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City Hall, 215 Church Avenue P.O. Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI 54903-1130 http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us
NOVEMBER 27, 2017
Wisconsin Historical Society
Historic Preservation Board of Review
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53726
Dear Members of the Board of Review,
Thank you for your consideration of the nomination for the Waite Grass Carpet Company at 300 East
Custer Avenue / 221 East Nevada Avenue in Oshkosh. This industrial complex is the last remaining
testimony to a business that found a use for wire grass, a worthless, natural resource that grew
abundantly in the marshes of Winnebago County. This industry provided jobs for thousands of
workers in a creative business that brought grass carpets made in Oshkosh to the national market. The
ingenuity of the Oshkosh men who founded this successful industry should serve as an inspiration for
our 21st century entrepreneurs.
We appreciate the experience and expertise of the Review Board as you study the nomination for the
Waite Grass Carpet Company. If you award historic designation to this industrial complex of the first
half of the 20th century, the city of Oshkosh will be greatly honored.
Sincerely,
Shirley Brabender Mattox
Oshkosh Landmarks Commission, chairman