Ruby V. Hanneman was a Real Fashion Icon

From very little on, my grandmother, Ruby Viola Hanneman, had a beauty that radiated in the many photographs taken of her. Her grandchildren no doubt recall the housecoat-type of outfits she often wore around the house. But make no mistake, Ruby was a fashion icon in her day. Our photo gallery bears ample testimony.  My … Continue reading Ruby V. Hanneman was a Real Fashion Icon

Ruby Treutel and the 1922 Lincoln H.S. Ahdawagam

One beautiful young lady truly stands out among the 160 pages of the 1922 Ahdawagam. What is an Ahdawagam, you ask? It is the name of the school annual, or yearbook, at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. Ahdawagam is an Indian word that refers to the “two-sided rapids” along the Wisconsin River. The specially … Continue reading Ruby Treutel and the 1922 Lincoln H.S. Ahdawagam

Hanneman House, Tunnel Story Appear in Breweriana Magazine

The story of the Hanneman house in Mauston and its ties to the historic Mauston Brewery was retold in a 2019 issue of Breweriana magazine. The article was written by Mauston historian Richard D. Rossin Jr., a friend of these pages. In the brewery history magazine, Rossin tells the story of the Mauston Brewery, which operated … Continue reading Hanneman House, Tunnel Story Appear in Breweriana Magazine

Gov.-Elect Orland Loomis’ Painting Comes Home Again to Mauston

A beautiful painting of three dogs in an ornate gold frame hung in our family’s living space and commanded attention for more than 50 years. Once belonging to Wisconsin Governor-elect Orland Steen “Spike” Loomis, the painting used to hang in the Mauston home of my grandparents, Carl and Ruby Hanneman. After a journey of 75 … Continue reading Gov.-Elect Orland Loomis’ Painting Comes Home Again to Mauston

Wedding Wednesday: Carl and Ruby Hanneman

Nearly 90 years ago on a summer Tuesday morning, Ruby Viola Treutel and Carl Henry Frank Hanneman joined in marriage at St. James Catholic Church in Vesper, Wisconsin. The marriage, which would live on for more than 50 years and produce three children and 16 grandchildren, was described in detail in a story in the July 15, 1925 edition of the Wisconsin Rapids Daily … Continue reading Wedding Wednesday: Carl and Ruby Hanneman

Eye on the Past: Jane Hanneman is 3 Years Old

Her look of delight really tells the whole story. Little Jane Patricia Hanneman, beholding a cake on her third birthday, shows a priceless expression. She celebrated her birthday in October 1958 with her paternal grandparents, Carl F. Hanneman (1901-1982) and Ruby V. Hanneman (1904-1977) at their home in Mauston, Wisconsin. In the background of the photo … Continue reading Eye on the Past: Jane Hanneman is 3 Years Old

‘Pestle and Mortar’ Carl Hanneman Passes the Pill-Counting Test

In the first half of the 20th century, druggists in America were often called on to literally fill prescriptions, placing medications into gelatin capsules and then counting out the order. Mauston pharmacist Carl F. Hanneman was very efficient at the task. Maybe too much so, opined The Mauston Star in a rather humorous article in … Continue reading ‘Pestle and Mortar’ Carl Hanneman Passes the Pill-Counting Test

Ruby Treutel’s Spirited 1922 Quest for ‘Queen of the Bridge’

Her reign may have been brief, but for one day in 1922, Ruby V. Treutel was front-page news as the most popular single woman in Wood County, Wisconsin. To help celebrate dedication of a new bridge across the Wisconsin River, the community organized a popularity contest to find the Queen of the Bridge. The Queen of the Bridge contest invited … Continue reading Ruby Treutel’s Spirited 1922 Quest for ‘Queen of the Bridge’

A Mauston Reunion: Requiescat in Pace, Uncle Donn G. Hanneman

I just learned with sadness of the death of my Dad’s older brother, Donn Gene Hanneman, who died in Minneapolis at age 88. Uncle Donn was the last of the Mauston Hanneman family to pass away. My Dad, David D. Hanneman, died in 2007 at age 74. I have many memories of my uncle. He … Continue reading A Mauston Reunion: Requiescat in Pace, Uncle Donn G. Hanneman