Greg Little
Kicks Editor
20_q_interviews
20Q: Catching up with RCHS Executive Director Tim Maahs
GAZETTE FILE PHOTO
Tim Maahs
EditorÃÛèÖÊÓƵ note: Kicks presents 20Q, a feature that introduces readers to people involved in the areaÃÛèÖÊÓƵ arts and entertainment community. Compiled by kicks Editor Greg Little, each piece will include a short bio, photo and answers to questions that provide insight into not only that personÃÛèÖÊÓƵ artistic interests but also his or her unique personality.
Tim Maahs
Before a community can move forward, it must first understand its past.
At the forefront of this effort stands the Rock County Historical Society, an entity charged with preserving and sharing the stories and artifacts that helped shape this areaÃÛèÖÊÓƵ history. And the man behind the RCHS is Tim Maahs, the organizationÃÛèÖÊÓƵ executive director.
A Janesville native, Maahs grew up in Menomonee Falls and attended Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School. After high school, he pursued a business degree at Madison Business College. Maahs’ first job out of college was in the records management division for an environmental engineering and consulting firm in Madison. After seven years, he moved on to an IT position supporting systems for administrative functions.
Maahs took the skills he learned in those positions to a job with the Wisconsin Historical Society, which helped set the stage for his career in history preservation. Among his goals as executive director at RCHS is to show visitors that history is fun and to ensure it is available to all who seek to learn more about it.
Maahs is married with no children but does have two dogs: Roberta, a 13-year-old cocker spaniel, and Arlo, a 2-year-old Maltese.
To learn more about Maahs and the Rock County Historical Society, visit or check out the organizationÃÛèÖÊÓƵ pages on and Instagram (@rockctyhistory).
1. When people hear the term “Rock County Historical Society,†what tends to be the first thing that comes to mind? The Lincoln-Tallman House. I believe this is because the Rock County Historical Society was formed in response to the city of Janesville receiving a gift from George Kemp Tallman in 1950. We have continued to grow and evolve over the last 70 years to form a campus that surrounds the Lincoln-Tallman House that draws in visitors from all over the region.
2. Share a historical fact most of Janesville doesn’t know about. There were actually four car makers in Janesville prior to General Motors’ arrival. The Samson Company, The Monitor Automobile Works, The Wisconsin Motor Car Company and The Owen-Thomas Motor Car Company. This sort of thing was not unique to Janesville. However, it is truly a lesser-known fact.
3. If you were transported back in time, what do you think would be the most difficult adjustment to living in the Tallman era? Times were certainly different in the days of the Tallman family, and I think it would be difficult to have such a delay in learning about current events. That said, I think in todayÃÛèÖÊÓƵ world, we might have gotten too far ahead of the curve. However, there is certainly a middle point we could find.
4. What person in history would you most like to meet? Theodore Roosevelt, because of his great ingenuity in times of great strife. I feel it would have been an incredible time to be a part of something so impactful.
5. On average, how many people visit RCHS facilities each year? There are more than 13,000 visitors who come to RCHS in any given year, but 2020 has been an exception. That said, I have been quite impressed with the number of visitors we have been able to have this year.
6. Are you more of a city person or a country person? I am less of a big-city person, for certain. Growing up on the outskirts of Milwaukee, I always found it to be so much less stressful to not be in the middle of it. I love to visit big cities but am always glad to get back home. Janesville is the largest city I have lived in since leaving Milwaukee 30 years ago.
7. Why is it particularly important to preserve the structures on the RCHS campus? The collection of structures on the campus are fantastic teaching and learning platforms that draw people in for many different reasons. It is important for any community to be able to share stories of past successes and failures and to learn and grow from them.
8. Does the RCHS offer any help to people seeking information on their personal histories? The Rock County Genealogical Society offers assistance with genealogy research. This group is made up of committed, capable volunteers who have a passion for helping people understand their past. In 2020, much of this work had to go on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the six months before the outbreak, the team from RCGS was housed in the Helen Jeffris Wood Museum & Visitor Center with RCHS staff.
9. Share something people would be surprised to find out about you. I love cars. I have always loved cars. From the engineering to the performance aspects, I have been fascinated since I was a young child.
10. Do you have any superstitions? To be honest, I don’t think I have any superstitions. That said, I have always been fascinated by people who do.
11. What drew you to the position of RCHS executive director? I have long been interested in history. Each summer while growing up, our parents would take us to different historic sites in Wisconsin so we could learn about the people who came before us. This led to a strong passion for historic architecture. I have restored six properties prior to moving to Janesville in the early 2000s, and I am completing my 12th year serving as a member of the city of JanesvilleÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Historic Preservation Commission. Back in 2006, I was asked to serve on the board of RCHS. I willingly stepped in and have not been able to shake it since. Additionally, I worked for the Wisconsin Historical Society for five years before joining RCHS as an official employee.
12. Explain the importance of volunteers in the continued operation of the RCHS. As with most nonprofits, volunteers are our lifeblood. We cannot accomplish any of the outreach programming without such a dedicated team. 2020 has been so difficult because we could not have our volunteers perform any work inside of our facilities. This was a difficult decision, but the right decision in the interest of the health and safety of everyone involved. We did get a number of volunteers who wanted to work in our gardens. The campus looked amazing this summer!
13. Left-handed or right-handed? Right-handed, but left-hand dominated. I really only write with my right hand but always start any task with my left. ItÃÛèÖÊÓƵ the best of both worlds!
14. Are there any common misconceptions about local history you’d like to discount? Well, not discount but rather clarify. Many people know Abraham Lincoln visited Janesville in 1859, but some think he was president at the time. He was not. He was touring the area speaking about abolition, a topic about which the Tallman family was strongly supportive. And 1859 was not his first trip to the area. He also passed through southcentral Wisconsin (not yet a state) in 1832 while serving in the Illinois militia during the Black Hawk War.
15. What was your first car? I owned a 1973 Chevrolet Impala that was generously given to me by my father. It was yellow with a black vinyl top. It was really on its last legs, so I saved my money and purchased a 1977 Ford Granada for $700. Not sure that was much better!
16. Bound books or e-reader? Bound. There is something about the tactile connection to the pages when reading a good story.
17. For its time, the Lincoln-Tallman House was believed to have housed the latest in modern technology. Can you share some of those advancements? There are four cisterns located on the third floor of the primary section of the house. These cisterns collected rainwater and provided running water to the built-in sinks in each of the family bedrooms and the guest room. The house was built between 1855 and 1857 and outfitted with piping for natural gas. These pipes were to provide fuel to light each of the gasoliers throughout the mansion. Mr. Tallman insisted that this be done even though natural gas had not been an option in Janesville yet. It wasn’t until 1869 that natural gas was connected to the Tallman House. There are many more advancements that can be learned by taking part in a Tallman Technologies Tour.
18. Do you collect anything? I collect household antiques of many types with a strong focus on kitchen and dining housewares. I do this because it reminds me of my grandmother and special times we shared.
19. What initially got you interested in history? As an adoptee who had no knowledge about my own personal history, I am driven toward helping people understand their own histories and that of this community. It has been a driving force for me as I have navigated my adult life.
20. Aside from the obvious impact of COVID-19, what will we be remembered for when historians look back on 2020 many years from now? In Janesville, it will be that the people of this community continued to demonstrate their tenacity to be Janesville strong. This is a longstanding tradition here.
Kicks
The most anticipated albums of early 2021
Among the highlights of 2020 were surprise album releases from Taylor Swift, Eminem and Childish Gambino.
We can’t predict those, but we can say what’s scheduled for the first quarter of 2021, and that slate includes new material from major stars like Foo Fighters, Florida Georgia Line and Sia, as well as such indie faves as Cloud Nothings, The Hold Steady and Julien Baker.
Last year, release dates were bumped all over the place as artists tried to navigate the pandemic. This year should be a little less volatile.
So here’s the first look. Keep an eye out for releases from Adele, Cardi B, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Lorde, Rihanna, St. Vincent, Travis Scott and more.
Jan. 15
Shame, “Drunk Tank Pink”: The acclaimed British punk band promises a “bigger, bolder” sound on the follow-up to the 2018 debut “Songs Of Praise.”
Why Don’t We, “The Good Times and the Bad Ones”: The LA boy band follows its 2018 debut with a sophomore album that features the singles “Fallin’,” “Lotus Inn” and “Slow Down,” which samples Smashing Pumpkins.
Sleaford Mods, “Spare Ribs”: The 11th album from the British electropunk duo was preceded by the single “Mork N Mindy.”
David Bowie, “Brilliant Live Adventures Part 3: ”: This third in a series of six live releases was recorded in New York, Amsterdam, and Rio De Janeiro during the 1997 Earthling tour.
Jan. 22
Steve Hackett, “Under A Mediterranean Sky”: The new acoustic album from the former Genesis guitarist was inspired by his recent travels in the Mediterranean.
Bill Champlin, “Livin’ for Love”: A new album from the former Chicago singer-guitarist-keyboardist who sang lead on the hit “Hard Habit to Break.”
Jan. 29
Ani DiFranco, “Revolutionary Love”: The 22nd album from the indie-folk icon was inspired by Valarie Kaur’s book “See No Stranger.”
Langhorne Slim, “Strawberry Mansion”: The Americana rocker from Nashville, via Langhorne, Pennsylvania, addresses his struggles with debilitating anxiety and depression on his seventh album.
Lucero, “When You Found Me”: The veteran alt-country band from Memphis reunited with Grammy-winning producer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Drive-by Truckers) on this 10th album.
Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, “Macca to Mecca”: A 13-song love letter to the Beatles recorded at The Roundhouse in London in November 2017 with a special appearance by Paul McCartney.
January TBD
Drake, “Certified Lover Boy”: The Canadian rap star’s sixth album and follow-up to 2018’s “Scorpion” was bumped from summer 2020 to some-time in January.
Feb. 5
Foo Fighters, “Medicine At Midnight”: The 10th album from Dave Grohl and company, finished in early 2020, promises to be a party record boasting nine songs in 37 minutes.
Feb. 12
Florida Georgia Line, “Life Rolls On”: The fifth album from the pop-country duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, co-produced with Corey Crowder, features the hits “Long Live” and “I Love My Country.”
Sia, “Music—Songs from and Inspired by the Motion Picture”: The Australian pop star wrote all of the songs on this 14-track accompaniment to her directorial debut. An original cast soundtrack will also be released.
The Pretty Reckless, “Death By Rock And Roll”: The fourth album from the New York City alt-rock band led by Taylor Momson features a title track that spent multiple weeks atop the rock charts.
Pentatonix, “The Lucky Ones”: The a cappella group follows “We Need a Little Christmas” with their first full-length album of original material since 2015.
Feb. 19
The Hold Steady, “Open Door Policy”: The Brooklyn indie-rock band’s eighth album was “was written and almost entirely recorded before the pandemic started,” according to frontman Craig Finn, “but the songs and stories explore power, wealth, mental health, technology, capitalism, consumerism and survival—issues which have compounded in 2020.” The popular band also features the guitar stylings of Janesville native Tad Kubler.
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, “Hunter and the Dog Star”: Brickell referred to the band’s fifth album and follow-up to 2018’s “Rocket” as “a collection of songs reflecting the mystery of self-expression, loyalty, companionship and love in the darkest sky just before dawn.”
Mogwai, “As The Love Continues”: The Scottish post-rock band worked remotely with producer Dave Fridmann on this 10th album, which features contributions from Nine Inch Nails’ Atticus Ross and saxophonist Colin Stetson.
Julia Stone, “Sixty Summers”: On her first album since 2012, the Australian folk singer-songwriter takes a turn toward cosmopolitan pop, working with Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, and Annie Clark, aka St. Vincent.
Feb. 26
Alice Cooper, “Detroit Stories”: The rocker pays homage to his hometown with this album featuring such Detroit music legends as The MC5’s Wayne Kramer, The Detroit Wheels’ Johnny “Bee” Badanjek, Paul Randolph and the Motor City Horns. It includes a cover of The Velvet Underground’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” which was recorded by Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels.
Cloud Nothings, “The Shadow I Remember”: The Cleveland noise-rock band reunited with Steve Albini, who produced breakout album “Attack on Memory,” for this seventh album.
Willie Nelson, “That’s Life”: Following his Grammy-winning 2018 album, “My Way,” this is a second collection of Frank Sinatra covers, recorded in the spare style of “Stardust.”
Melvins, “Working With God”: The Washington state sludge punk/metal band assembles the 1983 lineup—Buzz Osborne, Dale Crover and Mike Dillard—for an album that includes a re-imagining of The Beach Boys’ classic “I Get Around” along with a song about their junior-high biology teacher.
Julien Baker, “Little Oblivions”: The Memphis indie artist played nearly all the instruments on her third album, which will be a sonic shift in sound.
March 5
Teenage Fanclub, “Endless Arcade”: The Scottish power-pop band’s 10th album is the first since the 2018 departure of co-founder Gerard Love and marks the debut of Euros Childs, from Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci.
Pat Metheny, “Road To The Sun”: A collection of two new works for classical guitar, one featuring Jason Vieaux and one a six-movement cycle with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet.
March 12
Rob Zombie, “The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy”: The shock-rocker told Kerang! that on his seventh album “the songs are very catchy, but the structures are way more complex than they’ve been in the past.” It’s advanced by the single “The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation And Superstition).
Ringo Starr, “Zoom In”: The five-song EP from the Beatles legend features contributions from Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Diane Warren and more.
March 19
Sting, “Duets”: Collection of previous duets with the likes of Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, Julio Iglesias, Shaggy, Herbie Hancock, Annie Lennox and Charles Aznavour.
March 26
Evanescence, “The Bitter Truth”: The follow-up to 2017’s “Synthesis,” which featured orchestral arrangements of previous songs, is the gothic metal band’s first album of original material since the 2011 self-titled album.
April 16
Greta Van Fleet, “The Battle At Garden’s Gate”: The young Grammy-winning band’s follow-up to its 2018 debut was recorded in LA with Greg Kurstin (Foo Fighters, Paul McCartney) producing.
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