© 2025 WXPR
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
A Northwoods Moment In History

We turn back the clock with local historians to find out what life in the Northwoods used to be like. This is part of an initiative by WXPR to tell the history and culture of northern Wisconsin.

Stay Connected
Latest Episodes
  • During the first cross-country endurance race in Wisconsin, the Hodag International Cross-Country Marathon, racers came from all over, including Canada. However, there were few women among the entrants. MaryAnn Montgomery was one.
  • Downtown Rhinelander was decked for the holiday season in December of 1968 when the Christmas celebrating was put to a sudden stop. A historic fire swept through the city, destroying dozens of storefronts.
  • Rumors about Molly’s Rock in Sugar Camp are plentiful. But what’s the true story behind the legendary haunted boulder?
  • An explosion shattered the quiet air of Minocqua Lake early in the morning on August 13, 1977. The blast killed the man carrying the bomb, severely injured the perpetrator of the bombing and left a dark mark on Minocqua history.
  • Rhinelander resident Henry Hanson was a captain onboard a ship during World War I when it was torpedoed by German U Boats.
  • Although relatively slow moving, trains do not stop easily. No shortage of vehicles or persons came head-to-head with locomotives in their time, often with fatal effect. So too did trains occasionally collide with other trains. One such incident occurred at Rhinelander in the summer of 1951.
  • The Oneida County Courthouse in Rhinelander is purported to be one of the most photographed buildings in northern Wisconsin. Let’s learn a little bit about it with Director of the Pioneer Park Historical Complex Kerry Bloedorn.
  • Many talented and intriguing personalities have called northern Wisconsin home throughout history, from the naturalist Sam Campbell to actress Joan Valerie, and baseball player Cy Williams. But this musically magical couple stands apart from the rest.
  • In 1947, the Henkelmann family moved to Arbor Vitae. Henry and Mary built Henkelmann's Museum, opening around 1950.
  • The Civilian Conservation Corps, or CCC, is one of the most storied and well thought of government programs in United States History. The CCC left a legacy that has withstood the tests of time, and evidence of it can be seen in parks, landscapes, and communities across America, including the Northwoods of Wisconsin.