MENASHA, Wis. (WBAY) - More than 61 years ago, a massive fire set the stage for what’s now the modern-day Menasha Corporation at its current location.

At the time, the company was known as Menasha Wooden Ware, with a mill in the city’s downtown employing hundreds of people.

It was July 17, 1964, when dark smoke could be seen from miles away, hovering above downtown Menasha.

Dave Olson of Menasha remembers being caught in traffic nearby. “We noticed the traffic was backed up, and finally, we got to the corner where the bridge was, and it was pretty obvious. It was one big fire,” says Olson.

Local historians say it was a railroad employee who started the fire by using a torch to repair a track on a wooden trestle next to the box plant. The strong winds that day were also a factor, as bur

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