WXPR A Northwoods Moment In History

WXPR Public Radio
  • 5.0 (8)
  • History
  • Updated Weekly

We turn back the clock with local historians to find out what life in the Northwoods used to be like. This is part of an initiative by WXPR to tell the history and culture of northern Wisconsin.

  1. Jun 3

    The Story of Alex Bobidosh: Native American football player, and tribal leader

    Alex Bobidosh was born September 9, 1890, at Lac du Flambeau, and his life would end up touching some big moments in American history, all while staying connected to the Northwoods of Wisconsin where he was born and raised.

    5 min

  2. May 6

    Hodag Events: Past and Present

    Rhinelander’s connection to Hodags begins over 130 years ago in 1893 when lumberman and surveyor Eugene Shepard wrestled a lumberjack tall tale out of the logging camp bunkhouse, and introduced the creature to the public in an article about the attempted capture of a Black Hodag.

    4 min

  3. Apr 1

    History of Old Abe the War Eagle

    The 8th Wisconsin carried him into more than thirty battles and skirmishes. Amid gunfire and chaos, Old Abe would spread his wings and let out piercing cries. He became a living symbol of the regiment.

    4 min

  4. Mar 4

    Sylvania Wilderness: From Private Preserve to Public Treasure

    The Sylvania Wilderness area is tucked into the south-western edge of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, near Watersmeet, just north of the Wisconsin line.

    5 min

  5. Feb 4

    Couderay, the Cold Heart of Wisconsin

    After a few mild years, this winter of 2025/2026 has reminded the Northwoods who’s boss; mother nature.

    4 min

  6. Jan 7

    Plowing, Shoveling, and Persistence: Northwoods Snow-plowing in the Early 1900s

    Long before flashing lights, diesel engines, and steel blades scraping asphalt, winter travel in the Northwoods of Wisconsin was a slower, tougher proposition

    6 min

  7. 12/03/2025

    From an Upstairs Reading Room to a Carnegie Landmark: The Story of Rhinelander’s Public Library

    Local libraries have always been more than buildings with books, they’re the beating heart of a community. They preserve our stories, protect our history, and give every generation a place to learn, gather, and grow.

    6 min

  8. 11/05/2025

    The killing of a Vilas County Sheriff, and the 12 Apostles of Rhinelander

    The Northwoods of Wisconsin, with its rough logging boom towns and frontier justice, saw its own share of gun smoke and violence in the early 1900s.

    5 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

We turn back the clock with local historians to find out what life in the Northwoods used to be like. This is part of an initiative by WXPR to tell the history and culture of northern Wisconsin.

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