Appleton is a city located 100 miles (160km) north of Milwaukee and 30 miles (48km) southwest of Green Bay. It is one of Wisconsin’s “Fox Cities” and is situated on the Fox River. The city serves as the heart of the Fox River Valley. Notable buildings here include the Fox Cities Exhibition Center, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, Fox River Mall and Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium.
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Above: The History Museum at the Castle
Tourist attractions in Appleton include the Hearthstone House (a mansion that was the first house in the world to be powered by hydroelectricity), the History Museum at the Castle and the Paper Discovery Center. It has an International Airport, two major hospitals and also hosts a many regional events. As of 2010, the population of Appleton was approximately 72½ thousand.
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Above: Houdini Plaza
The main purpose for stopping here and taking a look around was for one of Appleton’s main claims-to-fame, namely as the American residence of Harry Houdini, the famous illusionist and escape artist. In the centre, on the corner of College Avenue and Appleton Street, is Houdini Plaza. The pedestrianised square was renovated in 2013 at a cost of around $1.5 million and is known as the 'front yard' of downtown Appleton. The plaza hosts over 50 events each year. Some more photographs taken from downtown Appleton are shown in the thumbnail gallery below (click on an image to enlarge), followed by a brief biographical synopsis of Houdini.
Houdini (1874-1926) was born Erik Weisz (Erich Weiss) in Budapest,
Hungary. His family emigrated to America whilst he was still a child.
The family lived in Appleton, where his father served as Rabbi of the
Zion Reform Jewish Congregation. Houdini was known for his ability to
seemingly escape from any kind of bonds or container, from prison cells
to locked underwater boxes. He was a big campaigner against fraudulent
mediums and was president of the Society of American Magicians. Author
of The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin (1908), he had an extensive library on
magic, which is now kept in the Library of Congress in Washington DC.
For more information on Appleton, Wisconsin, the city’s website may be
found on the link
Here.
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