Column - 1959: Pappenfus selected as first probation officer

Talk about it

The following is a collection of stories and other items that were included in Alexandria newspapers over the years.

100 YEARS AGO

June 1909

O.A. Schendel, along with a friend, drove a Halliday, 6-cylinder, 40 horsepower automobile from Chicago to his lake home near Alexandria. He reported they averaged 25 miles an hour and 200 miles a day. Beyond killing a dog and a few chickens along the way, they reported no casualties… According to a recent report, the people of Douglas County have close to $1.75 million in savings deposits in the county banks… Plans are being made for the dedication of the new Norwegian Lutheran Church on 9th and D Street. Built at a cost of $3,500, the church will seat 300 parishioners… The cornerstone for the new Swedish Church on 6th Avenue will be laid next week.

50 YEARS AGO

June 1959

The Park Region Echo was honored at the National Editorial Association for receiving first place awards in the Best Editorial division. They also received honorable mention in the Special Edition category for the 64-page special issue on the Centennial… Max Conrad, holder of the world’s record for a solo non-stop light-plane flight, will ferry a Bellanca 260 from Alexandria to a European distributor for Downer Aircraft. On the same trip, he will present the Lord Mayor of Dublin with a replica of the Kensington Runestone given by Mayor Lee Hewitt… Robert Pappenfus was selected from a field of 27 candidates to serve as the first probation officer in Douglas, Pope and Todd counties… Dubeau Country Acres, a new housing development, is under way on a 21-acre plot south of the Alexandria Golf Course.

25 YEARS AGO

June 1984

Miltona is undergoing a $500,000 facelift. When completed, it will have curbs and gutters, paved streets, a new water system and an industrial complex center… Several hundred people attended the annual Douglas County Historical Society ice cream social at the Art Engelbrecht farm. Funds raised will be used to purchase a slide projector for the society… Members of area sportsmen’s clubs took a total of 25,200 pounds of carp from area lakes… Members of the Evening Lion’s Club held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new beach house on Lake Latoka… Erik S. Jones, 5th grader at St. Mary’s, won an honorable mention in the National Hunting and Fishing Day Poster Contest. He won a $75 United States savings bond.

10 YEARS AGO

June 1999

Volunteers from Douglas County Historical Society have spent about 300 hours taking inventory of historical records at the courthouse dating back 140 years. Unless a new home is found for them, they are in danger of being destroyed, as were 26 dumpster loads last spring… Cowing-Robards has purchased the real estate and assets of Sun Auto on North Nokomis… The Catholic Aid Society has recognized Jim Chan as Field Representative of the Month for May… Ignorance Isn’t Bliss is a Christian “emotional rock” band comprised of four local musicians: lead singer and songwriter Ben Lukes, bass player Mike Sorlie, lead guitarist Jeremiah Swor and drummer Gabe Anderson… Eight-year old Jena Smith was pictured as she held tight to a huge frog she and her friends found at Noonan’s Park.

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Marge Van Gorp of Alexandria is a regular contributing columnist to the Echo Press Opinion page.

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