Column - 1912: Skunks block road, hurt dance attendance

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

JULY 1912

During a recent fish fry, the Nebraska people at Interlachen Park organized the Nebraska - Lake L’Homme Dieu Club. Dr. Stein, a 29-year summer resident, was named president and local residents, Mr. and Mrs. Secord, were accepted as honorary members… The Saturday night dance in Brandon was not as well attended as it might have been. The young ladies did not want to venture out because of the many skunks blocking the roads… John C. Cooley must be the busiest man in Forada. He sold one train carload of cement, two of salt, one of twine, and enough farm machinery, wagons and buggies to fill two or three cars. All at the same time that he is supervising the building of the warehouse and the elevator.

50 YEARS AGO

JULY 1962

Joe Verkennis, depot agent at the Garfield depot since 1913 and a railroad employee for 51-1/2 years, retired this week with a record of never having missed a day’s work because of illness. At age 73, he looks more like 50, attributing his healthy condition to daily calisthenics and doing as much hunting and fishing as he can… 435 spectators watched 107 couples do-si-do around the Algon Ballroom floor during the Runestone Festival’s square dance jubilee… Chef Orrin Peterson announced another first at the Viking Motel and Restaurant: a Sunday buffet dinner for $1.75 (children younger than 12, $1)… Top winners in 4-H Achievement Day were Juanita Oyster, whose calf was the dairy showmanship champion and Dorothy Withers, whose Holstein cow took the grand champion award.

25 YEARS AGO

JULY 1987

The impact of Alexandria’s main street construction project became very apparent when workers began cutting down all the trees on city-owned boulevards on both sides of the street between 8th and 15th Avenues. The street, a state highway, is being widened to allow for left-hand turn lanes… Karla Wrolson of Farwell celebrated her 17th birthday in the pilot’s seat of a Tomahawk airplane, taking her pilot’s license test… Larry Crouse won his fifth NASCAR Sportsman feature of the season… Most Alexandrians may not know that one half of the comedy duo at the Renaissance Festival commonly known as “Puke and Snot” is Alexandria native Mark Sieve. He and his Shakespeare for Transients partner, Joe Kudla, will perform at a Theatre L’Homme Dieu fundraiser at the Holiday Inn.

10 YEARS AGO

JULY 2002

Since Larry Oatman opened his farrier shop in nearby Farwell three and a half months ago, 653 horses have passed through its doors. With 47-years experience, he often forges his own horseshoes when working on horses that have an injury or abnormality… A long list of dignitaries have been asked to attend a memorial service for Max Beilke. A 1950 graduate of Alexandria High School, he was the last uniformed soldier to leave Vietnam He lost his life on 9/11 in the terrorist attack at the Pentagon and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery… Paul Kolden of Morris is the new first sergeant of the National Guard based in Alexandria… Former Cardinal pitcher Nate Hoelscher has signed with the Kansas City Royals and is headed for their Rookie League in Florida.

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

Tags: opinion, columns