In 1959, the men wrote a childrens book called gertie the duck. Most people probably knew milwaukee native louis romano as a coauthor of gertie the duck, the story of a mother mallard and her six ducklings that brightened the lives of millions in the gloomy. The milwaukee journal published 37 stories about her. All the ways to safely celebrate milwaukee day 2020. Gertie s fame turned into legend when a childrens book entitled gertie the duck was written by nick georgiady and louis romano and published in 1959. The city stops to admire her nest, then her offspring. Gerties new book for better sewing gretchen hirsch. Gertie the duck, milwaukee history society museum, milwaukee public market, milwaukee riverwalk, milwaulkee, mke boat tour, the fonz, veterans park, vietnam war memorial so this is a bftp monday post blast from the past. I found this one to be disappointing and overpriced. Apr 22, 2020 gertie, a mallard duck, watches one of her hatchlings while still sitting on a nest atop a piling next to the wisconsin ave. The milwaukee journal published 37 stories about gertie that spring, dubbing her tale, the sweetest story ever told. Gertie the duck is an icon of milwaukee, wisconsin history and the subject of a 4 foot tall.
This photo was published in the june 4,1945, milwaukee journal. Dee dee the duck walks back to the bridge milwaukee. In 1945 america was growing tired of the deaths and. Host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukee s own gertie the duck, louis g. To capitalize on the ducks fame, the journals macquarrie and photographer harris nowell were drafted to put gerties story together for a book. Gertie the duck milwaukee county historical society.
The last days of the schlitz brewing empire in milwaukee. The book by the same name has sold over a million copies worldwide. Rsvp to join the zoom reading of gertie the duck with milwaukee historian john gurda. Wendt produced a wooden toy duck named for the famous mallard. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected page, please see. Chris foran, when milwaukee met gertie the duck, milwaukee journal sentinel, april 25, 2017, accessed august 8, 2018. Local historian john gurda will livestream a reading of gertie the duck, the outofprint childrens book that tells the story of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated milwaukee. In the spring of 1945, the image of a mallard duck named gertie nesting atop a rotting oak piling in downtown milwaukee helped cheer a weary nation during the final days of world war ii. Great plains national instructional television library, 1976. The blog began as a way for readers to follow gretchens progress as she made her way through all fourteen fashions from her favourite 1950s sewing book, vogues new book for better sewing a julie and.
Mar 06, 2014 host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukees own gertie the duck, louis g. Gertie the duck the little push puppet talking gertie and sassy black bill is the creation of the merry line toy co. Bronze fonz, visit milwaukee, accessed august 8, 2018. The head of this milwaukee, wisconsin toy company was earl f. The vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated milwaukee. The milwaukee natives read about gertie on the front page of stars and stripes, the newspaper produced for the armed forces. The spanish translation of this classic book will also be read by historic milwaukee intern selena fregoso. It was installed on the wisconsin avenue bridge in september 1997.
I remember gertie the duck when growing up in milwaukee, and ive seen at least one other childrens book about her and her family. By the time the milwaukee journal and sentinel ended up tipped to the tale, the duck experienced laid two more. Milwaukee county landmarks, milwaukee county historical society, accessed august 4, 2018. When milwaukee met gertie the duck, milwaukee journal sentinel, last accessed january 23, 2019. Story of a mother duck finding a nesting spot on a rotted piling.
See more ideas about milwaukee, milwaukee wisconsin and wisconsin. He received the distinguished alumni award in 1997 from the university of wisconsinmilwaukee. Within days, the mallard, dubbed gertie by the journal, was a local tourist attraction, drawing thousands of people to the bridge in hopes of. Monuments and statues tour in milwaukee self guided. Hank the dog, meet gertie the duck in april 1945, gertie the duck began to lay her eggs on a piling just south of the wisconsin ave. A popular bike path was once the route of one of the worlds fastest steampowered passenger trains. Gerties fame turned into legend when a childrens book entitled gertie the duck was written by nick georgiady and louis romano and published in 1959. A video version of the book, narrated by jean beasley, was released in 1976. Hank the dog, meet gertie the duck milwaukee journal sentinel. Gertie the duck is very possibly the most famous waterfowl ever to come out of the brew city, and one of the most famous oddities of. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of. They took them and carefully move them down to the lakefront to the juneau lagoon and thats where gery and her lineage still survived today down here in downtown milwaukee and. Milwaukee uncovered hope 75 many years back in the course.
The news of gertie the duck and her offspring went around the world, inspiring nick georgiady and louis romano, a couple of teachers stationed in england while serving in the u. In addition to later newspaper articles, writers produced a childrens book about her story. A spanish translation will be provided by historic milwaukee intern selena fregoso. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Gertie the duck, immortalized in a stone statue the full. Apr 14, 2020 tune in for story time with milwaukee historian john gurda. Lous authored 125 childrens book and the most famous is. Host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukees own gertie the duck, louis g. When the milwaukee journalsentinel asked coauthor louis romano in a march 1, 2001, interview why the story proved so appealing, he said, it gives milwaukee a wonderful, warm feeling that a whole city would go crazy over a duck and her. John gurda will be reading the gertie the duck for story time with historic milwaukee. Oh, i suppose if you actually knew who gertie the duck was, you wouldnt be wondering about her statue. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated. I remember gertie the duck when growing up in milwaukee, and ive seen at. The sculpture can be found along the milwaukee riverwalk as part of the art displays called riversculpture nicholas p.
Louis romano obituary east lansing, mi milwaukee journal. Gretchen gertie hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, an in demand sewing teacher and creatorwriter of one of the webs most popular sewing blogs. Gertie still quacks of milwaukee, milwaukee sentinel, june 2, 1952. Romano, two milwaukeearea teachers, wrote the childrens book gertie the duck in 1959. Their fame turned into legend and in 1959 a childrens book was written by nick georgiady and louis romano titled gertie the duck. The book was reissued in 1988 after selling more than 800,000 copies and translated into six languages. Gil and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles. Louis romano obituary okemos, mi lansing state journal. Gertie the duck is a world famous mallard and an icon of milwaukee history. Gertie the duck became special to many city residents in 1945, in the form of. Romano, two milwaukee area teachers, wrote a childrens book titled gertie the duck.
On april 25, 1945, a bridge tender discovered that a mallard had laid an egg in a nest atop one of the pilings in the vicinity of the wisconsin avenue bridge more than the milwaukee river. Story time with john gurda historic milwaukee, inc. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated milwaukee. A famous world war ii era duck that lived under a bridge in milwaukee, wi, will soon be nesting in bronze. Sep 05, 2010 in the spring of 1945, the image of a mallard duck named gertie nesting atop a rotting oak piling in downtown milwaukee helped cheer a weary nation during the final days of world war ii. The info is from an interview by the milwaukee journal sentinel with louis romano, who cowrote a best selling childrens book, gertie the duck, in 1959. Oct 03, 20 he received the distinguished alumni award in 1997 from the university of wisconsinmilwaukee.
In 1945 a mallard duck nested on a rotting piling in downtown milwaukee. The story of the famous mallard from milwaukee gave the. Gertie the duck is an icon of milwaukee, wisconsin history and the subject of a 4foot tall bronze sculpture by american artist gwendolyn gillen. The contents of the gertie the duck gillen page were merged into gertie the duck on 7 february 2017. Gertie the duck is very possibly the most famous waterfowl ever to come out of the brew city, and one of the most famous oddities of milwaukee yes, even more famous than our great milverine. Milwaukee uncovered hope 75 many years back in the course of. Argosy july 1966 safari philip wylie fishing alligator shayne halliday berkey by brett halliday. Last but not least, a childrens book retelling the story of gertie sold more than a million copies.
Lous authored 125 childrens book and the most famous is the true story of gertie the duck who built. Louis romano, professor emeritus at msu, passed away september 30, 20 at the age of 92. In the waning days of world war ii, a duck named gertie built a nest in downtown milwaukee and became a national sensation. A childrens book about her and her five ducklings sold more than a million copies in six languages. In 1997, gertie and her brood landed on the bridge in the form of a. Gertie the duck leads here ducklings to water as scores of people watch in juneau park on june 3, 1945. Lainey seyler, someone gave gertie the duck and one of her ducklings winter sweaters, december 17, 2018, last accessed january 23, 2019.
A childrens book thats called the duck that was published in over a hundred different countries throughout the world after gery matured and her ducks got old enough. The story of her heroic efforts to hatch six ducklings became an inspiration for many warweary americans near the end of world war ii. Romano, two milwaukeearea teachers, wrote a childrens book titled gertie the duck. Milwaukee is more than beer jumping out of the box. For some reason, gertie was a symbol of hope to war weary people around the world. Statue of gertie kilbourn town wisconsin avenue bridge. Gertie, a mallard duck, watches one of her hatchlings while still sitting on a nest atop a piling next to the wisconsin ave. Department of history, university of wisconsinmilwaukee o 4142294565. The story of the famous mallard from milwaukee gave the city and the entire country a reason for hope during a tumultuous time in our history.
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