Ahnapee and Pabst........It Wasn't All Beer

Temps close to 100 degrees and an ice cold glass of the liquid that made Milwaukee famous prompted this history nut to think of Pabst, Wolf River and Ahnapee. There is a connection. The community that calls itself Algoma had a healthy respect for Pabst well before Milwaukee did. But, it wasn't the beer. Not in 1860, at least.

Goodrich's three-masted barkentine Cleveland served Green Bay, Kewaunee and Wolf River during 1856. The ship's master was Captain Frederick Pabst who went went on to to captain Goodrich's Comet in 1861. At the time, the Enterprize* reported the Comet was "one of the best boats on the lake" and that it was "officered by true gentlemen" who were great favorites of the traveling public. It was also said Pabst was "every inch a sailor" and a fearless man who would pick a German crew whenever possible.

The Enterprize often mentioned Pabst and his schedules. His consistently good time was attributed to his courtship of a young Milwaukee woman. Pabst married brewer Jacob Best's daughter in 1862 and eventually took over Best's company. That was the beginning of the brewery carrying Pabst's name. For whatever reason, it was nearly 100 years before Pabst introduced a beer called "Jacob Best."

It took awhile for the beers that made Milwaukee famous to catch on in Ahnapee. Harriet Warner was 9 years old when she arrived in Wolf River with her parents on July 4, 1851. The Warners were one of three founding families of what would be Algoma. Harriet, by then Mrs. Abraham Hall, was interviewed by the Record about the early days .She remembered the fun and music loving Wolf River residents as having a dance any time there was a fiddler around. With the dances came plenty of homemade beer.

Following the Civil War the Ahnapee brewery was born. Less than ten years later, the Record reported hearing from DePere visitors that Ahnapee beer was better than the famous Milwaukee lager. If people north of town were not able to get to the taverns, brewery manager Henry Sibilsky used the sloop Whiskey Pete to deliver beer.

Ahnapee's brewery had been in operation less than  20 years when John Skala discontinued the business and moved the equipment to Hagermeister Brewery of Green Bay.  A closer look at saloon photos about 1900 reveals Algoma establishements were serving Rahrs' products, not Hagermeister's. By the time there was a Pabst back in town, it was in a bottle, and by then Capt, Frederick Pabst, who had meant so much to the early residents, was long-forgotten.

Note: Over 140 years later, the building is the home of Von Stieh Winery. The above drawing of Woyta Stransky & Co. Ahnapee Brewery comes from the advertising on the 1876 Kewaunee County Plat Map.

*The Enterprize changed its name to Enterprise and the Goodrich Line waa a Manitowoc ferry and shipping company.

.

Pure Magic: Algoma's Majestic Theater

The Majestic Theater as it looked in 1919

Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Durango Kid, Alan Rocky Lane, Randolph Scott, Joe Palooka, the Bowery Boys, Jungle Jim,Tarzan and more. Friday nights in Algoma during the late '40's and '50's didn't get much better than that. Some parents allowed  two movies a week. That meant Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Debbie Reynolds, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on a Sunday afternoon, but that always meant dancing and love. White hats, swinging thru the trees and dreams of dancing with Fred like Ginger did. It all happened at the Majestic Theater. Roger Reinert was in charge and there was no nonsense.

The Majestic Theatre, on the 2nd and Steele Street site now occupied by Citizens Bank, was founded by David Burke before the advent of World War l. Others operated it before Reinert purchased it from Louis Hasberg in 1945. Hasberg bought it in 1923 from Eugene Pellettieri. In its earlier days, the building had dance hall and bowling alleys in addition to a stage for class plays and community events, but by the '40's the place held only movies and pure magic for a generation of Algoma kids. 

On March 20, 1914 the Majestic opened with a bang presenting a silent film starring Mary Pickford, the sweetheart of the American theatre. “Quo Vadis”, presented in eight acts, was another of the first attractions. It cost 25 cents. Thirty-five years later grade schoolers were paying 12 cents while adults were charged a half dollar. Mom's didn't have to tell their kids to drink milk in those days. For awhile anybody bringing in enough red handles from Pleck's milk got in free. Whether the really tall kids got in for milk handles is anyone's guess as some had to produce a birth certificate just to get the kid price. Being short had its monetary advantages.

Before the Majestic opened, there were films at George W. Timble’s Little Gem Theatre, now the Community Improvement building - best remembered as Timble's Barbershop - or at the Perry Opera House which stood on the east side of Third Street near its intersection with Clark Street. For a while, the Gem operated in the newly constructed Busch building.

Designed by the  architects who designed two Green Bay theatres, the Majestic was said to be most impressive. Its front was mission brick and sported 13 electric lights.  Dark oak covered the outside lobby which had a natural wood foyer. A French beveled plate mirror was hung on the exit side. The theatre had 320 seats, emergency exits, a 12 x 20 stage with a 12 x 14 opening and three drops to look like a street, a garden and a parlor. An 8 x 10 operating room had two movie machines. There was a vapor and steam heating system. Ten years after opening, the theater got even better.

In September 1925 the Majestic announced an addition and added 225 seats. The basement was expanded to hold five bowling alleys. The stage was enlarged and dressing rooms were added.  Projection lenses were replaced and the new pipe organ was installed as soon as refurbishing was completed. The expanded seating capacity provided greater opportunities to see such things as the high school senior class play and more.

During the Depression residents didn't have the money to see movies but by the mid-1930’s, the theatre offered inducements to regain business. One such promotion was a Wednesday evening show that offered the movie plus a piece of glassware, now called Depression glass,all for 5 cents. The taverns also offered specials. On Wednesday evenings it was possible for two people to attend a movie, take home a piece of glassware, and have a large glass of tap beer plus popcorn for 20 cents. All that and greats Greta Garbo, Rudy Vallee, Carole Lombard, Buddy Rogers, Mary Pickford and Will Rogers besides.

When the Majestic was torn down for the rebuilding of Community State Bank, maybe it wasn't only the kids of the '50's who remembered the good ole days.

                                                                   1920s ad

A white banner proclaims "A Big Show Today" at the Little Gem Theater in the Busch building on the south side of Steele Street., between 3rd and 4th Streets. Algoma was welcoming visitors and residents to its 4th of July celebration about 1920.

Cover and postcards from the Kannerwuwrf, Sharpe, Johnson collection c. 2010.

Ahnapee and the 4th of July......

Ahnapee, July 4, 1886

Frank McDonald took this photograph looking east from Steele St. as it intersects with 4th

Celebrating the 4th of July was an event anticipated by the residents of Ahnapee and 1873 was no exception. The day dawned with a heavy fog prompting many to fear the long-awaited event would not be realized. Just before noon, there was a heavy thundershower, but an hour later the sun came out and fears were erased.

Citizens well remembered the remainder of the day which included a fund raising picnic for the Ahnapee band held at Rosier Place, the southwest corner of the intersection of today's Highways 42 and 54. Rufus Wing delivered the oration which was followed by dancing and visits to the various refreshment stands. At a grand ball given at Wilhelmshoeh, a silver watch was presented to the best marksman in the day's shooting contests. The Record reported that the day not only provided enjoyment, but was also a source of profit to "the excellent institution" - the veterans' organization - holding the celebration.

Ahnapee citizens celebrated the country's centennial on the 4th of July 1876 largely because of Wenzel Wenniger. DeWayne Stebbins, who had purchased the newspaper from W.H. Seymour a month earlier, had been trying to stir up interest in a centennial celebration. Few were interested. Then Wenniger got involved and enthusiasm spread.

Wenniger engaged the Ahnapee Brass Band to play for a picnic at his Wilhelmshoeh on the hill on the north side of the Ahnapee River. Ahnapee's string band played for a ball at Weilep's - today called the Stebbins - the night before. The First Baptist church - today the library site - held a dinner before a centennial party and program at the school just down the block to the west. The Record spoke of "good times" at Detloff's and Burke's at Alaska and of celebrations at Sturgeon Bay and Kewaunee. Ahnapee wrapped itself in bunting, displayed flags and enjoyed socials, fireworks and ice cream.

Independence Day 1880 was to be the largest celebration ever. Advertising in nearby towns, Ahnapee promised "no end" to amusements for young and old. The day began with a 38-gun salute, a shot for each state in the union. There were games, a parade, bands, dancing and fireworks, but the festivities did not hide feelings of ill will within the community.

Judge Charles G. Boalt was one of the speakers. He seemed to be pointing out that those with less than he, financially and intellectually, should not infringe on others such as himself. Boalt's speech railed against a minimum wage. He talked about ignorant people accepting communism and a religious fanaticism that seemed to be directed at Catholics. Although the papers often praised the industrious Germans, Boalt complained about them and other immigrants as well. Even before that, there were some years when Yankees and Germans held their own dances, possibly due to ill will. A year later, in 1881, some said celebrating the 4th was "humbug" because it was controlled by the "damn Yankees."

At least a thousand visitors came to Ahnapee on a G.A.R. - Grand Army of the Republic - excursion in July 1894. Steamer Eugene Hart left Marinette with about 750 men, women and children bound for celebrations in Sturgeon Bay and Ahnapee. The 200 who stopped at Sturgeon Bay enjoyed an afternoon of dancing. Those who went to on Ahnapee were met at the harbor by swarms of residents and two bands and were taken to a beautifully decorated new hall. Soldiers, citizens and music paraded past buildings festooned with bunting and flags. Following the afternoon ball, guests were escorted to the waiting steamer. "Overflowing hospitality and genuine open hearted attention" were shown by the residents of Ahnapee according to an article posted in the July 18th Marinette Eagle. It went on to report that the day provided travelers "happy recollections" for the rest of their lives.

The Ahnapee Record..........

Though high school newspaper editors are 16 or 17 years old, one would be hard pressed to find someone so young editing a community's newspaper. Two such young men are even more surprising. But, it did happen and the newspaper in question was published for more than the next 100 years.

In June 1873, 16 year old George Wing and 17 year old Charles Borgmann put out the first edition of the Ahnapee Record. Their elders provided the backing and the rest is history. It was Harry Heidmann who bought the Algoma Record at the advent of World War l, merging it with Algoma Herald. Harold Heidmann sold Algoma Record Herald to Frank Wood who eventually merged the paper with the Kewaunee Enterprise and the Luxemburg News  creating a new paper called Kewaunee County News. Gannett Corp. purchased the News and eventually Kewaunee County Star News was born. By then, the Kewaunee Star was included.

As the story goes, one 1873 May day Squire Walker and Joseph Knipfer were on the street between the Ahnapee House and the McDonald building at Steele and 2nd discussing the need for a newspaper in Ahnapee and wondering who could possibly run it. Young George Wing overheard the conversation and said he would do it if the men would help raise the necessary funds. Apparently Walker and Knipfer never asked Wing about his credentials at 16 years old, however they did ask Wing what his paper's politics would be. Wing said there would be none,  but he went on to say, "I'll just hew straight to the line and let the chips fall where they may." The paper became a reality and the line was on the paper's masthead for a little over 100 years.

Wing and Borgman were young men ahead of their time. They called it agitating when their editorials provoked action among the citizenry. They agitated for such things as ridding the city of briars and stumps and replanting with trees providing shade and beauty. They felt the city had much going for it, however felt that beauty and good schools were necessary to attract new residents who would provide capital for business ventures.

The young men surely were unfamiliar with words such as pollution and environment, but they knew what it was when they saw it. They railed against the mill owners who dumped sawdust and slabs into the river. All that debris came downriver and necessitated dredging. They agitated about Eveland Swamp, a jewel called Perry Field today. They agitated for crosswalks and good streets and the need for lighting in town at night when strangers were abroad. They praised business owners for improving their boardwalks and painting their buildings, or even just painting their signs. Residential owners often got a nod for improvements to their property. City cleanup? It’s been going on for at least as long as there has been a city newspaper.

If Wing, later founder of Kewaunee County Historical Society, and Borgmann could look back, they’d be glad to know their agitating continues. In their brief tenure as editors, they made a mark. The young men had their dreams though Borgman did not live to see his come to fruition. He was in his early 20's when he died of consumption in 1878. Wing, who went on to read law, edited his family newsletter, The Owl, and kept the history of Kewaunee County alive.