‘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
AUGUST 12, 2010 – The Viroqua Community Theatre is excited to announce the upcoming production of ]Nosferatu: The Legend of Dracula’ directed by actor and director, Phil Addis… A bluff along the Great River Road has been protected from development with a conservation easement donated to the Mississippi Valley Conservancy by one of its board members, Bob Fisher and his wife Barbara. The Fishers have owned the Vernon County property since 1971. Under the recently signed easement, the Fishers continue to own the property, manage the rich oak and hickory forest, farm the ridge top, hike the trails and use the property as they have since purchasing the land. But they forgo any future subdivision, development or mining… Ben Logan and his neighbor, Rob Horwich, are pictured talking during a book signing and farm tour held at Logan’s Seldom Seen Farm in rural Gays Mills.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
AUGUST 10, 2000 – Guy Sukis was given permission to build a racetrack for radio remote control cars on land near the Gays Mills ball diamond. Sukis showed one of the professional racecars to the Gays Mills Village Board at their meeting and explained his proposal to build the dirt racetrack and hold racing events two nights a week for kids from 6-90. His son, Chris, accompanied him to the meeting. The village trustees gave him permission to use approximately 100 feet by 75 feet to the west of the ball diamond to build the dirt track. Sukis said it would have turns, jumps, banks and rumble strips, and would be changed once a month… Harold Brennan of Valders started is duties July 25 as the new administrator of Seneca Schools. A longtime educator, he most recently served as superintendent of the White Lake School District… Dorothea Walker of Eastman was honored recently for being a 60-year member of the Crawford County Association for Home and Community Education, formerly Crawford County Homemakers.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
AUGUST 9, 1990 – Leita Slayton, long-time resident of Gays Mills who has been interested in wildlife for many years, has presented her 500-egg electric incubator to the DNR for use in the pheasant program. Leita used the incubator when she raised chickens on her century farm… ‘Little’ Jimmy Dickens, Grand Ole Opry Star since 1948, will be entertaining at the Crawford County Fair in Gays Mills August 10 with favorites such as ‘A Sleepin’ at the Foot of the Bed,’ and ‘Take an Old Cold Tater’… Mike Heisz, his wife Kate and their three young children raise and cash rent 14 acres of tobacco in rural Gays Mills. Mike was named ‘Tobacco Man of the Year’ at the annual convention of the Wisconsin Leaf Tobacco Dealers and Growers Association at the Coachman’s Inn, Edgerton… The Pine Knob Lucky 4-H Club donated $25 to the Life-Pak Fund last week. Presenting the check to Bonnie Young of the North Crawford Rescue Squad are Beth Ann Everson, Amy Brockway, Julie Brockway and Emily Everson.
FORTY YEARS AGO
AUGUST 14, 1980 – Last weekend, one of the storms and floods, brought disaster to the North Clayton United Methodist Church. Firemen were called to the church on North Clayton Ridge, about 4.5 miles from Soldiers Grove, in the midst of an electrical storm. They found the frame building engulfed in flames which continued to rage until the church was reduced to rubble. According to Pastor Carson Timlin this is the second time the North Clayton church has been struck by lightening and destroyed… A new business was begun recently in Gays Mills. Mary Kay Chop and her husband, Dan Meyer, began operating the Gays Mills Community Bakery in the Kickapoo Exchange building. They take pride in using organically-grown flour milled in western Wisconsin, and they use no preservatives… Five generations of Swiggums recently got together at the home of Mrs. Nellie Swiggum in Star Valley. Pictured are Jason Ratley and his mother Mrs. Claude (Julie) Ratley, great-great grandmother, Mrs. Nellie Swiggum, grandmother, Mrs. Roger (Judy) Halverson, great-grandfather Morris Swiggum.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
AUGUST 12, 1970 – Marie Olson and Barb Becwar have been busy washing all the seats in the grandstand of the Crawford County Fairgrounds as one of their many jobs during their employment by the Youth Corps… Kathy Hazen, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. Robert Hazen, of Wauzeka, is the official hostess of the 1970 Crawford County fair. She will appear before the grandstand in connection with the queens and princesses and will give the official welcome… Bernard Erickson’s tobacco crops in Johnstown Valley have been some of the earliest every year and this year is no exception. Saturday a son-in-law, Jim Jerrett wielded an axe as Mrs. Erickson suckered. Erickson, who has had major stomach surgery in recent years, just returned home after a stay at University Hospital, Madison.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
AUGUST 11, 1960 – The Soldiers Grove Cardinals downed the world’s champion Kansas City Monarchs before a large crowd in the Soldiers Grove ball park Monday night, chalking up a final score of 4-1. The Cardinal’s four runs, all scored in the fifth inning, were made by Mark Dilley, Ray Fleming, Shelley Schoville and Dick Ghelfi. Pitching for Soldiers Grove were Dick Ghelfi and Mark Dilley. Fortney was catcher… Mr. and Mrs. Nick Eiberg have sold their 169-acre farm at Mt. Sterling to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Knabel of Thompson, Iowa. Knabel is a former Iowa state milk inspector… Mrs. Catherine Crowly has sold her 862-acre farm near Seneca to Mr. and Mrs. Gerd Dudenbostel of Anamosa, Iowa. The Dudenbostels, have a two-year-old son.
