Newsletter of the Stahl-Conrad Homestead s1

Homestead Happenings Newsletter of the Stahl-Conrad Homestead www.HistoricHalesCorners.org

______9724 W. Forest Home Ave., Hales Corners, WI 53130 August, 2013__

Annual meeting will feature Ed Janus The Homestead will host its annual meeting in the barn at 6:30 p.m. on Christmas tree sales at the Wednesday, September 25. Ed Janus, author of Creating Dairyland, Homestead will explore the history of dairying in Wisconsin and introduce us to Freshly cut Christmas trees will today’s dairy farmers and cheese makers. He became fascinated with be available beginning November dairying after spending two years as a dairy farmer, an experience that 30, the Saturday after gave him a love of cows, fields, barns, and farmers. Janus recently Thanksgiving. Come early for founded the Wisconsin Dairy History Project. The program is free and the best selection. open to the public. Refreshments will be served. At this meeting, the Homestead’s nominating committee will submit Species include balsam, Fraser fir names for election to three-year terms as directors. If you would like to and pine. The trees are 6 to 9 serve, leave a message at the Homestead telephone (414) 858-9195. feet in height. Prices range from Farmhouse hosts quilt exhibit $20 to $60, depending on height and species. This year, as we celebrate our tenth anniversary, the Homestead invites you to view our exhibit of quilts, on loan from members and friends. Hours for the sale will be 3:30 to The exhibit will continue through October, whenever the markets are in 8:00 p.m. weekdays and 12:00 session or by appointment. noon to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays Despite having been rained out in June, the market is picking up with and Sundays. new vendors as well as regular old timers. We look forward to seeing you at the remaining markets. We note with regret that one of our An added attraction will be swags favorite vendors, Marilyn Jacobsen, will be there on September 14 for created by members of the the last time due to the pending sale of her farm. This is your chance to Hawthorn Garden Club. acquire her handmade items made from the fleece of her sheep. Still time to buy raffle tickets Our markets offer raffle tickets for two prizes: a case of wine (mixed Woman’s Club gift from California, Italy, and New Zealand, half red, half white) and two A recent gift of $400 from the Brewers tickets complete with parking pass. Tickets are $3 each or 2 Hales Corners Woman’s Club for $5. will support our purchase of a Garden Club will sell “Garden Treasures” computer for the Homestead. This will enable us to move our The September 14 market will be your chance to get dried flowers for work and files form our homes to your fall arrangements from the Hawthorn Garden Club. the Homestead office. We are September 28 market will feature apple press demonstration grateful for this gift from volunteers who give so much to The September 28 market will feature a demonstration of the antique our community. apple press donated by Lloyd Conrad and operated by his son Curtis. Youngsters can try their hand turning the crank on the press and learn something about the hard work of our ancestors.

Hales Corners Historical Society publishes new book Gifts of goods and services Betty Braun---signs for quilt exhibit; care of flowers for the property You’ve heard for years about Ben Jim Bruening---numerous household chores Hunt and his cabin. Now there’s Dara Chappie---creation of market poster a new book about W. Ben Hunt, Lloyd Conrad---publication about making genuine apple cider available this summer for $22 for Arlene Kaiser---loan of needlework for display HCHS members and $25 for Jan Krueger---Professional assistance in arranging our quilt exhibit others. Prepared by Al Strekow Tom Ueberroth---numerous household chores and Bob Zeit, the book combines Bette Arey, Betty Braun, Fran Jablonski, JoAnn Neusen, Pat Warchol--- the best qualities of these loan of quilts for display members of the society: artist and writer along with personal knowledge of Hunt since the Honoring our Indians’ oak, by Jim Uhrinak 1940s. When you see the 8-foot-tall natural stump or snag within the The society is nearing the end of Homestead’s savanna, remember to tell others that the tree was once their updated history of Hales owned by Wisconsin Indians. Our latest ring count indicates that the Corners. They ask if you know tree was an acorn around 1820. At that time, the U.S. had already won of some businesses, now gone, the War of 1812. Our nation was building Fort Crawford in Prairie du that were not in the old book, let Chien and Fort Snelling at the Twin Cities in the process of finding them know. Does anyone know ways to occupy the then-young Northwest Territory. the name of a bicycle repair shop At that time, the present-day Stahl-Conrad property was within the next door to Schmidt’s IGA? Or United States but Indian title had not been extinguished. It was not until what do you know about a small the Treaty of Chicago in 1833 that Indian claims to this oak were ceded. car repair shop near MW Marine Homestead member Dr. Nancy Lurie published a map showing Indian or about a pizza shop near Holz land cessions on page 7 of her book Wisconsin Indians. that was not Anne’s? ______The tree serves as a reminder of how close we are to presettlement history. On the other hand, fifteen feet away from the oak snag is a bison boulder effigy shaped by American Indian people. Herman The mission of the Stahl-Conrad Bender, geologist and cultural landscape expert, has said that this effigy Homestead is to create a museum focused on transitions in the land in is consistent with a tradition that dates back to the Archaic, a few Hales Corners and its environs from thousand years ago. This can remind us that pioneer history is only a presettlement into the future and to tiny fraction of the land’s history. preserve the Stahl-Conrad Homestead as a remnant of a bygone On March 29, 2013, the Franklin-Greendale-Hales Corners-Oak Creek lifestyle. NOW featured a cover photo of our veteran oak milling event. A few The Homestead’s vision: The land is hand-sawn boards from our Indian-era white oak are available for sale restored and the buildings are renovated from the Homestead. This air-dried lumber is in 10-foot lengths. Board to accommodate changing exhibits and widths vary from 7 to 14 inches in thicknesses of 7/4, 5/4 and 4/4 inch. public events.

For information on availability and pricing, phone Homestead member The Homestead is a nonprofit 501 (c) Jim Uhrinak at 414-873-3626. Jim is a lifetime member of the (3) organization. Your donations and International Oak Society. in-kind gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law. Recommended reading: “The Mighty Oak” by Homestead member Rebecca Lane, Oak Creek Urban Forester, in the Spring 2013 ACORN, Officers and directors are: president, or view online at OakCreekWI.org, and Oak: The Home of Civilization Bette Arey; vice president, Dan Besson; by William Logon, 2005, 336 pages, a wonderful tribute to the vibrant secretary, Delene Hanson; treasurer, Michael Jedrzejewski; directors: Betty presence of the oak throughout history. Braun; Dave Golon, Michael Kochis, Ron Noeske, and Dave Zepecki. ______.