| A CN local crosses E. South Island St. and S. Vulcan St. as it prepares to spot a boxcar for the Neenah Paper mill (formerly Fox River Paper Co.), 600 S. Vulcan St. (at right), via former C&NW rails on Grand Chute Island in 'The Flats' at Appleton, WI on 6 Oct. '18. The Fox River Paper Co. was founded in 1883. It experienced numerous changes in ownership between 1961 and 2007, when it was purchased by Neenah Paper, Inc. The Neenah Paper Co. was organized in 1885, taking over a mill started by the Patten Paper Co. in 1873. South Island St. used to run along the north bank of the South Channel of the Fox River through 'The Flats.' Old maps reveal that the west end of the South Channel was filled in at some point between 1916 and 1957. Most of the remainder of the South Channel was filled in the following years. The last remaining portion (out-of-frame to left) forms the confluence with a mill race which connects West’s Power Canal (a.k.a. West’s Canal, a.k.a. Grand Chute Island Canal) to the Fox River. The mill race passes under the Neenah Paper facility (the bridge over the mill race can be seen in the background at left). Edward West bought Grand Chute Island and excavated the canal in 1870 to provide water power for the industries which he speculated would be built soon after. He was right. Over the past several years, I have noticed that some misinformed individuals erroneously refer to ‘The Flats’ as ‘Oneida Flats,’ or some variation of same. However, the historic, industrial heart of Appleton is simply ‘The Flats.’ |