ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO (1919)—Fennimore held its first city election to choose officers for the new city. They hold office until the regular election next spring. There were 143 people casting votes. President E. J. Roethe became Mayor Roethe and village treasurer George Howell became city treasurer Howell. The comptroller is W. R. Decker. Justices of the Peace are J. B. Mauer and A. E. Sumner. Alderman are, first ward, E. A. Heberlein, Raymond Jacobs; second ward, W. M. Peacock, Will Brintnall; third ward, Dr. Geo. C. Lomas, Walter Manning; and fourth ward, W. C. Edge, and Fred Doan. Supervisors are, first ward, Albert Ketterer; second ward, C. P. Hinn; third ward, R. S. Williams; and fourth ward, Anton Eisele.
NINETY YEARS AGO (1929)—St. John’s congregation at Castle Rock Ridge celebrates the golden jubilee of the founding of the parish on Sunday, Sept. 1. On this day there will be two masses, the first at 9 a.m. and then a solemn high mass which will be a field mass at 10:15 a.m. This mass will be celebrated by Father Thomas Doyle of Highland, assisted by Father Thill of Dodgeville, and Father Boos-Waldeck of Muscoda. After mass, a chicken dinner will be served in the hall and a picnic is planned for the afternoon.
EIGHTY YEARS AGO (1939)—The newspaper profession was deprived of a prominent journalist, the state of Wisconsin an outstanding statesman, and the people of Fennimore and Grant County a staunch friend in the passing of Henry E. Roethe, senior editor and co-publisher of the Fennimore Times for almost half a century. Mr. Roethe died early Wednesday morning, Aug. 16, at Madison, where he had been undergoing treatments at the Wisconsin General Hospital for several weeks. He suffered a severe heart attack about two months ago from which he was apparently recovering.
SEVENTY YEARS AGO (1949)—The Northwestern Depot at Fennimore and at all stations on the Madison branch line will go on a five-day 40 hour work week. Station Agent Glenn Thomas announced that henceforth the local depot will be closed all day on Saturday and Sunday. Trains will run as usual, although there will be no express service or ticket sales on weekends.
SIXTY YEARS AGO (1959)—The family of the late Edward Kreul was among Wisconsin farmers recognized Tuesday at the State Fair for having retained farms in the family for a century or more. Dwight Kreul, present owner of the farm, situated in the Ideal territory northeast of Fennimore, accepted the award.
FIFTY YEARS AGO (1969)—Rayovac’s new Fennimore plant will soon be under construction with a completion date set for February. The building, located on an 18-acre site on Highway 18 on the east side of Fennimore, has been divided into three main areas, administrative, production, and warehouse. —Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Aug. 18 for the agri mechanics facility at the site of the Southwest Wisconsin Vocational-Technical School campus. The completion date has been set for Jan. 12, 1970.
FORTY YEARS AGO (1979)—Eight new instructors and a school nurse were on hand Monday, Aug. 27 when the Fennimore school system opened its doors to children for the 1979-80 term. New staff includes Larry Albrecht, instrumental music; Mike Walters, social studies and coach; Tom Caccia, industrial arts; LeAnn Jungenberg, elementary school special education; Cindy Van Natta, fifth grade teacher and coach; Donna Bickford, school nurse; Tom Downey, history instructor and coach; Sue Knudsen, psychologist and coordinator of special education programs; and Dave Eichhorn, high school art instructor and coach.
THIRTY YEARS AGO (1989)—The Fennimore Times reached a notable milestone yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 6). It became 100 years old. The Times, founded by E. L. Howe, first went to press Sept. 6, 1889.
TWENTY YEARS AGO (1999)—Tim Slack of Slack Auction & Realty, Fennimore, was chosen as the state’s top bid-caller in the ninth annual state fair contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association and the Wisconsin 4-H Youth Foundation.
TEN YEARS AGO (2009)—Southwest Tech President Karen Knox announced the college has taken another step in the next phase of the referendum by signing an offer to purchase property near the school for the proposed Public Safety Training complex. They are looking at approximately 80 acres located in the southwest corner of the intersection at U.S. 18 and County F, across from Rayovac.
NINETY YEARS AGO (1929)—St. John’s congregation at Castle Rock Ridge celebrates the golden jubilee of the founding of the parish on Sunday, Sept. 1. On this day there will be two masses, the first at 9 a.m. and then a solemn high mass which will be a field mass at 10:15 a.m. This mass will be celebrated by Father Thomas Doyle of Highland, assisted by Father Thill of Dodgeville, and Father Boos-Waldeck of Muscoda. After mass, a chicken dinner will be served in the hall and a picnic is planned for the afternoon.
EIGHTY YEARS AGO (1939)—The newspaper profession was deprived of a prominent journalist, the state of Wisconsin an outstanding statesman, and the people of Fennimore and Grant County a staunch friend in the passing of Henry E. Roethe, senior editor and co-publisher of the Fennimore Times for almost half a century. Mr. Roethe died early Wednesday morning, Aug. 16, at Madison, where he had been undergoing treatments at the Wisconsin General Hospital for several weeks. He suffered a severe heart attack about two months ago from which he was apparently recovering.
SEVENTY YEARS AGO (1949)—The Northwestern Depot at Fennimore and at all stations on the Madison branch line will go on a five-day 40 hour work week. Station Agent Glenn Thomas announced that henceforth the local depot will be closed all day on Saturday and Sunday. Trains will run as usual, although there will be no express service or ticket sales on weekends.
SIXTY YEARS AGO (1959)—The family of the late Edward Kreul was among Wisconsin farmers recognized Tuesday at the State Fair for having retained farms in the family for a century or more. Dwight Kreul, present owner of the farm, situated in the Ideal territory northeast of Fennimore, accepted the award.
FIFTY YEARS AGO (1969)—Rayovac’s new Fennimore plant will soon be under construction with a completion date set for February. The building, located on an 18-acre site on Highway 18 on the east side of Fennimore, has been divided into three main areas, administrative, production, and warehouse. —Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Aug. 18 for the agri mechanics facility at the site of the Southwest Wisconsin Vocational-Technical School campus. The completion date has been set for Jan. 12, 1970.
FORTY YEARS AGO (1979)—Eight new instructors and a school nurse were on hand Monday, Aug. 27 when the Fennimore school system opened its doors to children for the 1979-80 term. New staff includes Larry Albrecht, instrumental music; Mike Walters, social studies and coach; Tom Caccia, industrial arts; LeAnn Jungenberg, elementary school special education; Cindy Van Natta, fifth grade teacher and coach; Donna Bickford, school nurse; Tom Downey, history instructor and coach; Sue Knudsen, psychologist and coordinator of special education programs; and Dave Eichhorn, high school art instructor and coach.
THIRTY YEARS AGO (1989)—The Fennimore Times reached a notable milestone yesterday (Wednesday, Sept. 6). It became 100 years old. The Times, founded by E. L. Howe, first went to press Sept. 6, 1889.
TWENTY YEARS AGO (1999)—Tim Slack of Slack Auction & Realty, Fennimore, was chosen as the state’s top bid-caller in the ninth annual state fair contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association and the Wisconsin 4-H Youth Foundation.
TEN YEARS AGO (2009)—Southwest Tech President Karen Knox announced the college has taken another step in the next phase of the referendum by signing an offer to purchase property near the school for the proposed Public Safety Training complex. They are looking at approximately 80 acres located in the southwest corner of the intersection at U.S. 18 and County F, across from Rayovac.
