Getting Their Feet Wet
V1 Staff |
Rivers are inseparable from the Chippewa Valley – after all, our rivers literally formed the valley – and their influence, positive and negative, has been huge. Rivers can be fun, but they can also be dangerous – like when they flood. In this photo, taken in June 1905 by Daniel Bastian Nelson, a bunch of Eau Claire kids hiked up their pants and skirts, created makeshift paddleboards, and made the most of the situation. While the kids got wet, the backyard cow in the upper right of the photo didn’t. (Imagine seeing a cow in the city these days!) This picture is one of several dozen by Nelson, an amateur turn-of-then-century photographer, that are part of an exhibit, Through Daniel’s Eyes, on display at the Chippewa Valley Museum until October.
