Preserving Paul Bunyan: saving one of the Union’s most treasured rooms
By Herschel Kissinger & Zach Thomae, Wisconsin Union interns Being in the Paul Bunyan Room earlier this June was like watching a story being untold. At first, the room was alive with warmth and color with the tales of Paul Bunyan being illustrated on all four walls. As the hours grew longer, the story came down in pieces, unscrewed and dismantled panel by panel, until all that was left were empty walls. A woman named Joan Gorman...
Union weddings have a new home
Summer has finally arrived at the Wisconsin Union, bringing with it all the sights and sounds so familiar to the UW Madison community. The brat stand is open, the pitchers are plenty and the Terrace comes alive every night with the rhythms of the season. And just as usual, less visible but perhaps just as important to summertime at the Union, wedding bells are chiming. This year the Union will host approximately 120 weddings, making...
The many faces of the Wisconsin Union Theater
By Erin Bannen, Union Theater marketing intern The Wisconsin Union Theater will soon be going dark for renovations. But don’t worry! We still have a fabulous season for next year. We’ll simply be using some of the other lovely performance spaces on campus. It doesn’t take interning here to know that over its 73-year history, some fantastic things have happened between the walls of this beloved Union Theater. To celebrate our...
Giving back to a place that keeps on giving
By Anna Johnson, member relations intern At the age of 85, George Elder remains a regular visitor to the Union he loves so much. He was recently spotted at the Fan Taylor Memorial dinner and concert, sharing his stories and celebrating the Memorial Union and its staff. He said, “It’s just something everyone can relate to. Students one way, alumni another. You go back there. [It] maintains the relationship between the University and...
Blue chairs on the Terrace?
By Sean Drout, Wisconsin Union social media intern Party @ The Terrace was truly a memorable event. As a senior here at UW-Madison, I’ve seen many events at this great venue, but the orange, yellow and green Terrace chairs have always been a constant and comforting symbol of summer’s arrival. Hence the confusion and curiosity when I arrived early Sunday, April 29 to find bright BLUE chairs carefully placed among the traditional...