The Marathon County Historical Society and the Marathon County Public Library present History Speaks On the Air: Apples, Botany & Cider at 2 p.m. Oct. 23 on Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

Educator Paul Whitaker traces the story of the apple from its humble origins in central Asia to the varieties we find in supermarkets today. Along the way, you’ll learn why you can’t grow your favorite apples from seed, how we get orchards full of identical trees, and what Johnny Appleseed had in common with bears and camels.

Whitaker joined the biology faculty of UW-Stevens Point at Wausau in 1999. Until he started his 1994 doctorate project at UW-Madison on the ecology of apple insects, his closest brush with an apple tree was a neglected one in the yard next door to his childhood home. He now has a backyard orchard of about a dozen apple trees and a small cider press, and thinks apples are wonderful fruits with great stories to tell.

October History Chats: Even More People You Should Know

From the winningest coach in high school football to the architect of the county’s park system. Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.

Every week, MCHS staff Ben Clark and/or Gary Gisselman give a short presentation of an interesting topic relating to the history of Marathon County.

History Chats go live at 12:30 p.m. every Thursday, as a free, online broadcast via both YouTube and Facebook Live. Past broadcasts are also available for
later viewing.

Oct. 7: Win Brockmeyer
Ben Clark presents the story of Coach Win O. Brockmeyer, and his tenure as coach at Wausau High School that has gone down in history as one of the most dominant football teams in Wisconsin.

Oct. 14: Ingram S. Horgen
Gary Gisselman takes us through the life and legacy of Ingram S. Horgen, first director of the Parks Department of both Marathon County and the city of Wausau.

Oct. 21: Louise Elster
Over her 43 years of teaching fourth grade at Franklin School, Louis Elster touched the lives of some 15,000 children. Ben Clark looks through her life as an educator, musician and personality.

Oct. 27: Guest Speaker and Subject To Be Announced

MCHS is in the Woodson History Center, 410 McIndoe St., Wausau. Exhibit and office hours are Tuesday – Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. The research library is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday – Friday. Tours of the Yawkey House Museum are available Tuesday – Sunday. Call for times and prices.

For more information, call MCHS at 715-842-5750, email [email protected] or visit www.marathoncountyhistory.org.