Harry S Truman in Madison - May 14, 1950

Today's paper gives a good story of the last visit to Madison made by a sitting president, Harry S Truman in 1950.

Here are two photos of the event given to us by Winnie Lottes Lacy. These were taken on Blount St at the C&NW tracks. Truman did not acutally get off the train here. Instead, he disembarked at Commercial Avenue near the roundhouse. He then went to the Field House to give a speech, and Grace Church for Sunday services. He then went to the dedication of the new CUNA office (the Filene House) at Sherman Av, just across the Yahara River. According to Winnie, these photos were taken as the motorcade was on its way to CUNA. Unfortunately, you can't actually see Harry truman in either one, but that sure looks like the back of his head.

Photos of the Marks Grocery, aka Lazy Jane's

Charles H. Marks Grovery Store - 1332 Williamson (now Lazy Jane's Cafe - 1358 Williamson) about 1899. Left to right - Cora Marks (1886-1977), Caroline Diehl Marks (1859-1949), Charles H. Marks (1852-1940), Alfred E. Marks (blurred) (1895-1987) Courtesy of Joan Marks Moebius.

Interior of Charles H. Marks Grovecy Store, 1332 Williamson (now 1358 Williamson), about 1897. Left to Right - unknown clerk, Carl Marks (1877-1958), Charles H. Marks (1852-1940), Cora Marks ((1886-1977) Courtesy of Joan Marks Moebius.

You've eaten the eggs and scones, but did you ever realize that Lazy Jane's like most other commercial buildings on Willy St, got it's start as a grocery store?

Charles H. Marks, and his father, Carl Marks, developed many of the smaller, older structures on the 1300 blocks of Williamson and E. Wilson Streets. But Charles' primary occupation became the running of the family grocery business, begun in 1883 at 1332 Williamson (later renumbered to 1358). At this time, the 1300 block was still the edge of town, and the Marks probably did a good business being one of the first stores for farmers on their way into town.

Initially, the family lived above the store, but they later moved to one of the neighboring houses they had built at 1340 Williamson (now 1370 Williamson - The Green Parasol). There was also a smaller house built in between these, in what is now the parking lot, that the family rented out.

The Marks family later moved to 2306 Center Av, but continued to run the store. Charles Marks died in 1940, and his wife Caroline in 1949. They left several children whose descendants live on today.

The Marks family left a lasting legacy of buildings on this block. But more on that later.

Thanks to Joan Marks Moebius for the great images!

THIRD LAKE RIDGE refers to the third of four major lakes on the river (later the Yahara) that the surveyors found while charting the Wisconsin Territory, as they worked their way from South to North in 1836. Decades later, following the development of the Village of Madison, and subsequently the City of Madison in 1856, the lakes were given names derived from Native American names. The Third Lake was named Lake Monona, though the ridge of land along its Northern shore continued to be called the Third Lake ridge by old-timers into the early 20th Century.

Historic Madison's Historic House Tour

Historic Madison's Historic House Tour
Historic Third Lake Ridge in the Marquette Neighborhood
Sunday, October 4, 1-4 pm
Tickets: $10, advance at Ground Zero Coffee, or $12, day of tour, 731 Williamson.
Ten historic houses at the west end of Jenifer, Spaight and nearby streets, including the Curtis House, at 1202 Spaight on Orton Park, never before open to a tour.

Preserving and Enhancing the Urban Forest

Preserving and Enhancing the Urban Forest
6:30 p.m., Wed., Sept. 23, 2009
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, 953 Jenifer at Brearly

The Marquette Neighborhood Association and the Friends of Historic Third Lake Ridge are hosting a program on Wednesday, September 23, 2009: Preserving and Enhancing the Urban Forest.

The focus of the discussion will be on the neighborhood's street trees and forest. The program will review Milwaukee's successful urban forest protection program during street construction projects and discuss Madison's current procedures and urban forestry program with Madison's City Forester and Engineering staff. It is free and open to the public.

Fun with Google Maps

For a long time I've been playing around with different ways to use the Google Maps API to display some of the historical data of this neighborhood.  Usually these endeavors have ended with me drilling down so far into the programming that I run out of free time and never completed much of anything.

Well, the Google Map creation tools have come far enough now for one to be able to slap a bunch of photos down without doing any coding.  So I put together a map of Wisconsin Historical Society images of our neighborhood.  It runs a little slow with all that data, you you have to be patient.  If you have Google Earth installed on your computer, it seems to run smoother there.

WHS Image Google Map

The Standard Telephone & Electric Co., Williamson Street, Madison, WI. September, 1897.

This set of catalog, promotional images and letterhead is from the Standard Telephone & Electric Company on lower Williamson Street, one of the first to provide Madison with telephone service. The cover is dated September 2, 1897. Refer to the history, as well. Courtesy of Tom Iverson.

Standard Telephone Catalog

Friends of Third Lake Ridge Enter 21st Century

Introducing our new blog at www.thirdlakeridge.org

Go here for older news posts.