2631 N. MEADE STREET, SUITE 101, APPLETON, WI (920) Back

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1 2631 N. MEADE STREET, SUITE 101, APPLETON, WI (920) www.appletonhistory.org Back MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, January 11, 2017 St. Bernadette s Catholic School PROGRAM SUMMARY Vulcan Power Plant Replica and Early Hydroelectricity CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 44 OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Tom Sutter, Gwen Sargeant, James Richter, Laura Leimer, Linda Muldoon, John Marx, Brian Schneider, and Diana Sandberg.

2 Upcoming Special Events March :30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer s Market, City Center Plaza August 13 2pm - Riverside Cemetery Walk City Pioneers December :30 History Fair at the Indoor Farmer s Market, City Center Plaza 2017 Appleton History Speaker Series January 11 Vulcan replica and early hydroelectricity Tom Seidl February 8 Appleton parades Greg Otis March 8 St. Joseph s Church and School, 150 years Jim Krueger April 12 Native Americans Peter Peregrine May 10 Appleton East High School 50 years Cory Otis June 14 Lawrence University Erin Dix July 12 Cloud Buick - Steve Cloud August 9 Attic Theater Berray Billington September 13 Pioneer and Riverside Cemeteries Gwen Sargeant October 11 Voecks Meat Market and Fox Valley Coin Michelle Griesbach November 8 The Appleton Picture Show -- Bring your own photos for show and tell! APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION: AHS Officers: A. President - Thomas Sutter B. Vice President - Gwen Sargeant C. Secretary James Richter D. Treasurer Laura Leimer AHS Board of Directors: A. Terms through November 2017:

3 1. Mark Moderson 2. John Marx 3. Laura Leimer 4. Diana Sandberg B. Terms through November 2018: 1. Tom Sutter 2. Christine Williams 3. James Richter C. Terms through November 2019: 1. Linda Muldoon 2. Jim Krueger 3. Gwen Sargeant 4. Brian Schneider Fund Raising Committee: A. James Richter, Chairman E. Brian Schneider B. Gwen Sargeant, Vice Chairman F. David Buss C. Laura Leimer, Treasurer G. Jack Voight D. Linda Muldoon Fund Raising SubCommittee-Promotions: A. Mark Moderson, Chairman B. Jim Krueger, Vice Chairman C. Karen Moderson Building and Grounds Committee: A. John Marx, Chairman E. Brian Schneider B. Gwen Sargeant, Vice Chairman C. Laura Leimer, Treasurer D. James Krueger Additional Committee Chairs are as follows: A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources C. David Buss and Diana Sandberg, Research Specialists D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page E. Christine Williams, Monthly Programs F. Gwen Sargeant, Publications PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS: A. Introduced Officers and Board Members. B. Thanks to the Post Crescent for it s announcement of tonight s meeting and all of it s support. C. We express our deepest appreciation to St. Bernadette s Catholic Church for the use of their School Building located on Lourdes Drive on Appleton s south side. D. Thanks to Chad Lewis for last month s program Haunted Appleton.

4 E. Gave an update on our Building at 128 N. Durkee Street: 1. Handicapped ramp has been installed. 2. Carpeting of the first floor is almost complete. 3. The American Disabilities Act compliant bathroom is done except for an issue in the ceiling. 4. We have a target of opening in the first quarter of F. Sutter gave a report on remaining monthly programs and special events for the year. G. The door prize was won by Paul VanderLinden. H. Reported an upcoming event we all might like to take in. For the month of March the Menasha Public Library will be doing a display of Tom Sutter s historic map collection. I. Urged everyone to renew their memberships for J. Sales of our book Images of America-Appleton continue to go well. Books are available at the registration table for $22.00 a copy. K. We also still have available Vulcan Electric Site Souvenir Booklets for $ AHS History Fairs Report: James Richter, Co-Chairman gave a report on both 13 th and 14 th History Fairs. Our 13 th event was again held as part of the Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market at the City Center in downtown Appleton. Attendance was 270 for our Lucky 13 th event. Those who attended showed great support and positive comments for our theme, and the variety of exhibits displayed. The kids loved our electric train set running in the front window around a Christmas tree, and the free candy. Several copies of AHS s book, Images of America-Appleton, were sold at the event. Exhibits focused on Appleton s Unique Historic Businesses and included displays as follows: (1) AHS Welcome Table- Tom Sutter, Gwen Sargeant, Christine Williams, Laura Leimer (2) Brian Schneider - Historic video and music; free scanning of pictures and artifacts (3) Tom Sutter Telulah Springs display (4) Jim Richter and Brian Schneider Voecks Food Store display (5) Jim Richter and Diana Sandberg Lutz Ice Company display (6) Jim Richter and Diana Sandberg Pettibone Peabody Department Store display (7) Jim Richter and Diana Sandberg - Appleton Furriers display (8) Tom Courtney - Courtney Woolen Mill display (9) Jim Krueger - Jimos Hat and Shoe Shop (10) Mark Moderson - pictures, post cards, business items and artifacts (11) Jeff Geiger Heckert Shoe Store display (12) Dave Kalz pictures, post cards and artifacts (13) Dave Kalz (2 nd ) model railroad setup in action (14) Dave Buss Funeral Homes and Ambulance Services display (15) Diana Sandberg, Appleton Public Library Assorted Appleton businesses displays

5 (16) Barney Hameister - post cards and pictures (17) Mary Keller Rossmeissl Shoe Store display Many thanks to our dedicated exhibitors and all the time and effort they committed to our success! We thank Jennifer Stephany, Djuanna Hugdahl and Traci Erbecht of Appleton Downtown Inc. for making the event possible. Thanks also go to Pfefferle Companies Inc. and their City Center Staff for providing space, equipment and assistance. We also appreciate the excellent news coverage that was provided by WHBY Radio. Thanks also to Community 1 st and Capital Credit Unions for marquee ads. Planning is already underway for our 14 th History Fair, which will be held on March 4, He and Co-Chair Mark Moderson are arranging a wide variety of historical exhibits. The focus of this event will be on Appleton s Manufacturers- The First 100 Years. As always we are looking for exhibitors for our 16 to 18 tables.he urged the audience all to attend. James Richter, Co-Chairman Mark Moderson, Co-Chairman PROGRAM: Hydroelectricity Vulcan Power Plant Replica and Early PRESENTER: Tom Seidl, W.E. Energies Speaker s Background: A native of Kewaunee. Graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in engineering. He serves as a Principal Engineer with W.E. Energies and is recognized as an expert on Stray Voltage. The Program: Tom began by saying he has been very involved with local history since he was first hired by Wisconsin Electric Power, now W.E. Energies, over 30 years ago. Shortly after joining the company he was assigned the preservation of the Vulcan Hydroelectric Plant. Periodically he gave tours of the plant and of their small museum in the main plant on South Oneida Street.

6 The coming of Electricity to Appleton was a big thing and revolutionized not only manufacturing but also residential lighting. As it is a bit complicated, Tom thought a lesson on electricity would be in order. These are a few facts he related: (1) DEFINITION OF ELECTRICITY - a fundamental form of energy observable in positive and negative forms that occurs naturally (as in lightning) or is produced (as in a generator) and that is expressed in terms of the movement and interaction of electrons. (2) DEFINITION OF MAGNETISM Magnetism comes from a north and south pole and an invisible field between them. This field moves electricity and is exhibited by both magnets and electric currents, which are characterized by fields of force. (3) DEFINITION OF DYNAMO an electric generator for Direct Current. (4) We move electrons through these fields of force (a wire). A current going through a wire creates a magnetic field. (5) If you rotate on that field you create a sine wave that can increase or decrease the voltage. (6) Appleton s first electrical installation was a D.C. (direct current) system, that s what Edison started and advocated. (7) Explained how a D.C. dynamo works. (8) The coming of Electricity to Appleton was a big thing and revolutionized not only manufacturing but also residential lighting. Edison s role in electricity and the light bulb was significant, but a few things need to be clarified: (1) He didn t invent direct current (D.C.) motors, he just perfected them. (2) He didn t invent the light bulb, he just perfected it. (3) His goal was to create and control a large central power station, from which he could charge electricity users on a regular basis. (4) In a battle with George Westinghouse, who advocated alternating current (A.C.), Edison pushed for direct current. This create a War on

7 Current. Seidl worked for the Westinghouse Company just out of college. (George Westinghouse originally came to fame because he invented the air brake. (5) When electricity first started there were many different power companies, some with A.C., some with D.C. Each ran their own distribution/ transmission lines. Companies came and went, but left their non-standardized plants and lines behind. After all sorts of problems and fires, laws were developed to have a single system in different geographic areas. This advanced of course to a single nationwide system or national grid. (6) Solar offers some opportunities and it is a D.C. current system. Power companies use inverters to convert this to A.C. current. Electricity first came to Appleton when H. J. Rogers, prominent paper mill owner, became involved with Thomas Edison himself. Rogers saw the need to put electricity and the light bulb into his Appleton Pulp and Paper Company plant and then into his own home (now known as the Hearthstone). Rogers with a few other local investors had a Dynamo installed in the paper mill to supply electricity to the mill, Rogers home, and ultimately other businesses and homes in the community. This unit went into operation on September 30, This first dynamo in Rogers paper mill obviously had limits to how much electricity it could produce. Because the generator load varied due to production processes running at a given time, Rogers people ended up moving the dynamo from inside the plant to a small building outside the plant. Then in late 1882 a second dynamo was purchased and added to their system. It was installed in a small building on Vulcan Street in the Appleton industrial flats. Referred to as The Vulcan Street Plant, the small hydroelectric powered plant was built on a channel of the Fox River, just southwest of the Lawe Street bridge. It supplied power for a number of mills and a few homes up until 1908.

8 In 1886 two larger generators were purchased and placed in a new central plant on the site of Wisconsin Michigan Power Company s present motor bus station (now location of W.E. Energies Hydroelectric Plant/Steam Plant just east of the Memorial Drive Bridge). For a Golden Jubilee Anniversary Celebration held in 1932 Wisconsin Michigan Power Company (WMPCO) people and other local volunteers constructed a replica of The Vulcan Street Plant. It was built on South Oneida Street, now Olde Oneida Street, in front of their WMPCO office and garage (now the Edison Center). In constructing the replica they had to locate a generating wheel (dynamo) like one in the original plant of One was located in the Crystal River about five or six miles out of Waupaca. It is now installed in the replica plant and is an exact type of the original Elmer wheel used in the first plant. It was manufactured by Morgan and Bassett, now the Appleton Machine Company, under the patents of Mr. Elmer, the inventor, who was a resident of Berlin, Wisconsin. The power company ran the model for educational tours & school groups. In 1987, it was moved to its present location on Vulcan St. just to the west of the S. Lawe St. Bridge, & given to the City of Appleton, placed on a piece of land donated by Bob Buchanan & Riverside Paper. The site where it presently sits is within 20 feet of the original Vulcan Central Station plant that operated in November of The Parks & Recreation Dept. of Appleton owns & maintains the replica, while the Appleton Historical Society has access to open & show the plant for tours & visitors. (Thanks to Laura Leimer, AHS Treasurer, and Principal Vulcan Plant contact). In 1977 a Vulcan History Brochure was published to celebrate it s 95 th Anniversary. Copies of these brochures are still available for sale by the Appleton Historical Society. In 1982 WMPCO and the City chose to have a celebration to commemorate the 100 th anniversary of the first Appleton Power Plant. They called the celebration the Festival of Lights, and consisted of multiple events: (1) Reconstruction of a trolley car. The rebuilt unit offered rides to the community. Seidl often operated on and gave tours on the trolley. (2) The Vulcan Hydroelectric Plant replica. Seidl also gave demonstrations of the plant in operation. (3) An electrical history museum inside the WMPCO complex.

9 (4) Also tours of the river and the power plant area were provided by the River Queen. Seidl then concluded with providing a variety of information about electricity and how it has evolved: (1) Did you know original wiring used in the Hearthstone and other buildings of it s time was merely copper covered with cotton cloth? (2) Did you know that the power transmission lines are just bare wire - no insulation? (3) A.C. current can be stepped up for transportation by transformers and then it s stepped down to a substation. Then the current is stepped down further to connect to homes and businesses. (4) Nikola Tesla created the A.C. motor. (5) All electronics have operated on D.C. current and still do. (6) The Kimberly Clark Corporation paper mill in Niagara, New York, used D.C. current. Because of that the Kimberly, Wisconsin, mill was the same and generated 25 hertz of power. W.E. Energies continues to support the preservation of local history. It works with the City in the operation of the Vulcan replica. It donated it s Appleton museum to the Outagamie County Historical Society. The presentation and it s notes were supplemented by additional information from the Merrriam-Webster Dictionary and from the Souvenir Booklet Commemorating the 50 th Anniversary of the World s First Hydroelectric Station at Appleton, Wisconsin. Back Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary, 1/28/17