for manslaughter. Wandering Spirit and Mongrand are to hang for murder on November 27^th. Yesterday Big Bear and three others were sentenced to three years in the Penitentiary. Left Hand, Poor Crow and two other Sioux Indians got two years.

October 9, 1885

Landlord Nettekoven has placed a fine streetlamp on the corner near the Vilas House, which makes a great improvement in that locality on dark nights. This lamp is one which has been recently invented and needs filing but once a week. When lighted it will burn for a period of ten hours when it goes out automatically. This lap was purchased at the small cost of ten dollars.

The sewer on Wisconsin Avenue has been completed this week and is one of the most substantial improvements made in this city.

Peterburg, Va., - Senator Mahone’s son Butler was fined $50 and put under bonds of $200 to keep the peace. He attempted to shoot a police officer, who had arrested him for using profane and indecent language on the street.

October 16, 1885

In the blacksmith shop, at the railroad car works, there has recently been placed a new furnace for the purpose of utilizing the scrap iron. At these shops there is constantly accumulating vast quantities of old iron which the company had formerly sold for a "mere song." With the assistance of this new furnace the iron is now used for the manufacture of car axles.

Cincinnati, O. - The rapid growth of 3-cent saloons has rather stricken terror in the heart of the average saloon-man. Some of the 3-cent saloons also throw in lunch. Beer prices have gone from $8 per barrel to $6.

Deming, N.M. – Reports are coming in from parts of Arizona, of men tempted by the reward of $250 for Indian scalps, having started out on the hunt for redskins with a view on obtaining their scalps. The $250 is merely incidental to the hunt to pay for the whisky and tobacco used in camp. It is believed that several New Mexico cities will adopt this plan of exterminating the savages.

October 23, 1885

While returning from the baseball game on Sunday last, several of the boys entered John Brill's barn and, on their departure, left the doors open. Cattle and hogs made a raid on the premises the same night and destroyed a large amount of grain and other produce. Mr. Brill wishes these boys to take warning that if they are caught trespassing on his premises in the future they will quite likely find lodging in the county jail.

October 30, 1885

The commander of the French troops in Annam, telegraphed from Hanoi on the 26^th that he had defeated the Black Flag 6,000 army and three chiefs were killed. The three-day fight resulted in only thirteen men killed or wounded. Great enthusiasm prevails in France.

Frank Neseltrel of Racine started for town with a load of oats with his wife and small child. He was about halfway there when the child suddenly died. The mother carried it home while he continued the journey, sold the oats and purchased a coffin.

A well-known farmer living in the town of Kaukauna, is sometimes troubled by absent-mindedness, but seldom has it as badly as he did last Sunday. On that day, after taking care of his stock, as is his custom he loaded up his wagon with pumpkins, squash, and other vegetables and hitching up his team started for town to sell his produce. As the streets of Kaukauna looked rather quiet, he concluded to continue to Appleton, when in the vicinity of Little Chute, he was informed it was the Sabbath and not market day. This was a damper on the farmer, and he returned home.

Saturday, September 27, 2025

Time Machine Trip to September 1975

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 3, 1975

Streets were submerged and driveways flooded through the city. A low area of Draper St.

Rain was the name of the game Thursday afternoon and before it was over, 4 ½ inch flooded basements and streets.

September 10, 1975

There seems to be universal agreement right now about the dangers posed by compounds known as PCBs or polychlorinated biphenyls. What has made these case studies more alarming is the recent discovery that PCB levels are increasing in fish caught in Lake Michigan.

Pen pals of 38 years, Mrs. Lilly Wittig, left and Mrs. Peter Schuh, Freedom. “Back in high school in 1937, I took one year of German,” said Mrs. Peter Schuh of Kaukauna. “We were given a list of names, and I began to write to Lilly Wittig of Perchtoldsdorf, Austria. Mrs. Wittig this month paid her first visit to the United States, and she visited Mrs. Schuh.

Outagamie County Democratic Party has announced that the presidential candidate’s dinner at the Darboy Club will feature former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter. Carter is seeking the Democratic party nomination for President.

“Score” is the word the Hollandtown Golden Raiders shout in unison while breaking out of every huddle, and it didn’t take them long to do just that in last Thursday night’s 14-0 victory of the Neenah-Menasha 1,000 Yarders in Menasha. On the Raiders’ first play running back Dennis Vanden Heuvel bolted through a hole and outraced four defenders 42 yards for a touchdown.

The end of the movies in Kaukauna came this week on second street as workmen began the dismantling of the neon sign on the Vaudette Theater as they start to turn it into an expansion for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

September 12, 1975

About $50 worth of items were taken from the Milton Piepkorn residence on Klein St. recently. Missing from the home are an ironing board, a belt and electric popcorn popper.

Construction at the new Larry’s Piggly Wiggly Hy 96 location is moving along adding approximately 50% more floor space over their current Dodge Street location.

September 19, 1975

Sales of Massey-Ferguson parent company of Badger Northland here were up 37% for the first nine months ending July 31 according to reports. Major market areas showed sales gains of 97% in Asia, 63% in Latin America, 51% in Africa and 39% in Europe.

September 24, 1975

A fishing dream came true for Gene Allen, Kaukauna, as he caught the biggest muskie reported in Wisconsin in 21 years. The gigantic muskie weighing 51 pounds and measuring 53 inches.

September 26, 1975

A new 1976 subcompact car model, the Pinto Pony, priced at $2,895 and estimated at 38 MPG, will go on sale at Horn Ford on October 1.

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Schneider

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Van Zeeland

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Seegers

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Steven Barney

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Weyenberg

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Russell Aerts

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. William Weyenberg

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Frederickson

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schumacher

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Van Wychen

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Haack

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Romenesko

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Frechette

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Verhagen

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Milford Roehrborn

Son to Mr. and Mrs. David Green

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hietpas

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hietpas

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Keyzers

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Kirvan

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Keith Ver Voort

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Green

Son to Mr. and Mrs. John Kramer

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Kavanaugh

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Karl Schroeder

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thiel

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. William Nelson

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Verkuilen

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Van Groll

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Reybrock

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Wilquet

Daughter to Mr. and Mrs. David Deeg

Son to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Steffens

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Time Machine Trip to September 1965

Kaukauna Times

By Lyle Hansen

September 1, 1965

This aerial view of the KK Sports Arena shows the figure-8 track, the quarter mile track, the half mile track and the drag strip. The bleachers on the left seat about 12,000 people. Joseph Van Daalwyk and Clarence DeLeeuw are owners of the arena. The drag strip is scheduled to open later this month.

Tim Verstegen was the only Kaukauna player to receive recognition at the Appleton Legion Fox River Valley baseball league banquet on Saturday. He was named the most valuable player in the northern division. Verstegen of Little Chute has just finished his summer job at the Kimberly-Clark Corporation and is hoping for a professional tryout.

Airman Dennis W. Zwiers, USN, Park Avenue Little Chute, graduated from the aviation and a submarine warfare technician’s course at the Navy air or Technical Training Ctr., Memphis, TN.

Army specialist four James Johnson, 21, 9th St., Kaukauna, qualified as an expert in firing the high-powered M 14 rifle in Germany. Specialist Johnson, a wireman for the 75th artillery Battalion, is a 1963 graduate of Kaukauna High School.

Torpedoman’s mate 3/c James Wulterkens, John St., Kimberly serves aboard a submarine warfare aircraft carrier USS Lake Champion. This is the primary recovery ship for project Gemini 5 during splashdown and subsequent recovery operations of astronauts Gordon Cooper, Charles Conrad and capsule on Sunday, August 29.

September 3, 1965

Seaman Randolf L. Schmirler, Little Chute, has graduated from basic training at the Coast Guard Recruiting Training Center at Cape May, N.J.

The largest enrollment in the history of Outagamie County teachers’ college has registered this year, according to E. H. Gordon, president of the school. 91 students, 42 freshmen and 49 sophomores took part in the opening session of the 1965-66 term last Monday.

September 8, 1965

This is the tenth anniversary of the Polio epidemic. Polio, one of the greatest killers this century, has at last been diminished. In 1964 only two cases of polio and no deaths from the dreaded disease were reported in the state of Wisconsin. This is quite a change from the epidemic year of 1955 when 2,544 cases and 166 deaths were recorded.

Capt. Thomas C. Vanevenhoven, Kaukauna, has joined the select Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

Eugene Lange has been elected president of the Kaukauna Rotary Club. Lange is manager of the North Side Look Drug Store.

Wayne Hall staged a strong finish to win the Fox Valley golf club championship Sunday with a score of 148 and the 36-hole metal play event. He previously held the title in 1960. Trailing Jim Minkebige by two and Ves Hanby by one stroke at the end of 27 holes, the Combined Locks school principal came back to win the championship.

Green Bay City Stadium will officially become Lambeau Field Saturday night, September 11 before the St. Louis Cardinal game. Dedication ceremonies will begin at 7:45 with Green Bay Mayor Donald Tilleman making the formal dedication. Don Lambeau, son of the former founder, will acknowledge the naming of the stadium in honor of his father. Don Hudson, player, coach and longtime friend of Lambeau, will give the dedication speech. Earl E. “Curley” Lambeau founder of the Packers and a pioneer of the National Football League, he was head coach, general manager and vice president of the team for 23 years. He died June 1 of this year.

September 10, 1965

Karen Krumm, Kaukauna, is among 16 members of “Hodag” being honored at a reception given by the University of Wisconsin. “Hodag” is a musical show which will fly to Europe Thursday to US military bases. The seven-week tour will give shows in Italy, France and Germany.

On Labor Day two boys were apprehended by Kaukauna police for throwing stones at a streetlight. The boys were brought to the police station where their parents were notified. The parents of the boys were ordered to pay the cost of replacing the streetlight. Kaukauna chief of police Harold Engerson issued a warning that anyone caught committing similar acts of violence will be apprehended.

September 15, 1965

A new Kaukauna radio station, WKAU, will go on the air at 12 noon today; it was announced by Ben Munson, general manager. The station received notice of authority to begin formal program testing and a message from the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday morning, Munson said.

September 17, 1965

The Kaukauna High School football team struck swiftly for the lead in the season opener and went on to defeat Abbot-Pennings of DePere 19-0. DePere won the coin toss and elected to receive. Kaukauna received the ball on their 30-yard line and, on the first play John Van De Hey passed to Bob Promer for a touchdown.

The freshman cheerleaders for 1965–66 season at Kaukauna High School were chosen after school Monday, September 13 in the civic auditorium. For girls selected were Susan School, Jane Chamness, Barbara Rohlf and Sharon Vande Yacht. 41 girls participated in the cheerleading tryouts. Various members of the faculty and student Council selected the cheerleaders.

Kaukauna’s favorable location as a possible site for the new Northeastern Wisconsin state university is pointed out by George Greenwood, right, at a briefing session with government officials. Seated are Assemblyman William Rogers, Appleton supervisor Sylvester Esler, Mayor Joseph Bayorgeon, Standing Alderman George Simon, Gil Anderson and Kaukauna Supervisor Russell De LaHunt.

30 years ago, the Kaukauna Times city editor asked Ms. Florence Corry, newspaper advisor, if it would be possible for the Kau-Hi news to enlarge its membership so better coverage of the high school happenings could be given to the public. This was done. It is believed that with the high school events been made public better relationships between home and school can be made.

The 175th anniversary Jubilee staged in Kaukauna this summer has brought back to the minds of some of towns’ citizens of the great events staged in the electric city. Those who had any thoughts in this direction will recall homecoming and pageant week August 27 to September 1, 1923. People promoting the pageant attempted to make it the biggest and most notable week in Kaukauna history. Many people wondered if something as magnificent as the pageant could be done but Kaukauna went all out. A total of 84 citizens put up $3400 for the event. 400 reserve seats were sold for $.75. In spite of the rain that fell during one night of performances the pageant drew over 6000 people.

The Green Bay Packers will travel to Pittsburgh for the opening of the 1965 season. Green Bay, 4-1 in preseason play and Pittsburgh 0-5, have not met in regular season play since 1963 when the Packers won 33-14 at Milwaukee County Stadium. It is expected the Packers will start with Bart Starr as quarterback, Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung as running backs and Carroll Dale at flanker. Packer coach Vince Lombardi has been working with Ken Bowman at center, Forrest Gregg and Jerry Kramer at guards, Captain Bob Skoronski and Steve Wright at the tackles and Boyd Dowler and Marv Fleming at ends.

The Galloping Ghosts of Coach Harry Wilson will entertain the potent Neenah Rockets this Saturday in which shapes up to be the top game in the mid-East conference and possibly the most important game both teams play this season.

September 22, 1965

Figures released by Julian Bichler, superintendent of schools, show that there are 2,636 students enrolled in Kaukauna public schools. This represents an increase of 119 over the 1964 total.

Assistant principal Jerome Kroll announced today that three seniors at Kaukauna High School have been named semifinalist in the 1965–66 merit scholarship competition. The seniors cited for their high achievement are Janet Driessen, Michael Gondek and Leonard Kasten.

At two meetings held this week in the V.F.W. Hall a strike sanction was given to the bargaining committee of Local 147, International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill workers. The ballot was 696 to 53. The union Local 147 embraces approximately 1000 hourly paid employees of Thilmany Pulp and Paper Company according to W. “Duke” Meyer, international representative. Federal mediation service has been used in an attempt to reach an agreement. Wages, fringe benefits and some working conditions remain unsolved, according to the union committee.

Kaukauna is picking up the pieces today after a severe storm battered the city Sunday. The storm pelted Kaukauna with sheets of rain driven by 65 miles an hour wind. The storm left huge tree branches, cars and houses the trees on top of them, down electrical wires, plugs sewers and flooded basements.

September 29, 1965

M/Sgt. Donald M. Wenzel of Kaukauna will travel to Milwaukee to receive the Milwaukee Journal “Outstanding Achievement Award”. The award is presented annually to those citizen soldiers who have met “exceptionally high standards and military excellence and citizenship”. Master Sgt. Wenzel is a veteran of World War II serving with the 101st Airborne Division in the European theater from 1943-46. He enlisted in the 32^nd National Guard in 1960 and was called to Fort Lewis in October of 1961 to August of 1962. He is employed at the Kaukauna Post office.

September 29, 1965

Don Van Abel pounded 236 and a 607 to lead the Knights of Columbus league, September 22 at the Bowling Bar. Check writer picked up the difficult 4-10 split.

The Kaukauna Ghosts met with their second defeat of the season at the hands of the New London Bulldogs Friday night 13-3. Kaukauna was able to muster one sustained drive, that being for 43 yards. The drive halted at the London 10-yard line and the Ghosts had to settle for Marty Van Zeeland 28-yard field goal.

Terry Kobin, 14, Grignon St. has been a northside Kaukauna carrier with the Times for one year. Terry is a member of a family of Times carrier boys, and his brother Jeff also has a northside route. Terry is a sophomore at Kaukauna High School this year.

Dennis Wittman, 16, West 7^th St. is a veteran Times carrier of four years. Dennis is a sophomore at Kaukauna High School this year.

League president, Bob Weyenberg presents the Most Valuable Player traveling trophy to Kaukauna manager, Jerry Klarer. Looking on is Tim Verstegen, Kaukauna shortstop who was voted northern division's Most Valuable Player.

Several of the top baseball players in the area were feted at the American Legion Fox Valley Baseball banquet. Shown from above Tim Verstegen, Kaukauna. most valuable player, Marshall Conrad, Clintonville, leading hitter, Ken Frailing, Marion, leading pitcher, Rick Schroeder, Marinette, leading hitter, and Kurt Ludke, Green Bay leading pitcher.

Mrs. Veronica Masaros, right, won the women’s golf championship at the Fox Valley Club Sunday in a sudden death play-off with Mrs. Marie Gossens, left.