The Many Great Products of WI

The Many Great Products of Wisconsin
By Drew Davis; Executive Director; 04-04-09
Available at http://www.wiscnews.com/wde/opinion/445681

I am not sure any other state in the union has offered as much to the collective United States as Wisconsin. The thirtieth star on the American flag. That’s us. Sixth row down, second one from the left. You’ll see it more vividly next time. And when you consider the many things Wisconsin has provided our country and her citizens, you’ll note it rightfully shines a little brighter. From the productive and historical to the protective and life-saving, Wisconsin’s offerings are as impressive as they are many.

Are you a Packer fan? How about a fan of any sport, professional or collegiate? There are few experiences more exhilarating than being surrounded by tens-of-thousands of screaming sports fans enthusiastically waving colored towels above their heads in support of their favorite team. Well, it might please you to know that wonderful experience is provided by McArthur Towel & Sports in Baraboo, WI. Dating back to 1885, McArthur towels now serve as the high profile Gatorade Bench Towel, the Pittsburgh Steelers Terrible Towel, and are designed for professional teams within the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League. Where would sports be without us?

Oshkosh B’Gosh is not the only national treasure this city of ours has produced. The Oshkosh Corporation has been developing high-intensity vehicles for our armed forces, police and fire departments, airports and the president for
92 years. From powerful Mobile Command and Urban Search and Rescue vehicles to versatile Hazmat and Bomb Response units, these vehicles have been hailed by state and federal agencies around the country. The Waste Management trucks that collect the garbage and recycling for millions are products of Oshkosh; and chances are the trucks that plow their snow, transport their SWAT teams, and respond to airport disasters are as well.

In fact, Pierce Manufacturing of Appleton, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, is the leader in custom fire trucks and homeland security vehicles that respond to domestic emergencies, natural disasters, and terrorist threats. Following 9-11, it was Pierce that donated customized equipment to NYFD to help replace what was lost during the attacks. And in 2002, Pierce delivered a custom-designed pumper truck to the U.S. Navy for use at Camp David, the official retreat for American presidents.

Fuel tankers for the U.S. Forestry Service in California are also a part of their repertoire. I note in jest that even though California “stole” our dairy industry through unnatural federal subsidies we continue to send them fire trucks when the pastures those “happy cows” graze in are ablaze.

Let’s go back in time for a minute, to 1903. It was then, in the hills of Milwaukee, that two men named William Harley and Arthur Davidson made a racing bike that would change the world forever. The factory in which they worked was a 10×15-foot wooden shed with the words “Harley-Davidson Motor Company” crudely scrawled onto the door. One hundred years later, nothing more needs to be said; the integrity of this product speaks for itself.

I do not want to get tunnel vision, however. I’ve made the point. We produce phenomenal vehicles of all kinds, for all people, for all purposes. But Wisconsin has provided so much more. Beyond the notable greats of the Midwest’s best vacation destination and the MillerCoors, Point, and Leinenkugel’s Brewing Companies—to name only three of the twenty-one breweries, I would be remiss if I failed to mention my Alma Mater, Ripon, WI. Rippin’ Good Cookies has hardly been their only gift to our sweet-toothed citizenry. On March 20, 1854, a cold and windy night, the Republican Party was born in a little white schoolhouse that still stands today. It was here the first mass meeting in the country was held that advocated a new party under the name “Republican” and consisted of people who pledged to fight against the spread of slavery. Regardless of which party you espouse today, Wisconsinites can all walk taller knowing the party of our nation’s greatest president—Abraham Lincoln—was conceived in Wisconsin.

If politics isn’t your cup of tea, we can go back to sports. The huddle: it was invented in Ripon when a soft-spoken quarterback had to gather his team in close to call plays. I’ll bet you’re smiling now. Who knew; the huddle of all things, originated in Wisconsin.
Yes, it’s difficult to compete with our thirtieth star. On Wisconsin!

Drew Davis is a columnist for Capital Newspapers, headquartered in Madison, WI.