MADISON, Wis. — A history lesson on wheels pumped the brakes on State Street today to offer people a free glimpse into the Midwest 100 years ago.
Michael Luick-Thrams’s Bus-eum has been cruising around the midwest since 2003, making pit stops in different states. It’s meant to highlight the childhood era of the Greatest Generation, featuring five focus topics: the Cow War, the 1918 pandemic, the anti-german sentiment during world war 1, the prohibition, and the Ku Klux Klan.
“This really is looking at the prequel, the backstories of those men who got off in Normandy and stormed the beach to chase Hitler,” said Luick-Thrams. “What were they weaned on? What did they grow up on?”
The topic tend to bring discomfort to some audiences, particularly in their eerie resemblance to modern life.
“This is the present as seen through a distant mirror,” said Luick-Thrams. “Suddenly, with the events of the last year and a half, our five substories have become a little more relevant.”
Luick- Thrams isn’t alone on this journey, though. Joining him are two international interns, earning college credit for their assistance.
“One of the things I found interesting about the bus-eum is that they’re bringing new topics that people are uncomfortable to talk about,” said Leo, one of the interns.
In their relevance to the present, Luick-Thrams says it’s important to highlight these historical events and continue the discussion.
“This story has to be told,” he said. “If you paint yourself into a corner, you need to know how to get out of it.”
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