WISCONSIN STORIES IS A PARTNERSHIP
OF THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN
AND WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
Tracy Will: IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE OF JACKSON COUNTY
YOU'LL FIND A GEOLOGICAL FORMATION CALLED SILVER MOUND.
FOR 12,000 YEARS, NATIVE AMERICANS JOURNEYED HERE
TO QUARRY A HARD STONE FOUND IN THIS REGION AND NOWHERE ELSE.
Debbie Kmetz: HIXTON QUARTZITE
IS SAND CEMENTED TOGETHER WITH SILICA.
WHEN IT'S CHIPPED, IT FORMS A REALLY SHARP EDGE.
IT WAS A GREAT ROCK FOR MAKING SPEAR POINTS AND ARROWHEADS.
HI, I'M DEBBIE KMETZ
AND I'M TRACY WILL.
TONIGHT, ON "WISCONSIN STORIES"
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WISCONSIN HISTORY
LITERALLY, FROM THE GROUND UP.
AT SOME STORIES THAT REVEAL
THE ROLE OF ROCK IN WISCONSIN HISTORY.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ROCK ART, ART ROCK
BROWNSTONES AND ROLLING ROCK
OUTCROPS, CHIPS OFF THE OLD BLOCK
AND ROCKIN' THE HOUSE.
WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM WILL THAT BE ?
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE FUN.
MAJOR FUNDING FOR WISCONSIN STORIES
IS PROVIDED BY THE MEAD WITTER FOUNDATION, INC.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WISCONSIN.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY
THE HALBERT AND ALICE KADISH FOUNDATION
PHILIP J. AND ELIZABETH B. HENDRICKSON
AND AN ADVISED FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN.
Robert Boszhardt: SILVER MOUND IS ABOUT A 200-ACRE HILL.
IT'S JUST A SANDSTONE HILL.
BUT AT A CERTAIN ELEVATION, WHERE WE'RE STANDING--
ABOUT HALF THE WAY UP THE MOUND--
IT HAS CEMENTED AND TURNED INTO QUARTZITE.
THERE'S ABOUT A 10-FOOT-THICK VEIN
OF THIS QUARTZITE, RIGHT HERE.
WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME HERE ?
THE FIRST PEOPLE COMING TO SILVER MOUND
TO GET THE STONE TO MAKE THEIR STONE TOOLS
ARE THE FIRST PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN.
WE CALL THEM THE PALEOINDIANS, WHICH MEANS THE OLDEST PEOPLE.
AND WHEN WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN ?
ABOUT 12,000 YEARS AGO-- THE FIRST PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.
A LONG TIME.
THEY WERE MIGRATING THROUGH THE AREA AND FOUND SILVER MOUND.
THEY CAME BACK, YEAR AFTER YEAR, FOR THE NEXT 12,000 YEARS.
Kmetz: THEY FOUND IT AND KNEW A GOOD THING WHEN THEY SAW IT.
RIGHT, THIS IS A SPECIAL SOURCE OF MATERIAL.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE STONE LIKE THIS
TO STAY ALIVE.
CHIPPING STONE TOOLS, OR FLINT KNAPPING
IS SOMETHING THAT ALL CULTURES HAVE DONE THROUGH TIME
UNTIL VERY RECENTLY.
IT'S HOW THEY MADE THEIR TOOLS FOR HUNTING THE ANIMALS
THEIR TOOLS FOR BUTCHERING THOSE ANIMALS
FOR PREPARING THE HIDES.
PLACES LIKE SILVER MOUND WERE LIKE HARDWARE STORES.
THEY CAME AND GOT STONE TO MAKE TOOLS.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FLINT KNAP
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SURVIVED IN PRE-HISTORY.
Kmetz: TELL ME ABOUT FLINT KNAPPING
IT'S A REAL POPULAR SKILL THESE DAYS, ISN'T IT ?
Boszhardt: WELL, FLINT KNAPPING
IS BECOMING MORE POPULAR ALL THE TIME.
AND AS ARCHAEOLOGISTS
WE CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE PAST
FROM REPLICATING THE SKILLS IT TOOK TO MAKE STONE TOOLS.
THAT'S GOOD, BUT THERE ARE CONCERNS.
IF WE COME TO SILVER MOUND TO DO RESEARCH
AND WE DO AN EXCAVATION
AND PEOPLE FLINT KNAP WITHOUT USING A TARP
THEIR FLAKES GET INCORPORATED INTO THE SITE
JUST LIKE THE PREHISTORIC FLAKES DID.
SO, WE CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
SO, THAT'S WHY HE'S GOT A TARP.
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
I'VE HEARD THIS CALLED
WISCONSIN'S FIRST EXPORT BUSINESS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ?
WELL, IN THE AGE, IT IS.
12,000-YEAR-OLD SPEAR POINTS MADE FROM THIS STONE
WERE SHIPPED OUT OF WISCONSIN THROUGHOUT THE UPPER MIDWEST
SOME OF THEM, AS FAR AWAY
AS MAMMOTH CAVE IN SOUTHERN MISSOURI.
SO, SOME OF IT GETS TRADED
AT DIFFERENT TIMES FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES--
BUT A LONG WAYS AWAY FROM HERE.
Kmetz: HIXTON QUARTZITE MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST ROCK
EXPORTED FROM WISCONSIN
BUT IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT THE LAST.
Will: OUR PASSION FOR BUILDING WITH STONE
CAN BE SEEN ALL AROUND THE STATE.
FROM LIGHT-COLORED LIMESTONE
TO ROUNDED FIELDSTONE
TO A UNIQUE USE OF ROCK-FACED RED GRANITE.
ONE OF THE MOST DISTINCTIVE STONES QUARRIED IN WISCONSIN
WAS BROWNSTONE.
IN TOWNS LIKE ASHLAND, WASHBURN
AND BAYFIELD, IT'S EVERYWHERE.
IN THE FOUNDATION OF HOUSES
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHIMNEYS
AND EVEN IN A DELICATELY CARVED
FIREPLACE.
THIS STURDY STONE HELPED REBUILD CHICAGO
AFTER THE FIRE OF 1871.
AND EXTENDED A PROMISE
OF PROSPERITY TO THE CITIES
ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
Bob MacKreth: QUARRIES ACTUALLY STARTED OUT ON THE APOSTLE ISLANDS.
AND THAT WAS RIGHT AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.
THEY WERE LOOKING TO BUILD A NICE, IMPRESSIVE
NEW COURTHOUSE IN MILWAUKEE.
Will: THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, BUILT IN 1870, NO LONGER STANDS.
BUT WHAT WAS ONCE THE BAYFIELD COUNTY COURTHOUSE
HAS BEEN CONVERTED
TO THE APOSTLE ISLANDS NATIONAL LAKESHORE HEADQUARTERS.
THIS HANDSOME STONE LIES UNDERNEATH MOST OF THE ISLANDS
AND EXTENDS, UNDERWATER, TO LAKE SUPERIOR'S SOUTH SHORE.
BROWNSTONE WAS PLENTIFUL
BUT IT WAS MORE THAN AVAILABILITY
THAT CREATED THE BOOM.
YOU'VE GOT A FAMOUS ARCHITECT, NAMED HENRY HOBSON RICHARDSON
WHO IS THE ORIGINATOR OF A STYLE
CALLED RICHARDSON ROMANESQUE, OR ROMANESQUE REVIVAL.
AND WHAT RICHARDSON ESPOUSED
WAS TAKING THE STONE
AND USING MODERN TECHNIQUES AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY
AND REPLICATING SOME OF THE FEATURES
OF THE MEDIEVAL ROMANESQUE STYLE.
Will: THE ROMANESQUE STYLE
FEATURED HEAVY, IMPOSING BUILDINGS
THAT PROVIDED A SENSE OF SECURITY.
IT WAS PERFECTLY SUITED
TO BROWNSTONE'S DARK PERSONALITY
AND IT QUICKLY CAUGHT ON.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR EARLY ENTREPRENEURS
WAS TRANSPORTATION.
RAIL LINES HADN'T YET REACHED NORTHERN WISCONSIN.
THE INITIAL SOLUTION-- SHIPPING BY SHIP.
TODAY, ON THE SHORE OF HERMIT ISLAND
BROWNSTONE BLOCKS STILL WAIT FOR THEIR RIDE TO MARKET.
AFTER THEIR SUCCESS ON THE APOSTLE ISLANDS
BROWNSTONE QUARRIES WERE DUG ON THE MAINLAND.
IT'S A GORGEOUS QUARRY.
Will: DICK BODIN
REMEMBERS GROWING UP NEAR A QUARRY
JUST NORTH OF WASHBURN
WHICH HAS SINCE FILLED WITH WATER.
HOW WOULD THEY GET THE QUARRY STONE OUT OF HERE
ONCE IT'S BEEN CUT ?
AS A YOUNGSTER, I REMEMBER THAT
BECAUSE THE DERRICKS WERE STILL HERE. REALLY ?
THERE WAS A TALL DERRICK, AS TALL AS THOSE TREES
AND CABLES SWINGING ACROSS.
IF YOUR EYES ARE GOOD
ON THAT CLAY SLIDING BANK, THERE
YOU'LL SEE A CABLE STILL HANGING THERE.
OH, SURE, I CAN SEE IT OVER THERE RIGHT NOW.
Will: ALONG THE LAKESHORE NEARBY
CABLES, AND EVEN RAIL LINES REMAIN--
REMNANTS OF THE BROWNSTONE BOOM.
I'M AT THE WASHBURN HISTORICAL MUSEUM AND CULTURE CENTER.
I'M STANDING IN FRONT
OF AN OBELISK
THAT WAS QUARRIED NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE
ON THE SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE OBELISK BEHIND ME
IS MADE OF SMALL BLOCKS OF STONE.
BUT THE ORIGINAL WAS TO HAVE BEEN MADE
OF A HUGE, SINGLE BLOCK OF STONE, 110 FEET TALL.
THAT'S FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF THE OBELISK
THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME.
THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MONOLITH
WAS FREDERICK PRENTICE.
MacKreth: FREDERICK PRENTICE
WAS DEFINITELY A GOOD ONE AT PUBLIC RELATIONS.
AND HE GOT THE IDEA TO SPREAD THE WORD
THAT HE WAS GOING TO SEND A FANTASTIC MONUMENT
TO THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE
THE WORLD'S LARGEST SINGLE-PIECE MONOLITH.
Will: THE WORLD'S LARGEST MONOLITH
WAS CUT FROM THIS QUARRY NEAR WASHBURN.
LOCAL NEWSPAPERS KEPT THE READING PUBLIC
UP TO DATE ON EVERY MOVE THEY MADE.
HOW IMPORTANT WAS THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
TO PROMOTE THE BROWNSTONE INDUSTRY ?
THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, WAS A VERY BIG DEAL AT THE TIME.
IT WAS GOING TO SHOWCASE AMERICA'S PROSPERITY
AND AMERICA'S INDUSTRIAL MIGHT.
AND EVERYBODY WANTED A PIECE OF THE ACTION.
SO, THE IDEA THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THIS MONOLITH
AND MOVE IT TO CHICAGO, AND HAVE SOMETHING THERE
THAT THEY THOUGHT WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE ATTRACTION
HAD PEOPLE REALLY SWOLLEN WITH PRIDE.
IT WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING BIG.
Will: IRONICALLY, THE EVENT
THAT WAS TO HAVE BROUGHT IT FAME AND FORTUNE
ACTUALLY LED TO THE END
OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR BROWNSTONE INDUSTRY.
MacKreth: AT THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
THEY HAD AN AREA CALLED THE WHITE CITY
WHICH WAS AN EXHIBIT OF WONDERFUL NEW BUILDINGS
AND THE MOST MODERN
ARCHITECTURAL STYLES.
THEY WERE LIGHT AND AIRY, AND WHITE IN COLOR.
THAT WAS KIND OF THE DEATH KNELL FOR THE BROWNSTONE QUARRIES.
Will: SO, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE PRENTICE MONOLITH
DESTINED FOR THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION ?
MacKreth: THE STORY THAT WENT OUT WAS THEY TRIED
BUT IT JUST PROVED ECONOMICALLY UNFEASIBLE
TO SHIP THIS HUGE CHUNK OF ROCK.
HOWEVER, I HAVE ALSO READ AN ACCOUNT
FROM AN OLD RETIRED QUARRYMAN
WHO SAID, "OH, THAT'S A LOT OF NONSENSE.
"PRENTICE HAD NO INTENTION, EVER
"OF SENDING THAT THING TO CHICAGO.
"HE KNEW HE COULDN'T SHIP IT
"FROM THE DAY HE CAME OUT WITH THE IDEA.
"BUT HE ALSO KNEW THAT IT WOULD GET HIS OPERATION
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PUBLICITY."
Will: BROWNSTONE FELL OUT OF FASHION AFTER ONLY 30 YEARS.
BUT OVER A CENTURY LATER
SOME OF THESE STURDY BUILDINGS STILL STAND.
AND EVEN THOUGH ARCHITECTURAL FASHIONS HAVE CHANGED
WE STILL APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF THIS ROCK TODAY.
Will: PEOPLE WALK PAST THIS BEAUTIFUL MARBLE STATUE EVERY DAY
AS THEY ENTER AND LEAVE THE CAPITOL
ON THEIR WAY TO SEE THE BEAUTIFUL BUILDING
AND ELEGANT STONE WORK.
BUT FEW PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THIS STATUE
WAS ACTUALLY CREATED AT A STUDIO
AT THE U.S. CAPITOL IN WASHINGTON.
AND IT WAS CREATED
BY ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS WOMAN SCULPTORS IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
WISCONSIN'S OWN VINNIE REAM.
FEW PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF VINNIE REAM TODAY
BUT DURING THE CIVIL WAR
SHE WAS ONE OF AMERICA'S LEADING ARTISTS.
HER POETRY, SONGS, PAINTINGS AND ESPECIALLY HER SCULPTURES
BROUGHT HER INTERNATIONAL FAME AND CONTROVERSY.
I'M HERE IN THE MUSEUM COLLECTION STORAGE AREA
WHERE THEY PROCESS ARTIFACTS.
I'M WITH HARRY MILLER, WHO'S FROM THE MANUSCRIPT ARCHIVES
IN THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VINNIE REAM.
WHERE DID SHE COME FROM ?
VINNIE REAM HAS STRONG WISCONSIN ROOTS.
THE FAMILY CAME TO MADISON IN THE FALL OF 1838.
THEY ACTUALLY TOOK OVER A HOTEL, OR BOARDING HOUSE
AND THE LOG CABIN CONSTRUCTED BY EBIN PECK.
Will: YOUNG VINNIE REAM GREW UP
IN MADISON'S FIRST HOME ABOVE LAKE MONONA
WHERE SHE PLAYED WITH THE LOCAL HO-CHUNK CHILDREN.
IN HER EARLY TEENS, HOWEVER, VINNIE'S FAMILY MOVED
FROM WISCONSIN TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
IN WASHINGTON
SHE VISITED THE STUDIO OF RENOWNED SCULPTOR CLARK MILLS
IN THE U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING.
THERE, SHE MODELED HER MEDALLION OF AN INDIAN CHIEF'S HEAD
AND IMPRESSED MILLS SO MUCH THAT HE MADE HER HIS APPRENTICE.
UNDER MILLS' GUIDANCE
VINNIE BECAME AN ACCOMPLISHED SCULPTOR
AND BEGAN A LARGER-THAN-LIFE CAREER.
SHE DECIDES SHE WANTS TO DO A BUST OF LINCOLN.
AND SOMEHOW, LINCOLN IS PERSUADED TO SIT FOR HER.
SOME SAY THAT IT HAS TO DO
WITH THE FACT THAT SHE'S A GIRL FROM "THE WEST."
THIS APPEALS TO LINCOLN, HIS FRONTIER SPIRIT.
OBVIOUSLY, HE'S FROM THE WEST, THE VERY SAME WEST.
HE SITS FOR HER AND SHE DOES A BUST.
AND SHE COMPLETES THIS THING JUST MAYBE A MONTH
OR SIX WEEKS BEFORE HE'S ASSASSINATED.
SHE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SCULPTED LINCOLN FROM LIFE.
Will: IN THE RIGHT PLACE...
AT THE RIGHT TIME.
Will: THE AFTERMATH OF LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION
BROUGHT VINNIE REAM EVEN GREATER FAME.
HER SUPPORTERS VIEWED HER AS A NAIVE GIRL
FROM THE WISCONSIN WILDERNESS
AND CALLED HER "THE PRAIRIE CINDERELLA."
BUT WHEN SHE WON A FEDERAL COMMISSION
TO SCULPT A FULL STATUE OF LINCOLN
FOR THE U.S. CAPITOL ROTUNDA
HER AWARD WAS HOTLY DEBATED IN THE U.S. SENATE
WHERE HER YOUTH AND BEAUTY MADE HER A CONTROVERSIAL CHOICE.
BEING FEMALE IN THIS ARTISTIC FOLLOWING
WAS NOT AN EASY TASK.
Will: AND THE REALISM SHE BROUGHT TO HER SCULPTURE
WAS ON THE CONTROVERSIAL CUTTING EDGE OF ART.
SHE PETITIONED MARY TODD LINCOLN
FOR A PRESIDENTIAL SUIT TO MAKE THE MEASUREMENTS
AND WAS SENT THE BLOODY CLOTHES
LINCOLN WORE THE NIGHT HE WAS ASSASSINATED.
Miller: IT'S A REALISTIC STYLE
IN THE KIND OF ATTIRE HE WOULD WEAR
AS OPPOSED TO THE ATTIRE OF THE ROMAN ROBES.
Will: HER REALISTIC FINAL STATUE WON CRITICAL ACCLAIM.
REAM CONTINUED TO WORK AT THE CAPITOL
CARVING MANY PERSONAL WORKS
LIKE THIS BUST, CALLED "PASSION FLOWER"
AND A HAND SCULPTURE SHE NAMED "IDLENESS."
ANOTHER WORK, NAMED "THE SPIRIT OF THE CARNIVAL"
IS ON DISPLAY AT THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN.
REAM ALSO CREATED A FIGURE NAMED "THE WEST"
WHICH CAN BE SEEN AT THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING IN MADISON.
BUT HER MAIN BODY OF WORK CONTINUED TO BE
THE MAJOR POLITICAL FIGURES OF THE CIVIL WAR ERA.
Miller: SHE RECEIVED ANOTHER GOVERNMENT COMMISSION
TO WORK ON A MONUMENT TO DAVID FARUGUT
THE CIVIL WAR NAVAL COMMANDER.
I MEAN, HER OTHER SUBJECTS--
U.S. GRANT
FREDERICK DOUGLASS--
YOU KNOW, A REAL LIST OF THE POLITICAL NOTABLES OF THE TIME.
Will: VINNIE REAM CONTINUED TO WORK UNTIL THE MID-1870s
WHEN SHE MARRIED ARMY LIEUTENANT RICHARD HOXIE.
SHE DEFERRED TO HIS WISHES
AND GAVE UP HER ART FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
SHE EVENTUALLY DEVELOPED HEART TROUBLE.
HER DOCTOR DIAGNOSED IT AS "SUPPRESSION OF FEELING"
AND RECOMMEND THAT SHE BE ALLOWED TO SCULPT AGAIN.
HER HUSBAND RELENTED, AND VINNIE REAM
BEGAN A STATUE OF THE CHEROKEE LEADER, SEQUOYAH
FOR THE U.S. CAPITOL.
Miller: THERE IS SOMETHING OF THE WEST
AND SOMETHING OF THE FRONTIER IN HER.
THERE IS A REOCCURRING THEME OF AMERICAN INDIANS IN HER WORK.
Will: VINNIE REAM DIED IN 1914.
AND WAS BURIED AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
THOUGH FEW REMEMBER HER TODAY
THIS YOUNG WOMAN FROM THE WISCONSIN FRONTIER
BECAME ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS ARTISTS OF HER TIME.
Will: WISCONSIN HAS A LARGE VARIETY
OF GEOLOGICAL WONDERS TO ENHANCE ITS LANDSCAPE.
GLACIAL EROSION AND MELTWATER PROFOUNDLY AFFECTED
WISCONSIN'S TEXTURE AND TOPOGRAPHY
AND IT ENTICES PEOPLE.
AND IT MAKES WISCONSIN ROCK.
WISCONSINITES LOVE ROCKS SO MUCH
THAT THEY NOT ONLY WANT YOU TO SEE IT
THEY WANT YOU TO EXPERIENCE IT.
BUT HOW ?
ONE WAY IS THROUGH
TWO OF THE MOST UNUSUAL, YET COMPELLING TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
THIS STATE HAS TO OFFER.
THEY EMBRACE THE TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN TERRITORY
AND THEY LITERALLY ROCK.
THERE'S THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK
AND THE ROCK IN THE HOUSE.
YOU WANT TO SEE THAT AGAIN ?
YOU WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN ?
I'LL SHOW YOU.
THIS IS THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK, NEAR SPRING GREEN.
IT'S A HIGHLY POPULAR SITE
THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, EVERY YEAR.
AND ABOUT 130 MILES NORTHWEST OF HERE
IS FOUNTAIN CITY'S VERY OWN ROCK IN THE HOUSE.
IT'S NOT AS FAMOUS, OR EXTRAVAGANT.
IT IS A ROCK IN A HOUSE.
BUT THEY HAVE CERTAIN THINGS IN COMMON.
BOTH OF THESE STRUCTURAL WONDERS
USE ROCK FORMATIONS AS ARCHITECTURAL BASES.
EACH BEAUTIFUL AND UNIQUE IN ITS OWN WAY
EACH SET IN A VALLEY
WITH ITS OWN SPECTACULAR VIEWS--
AND THESE UNCONSTRAINED SURROUNDINGS
HELPED TWO MEN ACHIEVE THEIR VISIONS.
ON APRIL 24, 1995, FROM HIGH ATOP A CLIFF
ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, A 55-TON BOULDER
UNEXPECTEDLY ROLLED RIGHT INTO 440 NORTHSHORE DRIVE.
( drum roll and fanfare music )
AT THE TIME, IT WAS THE HOME OF MAXINE AND DWIGHT ANDERSON.
AND IT WAS IN THEIR MASTER BEDROOM
THE BOULDER DECIDED TO LODGE ITSELF.
TALK ABOUT ROCK N' ROLL !
KNOWING THAT HUGE BOULDERS WILL FALL
AS THEY DID NEXT DOOR, IN 1901
AT THE TIME, KILLING A MRS. DUBLER
THE ANDERSONS SOLD THE HOUSE
TO JOHN BURT, A LOCAL REAL ESTATE INVESTOR.
I'M SCOTCH, I SAVE EVERYTHING.
MOST PEOPLE WOULD JUST TAKE IT OUT OF THERE.
THEY GOT A PRICE OF $2,000 TO TAKE IT OUT OF THERE.
BUT THAT'S TOO UNIQUE TO TAKE OUT
SO THERE IT IS.
Will: THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK ALSO STARTED WITH AN IMPACT--
BUT OF THE HUMAN KIND.
IT BEGAN WITH ALEX JORDAN
AND HIS SON, ALEX JORDAN, JR.
AND ODDLY ENOUGH, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT.
THE SENIOR ALEX JORDAN WAS BUILDING A HOUSE IN MADISON
CALLED "VILLA MARIA."
THROUGH A MUTUAL FRIEND, A MEETING WAS SET UP
BETWEEN HIM AND THE FAMED ARCHITECT.
ALEX JORDAN, SR., SHOWED HIS BLUEPRINTS
TO MR. WRIGHT, WHO, UPON SEEING THE PLANS
REPORTEDLY RESPONDED...
TO SPITE THE INFAMOUS FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
ALEX, SR., WANTED TO BUILD A JAPANESE HOUSE NEAR TALIESIN.
AS HISTORY SHOWS, IT WASN'T ALEX, SR., WHO BUILT THE HOUSE
IT WAS ALEX, JR.
JORDAN DIED IN 1989
BUT ACCUMULATED ENTERTAINING COLLECTIONS
BEYOND THE SCOPE OF HIS DREAM HOUSE.
? ?
AT THE ROCK IN THE HOUSE
YOU HAVE THE ENTERTAINMENT OF A SINGLE TELEVISION.
THIS TV WAS IN THE DOWNSTAIRS BEDROOM
WHEN THE ROCK CAME CRASHING THROUGH THE BEDROOM WALL.
AND SURPRISINGLY, IT STILL WORKS.
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE BUSTLE THROUGH IT
HISTORIC PRESERVATION IS A PRIORITY
AT THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK.
WITH 14 ROOMS IN THE HOUSE ITSELF
AND TWO MILES OF EXHIBIT HALLS FILLED WITH COLLECTIONS
THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK
NEEDS UNENDING CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.
AND AT THE ROCK IN THE HOUSE
THERE'S ONLY ONE PIECE IN THE COLLECTION
BUT IT'S CAREFULLY MAINTAINED.
THE HOUSE ON THE ROCK
IS A HIGHLY ORGANIZED TOURIST ATTRACTION
WHERE MEMENTOS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE
CAN BE FOUND IN ITS MANY GIFT SHOPS.
ROCK IN THE HOUSE ?
IT'S SELF-SERVE AND ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.
IT'S ONE LARGE, ORGANIZED HISTORIC ATTRACTION
VERSUS ONE UNDERSTATED SIGN.
WITH BOTH HOMES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WISCONSIN'S ROCKY MANTLE.
EASY THERE, BIG FELLOW.
SO, NO MATTER WHAT THE DIFFERENCES
OR SIMILARITIES ARE BETWEEN THESE HISTORIC MAGNETS
IT'S MORE THAN WHAT YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.
AS ALEX JORDAN ONCE STATED:
"IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, IT DOESN'T LOOK BAD.
IT JUST HAS TO BE."
Kmetz: ONE WISCONSINITE WHO ROCKED THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
IS A GUITAR PLAYER AND INVENTOR FROM WAUKESHA
NAMED LES PAUL.
HIS CUTTING EDGE RECORDING TECHNIQUES
AND PIONEERING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ELECTRIC GUITAR
CHANGED, FOREVER, THE SOUND OF ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
AND NOW MAKE ROCK MUSIC ROCK.
LES PAUL AND SINGER MARY FORD
SENT ONE GOLD RECORD AFTER ANOTHER UP THE POP CHARTS.
BUT HIS MUSICAL ROOTS GO BACK TO THE COUNTRY
AND JAZZ MUSIC HE GREW UP WITH IN WAUKESHA.
LES PAUL WAS BORN LESTER POLFUS, IN 1915.
AND FROM AN EARLY AGE
THE RED-HEADED BOY SHOWED A NATIVE TALENT
FOR BOTH MUSIC AND ELECTRONICS.
HIS MOTHER, EVELYN, ENCOURAGED HIS EVERY EXPERIMENT
EVEN WHEN IT MEANT TAKING APART HER PRIZED PLAYER PIANO
OR PUNCHING NEW HOLES IN THE MUSIC ROLL
TO ADD NEW NOTES TO A SONG.
? ?
GROWING UP WITH RADIO IN THE 1920s
LESTER ABSORBED THE MODERN SOUND OF JAZZ PLAYERS
LIKE GUITARIST, EDDIE LANG
AS WELL AS THE COUNTRY SOUND OF MUSICIANS
LIKE HARMONICA PLAYER, DE FORD BAILEY.
IN HIS EARLY TEENS, LESTER TOOK ON THE NAME "RED HOT RED"
AND BEGAN PLAYING COUNTRY SONGS AT LOCAL EVENTS AROUND WAUKESHA
AND IN THE BAND SHELL
THAT NOW BEARS HIS NAME.
PIANO PLAYER, FRED ROSENMERKEL, PLAYED SWING MUSIC WITH LESTER
IN THE EARLY 1930s
AT VARIOUS DANCE HALLS AROUND WAUKESHA.
FRED, COULD YOU PLAY A TUNE
THAT YOU WOULD'VE PLAYED WITH LES
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS ? SURE.
? ?
YOU STARTED PLAYING WITH LES PAUL
A LONG, LONG TIME AGO.
WAY BACK IN THE '30s--
THOSE WERE THE OLD DAYS.
I WAS ABOUT 18.
HOW OLD WAS LES PAUL ?
HE'S THREE YEARS YOUNGER THAN I AM.
HE WAS 15.
HE WAS A YOUNG GUY. OH, YEAH.
I'M A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF HIM.
THERE WERE TWO KINDS OF BANDS IN THOSE DAYS--
A COUNTRY BAND
AND A MODERN BAND, THEY CALLED THEM.
I PLAYED THE MODERN STUFF, THE SWING STUFF.
A LOT OF TIMES, AT HIS INTERMISSIONS
HE'D DO HIS COUNTRY STUFF WITH A MOUTH ORGAN.
IT WENT OVER BIG.
WHY DO YOU THINK HE PICKED UP ON COUNTRY MUSIC ?
WELL, EVERYBODY IN THOSE DAYS
LIKED COUNTRY MUSIC
BECAUSE OF THE WORDS AND EVERYTHING
THEY HAD MEANING TO THEM.
THEN, THE MODERN MUSIC CAME OUT WITH SWING
AND THAT KIND OF TOOK OVER.
? ?
WHEN YOU PLAYED WITH LES
LET'S SAY YOU PLAYED OUT AT --
WERE PEOPLE DANCING ?
OH, YEAH, IN THOSE DAYS, PEOPLE DANCED.
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO.
NO TELEVISION
NO JUKE BOXES.
NO, YOU HAD TO DANCE TO LIVE MUSIC.
? ?
WE HAD QUITE A FEW DANCE HALLS IN WAUKESHA.
FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS WERE DANCE NIGHTS.
AND THE MORE THEY DANCED, THE BETTER YOU FELT.
YOU KNEW YOU WERE DOING SOME GOOD.
NOW, HE DIDN'T AMPLIFY HIS GUITAR OUT THERE. NO.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY AMPLIFICATION AT ALL IN THOSE DAYS.
HE INVENTED THAT LATER.
( piano playing ends and both laugh )
I'M AT THE WAUKESHA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARCHIVES
WITH COUNTRY MUSIC HISTORIAN BILL MALONE.
AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT LES PAUL
OR LESTER POLFUS
AS HE WAS KNOWN IN HIS EARLY YEARS.
AND I'M LOOKING AT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
ONE OF THE VERY FIRST PHOTOS OF LESTER POLFUS
AS A PUBLICITY PHOTO.
AND AT THE TIME, HE PLAYED A LOT
OF WHAT WE CALL HILLBILLY MUSIC.
WHY WAS IT SO POPULAR THEN ?
I THINK THERE WAS JUST A PROFOUND HUNGER
IN THE LATE '20s AND EARLY '30s
FOR HOMEMADE MUSIC.
REMEMBER, THIS WAS THE JAZZ AGE, SO-CALLED.
WHEN THE CITY WAS BECOMING SUPREME
IN AMERICAN CULTURAL LIFE.
AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN CITIES
WERE BEING SWEPT AWAY BY THE SOUNDS
OF JAZZ BANDS.
SO, BY LISTENING TO HILLBILLY MUSIC
AND BY PLAYING IT
THAT WAS A WAY OF TUNING IN TO THE PAST.
Kmetz: EARLY ON-- ACTUALLY, HE'S ABOUT 17
WHEN HE DOES, IN FACT, LEAVE WAUKESHA.
HE QUICKLY GOES DOWN TO MISSOURI
AND GETS ON THE RADIO WITH SONNY.
AND NOW, HIS NAME IS "RHUBARB RED."
Malone: I BELIEVE THAT THEY GAVE HIM THAT NAME.
Kmetz: THE RADIO WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT THEN, THAN IT IS NOW.
I MEAN, THIS IS LOTS OF LIVE PERFORMANCE.
IT'S VERY INTIMATE, VERY FAMILIAR.
THE HILLBILLIES BUILT UP
A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR AUDIENCE.
IT WAS LIKE A FAMILY.
THEY TRIED VERY HARD TO DO THAT.
THEY TRIED TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION
THAT, "I'M ONE OF YOU.
"I MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TALENT THAN YOU DO, PERHAPS
"OR A LITTLE BIT MORE NERVE OR GALL
"BUT I CAME FROM THE SAME BACKGROUND YOU DID.
I COULD BE YOUR BROTHER OR YOUR COUSIN."
? ?
THEY WOULD GO FROM ONE STATION TO ANOTHER.
THEY WOULD PLAY UNTIL THEY WORKED THE TERRITORY.
IT WAS A TRAINING GROUND, TOO.
HE LEARNED HOW TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE.
COMEDY WAS AS IMPORTANT AS THE SERIOUS SONGS.
Kmetz: IN CHICAGO, HE PLAYED EARLY MORNING RADIO SHOWS
AS "RHUBARB RED"
AND THEN PLAYED WITH JAZZ MUSICIANS AT NIGHT.
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TIME.
CHICAGO MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE AN EYE-OPENER FOR HIM.
WHAT AN EXCITING PLACE TO BE FOR A BUDDING MUSICIAN.
YOU CAN GET EVERY KIND OF MUSIC IMAGINABLE IN THAT CITY.
IT HADN'T BEEN TOO MANY YEARS BEFORE THAT TIME
THAT LOUIS ARMSTRONG, KING OLIVER
AND THOSE PEOPLE HAD COME UP FROM NEW ORLEANS
AND INTRODUCED JAZZ TO CHICAGO.
IT WAS ALREADY BEGINNING TO BE THE CENTER OF THE BLUES
AND OF COUNTRY MUSIC.
SO, HE BEGAN TO ABSORB IT ALL.
Kmetz: LESTER POLFUS SOON BEGAN PLAYING JAZZ UNDER A NEW NAME--
LES PAUL.
PLAYING GUITAR DAY AND NIGHT PAID OFF IN NEW YORK CITY
WHERE HIS TRIO LANDED HIGH-PAYING JOBS
WITH FRED WARING AND "THE PENNSYLVANIANS."
LATER, HE MOVED TO HOLLYWOOD, FINDING REGULAR WORK
PLAYING WITH BING CROSBY
AND OTHER STARS ON NATIONAL RADIO.
IN HIS GARAGE STUDIO
LES PAUL INVENTED THE MULTI-TRACK TAPE RECORDER
AND MADE RECORDS WITH A STYLE SO UNIQUE
IT WAS CALLED, SIMPLY, "THE NEW SOUND."
? BYE, BYE, BLUES BYE, BYE... ?
IN 1949, LES PAUL TEAMED UP
WITH SINGER AND GUITARIST, MARY FORD
TO PRODUCE A STRING OF OVER 40 HIT RECORDS.
? SUN IS SHININ' NO MORE PININ'... ?
HIS FAME LED TO A DEAL WITH GIBSON
TO PRODUCE A SOLID BODY GUITAR CALLED THE "LES PAUL."
WHICH REMAINS THE INSTRUMENT OF CHOICE
FOR MANY ROCK MUSICIANS TODAY.
? BYE, BYE, BLUES... ? ?
LES PAUL, MUSICIAN AND INVENTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE
FROM WAUKESHA.
SO, THAT'S OUR BRIEF TOUR
OF THE ROLE THAT ROCK HAS PLAYED IN WISCONSIN HISTORY.
YOU WERE RIGHT TRACY, THIS WAS REALLY FUN.
WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO SHOW YOU AS MUCH AS WE WANTED.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT "WISCONSIN ROCKS"
OR ANY OF THE OTHER WISCONSIN STORIES PROGRAMS
LOG INTO OUR WEBSITE AT: wisconsinstories.org
WE HOPE YOU'LL TUNE IN AGAIN NEXT WEEK
FOR MORE WISCONSIN STORIES.
? OH, BYE, BYE, BLUES BYE, BYE ? ?
MAJOR FUNDING FOR WISCONSIN STORIES
IS PROVIDED BY THE MEAD WITTER FOUNDATION, INC.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WISCONSIN.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY
THE HALBERT AND ALICE KADISH FOUNDATION
PHILIP J. AND ELIZABETH B. HENDRICKSON
AND AN ADVISED FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN.