Neenah celebrates its 150th birthday with speeches, songs and governor's proclamation
NEENAH - The city kicked off its 150th birthday party Monday with a gathering of local dignitaries, residents and schoolchildren at City Hall.
The Neenah High School Jazz Ensemble performed, and fourth- and fifth-grade students from Alliance Charter Elementary School wrote and sang a special version of "Happy Birthday" to Neenah.
The event culminated with the reading of a proclamation issued by Gov. Tony Evers.
Mayor Jane Lang said Neenah's story has been "beautifully written" over the past 150 years since incorporating as a city on March 13, 1873. She said it is the responsibility of residents, individually and collectively, to continue to write a great story that will be celebrated on Neenah's 200th and 300th birthdays.
"Our goal is to create a community in which we can all have pride. Not a boastful, arrogant pride, but rather a pride that is rooted in knowing that we've done our best and we've contributed to our community's future in a positive way," Lang said.
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Neenah has a storied history. Starting about 1850, pioneers harnessed the power of the Fox River, first for flour mills and then paper mills, allowing the community to grow and prosper. In recent decades, Neenah's economy successfully has transitioned to health care, teleservices and the design and manufacture of electronic components.
Jim Taylor, executive director of the Neenah Historical Society, compared Neenah's sense of history to Boston.
"People in Boston revel in their history. They immerse themselves in it," Taylor said. "I see the same attitude, the same commitment in Neenah."
Brent Bowman, executive director of Future Neenah Inc., highlighted Future Neenah's role in coordinating activities and events that make Neenah special. Future Neenah is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the city's cultural and economic vitality.
"If you've had a great time downtown sipping wine while shopping, roasting one of 10,000 marshmallows on Wisconsin Avenue, searching for orbs on the Trestle Trail, listening to music in Shattuck Park or strolling the streets lit with 1,500 luminaries while searching for cookies, then you've experienced Future Neenah Inc.," Bowman said.
Evers' proclamation commends the observance of Neenah's 150th year as a city. The document says, in part:
Whereas; the city of Neenah officially incorporated on March 13, 1873, and over the past 150 years, the city has embraced technology, heath care, education and business, putting down deep roots that continue to sustain innovation and promote new growth to this day; and
Whereas; Neenah is a community built upon the ingenuity and collaborative spirit of its residents, and the city's success is a result of the hard work and dedication of each individual who has called Neenah home.
Gov. Tony Evers
The proclamation further wishes Neenah "many more years of prosperity and success."
Monday's gathering was just the start of Neenah's celebration. Other events include a weekly treasure hunt for commemorative medallions hidden by Neenah police, a Neenah Arts Council photography contest, a Neenah-Menasha sesquicentennial historical exhibit, a bicycle tour and self-guided walking tours of historic homes.
The festivities will culminate with a Community Party in the Street on Aug. 23 in downtown Neenah, with live music from Boogie and the Yo-Yoz.
Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DukeBehnke.
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This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Neenah celebrates its 150th birthday with governor's proclamation
