For some reason, gertie was a symbol of hope to war weary people around the world. Gertie, a mallard duck, watches one of her hatchlings while still sitting on a nest atop a piling next to the wisconsin ave. When milwaukee met gertie the duck milwaukee journal sentinel. For the contribution history and old versions of the redirected page, please see. Dee dee the duck walks back to the bridge milwaukee. Apr 14, 2020 tune in for story time with milwaukee historian john gurda.
Gertie the duck became special to many city residents in 1945, in the form 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. The milwaukee journal published 37 stories about her. 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. By the time the milwaukee journal and sentinel ended up tipped to the tale, the duck experienced laid two more. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated milwaukee. I found this one to be disappointing and overpriced. To capitalize on the ducks fame, the journals macquarrie and photographer harris nowell were drafted to put gerties story together for a book. 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. 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.
Romano, two milwaukeearea teachers, wrote a childrens book titled gertie the duck. I remember gertie the duck when growing up in milwaukee, and ive seen at. Milwaukee is more than beer jumping out of the box. I remember gertie the duck when growing up in milwaukee, and ive seen at least one other childrens book about her and her family. Gertie the duck milwaukee county historical society. Gertie the duck the little push puppet talking gertie and sassy black bill is the creation of the merry line toy co. 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. 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. 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. Gertie the duck leads here ducklings to water as scores of people watch in juneau park on june 3, 1945. Rsvp to join the zoom reading of gertie the duck with milwaukee historian john gurda. Gertie the duck, immortalized in a stone statue the full. Monuments and statues tour in milwaukee self guided. A video version of the book, narrated by jean beasley, was released in 1976.
Milwaukee county landmarks, milwaukee county historical society, accessed august 4, 2018. The story of the famous mallard from milwaukee gave the. 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. Lous authored 125 childrens book and the most famous is the true story of gertie the duck who built. All the ways to safely celebrate milwaukee day 2020. The story of her heroic efforts to hatch six ducklings became an inspiration for many warweary americans near the end of world war ii. Louis romano, professor emeritus at msu, passed away september 30, 20 at the age of 92. The milwaukee natives read about gertie on the front page of stars and stripes, the newspaper produced for the armed forces. Gretchen gertie hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, an in demand sewing teacher and creatorwriter of one of the webs most popular sewing blogs. Great plains national instructional television library, 1976. Louis romano obituary east lansing, mi milwaukee journal.
Within days, the mallard, dubbed gertie by the journal, was a local tourist attraction, drawing thousands of people to the bridge in hopes of. The city stops to admire her nest, then her offspring. Bronze fonz, visit milwaukee, accessed august 8, 2018. In 1997, gertie and her brood landed on the bridge in the form of a. Wendt produced a wooden toy duck named for the famous mallard. 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. In addition to later newspaper articles, writers produced a childrens book about her story. Milwaukee uncovered hope 75 many years back in the course of. Chris foran, when milwaukee met gertie the duck, milwaukee journal sentinel, april 25, 2017, accessed august 8, 2018. 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.
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. He received the distinguished alumni award in 1997 from the university of wisconsinmilwaukee. Story of a mother duck finding a nesting spot on a rotted piling. In the waning days of world war ii, a duck named gertie built a nest in downtown milwaukee and became a national sensation. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated. The book by the same name has sold over a million copies worldwide. The milwaukee journal published 37 stories about gertie that spring, dubbing her tale, the sweetest story ever told. The book was reissued in 1988 after selling more than 800,000 copies and translated into six languages. Hank the dog, meet gertie the duck milwaukee journal sentinel. In 1945 america was growing tired of the deaths and.
A spanish translation will be provided by historic milwaukee intern selena fregoso. Statue of gertie kilbourn town wisconsin avenue bridge. The vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of the iconic gertie, a duck who captivated milwaukee. 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. Gertie the duck, immortalized in a stone statue the full s. Gertie the duck is an icon of milwaukee, wisconsin history and the subject of a 4 foot tall. Romano, two milwaukee area teachers, wrote a childrens book titled gertie the duck. It was installed on the wisconsin avenue bridge in september 1997. 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. 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. See more ideas about milwaukee, milwaukee wisconsin and wisconsin. This vintage, outofprint childrens book is a unique retelling of. 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 sculpture can be found along the milwaukee riverwalk as part of the art displays called riversculpture nicholas p. Host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukees own gertie the duck, louis g. Their fame turned into legend and in 1959 a childrens book was written by nick georgiady and louis romano titled gertie the duck. John gurda will be reading the gertie the duck for story time with historic milwaukee. Lous authored 125 childrens book and the most famous is. Story time with john gurda historic milwaukee, inc. A popular bike path was once the route of one of the worlds fastest steampowered passenger trains. Romano, two milwaukeearea teachers, wrote the childrens book gertie the duck in 1959.
Gertie still quacks of milwaukee, milwaukee sentinel, june 2, 1952. Louis romano obituary okemos, mi lansing state journal. This photo was published in the june 4,1945, milwaukee journal. 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. 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. Department of history, university of wisconsinmilwaukee o 4142294565. A childrens book about her and her five ducklings sold more than a million copies in six languages. Host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukee s own gertie the duck, louis g. Oh, i suppose if you actually knew who gertie the duck was, you wouldnt be wondering about her statue. A retelling of the classic story of gertie the duck who hatched her ducklings on a piling next to the wisconsin avenue bridge in downtown milwaukee in the 1940s. In 1959, the men wrote a childrens book called gertie the duck.
The milwaukee journal published 37 stories about gertie that spring, dubbing her. The head of this milwaukee, wisconsin toy company was earl f. The last days of the schlitz brewing empire in milwaukee. Gertie the duck is a world famous mallard and an icon of milwaukee history.
Mar 06, 2014 host jim peck talks with book authors of milwaukees own gertie the duck, louis g. The contents of the gertie the duck gillen page were merged into gertie the duck on 7 february 2017. In 1945 a mallard duck nested on a rotting piling in downtown milwaukee. Gertie the duck is an icon of milwaukee, wisconsin history and the subject of a 4foot tall bronze sculpture by american artist gwendolyn gillen. Gil and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles. A famous world war ii era duck that lived under a bridge in milwaukee, wi, will soon be nesting in bronze. Milwaukee uncovered hope 75 many years back in the course.
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