In the summer of 1986, a crew of Sports Illustrated photographers descended upon Appleton to complete a photo shoot for the August issue of the magazine. Jack McCallum, who worked for the magazine at the time, was tasked with writing about life in Appleton. The article sought to “examine the sporting life, and life in general, of an American town,” said McCallum. McCallum painted a quaint and idyllic picture of Appleton in 1986.
It’s been 40 years since that article — titled “Hooray, Appleton!” — appeared in print. Four decades will inevitably bring innumerable transformations to any community, but there are some things that have remained relatively unchanged here. However, Appleton and the Fox Cities have grown tremendously over the years, and it’s no surprise, really. This area has so much to offer.
The Fox Cities was an outstanding place to live, play, and raise a family in 1986, and it remains so today.
