Wisconsin Stories

WISCONSIN STORIES IS A PARTNERSHIP OF THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN AND WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.

Tracy Will

TONIGHT, ON "NEWS FROM THE PAST" AN ICY STORM COATS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN SNAPPING THE POWER POLES AND KNOCKING OUT ELECTRICITY FOR THOUSANDS; WISCONSIN'S LONGEST LASTING BLIZZARD SHUTS DOWN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE; A WARM ARMISTICE DAY IN 1940 TURNS INTO A RAGING BLIZZARD. THESE STORIES AND MEMORIES OF "ICE, SNOW AND COPING WITH THE COLD" ON WISCONSIN STORIES. MAJOR FUNDING FOR WISCONSIN STORIES IS PROVIDED BY THE MEAD WITTER FOUNDATION, INC. WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WISCONSIN. ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE HALBERT AND ALICE KADISH FOUNDATION PHILIP J. AND ELIZABETH B. HENDRICKSON AND AN ADVISED FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. GOOD EVENING, I'M TRACY WILL. AND WELCOME TO "NEWS FROM THE PAST." DEBBIE KMETZ IS ON ASSIGNMENT. THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN HISTORY, SNOW AND COLD HAVE ALWAYS AFFECTED OUR NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS. SO, TONIGHT, WE'LL BRING YOU THE GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS ABOUT WISCONSIN'S WINTER WEATHER. FIRST, THE BAD NEWS. REMEMBER THE ICE STORM OF 1976? IT WENT DOWN IN THE RECORD BOOKS AS ONE OF WISCONSIN'S WORST NATURAL DISASTERS. THE '76 STORM COATED THE SOUTHERN HALF OF WISCONSIN WITH AS MUCH AS FIVE INCHES OF ICE. WINDS GUSTING TO 60 MILES PER HOUR MADE THE BAD SITUATION WORSE-- BENDING TREES TO THE GROUND SNAPPING ICE-LADEN POWER LINES AND POLES AND LEAVING THOUSANDS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. AS DANGEROUS AS ICE CAN BE IT WAS IN 1947 THAT THE LONGEST BLIZZARD ON RECORD PUMMELED SOUTHERN WISCONSIN AND PARALYZED THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE. DRIVERS LEFT THEIR CARS IN THE STREETS AS THE THREE-DAY STORM DUMPED UP TO 27 INCHES OF SNOW AND GALE FORCE WINDS CREATED 15-FOOT DRIFTS. TRAFFIC STOPPED, PEOPLE WERE STRANDED AND BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS AND FACTORIES CLOSED DOWN FOR DAYS. FOR A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT I TRAVELED TO THE EAST TROY TROLLEY MUSEUM TO SPEAK WITH LEROY STELLPFLUG A FORMER PABST BREWERY WORKER WHO SPENT THE WORST NIGHT OF THE STORM SNOWBOUND IN A MILWAUKEE TROLLEY CAR. TELL ME WHY YOU WERE GOING TO WORK THAT NIGHT? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, TO MAKE A LIVING. THAT'S ALL THEY HAD OPEN, WAS THE THIRD SHIFT. THE STREET CAR CAME-- ON TIME. WE GOT TO ABOUT 23rd AND NATIONAL AND THEN WE SAW MANY STREET CARS AHEAD OF US ON THE TRACK AND AUTOMOBILES. AND WE WERE STUCK. DIDN'T GET TO THE PABST BREWERY COMPANY THAT NIGHT? WELL, BEER BUSINESS STOPPED THERE FOR A WHILE. I THINK THAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS STRANDED SOMEWHERE. IT GOT TO BE A COUPLE HOURS LATER AND WE WERE LOOKING, YOU KNOW "WHERE ARE THE CITY SNOW PLOWS?" THE WIND WAS BLOWING, THE SNOW WAS FLYING. BUT WE WERE SAFE WE HAD THE TROLLEY PULL ON THE WIRE. WE HAD LIGHT AND HEAT AND I HAD MY LUNCH BUCKET. SO, I WAS WELL-PREPARED FOR THE EVENING. SO, WE JUST WAITED OUT THE NIGHT JUST A FEW POOR SOULS ON THERE THAT WERE CAUGHT. SO,

AT ABOUT 3

00 IN THE MORNING I JUST SAT THERE AND ATE MY LUNCH AND LET THE NIGHT GO BY. YOU FELL ASLEEP ON A CANE CHAIR LIKE THIS? WELL, I JUST LEANED BACK, LIKE THIS AND AGAINST THE WINDOW, LIKE THAT. IT WAS NICE. I FOUND SOME OF THESE PHOTOS. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS. NOW WHAT DO YOU SEE? DOES THIS LOOK LIKE ANYTHING YOU EVER SAW DURING THE COURSE OF THAT? WELL, DURING THAT STORM THE STREETS WERE TIED UP THAT WAY. AND THAT'S WHY LATER ON, PLOWS COULDN'T GET THROUGH BECAUSE THE CARS BLOCKED IT, YOU KNOW. OTHER PEOPLE HAD WARM PLACES TO SIT SITTING IN A TELEPHONE BOOTH. YES, TELEPHONE BOOTHS. PROBABLY CALLING HOME, "WE'RE STUCK HERE. "WAIT FOR US. DON'T KEEP THE SOUP WARM." ( both laugh ) AND THESE ARE TROLLEY BUSES. HERE, YOU CAN TELL BY THE POLES ON THE WIRE TWO POLES ON THE WIRE. BUT THEY'VE GOT LIGHT AND HEAT. SO, THE DRIVER SITS INSIDE AND HE'S OKAY. THERE THEY ARE. HERE'S TWO STREETCAR MOTORMEN, HERE DISCUSSING THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. "WHERE ARE THE SNOW PLOWS?" MILWAUKEE, THE GREAT CITY ON THE LAKE. STOPPED IN TIME BY A BIG SNOW STORM. THE LAST BUS TO MAKE IT OUT. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THIS. I AM 76 YEARS OLD. AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THAT WAS TOPS ON MY LIST, THERE. THAT STORM. THAT WAS ONE I'LL NEVER FORGET. COMING UP NEXT BASHING THROUGH DRIFTS AND THE SNOW BLOCKADE IN RURAL WISCONSIN. AND ONE OF THE DEADLIEST BLIZZARDS IN WISCONSIN.

Announcer

"YOU'VE GOT TO SEE DANGER TO AVOID IT" WARNS THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL. SO, WHENEVER YOUR CAR IS COVERED WITH SNOW DON'T JUST GIVE THE WINDSHIELD A QUICK BRUSH OFF WITH YOUR HAND LIKE OUR FRIEND HERE. BUT DO A REAL JOB, GET YOUR BRUSH AND GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE TO SEE OUT AS WELL AS BE SEEN. GET ALL THE SNOW OFF THE WINDSHIELD. MAKE SURE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE OPERATING PROPERLY AND AREN'T FROZEN TO THE GLASS. GET THE HEADLIGHTS CLEANED OFF AND THEN THE SIDE WINDOWS. AND DON'T FORGET THE HOOD AND AIR VENTS. THEN, THE REAR WINDOW AND STOP LIGHTS-- YOU HAVE TO SEE BEHIND, AS WELL AS AHEAD. YOU'RE GETTING THERE BUT YOU'RE NOT THROUGH YET. ONE FINAL DETAIL, AND AN IMPORTANT ONE OPEN YOUR SIDE WINDOWS A BIT. IT'S A-OKAY-- TAKE OFF. NOW YOU CAN SEE AND BE SEEN FOR SAFER WINTER DRIVING. AND IN MORE STORM NEWS, IT WAS IN FEBRUARY OF 1936 THAT STATE HIGHWAY 48, FROM CUMBERLAND TO RICE LAKE WAS BURIED BY A BLIZZARD AND HUGE SNOWDRIFTS. IN THIS FILM FOOTAGE INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER CORPORATION DEMONSTRATES HOW QUICKLY THEIR SNOW PLOWS COULD CLEAR THAT ROAD. SNOW BOUND ISOLATION WAS A TRAGEDY TO MANY COMMUNITIES NOT EQUIPPED FOR MOVING SNOW DURING EARLY 1936. STALLED CARS AND MOTORTRUCKS WERE MUTE EVIDENCE OF MAN'S HELPLESSNESS IN THE FACE OF A SNOW BLOCKADE. HERE'S A HIGHWAY PILED DEEP WITH SNOW. THAT FOR WEEKS WAS IMPASSABLE FOR AUTOMOBILES AND TRUCKS. SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES, AND SNOW FOUR TO 14 FEET DEEP WERE SERIOUS HANDICAPS TO FARMERS ALONG THIS ROAD. BECAUSE THEY HAD TO DEPEND ON HORSES AND SLEDS TO MOVE THEIR PRODUCTS TO MARKET. SCHOOL BUS SERVICE WAS DISCONTINUED. SICKNESS BECAME EVEN MORE SERIOUS WHEN MEDICAL AID WAS DEPENDENT ON BOBSLEDS OR SNOWSHOES. HARDLY BELIEVING THAT SUCH HUGE DRIFTS AND HEAVILY TRODDEN SNOW COULD BE CLEARED WITH A MOTORTRUCK MANY GATHERED TO WCH THE OUTFIT FORCE IT'S WAY THROUGH DRIFTS IN SOME PLACES MUCH DEEPER THAN THE HEIGHT OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK FORCED THE PLOW THROUGH ORDINARY DRIFTS CONTINUOUSLY TOSSING ASIDE LARGE CHUNKS OF SNOW. THE SUCCESS OF THIS SPECTACULAR SNOW-MOVING OPERATION EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS AND LEFT NO DOUBT AS TO THE ABILITY OF THE OUTFIT. FOUR YEARS LATER, SNOW PLOWS WERE AGAIN PUT TO THE TEST. THIS TIME, ON ARMISTICE DAY, IN 1940. IT BEGAN AS A WARM NOVEMBER DAY, WITH HIGHS IN THE '60s. BUT WHEN A COLD FRONT ROARED IN MANY HUNTERS WHO HAD VENTURED OUT WHERE CAUGHT UNPREPARED FOR ONE OF WISCONSIN'S DEADLIEST BLIZZARDS WITH WINDS GUSTING UP TO 80 MILES PER HOUR. JEAN LECHNER, FROM PRAIRIE DU CHIEN WAS 23, NEWLY MARRIED AND PREGNANT AT THE TIME. SHE AND HER HUSBAND, RAY TOOK THE DAY OFF TO GO RABBIT HUNTING. AND GOT CAUGHT IN THE ARMISTICE DAY BLIZZARD. THE WIND WAS SO STRONG OUR LITTLE TRUCK DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER. AND IT WAS STARTING TO BLOW SNOW. THE SNOW STARTED COMING IN AROUND THE WINDSHIELD. THEN IT GOT TO BE LIKE A WHITEOUT. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE DRIVEN THROUGH FOG IN A WHITEOUT WHERE YOU COULDN'T SEE A THING. COULDN'T SEE THE ROAD, YOU COULDN'T SEE-- RAY SAID, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO." I SAID, "JUST LET ME DRIVE, OKAY?" AND I'VE DRIVEN SINCE I WAS 14. SO, I GOT BEHIND THE WHEEL. AND THEN, HE'D STICK HIS HEAD OUT THE DOOR TO TRY TO SEE WHERE WE WERE GOING AND GUIDE ME. AND WE FINALLY-- WE WENT ABOUT A HALF A MILE AND THEN STOPPED. AND A HALF A MILE, AND STOPPED. AND THEN, WHEN IT LET UP A LITTLE BIT WE'D DRIVE AGAIN. I WAS BULLHEADED ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT I WAS GOING TO GET HOME IF I HAD TO PUSH THAT TRUCK HOME. HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN IN A WORSE STORM? NO, I'VE SEEN WIND STORMS AND TREES UPROOTED AND STUFF BUT NOTHING THAT FRIGHTENED ME AS MUCH AS THAT BECAUSE I HAD A FUNNY FEELING WE WERE NEVER GOING TO GET HOME.

Will

THE ARMISTICE DAY BLIZZARD WAS ONE OF THE MOST UNEXPECTED STORMS IN WISCONSIN HISTORY. PEOPLE WERE STRANDED IN THEIR CARS FOR DAYS AND WHOLE TOWNS WERE ISOLATED BY HUGE SNOW DRIFTS. IN ALL, THE BLIZZARD CLAIMED 162 LIVES; 49 WERE FROM WISCONSIN. THE ARMISTICE DAY BLIZZARD OF 1940 STARTED BUILDING ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WHERE THE NEWLY-BUILT TACOMA NARROWS SUSPENSION BRIDGE ALSO KNOWN AS "GALLOPING GERTIE" TWISTED IN THE HIGH WINDS, AND COLLAPSED. THE STORM MOVED SOUTH TO THE FOUR CORNERS AREA AND WITH A CLASSIC "COLORADO HOOK" SUCKED UP MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO ROARED UP THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND A PRECIPITOUS DROP IN TEMPERATURE. NOW, WISCONSIN'S LOWEST RECORDED TEMPERATURE OCCURRED IN EARLY FEBRUARY, 1996 IN COUDERAY, OUTSIDE OF HAYWARD WHERE THE MERCURY FINALLY HIT BOTTOM AT -55 DEGREES. THAT'S THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED EAST OF THE MISSISPPI. LAKE-EFFECT SNOWS OFTEN OCCUR IN COUNTIES SOUTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR AS COLD AIR MOVES ACROSS OPEN WATER AND PICKS UP HEAT AND MOISTURE. A NORTHEAST WIND WILL BRING THAT MOIST AIR OVER LAND WHERE IT COOLS DOWN. AND THE MOISTURE CONDENSES, FORMING CLOUDS AND TRIGGERING HEAVY SNOWSTORMS. THANKS TO LAKE-EFFECT SNOW, IN 1996-1997 HURLEY, WHICH IS ALWAYS A SNOWY PLACE RECORDED THE MOST SNOWFALL EVER IN WISCONSIN, 277 INCHES. THAT'S OVER 23 FEET! SO, DEBBIE KMETZ VISITED THE IRON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN HURLEY TO HEAR ABOUT OTHER MEMORABLE STORMS OF THE PAST.

Man

MY DAD AND I STARTED OUT WITH-- HE HAD SNOWSHOES AND I HAD SKIS. WE DIDN'T GET EVEN A BLOCK AWAY FROM HOME AND DECIDED THAT IT WAS EASIER TO SHOVE THEM ON THE SIDE AND WALK THROUGH THE SNOW.

Woman 1

YOU COULDN'T SEE IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU COULD HARDLY FIND THE CAR ON MAIN STREET OF HURLEY.

Woman 2

THAT WINTER, THE SCHOOL BUSES WENT BY AND WE NEVER SAW THEM. THE SNOW GOT SO DEEP THAT YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING GO BY.

Debbie Kmetz

MEMORIES OF WINTER. MEMORIES THAT WEAVE LIFE TOGETHER IN HURLEY, WISCONSIN AS TIGHTLY AS THE RUGS THEY MAKE AT THE IRON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. WE'RE IN THE OLD COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING NOW THE SOCIETY'S HEADQUARTERS. I MET WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS TO ADMIRE THEIR HANDIWORK AND TO HEAR THE TALES OF MEMORABLE WINTERS. ONE STORM SEEMS TO STAND OUT ABOVE ALL THE REST-- THE BLIZZARD OF 1938.

Doris Morello

MY MOTHER AND I HAD GONE TO TOWN-- ONCE A WEEK. WE WERE A BIG FAMILY, AND LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY. HOW OLD WERE YOU? I WAS EIGHT. OKAY. AND SO, WE HAD DONE THE GROCERY SHOPPING AND RAN TO THE MOVIES, AND WE WERE DRIVING... IT'S STARTING TO SNOW? IT WAS SNOWING. AND WHEN WE STARTED DOWN 51 WE GOT ON THAT CURVE PAST THAT BIG ROCK AND WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE WE WERE. AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR JUST KIND OF "PHLUNKED" DOWN. WE WERE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SNOW BANK. WE HAD DRIVEN RIGHT UP A DRIFT. IT WAS HOURS LATER-- WE SAW VERY DIM LIGHTS WHERE THE ROAD SHOULD BE. SO, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND MY MOTHER STARTED FLASHING THE CAR LIGHTS. AND I WAS STANDING ON THE SNOW BANK, HOLLERING. AND IT'S STILL SNOWING? IT'S SNOWING TO BEAT THE BAND. AND IT WAS MY FATHER AND MY UNCLE-- HAD GOTTEN THE TOWN SNOW PLOW, THE TOWN OF ALMA SNOW PLOW AND THEY WERE COMING LOOKING FOR US. WITH THE SNOW PLOW? YES, AND MY DAD HAD THE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN AND HE HEARD ME HOLLERING.

Kmetz

WITH DRIFTS OF SNOW BLOCKING EVERY ROAD AND RAIL LINE EVEN THE HARDY FOLKS OF HURLEY HAD TO SUBMIT. TRAINS STOPPED, BUSES WERE STRANDED. MINERS WERE STUCK AT THE MINES. KIDS SPENT THREE TO FOUR DAYS BLOCKED INTO SCHOOL BUILDINGS. WELL, ACCORDING TO THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT THEY HAD IT WAS LISTED AS THE WORST BLIZZARD WE EVER HAD. DO YOU HAVE ANY PICTURES HERE OF THAT OF THOSE STREETS? I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN KEEP UP. THEY HAD ABOUT 36 INCHES IN THAT STORM. BUT THE REASON IT WAS SO BAD IS BECAUSE OF THE HIGH WIND. AND ALL OF THE BUILDINGS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE STREET WERE COMPLETELY BLOCKED IN. HERE'S A PICTURE WHERE THEY HAD JUST ABOUT MADE A PATH INTO THE DRUGSTORE. ( laughs ) WOW. NOW, THIS IS TALLER THAN SOME VERY TALL MEN. YES, IT IS. HERE, IT SHOWS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK. THE OPENING HAS BEEN SHOVELED INTO THE BANK SO THEY CAN GET IN THERE.

News Reporter

OVER 200 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN SO FAR THIS SEASON. THAT'S 60-70 INCHES MORE THAN LAST YEAR. AND LAST YEAR TURNED OUT TO BE A RECORD. THIS IS THE WORST WINTER SO FAR.

Kmetz

WITH A TOTAL OF 277 INCHES OF SNOW THE WINTER OF '96-'97 SET A RECORD. AND STATEWIDE NEWSPAPERS INCLUDED A STORY ABOUT RUTH AND WALTER HOEPNER AND THEIR DISAPPEARING HOUSE. "HURLEY RESIDENTS CRY 'ENOUGH!' BUT THE SNOW KEEPS ON FALLING."

Walter Hoepner

A COUPLE IN SUN PRAIRIE SENT IT TO US.

Ruth Hoepner

THEY FOUND IT IN TH E WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL IN FEBRUARY. THEY DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS SNOW UP HERE. WERE YOU SURPRISED? ( all laugh ) WERE WE EVER SURPRISED. NOW, THIS IS OUR HOUSE. THAT'S YOUR HOUSE? WHAT YOU SEE THERE ARE THE WINDOWS ON THE PORCH. BARELY. THE SNOW WAS SO DEEP WE COULDN'T LOOK OUT OF THOSE WINDOWS AT ALL.

Kmetz

THE HOEPNERS ARE ACTUALLY RECENT ARRIVALS IN HURLEY. HAVING CHOSEN TO RETIRE THERE-- ON PURPOSE.

I LIKE WHITE. Kmetz

YOU DO?! ( all laugh )

Kmetz

I SEE WALTER IN THIS PICTURE AND THERE'S YOUR DOG ON TOP OF THE SNOW.

Ruth Hoepner

HE'S LYING THERE, RESTING UP FROM THAT BIG CLIMB UP THERE. ( Debbie laughs ) HERE'S OUR SHOVEL. YOU NEVER PUT YOUR SHOVEL AWAY; NOBODY STEALS IT. ( both laugh )

Carl Prosek

I ALWAYS HAD THE IDEA TO MAKE THE BEST OF WHATEVER IT WAS. IF YOU HAD SNOW, YOU ENJOYED IT. YOU DID SKIING. YOU DID SLEIGHING, ICE SKATING. SO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WINTER YOU MAY AS WELL MAKE THE BEST OF IT AND ENJOY IT. THAT WAS MY PHILOSOPHY FOR WORK OR EVERYTHING ELSE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE IT ENJOY IT, MAKE THE BEST OF IT.

Kmetz

SO, THIS SNOW, IT'S BEEN WORTH IT?

Doris Morello

OH, YEAH. I'VE ALWAYS LIKED WINTER, FROM LITTLE ON. I LIVED AWAY FROM HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND I WAS JUST GLAD TO GET BACK.

Walter Hoepner

IF IT WOULDN'T BE FOR WINTER YOU WOULDN'T ENJOY SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL. SCOTTISH IMMIGRANTS STARTED THE FIRST CURLING CLUB IN MILWAUKEE, IN 1845, THREE YEARS BEFORE STATEHOOD. THE SPORT THEN SPREAD ACROSS THE STATE. AND IN 1965, A TEAM FROM SUPERIOR BECAME AMERICA'S FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS. DEBBIE KMETZ TRAVELED TO SUPERIOR AND TALKED TO BUD SOMERVILLE, AMERICA'S MOST FAMOUS CURLER.

Kmetz

CANADIANS AND EUROPEANS DOMINATED THE SPORT OF CURLING UNTIL 1965 WHEN A TEAM FROM THIS CURLING CLUB IN SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN BECAME THE FIRST FROM AMERICA TO WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS SCOTCH CUP THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF CURLING. THE MAN WHO LEAD THAT TEAM AND THREW THE MATCH-WINNING CHAMPIONSHIP ROCK WAS BUD SOMERVILLE WHO BECAME KNOWN AS "THE BABE RUTH" OF CURLING. BUD, CAN YOU TAKE US BACK TO THAT MOMENT? IT WAS QUITE A THRILL FOR THE FOUR OF US. WE DIDN'T THINK, AT THAT TIME THAT WE COULD HOLD A CANDLE TO THE EUROPEAN TEAMS. AND FOUR GUYS FROM SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN TRAVELING OVER TO PERTH, SCOTLAND-- I THINK WE KIND OF FELT THAT IF WE WON ONE GAME WE'D BE MORE THAN SATISFIED. BUT AS YOU KNOW, TO WIN THE WHOLE THING IT WAS REALLY A THRILL. SO, YOU WERE GOING WHERE CURLING WAS BORN IN SCOTLAND? THE SCOTS ARE TREMENDOUS CURLING FANS. AND I THINK THEY WERE AS THRILLED AT OUR VICTORY AS WE WERE, TOO. THE SCOTS WERE YOUR FANS AT THAT POINT? THEY CERTAINLY WERE. THE GUYS FROM SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN. RIGHT. THAT'S WONDERFUL. WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU CAME BACK TO SUPERIOR? THE TRAIN STATION IN SUPERIOR-- THERE MUST HAVE BEEN 1,000 OR 2,000 PEOPLE THERE WAITING FOR US. THEY HAD US UP ON THEIR SHOULDERS. REALLY? YEAH, IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS A LOT OF FRIENDS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE. I THINK THEY WERE AS HAPPY FOR US AS WE WERE FOR OURSELVES. SOMERVILLE AND THE SUPERIOR CURLING CLUB WENT ON TO WIN ANOTHER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT BURN, SWITZERLAND, IN 1974. THEY PLAYED IN THE OLYMPIC DEMONSTRATION GAMES AT CALGARY, IN 1988. AND IN 1992, AT THE AGE OF 55 SOMERVILLE SKIPPED HIS TEAM TO A BRONZE MEDAL AT THE ALBERTVILLE OLYMPICS. BUD SOMERVILLE AN AMERICAN CURLING LEGEND FROM SUPERIOR. AND FINALLY, A BAD STORM OR A WINTER EMERGENCY CAN BRING OUT THE BEST IN SOME PEOPLE LIKE DR. KATE NEWCOMB, FROM WOODRUFF. AS DEBBIE KMETZ FOUND OUT, DR. KATE'S MEDICAL HEROICS WERE ALREADY THE STUFF OF LEGEND UP NORTH WHEN SHE APPEARED ON THE NATIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAM THIS IS YOUR LIFE. YOU'VE MINISTERED TO WOUNDED HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS TREATED INJURED LUMBERJACKS AND INDIANS REVIVED HALF-DROWNED VACATIONISTS TRUDGED MILES ON SNOWSHOES THROUGH FROZEN WOODS TO DELIVER BABIES BY THE LIGHT OF A KEROSENE LANTERN... ALMOST HALF A CENTURY LATER, WE'RE IN SNOWY WOODRUFF AT THE DR. KATE MUSEUM. BY THE TIME SHE WAS ON THE NATIONAL TELEVISION SHOW DR. KATE WAS TRULY A LEGEND IN THE NORTH. PEOPLE CALLED HER THE "ANGEL ON SNOWSHOES" BECAUSE IN THE 1930s AND '40s THERE WERE FEW PAVED ROADS IN THE AREA AND WHEN DR. KATE'S CAR GOT STUCK IN SNOWY DRIFTS SHE STRAPPED ON SNOWSHOES TO GET TO PATIENTS IN NEED. BUT THIS STORY REALLY HAS IT'S BEGINNINGS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK WHEN KATE PELHAM TOLD HER FAMILY SHE WANTED TO BECOME A DOCTOR. IN THE EARLY 1900s WHEN WOMEN WERE EXPECTED TO MARRY AND RAISE A FAMILY KATE'S FATHER REJECTED HER PLEA TO ATTEND MEDICAL SCHOOL. SHE SETTLED FOR THE MORE CONVENTIONAL JOB OF TEACHING. BUT HER HEART WASN'T IN IT. WHEN SHE TURNED 28, HER FATHER FINALLY RELENTED AND KATE STARTED ON THE CAREER SHE ALWAYS WANTED. TO THINK THAT SHE WAS 31 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE GRADUATED FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL-- THAT HER FATHER WOULDN'T ALLOW HER TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL IS UNBELIEVABLE IN OUR TIME. BUT SHE HAD A DREAM TO BE A DOCTOR. AFTER PRACTICING MEDICINE IN DETROIT FOR A FEW YEARS DOING WORK SHE TRULY LOVED KATE DEVELOPED ANOTHER LOVE, BILL NEWCOMB. INDIRECTLY, HE'S THE REASON SHE LANDED IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN. HIS LUNGS WERE DAMAGED WHILE WORKING IN A DEFENSE FACTORY SO HE NEEDED TO RECUPERATE WHERE THE AIR WAS CLEAN. IN ONE OF LIFE'S MOST BITTER IRONIES

DR. KATE WAS FORCED TO CHOOSE

LIVE HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HER HUSBAND AND CONTINUE HER PRACTICE OR JOIN HIM IN WISCONSIN, GIVING UP HER HARD-WON CAREER.

Margaret Gaulke

SHE WAS DIFFERENT. FIRST OF ALL, SHE WAS A SHE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT A WOMAN DOCTOR SHOULD LOOK LIKE BUT IT WASN'T LIKE DR. KATE.

Kmetz

AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY GATHERED DR. KATE DID PICK UP HER MEDICAL BAG AGAIN. BUT IT TOOK A CRISIS TO BRING IT ABOUT. IN 1931, DURING A BITTER SNOW STORM SHE GOT A CALL FROM DR. TORPHY, THE LOCAL PHYSICIAN DEMANDING THAT SHE GO TO THE AID OF ONE OF HIS PATIENTS.

Wanda Nelson

HE SAID, "I CAN NOT GET THERE." AND, "YOU ARE GOING." AND HE HAD SOME VERY STRONG WORDS THAT HE USED AS PART OF HIS VOCABULARY.

Kmetz

FROM THAT POINT ON DR. KATE HANDLED THE MEDICAL CALLS IN THE 250 SQUARE MILES SURROUNDING HER BOULDER JUNCTION HOME. I HAD FIVE BABIES AND SHE DELIVERED ALL OF THEM. SHE WAS SO COMPASSIONATE. AND YET, SHE ALWAYS BROUGHT OUT SOME LITTLE THING THAT WAS HUMOROUS TO SORT OF, YOU KNOW, MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE. SHE DID A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FREE WORK. I DON'T THINK MONEY MEANT ANYTHING TO HER OTHER THAN TO BE ABLE TO GET HER AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE. DR. KATE HELPED OVER 3,000 MOTHERS GIVE BIRTH SOME OF THEM IN HER CAR ON THE WAY TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL A GOOD DISTANCE AWAY IN TOMAHAWK. NOR WAS SHE TOO SHY TO USHER A WOMAN IN LABOR INTO A STRANGER'S HOUSE IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE HOSPITAL IN TIME. HER LOVE, FOR WHAT SHE CALLED "HER" BABIES COULD BE SEEN BY THE PICTURES ON HER OFFICE WALLS. AND THE KIDS RETURNED HER LOVE.

Gaulke

THE PARENTS DIDN'T ALWAYS BECAUSE IF THEY WEREN'T TAKING GOOD CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN SHE LET THEM KNOW IN A HURRY. IN A BIG HURRY.

Kmetz

DR. KATE HAD BEEN KNOWN TO CANOE ACROSS AN ICE-FILLED LAKE SUFFER FROSTBITE AFTER WALKING MILES ON SNOWSHOES AND SET OUT IN 30-BELOW WEATHER JUST TO HELP HER PATIENTS. SHE SEEMED TO HAVE NO FEAR FOR HERSELF. ON ONE MEDICAL MISSION, HER CAR GOT STUCK IN A SNOW BANK WHICH GETS US BACK TO HER GUEST APPEARANCE ON THE NATIONAL TELEVISION SHOW, THIS IS YOUR LIFE. I COULDN'T GO AHEAD AND I STARTED TO BACK UP AND EVIDENTLY, GAS GOT IN THE CAR. AND EVIDENTLY, I GOT OUT. THE FUMES, IT WAS CARBON MONOXIDE? CARBON MONOXIDE, SURE. HOW DID YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR? I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S ALL I KNOW, WHEN SAM FOUND ME. I WAS WANDERING. SO, HAVING SAVED MANY LIVES YOURSELF THIS TIME, ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS SAVES YOUR LIFE. HE SAVED MINE. DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD HAVE MADE IT, MR. WILLIAMS? I DON'T... NO. ( audience laughs ) SHE SAYS NO. AND BOY, WHAT SHE SAYS GOES. DR. KATE WAS INVITED TO APPEAR ON TELEVISION NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF HER FAME AS AN INTREPID PHYSICIAN. IT WAS ALSO BECAUSE SHE WAS PUSHING FOR A DESPERATELY NEEDED HOSPITAL FOR THE WOODRUFF AREA. SHE WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THAT HOSPITAL BUILT IN WOODRUFF. I MEAN, WITHOUT HER, WE NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD THAT. THE MILLION-PENNY PARADE, ON MEMORIAL DAY IN 1953 WAS THE CROWNING GLORY OF AN INSPIRATIONAL EFFORT BY LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO RAISE A MILLION PENNIES FOR DR. KATE'S HOSPITAL. THE PARADE PASSED THROUGH THE GYMNASIUM WHERE PEOPLE THREW EVEN MORE PENNIES ON A HUGE PILE WHICH, IN THE END, TOTALED $1,200,000. THE FOLLOWING YEAR, TV HOST RALPH EDWARDS ASKED VIEWERS TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR GOAL. THE RESULTING AVALANCHE OF MAIL PUT A SMILE ON DR. KATE'S FACE AND HELPED MAKE THE DREAM OF A HOSPITAL IN WOODRUFF A REALITY. DR. KATE DIED AT THE AGE OF 70 JUST TWO YEARS AFTER THE HOSPITAL WAS COMPLETED. BUT HER LEGACY LIVES ON IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND IS CELEBRATED HERE AT THE DR. KATE MUSEUM IN WOODRUFF. AND JUST AROUND THE CORNER VISITORS CAN SEE THE WORLD'S LARGEST PENNY WHICH COMMEMORATES THE MILLION-PENNY PARADE. FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTHWOODS DR. KATE WAS TRULY AN "ANGEL ON SNOWSHOES." AND THAT'S TONIGHT'S NEWS FROM WISCONSIN'S WINTER WEATHER PAST. GOOD NIGHT, AND STAY WARM. MAJOR FUNDING FOR WISCONSIN STORIES IS PROVIDED BY THE MEAD WITTER FOUNDATION, INC. WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WISCONSIN. ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE HALBERT AND ALICE KADISH FOUNDATION PHILIP J. AND ELIZABETH B. HENDRICKSON AND AN ADVISED FUND OF THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN.