Looking over an Appleton map in 1946 with thought of street reorganization, Mayor Robert P. Miller noticed the number of streets and the number of Appleton War fatalities were almost the same. A plan for the living memorial emerged. The mayor recommended street reorganization including naming the streets and avenues after the Appleton war heroes. The council approved the idea. It took nearly a year to put the plan in place, due to shortage of steel to make the new street signs. On May 30, 1947 in a large Memorial Day Service, the streets were renamed in honor of fallen war heroes.

 

Thielke, Mile, Behl, Schlieman, Sorenson....the list goes on. Appleton will never forget it fallen war heroes. On May 21, 1947, Appleton renamed its streets in honor of the World War II soldiers who gave their lives. Since then other war heroes from the Korean , Vietnam and Iraqi Freedom wars have been added. Appleton is the only town in the country with all of its 34 streets and avenues named after fallen heroes.

We continue to honor our veterans today. Town celebrations, publications and other memorials feature information about these veterans.