From Our Early Files March 3, 2021
25 YEARS AGO
March 7, 1996
With no opposition raised at a public hearing held Monday night, the city of Whitehall will proceed with an application for state funds to help a new business locate in the east-side industrial park. Only two citizens appeared at the hearing on the $80,000 Community Development Block Grant from the state Department of Development. If the city is awarded the grant, the money would be loaned to Sayer Lack USA, a Michigan-based firm.
A rural Whitehall man’s campaign against Trempealeau County’s mobile home ordinance concluded last week Wednesday with the charges against him being dismissed. But John Long will have to remove two trailers from his town of Hale property. The county zoning office had cited Long last summer for hauling the mobile homes onto his land, violation of the ordinance, which was a year old at the time.
The village of Pigeon Falls, which for many years has received its ambulance service from Osseo, is thinking of making a change. The village board discussed the possibility of housing an ambulance in the village fire station. Village President Kermit Hanvold proposed the idea, which he said would improve emergency services in the village.
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare-Arcadia recently hired Joyce Belgum as a midwife for the medical facility. Belgum is a graduate of the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in Hayden, Ken.
This May, Ron Wanek, CEO of Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc., will be unveiling the newest statue to be added to the famous Soldiers Walk at Arcadia’s Memorial Park. Keeping with the tradition and culture of this region, Wanek decided to add a statue of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish-born military leader who fought in the American Revolutionary War.
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District officials say the first year’s operation of proposed early childhood center at Marynook will add $269,500 to the school budget. But they also say the project will nearly break even the second year and then be self-supporting.
The city of Galesville and the G-E-T School District possibly could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in groundwater cleanup costs under terms of antipollution rule changes that are being given a good chance of winning state approval. It’s too early to say for sure, says Department of Natural Resources officials, who have identified at least five underground contamination sites in the city.
Rehearsals begin Thursday for the community production of Peter Pan, after 71 residents of all ages turned out for two days of auditions. The April 11-14 staging will feature second grader John Locke as Peter Pan, Sheila Lettner as Wendy and Peter Krump at Captain Hook.
Traffic violations in which persons can be ticketed for in the city of Blair have increased from a field of six to 18. All are $5 violations, excluding parking in a handicap zone, which carries a fine to exceed $100.
James Nilsestuen, 18, Arcadia, was arraigned by Judge John Damon in Trempealeau County Circuit Court this week Monday for charges of operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent and knowingly fleeing an officer. Both charges stem from the Feb. 16 incident in which the car belonging to Cindy Hanson of Blair was reported stolen from Blair-Taylor High School.
No name will appear on the March 19 ballot for the District 15 spot on the Trempealeau County Board of Supervisors, but George Brandt of Upper French Creek, rural Arcadia, will be running as a write-in candidate.
50 YEARS AGO
March 11, 1971
Keith Hardie of Melrose and Alan Robertson of Blair will be the candidates in the April 6 special election called to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Assemblyman John Radcliffe. Hardie topped three other candidates for the Democratic nomination, and Robertson defeated Frieda Kislinger of Black River Falls for the Republican nod.
Greg Fremstad, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerhard Fremstad, was one of the five district winners in the national Funk’s seed corn growing contest.
More than 200 people and 140 machines took part in the Indianhead Sunshine Snowmobile Trail Ride in Arcadia last Sunday.
Clarence Crum has been named general chairman and Dick Smith co-chairman of the 1972 Arcadia Broiler-Dairy Festival to be held May 28-30.
Dr. Rizalino N. Tray, M.D. will join Dr. Florentino Lleva in medical practice at the Arcadia Medical Center.
Pfc. John Feltes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roman Feltes, Arcadia, recently completed his eight-week AIT training for combat engineer at Fort Leonard Wood, Fort Benning, Ga.
Sp. 5 Rodney A. Gilmeister, son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Gilmeister, Galesville, recently received the Bronze Star while serving in Vietnam.
Galesville Lions will hold their annual Farmers’ Night, with Olin Fimreite guest speaker Monday at Wason’s Supper Club.
New officers for the Gale-Ettrick High School PTA are Dennis Cook, president; Maurice Meunier, vice president; Mrs. Arthur Ofsdahl, secretary-treasurer.
75 YEARS AGO
March 7, 1946
Eight residents of Trempealeau County will appear before Judge R.S. Cowie April 3 for their final naturalization papers. They are Peter Johnson and Sverre Aasen of Whitehall and Andrew Michalson of Ettrick, natives of Norway; Johannes Veenstra of Blair, the Netherlands; Joseph Wolf of Independence, Bavaria, Germany; August Lisewski of Arcadia, born in Poland but a subject of Great Britain; Margarete Schausten (Sister Helmina) and Elisabeta Krass (Sister Renatis), both of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Arcadia, natives of Germany. Mrs. Nora Hamilton of Whitehall will appear for repatriation.
Knut Amble recently purchased a lot, 18 by 60 feet, directly west of the American Hotel and will build a one-story brick and tile building this spring. Mr. Amble will occupy a portion of the building with his jewelry store, and floor space also will be rented to Adolph Hanson for his insurance agency and stock of electrical appliances.
Mrs. Clarence Johnson wondered if her family had acquired a son one day last week, when she looked out a window and saw a small boy lying in the snow bank in front of their Dewey St. home. The lad, who appeared to be about two years old, did not remember his name. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson took the lad downtown and led him through the stores to see if he would be recognized, and had toured for some time when someone said that he was Anton Thompson’s little boy, David. The Thompsons had been making a frantic search for the boy, who had wandered seven of eight blocks in the cold and snow.
Clifford Bautch, 19-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bautch of the town of Hale, escaped injuries Monday night when his Model A Ford coupe went off the bridge across Elk Creek just south of Elk Creek village and landed in the stream bottom.
Well, March came in lamb-like and natives enjoyed a very comfortable spring day Friday. Saturday was pleasant, and Sunday more so. The sun shone and thermometers registered around the 50-above mark. While many people keep automobiles in use during the winter months, all of them seemed to be out on the highways Sunday, taking joy rides.
The house which J.E. Garaghan is having moved to town from near the Fagernes church, has reached the top of Sherwood Hill.
George Abts won third place in the 1945 Field and Steam nationwide fishing contest with his catch last Sept. 3 of a 33.75-pound lake trout in Lake Superior. He was the only man in the area to receive such recognition, although other Wisconsin fishermen placed in other categories. Abts received three $5 war savings stamps as his prize.
Clarence Wiersgalla and Ted Pierzina bough the Central Tavern on Highway 93 between Arcadia and Independence from Ed Kukolski.They took possession of the establishment March 1, 1946.
Ettrick: Alvin Hogden and Art Runnestrand, partners in H&R Electric have moved from the Matt Pederson building to the round house for the now defunct Ettrick and Northern railroad. The Pederson building will be remodeled into a locker plan by F.M. Pederson.
100 YEARS AGO
March 10, 1921
A very enthusiastic meeting of the commercial club was held Monday night at the Solsrud hall. The adoption of the old association name, the Whitehall Improvement Association, was decided upon. The membership committee reports 74 members and more in sight.
H.C. Sveum started his freight truck line between Whitehall, Pigeon Falls and Northfield on March 1.
Honors in the graduating class of the high school this year have been assigned as follows: first honor, Donald Hanson; second, Robert Anderson; and third, Lyle Gage.
Pigeon Falls — The S.A.F. lodge will hold a meeting in their hall next Saturday for the purpose of initiating new members. Every member is requested to be present if possible. Supper will be served in Tom Berge’s restaurant.
York — Edwin Larson’s wedding dance at the York hall was largely attended.
Notice was given of special election on April 5 to vote on the question of whether or not the village of Arcadia should issue $10,000 in bonds, payable to 10 equal annual installments, for the purpose of installing water mains in the village.
Melvin Gleason was hospitalized at Winona with a broken leg received when the little fellow fell in trying to jump across the creek on his way home from school.
Adam Herbert, Michael Herrick, John Larson, Chas. Schultz, Frank Danuser, Horton Newcomb, F.A. Krakow, W. Schmidtknecht and J. Glowczewski, all of Arcadia, were appointed to the highway patrol to care for state and county highways in Trempealeau and parts of Buffalo counties.
Excavating for the Untied Savings Stores building, East Allen Street in Ettrick, will begin this week. It is hoped that the building will be completed in three months.
C.L. Kittleson now has the steam cooking tables in his restaurant in operation. Everything is served piping hot on a few minutes notice.
Miss Bernice Hare and pupils at Centerville are enjoying a week’s vacation while the old schoolhouse is being moved to make way for the new schoolhouse.
125 YEARS AGO
March 5, 1896
The waterworks contractors are lining the reservoir with an eight-inch thick brick wall. ’Tis hoped it will “hold water” when this is done.
Rev. N.L. Sweet has purchased a lot on Main St., opposite the Lutheran church, and is making arrangements to put up a residence.
Richard Mattson is putting a skylight in the building to the north of his office, and otherwise fitting the front rooms for occupancy by O. Rogan, the photographer.
Ole Christianson was hit on the forehead yesterday by the bursting of an emery wheel, a piece of the wheel striking him while he was in the at of gumming his steam wood saw. The skull was fractured, and his condition is serious.
Pigeon Falls — The closing exercises of the school were given at Ekern’s Hall Saturday evening, and we will give the teacher, Miss Maria Halverson, and the pupils credit for rendering a program that was both interesting and appropriate.
T.K. Rea of Texas sent his brother-in-law, Oluf Mattson, a barrel of pecans direct from the Lone Star State last week. We sampled them and found them large, fresh, and the finest-flavored we ever tasted.
Hale — Everyone should attend the dance at the Grange Hall tomorrow. Good music will be furnished, and a pleasant time is promised to all who attend.
Elk Creek — J.H. Pierce, the real estate agent, has sold several lots here in the village, and we hope in the near future to see some new dwelling houses built.
Blair — James Hegge took the train at Whitehall Monday for Decorah, Iowa, where he will resume his theological studies at the Lutheran college there.
