HUMANS OF NEENAH

A Home For All Time

How does one begin to merge the knowledge of the past with the opportunities of the future? The leader of the Neenah Historical Society might have some ideas. Jane Lang is a lifelong Neenah resident as well as an alderman for the city council, executive director of the Neenah Historical Society, and mother of four. For those who don’t know what the Neenah Historical Society is, she explains, “Our purpose is to be a resource for the community; to help the community understand its heritage and culture.” Mrs. Lang spends her time putting together events and activities that teach Neenah residents about the area and assist in making Neenah a better place than ever before.

After spending the majority of her lifetime living in Neenah, Mrs. Lang practically sings praise for the community that she so happily calls home. Mrs. Lang remembers many neighborhood baseball games as a child, and is proud to say that both herself and all four of her children are Neenah High School graduates.  She also recalls a time in her childhood where she met fur trade reenactors who taught her so much about the trading in Wisconsin’s past and around the waterways; this past summer, she was able to recreate a similar experience for children of the community. One of her favorite activities is to take walks around some of the many parks nestled throughout Neenah. She especially enjoys being able to walk beside the water; Neenah lies along Lake Winnebago, which creates many aesthetic views and an abundance of aquatic fun for Neenah residents.

Mrs. Lang loves the work she does with the city and how she is able to meet so many locals and talk with them about the area and their experiences. Mrs. Lang also enjoys how she is able to really delve into the Neenah’s long, historical past, saying, “I love discovering new things about Neenah’s history and Neenah’s story and how the community has worked together over such a long period of time to make this such an interesting and innovative and forward thinking place. That’s what I love about [my work]: discovering all the fun stuff and the positive stuff about the community.”

 This “Humans of Neenah” Blog Post Created By NHS Student Caroline Vitale