‘Years Ago’ is a compilation of newsy tidbits as published in the Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scouton this week ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or sixty years ago.
TEN YEARS AGO
JUNE 18, 2009 – The Opportunity Center of Prairie du Chien and the Kickapoo Kitchen Project of Soldiers Grove have been jointly awarded a grant from the Crawford County Community Fund to research the viability of a shared-use food processing facility in the county. The two groups are working together because they believe that shared-use kitchen facilities at both ends of the county make sense for growers and food entrepreneurs in Crawford, Grant, Vernon and Richland counties seeking easy access to low-cost ways to produce value-added food… Local Gays Mills librarian, Maura Otis recently was the winner of Southwest Library System’s Librarian of the year. She was nominated by fellow librarian Cele Wolf… Mark Olson, District Manager for Madison Gas & Electric, will receive a “My Boss Is A Patriot” award from the Wisconsin Committee of Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense Volunteer organization. Olson was nominated for the award by Scott Gates, who is a specialist in Company C of the 128thInfantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
JUNE 17, 1999 – Cody Sidie and Tyler Stussy got to ride Corky the Camel last Friday when Alain Zerbini’s circus made an appearance at the Crawford County Fairgrounds… Steven R. Ellefson, a 29-year old Boscobel man, was injured in a one-vehicle accident on Highway 60 about a half-mile east of Pleasant Mound Road Friday when his van ran into a rock. Ellefson lost control of the van which proceeded to skid broadside across the highway, slid down the adjacent embankment where it came to rest against a farmer’s fence. Ellefson did receive injuries in the mishap and his Dodge van took severe damage and was towed from the scene.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
JUNE 22, 1989 – The Gays Mills Village Board approved an application for a building permit by the Kickapoo Exchange Food Co-op. The application and plans furnished to the board describe a commercial store front type of building estimated to cost $45,000. The building will replace a building on the same site that burned to the ground last December. A portion of the work will be done by members on a volunteer basis… Four generations were at the 89thbirthday party for Eliza Ann Copus.... Marlys Kvigne-Oldenburg received her master’s degree in Education Professional Development on May 20 at UW-LaCrosse. She is employed as a fifth and sixth grade teacher in the Seneca School District. Marlys resides in Mt. Sterling with her husband Ike and son Jeremy. Her parents are Merlin and Francille Kvigne of rural Ferryville.
FORTY YEARS AGO
JUNE 21, 1979 – A Milwaukee Road rail engine and a tractor with sweeper owned by the B. R. Amon Construction Company of Elkhorn were involved in an accident at the rail crossing on Stuckey Road, Bridgeport Township, at about 8:25 a.m. June 14. According to Sheriff William Fillbach, Robert F. Johnson, Gays Mills, was operating the tractor with a sweeper, sweeping off the roadway so it could be tarred and graveled. He was causing a considerable amount of dust and did not hear the eastbound Milwaukee Road engine. The engine struck the tractor and swung it around, causing considerable damage to the tractor. Johnson was not injured.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
June 19, 1969– Crawford County residents will long remember the month of June 1969 as the ‘celebratingest ever’ for all who were on hand for the festivities in Soldiers Grove as the village celebrated their Sesquicentennial. There were many events in the celebration including a parade, a beard contest and folks who dressed in costume for the day.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
JUNE 18, 1959 – Charles Smith, who farms on Sunny Ridge near Mt. Zion, suffered a heart attack this June. One week later he watched friends and neighbors wind up his year’s corn planting. Ten tractors, four harrows and two planters made record time. They were operated by Paul Jones, Harry Goodman, Oliver Wallin, Jay Noone, Leo Mezera, Lyle George, Herb Copus, Herb Wallin, Joe Schwert and Otto McCullick. Noon dinner was served cafeteria style by Mrs. Smith and daughters assisted by good neighbors, Carol Wallin, Eva George, Bessie Wallin and Estelle Jones… The first guest welcomed to the newly opened Pine Grove Nursing Home at Soldiers Grove, by the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Olson was Mrs. Olson’s 90-year-old grandmother, Mrs. Barbara Lowe. Mrs. Lowe had lived for the last 23 years with a daughter, Mrs. George Leist, in Elroy... Plans are nearing completion for the July 1 opening of Wisconsin’s newest tourist attraction, the Circus World Museum at Baraboo.
