Photo Gallery
Village of Bonduel, town of Hartland float with 3 women in gowns. Shawano Centennial parade.
Float in the centennial parade. Photo looking towards South Main.
Float with swan and seven ladies in gowns in the Shawano Centennial parade.
Girl dressed in Native American costume walking past the Shawano train depot.
Cowboy leading cow in the Shawano Centennial parade.
Menominee Indian roads parade float in the Shawano Centennial parade.
Motorcycle float with 2 gentlemen.
Six men riding bicycle in the Shawano Centennial parade.
The Badger Breeders float titled, “Join the Health Parade – Use Dairy Products.”
Wallrich Lumber float pulled by large antique tractor. Pabst Blue Ribbon sign in background.
Parade entry in the 1953 Shawano Centennial celebration – sponsored by Citizen’s Bank and 1st National Bank in the City of Shawano. Margaret Brunner (Queen) and her entourage seated on float. Dupont Brothers Bakery downstairs in background. Joe Macks Accordion School and Music Center upstairs. Universal Appliances on right.
Ted Giessel’s Titan tractor in the 1953 Shawano Centennial parade. In background to right – Arenson’s Mens and Boys Clothing Center; Dupont Brothers Bakery.
Notes
The Shawano County Centennial Parade
July 18, 1953
Shawano, Wisconsin
Take a look at these photos from the centennial parade, held on July 18, 1953, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Shawano becoming a county.
“Shawano County” was created as a separate county in 1853 under the name Shawanaw County. The county, unlike the city, retained the old spelling until 1864. The county, which was organized in 1853, was formed from areas of Oconto and Outagamie Counties. Forty-seven votes were cast and Elias Murray, Charles D Wescott and Elisha Alexander were elected supervisors. At that time there were 254 registered inhabitants, but only the men were allowed to vote.
When the county was first organized the name was spelled Shawanaw, taken from the Indian Sha-wa-Nah-Pay-Sa which meant “lake to the south” in Menominee and Chippewa. The spelling was changed in 1864 to its present Shawano, with three townships: Richmond, Waukechon and Shawano. Later others were added, making twenty-five townships.
In 1860 the first school house was erected in the county and Orlin Andrews was employed as its teacher. In 1898 there were 108 public schools in the county with 124 teachers.
A courthouse was erected on Main Street in 1857 and was replaced in 1879–80 at a cost of $17,000.00. The County Board authorized a new courthouse and jail in June 1953.
The earliest settlers who came to Shawano County consisted mostly of people from the New England States, Canada, and a few from British Columbia. A large influx of Bohemians settled in the Leopolis area and near Powell’s Trading Post in the area about two miles from the city on Highway K. Norwegians settled in the area around Wittenberg, Lessor, Lunds and Navarino. Germans have been very prominent in the entire county.