NEWS & EVENTS

Highlights of the 2011 FHAW Conference
Marshfield, Wisconsin

A splash of color opened the 36th Annual Forest History Association of Wisconsin (FHAW) Conference in Marshfield this past September.  The color provided by the Central Wisconsin fall foliage and the handiwork of retired design engineer for Consoweld Corporation of Wisconsin Rapids and artist, Gilbert “Gib” Endrizzi. 
While working at Consoweld, Endrizzi began experimenting with the paper-based laminate's uses in art.  He showed his work to a number of employees and business partners at Consoweld.  One of these men recommended that Endrizzi become acquainted with artist and graphic designer, Virginia Broderick.  He felt that the two might find common interests in their art projects.  Broderick and Endrizzi got along well and began working together.  Broderick aided in the development of a number of designs that Endrizzi would then create in mosaic form.
The most prominent work the duo designed in the Chestnut Avenue exhibit was the "Mother and Child" piece. The original painting was done by Broderick to Endrizzi's specifications and then subsequent mosaic pieces created by Endrizzi. 
Members of both the Forest History Association and the Marshfield community turned out to view and enjoy Endrizzi’s mosaic creations at the Chestnut Avenue Center for the Arts reception. The mosaics included religious, sporting and whimsical themes.  Regardless of the theme, each piece was truly a work of art and demonstrated another unique use of Wisconsin’s forest products.
Another exhibition is planned for the Forest Products Laboratory in Madison later this year. Watch for details in the FHAW newsletter and on the FHAW website.
Leaving the Chestnut Center, conference attendees gathered at West 14th, a local restaurant with a well-deserved reputation for fine dining.  This particular evening, besides great food, attendees had an opportunity for some great entertainment provided by “Lumberjack Louie.”  You may also know “Louie” as FHAW member, Sterling Strathe. 
“Louie” used the gathering at Marshfield as an opportunity to recruit some young “jacks” for the upcoming logging season.  Louie explained each “jack’s” job, and with audience participation even demonstrated some of the techniques used to fell the mighty Wisconsin Pines or float them down the river to the mill.  When each job, from road monkey to sawyer, fully explained, Louie talked of camp life for the “jacks” when their work in the woods was done.  The evening was filled with hoots and hollers as Louie shared his tales of logging days from long ago.
Before the evening ended, Sterling, served as auctioneer for a successful annual FHAW conference auction.  Thank you to all who contributed items for sale, and those of you who bid and purchased items.
Friday morning, conference attendees boarded a bus for a short ride to the George W. Mead State Wildlife Area.  The Mead is the third largest wildlife area in the state of Wisconsin.  Nestled in the valley of the Little Eau Pleine River, it encompasses large areas of open marshes, hardwood and aspen forests, and grasslands.  After some brief introductory comments by Natural Resource Educator, Pamela Resech, in the Stanton Mead Education Center and viewing a video, “A Journey through the Mead” conference attendees loaded onto a wagon for their own journey through the Mead.  Resech had planned a special route for conference attendees, one not usually traveled on wildlife area rides, which would demonstrate the various stages of forest succession.  A back-hoe on a dike blocked the path though, and the opportunity to view this area was missed.  Even so, despite a short walk while the wagon backed-up along the narrow dike to a spot where it could turn around, viewing the wildlife area with our guide made for an enjoyable Wisconsin morning.
The group next headed to the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, home of the Schmeeckle Reserve and the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame and its Visitor Center.  The Reserve was created to protect and restore native ecological communities, serve as outdoor classroom for students and teachers, and provide recreational opportunities to all visitors.  This fine September afternoon, the Visitor Center served as the classroom for lectures from two distinguished UW-SP faculty, Dr. John DuPlissis and Jeremy Solin.
Dr. DuPlissis discussed the Woodland Stewardship Program, a program developed to teach the basics of forest ecology, silviculture, forest management techniques, managing for wildlife habitat, business decision and planning tools, for woodland owners.  He also discussed the Wisconsin’s Woodland Leadership Institute, a program designed to educate and equip woodland owners to become leaders in their local communities on issues related to forestry.
Jeremy Solin, director of Learning Experiences and Activities in Forestry (LEAF) then explained how the program integrates forestry in the Wisconsin K-12 school curriculum.   LEAF is a partnership between the Wisconsin DNR-Division of Forestry and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education. 
After the brief ride back to Marshfield, conference attendees gathered at the Chestnut Avenue Center for a family-style “Taste of History” dinner featuring two guests from Marshfield’s past, Mary Upham and W.D. Connor.  Mary Upham was a community leader, and wife of former Marshfield businessman, mayor and Wisconsin Governor, William H. Upham.  W.D. Connor was a well-known Wisconsin lumberman, businessman, and former Lt. Governor of Wisconsin.  He also was the grandfather or FHAW president, Sara Connor.  The two guests shared the story of their lives and kept the audience spell-bound as they highlighted their contributions to family, friends, the community and the state.
After the dinner re-enactments, conference attendees joined community members upstairs in the performance hall for the musical entertainment of Brian Miller and Randy Gosa.  Brian sang songs that once rang through lumber camp bunkhouses more than a century ago in the upper Midwest.  The old world ballads mixed with colorful local lore and creative arrangements, using voice, guitar and a variety of unusual folk instruments brought this forgotten folk music to life for all attending.
Near the end of the evening, Miller and Gosa performed a local favorite, “On the Banks of the Little Eau Pleine.”  The song must have been written to perpetuate a story of an old romance.  It involved schoolteacher, Susan McLaughlin, who was supposed to have taught in a primitive rural school along the Little Eau Pleine near Dancy; and John Oldham, who was a rafter on the Wisconsin.  No name is given the teacher in the words of the song, and John Oldham is mentioned as John Murphy.  According to the story and the song, John was drowned on trip downstream and buried on the river bank.  Susan, brokenhearted by his unexplained absence is finally informed of the tragedy.  What we’ll probably never know is whether the song made the story, or the story made the song. 
The Little Eau Pleine River is a tributary of the Wisconsin River.  It begins near Unity, runs just north of Marshfield and through the Mead Wildlife area before entering into Lake DuBay and the Wisconsin River.
     Saturday morning the conference resumed with presentations at the Marshfield Public Library by John Berg and Mary J. Schueller and the awarding of the 2011 Fixmer Award to Dean Einspahr. The Fixmer Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to an organization, agency, or corporation, within the forest products resources community. President Sara Connor presented Dean a plank with the following inscription:

Dean Einspahr, WWII Veteran served in North China in 1945 as a pilot of P-47’s. As a Wisconsin Paper Chemistry Institute scientist (retired), he authored studies in forest fertilization projects, as well as over 50 papers regarding forest product development and paper research. He has participated as secretary and vice president of the FHAW board and was elected board member emeritus. He has served as membership chairman contributing a computerized database for members. Since 1983, Dean has frequently served as a FHAW conference chairman. His out-standing organizational skills and multiple chairmanships contributed to the growth and continuance of FHAW.

Congratulations Dean! Berg, a local blacksmith enthusiast, and descendant of Marshfield blacksmith, Michael Berg, spoke of the pioneer blacksmiths who worked in towns and lumber camps at the turn of the century.  He explained that the essential tools and weapons used by loggers, farmers, and settlers of that day were fashioned from iron and steel.  The knowledge and artistry to work these metals into their useful forms was the task of the blacksmith.
The final speaker, Mary Schueller, spoke of the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, a program created by the federal government during the Great Depression of the 1930s.  The program put men to work planting trees in the nation’s depleted forests and improving state national parks.  Loaded with facts and photos she reminded attendees of the tremendous accomplishments of these men.  The results of their labor are still found in our state parks and used and enjoyed by thousands each year.
With that the 2011 FHAW Conference closed.  Those attending seemed to enjoy their visit to the Central Wisconsin community of Marshfield.  Plans are underway for the 37th Annual Conference to be held in the Wisconsin Dells Area later in 2012.  Watch for information as it becomes available.
 President Sara Connor and the FHAW board would like to thank Don Schnitzler for the excellent planning and leadership in putting together the annual FHAW meet. Also, we would like to thank Don’s wife, Vickie, for all her help with the meet and all the breads and cookies she made. They were delicious. Again, thank you!!

 

      

Forest History Association  of Wisconsin
  36th Annual  Meeting

September 15—17, 2011
Holiday Inn Conference Center
Marshfield, Wisconsin

The 36th Annual Meeting of the Forest History Association of Wisconsin is set for September 15 – 17, in Marshfield.  The three day event includes unique tours, living history presentations, special lectures, and musical entertainment that are sure to make this meeting an all-time favorite of association members.  Make plans to attend, and of course, bring a friend.
On Thursday, September 15, at 4 p.m. a pre-conference reception will mark the opening of Gilbert Endrizzi’s first showing of mosaic artwork at the Chestnut Center for the Arts.  FHAW members might recall the Glider mosaic he created for the second World War II Glider Symposium held last year and that appeared at times with the Flying Trees display.  FHAW members are invited to preview this fantastic collection of “Gib's” other mosaic art pieces.
Gib Endrizzi was a design engineer for Consoweld Corporation of Wisconsin Rapids a subsidiary of Consolidated Paper Company.  The Consoweld product was the precursor of plastic and was used to make WWII Glider floors.  The original material was a phenol-saturated sheet of "papreg." Papreg had been developed by the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory in Madison and shipped to paper manufacturers in the state. The phenol-saturated sheets, when heated, bonded together into a hardened product. Today, we know the product by the trade name "Formica." Consoweld and Formica were competitors.
Once Gib’s ideas are down on paper, the mosaic pieces are cut from former Consoweld products and the art pieces created using colors, great care and dedication in a tedious process.  The subjects range from the religious to the sublime, but all pieces reflect Gib’s artistry, his joie de vivre and his philanthropy.
Immediately following the Endrizzi’s artshow reception, the conference’s  opening event will be held at the Historic Parkin Place, 108 West Ninth Street in Marshfield; located just south of the Holiday Inn and Conference Center.  Parkin Place’s West 14th Restaurant was awarded with the title of  “Best Overall Dinning Experience” for Marshfield in 2010 and will be the site of our dinner, first living history presentation and auction. 
In Marshfield everyone knows that great food is a given at West 14th, but for our opening event, that will only compliment the great entertainment provided by FHAW member, Sterling Strathe, appearing as “Lumberjack Louie.”  Sterling created the character of “Lumberjack Louie” a few years ago to teach forestry to school children.  But, why should the kids have all the fun?  Come prepared to be engaged in Louie’s interactive program.  It’s full of Wisconsin logging history and lumberjack tales so you will find it both informative and entertaining.  And just like the school children, when the program is complete, you will remember what “Louie” had to share about our Wisconsin Forest History.
The evening event would be incomplete with out our annual auction.  So auctioneer, Sterling Strathe, will round out the evening’s events with the sales of logging items and memorabilia donated by FHAW members. 
Friday morning, just a 15-minute bus ride from Marshfield’s Holiday Inn and Conference Center is the George W. Mead State Wildlife Area.  Covering 33,000 acres in portions of Marathon, Portage and Wood counties, “the Mead” encompasses different ecosystems including grasslands, conifer bogs, hardwood forests, wetlands, ponds, uplands and agricultural fields.  This diversity allows the Mead to meet the wildlife area’s objectives of resource management, recreation management and environmental education.    The natural resources educator at the Mead, Pamela Resech, is preparing a program tailored specifically for the Forest History Association of Wisconsin members.   It will provide attendees an opportunity to explore Native American history at the Mead and forest management for wildlife habitat.  A wagon ride through the Mead Wildlife Area will allow attendees to explore the different habitat layers of a forest, and observe various forest management techniques first hand.
A hot lunch, catered locally will be served in the Stanton W. Mead Education and Visitors Center at noon.  
Then following lunch, we’ll board the bus for another short ride to the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, located in the Schmeeckle Reserve, in Stevens Point.  Here we will meet Dr. John G. DuPlissis, Extension Forest Specialist, at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.  Dr. DuPlissis is in the process of completing a 10-year review of the Woodland Leadership Institute and has some very interesting data to share with the FHAW members.  In addition to the institute, Dr. DuPlissis will also tell us about the Master Woodland Steward Programs.  Then after a short break, Jeremy Solin, Director of LEAF (Learning Experiences and Activities in Forestry), the Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Program, will tell us about this program, and how it has integrated learning in and about Wisconsin’s forests in K-12 schools to provide knowledge, skills and ways of thinking necessary to sustain our forests and communities.
Then after allowing time for questions and answers, an opportunity to view displays at the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame, and shopping at the gift shop, we’ll board the bus and depart UWSP to return to Marshfield. 
Back in Marshfield, there’s another great event planned with a Marshfield-style “Taste of History” dinner at the Chestnut Center for the Arts, 208 South Chestnut Avenue.  Living history presentations during the family-style dinner will feature appearances by two noteworthy former Marshfield residents, the honorable William D. Connor and Mary C. Upham.  W.D. Connor was Wisconsin Lt. Governor (1906 – 1908) and a prominent Wisconsin lumberman and businessman.  Mary Upham was the wife of the 18th Wisconsin Governor, William H. Upham, the major Marshfield employer during the late 1800s.  In 1887, the Great Marshfield Fire consumed most of Marshfield and nearly all of  William Upham’s businesses.  Together he and his wife played pivotal roles in rebuilding the community.  Mr. Connor and Mrs. Upham will share their stories, and some of Marshfield’s community history with FHAW meeting participants.
After dinner, we’ll move to the Chestnut Center Performance Hall where singer and guitar player Brian Miller, accompanied by Randy Gosa on banjo, breathes new life into the long-forgotten music of early logging camps.  Brian performs top-notch music from an under appreciated branch of the Irish tradition.  The show will provide a glimpse of what life was like up north during the late 19th century.  During March 2011, Brian performed at the Wisconsin Historical Society for their Taste Traditions of Wisconsin event “Irish Lumberjack Brunch” to a sellout crowd. 
During intermission, FHAW members and residents of the Marshfield Community will exchange stories about an assortment of logging related items and photographs on display in the back of the performance hall.
On Saturday, the meeting will continue at the Marshfield Public Library, 211 East Second Street.  Following a short general membership business meeting, John Berg, a relative of former Marshfield blacksmith, will share tales of blacksmithing in the lumber camps and in logging towns during the 1880s and 90s.  He will be followed by Don Schnitzler, who will highlight historic activities and opportunities in the Marshfield area. 
After a short break, Mary J. Schueller, author of the book “Soldier of Poverty,” a tribute to the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps will join us for the final conference presentation.  Ms. Schueller will share stories of the human spirit triumphing through courage and perseverance, and the honor that came with performing one’s duties above and beyond the ordinary.   Enjoy this historic journey and what these remarkable men accomplished in Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan during the Great Depression.   
  Throughout the meeting, forestry-related artifacts and other items, will be available for purchase to the highest bidder.  The silent and live auctions are an enjoyable tradition of the FHAW meetings.  While some items provide a learning opportunity, all the items provide you an opportunity to support the FHAW with your bid.  Donations of auction items are always greatly appreciated.
The 36th Annual FHAW meeting is shaping up to be both educational and entertaining, please plan on attending.

 

 

FHAW 35th Annual Meeting in Green Bay with the Forest History Society, N.C.

Thursday, September 23rd arrived with the fall colors spreading across the Northwoods. FHAW members and Board of Directors of the Foest History Society of N.C. convened in Green Bay for the 35th Anniversary celebration and Conference! (Photo Right-Sara Connor, President of FHAW, Jerry Theide member of FHAW and Forest History Society and Steven Anderson, President of the Forest History Society)
The Celebration began with a Book Signing Reception and Dinner at St. Brendan’s Inn in Green Bay. Michael Edmonds, Director of Digital Archives for the Wisconsin Historical Society signed his book, Out of the Northwoods – The  Many Lives of Paul Bunyan. Bill Matthias, also a WHS author signed his book Monster Fire at Minong: Wisconsin’s Five Mile Tower Fire of 1977.
Michael Edmonds, photo left, the Keynote, was awarded the Wayland D. Hand Prize by the American Folklore Society “as the best book of 2009 to combine history and folklore.” He gave his account of Paul Bunyan with wonderful cartoons, magazine caricatures, and photos. From his book cover flap, “Out of the Northwoods presents the culture of nineteenth-century lumberjacks in their own words. It includes a first-hand accounts of how the first Bunyan stories were shared on frigid winter nights….. By sifting through the unpublished manuscripts of early editors of the tales, Michael Edmonds unearths dozen of authentic, Bunyan stories told aloud by lumberjacks between 1885 and 1915.”  Paul Bunyan first looked like a “Yeti” or Neanderthal man! Edmonds entertained the audience as Paul Bunyan transformed himself in WWII and grew into the character that we all now know. 
Co-Founders present at the 35th Anniversary Conference were recognized and thanked for their many years of membership, Tom Albrecht, Karl Baumann, and Jerry Thiede (Photo right, Sara Connor and Karl Baumann). In addition, Tom Albrecht was awarded the FHAW –Fixmer Award for outstanding contribution to an organization. His plaque read:
“Tom Albrecht was co- founding member of the Forest History Association of Wisconsin. As a Past-President and Treasurer, as well as long serving Board member, his advice, experience, and organizational knowledge is  invaluable. He has participated in all of the FHAW projects to promote Wisconsin's Forest History education and publications, as well as promoted the goals and mission principles of the FHAW.  As a Forester for the WDNR, a FHAW Board member, and the Society of American Forester's President of the Wisconsin Forestry Hall of Fame, Tom Albrecht has been dedicated to preserving the forest history legacy of the State of Wisconsin.” (Photo Left Sara Corror and Tom Albrecht, with Fixmer Award)

On Friday, September 24th, the FHAW Conference continued at Heritage Hill State Park in Green Bay. Charles Pelke, Director of Heritage Hill welcomed the group in their new Visitors Center. Paul Delong, Wisconsin State Forester, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), discussed fragmentation and the shift of major forest blocks from Forest Products Industrial Forests to private and conservancy hands. In the last three years, over 2 million acres have been bought and sold putting enormous pressure on the forest products industry supply, as well as sustainability in Wisconsin. (Photo right, Paul DeLong)
Michael Gaetner, WDNR Developer for the Wisconsin Forestry Center in Milwaukee gave an update on the new complex to be built on the Milwaukee County complex in Wauwatosa. He explained the acreage available for educational forestry programs and the availability of space for forestry exhibits. He also explained the need for connecting  forest sustainability to the urban population. Presently, there is a complete disconnect between why forests need to be managed and where forest products come from, i.e.  “Trees should never be cut and paper comes from Office Max.” (Photo left, Michael Gaetner)
The FHAW thanks our Heritage Hill tour Guides, for telling the story of Wisconsin’s Fur Traders and the story of Fort Howard. (Photo below left, Franklin Hose Company building, photo below right, Fort Howard buildings, Heritage Hill State Park)


At a traditional Northwoods supper club in Peshtigo called Schussler’s, visitors from Canada and throughout the U.S. saw a wedding hall where clearly the entire town of Peshtigo could celebrate. The Peshtigo Chamber of Commerce brought greetings.  We later celebrated our 35th Anniversary by singing Happy Anniversary.
With a theme of “Fire” for the conference, Bill Matthias, a WHS author, spoke on his experience with the Monster Fire at Minong. Bill was Superintendent of Schools in Minong and gathered his students to fight the fire! Bill also told of the outpouring of community support. The development of the fire, its path, and timetable tell an incredible story.
A tour of Peshtigo Fire Museum and Cemetery by Bob Couvillion was a highlight of the trip. The artifacts in the museum and the riveting story told by Father Perrin in his The Peshtigo Fire is well worth the trip. The FHAW thanks Bob for the depth of his knowledge and patience answering all of our questions!! (Photo left, Peshtigo Fire Cemetery)
Returning to Green Bay, the FHAW held its Auction and Dinner at the Black and Tan. A wonderful dinner and less of an ideal auction venue, the auction will, nonetheless, be continued next year. As we said good-bye to our new friends of the Forest History Society, we all had enjoyed and had new stories to tell.
The FHAW meeting was continued on Saturday at the Hotel Sierra in Green Bay. With Fires still being the theme, Fred Brechler, a Wisconsinite living in Jacksonville, Florida, gave his account of the “Marathon Fire Tower.” Long an icon, the tower was eventually taken down piece by piece. We thank Fred for his story of how the tower influenced his and the impact it had on the community. Thank you, Fred! (Photo above right, Fred Brechler)
Frank Hitz, FHAW member from Loveland, Colorado gave an update of his 50 years of research on “Wisconsin Historic Sawmills – Database. With over 2,600 entries in the database, it is an extraordinary vast compilation and contribution to the literature. A Korean Veteran and graduate of Baylor University, Frank was an Aerospace Engineer with family ties to Wisconsin’s forest history. Thank you, Frank! (Photo left, Frank Hitz) Fred Besseler of LaCrosse concluded the Speakers with a wonderful talk about the DeHavilland “Mosquito.” The fastest aircraft of WWII at 450 MPH, the “Timber Terror” has a proud history as a Pathfinder, Nightfighter, and Bomber.  Amazing photos of its development, construction, and the raids that the “Mossie” participated in Europe, the British re-conquered the skies! The Mossie is made of Wisconsin yellow birch! Thank you, Fred! (Photo Right, Fred Besseler)
The annual meeting was held and Officers and Directors were elected; Sara Connor, President, was re-elected. Mike Sohasky is a returning Board member. Also re-elected was Ray Noffke, Dan Giese. Changes in By-laws were approved to rotate the Board in three segments. Also, By-laws were changed to reduce the Board to nine members for voting purposes in case of a tie.
The Conference concluded knowing that we will be in Central Wisconsin next September. See everyone there!