Capitol Park in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1876. Andreas Larsen Dahl/Wisconsin Historical Society/Getty Images The mid-1870s were a period of significant cultural, economic, and technological transformation. During this time, people dressed in formal fashion and traveled by steamboat, buggy, or railroad. Sports became increasingly popular as people took more interest in leisure activities. As America approached it 100th birthday in 1876, the nation was on the precipice of a major transformation. T