Article written by Lizzy Schmidt and Karyssa Gulish, UW-Eau Claire Public History Students
Eau Claire has identified itself as the Music Capital of the
North as a response to the musical renaissance that the region has found itself
in. As a result, we are in a moment in Eau Claire history where music and arts
are becoming very important to our sense of identity. As historians we do not
have the primary sources that we need to properly study and research the music
in the area. From this, the Sounds of Eau Claire project was created.
In the spring of 2017 students from the Introduction to
Public History course completed the first round of oral histories that
documented stories from local music legends. These included Jazz professor Bob
Baca, festival organizer Jim Bischel, and Blugold radio manager Scott Morfitt.
Students researched, interviewed, and transcribed the conversations with the
narrator. These histories were later turned into podcasts that were broadcast
to the public on Blugold radio. The interviews were donated to Special Collections
and Archives in McIntyre Library and are open to the public for research.
These oral histories were just the tip of the iceberg for
the Sounds of Eau Claire, this sparked not only another semester of oral
histories but the History Harvest event that was held on March 3, 2018
at the Chippewa Valley Museum. This event aimed to digitize the hidden gems of
Eau Claire’s musical past. These hidden gems included instruments, programs,
scrapbooks, and other musical memorabilia. The Special Collections and Archives
has partnered with the UWEC history department to collect and digitize these
various items that came to us through the History Harvest. Led by Dr.
Dan Ott with assistance by Archivist Greg Kocken, Students in the
Public History Seminar course were trained to digitize these treasures
as well as collect metadata about the objects. This allows for students to get
real life experience with actual Public History work, this kind of project is
not often found at a university of Eau Claire’s size.
Aside from the digitization process, the day featured
various speakers and performers. Including: "Oclare/Eaux Claires, Faux
Claire/Eau Claire: Music and the Imagination of an Upper Midwestern
Community" with UW-Madison folklorist Dr. James P. Leary; Live Music
with Bob & Bernie Cynor; a Panel Discussion: Echoes of Eau Claire
with Cathy; Reitz, Dr. Gretchen Peters, Dr. Nick Poss, and Nick Meyer; Live
Music with Nick Seeger; and University Roots in the Chippewa Valley Music
Scene with UWEC Music Department chair Dr. Gretchen Peters. These speakers
and performers made this event not just for donors but allowed for the
community to connect with the history and culture of Eau Claire.
This is funded by in part by the Wisconsin Humanities
Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
