By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
August 20: 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

AUGUST 19, 2010 – Ronald and Lola Peterson were married August 27, 1960 at Utica Lutheran Church. They will be celebrating their 50thanniversary this year. Prior to retirement, Ronald spent 28 years teching ag at Seneca School District. Lola spent 13 years at the Crawford Electric Co-op in Gays Mills as a secretary. The couple has four children: Timothy, Peter, Leanne and James…The Soldiers Grove softball field was flooded again this year. The last time was two years ago when the massive flood covered the entire area of Buford Anderson Park… The Crawford County Land Conservation Committee held its award event at the Crawford County Fair. The 2010 winners were Fritsche Farms - Conservation Farm Family; Timothy Eisele – Conservation Writer; Andrea Christoperson – Conservation Water Quality Educator; The Nature Conservancy (Steve Richter accepting) – Wildlife Habitat; Wayne Olson - Conservation Forester; and Ron Leys – Conservation Legacy.  

TWENTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 17, 2000 – The Crawford County Fair Meat Animal Auction held Saturday brought in $42,137.63 for 56 animals sold for the youth who exhibited them at the fair. The 24 steers averaged 97 cents a pound, 23 hogs averaged $2.01 and six lambs $2.87 per pound… Starr Nelson of Soldiers Grove is pictured at the kid’s pedal tractor pull held at the Crawford County Fair… Pastor Gloria Friedrich is the new pastor for the Lutheran churches in Mt. Sterling ad Utica. Her husband is Greg Friedrich, who is also a pastor and is currently serving as chaplain of Bethany Homes in La Crosse. They have two children, Daniel and Rachel, both students at Luther College. 

THIRTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 23, 1990 – Duane Westlie of Soldiers Grove scored 18-hole rounds of 75 and 80 in the championship flight of the Viroqua Golf Open. A La Crosse golfer, Eric Haug, won the championship with rounds of 70 and 67… The Trojan girls varsity volleyball team includes: Gretchen Olson, Kim Herbst, Michelle Heal, Michelle Hady, Dalla Burja, Robin Campbell, Lori Brockway, Jennie Havlik, Heather Olson, Carly Daniels, Siri Olson, Siri Hines, Paula McKittrick and Coach Marsha Chestelson.

FORTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 21, 1980 – The North Crawford Education Association elected new officers for the 1980-81 school year. They are Wayne Jurgensen, science teacher at the high school, president; Russell Gilbert, science teacher at middle school, vice-president; Peg Morgan, English teacher at the high school, secretary; and Barb Dreesen, special education teacher, treasurer… Rob Babb, Rt. 1, Soldiers Grove, won a year’s supply of Coca Cola and four Coke T-shirts in a contest sponsored by Z93 radio station in La Crosse. Rob’s winning smile was cut into a 40-acre hayfield with a haybine, and estimated to be 1,875 feet long. Babb will be a freshman at UW-La Crosse this fall… New faces in the Seneca School system this year are, Tony Hoyt, high school principal, and teachers, Patrick Connors, Margaret Benzing, Paul Benzing, Mary Bennet, Beth Taborda, Kathy Haltmeyer, Joni Peterson, Marlys Kvigne and Pam Fruth… 

FIFTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 19, 1970 – Donna Jones and her sister Paula are happy owners of a puppy they got at the Burkum farm auction. The girls, whose parents are Mr. and Mrs. Richard Jones of Readstown, plan to name the puppy Rascal… The Crawford County Board voted unanimously to place rigid restrictions on rock fests held within the county. To protect the health, safety and welfare of large assemblages of persons, the county will require application 30 days in advance for any group of 2,000 or more planning to remain in the county overnight or for 18 hours or more; adequate water, toilet and water disposal facilities; one doctor for every 1,000 persons; one nurse for every 1,500; an emergency ambulance; one automobile parking space for every four persons; one security guard for every 750 persons; reasonable sound control; fire protection comparable with state and local standards; one telephone line for every thousand persons; a bond for $1 for every person expected on the grounds; at least $2 million liability insurance and a half million each in bodily injury; property damage insurance; medical pay for the sick or injured; and penalties to be provided for non-compliance.

SIXTY YEARS AGO

AUGUST 18, 1960 – Miss Marjorie Ann Swiggum became the bride of Wayne H. Jurgensen at the North Kickapoo Lutheran Church near Soldiers Grove Sunday afternoon. The bride’s attendants were her sister, Mrs. Joseph Bezoenik, Miss Mary Lou Jurgensen and Miss Sondra Olson with flower girls Nancy and Cathy Olson. William Kvigne was best man with groomsmen David Jurgensen and James Swiggum, ushers James Ray and Roger Sherwood. The couple will make their home in Blanchardville where Mr. Jurgensen is a member of the high school faculty. The bride was a secretary at Oscar Meyer Company Madison for the past three years.