| A CN local parallels E. Eagle Flats Pkwy. (originally Railroad Ave.) as it pulls 4 boxcars westward through 'The Flats' via former C&NW rails at Appleton, WI on 20 Oct. '18. Train was heading back to the yard at Appleton Junction after working Kimberly and Combined Locks. The local is passing what once was the C&NW yard in 'The Flats.' The last remnant of the yard, a passing siding, was pulled up in 2014. The long ties at left mark the spot of the west turnout. The MILW had a small yard, and depot, just out of frame to the right. Railroad Ave. was renamed E. Eagle Flats Pkwy. ca. 2012, when bland apartment buildings, Landing at Eagle Flats and Riverwalk Place, were erected on the site of the historic Riverside Paper mill (out-of-frame to the right). Woolen Mills Lofts, 218 E. South Island St., can be seen at left. The Appleton Woolen Factory commenced production of yarn at its new factory on Grand Chute Island along West’s Power Canal in Jan. 1862. It burned down in Jul. ‘63, production resumed in Apr. ‘64 after it was rebuilt. It was destroyed by fire again on 17 Jun. ‘81 and construction of a new, masonry structure (the heart of the current facility) commenced immediately. The company was reorganized as Appleton Woolen Mills during the reconstruction. They added mackinaws and flannels to their list of products in ‘88. In ‘03 production at this facility shifted solely to papermakers’ felt after production of their other woolen products was moved to a recently acquired mill at Reedsburg, WI. Numerous additions were constructed between ‘93 and 1962. The name was shortened to Appleton Mills in ‘61. They moved to a new facility at 2100 N. Ballard Rd. in ‘69. Conversion of this factory to apartments commenced ca. 2016 and a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on 26 Apr. ‘18. 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.’ |