| A CN local parallels W. Water St. as it descends the grade into 'The Flats' via former C&NW rails at Appleton, WI on 1 Jun. '19. Local is headed for Kimberly and Combined Locks. Now just a short branch line, this stretch of rail is a remnant of the MLS&W main line which once ran from Milwaukee to Ashland. The Atlas Paper Co. mill, 425 W. Water St., stands at left. Completed in 1878 and expanded over the years, it eventually became part of the Kimberly-Clark Corp. (K-C). The mill ceased operation ca. 1999, the year K-C donated it to the Paper Industry International Hall of Fame. After some of the additions were razed, the Hall of Fame opened its new home and its interactive museum, the Paper Discovery Center, on 26 Feb. ’05. Over the past several years, I have notice that some misinformed individuals erroneously refer to ‘The Flats’ as ‘Oneida Flats,’ or some other variation. However, the historic, industrial heart of Appleton is simply ‘The Flats.’ |