News & Events of the Alma Historical Society

Recapturing the Small River Town Atmosphere of Early Alma, Wisconsin

News & Events

Nat. Historic District

Alma Area Museum

Armistice Day 1940

State Hwy 35, Main Street

1930 Plat Maps

Photography of Gesell

Back Stories To Photos

Annual Quilt Show

2011 Quilts Photo Album

2011 Quilt Show Raffle

2011 Vintage Quilt Proj

History Projects

Family Histories

Pioneers & Settlers

Victor Probst

John Conrad Waecker

Joseph Berni

Settlers 1839-1855

Settlers 1856-1860

Settlers 1861-1865

Civil War Project

Alma Soldiers

Military Units

Letters & Journals

Land Records

Survey, Plat Map & Notes

Alma Land Patents

Census Records

Cemeteries

Visit Alma

About Us

Donate Historical Items

 
IN THE NEWS

 
ANNUAL QUILT SHOW
31st Annual Quilt Show By Alma Historical Society
The 2016 Annual Quilt Show, presented by the Alma Historical Society, will be held from 10am to 4pm on October 8th & 9th at the Alma Area Schools, S1618 State Highway 35.  This is the 31st anniversary of the Historical Society's annual quilt show.

The show will feature antique sewing machine demonstrations and How-to-Quilt techniques, along with an exhibition of old and new quilts.

If you have a quilt to exhibit at the Quilt Show, please contact Janine Ruff at 608-685-4835.

Volunteers are also needed to help set up the quilt racks and take them down.

Donation Quilt  The 2016 Donation Quilt has been chosen and will be displayed at a local busines.  

2016 QUILT SHOW
October 8th & 9th, 10am-4pm
Alma Area School Complex

  ALMA AREA MUSEUM   
 Open For The 2016 Season
  
   Alma Area Museum is open for the 2016 season.  
  Our museum is housed in the "Buffalo County Training School" building and is open
  Saturday & Sunday afternoons, 1-4pm.
 
  Many thanks to our volunteers, you make the museum possible! 
  Thanks to our visitors for your patronage and financial support!

 
 
 
HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS   

2016 Historic Preservation Award
Honoree:  Dave Bautch
Property:  113-117 South Main Street, Alma, Wisconsin

113 South Main Street two-story building was built in 1867 by John Kaeser and the 115 South Main Street building was built in 1874.  They both have had various Main Street uses over the years including the Hunner & Ginzkey Drug Store and the first bank in Alma, the Hunner & Ginzkey Exchange Bank.  117 South Main Street was built in 1906 and was the home of the German American Bank, today the home of Bautch Insurance.  

2015 Historic Preservation Award
Honoree:  Janis Schreiber and her late husband Gerald Schreiber
Property:  Laue House, 1111 South Main Street, Alma, Wisconsin.  

The Laue House was built in 1879.  Janis and Gerald Schreiber have owned the home since 1976 and were preserving, restoring and improving the property even before many had ever given thought to such an endeavor   Their building was one of the first three buildings in Alma to be listed and accepted on the National Register of Historic Places in May of 1979.  The Schreiber family has taken great pride and attention to detail in bringing the Laue House back to its original grandeur.
 
ALMA'S NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT
Alma, an historic Wisconsin river town, is home to Mississippi River history and contains many historic buildings.  346 acres and over 200 buildings were included in the 1982 designation of the City of Alma as a National Historic District when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  This project was completed by the Alma Historical Society.


2015 ALMA Historic Preservation Award
PIECE OF ALMA'S HISTORY REVEALED
 VINTAGE SIGN FOUND ON BUILDING | Alma WI

SELZ Shoe Advertisement

A SELZ Advertising Sign was revealed in January on the buiding at 321 South Main Street.  The "SELZ Royal Blue Shoes $3.50" sign was hand-painted on tin siding on the south wall.  SELZ shoes were manufactured from 1871 through the 1920s, first in Chicago and then in other factories around Illinois.  The sign has now been removed by the building owner and its disposition is unknown at this time.  When you live in an historic river town dating back to 1848, you never know what will be uncovered!

INFORMATION FROM "Alma On The Mississippi"

321 South Main Street: Johan Adam TRITSCH & Franz Xaver TRITSCH opened their mercantile store on this site in 1872 later moving their mercantile business to their new brick building at 314 South Main in 1876.  A new building was erected at 321 South Main in 1897 by Frank TRITSCH and the first occupant was a meat market operated by Frederick SCHNEIDER & sons.  In 1905 the building was purchased from Frank TRITSCH by J L STOHR where he operated a furniture store and funeral home.


  

Souvenier "Pin Tray"
  

CIVIL WAR PROJECT
Civil War Soldiers From Alma & Buffalo County, Wisconsin

Our Nation is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War from 2011 through 2015.  The Alma Historical Society is compiling information on the 350 men who served from Alma and other communities and townships of Buffalo County. 

We have a special focus on the 68 men who represented the Buffalo County Rifles led by Major John Hauser of Fountain City.  Of these 66 soldiers, 12 died in service and 25 were wounded (with several wounded more than once).

Civil War Project 


John MOY, Gilmanton, Buffalo County, Wisconsin
  

2016 EVENTS

       
DATE                EVENT                  TIME LOCATION
       
January 26th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
     
February 23rd Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
     
March 22nd Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
     
April 26th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
       
May 14th Annual Meeting 2pm Alma American Legion Hall
May 24th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
May 28th Opening Day -- Museum 1pm Alma Area Museum
       
Weekly, Sat-Sun Museum Open 1pm-4pm Alma Area Museum
       
June 28th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
       
July 26th Annual Picnic 6pm Rieck's Lake Park
       
August 23rd Monthly Meeting  7pm Alma City Hall
       
September 27th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
       
October 2nd Museum Closing Day 1pm-4pm Alma Area Museum
October 8th & 9th  Annual Quilt Show 10am-4pm  Alma Area School
October 25th Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall
        
November 22nd Monthly Meeting 7pm Alma City Hall 
       
December No Monthly Meeting    

 


 

Alma On The Mississippi
Now Available!


Alma Historical Society's reprinted flagship publication Alma On The Mississippi is now available.  Originally published in 1980 and reprinted in 1982 and 1994, this new edition is known as the Memorial Edition and includes the photo album added with the 1994 reprint.  Copies can be purchased by sending your check to the Alma Historical Society or by visiting the Wings Over Alma Nature & Art Center in Alma, Wisconsin.  


To purchase your copy send your check for $33 to:

Alma Historical Society
PO Box 473, Alma, Wisconsin 54610

Please allow two weeks for delivery.  
Cost includes $5 for shipping and handling.


Alma Historical Society    505 South 2nd Street     P.O. Box 473    Alma, Wisconsin  54610    [email protected]
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