Remembering Anne Whitney: Threads of Memory from Washington Island
Sometimes, I remember moments in my life by what I was wearing. I had a little blue dress that touched my shoes, covered in tiny flowers, with a matching bonnet. I was six years old—not my birthday — but we were celebrating the 100th birthday of the state of Wisconsin. What made it memorable for me was that the dress had been handmade by Anne Whitney, who also happened to be the woman behind organizing the grand celebration.
A Celebration to Remember — 1948
It was 1948, and the event took place on the lawn of the Washington Island High School in Washington Harbor. Judge Stapleton arrived in a horse-drawn cart, followed by the costumed committee. The day was filled with potluck picnics and speeches.
One of my clearest memories is of my mom’s uncle, Mac Gudmundsen, standing on the high school steps, telling stories that had the whole crowd laughing—just like we did when he visited our home.
In the evening, the focus shifted to a stage set between two massive maple trees. The pageant showcased three time periods: the founding of Rock Island (1850), the early Washington Harbor community (1866), and a third act showing the present day. Music and choirs wove the stories together.
I was a little pioneer girl, one of several children in costume, following the adults as part of the performance. A children’s band added crescendos with drums and cymbals. Clara Jessen, our high school teacher, was the narrator. Years later, she told me how she remembered driving Anne around the island to gather cedar trees for props and backdrops.
Visiting Anne Whitney’s Cottage
Anne lived in the eastern corner of Washington Harbor in a cottage that once belonged to Henry Miner, who ran the post office from there. To us, it looked like something from Hansel and Gretel, with towering hollyhocks growing beside the door.
When I was old enough to ride my bike, I’d meet my friends Jerry or Ruth Ann, and one of our favorite outings was to visit Anne. We entered through a dark, sloped-roof kitchen where pans lined the walls. Just beyond that, we’d find Anne at her sewing machine, usually stitching dolls by hand.
Behind her sewing space was a bright room lined with bookshelves reaching the ceiling. There hung a striking painting of a woman in an orange suit and turban, set against a bold green background.
“That’s my daughter, Kay,” Anne told us. “She lives in Germany and works for the Red Cross. She swam the English Channel.”
That painting — and that mysterious, impressive woman — stayed with me.
Kay Curtis and a New Chapter
Years later, while I was in college, Kay Curtis retired and moved to Washington Island. Our high school had just closed, and Kay was part of a group of women who staged a display to show how the space could be reused for community presentations.
I was studying art at the time and was asked to be the first director of what would become the Washington Island Art & Nature Center.
The high school where we once sat in class was transformed. The town painted the walls white and built pegboard stands. I painted them and added pots of greenery. One hurdle: we didn’t have the proper hardware to hang the art. Wilson Trueblood, a dedicated supporter, took me, Adele McClaren, and my sister Katy by boat to Ellison Bay to get what we needed.
That first season, ten artists displayed their work. There was also a nature room, and each week we held community talks and presentations.
Kay became a close friend to our family — babysitting during summers and even visiting us when we moved to Miami. She once invited me to a ceremony where she received an award from the Olympic Board for introducing synchronized swimming. Despite her many achievements, she was quiet about them — humble and gracious.
Harbor Tales and Honoring the Past
When I retired and returned to Washington Island, visitors were still asking the same questions — curious about the people, places, and stories of the past. That inspired me to collect some of my favorites in a book: Harbor Tales: Washington Island Through The 1800's.
I spent many hours at the Island Archives and interviewed people across the island. But I believe the original seed of inspiration was planted back in 1948 — when I was a little girl in a blue dress made by Anne Whitney. That early experience — and Anne Whitney’s example — stayed with me in ways I didn’t realize until much later.
If you’d like to learn more about Anne and Kay, these are great resources:
Let’s Talk About Washington Island: 1850 – 1950 by Anne Whitney
Katharine Whitney Curtis: Mother of Synchronized Swimming by Jordan Whitney Wei
“Colorful Pageant Staged at Island, 1950” — article from the Island Archives
You can aslo find Harbor Tales: Washington Island Through The 1800's at Fair Isle (in-store and online) as well as Mann's Mercantile and the Washington Island Art & Nature Center.
