Neenah - Menasha Sesquicentennial
Two cities, one community
The Neenah Historical Society has partnered with the Menasha Historical Society to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of our cities. This new exhibit features a historical overview of the people, places and things that make Neenah and Menasha special.
The exhibit opened March 13, 2023 and launched the festivities planned by the city of Neenah.
Tracing our paths - Neenah’s Immigration Stories
The Neenah Historical Society opened Tracing Our Paths - Neenah’s Immigration Stories. Tracing Our Paths highlights the interesting stories of immigration to our community throughout the past 170 years. Names and stories you may know like those of Bergstrom, Krueger, and Jersild are featured as well as newer stories like that of Xiong Yang, one of our current Neenah Menasha Fire Rescue firefighters. This exhibit features opportunities to learn about why and how many immigrants from many lands have chosen Neenah as their home.
Our exhibit has been made into a book! Copies of the book are available for purchase at the Octagon or Ward House during our regular business hours or visit our shop page to order today.
Here are a few links from our local news stations and Fox Cities Magazine about our new exhibit:
https://www.wbay.com/video/2021/05/10/tracing-our-paths/
https://fox11online.com/news/local/new-exhibit-highlights-impact-of-local-immigrants
https://foxcitiesmagazine.com/departments/tracing-our-paths-neenahs-immigration-stories/
VOTING FOR A CHANGE
The impact of the 19th amendment on our community
Open May 2019 and on display through December 2020, Voting for a Change - The Impact of the 19th Amendment on our Community highlighted the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the United States and how local women championed this cause. The exhibit also featured “modern” gadgets to help women in the early 1900s, the clothing they wore and how it was changing, and the struggles women underwent to help our state and country achieve voting rights for women. Visitors cast their ballot in the 1920 election in an early voting booth, discovered political cartoons of the time, and learned about leaders who influenced participation by women in all spheres of our community.
Funding support for this exhibit was provided by the Bright Idea Fund through the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and the Wisconsin Humanities Council.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF “VOTING FOR A CHANGE” EXHIBIT
Our friends at the Neenah Joint School District helped us to create a virtual tour of the “Voting for a Change” exhibit and the Octagon House. This tour was created for fifth grade students who were unable to have their bike tours due to the Covid-19 pandemic in spring 2020. The tour also includes a question guide to help students better understand the various parts of the exhibit. We would like to thank Desiree Lulloff and the technical staff at the school district for their assistance in this project.
https://sites.google.com/neenah.k12.wi.us/octagon-house-virtual-tour/home
Making a hometown
Life in Neenah’s progressive Era
Opening in May 2017 and on display until February 2019, Making a Hometown - Life in Neenah's Progressive Era featured the story of industry and community building organizations and how they worked together during the Progressive Era (1890-1920) to establish the community we still enjoy. The exhibit won the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Board of Curators Museum Exhibit Award in 2018.
Funding support for this exhibit was provided by the Bright Idea Fund through the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Wisconsin Humanities Council, and Bemis Company Foundation.
Read more:
https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS15762
https://www.cffoxvalley.org/2018/10/09/neenahs-historical-hometown-exhibit-earns-award/
When Neenah Came Marching Home
Remembering the Sacrifice of Neenah's Civil War Soldiers
Opening in May 2015 and on display until December 2016, When Neenah Came Marching Home: Remembering the Sacrifice of Neenah's Civil War Soldiers honored the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War. The exhibition explored local soldiers' experiences and hometown contributions to the war effort through personal letters, diaries, photographs, and personal accounts of life, during the Civil War as well as when our soldiers returned to Neenah in 1865. When Neenah Came Marching Home received the Wisconsin Historical Society's 2016 Museum Exhibition Award for its high quality and depth of research.
Funding for the exhibition was provided by the Wisconsin Humanities Council and the Rhoades Foundation of Neenah.
Read more:
Take Cover Neenah!
Backyard Family Fallout Shelters in Cold War America
May 2013 - November 2015
The Zwick family knew about the 1960s fallout shelter that was buried in their backyard but believed it to be empty. Instead, it was found to be fully stocked, the items preserved in ammunition boxes and ready for use. Using these items, the Neenah Historical Society recreated the fallout shelter and explored how this unique period in American history affected Neenah and its residents.
Take Cover Neenah! received the Wisconsin Historical Society's 2014 Museum Exhibit Award and the American Association of State and Local History's Award of Merit. The story was covered by national and international news outlets. Read more:
Family Discovers Fully Stocked Fallout Shelter In Their Backyard
Backyard Fallout Shelter Inspires Historical Exhibit in Neenah
Wisconsin Family's Fallout Shelter Becomes Historical Exhibit
Wisconsin Family’s 1960’s Nuclear Fallout Shelter Built During the Height of Cold War Terror
The Pentagon and the Architecture of George Edwin Bergstrom
September 2011 - October 2011
Neenah native and architect, George Edwin Bergstrom was responsible for the design of many notable buildings in the United States including Neenah's luxury hotel, the Valley Inn, which was built in 1916. Unarguably the most important of his building designs is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, the Pentagon. This exhibition explored his life and work, winning a 2012 Wisconsin Historical Society Museum Exhibit Award.
