Wisconsin Hometown Stories: Eau Claire

Stories that follow the origins of the native people who lived on the land; the growth of timber milling, tire manufacturing and cookware industries that provided employment for residents; a feathered mascot who led area troops into Civil War battles and the influential role the city played in the fight for civil rights in baseball.

Chapters
1:40 The First Eau Claire
12:02 Old Abe
20:10 The Second Eau Claire
30:05 Flying Eagles
45:36 Improvisation

[su]

These Hometown stories are so well done & are of such quality! Well done, Thank you!

[Peractorius]

What a wonderful and beautiful series! My grandma remembered a lot of it!

[randallbeebe]

I was Born in Eau Claire 1962. Growing up as a child I was in sections of the logging shut and growing up explored many places that had footings from some of the old building in this program. Some of my first memories come from living on the corner of Wisconsin St. and Forest St... Pheonix Steel was still there. The city has changed but in the back of my mind I can still see that Neighborhood and the people. I remember the World War 1 Veterans that Lived in the Gordon Hotel, The Cab Stand, M&H, Max Phillips and sons OOH and the Old Madison St. Bridge with its Light Post's. It was a great place to grow up.. I started at Pheonix Steel in 1986 near the air port where they moved after the Big Flood of 1967. This Town Did Grow into a City

[dadeligtfuldazzlingderika]

Well now I'm crying over old Abe 😭

[Maaaattologyyyy]

My grandmother was from Fairchild which is small town and she spoke of Eau Claire the nearest bigger town. She moved to Chicago on her own. R.I.P. Audrey

[Isaacfra]

You all have a beautiful city i would love to go to your city some time Wisconsin proud from Milwaukee love

[jude]

The tribes themselves prefer "American Indian" over "Native American." Tragic that much of downtown has been demolished. That crappy Confluence construction tore out the heart of authentic downtown.

[Isaacfra]

Y'all got one on superior or Milwaukee

[hollyhouse]

My father Warren Hotchkiss was on that ski team and won class A in Hayward, WI

[robertbob]

Well I thought old age came from Jim falls not Eau Claire Jim falls is about 35-40 minutes from Eau Claire