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October 3: Years Ago…
Years Ago

‘Years Ago’ is a compilation of newsy tidbits as published in the Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scout on this week ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or sixty years ago.

TEN YEARS AGO

OCTOBER 1, 2009 – S&S Cycle announces the availability of a new 224-page hardcover book. The book, ‘S&S Cycle Presents Today’s Top Custom Bike Builders’ was written by former S&S Communications Manager Howard Kelly with photographs by Michael Lichter and a forward by Jay Leno. The book features the 50 custom bike builders who took part in the 2008 S&S Cycle 50thAnniversary Celebration… The Tractor Riders Club of Boaz held a tractor parade through the area and stopped for lunch at the Country Gardens restaurant in Soldiers Grove over the weekend… Judy Hansen is quoted stating “Although we couldn’t succeed in our efforts to save the school house for a public use building, we did manage to salvage the bell as a remembrance of days long gone”. And so with strenuous physical efforts plus his artistic talents, Ron Hees prepared the bell and built a beautiful holder for it. With village president Doug Helgerson donating his time and equipment, a cement pad has been poured, landscaping done and the Mt. Sterling Memory Project is taking shape on Highway 171 and Highway 27.

TWENTY YEARS AGO

SEPTEMBER 30, 1999 – The youngest runner in the two-mile run was Brandon Lee, 5, who accompanied his mother, Beth Lee, and brother Jeremy, 3, in the stroller. They are from Viroqua… Art and Gale Koehler were honored during the Apple Festival parade Sunday in Gays Mills, as this year’s parade marshals and 1999 Apple Ambassadors. They are long-time Gays Mills residents. Art worked at Nuzum Lumber Company in Gays Mills for 46 years. Gale has been an employee of the local orchards for over 40 years.

THIRTY YEARS AGO

OCTOBER 5, 1989 – It is the time of year for the annual CROP Walk. On Sunday, October 15, participants will start from Mt. Sterling Lutheran Church and Rising Sun Catholic Church. They’ll walk eight miles to Sugar Creek Bible Camp to raise money for hungry people all over the world, including local families, as 10 percent of the funds will remain in the community. 

FORTY YEARS AGO

JULY 26, 1979 – David Beutler, 25, a native of Milwaukee, has started a business in the service of chimney sweeping. He is pictured on the roof of Steve Picus’ house near Bell Center, wearing the traditional sweep’s garb, top hat and tails, which he does when reporting for each new job… Swenson’s Auto Body is one of the newest businesses in the Kickapoo Valley. Rick Swenson has just completed a large, modern building for his auto shop about three miles off Highway 131 on County C toward Star Valley. Rick and his wife Connie (nee Olson) and son Ryan live nearby… The chemistry class had the second place homecoming skit, which was the ‘High Quiz Bowl’. The group included Rob Babb, John Barlow, Mark Dull, Randy Meier, Dawn Karnopp, Shawn Gander, Milt Cashman, Tom Gainor, Ed Arneson, Denise Davenport and Diane Davenport.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

OCTOBER 2, 1969 – Martha Lysne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Duane Lysne of Mt. Sterling is the 1969 Apple Queen. Kitty Dull, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Dull of Soldiers Grove, and Jane Gander, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Melvern Gander of Soldiers Grove, served as the queen’s court in the parade… Neli Sime’s Kiddie Kapers this week features a photograph of an old gang of friends, Arlin Dahl, Jimmy Straight, Brady Hill, Jeffrey Johnson, Johnny Straight and Rickie Vig, all of Readstown.

SIXTY YEARS AGO

OCTOBER 1, 1959 – Friday and Saturday, Oct. 2-3, will find throngs of area residents driving to Gays Mills for the first apple harvest festival. Sparked by the Gays Mills Lions Club, the event is to be an annual promotion. Starting the festivities will be the Gays Mills-Weston football game Friday afternoon. At 7 p.m. that evening, the apple queen will be selected followed by a crowing at the coronation ball at 10 p.m. Saturday’s events will feature a Main Street parade, merchants featuring apple harvest day specials, pony rides by Nolan Turnmire, of Readstown, and a talent show at the Community Byears ago 10-3-19uilding emceed by Bun Huffman.