WHO ARE YOU? Jane Glenz 's new book focuses on 12 Chippewa Valley folks who had interesting stories in their lifetime. (Background photo by Up, Up, & Around)

Renowned author Jane Glenz garnered widespread appeal after her first three publications. However, when it came to writing her fourth, the question of “What will my subject be?” quickly became, “Who?” After thorough research and many correspondences with local historians, 12 local legends from Chippewa Valley’s past have their stories told at long last in Glenz’s newest book, Remarkable People You Probably Never Heard Of.

In this short story collection, each story had to have both a unique and unusual aspect, and be about those who never became famous yet still played a significant role in their community. “(The 12 stories) include a Medal of Honor winner, a mystery writer, a Civil War hero, a murderer, a quack, a singing cowboy, a teacher of the deaf, a person who got mixed up in a cult, and sisters who were early settlers here,” Glenz stated. 

Jane Glenz

With brash honesty and truths so fantastic you won’t be able to put the book down, Glenz hopes to simply bring more people in tune with their local history. “Local museums and local stores have many of these (kinds of books) just waiting to be read,” she said. So inspired by this publication, Glenz hopes to find more unusual stories of local history for her next project.

“There is a saying that things are forgotten after three generations – you remember it, your children remember it, and your grandchildren might remember it. Then it is forgotten – unless you write it down,” Glenz started. “Let people know you were here.”

Do you have any stories to share?

Grab a copy of Remarkable People You Probably Never Heard Of now at The Local Store (205 N. Dewey St., Eau Claire), or online.