July 22, 2024

Wisconsin Historical Society Welcomes Back “History Sandwiched In” Noontime Programs

Ongoing free summer series held at the History Maker Space on Madison’s Capitol Square explores topics from Wisconsin’s history 

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society’s popular “History Sandwiched In” series has returned this summer! These free noon-hour talks, featuring Wisconsin authors, historians, and community members, will be held in the large conference room of the new History Maker Space on Capitol Square in the U.S. Bank Building, on select dates in July and August.

Attendees can anticipate engaging talks on various Wisconsin topics including farm life, early transportation, music and Indigenous history. Presenting authors whose books are published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press will be available for book signings following their presentations. Top of FormBottom of Form

The upcoming talks, held from 12:30 to approximately 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 6, 13 and 27, feature the following speakers:

Aug. 6 – Jim Willaert presents "Plank, Wheel and Rail"

Explore Wisconsin's early transportation history. Learn about plank roads, rail roads and how early settlers moved a locomotive across a plank road. Willaert, curator of the Wade House historic site in Greenbush, is a noted expert on the topic.

Aug. 13 – Kurt Dietrich presents “Never Givin' Up: The Life of Al Jarreau”

Pulling from his recent book of the same name, Dietrich chronicles the life of Al Jarreau, a Wisconsin-born and Milwaukee-raised musical artist, who defied categorization and won six Grammys in three different categories (jazz, pop, and R&B). In addition to tracing his musical path as a youth singing in Milwaukee to performing all over the world, Dietrich will also play examples from Jarreau’s recorded music.

Aug. 27 – Dr. Carol Cornelius presents “A History in Indigenous Voices: Menominee, Ho-Chunk, Oneida, Stockbridge, and Brothertown Interactions in the Removal Era”

Dr. Carol Cornelius presents the layered history of Wisconsin’s Indigenous voices, drawing from her recent book of the same name. Sharing information about early 1800s nation-to-nation treaties negotiated between and signed by the state's Menominee and Ho-Chunk Nations, and newly arrived Indigenous Nations from New York State, Cornelius explores the creation, history and impact of these living documents. Attendees will gain a new understanding of the complexity and sovereignty of Indigenous governance then and now. 

Admission is free for these upcoming events. Although it is not required; online registration is recommended to ensure your seat. Go to wisconsinhistory.org or click here to register. The History Maker Space and the large conference room are located on the first floor of the U.S. Bank Plaza, 1 S. Pinckney Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53703.

The History Maker Space serves as a temporary venue for the Wisconsin Historical Society’s ongoing programming on Capitol Square while the new Wisconsin History Center is being built. Programming will include pop-up exhibits, author talks, public presentations, family programming and history center updates during the building’s development.

About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.

About The Wisconsin History Center

The new Wisconsin History Center is coming to Madison’s Capitol Square, at the intersection of Carroll and State Street, in 2027. The new center will feature 100,000 sq. ft. of dedicated public programming and exhibition space and will be able to accommodate more than 200,000 visitors per year. The five-story building will feature three permanent galleries, a rotating community gallery, and a changing gallery large enough to bring in the nation’s most sought-after traveling exhibits. The center will also feature a classroom, lunchroom, café, retail and event space. Four outdoor terraces, with setbacks offering stunning views of the State Capitol and area lakes, will be available for private events and public programming. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org/historycenter.