By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
As the school year was ending in the spring of 1968, our family was getting ready for some very big changes. We were leaving a small family farm and a small Catholic school in East Bristol, Wisconsin to move to the Lake Mills, Wisconsin area.
Saint Joseph’s Catholic School, which we were leaving, was a four-room school for grades 1-8, with two grades per room. We were taught by nuns who lived in the house next to the school. (The school pictured below is larger than our school was, but our school was demolished many years ago.)
At the end of summer, Joann would be starting 8th grade, and I would be starting 6th. Lake Mills had an elementary school for grades 1-5, a middle school for grades 6-8, and a high school for grades 9-12.
The middle school was three aging buildings connected by underground tunnels. The oldest building was already in the process of being removed from service. The other two buildings were the main class building and the gymnasium. (Again, the school below is a representation of the Lake Mills school buildings since the old buildings were demolished before we thought to take any pictures of them.) As I was writing this blog story, Joann told me that she was scared to death to go to a bigger public school.
Our new farm was a couple of miles east of Lake Mills in the town of Aztalan. It had a large farmhouse at the top of the farm driveway and a small, newer ranch house just down the road. Dad chose the newer, but smaller ranch house for us.
The farm itself was much larger, and even with pressing every child of age (and a pretty young age) into service, there was more work than we could do. Because of this, the old farmhouse usually had a hired man and his family living there.
Just around the corner from the new farm was the Aztalan museum. It had the museum collections in the restored Baptist church. The church had been built in 1852, and was restored and converted into the museum of the Lake Mills-Aztalan Historical Society in 1942.
One day, shortly after our move, I was working in the house with Mom. Everyone else who was old enough was helping Dad with farm work. A car pulled into the driveway with several ladies in it. They explained that they were from the historical society and that they were looking for kids to be on their float for the upcoming Town & Country Days Parade.
Town and Country Days is an annual summer event in Lake Mills, held in and around the town triangle park.
I don’t know what Mom was thinking but she said that I would do it! I’m sure she thought it would be good for me, and I would meet some other local kids or something, but I was terrified.
On the morning of the parade, I was dropped off at the house of one of the historical society ladies to get dressed. I think there were six of us who had been roped into being on the “float,” which turned out to be a flat rack hay wagon with some folding chairs and hay bales for seating. The girls were dressed in old dresses (think Little House on the Prairie) and I suppose the boys were dressed in period clothes as well. We were supposed to pair up and dance! And if too many of us sat down at the same time, ladies from the historical society were stationed along the route to remind us to at least stand up and move around. How embarrassing!
I don’t even think we had been to the museum by that point, but when we went for the first time, the entrance fee, as we recall, was 25 cents, and when they chatted with us a little and found out we lived on the nearest farm, they told us that we didn’t have to pay on subsequent visits.
And once, between hired men living in the old farmhouse, we climbed up into the attic crawlspace and came down with a few old boxes. Inside were some old button shoes, partly chewed by mice, and some old dresses that looked like they were from the Civil War era. We didn’t have any use for them, so we took them to the museum and donated them. We don’t know if they were ever displayed in the museum or inside any of the log cabins. They might have accepted them with a smile and then carried them to the trash after we left.
We don’t remember the schoolhouse being open on any trip to the museum when we were still on the farm, but in 1998 we stopped at the museum and the caretaker opened the door so we could see inside.
At some schools we’ve visited, we’ve been able to step inside the classroom and walk among the desks, which allows Joann to photograph from many angles. In 1998, there was a gate between the vestibule and the classroom, so I took a quick look and then got out of the way so Joann could have room to move around in that little doorway.
I had thought that the museum was just maintaining their existing buildings, but they continue to grow, both in buildings and in land.
In 1987, the family of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Connor Hansen donated his antique tool collection and the building that housed them.
After a fund drive, the building and its contents were moved to the museum grounds in 1988.
Another more recent addition is the Mamre Moravian log church. The church was built in 1861. In 1874, it was moved one mile east of its original location where it was enlarged to serve as a schoolroom and to house the pastor’s family.
In 1996 the addition was removed and the original building was disassembled and moved to the museum grounds by a group of dedicated local Moravians. The historical society provided the site and the below ground foundation. The Moravians did all the rest.
You can see the buildings from the parking lot (as we did last winter) or visit during their summer season to step inside the buildings when they are open. Every year, the historical society hosts Aztalan Day in July. For hours of operation, visit their website. The museum is at the corner of County B and County Q in Aztalan, east of Lake Mills.
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
The Red Balloon
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
In the late 60’s, we used to watch a TV program called CBS Children’s Film Festival, which featured children’s films from around the world. The show was hosted by Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (actress Fran Allison and puppets Kukla and Ollie).
I used to love that show but, surprisingly, the only film that stuck with me over the years was the 1956 Oscar-winning children’s film, “The Red Balloon.” This 34-minute film, which contains almost no dialogue, follows the adventures of a young boy who finds a red balloon in the streets of Paris on his way to school. The balloon seems to take a fancy to young Pascal and follows him everywhere, as if it has a mind of its own.
In the spring of 2017, on a photography trip to northern Ohio, Ruth and I decided to explore Cleveland’s historic Riverside Cemetery. Established in 1876 on 102.5 acres overlooking the Cuyahoga River, Riverside Cemetery was the first major-sized, non-sectarian, burial park established west of the Cuyahoga River. We arrived at dawn and, before we could even begin to explore the grounds, a steady rain began to fall.
There are many roads throughout this cemetery, so we chose one directly across from the entrance. The first thing we came to was the Urn Garden, set against a wooded hillside.
As I got out of the car into the rain to capture a few shots of the Urn Garden, we noticed that a group of deer were lounging and eating in the garden.
Beyond the Urn Garden was a section of the cemetery called Babyland. Burial grounds such as these always bring a sadness to my heart. So, I got out of the car to walk in the rain and contemplate.
Just then, way off in the distance, a red heart-shaped mylar balloon floated over the hill. In my contemplation, I hadn’t noticed it, but Ruth did. It was so far away that she had to look at it with her binoculars to see what it was. As she did this, she saw that it was floating in our direction. So, she pointed it out to me.
The wind had begun to pick up and gravesite decorations were beginning to move and spin. Miniature windchimes were ringing in the wind and rain. The little Muppet at the base of a colorful pinwheel seemed to be hanging on as the pinwheel rotated in the wind.
And all the while, the red heart-shaped balloon picked up speed as it floated on the wind toward us. It seemed to have a mind of its own, just like “The Red Balloon” in the children’s movie that I mentioned at the start of this story. I watched the red balloon with fascination as it floated down to the ground in front of me as if to greet me and eventually came to rest in the branches above me.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and whatever you’re doing, celebrating or not, Ruth and I wish you an enjoyable day!
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
In the late 60’s, we used to watch a TV program called CBS Children’s Film Festival, which featured children’s films from around the world. The show was hosted by Kukla, Fran, and Ollie (actress Fran Allison and puppets Kukla and Ollie).
I used to love that show but, surprisingly, the only film that stuck with me over the years was the 1956 Oscar-winning children’s film, “The Red Balloon.” This 34-minute film, which contains almost no dialogue, follows the adventures of a young boy who finds a red balloon in the streets of Paris on his way to school. The balloon seems to take a fancy to young Pascal and follows him everywhere, as if it has a mind of its own.
In the spring of 2017, on a photography trip to northern Ohio, Ruth and I decided to explore Cleveland’s historic Riverside Cemetery. Established in 1876 on 102.5 acres overlooking the Cuyahoga River, Riverside Cemetery was the first major-sized, non-sectarian, burial park established west of the Cuyahoga River. We arrived at dawn and, before we could even begin to explore the grounds, a steady rain began to fall.
There are many roads throughout this cemetery, so we chose one directly across from the entrance. The first thing we came to was the Urn Garden, set against a wooded hillside.
As I got out of the car into the rain to capture a few shots of the Urn Garden, we noticed that a group of deer were lounging and eating in the garden.
Beyond the Urn Garden was a section of the cemetery called Babyland. Burial grounds such as these always bring a sadness to my heart. So, I got out of the car to walk in the rain and contemplate.
Just then, way off in the distance, a red heart-shaped mylar balloon floated over the hill. In my contemplation, I hadn’t noticed it, but Ruth did. It was so far away that she had to look at it with her binoculars to see what it was. As she did this, she saw that it was floating in our direction. So, she pointed it out to me.
The wind had begun to pick up and gravesite decorations were beginning to move and spin. Miniature windchimes were ringing in the wind and rain. The little Muppet at the base of a colorful pinwheel seemed to be hanging on as the pinwheel rotated in the wind.
And all the while, the red heart-shaped balloon picked up speed as it floated on the wind toward us. It seemed to have a mind of its own, just like “The Red Balloon” in the children’s movie that I mentioned at the start of this story. I watched the red balloon with fascination as it floated down to the ground in front of me as if to greet me and eventually came to rest in the branches above me.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and whatever you’re doing, celebrating or not, Ruth and I wish you an enjoyable day!
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Farmers Milling & Elevator
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
Joann and I didn’t start our true shunpiking journey until about 20 years after we left the farm. And even then, we didn’t think to start our explorations around the East Bristol and Lake Mills areas where we grew up.
We started with mills and barns around Wisconsin from books by Wisconsin author Jerry Apps, and the list of mills was small, and some of those already gone. Even after joining the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM), we knew there had to be more mills in Wisconsin than they included on their inventory.
One day I stumbled on a picture of an old mill along the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad tracks in Jefferson County, with the faded Farmers Milling & Elevator Co., mill name on the side. I sent the picture to Joann, as I often do, to get her excited to go and hunt it up. And still, it took years for us to get there.
Finally, one day in late July of 2013, when the forecast was for a “not too hot and humid” day, we took our list of Jefferson County locations and headed out. Even with stopping for other photo opportunities along the way, we were in front of the mill before 7:00 A.M.
This was a rye mill built in 1913 for $14,000. By the end of 1914, it was producing 100 barrels of rye daily, along with buckwheat, whole wheat, and graham flour, along with corn meal. In the early 1900’s rye was a common crop in southern Wisconsin. It is still grown in small amounts in Wisconsin and is being more widely used as an overwinter cover crop. Unfortunately, I don’t think we would recognize it, because we didn’t grow rye on our farm and we’ve never really researched this crop.
At some point, this mill became a feed mill and elevator, where farmers had their grain stored, ground, and mixed with other nutrients. On the side of the mill facing the railroad tracks is a large Purina Chows sign. The Purina Chows product line (pet food) has been in existence since the very late 1800’s.
Whenever we visit old mills, we’re reminded of the times we went along to the feed mill with our father. There were sacks of grain everywhere, and everything was covered in a layer of grain dust. After we moved from East Bristol to Lake Mills, the mill services came to us. A big mill truck picked up the crops and brought back the ground grain which was loaded into the granary above the front of the barn.
At the end of January of 2017, we made another trip to Jefferson County, this time to check out a few places we remembered from our time spent living in the area.
Near the end of the day, we had one more place to check out before we lost daylight when we suddenly remembered this old mill. Geez! We almost left town without checking on it. We had already crossed the railroad tracks where it sat off to the left, with Joann looking at the road ahead and me looking down at the map.
We made another of our many turn-arounds and drove back a couple of blocks, and sure enough, right at the railroad tracks we had just crossed, sat the mill.
We were on the other side of the mill from our prior visit and in winter with a little snow on the ground and different lighting conditions, the colors of the mill looked a little different. Even a small amount of snow on the roof made the mill name and Purina Chows lettering stand out a little more.
Knowing how long it took us to finally get here, and how finicky Wisconsin winters have been in recent years, Joann worked the mill over taking every angle. Since it is no longer a functioning mill, we never know when we’ll visit the area and find that nothing but the tracks remain.
When we finished at the mill, we had precious little daylight left to make it to our last stop - a “quilt barn.” Rather than the normal single quilt block, this one has a mural with a clothesline full of quilts.
By the time we finished, it was too late for any additional stops, so all we could do was drive straight home (in the dark), which is a typical end to our photographing days.
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
Joann and I didn’t start our true shunpiking journey until about 20 years after we left the farm. And even then, we didn’t think to start our explorations around the East Bristol and Lake Mills areas where we grew up.
We started with mills and barns around Wisconsin from books by Wisconsin author Jerry Apps, and the list of mills was small, and some of those already gone. Even after joining the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM), we knew there had to be more mills in Wisconsin than they included on their inventory.
One day I stumbled on a picture of an old mill along the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad tracks in Jefferson County, with the faded Farmers Milling & Elevator Co., mill name on the side. I sent the picture to Joann, as I often do, to get her excited to go and hunt it up. And still, it took years for us to get there.
Finally, one day in late July of 2013, when the forecast was for a “not too hot and humid” day, we took our list of Jefferson County locations and headed out. Even with stopping for other photo opportunities along the way, we were in front of the mill before 7:00 A.M.
This was a rye mill built in 1913 for $14,000. By the end of 1914, it was producing 100 barrels of rye daily, along with buckwheat, whole wheat, and graham flour, along with corn meal. In the early 1900’s rye was a common crop in southern Wisconsin. It is still grown in small amounts in Wisconsin and is being more widely used as an overwinter cover crop. Unfortunately, I don’t think we would recognize it, because we didn’t grow rye on our farm and we’ve never really researched this crop.
At some point, this mill became a feed mill and elevator, where farmers had their grain stored, ground, and mixed with other nutrients. On the side of the mill facing the railroad tracks is a large Purina Chows sign. The Purina Chows product line (pet food) has been in existence since the very late 1800’s.
Whenever we visit old mills, we’re reminded of the times we went along to the feed mill with our father. There were sacks of grain everywhere, and everything was covered in a layer of grain dust. After we moved from East Bristol to Lake Mills, the mill services came to us. A big mill truck picked up the crops and brought back the ground grain which was loaded into the granary above the front of the barn.
At the end of January of 2017, we made another trip to Jefferson County, this time to check out a few places we remembered from our time spent living in the area.
Near the end of the day, we had one more place to check out before we lost daylight when we suddenly remembered this old mill. Geez! We almost left town without checking on it. We had already crossed the railroad tracks where it sat off to the left, with Joann looking at the road ahead and me looking down at the map.
We made another of our many turn-arounds and drove back a couple of blocks, and sure enough, right at the railroad tracks we had just crossed, sat the mill.
We were on the other side of the mill from our prior visit and in winter with a little snow on the ground and different lighting conditions, the colors of the mill looked a little different. Even a small amount of snow on the roof made the mill name and Purina Chows lettering stand out a little more.
Knowing how long it took us to finally get here, and how finicky Wisconsin winters have been in recent years, Joann worked the mill over taking every angle. Since it is no longer a functioning mill, we never know when we’ll visit the area and find that nothing but the tracks remain.
When we finished at the mill, we had precious little daylight left to make it to our last stop - a “quilt barn.” Rather than the normal single quilt block, this one has a mural with a clothesline full of quilts.
By the time we finished, it was too late for any additional stops, so all we could do was drive straight home (in the dark), which is a typical end to our photographing days.
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
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