News: Thorp - Museum Musings ( 27 May 2015)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Harycki, Winiarczyk, Glasshof, Strzok, Steusser, Hughes, Ogurek

----Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., WI) 5/27/2015

Museum Musings (Thorp - 27 May 2015)

Take me out to the ballgame, or at least to the Thorp Area Historical and Telephone Museum to see an exhibit of baseball memorabilia from Thorp’s glory years. The collection includes an article by John ‘Boo John’ Harycki from the THS Class of 1951. This is an interesting and humorous account of ‘Sunday Baseball’ in Thorp by a person who played the game. John includes anecdotes about several Thorp sluggers and pitchers, including - Frank Winiarczyk, Jug Glasshof, Chet Strzok, and Doc Steusser.

Visitors will also be able to admire baseball uniforms, trophies, and photographs from as early as the 1930’s.

The trains will soon be leaving the station - that is, the Thorp Historical Museum’s station. In the spring of 2014, Alan Hughes generously loaned his model trains, collection of railroad magazines and articles, and antique toys to provide a fun-filled and educational exhibit. As of October 2015, this collection will be showcased somewhere else, so please come and enjoy this journey down memory lane while it’s still here in Thorp.

Do you have fond memories of Grandma baking the family’s favorite pies or making Sunday dinner. Was she also wearing her favorite apron? Was someone lucky (or sneaky) enough to get a picture of her? Or perhaps some of her sisters or friends are in the photo with her, and they still have their aprons on. If so, we would love to showcase these photos the summer, along with a collection of Mary Ogurek’s favorite aprons. Please call Sue (715-669-5943) if you have some photographs you would like to share with us.

Unfortunately, people will not be able to enjoy a pieced of our delicious pie at the Thorp Dairy Days Celebration this year. Hopefully this isn’t too disappointing to our faithful bakers and loyal tasters who supported the Historical Society over the past several years.

It is with pride that we are also home to one of the few telephone museums in the nation. Visitors to this room share stories of days gone by when they experienced the party line, talking to the telephone operators, and not being able to get more than a few feet from the wall or desk phone in their home.

Would you like to be our friend? No, not on Facebook, in person! In order to maintain the quality of our museum, expand the exhibits, and preserved our community’s culture, history, and heritage, we are looking for new members, volunteers, and tax-deductible donations. Perhaps you would like to volunteer three hours this summer greeting visitors to the museum. Please stop by when we’re open, contact our members, or call Sue at 715-669-5943 or 715-773-0102.

The Thorp Area Historical and Telephone Museum is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. from June 6, 2015 until Labor Day. If friends or family are visiting from out of town, arrangements can be made to see the museum at another time. Please call Sue at 715-669-5943 or 715-773-0102 or call Ed at 715-669-3739. There is no admission, but donations are appreciated. We are located at 301 W. Birch Street, Thorp, WI.