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City Cast Madison

Fifty-five years ago, on Aug. 24, 1970, four men bombed UW-Madison’s Sterling Hall in protest of the ongoing Vietnam war. The blast resulted in the death of a physics researcher, multiple injuries, and millions of dollars in damage.

To commemorate the anniversary of the bombing, 

City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin spoke to UW oral historian Troy Reeves

 about the event and its lasting impact on the Madison community.

Here’s a timeline of events surrounding the infamous explosion.

The UW-Madison campus experienced years of anti-war protests leading up to the Sterling Hall bombing, including the 

 against recruitment efforts from Dow Chemical Company, which produced napalm.

The protest turned violent and marked the first time police used tear gas to disperse participants. However, the police reaction didn’t slow the pace of anti-war demonstrations, which would continue through the end of the Vietnam war.

multiple university offices were firebombed

, but the bombing at Sterling Hall took the violence to a new level.

At 3:42 a.m. on Aug. 24, 1970, a bomb rocked UW-Madison, damaging not only Sterling Hall, but the old Campus Hospital and several surrounding buildings. The explosion 

, a postdoctoral researcher in physics, who was in Sterling Hall conducting research.

The bomb, planted by a group of four men who opposed the war, aimed to destroy the Army Mathematics Research Center because of its links to the military. The group, known as the New Year’s Gang, detonated a van full of homemade explosives before fleeing the scene. Three of the men involved were caught and sentenced to prison, 

 near $3 million at the time, which is closer to $25 million today. Countless amounts of physics and other research was lost as a result of the blast but due to the placement of the bomb, the Army Math Research Center was largely unscathed.

Despite the damage and decades of research lost, classes in the fall semester of 1970 were not delayed and, within a year, Sterling Hall and the other damaged 

Fassnacht was memorialized by UW-Madison through the creation of a fellowship in his name and the dedication of a plaque on Sterling Hall.

Protests on campus continued until 1973, when the draft was ended and troops began to leave Vietnam.

A timeline of events surrounding the 1970 Sterling Hall Bombing.

What To Know About the Sterling Hall Bombing

What Madisonians have been wondering. We break down why things in Madison are the way they are and how they work.

Madison, Explained

If you are like me, when walking around Madison you wonder what once was in all of these cool buildings. Just me? Well what can I say, I’m a bit of a history nerd. Madison is an ever-changing city, with businesses always coming and going, making it rich with history.

Today, we’re exploring the history of the space that’s now home to 

Located along the railroad tracks of West Washington Avenue, this 

 used to be the Milwaukee Road Depot’s old baggage claim building. The building that housed the station and baggage building 

. The train that ran through this area served as transportation for legislators, students, and even soldiers during World War II, making it a vital connection point in the city. Passenger service eventually ended in 1971.

The building was originally designed by the Chicago-based firm Frost and Granger, featuring a striking brick facade and a distinctive roof. You can also still see the 

stone sign facing West Washington Avenue with the initials for the railroad's full name

 — Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific.

The baggage claim building became Harvey House in 2021. The name comes from the Fred Harvey Company, which operated a variety of restaurants and hotels. that were located along railroads. Fred Harvey is also the grandfather of Shaina Papach, who co-owns Harvey House with her husband, Joe Papach.

What Used to Be There?

People, places, and scenes from Madison's past.

Madison History

Before it was a full-month celebration, there was Women’s History Week. In 1978, a group of women in Santa Rosa, California, recognized that 

 in academics, so they organized a week in March to celebrate and educate others about women’s contributions in the U.S.

During the week of March 8, over a hundred women participated in essay contests, distributed curriculum materials at local schools, and held a parade. The event's success soon inspired women’s groups nationwide to hold similar events.

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8 National Women’s History Week. Seven years later, Congress designated March as Women’s History Month.

The group from Santa Rosa, now known as the 

, selected the week of March 8 to correspond with 

, officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977.

 of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first Women’s Day on Feb. 28, 1909, honored the first anniversary of the garment worker’s strikes that saw thousands of women take to Manhattan’s streets. That strike was timed to honor another garment worker’s rally from March 1857. On March 3, 1913, thousands of 

 marched in Washington, D.C., to fight for a woman’s right to vote.

In 1911, inspired by the day of recognition held in the U.S., more than a million people rallied in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland to hold the first International Women’s Day rally. On March 8, 1917, 

many women went on strike during the Russian Revolution

, which many believe led to the selection of March 8 as the international day.

Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Here are some ways to honor women this month in Madison.

Participate in a celebration of International Women’s Day

Wisconsin Latino Chamber of Commerce, March 8, 9 a.m., Free

Celebrate female wine producers at the “Women in Wine” event.

Catch a musical performance of the all-women band, The Surfrajettes

Connect with other women entrepreneurs at the Celebrating Women Trailblazers event.

Toot + Kate’s Wine Bar in Verona, March 16, 11 a.m., $20

Check out the “We Stand on Their Shoulders: A History of Wisconsin Women and Voting” exhibit.

Take a deep dive into the “Wisconsin Women Making History."

During March, we highlight and honor women’s great contributions to the U.S. But before there was a month, it started as a week, and international events may be why we celebrate this month.

Women’s History Month in Madison

Celebrating Women’s History Month in Madison

first adopted an official city flag in the early 1960s

, and until recently, it existed in obscurity and was rarely flown. The flag’s use experienced a resurgence in 2015 after a resolution was passed requiring the flag be flown on city property to serve as a symbol of local pride. But that initial flag has some key differences with the flag you’ll see all around town today.

In its original design, the white and blue stripes featured a center design of a cross with a Zia sun, a symbol that is sacred to the 

 features a red circle at the center of a cross where each line has four lines extending from it, which to the Zia people represents the circle of life. The symbol is also on the New Mexico state flag, and the Zia people have long fought for 

. Many Madisonians and Wisconsinites debated whether this former flag represented their city, the relevance of using a symbol representing an Indigenous group that lives outside of Wisconsin, and 

Fast forward to today, and Madison’s got a new flag! The white and blue stripes representing Lake Mendota and Lake Monona remain, and the Zia sun symbol has been replaced with a black and yellow cross representing the state capitol at the center of the Isthmus, with the four legs representing city lakes: Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Wingra.

Madisonians have a lot to be proud of with this new flag: It was voted one of the best city flags in the nation, according to the North American Vexillological Association. 

So why is Madison’s flag so great? (And why the state flag is so not 😬) To find out, City Cast Madison spoke with Ted Kaye, the nation’s foremost authority on flag design.

😍 What makes for an A+ or F flag?

Madison, Wisconsin's flag today is considered one of the best-designed flags in the country. But there was a time when the city's flag was controversial and possibly offensive.

The History of Madison's Flag

The Story Behind Madison’s Flag

Sometimes you need a good thrill, and what better time to get one in Madison than during the scary season! For all of you who like to get your heart rate going, the 

City Cast Madison team spoke to a few Madisonians in the know

 for some of the best places to seek out the ghosts, ghouls, and haunted places in town.

This notable landmark in Madison opened its doors in 1927 and has hosted vaudeville shows, weddings, and concerts with famous musicians from Bob Dylan to Bob Marley. But its most famous resident is Pete the Projectionist. Legend has it that he committed suicide in the projection booth and his spirit lingers within the theater. Pete has been known to taunt people who have worked there 😲

Lisa Van Buskirk, a Madison ghost host and tour guide, recommends signing up for one of the capitol’s free tours, taking a secret elevator to the top floor where you can find a spiral staircase from which you can access a balcony. There you can say hi to Frank Smith the Ghost, believed to be one of the steelworkers who helped build the Capitol. Legend has it he fell in the middle of the rotunda while he was trying to place the flag on top of the Capitol. Luckily, Frank is considered a friendly ghost. Think he knows Casper?!

Built fully of masonry and metal materials and perhaps the oldest steel brick building still extant, this over 130-year-old building on the UW-Madison campus will have you feeling like you’re in a haunted castle. City Cast Madison host Bianca Martin remembers navigating twisty, turny halls and random doors during her time there as an undergrad. What could be hiding within these walls?

You’ll find details on these and so many more on 

🎧Get your scary on, Madison!

Sometimes you need a good thrill, and what better time to do so in Madison than during the scary season! The City Cast Madison team spoke to a few Madisonians in the know for some of the best places to seek out the ghosts, ghouls, and haunted places in town.

history

What To Know About the Sterling Hall Bombing

What Used to Be There?

Celebrating Women’s History Month in Madison

Latest articles

What To Know About the Sterling Hall Bombing

What Used to Be There?

Celebrating Women’s History Month in Madison

The Story Behind Madison’s Flag

Where to See a Ghost in Madison and More Haunted Places

Latest articles

The Story Behind Madison’s Flag

Where to See a Ghost in Madison and More Haunted Places