The City of Fennimore website is celebrating 25 years on the internet! Originally developed in 1995 by John Wells, owner of WebWise Design and Marketing, the City of Fennimore website is one of the oldest community websites in the entire state.
Lots of changes have taken place over those 25 years! The first website was only three pages – a home page, a page for “Igor,” and a page for the Dinky train and the Railroad Historical Society Museum. Today’s website has about 180 pages, including information in the areas of city government, public utilities, economic development, community life, recreation, chamber of commerce, a calendar of community events, and a local business directory. (Download 1995 website pdf)
Looking Back …
In the technology world of 1995, mobile telephones (the size of bricks) were first available for public purchase, Sony launched PlayStation, desktop computers were beginning to slim down from the bulky white boxes, JavaScript language was developed, Windows95 was released, and the dot.com era began. Personal computers were widely adopted and television programs showed people how to use the internet. To add another perspective, Google was launched in 1998, three years after the Fennimore website went live.
Locally, the Cottonwood Supper Club was a popular gathering spot, the cheese plant and store was owned by Fennimore Cheese, there were two pharmacies in town, Stenner’s Jewelry Store and the Doll & Toy Museum were located on Lincoln Way, and the “railroad car” buildings on the east side of the street were set up for small businesses such as Paul Revere’s Pizza.
Looking Ahead …
Congratulations to the City of Fennimore on recognizing the importance of a website and maintaining a strong presence on the web all these years. With the continuing evolution of technology and mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly, responsive website with up-to-date content is critical for moving forward into the next 25 years!
