r PRESERVATION - RACINE, INC. NEWSLETTER SUMMER I98U The Fourth - A Hundred Years Ago Friday morning, July U, l88i|, dawned in The parade was followed by the annual a drizzle as the United States Revenue reunion of the Old Settlers' Society at Cutter Andrew Johnson—anchored in the the Blake Opera House where, the program lake opposite Market Square—fired a of events assured everyone, "a large twenty-one-gun "sunrise salute" to start member of distinguished gentlemen from the celebration of Racine's fiftieth various parts of the West, are expected anniversary, to be present, and eloquent speeches made," Afterward, picnic Ixmches were "A Grand Trades Procession, illustrating served all over downtown by the ladies the growth and progress of Racine," was of Racine's many churches. scheduled to begin precisely at nine o'clock, according to a handbill advert The highli^t of the day's festivities, tising the day's events. "All the however, was the dedication that after­ incoming morning trains were filled with noon of the newly-erected soldiers' si^t-seers," reported the Racine Daily monument on the square. At 1;30 the Journal; "and by nine o'clock the crowds reassembled to listen to patri­ streets were packed with a dense throng otic addresses—honoring the soldiers to witness the procession, and it is who served the Union in the Civil War— estimated the number was 10,000." The by General Edward S, Bragg, a former crowd stood waiting in the rain; but by commander of the gallant "Iron Brigade" 9:U5» when the Grand Procession finally (in which many young Racine men had stepped off, the showers had dissipated fou^t and died); by General Lucius and umbrellas were folded away. Fairchild, three times governor of the state, who had lost an arm at Gettys­ On the reviewing stand at the square burg; and by District Attorney Henry , were Jeremiah M. Rusk, Governor of Wis­ Allen Cooper and other local officials. consin; Gilbert I^app, Racine's first Fairchild sat on the rostrum with ten settler, as well as other members of the more veterans of the war, each of whom Racine Coiinty Old Settlers' Society; and had also lost an arm or leg in battle. a number of guests of the city, "Along In front of the platform stood many more the line of march the buildings were veterans wearing their blue army uni­ tastefully and elaborately decorated forms of twenty years before. ' with bunting, flags and other appropri­ ate material," wrote the Daily Journal; Miss Flora Erskine was supposed to "and looking upon the handsome business unveil the monument, but she deferred to structures and beautiful private resi­ Mr. Lemuel C. Porter, "the originator of dences, the pioneers could not but won­ the Soldiers* Monument," the Daily der at the marvelous prosperity and Journal declared, "he being the gentle­ growth which has marked the first fifty man who first suggested its erection." years of Racine's history," At 2:35 when Mr. Porter pulled the cord cohtinued on page three New Members Fran & Emmett Bedford 165U College Ave. 03 Doris Duncan 206 15th St. #12 03 Catherine A. Gister 2028 12th St. 03 Carol Haynes 1808 S. Wisconsin Ave. 03 George Mangold 1222 S. Main St. 03 Janet Nielsen 2056-^ Douglas Ave. 02 Gene Noll 21 E. Chestnut St. Apt. l6C Where Is This? Chicago, IL 6O6II Mr. & Mrs. George Oess CoTild you have seen this in Mound Ceme­ 1216 S. Main St. 03 tery? Dr. Helen Patton Route 10 Box 99 Franklin, N.C. 2873U . J-i--'.- ;. ; • li', ; Sill: .:-rt KjttV Bruce & Judy Renquist Wanted - - - " 711 Tower Circle 02 Donna Rykal If you have served as a tour guide for r>c" any of Preservation-Racine's Annual 91+0 Echo Lane 06 Tours of Historic Places and still Nan Slovachek have your to\ir script, would you please 2502 Green Haze Ave. 06 consider donating it to ou:c files, which are incomplete. Margaret Wemmert I3U0 N. Green Bay Rd. 06 Please mail them to Presersration-Racine, John Cogan Inc. P.O. Box 383, Racine, WI 53U01. 725 Lake Ave. #512 03 Mrs. A. DeVere Harnett 1610 College Ave. 03 Gilbert Thomsen - Life Member Officers IU36 College Ave. 03 fSCHK President Ma:ry Ann Staupe Vice President Mary Whitman Secretary Linda Fouste Treasurer IKathryn Rouse Preservation-Racine, Inc. Newsletter Editors Dorothy Osborne Lithograph on cover: A share of stock Don Rintz that sold for $1.00 to help raise funds Roberta Fiene for the pzx>posed soldiers' monument. A HUNDRED TEARS AGO contimied "A hundred years shall pass away," he continued, "Another assemblage shall gather around the base of this monument to celebrate this birthday of freedom. Among them will be our descendants but so distant that we shall be vaguely remembered." He called the audience's attention to the alert soldier on picket duty at the top of the shaft. "But that assemblage, standing where we stand today, may commune with us throu^ this pale, patient sentinel. ... So may future generations see reflected in his face the patriotism and gratitude that bum so brightly in our hearts today. Still shall our sentinel scan the far eastern horizon for the breaking of that glorious morning, sure to dawn, when the influence of this Republic shall prevail against Czars and Kings, and equal rights be accorded to all men." His words would serve this year to rededicate our mon\ament on the square. Throu^ a century of events which no one co\ild possibly have foreseen, they ring true enougji, even today. that held the flag covering the column, Don Rintz "a cheer went up from the ten thousand people; the bell in the court house rang forth its peals, and the government steamer Andrew Johnson . fired a National salute of 21 guns." Near the ^ll ^fj i-^H end of the ceremony, Mr. Stephen Free­ Coming Up man, an alderman who was seated at the south end of the platform, rose and Cedarburg Stone and Century House Tour offered a spontaneous resolution: That June 1,2 the name of the square be changed, " Racine Covinty Historical Society and "immediately and forthwith,," from Market Museum Annual Meeting Sqiiare to Monument Square. The motion Old Settlers' Park was carried unanimously by a roar of June 2 "ayes" from the crowd, which obviously had no authority to change the name; but Monument Square Art Fair it has been so ever since. June 9,10 Of the myriads of words which were spo­ Root River Canoe Race ken that day to dedicate the monument, June 16 the most eloquent and worthy of remem­ Sesquicentennial Picnic ; brance were probably those of Joseph V. J\ine 30 Quarles, the chairman of the Committee for the Semi-Centennial Celebration. Triathlon His speech was frequently interrupted by August U cheers and applause, and he ended it by Starving Artists' Fair Vi*;5fi -larijO urging his fellow citizens to dedicate August S the monument—"Dedicate it as a sponsor for human rights and a protest against Preservation-Racine Ninth Annual Tour human wrongs in every nation and every of Historic Places '< u^^^^ clime. ^jfijj September 30 ^^^'''^ '--•*• .;nn JLeiCLXOl JO i.*>« i'i%_ Share in the onument Monument Square Mug A hundred years ago Racine was also Preservation-Racine's second mug (198U) raising money for a community project. is now available. It follows a very The goal, then, was $8,000.00 and the successful first mug of the Wind Point project was the soldiers' monument on Lighthouse. The second depicts the the square. Picnics were held, dances soldiers' monument on Monument Square, and dinners—even a Soldiers' Monument which this year is celebrating its one Pair—all of whose profits were pledged hundredth anniversary. The illustra­ to the fund for the monument; and of tions on both are by local artist course, there was a memento that mi^t Robert Johansen, be bou^t. It was the lithograph which is reproduced on our cover. The mugs are available at the Racine County Historical Society and Museimi In celebration of the monument's one Gift Shop or by calling 63U-5U63 or hundredth anniversary, the Racine 633-27U7. Coimty Historical Society and Museum has reprinted a limited ntmiber of these In this Sesquicentennial year, 10% of lithographs in full size (12^ in, x the profits of all mug sales have been 18 in.) from an original in the muse­ pledged to the downtown festival site. um's collection. They are being offered at $5'00 each and can be pur­ chased at the museiom's gift shop. A hundred years ago, this "share in the monument" cost $1,00. When you con­ sider that the average wage for a work­ ing man in 188U was $1.50 a day, to­ day's price is a pittance. But that mite is mistily needed to support the museian. Buy several, if you can. Landmarks Commission Heritage Days The Racine Landmarks Preservation Com­ mission has just revised and reissued Heritage Days at Colonel Heg Memorial for the city's sesquicentennial three Park, Racine County, has heen scheduled publications about historically signif­ for June 16 and 17, 198U» as announced icant architecture in the area. The by the Town of Norway Hist6rical Society "Downtown Racine Walking Tour Guide" is of Wind Lake. a convenient pocket sized map and list The Heritage Days weekend features a of over 20 properties within walking Revolutionary War reenaotment group distance in the city's downtown. encamped within Heg Park. The group For more ambitious travelers with access presents a continuous schedule of authen­ to a car the Commission has updated tic Revolutionary war activities from "Racine Landmarks; A Map Guide," This 10:00 a.m.