MAGAZINE o/HISTORY Published Quarterly by the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN March 1947 WISCONSIN MAGAZINE of HISTORY CLIFFORD L. LORD, Editor LILLIAN KRUEGER, Associate Editor CONTENTS Chats with the Editor Clifford Lord 257 The Agricultural College Lands in Wisconsin W. H. Glover 261 Theater Buildings in Madison, Wisconsin, 1836-1900 Henry C. Youngerman 273 Old Milwaukee's Yankee Hill William George Bruce 289 Bloomfield and Laxey Methodism Oscar Hallam 292 Waukau's First Hundred Years Fred L. Holmes 311 The Pine Lumberjacks in Wisconsin Ruth Stoveken 322 DOCUMENTS: Wisconsin's First Railroad Alice E. Smith 335 COMMUNICATION Lydia M. WiUiams-Cammack 353 BOOK NOTES 355 THE SOCIETY AND THE STATE 366 The WISCONSIN MAGAZINE OF HISTORY is published quarterly by the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN, 816 State Street, Madison, 6. Distributed to members as part of their dues (Annual Membership, $3.00; Life, $50). Yearly subscription, $3.00; single number, 75 cents. Communications should be addressed to the editor. The Society does not assume responsibility for statements made by contributors. Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Madison, Wis­ consin, under the act of August 24, 1912. Copyright 1947 by the STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN. Paid for by the Maria L. and Simeon Mills Editorial Fund and by the George B. Burrows Fund. THE COVER MADISON, WISCONSIN. This woodcut appeared in the Billed-Magazin, an illustrated Norwegian monthly, in its issue of July 10, 1869. It may have been cut that year. James C. Beneworth, an English engraver— whose name appears on the picture—arrived in America in 1843 on the brig " Swea," with Thure Kumlien and other Swedish emigrants. The broad dome of the old Capitol is plainly visible in the center of the picture. Madison of the 1860's appropriately illustrates Mr. Youngerman's history of Madison theaters, in this issue. Engraving by courtesy of Curator Albert O. Barton. WISCONSIN MAGAZINE of HISTORY Volume 30 March 1947 Number 3 Chats with the Editor /*"-^-iHE SOCIETY has now formally launched its plans for a large, I modern, up-to-date museum. It is no news to our members -fi- that our present Museum, on the fourth floor of our Library, is antiquated, overcrov/ded, lacking in work space and storage space, inflexible in arrangement, and without adequate light­ ing. It is no news that a modern museum program cannot be launched in such cramped and inadequate quarters. Though 60,000 people a year, including some 18,000 school children, make use of it, it cannot begin to fulfill its po­ tentialities with its present facilities. But it is no news either that this is a very poor time to ask for a new building. Budgetary requests submitted to the Governor and now before the Legislature have far exceeded anticipated revenues. It is no time to ask for a large capital outla}^ In addition, constmc- tion costs are inordinately high. It is no time to build. Yet we are asking for $3,500,000 for the first of three units of the new museum. The question is why. The answer is simple, logical, and compelling. We have a unique oppormnity now—today—to giNe Wisconsin one of the greatest historical museums in the country. Three great collections may be added to our present collection if we get a building in the immediate fumre. Two of them will not come to us without it. The third may escape us without it. The fate of all three will be decided in the next 257 258 CHATS WITH THE EDITOR [March two years. All are large and very important collections. Such an opportunity proverbially knocks but once. This one will not be repeated. Two years from now it will be gone beyond recall. There­ fore, despite the obstacles, we are seeking the first unit of the new museum now. What kind of a museum are we planning? Physically it will be large and commodious, with ample storage room and workshops, well-lighted, colorful, with an informal atmosphere. It will be an educational instimtion of major importance, teaching through its exhibits, its smdy collections, and its extension services to schools and other museums throughout the State, the Badger story—the story of hard work, of invention, of educational progress, of scientific contributions, of a constantly rising standard of living which in Wis­ consin as in the rest of the nation has made us what we are today; the story of agriculmre, industry, labor, education, the professions, our peoples and nationalities. A modern museum is one of the most useful vehicles of adult and childhood education. We mean to meet the challenge of the potentialities a new plant would offer us. The Centennial Planning Committee, recognizing such a museum as a fitting capstone to the centennial observance in 1948, has strong­ ly endorsed the project and pledged its full aid. The Board of Regents of the University has expressed its faith in the utility to tne University of such a building by offering to provide a site on the campus. The American Legion has recognized its value by endorsing it as a memorial to the W^consin veterans of World War II. Sup­ port has been pledged by prominent leaders in industry, agriculmre, labor, and educational circles. They see the vision. They believe with us in its validity. The difficulties in the present situation are freely and frankly acknowledged. The present opportunity, however, will not arise again. That is why the question is before the Legislamre at its pres­ ent session. Whatever the outcome, Wisconsin will get the kind of museum its people, speaking through their elected representatives, want, and the very best that the trained staff of the Society can give them. 1947] CHATS WITH THE EDITOR 259 THE SOCIETY is now in the early days of its first large-scale post­ war membership drive. Committees are organized and functioning in every county. The list of current members has been distributed. The help of every member has been solicited. The Centennial nn. ^ -r j TT i ^ • • i i The late Fred Holmes always maintained that ^ there were at least 10,000 people in the State sufficiently interested in history to be logical candidates for member­ ship. A Progressive in most other things, he was in this a conserva­ tive. For history is the record of man's activities. It takes into account factors of climate, geology, and geography. It tells of the expanding frontiers of knowledge. It records achievements and failures and seeks to understand the causes of both. It tells of man's efforts to subdue and turn nature to his uses, and to live and trade with men of other races and other national origins. It is the story of culmre, society, economy, the state. Sometimes sordid, sometimes inspiring, it is the record of the making of our civilization. A key to under­ standing, a breeder of perspective, it is a tool of great value, po­ tentially if too often unrecognized, to every Badger. It should also be of interest to every Badger. Yet history and historical societies are often thought of by people as dull, stodgy, and dry—the societies composed of staff and mem­ bers somewhat passively waiting in scholarly contemplation their call to the pearly gates. We know that there are people in Wis­ consin who feel that way about us. We wonder a bit about such people. What do they really know about us? Do they know the richness of our remarkable Library, of its rank among the leading libraries of the country in its public documents, its newspapers, its manuscripts, and its labor publications? Do they know of our active program to save the manuscripts, printed material and artifacts of Wisconsin's heritage through our Library and Museum? Do they know about the research we have sponsored in the past and the wealth of material published in our Collections? Do they know about the research projects now under way and about our plans to place the research and publication program on a more active basis in the immediate future? Do they see our Magazine regularly? Do they know much about our present Museum or the new plant we 260 CHATS WITH THE EDITOR [March are talking about? Do they know anything about our proposed junior chapters which we hope to instimte next fall in the schools? Do they know about our archives program? Do they know that we are cooperating with the Highway Commission in the marking of historic sites along the highways, and with the Conservation Com­ mission in the program for the preservation of historic sites and buildings? Do they know of our cooperation with the Centennial Committee and the services we hope to be able to offer the State and local observances? Do they realize that our Library and Museum are now servicing 120,000 people a year? Do they know that v/e are, for all practical purposes, the American history library for the University of Wisconsin, or that for forty-six years the University Library itself has been our welcome guest and colleague within our building? Do they know of our attempts, perhaps a bit faltering at times, to support and encourage the growth of strong local historical societies throughout the State as affiliates in work, in spirit, and in fact, of the State Society? Yes, we wonder about such people. If they do know all about us, what are they waiting for? If they don't know about us, now is our chance to tell them. As the Society enters its second cenmry and our State faces its centennial, this is the time to put the story before them.