10 YEARS AGO:
NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JULY 1, 2004
About a dozen people each month who board he Greyhound bus in Litchfield will have to make other travel plans because the company has announced it will curtail bus service to Litchfield starting Aug. 18. Litchfield is one of 56 Minnesota cities in which Greyhound will stop service. The Greyhound route, which runs from Willmar to Minneapolis, had included stops in Atwater and a Hutchinson stop on Highway 7 will be phased out. Only 11 tickets were sold by Greyhound in June. The Scotwood Motel had been the local bus stop for Greyhound.
The Litchfield School Board approved a Spanish trip to Mexico pesented by Spanish teacher Joanne Hicks. The 11-day trip is set for Mach 24 to April 3 over spring break and a couple of extra days. The itinerary includes visits to Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. Cost will be $1,370.
20 YEARS AGO:
NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JUNE 30, 1994
A power auger accident claimed the life of a 46-year-old Union Grove township farmer Wednesday afternoon. He was unloading silage into a feed bunker when his leg became caught in a power auger. The auger inflicted a severe slashing injury to a leg. The victim was able to free himself when the auger shut down. He was able to make it a few steps away when he collapsed and died. He was alone at the farm site when the mishap occurred. A neighboring farmer working in the fields discovered the body and summoned emergency assistance.
150-plus members of the LHS Marching Band will be boarding five buses at 1 p.m. Thursday for Washington, D.C., where they will march in the traditional July 4 parade down famed Constitution Avenue. Prior to that, the band will stop at Windsor, Canada, where it will march in the International Freedom Festival parade. On the day after the Fourth, band members will be in Gettysburg, Pa., to tour the battle sites, returning to Litchfield on Wednesday, July 6.
Troy Garland, son of William and Sharon Garland, was one of 475 graduating seniors to receive degrees at Gustavus Adolphus. Troy earned a degree in nursing. Elie Wiesel, winner of the 1986 Nobel Peace Prize and a Holocaust death camp survivor, was the commencement speaker.
50 YEARS AGO:
NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JULY 1, 1964
The first full-scale parade the community has seen since the 1956 County Centennial celebration will be part of the 1964 Watercade activities. While the Jaycees in their first ever parade effort are not making any big promises, Keith Richter, Watercade publicity chairman said, “despite our late start in planning we think we will have a real respectable parade.” Thirteen girls will be in the Waterace Queen competition. Candidates are Marie McLaughlin, Randi Sederstrom, Dayna Curtiss, Mary West, Donna Dille, Diann Nelson, Judy Opdahl Rose, Marie Holmgren, Joyce Harding, Linda Nelson, Susan Donnay, Sharon Johnson and Sandi Jones.
A personnel change at the Cargill grain elevator here has been announced. Effective July 1, Robert Holtz will take over as manager here to succeed Martin Stranlund. Martin has been promoted to a large Cargill installation at Storm Lake, Iowa. Robert has been service as manager of the Cargill installation at George, Iowa.
An Olivia man is likely to face court action after punching the bartender at the Cosmos municipal liquor store Monday evening. The bartender suffered a broken jaw in the fracas, which resulted when he refused service to a group which entered the facility drunk and created a disturbance. The bartender was treated at Meeker Memorial and then transferred to Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.
A Grove City woman had a narrow brush with death while walking to work at a Grove City coffee shop. Mrs. Palmer Johnson who wears a hearing aid was walking across the Great Northern tracks and apparently did not hear an approaching train. When she suddenly became aware of it, she tripped on a trail and fell, suffering a concussion, a broken hand hand and a severely cut lip. She was, however, able to crawl just clear of the crossing as the train thundered past.
75 YEARS AGO:
NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JULY 1, 1939
Edmund M. Lenhardt, prominent Litchfield businessman, hotel owner and operator died last Friday morning in his apartment at the hotel. He had been ill for the past two months. Born in Litchfield, he spent his entire life here. He became a substantial part of it and of its upbuilding. In his early manhood, he was associated with his father in the Litchfield Brewery and in his other enterprises. His father took over the Litchfield Hotel, and a quarter century ago Edmund took over its operation and presided over its success. In 1912, he was united in marriage to Miss Leone. Shoultz survives together with three daughters, Helen, Jane (Mrs. Percy Agnew) and Joan Lenhardt and also three sisters: Mrs. John H. Shoultz, Mrs. Frank Viren and Mrs. William Shoultz
Miss Dorothy Chilstrom left Monday for Spring Valley, Wisconsion to visit her brother Oscar Chilstrom and family. She is taking a two week vacation from her duties here as operator at the local telephone exchange
The marriage of Miss Bernadine Bonniwell and Stanley D.Ridgeway took place at St. Anastasia church in Hutchinson last Saturday. The couple will live in Dassel.
110 YEARS AGO:
NEWS FROM THE ISSUE OF JULY 9, 1904
Litchfield’s Fourth of July celebration was a hummer. The committee had the matter in charge, and it turned out better than expected. There were not as many attractions as in some communities, but those that were held were pulled off in a perfect manner. The experience of the day taught us that it is not always necessary to spend large amounts of money to have a good celebration but to spend money judiciously.
Special excursion train to Duluth and Superior via the Great Northern leaves Litchfield at 6:00 a.m. July 16 for a round-trip fare of $2.50. Take this opportunity to seeing beautiful Lake Superior.
The number of automobiles owned by Litchfield parties has just been strengthened by the addition of two vehicles. H.A. Rygh received a new Rambler touring car on Sunday last which is by far the finest automobile in this city. It is capable of easily carrying five people at a time without any discomfort. On Monday, Dr. H.C. Peters brought back with him from the cities a new Oldsmobile, which is the purchase of Dr. H.E. Cassel. The doctor’s machine is of this year’s make, and he gave his machine a trial run on the evening of the Fourth. The last purchases have increased the number of automobiles in Litchfield to five.
The management of the Litchfield baseball team extends thanks to the many ladies who on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday so generously attended the baseball games.
A cyclonic twister passed over town Wednesday. When seen by parties in the country, it was the usual funnel extending toward the earth as a black cloud. Those who were watching it said it look wicked, and had it struck the ground, much damage would have been done. No one in town saw it, but it is was apparently readily visible in the country. — Grove City Times
The doors of the Union church were left unlocked and the crowd which attended the Fourth of July celebration in Manannah piled into the building during the rain, and it is not in a very muddy condition.
Copyright 2014 Litchfield Independent Review/Crow River Media/Media News Group.