I know it’s been a while since my last post, but I’ve been busy! Jonathan Clark House executive director Nina Look and I just finished the latest JCH newsletter, and there’s a lot of Clark House history coming your way this fall, both here on the blog, and “live and in person.” In particular, I’m currently racing to finish not one, but two, illustrated presentations that I’ll be giving in September.

JMC, the Old Military Road, and the DAR

I’ve been asked to speak at the Fall Workshop of the Wisconsin Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. My topic will be “Building the Military Road, Wisconsin Territory’s First Federal Road.” I’ll be incorporating much of the 1830s and ’40s army and road-building information that I’ve blogged about here at CHH, as well as new primary source materials and contemporary illustrations.

The presentation will take place after dinner, Friday, September 13, at the WSDAR Fall Workshop in Oshkosh. The event is limited to registered DAR members and their guests. My thanks to Wisconsin State Regent Sandra Snow and the members of the WSDAR for their kind invitation to speak.

But wait…there’s more!

“They Fought Like Devils” – lecture at the CHM

I’ve been asked back to the Cedarburg History Museum to give another talk in their 2024 Civil War lecture series. My topic will be “They Fought Like Devils” – the Black soldier and Wisconsin’s Civil War experience
, a multi-faceted subject that is often overlooked when discussing Wisconsin’s part in the Civil War. The Saturday, September 28, presentation will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public; please RSVP to museum director Joel Willems at 
262-377-5856 or joel@cedarburghm.org to reserve a seat.

Black soldiers played vital combat and support roles in the fight for freedom and the Union. Hundreds of Black men from Wisconsin enlisted in Black units, and thousands of other Black troops fought alongside white Wisconsin regiments in some of the most—and least—famous battles of the war. Initially, many in government, the army, and the general public were skeptical, wondering whether arming Black soldiers was a good idea. The Confederacy was violently opposed to the idea. But in a very short time, Black soldiers proved their bravery, endurance, and skill on the battlefield and in crucial support roles. We will take a look at a few of these path-breaking soldiers and events, and their effect on Wisconsin in the Civil War.

Jonathan Clark House news

The Fall | September, 2024, issue of the Jonathan Clark House Newsletter is out. You can click the image above to link to the full Newsletter (in online and downloadable PDF versions) at our ever-evolving official JCH website. Click over to the Newsletter and see what the Friends of the Jonathan Clark House have been up to this summer, and then check out the rest of our updated website!

Forward!

As our state motto urges, I’m moving Forward! on a lot of projects, all at once, and regular blogging has been sidelined for a while. I may be able to make a CHH blog post or two in the next few weeks, but for the present, I need to get back to my source documents and PowerPoint graphics.

If you are a member of the DAR, I hope to see you in Oshkosh on Sept. 13th! And if you’re not a member, I’d be happy to repeat this presentation at a public forum at a later date. Just drop me a note via the Contact link and we’ll see what can be arranged.

And all are invited to the 6:00 p.m., Saturday, September 28, presentation at the Cedarburg History Museum. Seating is limited, so to attend my talk—or any of the CHM free lectures—don’t forget to RSVP to museum director Joel Willems at 
262-377-5856 or joel@cedarburghm.org to reserve a place.

I’ll be back with more Clark House history in a bit. See you then!