We are embarking on a journey to collect as much historical data as we can to preserve the rich history of our community that dates back to the late 1800's. There is no Historical Association currently operating out of our community and wausaukee.com is seeking people interested in helping us gather the information necessary to eventually put together an association or just to preserve and present what we have found.

      The data collection takes leg work, networking with other people and lots of manpower to complete. One person can start it but many will be needed to continue the data collection.

     The increase in information you see on our site has taken us a lot of time to gather and we are hoping there are others who wish to help us so that the history does not become lost over time.

     We do not expect this level of data collection to occur over night but rather be a concerted effort by people who care about the history of our community and wish to share it with other. Please volunteer!

Project 1: Wausaukee Independent Newspaper

     1. Read and enter into the computer, articles out of the Wausaukee Independent Newspaper circulated from 1895 thru 1943. They are located on 38 Microfiche Reels at the Wausaukee Public Library.  You will be using the Library Microfiche Reader to view the articles and reading off of the Reader's screen.

     2. Desktop publish the articles into a form we have created that simulates the design of the old newspaper format. Save each file with the name and date of the paper we have taken the articles from. Example Form and Article already online: Independent 12-14-1895

     3. Persons interested will be using the Library Microfiche Reader to view the papers and either use one of the options below to input the article into the computer.

A.  One option is to collect the data by using Voice Recognition Software to read into the computer via microphone, the exact words of the article. Persons will have to train the computer for your speech patterns so that it understands your voice which takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. After recording the information you will be required to proof read the information while looking at the article on screen to correct for computer errors in its interpretation of your spoken word. Proof reading will slow you down but is very essential to getting the words correct and the way that the articles were written for that day and age. The spoken word is very different from the written articles as you will see.

B. The second option for collection is to use a portable computer and hand type in the information as you read it on the screen. If you are  good at typing, this may be a more comfortable way to gather the information. Either way of data collection is acceptable.

Skills Used: We will supply the necessary training which is quite easy, persons must have the ability to speak clearly and enunciate using words and punctuation to give direction to the software. You must be able to proofread all your input for accuracy and make changes to the document as you are proofreading. Typing skills in a word processor on a portable computer.

Project 2: Desktop Publishing Articles

     1. Using a word processor such as Open Office Writer (Free) you will add the articles into a newspaper format form to simulate the design of the Independent at the time of its circulation. The form is already created and insertion only requires you to cut and paste the existing information into the form and make sure it is formatted correctly.

     2. Save the document to a name that has the date of the publication so that we can keep all saved articles chronological for when the computer sorts them.  (Example: 12-14-1895-INP)

     3. We will also save the files in the word processor program as a format called PDF (Portable Document Format) which is small and easy to upload via the internet. This type of format fixes the text & graphics so that what people see on their screens is exactly what we have created. All text is locked in place so it doesn't change positions on screen.

     4. We will then upload the PDF  files to the www.wausaukee.com  site History pages for all to read.

Skills Used: Persons must be able to type and proof read their input for accuracy. Computer skills are necessary, typing, some knowledge of using a writing program, saving files to a hard drive.

Link to (Free) Open Office Suite: http://www.openoffice.org/

This is an Open Source (Free) Office Suite including word processing, database, spreadsheet, drawing, and slide presentation program which will read and write many Microsoft Office formats to allow you flexibility in importing your current letters or other data. This software is created by Sun Microsystems and is a competitor to the Microsoft Office Suite. It is easy to use, powerful and did I say free!

 

     1. Audio and/or Video recording of interviews of the oldest residents for their personal recollections about their history. The decision to be interviewed on video or audio will be left up to the individual to allow them the choice should they not wish to be in front of a camera. Video and or just audio may be done in our studio, in a classroom, or at the persons home depending on the logistics required to do the interview.

We will give the person being interviewed a series of questions that will be asked. They can pre-fill out the form ahead of time to give them ideas as to what we are going to ask and plan on stories they wish to relay to the audience in the interviews. Questions will include the following:

• The area of their earliest memories.
• We are seeking building locations,
• Family names and where they lived and worked,
• Short stories of personal interest about the area,
• Landmarks and history that have disappeared.
• Any personal photos depicting the early years

We have lost many of the second generation and are now faced with losing the third generation so this project is of utmost importance.

Example Questionnaire for Interviews

Example of Video Interview  (Requires Real Video Player)

Skills Used: Work with a team approach, comfort in speaking to people, being able to follow a set group of questions to start the conversation and following the individuals story outside the line of questions to glean important information.

Future Project: At a future date we will be transcribing the interviews into the computer and using some video footage for historical use. It is more imperative to collect the data at this time.

Project 4: Grave Site Documentation

     1. Designing a map grid of the Wausaukee Cemetery to plot all burial locations using a visual map. Graves are not all perfectly located in the plots with in the grid so we will determine correct placement of the graves. Cemetery Association Members have offered assistance with initial startup.

     2. Cleaning & photographing the individual grave stones at the Wausaukee Cemetery. Photographing front and rear for Veterans stones who have Bronze plaques mounted. Save the photographic images of the grave stones in a logical name that will assist us with retrieving the data about an individual. We can use up to 32 characters in the name.

     3. Documenting in a computer database the names, dates, location on the grid, Veterans Status, maiden names, altered last names and other pertinent info. This will assist us in setting up the ability to search the database for specific data.

     4. Locating and collecting the obituaries found from other sources and matching them to the grave occupants for our database.

     5. Importing the obituaries into the computer and saving them out as PDF files for future uploading.

     6. Uploading the data base to the National Tombstone site to allow anyone to search the data base for genealogy studies they are conducting. http://www.usgwtombstones.org/wisconsin/wiscon.html

    7. Distribute the information gathered to the Wausaukee Public Library for public access to the photo/obituary information.

     8. Distribute the information to the Wausaukee Cemetery Association. They currently have binders, rudimentary map and  a minimal database that would benefit our more comprehensive information gathering database is to created.

Skills Used: Work with a team to map out the cemetery boundaries of sections/plots, gravesites, photograph the individual grave stones and save the files on computer for easy access. Accuracy in mapping the physical locations is important for this project.

 

Project 5: Create a Historical Map of Old Buildings & Road Bed Vs the Street Layout Today

     1. Gather the building location information we have collected thru all sources and put together a topography map as accurately as we can to show the village in the late 1800's to 1900.  Superimpose the current topography map so people have a sense of what was versus what exists today. 

     2. Save it out in a form as yet to be determined to display on the web and at the library.

     Skills Used: Work with a team to map out the locations of older buildings by gathering the info from above projects. Create rough drafts of street layout and then fill them in as information comes in. Create a current map of all businesses in area and current road bed.