One of Menomonie's ol' depots. Not pictured: the bustling railroad culture
and infrastructure of yesteryore.

Present day Menomonie, Wis. is a much different town than it was in 1986 when I was born – and way different than in 1953, when my dad was born. As I grow older in the Chippewa Valley, and things change, I’m starting to miss certain things about my hometown. It’s easy to say that Menomonie has improved with its growth, but let’s take a few minutes to think back to when Billy Ray was the most popular Cyrus and Pluto was still a planet. Some things that are missing ...

1. The Bolo Country Inn
One word: popovers. This supper club/motel was a Menomonie icon until its closure in August of 2002. In its place now is Marketplace Foods, one of the city's grocery stores. When you wanted a classy dinner with the family in town, The Bolo was the place to be. Some may remember the black Labrador the Bolo made famous - others may just remember the scrumptious popovers. Either way, Menomonie will always miss the red doors of The Bolo Country Inn.

2. A clean Lake Menomin
I remember a time long ago when on a hot summer day, you could cool off in the clear waters of Lake Menomin at Wakanda Beach or Butch’s Bay. Now, only the brave venture into the green, murky depths of Menomonie’s manmade lake. It really is Menomonie’s ultimate tragedy. What was once a scenic body of water has been reduced to a foul cesspool-ish pool of algae, usually accompanied with the phrase, “What’s that smell?”

3. The Kernel
Sid and Wanda Kern opened The Kernel in May of 1961. Ownership passed hands throughout the next few decades, but the restaurant’s tune never changed - good, homemade cooking for a low price. During its first years, hungry patrons lined up outside the door just for a seat. The restaurant offered its customers unbeatable pies, classic hot beef sandwiches, and an atmosphere reminiscent of 1960s diners. As an unbiased previous employee of the Kernel for nearly five years, here are my two cents: places like the Kernel are dwindling. You’d be hard pressed to find a family-owned mom and pop diner matching the Kernel’s prices, service, and overall delicious chow.

4. Menomonie Outdoor Theater
Yes, Menomonie used to have an outdoor, drive-in movie theater. Not one that I can personally remember, but my dad tells tales of nights spent atop the neighborhood hill watching the big screen through binoculars, gazing across the field at Wakanda Park. Drive-in theaters are hard to come by these days, especially around here when they can only be opened seasonally. On the nights that my dad actually paid to see the films, admission was usually only $1 or $2 a person. 

5. The train depots
It may no longer be the most popular mode of transportation, but traveling by locomotive is still a great way to get around. Menomonie used to have three operating train depots for traveling passengers and whatnot. One was located in north Menomonie’s junction (called the “400” to advertise how many minutes it took to travel from Minneapolis to Chicago), another by Riverside Park, and one off of Wilson Avenue. Two of the three depots remain today, although their purposes no longer relate to transportation.

6. Gary T’s
Located where Cancun Mexican Grill is now, Gary T’s was a ‘50s-style diner offering a trip into the past. The waitresses wore poodle skirts, kids’ meals were served in classic cardboard cars, and the chocolate malts were “peachy keen.” As a kid, it was one of my favorite places to eat with my family. Since Gary T’s closed over a decade ago, nothing quite like it has returned to Menomonie.

7. The 4th of July Parade
Menomonie used to host an annual 4th of July parade complete with all of necessary Independence Day components: food, fireworks, and you know, fun. I was just a young gal when this patriotic affair still took place, but what kid doesn’t love catching (and eating) free candy being tossed from festooned moving vehicles? We’ve replaced our parade with a celebration on a more massive scale – Freedom Fest at Wakanda Park. This may be a more appropriate venue for the growing size of Menomonie to celebrate Independence Day, but the magic of our downtown parade will not soon be forgotten.

This is a list that could realistically continue for pages. Surely someone else will create another list in 20 years of the things they miss, but for now, let’s bask in the memories we already have.