Sheboygan Wisconsin History

All about Sheboygan People and history

Thursday, August 9, 2007

The Annual Jaycee’s Brat Days In Sheboygan, Wisconsin

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Brat Days in Sheboygan, Wisconsin proves to be as great as it has been since 1953. Although the World Brat Eating Championship will not be held this year due to controversy from area residents, the festival will still have the local brat-eating contest for anyone to compete at 12:00PM on Saturday. The festivities start Thursday August 2 with Pat McCurdy, the musician comic who comes from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to perform in front of a crowd at Kiwanis Park. His weird sense of humor and acoustic guitar playing makes a spectacular show. Food and beer are available from 4:00PM until 10:00Pm.

Friday night August 3 brings Dokken, a popular band from the 1980’s with song like “Alone Again” and “Just Got Lucky”. The show will be one that attracts all different age groups. Food and beer are available from 5:00PM until 11:00PM. Saturday starts Brat Days off with the annual Brat parade. The parade starts at 9:00Am on Center Avenue and 8th Street heading north to Erie Avenue, down Erie Avenue to North 17th Street, ending at Kiwanis Park. The Park starts serving beer and food at 9:00AM.

The festivities begin with the parade and carry on throughout the day with a flea market along the riverfront. Entertainment throughout the day includes The Music Vendors at 10:00AM in the Johnsonville tent and Soul Asylum at 8:45PM on the main stage.

Other performers throughout the three days include Copper Box, Poor J, The Barbeez, The Rockford Mules and The Good Luck Joes. Other groups include Southbound, Ha Ha Tonka, Blues Highway, Trick Pony, Renegade, The Boogie Men, Justin & Tornek as well as Band X, Boxkar and Double Vision. There will also be a Stumpf Fiddle Contest at 1:00PM on Saturday.

The Jaycee’s do not forget about the family at Brat Days. Families enjoy many different activities at Fountain Park on 8th Street and Erie Avenue from the time of the parade until 5:00PM. They have a petting zoo, pony rides, clowns, shows and more for all the kids to enjoy. Food is available at the family site as well as drinks for the kids.

All proceeds from the annual event goes back into the community by way of charities including the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Cancer Society and various other organizations that help people in need. The Jaycee’s are able to do this because all workers are volunteers who sign up to work the food tents, beer tents, cooking and all areas of need. Come to the Sheboygan Brat Days this year or any year after for fun, excitement and to meet wonderful people who care.

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Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Haunting Sheboygan History

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There are a few areas in Sheboygan, Wisconsin that had stories of haunting experiences. The first one is the Sheboygan Yacht Club, built back in 1931, has a worker telling of a night working alone and turning off the lights in the building only to have turned back on. The employee had an eerie feeling that he was being watched. On another night, he was in the basement of the Sheboygan Yacht Club and saw a shape of a man right before closing. The stories continue to populate, but no more than one person has ever seen this at one time.

Another part of Sheboygan history is the stop sign that drips blood. According to rumors, an Indian man killed his family close by the stop sign where they lived. It has been said if you visit the stop sign late at night and turn your high beams on, you will see blood dripping from the sign. You may also hear footsteps walking closer to you. According to people who have seen and heard this, he may also be chanting an Indian song.

The First National Bank of Sheboygan in the downtown area is said to be haunted by a man who worked there as a custodian, named Duke. He is said to continue to move things, rattle doors and visit frequently. Duke worked for the bank up until the time of his death.

A house on Zimbal Avenue is said to be haunted and have underground tunnels leading to areas around the city. These underground tunnels were everywhere in the olden days. Today, people have said they see figures in the windows and hear sounds coming from the now vacant house.

No one ever knows for sure if haunting are true, only the people who have experienced them can tell the story. If the haunting of Sheboygan exists, more research is needed to find out the details of such occurrences that may have caused the haunting. In the case of the bank haunting, Duke might miss the place and need to keep straightening up. As far as the Sheboygan Yacht Club, what happened there to cause a haunting by a man? The Indian man and his family have not been found as of today, more information is needed as the circumstances behind the killings and how the stop sign fits into the haunting.

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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Sheboygan's Annual Brat Days

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Sheboygan has a festival that occurs annually since 1953. Brat Days has a long run in the city and has over the years become the necessary thing to do in Sheboygan. In the early years, the event was held on 8th street and people from everywhere came to enjoy brats and beer. Entertainment has changed over the years, but it was for the better. After moving to Kiwanis Park, Brat Days spread out over the entire area. Today, you have a family spot at Fountain Park and the big entertainers and brat-eating contest at Kiwanis Park.

The proceeds that come from the event have filtered back into the community, providing various charities with a substantial amount of money to help keep them open. The Jaycee’s host the annual event and other events throughout the year. In 2006, ESPN broadcast the Championship Brat Eating contest where people from all over the world participated. Brat Days sure has changed over the years. Every year they seem to get better and provide more things to do than just drink beer and eat brats.

The controversy surrounding the brat-eating contest surfaced in 2005, when one local resident complained about overstuffing yourself. This has been the topic of discussion every year before and after the completion. Will it stop? Not if Sheboygan residents continue to support it.

I remember going to Brat Days as a young girl on 8th Street where J.C. Penney’s and H.C. Pranges were located. There also was a Woolworth’s store. The streets were filled with people and the smell of brat and smoke filter throughout the streets. The one thing that has not changed is the flea market that takes place every year, only now it is located at the main event by Kiwanis Park.

Fountain Park hosts the family side of the event with activities throughout the day for children. They have brats and other foods for the little ones to enjoy as well.

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Thursday, July 19, 2007

H.C. Prange’s Christmas Delights Gone After Fire

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H.C. Prange’s was home to not only shoppers but also to the hundreds of children and adults that flocked to the North Eighth Street store on Thanksgiving Day. A tradition in Sheboygan, Prange had delighted spectators for many years. This was the day the sheets covering the windows were taken down to unveil the beautiful Christmas scenes in every single window. The animated figurines danced with holiday delight and the thrills of seeing candy makes, little elf’s packing the toys for delivery were met with sounds of joy from the little ones and adults.

It was a special time for many families as they glazed with amazement when looking at the beautifully decorated windows. On Fridays, the H.C. Prange’s store would fill with shoppers looking for early sales and parents with children going to the basement where they would encounter Santa in the Christmas Wonderland. You would see Christmas trees, Santa’s helpers, tinsel and lights. The trains that rounded the tracks carrying various dolls and toys were a delight for all to see. Santa was always waiting to see the next child round the corner with squeals and delight after seeing the beautiful Wonderland scenery.

With the demolition and possible arson fire, October 16, 1983, families would never again see Christmas Wonderland again. The fire shot up into the sky and could be seen far away. Many citizens flocked to the downtown area to get a glimpse of the extraordinary fire. Why did it have come to this? Possible arson was the final say about the fire although nothing was ever officially stated. It was stated that a bike of a man who disappeared at the same time was found by the building. A body was never found nor was the man in question.

H.C. Prange’s did rebuild a store on the property, which opened up in 1984, but it sold to Younker’s franchise a few years later. There still is no Christmas Wonderland in downtown Sheboygan, Wisconsin anymore. On Thanksgiving Day, there is a Christmas Parade, but the thrills and excitement of the unveiling of Prange’s windows no longer exists. This was a sad day for children and parents who had for years, spent Thanksgiving early evening waiting for the beautiful window delights.

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Wednesday, July 18, 2007

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More Sheboygan Wisconsin history deals with the development of the early city. Watch for more tomorrow.

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Germans From Russia In Sheboygan Wisconsin

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Conrad Schleining

Conrad Schleining was one of the many Germans from Russia that immigrated to the United States by way of Ellis Island. He was born on April 8, 1892 in Norka, Russia, which is fifty miles south of Saratov near the Volga River. In April of 1937, he was among the one hundred and some Germans from Russia who took the oath to become a citizen of the United States. Conrad Schleining then served in World War I with the United States Army in France. Up until the time of his death, he was a member of the Sheboygan Barracks 2091, Veterans of World War I.

Conrad Schleining married Nathalie Pinicker Bolgert on May 28, 1927 at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Conrad was active in the workforce of Sheboygan as he held a job at Polar Ware Company and later Dillingham Manufacturing Company until his retirement in 1956. On April 20, 1968, Conrad died after a brief illness and was buried in Sunrise Memorial Gardens. His loving wife Nathalie later joined him on June 16, 1972. Nathalie was from Norgard, Russia, came to the United States by way of Ellis Island with her father, and settled in Milwaukee before traveling to Sheboygan.

Germans from Russians came to the United States hoping to find a better life. They settled in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Nebraska. The land was cheap to buy and they would have the freedom to farm the lands and live free from the Russian government. Many of the Germans from Russian where successful in acquiring land and contributing to the agriculture industry as we know it today. Once War World I started, immigration to the United States stopped. Many of the Germans from Russian immigrants served in the war and went on to become well known for their dedication in serving their new country.

Sheboygan, Wisconsin’s Germans from Russia history is full of interesting facts. Many of the immigrants have shared stories of their up bringing in Russia as well as their travel experience to the United States. Many Germans from Russia left family and friends behind to escape the Russian rule. Conrad Schleining was one who left his mother and father to travel to the United States for a better life. After his marriage to Nathalie, his family was started in Sheboygan. The couple had five children, Marion, Nancy, Betty Jean, John and Darleen along with a stepson Arthur Bolgert and a stepdaughter Hildegard Bolgert.
 
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