MARSHFIELD, WI (WSAU) — An iconic 100 year-old photograph from Marshfield’s past is going to be re-created this coming Friday, July 28th at a banquet being held to honor Marshfield’s veterans.
According to Angie Eloranta from Main Street Marshfield, the original photo was taken in July of 1917 at a banquet held in the middle of Marshfield’s Central Avenue for soldiers from Wisconsin National Guard, Company A, 2nd Regiment, heading off to fight in World War I.
Now, almost exactly 100 years to-the-day later, the photo will be re-enacted with current Marshfield veterans.
“We have this historic photo that was taken in 1917,” Eloranta explained, “And once it came to our attention, we realized, wow, this has been 100 years since this was taken and we should really try and replicate this photo and have another street banquet.”
While the banquet is open to the general public, Eloranta says veterans and their families are especially urged to attend since organizers want to re-create the photo with as many vets as possible.
“Veterans get early entrance into the street banquet so they’re going to be able to come at 6:00,” Eloranta said, “and we want them to come early because we’re going to be taking that photo at 6:30 so that way most of the people in the photo will be veterans.”
Efforts to identify individuals in the original photo have been largely successful. According to Eloranta, “We actually have a list of the names of the original people that are in the photo. Some people have relatives that were in the photo and we’ll have those names on display at the event as well.”
The banquet opens to the general public at around 6:30 Friday evening, and is part of Marshfield’s annual Hub City Days festivities.
Ticket sales for the event end at 5:00 this Wednesday, and you can get them online at www.mainstreetmarshfield.com, at the Main Street Marshfield office, Marshfield Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Upham Mansion, the Marshfield Holiday Inn location, or at Festival Foods in Marshfield.
