A Northwoods Moment In History

In the early 1900's, Harshaw—like many small communities—had a general store that the community depended on in many ways.

The store closed in 1960, but Gary Entz looks back on its importance for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History.

This week’s A Northwoods Moment in History is in response to two WXPR listeners who submitted questions to our new Curious North series.

An anonymous listener from Lake Tomahawk asked: Did the French and British occupy Wisconsin? What happened in the war of 1812 in the state?

In addition, Jane Nicholson from Manitowish Waters asked: What were the first initiatives of the US government in our area? Who was sent here and for what purposes/initiatives?

Throughout the last year, our local historian Gary Entz has uncovered why many towns in the Northwoods are named what they are.

Some previous installments of A Northwoods Moment in History have included how the communities of Gagen, Sugar Camp, Phelps, St. Germain, Sayner, and Rhinelander got their names.

In this week’s installment, we hear how the town of Gleason got its name.

For this week's A Northwoods Moment in History, Gary Entz tells us about the incredible journey of Thomas O’Brien in 1913.

In 1913 Thomas O’Brien was just on ordinary resident of Rhinelander.  While his brother John O’Brien was a respected member of the Rhinelander Police Department and served his community honorably, it was the younger brother Thomas who did something remarkable.  Thomas O’Brien undertook an incredible journey that few people even today would dare attempt.

For this week's A Northwoods Moment in History, Gary Entz tells us about a cold case that exists in Rhinelander from 1939.

A cold case is a criminal case where probative investigative leads have been exhausted but could be reopened pending the discovery of new evidence.  Such a cold case exists in Rhinelander’s history, and it is a grisly case of alleged murder.

For this week's A Northwoods Moment in History, Gary Entz tells us about the Soo Line Passenger Trains.

The Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad, more commonly known as the Soo Line, formed in 1884 and became a significant part of Northwoods history.  Although the company was primarily a freight railroad and was never one of the nation’s great passenger railroads. It nonetheless provided passenger service to the Northwoods with a branch of its Laker passenger train.

It remains uncertain when the first automobile appeared in the Northwoods, but what we know for sure is that they were not welcomed with open arms.

Gary Entz has the story for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History.

Throughout the last year, our local historian Gary Entz has uncovered why many towns in the Northwoods are named what they are.

Some previous installments of A Northwoods Moment in History have included how the communities of Gagen, Phelps, St. Germain, Sayner, and Rhinelander got their names.

Most ski jumping records have been set in Europe… but that wasn’t always the case.

Gary Entz tells us about Ironwood’s Curry Hill Ski Jump for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History.

Have you ever wondered how the Upper Peninsula of Michigan came to be… why it's a part of Michigan, and not Wisconsin?

Gary Entz has the story for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History.

This week's A Northwoods Moment in History tale from Tomahawk in the early 1940's has all the marks of a great story: a small-time group of bandits, a toy gun, and of course, an efficient Oneida County Sheriff.

We'll let Gary Entz take it from here.

Historians encounter lots of interesting stories, but once in a while a tale from the past resurfaces that just makes a person sit back and wonder how such a thing could have been allowed to happen.  The experience of Earl Wing in the Northwoods is just such a story.

Throughout the last year, our local historian Gary Entz has uncovered why many towns in the Northwoods are named what they are.

Some previous installments of A Northwoods Moment in History have included how the towns of Phelps, St. Germain, Sayner, and Rhinelander got their names.

In this week’s installment, we hear how the community of Gagen got its name.

They say playing on sports teams in high school prepares you for the future in a lot of ways.

For one former Rhinelander High School football player, the way he learned how to tackle in high school set him up to save a former president's life.

Gary Entz has the story this week for A Northwoods Moment in History.

We've all heard of the Rhinelander Shorty, but how much do you really know about the origins of the Rhinelander Brewing Company?

Gary Entz has the story for this week's A Northwoods Moment in History.

In this week's A Northwoods Moment in History, Gary Entz tell us how the city of Rhinelander got its name.