Lost Lake Randolph Historical Society

03/12/2023

N9938 STATE HIGHWAY 73 | Property Record | Wisconsin Historical Society

Interesting information about the motel that was posted yesterday!

N9938 STATE HIGHWAY 73

03/12/2023

The Wandrei Motel looks brand new in this postcard!

03/11/2023

This looks yummy 😋 and a great way to support our local Veterans!

03/09/2023

03/09/2023

Interesting, but sad story tonight from May, 1900. 😳

There is an actual book about this story, which I have attached a photo from (I don’t have the book, but I have read it a few years ago).

I have been told that the well is located in the grove of trees across the highway from the Historical Society.

If I remember correctly, the man served approximately 8 years in prison. He then moved to Beaver Dam and re-married. The woman was extremely hurt from this ordeal and was paralyzed for the rest of her life. 😢

03/07/2023

Congratulations Sam's Well Drilling!

03/05/2023

And now the ice storm many of us still remember, circa 1976! 🧊🥶

It’s been 47 years!

03/03/2023

Check out this Ladies Band from 1909!

02/27/2023

Not a photo of Randolph, but many of us were born and received care here over the years, so I thought it would be of interest!

02/25/2023

It’s basketball tournament time 🏀🚀

Going back 30 years to remember the Lady Rockets team of 1993!

02/23/2023

Did you know there was an ice storm in Wisconsin 101 years ago today?!

There is a small article on the front page of The Advance of February 23, 1922.

02/20/2023

The Randolph Wagon Works was a booming business at one time in Randolph. The article included with the pics today is from the August/September 2021 Our Wisconsin magazine. Interesting story about the wagon that was manufactured in Randolph all those years ago!

The article was sent in by a follower of this page. If you have any interesting photos or stories, please send them in a message to this page!

02/18/2023

Going waaaayyyy back again tonight to the first settlers of Randolph. An interesting read. Difficult to imagine those early times.

02/14/2023

Happy Valentines Day from the Lost Lake Randolph Historical Society!❤️

Do these valentines look familiar to anyone else? ❤️

02/10/2023

Not quite sure what they are doing in this photo? No information was given with the photo. Any ideas anyone?

02/09/2023

Due to the weather, the Historical Society meeting for today has been canceled! See you March 9th at 12:30 pm! Stay safe ❄️

02/05/2023

Did you know it’s National Thank A Mail Carrier Day?! ✉️📫💌📦

This is how we used to get the mail!

Randolph has been very fortunate to have many great mail carriers, both past and present! Thank you!

02/03/2023

It’s a photo re-creation night!

01/29/2023

Well now, this looks like we had a snowstorm! ❄️❄️❄️

Location is the corner of Hwy P and Hwy 73.

01/26/2023

The Graafsma Ford building was taken down last year. Here’s a photo of Frank, the past owner. I’m sure many folks will remember him. 🚗🚙🛻🚙

01/23/2023

Did y‘all go ice skating?! ⛸️⛸️

Article is from January, 1966.

01/19/2023

Greetings!

Someone had requested a photo of the bandstand, if you look on the bottom right photo you can see it!

01/15/2023

Probably a typical Saturday night in Randolph at Streich’s! This later became Feil’s Supper Club according to the notes with the photos.

01/13/2023

Ever wonder about the first settlers of Randolph?

Did you know Randolph was once known as Converseville?

Here is a short interesting story about John Converse, his wife Azubah, and daughter Jessie.

Jessie was quite the artist. Her beautiful cup and saucer that she hand painted is actually on display at the Historical Society! I hope you come out and see our many wonderful historical displays when we re-open again this spring!

01/09/2023

Love this Birds Eye View postcard!

Check out all the wide open spaces on the upper left and also the little store that is right next to the alley and current Budh gas station!!

01/06/2023

An interesting story!

Ho Chunk Chief "Dandy" 1867
Ho Chunk Chief Dandy was a frequent figure in the early history of Dodge County. He was known to reside from time to time at Fox Lake and on the Horicon Marsh. The following story comes from the archives of the WHS.
A Stranger Comes and Goes
Years later, when he was a fugitive in Wisconsin, Chief Dandy made a profound impression on the first settlers of Dartford, on Green Lake. "One midsummer day in 1842," recalled Richard Dart in the Society's "Proceedings" for 1909, "while we were eating dinner, there was a rap at the door, which we opened. There stood a stalwart, richly-dressed Indian whom we did not know. He had no gun, his only weapon being a long lance whose shaft was decorated with three white eagle feathers, tied on with deer sinew. It was the symbol of his rank, but we did not know this. We shook hands, and he asked whether we could give him some dinner. We welcomed him to our modest feast, as we usually did such callers, and found that he talked English quite as well as we did.

"After eating, he said: 'I'm astonished to find you here. No white man was ever seen here before. I wonder that you are alone. I shouldn't have found you now; only, as I passed up the trail (from Green Bay to Portage) I saw a wagon-track crossing it and coming this way. This excited my curiosity. I followed it, and found your house.' He asked many intelligent questions, and we also questioned him. He said that he would like to have a long talk with us, but must go, for he had to reach Portage that night. We thought it useless for him to try to do so, and vainly urged him to stay. While we saw him to be very intelligent and bright, he had not told us who he was.

'How much shall I pay for my dinner?' he asked. 'Nothing. You are welcome. 'But,' he replied, 'I always pay for my dinner.' We still declined anything, whereupon he took out a fine buckskin pouch, well-filled with shining half-dollars—thirty or so, I should think. Taking one out and playing with it for a few minutes, he then tossed it to my little sister. 'I don't want to be bragging of who I am,' he said on leaving; 'but you have treated me kindly, and it is fair for you to know that I am Dandy, chief of the Winnebago, I thank you!'
Ho Chunk Chief Dandy
Dandy was a frequent visitor to Dodge County WI. Especially the Fox Lake and Horicon Marsh areas.
Below is an interesting story from the archives of the WHS.
A Stranger Comes
"It was the first and last time that we ever saw him. He started back toward the trail, and soon passed out of sight. He was a splendid fellow, and it seems had, at the risk of his life, come back on a secret visit from the reservation at Turkey River, Iowa, to transact business for his tribe at Green Bay."

01/05/2023

I’m betting the DeVries family transported many gallons of milk over the years! 🥛🐄

01/01/2023

Happy New Year from the Lost Lake Randolph Historical Society!

Please enjoy these New Years babies from times past!

Wish they still had this contest!

12/30/2022

A rare look inside of King’s Spa in downtown Randolph! 🍺🥃🍷

Anyone else remember the snake plants in the window? The ones I remember were much larger!!

12/25/2022

Merry Christmas from the Lost Lake Randolph Historical Society!

12/23/2022

It looks like they had a lot more snow than we did today in this first photo from long, long ago!

I love that little detail along the top of the building on the left! And that it’s still there today. The building on the left is R.B. Thomas Jewelry and L. Earl Thomas Optometrist.

Fun fact- a jewelry case from this jewelry store is being used out at the museum for a display!

12/19/2022

A pretty little night scene of Randolph. No cars here yet, still the horse and buggies!

12/16/2022

A tradition of holidays past was businesses giving small gifts to their customers. This gift was a picture, with a thermometer from the Randolph Feed Mill!

12/12/2022

This is how they did Christmas in the early ‘60’s in Randolph! 🎅🏻🎄

12/08/2022

Here’s the front page of The Randolph Advance from 80 years ago!

Basketball games, church services, ration books and a free other interesting news tidbits!

12/05/2022

The note with the photo said it is the Blochwitz Women’s Store and the Sasada Men’s Store!

Anyone have an idea where this was located?

12/02/2022

60 years ago tomorrow!📓🚌✏️📚🚀

11/27/2022

An aerial photo of Lost Lake donated by John Biel. This is on display at the Historical Society.

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving from the Lost Lake Randolph Historical Society!

11/21/2022

In the first photo an old time scene of a steam engine rolling through Randolph. Fast forward to last Sunday when a steam engine rolled though Randolph (second photo). Photo credit to Wayne Sherwood!