A Trip On the Thistle

Early on a summer Tuesday in the years around 1900, the town of Berlin was busy with excitement. About six-thirty in the morning, children hurried their parents to Market Square where the Thistle, a large steamboat was docked on the Fox River. As it blew its horn, people came running from all directions. Everyone knew that soon the exciting trip would begin. Every Tuesday, the boat took families on a 32-mile trip from the small town of Berlin to the city of Oshkosh. The trip took all day, and cost each person only ten cents.

For the older travelers, the trip to Oshkosh meant a chance to shop and to visit the big city. For the children, it meant a fun filled day of exploring, a picnic lunch, and the excitement of drifting down the Fox River. As they looked over the rail into the water, many thought about where they were going. That very river had been traveled by so many people. For many years, the Indians paddled their canoes down the same waters. The first European explorers traveled the same route.

The Thistle slowly passed the beautiful countryside. Along the banks of the river, there were many farms. The white houses, red barns and green trees appeared and disappeared as the boat turned through the bends in the river. Many animals came up to see the boat pass by. Mud turtles stuck their heads out and birds sang as they sat on the cattails in the marshes along shore.

Even before you could see Oshkosh, everyone knew it was close. The smell of lumber and smoke filled the air. Oshkosh had many lumber mills and there were many factories with tall smokestacks. The Thistle blew it's whistle once again. This meant that the boat would soon be docking and it's passengers were free to spend the day in the city.

Many families took their picnic baskets and found a nice spot next to the beautiful Lake Winnebago. Some went swimming, others went shopping. Still others curled up under a shade tree and took a nap. At four o'clock in the afternoon, though, all were ready to board the Thistle and return home.

As it began to get dark, children started to settle down. They had spent the last hours telling stories and showing each other the treasures they had found. Now, they just watched as the boat traveled along. They went through the city of Omro and then came to the place where the Wolf River joins the Fox River. The water became more rough and the steamboat's engine began to chug harder.

Some people had begun to fall asleep, but at ten o'clock at night, the whistle sounded again and woke them. They were back home in Berlin. As families got off the Thistle they were tired and ready for bed. In the morning they would remember their fun day, and they would look forward to their next trip down the Fox River.

Jenkins, James. "The Ten Cent Excursion" Berlin Evening Post, Nov. 9,1933.