Tony Woiak History Festival
Admission $5/Season Pass $15
The purpose of the History Festival is to provide educational and entertaining programs about Washburn area history. Programs are scheduled four times in the winter and four times in the summer.
This is a collaborative program with the Washburn Area Historical Society. Passes and Seasons Passes available at the door online.
Location: Harbor Table in Washburn. 7:00 pm start time.
TUES JAN 13 “Lost and Found in Washburn”
Sue Schreiner has been metal detecting in the Washburn area since 2007. She will share some of her historical and interesting finds.
Speaker: Sue Schreiner
TUES JAN 27 “By the Warmth of the Wood Stove”:
The Story of Washburn Area One-Room Schools
Beginning in the 1880s, the Washburn area became home to hundreds of people within a few decades. Looking for land to farm and opportunities to make a living, these
immigrants hoped for a bright future for their families. Local government was mandated to provide schools for their children. Limited means of transportation in those times led to the establishment of numerous one-room schools located near the children that they served. Come hear the stories and see photos of these rural
neighborhoods, their ethnic traditions, and their school houses where grades 1-8 learned to read, write, play, and work together under the guidance of dedicated teachers.
Speaker: Sheree Peterson
TUES FEB 10 “If These Walls Could Talk”: The Homes and
Histories of Washburn, Wi Matt Simoneau & Lucille Strawn Sells
Find out about Washburn's once busy airstrip and the pilots who flew.Learn about WWII Capt. and instructor, Tommy Peterson, and the "Flying Baker", Earl Johnson, and the heroic flights he made, saving lives in the Chequamegon Bay area. Presenter is Kathy Peterson Holt, daughter of Tom & Kathleen Peterson.
Speaker: Matt Simoneau & Lucille Strawn Sells
TUES FEB 24 “Women of Washburn”
Spend the evening perusing an album of snapshots of some of the wonderful women of Washburn. Discover the strength, courage, and dedication of women who have
contributed to the history of our community.
Speaker: Irene Blakely
How THe Festival started
The Washburn Heritage Association has been producing Tony Woiak Winter and Summer History Festivals since 2012. Local citizens, as well as tourists and visitors have come together for festive evenings of remembering and preserving our heritage. Each season consists of a series of four events occurring every two weeks in mid-winter and again in mid-summer. The presenters are both academic historians as well as regular folks with stories to tell.
The aim is always to give our audience an awareness of Washburn history in an accessible and entertaining format. We know it’s been a successful evening when audience members stick around following the presentation to share their own Washburn memories with one another. The festival venue, Harbor Table, is a warm and welcoming place for these community-building evenings.
But how did this history festival, which is much more than a formal “lecture series,” get started? And what does it take to bring the people and stories together? Read on, folks! In 2012, local historian Bob Mackreth, had a conversation with Carla Bremner who was at that time the WHA President. Bob and Carla talked about the possibility of starting a History Festival to honor recently deceased Tony Woiak who had written two books about Washburn’s history.
The idea was presented to the WHA board and was enthusiastically embraced, leading to 14 years of festivals with over 70 wide-ranging topics that celebrate local heritage and history.
