Volume Eight Number Three Summer 2015

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The latest exhibit added to the offerings of the Iola Historical Society is a recreation of the R. I. Anderson Machine Shop, a business conducted out of a building situated on East State Street from around 1930 to 1970. Rhinard I. Anderson had started his business at that location as a garage on April 14, 1914, transitioning over time away from automotive garage and “battery service station” applications to a machining focus.

Born Rugnar Isidor Andersson on December 14, 1882, in Stockholm, Sweden, he emigrated to the United States with his parents as an infant in 1883 and became

a citizen on June 9, 1890. His family first settled Symco, relocating to Northland in 1900, where Anderson’s father built a dam on the Flume Creek to manufacture “Northland Wagons,” facilitate his blacksmithing trade and build other machinery. In the meantime “Rugnar” had gained the Rhinard sobriquet from a teacher who had difficulty pronouncing his given name.

Having been schooled in the blacksmithing and machining at the elbow of his father, Rhinard ultimately gained a degree of local renown as a builder of fire trucks and firefighting equipment parts. He became engaged in this pursuit by chance in the early 1940s, when he offered to equip a new fire truck for the Iola Fire Department, for which he had been a volunteer for more than 20 years. At that time the department

R. I. Anderson Machine ShopExhibit Dedicated May 9, 2015

The R. I. Anderson Machine Shop display backdrops this gathering of the six grandchildren of Rhinard I. Anderson at the Iola Historical Society’s Machine Shed for the May 6, 2015, formal dedication of the exhibit. They are (left of right): John Anderson, Paul Anderson, David Anderson, Carol Hoff joined by husband Tom, great grandson Brian Erdmann, Barbara Erdmann joined by husband Jim, and Judy Schultz joined by husband Don.

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2015 Events Schedule

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Thank You

The Iola Historical Society wishes to extend special recognition and thanks to the following individuals and organizations for the extra financial support their ongoing status as Supporting Members provides to the Society’s activities: Rod & Grace Bahr, Doris Beier, Mary Jane Bennett, Mark L. Beske, Scott & Karri Bestul, LeRoy & Carolyn Borth, Barbara Egner-Pelnar, Bob & Bev Ellingson, DeRonda & Patricia Engebretson, Helene M. Furst, John & Yvonne Gurholt, Leonard & Irene Haroldson, Iola & Rural Fire Department, Lee & Ruth Johnson, Lana & Don Langdok, Thomas & Linda Martin, Phyllis Morris, Joan & Richard Niemiec, Philip A. Strand, Ruth Strand, Forrest & Virginia Torgerson, Roger Voie, William H. & Jacqueline J. Wilker.

Donors & Loaners April • May • June

ARCHIVAL DONATIONS: Sam Bertsch (antique dining table), Lee & Suke Halverson (antique dining table), Roger & Betty Nassen (reel hand lawn mower), Dana Rima (post drill), Dan & Donna Roe (five vintage books).

DONATIONS OF CASH AND IN-KIND: Mark Dall (conference room shelving installation), Ron Kranski (Anderson display labors and supplies), Jim Rasmussen (cash, undesignated), Charles Thompson (Anderson exhibit labors), Randall C. Thompson (loan of scissors lift), Randall E. Thompson (Anderson display conduit supplies).

2015 Supporting Members

The first Saturday of May, in the meantime, found us showcasing the new R. I. Anderson Machine Shop display in the Machine Shed, with a special dedicatory program that was attended by his six grandchildren who had made the exhibit possible. The second annual Memorial Day Pig Roast closed out the month, an event coordinated with the Sheveland-Taylor American Legion Post 14, who two weeks later showcased their redeveloped Legion Park, refurbished and enhanced under IHS past-president Lyle Mork’s direction.

The 31st annual Iola Strawberry Fest, held on the last Saturday of June, was our closing activity for the quarter, with a turnout that was in keeping with experience and expectations. This fundraising event has long been our most popular and beneficial community focused undertaking on an annual basis. This year’s results were very rewarding, with the addition of a craft show component offering the promise of bigger and better things to come.

The docket ahead is not nearly as packed with community involvement events, but there is more to come. On the second Saturday in August we will be sponsoring a special program at the Iola Mills, with renowned impersonator Jessica Michna providing attendees a glimpse the life of Eleanor Roosevelt as first lady of the world. Following a quiet September, the first Saturday of October will find us hosting

the 6th annual Taste of Norway & Lost Arts Fair, again jointly combined with the I-S Chamber’s annual Fall Craft & Gift Show.

The challenge we are presently facing is to translate the resounding successes of our special events into more productive responses to the open visitor hours held every Saturday at the Iola Historic Village & Museum through the summer season. While we’re seriously addressing that consideration from the long-range perspective, it’s not going to happen overnight. In the meantime, remind your family, friends, neighbors and area visitors of the neat things featured, and that we are open and welcoming of visitors from noon to three o’clock in the afternoon every Saturday through the balance of July and the month of August.

been purchased by Chet Krause for $1,650 at a public donation auction held during that year’s Iola Old Car Show. It was donated to the IHS in 2005.

Also on display in the fire house are a grouping of 14 pattern molds created by Anderson for casting various parts created for equipping the fire trucks. That grouping is accompanied by a display featuring the mold he crafted for creating brass spanner wrenches four at

a time, a finished casting created by the sand casting process, and a separated pair of the polished tools. This display was created and donated by George Kriewaldt and Robert Wilhite.

The development and built-out of the R. I. Anderson Machine Shop display was made possible by financial and in-kind contributions provided by several individuals and organizations. They included members Donald E. Faldet, Donald and Carolyn Halverson, Lyle Mork, Susan Pilewski, Charles W. Thompson and Doug Watson. Others included Ron Kranski, Randall C. Thompson, Randall E. Thompson and the Fox Valley Two-Cylinder Club.

Monday, July 27 5:30 pm IHS Board Meeting 6:30 pm IHS General MeetingSaturday, August 8 2:00 pm Program at Iola Mills Eleanor Roosevelt Impersonator Presented by Jessica Michna

Saturday, August 29 Noon -- 3:00 pm Season Closing Iola Historic Village & MuseumMonday, August 31 5:30 pm IHS Board Meeting 6:30 pm IHS General MeetingMonday, September 28 5:30 pm IHS Board Meeting 6:30 pm IHS General Meeting

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President’sMessage

was seeking to replace its 1912 Waterous pumper and 1924 Ford Model T truck, which had been outfitted as a hose truck in 1926.

In 1942 the Village of Iola purchased a used 1938 Reo Speedwagon chassis for conversion into a combination fire fighting pumper and hose truck. Anderson outfitted the chassis with the necessary structure and locally crafted accessory apparatus required. This fire truck became the first of 25 Anderson would subsequently craft from then until the late 1950s to serve fire departments in small town situated around central Wisconsin and nearby.

In addition to crafting the custom-made brass and bronze specialty apparatus required for outfitting the fire trucks he built for those other fire departments, Anderson cast, machined and sold them for other fire-fighting equipment manufacturers to use. Thus was the “A (in a circle) / R. I. ANDERSON / IOLA, WIS.” imprint on fire fighting tools and machinery spread across the country and around the world over the mid-years of the 20th century.

After 56 years operating out of his East State Street location, the then 87 year old Anderson determined it was time to retire from the foundry and machining business. Offering to sell the building to the village, at the April 16, 1970, meeting of the board its purchase for $3,010 was approved. The keys were turned over to village president Carl Waller on September 28, 1970, with the building being subsequently torn down with the last remains being burned on March 23, 1971.

Among the contents salvaged from the building pior to its removal were the machine tools Anderson employed in his manufacturing process, which were placed in Iola storage

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with P. Oliver Olsen. In the late 1970s they were transported to Milwaukee and placed in storage at the home/business of Robert Anderson, father of grandsons David and Paul. David eventually moved the machinery to the St. Cloud, Minn., area in 1990, establishing a functioning hobby shop at his home.

The opportunity for this historic collection to come into possession of the Iola Historical Society developed quite unexpectedly during the 2012 Taste of Norway event. It was at that time that David and Rhinard’s other grandchildren suggested to IHS president Clifford Mishler that they might be available for display and donation if the Society was interested. A few exchanges of communication followed and a commitment was made in early 2013.

On June 18, 2013, Donald Faldet and Charles Thompson were joined by Mishler for a run out to the St. Cloud area to retrieve and return to Iola the array of machine tools long employed at the R. I. Anderson Machine Shop.

They returned with 4-1/2 tons of lathes, presses and related equipment and tools. Thompson then turned his attention to building a representation of the shop and arranging the tools display over the winters of 2013/14 and 2014/15.

On May 6, 2015, the R. I. Anderson Machine Shop came back to life as a special display showcased in the IHS Machine Shed exhibition building during a dedicatory event with David Anderson’s participation. Other family members in attendance for the occasion were Wisconsin residents Carol Hoff and her husband Tom from Sussex, Barbara Erdmann and her husband Jim from Waukesha, Judy Schultz and

her husband Don from Milwaukee, and Paul Anderson from Iola.

The fire truck Anderson built for Iola is on display

in the IHS’ authentically constructed replication, opened in 2007, of the village’s historic brick firehouse structure that served the community from 1901 to 1986. Displayed alongside it are two earlier historic Iola fire fighting apparatus. Decommissioned in 1976, the vehicle had

The past quarter was a particularly active one insofar as the activities of the Iola Historical Society were concerned. Most particularly it included the hosting of two of our three annual community involvement events, the second annual Memorial Day Pig Roast salute to our military veterans and the 31st annual Iola Strawberry Fest fundraiser.

The first event that I would like to call attention to, however, was a “Business After 5” social event that was hosted at the facilities of the Iola Old Car Show, the Iola Historical Society, and the Iola Mills/Millstone in conjunction with the Iola-Scandinavia Area Chamber of Commerce and the Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce on the last Tuesday of April. This event was designed to fly the flag of our community for our neighbors to the south.

The following day a couple dozen students representing the Iola-Scandinavia School’s National Honor Society chapter descended upon the grounds, rakes and shovels in hand, in pursuit of their program of community spring cleaning tasks. Speaking of interaction with the school, three weeks later to the day this year’s third grade classes, roughly 45 in number, paid us a visit as part of their educational experience, as the third grade classes do annually.

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R.I. Anderson Machine Shop as it appeared in it’s waning years.

The dedication program for the Anderson Machine Shop exhibit was presented by IHS vice-president Lee Halverson.

Iola Historical Society210 Depot Street

P. O. Box 412 . Iola, WI 54945Officers

Clifford Mishler, PresidentLee Halverson, Vice-PresidentJohn Bertelson, Jr., Secretary

Tom Fucik, TreasurerBoard of Directors

Greg Loescher, Sharon PetersonStella Strand, Director Emeritus

Doug Watson, Window Design

Become A Member Individual Membership .... $20 yr Family Membership .......... $30 yr Supporting Membership ... $50 yr Individual Life Membership $200

Direct remittance payable to: Iola Historical Society

P. O. Box 412, Iola, WI 54945-0412

iolahistoricalsociety@tds.netwww.iolahistoricalsociety.org

Phone: 715-445-IOLA (4652)