How does toast tell us about the time of the fur trade in Wisconsin?
Before and after the American Revolutionary War, French explorers were coming to the area we now know as Wisconsin. One of those people was a blacksmith named Joseph Jourdain. He and other blacksmiths used fire to heat metal so it could be shaped into tools like an iron toaster, which was used to make toast over a fire.
Let's take a look
Questions to consider
What was Wisconsin like in the time this toaster is from?
How did blacksmiths during the fur trade era make items like the toaster?
What makes the toast people eat today different from the toast of Joseph Jourdain’s time?
Meet the historians
Get to know the historians. Each historian in this episode has a card with information about that historian.
There are 3 cards to read.
Taylor L. Bailey
Public Historian
I get to look at things and moments in history and teach others about them!
Beth Kowalski
Museum Director
I lead a fantastic team that collects, preserves and shares the items and stories of our northeastern Wisconsin community!
Kacie Lucchini Butcher
Public Historian
I find and share stories from the past that have shaped our present, and love showing people how cool history is!
Quote from a historian
“In the 1820s, when this non-electric toaster was made, Wisconsin wasn't even a state yet.”
Kacie Lucchini Butcher
Episode credits
Producer
David Boffa
Coordinating Producer
Mia Forslund
Hosts
Kacie Lucchini Butcher
Taylor L. Bailey
Special Guest
Beth Kowalski
Research and Writing
Louise Pfotenhauer
David Boffa
Mia Forslund
Director of Photography
Ryan Hendricks
Videography
Ryan Hendricks
Ian Glodich
David Boffa
Editing
David Boffa
Ian Glodich
Captioning
Catie Pfeifer
Translation Services
Rev
Educator Support Materials
David Boffa
Mia Forslund
Kate Melberg
Web Design
Charles Barrows
Erika Kachama-Nkoy
Web Development
John Vieth
Graphic and Motion Design
Charles Barrows
Ian Glodich
Danielle Riseley
Additional Production Support
Philip Ashby
Al Barcheski
John Dachik
Angie Hause
Kurt Kaspar
Andy LaValley
Doug May
Will Salzmann
Executive Producer
Director of Education
Megan Monday
Director of Television
Jon Miskowski
Project Partners
Rebecca M. Blank Center for Campus History
University of Wisconsin–Madison Libraries
Wisconsin Historical Society
Special Thanks
Beth Kowalski
Louise Pfotenhauer
Neville Public Museum
Angela Hause
Jim Greco and the Department of Theater and Drama, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Dan Hess
Old World Wisconsin
Educator advisors
Debbie Burmeister
Neenah, WI
Peoria, AZ
Erin Ermis
Neenah Joint School District
Neenah, WI
Toni Heinowski
Muskego, WI
Tanya Schmidt
Oshkosh Area School District
Oshkosh, WI
Barb Shaver
Kettle Moraine School District
Wales, WI
Funding provided by
Timothy William Trout Education Fund
a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout
Eleanor and Thomas Wildrick Family
Focus Fund for Education
Friends of PBS Wisconsin