‘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
MARCH 4, 2010 – The North Crawford Playhouse presents ‘Paper Chase’ with cast members Ryan Lundberg, Jason Martin and Karissa Sime… Paul Kinney of Blue River has been honored for serving 40 years on the school board in Blue River-Muscoda area. He stated that the area schools have changed a lot since he started on the board… The North Crawford boys basketball team has taken home the Ridge and Valley Conference Championship for the second year in a row.
TWENTY YEARS AGO
MARCH 2, 2000 – Justus Benson, North Crawford’s 171-pound wrestler, came home a champion from the WIAA State Wrestling Meet. He is pictured with assistant coach Jamie Nutter and head coach Pete Hady… A clean-up day will be held Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. at Baker Creek in Soldiers Grove. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Mobil One Stop in Soldiers Grove and to bring a chainsaw if one is available and gloves. Lunch will be provided by Stovey’s IGA and Taylor Street Tap. After the clean-up is finished, refreshments will be served by the Wonder Bar and Grill, Ltd. and Archer Oil local sales representative Bob Ellis at The Wonder Bar.
THIRTY YEARS AGO
MARCH 8, 1990 – The students in Marjorie Hoffland’s class at North Crawford wrote letters to the First Lady, Barbara Bush wishing she and the President a happy 45thwedding anniversary. The class was elated when Mrs. Bush responded with a letter to the group of students. She included a personal letter to Mrs. Hoffland commending her on her efforts in literacy with her class… Dennis and Donna Bell of Rt. 2, Gays Mills participated in the Land O’Lakes Annual Young Farmer Conference held in Minneapolis.
FORTY YEARS AGO
MARCH 6, 1980 – Bigelow Lourie is the vice-president and production manager of a new business in Gays Mills that creates Turfan Traveller walking canes, featuring several models from which to choose. Two in particular are the ‘Kickapoo,’ which is made with a waterproof lower half for walks in flood times, and the ‘Hyde Parker’ which features a hidden anti-mugger device in the top section. The canes are made with native woods and the variety names are branded on the butts with these symbols: A, B, BC, C, E, H, I, BL, P, JP, NP, SP and S. These stand for ash, birch, black cherry, cedar, elm, hickory, ironwood, black locust, poplar, jack pine, Norway pine, Scotch pine, and sumac.
FIFTY YEARS AGO
MARCH 4, 1970 – Mr. and Mrs. John Hlavac of Boscobel narrowly escaped death or serious injury last Wednesday afternoon when their car went off county trunk E at the top of Shockley Hill and ended up balancing precariously at the top of the 500-foot embankment. Both were able to get out of the vehicle safely. Mrs. Hlavac, the former Valerie O’Brien, told William Fillbach, Crawford deputy, that she was lighting a cigarette as another car was passing and lost control. The Hlavac’s 1962 Oldsmobile station wagon, which was heading up the hill, swerved sharply to the right, hit a large boulder and came to rest hanging over the edge. A small stone alongside one of the wheels apparently prevented it from going all the way over.
SIXTY YEARS AGO
MARCH 3, 1960 – Honoring one of the sisters of Senator John Kennedy, Democratic Presidential candidate, Mrs. Bernard Watson will hold a coffee hour at her home Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. Three of Senator Kennedy’s sisters, Mrs. Sarge Schriver, Mrs. Peter Lawford and Mrs. Steve Smith, plan to arrive in Wisconsin Wednesday. They will attend a series of neighborhood coffee hours scheduled throughout the third district.
