For as long as I can remember, family get-togethers on the Rathkamp side of my family have been gut-busting experiences. Every time we get together, somebody reminds me of the time one of the dogs crapped on my brand new white tennis shoes. My dad, Bill, and my Uncle Dave are both really funny guys […]
Rathkamp Brothers Take on Samson, the Famous Lowland Gorilla Read More »
I found this gem last night searching through the Google News Archives. The “young lad” is my grandfather, my dad’s dad. The article is from June 15, 1915. While it states my grandfather’s age is 10, he was actually soon to turn 6. “While watching the circus parade at Thirty-second and Clybourn streets, Monday morning,
Circuses and Beer Wagons Read More »
My last post about Esther Rathkamp got me thinking about all the discrepancies and mysteries surrounding her parents William & Olive Rathkamp, my great grandparents. Genealogists are used to dealing with inconsistencies, usually attributed to misspellings of surnames. But Willy & Olive are off the charts. How and why did Olive move from Iron Mountain,
Willy & Olive, What’s Your Story? Read More »
[singlepic id=35 w=320 h=240 float=left]My maternal grandfather, George Joseph Niesl was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It’s hard to write about my grandpa, not only because I miss him, but also because he was a walking paradox; the original Renaissance man. There is no single human being who has touched me in more ways than he
[singlepic id=23 w=320 h=240 float=left]This past Sunday being Valentines Day, my wife and I ventured to Milwaukee where we were fortunate to see a great concert: Dawes opening up for Cory Chisel. Both of us came away feeling the state of American song writing is in good hands with either of these acts. But the other
Of Sound Mind in a Sound Body Read More »
When people visit downtown Milwaukee, a lot of them comment on how many old buildings they see. Actually, what they see is a fraction of what once was. Milwaukee has managed to replace its history with parking structures, sports venues, and bland concrete buildings. I still love my home town, but the remaining buildings only
Fun With Google Maps, Part 1 Read More »
It’s amazing what you find when [singlepic id=1 w=320 h=240 float=right] really look closely at a census sheet. The genealogy software I use is Family Tree Maker which is owned and developed by Ancestry.com. One of the nice things about this software is the “shaking leaf” it shows on a family member when it
A few weeks ago I visited the Milwaukee Public Library and found they had a variety of “fire insurance” maps going back to the 1880’s. These maps were produced by the Sanborn Company in order to provide insurance underwriters detailed information relative to the construction and fire risks of buildings in designated areas.[singlepic id=2 w=320
Fritz & Dora Have Courtside Seats Read More »