Oregon Area Historical Society & Museum

September 1951

VFW Drill Team Exhibits at Belleville Centennial

The afternoon celebration of the Belleville Centennial Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3rd was opened by an exhibition of fancy drill by Oregon’s VFW Memorial Post drill team.  The VFW post was represented in the parade that morning by the post color guard, drill team, an army jeep and 105 m.m. field piece, and a fun car driven by local VFW supporters.

Representatives for the post appearing in the parade and exhibit included R. Rygh, Cletus Henriksen, John Brown, Armond Lee, LeRoy Purcell, Stan Gefke, Frank Thornton, George Rowe, Ed Lawson, Max Koons, Dean Mackey, Bill Larson, Bob Knight, Gene Nelson and Bob Hammel.

Household Goods Sale

Mrs. Anton Fredericksen, 141 Johnson Street, has decided to break up housekeeping and will have an auction sale of her household goods on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 1:30 o’clock.

The goods will consist of an antique walnut chest of drawers, oak writing desk, new overstuffed chair, 9×12 rug, antique chairs, electric vacuum sweeper with attachments, rockers, oak dining room table and 8 chairs, bed, davenport, stepladders, new electric washing machine, Westinghouse refrigerator, electric Mixmaster, double tubs, dishes, pots and pans, lawn mower, garden and other tools. Harvey Fincher will be the auctioneer. 

Floating Truck for the Armed Forces

A truck with a snorkel device to enable the engine to operate under water is being manufactured for the Armed Forces.  The truck has eight forward and two reverse speeds, as well as a hydromatic automatic transmission.  It is powered with a six-cylinder, 145 horsepower engine that hits a top speed of 58 miles per hour with a five ton load.

The Hunting Commandments 

1. Treat every gun with respect due to a loaded gun. The is the cardinal rule of gun safety.
2. Carry only empty guns, taken down or with the action open, into your automobile, camp and home.
3. Always be sure that the barrel and action are clear of obstructions. 
4. Always carry your gun so that you can control the direction of the muzzle even if you stumble.
5. Be sure of your target before you pull the trigger.
6. Never point a gun at anything you do not want to shoot.
7. Never leave your gun unattended unless you unload it first.
8. Never climb a tree or a fence with a loaded gun.
9. Never shoot at a flat hard surface or the surface of water.
10. Do not mix gunpowder and alcohol.

PTA to Resume Meetings

The Parent Teachers Association will hold its first meeting of the school year Monday Sept. 10th, 1951, at 8 o’clock in the high school gym.

The following officers and committees were elected at the last meeting.

President – George Thornton

Vice President – Elmer Nelson

Secretary – Kenneth Shaeffer

Treasurer – Arthur Ames

Program committee – Mrs. Harry Abendroth, chairman, Mrs. Walter Uphoff, and Mrs. R. A. Wechter.

Publicity committee – Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. Bert Alling, Mrs. Roy Shenefelt.

Host and hostesses this month will be Mr. and Mrs. LaVern Ringhand.

Lunch committee – Mrs. Jerry O’Neill, chairman, and 8th grade mothers.

Recreation committee – Mrs. Norman Champion, Mrs. Orrill Ferguson, Mrs. John Brown.

Historian – Joe Haight.

Membership committee – Wayne Hallett, chairman, Mrs. Field Smith, Mrs. Ray Manion

An interesting program is being prepared and all parents and teachers are invited.  Remember the date. 

The officers and committees will meet at 7:30 at the high school on Monday.

Bridal Shower 

Mrs. Harry Mullikin was hostess at her home Sept. 6, at 1:15, when a bridal shower was given in honor of Patricia Andrews of Madison who is to become the bride of Wilfred Berman of Oregon.  Her home was decorated with asters, snaps, and gladioli.  Neighbors and relatives were entertained at games with prizes given. A delicious lunch was served by Mrs. Mulliken, assisted by Mrs. Lester West.  Many beautiful and useful gifts were received by the bride to be. 

Random Shots

It takes plenty of horse sense to maintain a stable government.

The man whose ship comes in usually finds most of his relatives at the dock.

Many a father who was denied college education is having to support children who have an education.

Bathing beauties used to dress like Mother Hubbard –nowadays they dress like her cupboard. 

Non-essential government spending at this time is too much like buying paint when your house is burning down. 

September 1976

Brooklyn Ready for Huge Labor Day Celebration

Members of the Brooklyn Booster Club, Fire Department and the Legion are busily pulling ends together on the largest Labor Day celebration ever.  The festivities begin on Sunday, September 5th at noon with an OHA and SWEDA approved horse show, continuing through Monday September 6th. Chairmen for this year’s show are Mr. and Mrs. Les Schwartzlow and Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Tilley.    Refreshments will be available at the small beer stand operated by the Legion with Chairman Virgil Lamb in charge.  Concession stands will be operating on both days with a variety of foods available.  

Things really start popping on Monday, September 6th, with a fantastic parade which steps off promptly at 10:00 a.m. Get your registration in now to be included in this parade. There is no entrance fee, and cash prizes are awarded to the top three floats in each of the categories of comedy, beauty and representation. Also included in this parade is a children’s section, coordinated by Ginger Gefke.  Kids will be judged separately and awarded cash prizes for the top three.

After the parade, everyone races to the park to be first in line for that famous barbequed chicken prepared by an army of helpers, directed by Ralph Bergeland.  Brooklyn’s barbequed chicken has a reputation of being the best anywhere.  This comes from the secret barbeque sauce and seasoning recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation for years in Brooklyn. 

Activities are scheduled for all day, including carnival rides, P.T.O money toss, and a cake walk.   Ginger Gefke’s talent show will take place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on the old band stand. Live music will be available in the big Legion beer tent all day and evening.   Food stands, firemen auxiliary’s homemade pies and brownies, slow and fast pitch tournaments, tug-of-war, big arts and crafts show, and a low altitude aerobatic demonstration will all be part of the Brooklyn Labor Day event.

Open House at Oakwood Camp 

Warden James Mathews recently announced a community open house will be held next weekend at the new Oakwood Correctional Camp in Oregon.  Formerly known as the Wisconsin School for Girls, since July 1 the camp has been a minimum-security facility for adult male offenders.  The camp will be open to visitors from the adjacent communities of Oregon, Fitchburg, and Verona from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on September 11.

“We cordially invite our Oakwood Camp neighbors to visit and become personally familiar with this new facility and its programs,” Matthews said.  “While several similar facilities exist in other parts of Wisconsin, with community interest and involvement, we believe Oakwood can become a model for the entire system, “he added.    

Mathews said guests will be shown the grounds and physical plants at the camp including educational, vocational, and recreational facilities.  Guests will be encouraged to ask questions of both staff and camp residents concerning the functioning of the camp and the role the community may have in the camp’s rehabilitation efforts.  Oakwood is one of 12 minimum security facilities for adult offenders throughout Wisconsin.   

Kellor Family Has Eventful Summer

The summer has been busy for Mrs. Florence Kellor and family.  Mrs. Kellor’s trip out west and Annette’s trip to Austria were the two outstanding events. On Tuesday, August 17, Mrs. Kellor arrived home (Orchard Drive) from a 3-1/2-week trip to the West Coast, where she visited four of her children in Illinois, Washington, California and Arizona.  The first stop on her trip was Palatine, IL, where she stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bogen (Marilyn Kellor) and children Polly, Nicholas and Katherine.  From Chicago she went to Seattle, Washington.  While there she stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Rolfe Kellor and children, Ellen and Anne.  She was joined in Seattle by Mr. and Mrs. James Pleyte (Florence Kellor), enroute from a month-long backpacking trip in Canada.  They then drove to Pleyte’s home in Hollister, California.  After a week’s stay there, Mrs. Kellor and Florence flew to Scottsdale, Arizona to visit Mr. and Mrs. James Loder (Katherine Kellor) and children, Erik and Ross.  Mrs. Kellor and Florence flew from Phoenix to Madison about a week later. Although she saw many interesting things on her trip, special highlights for Mrs. Kellor were a trip to the Cascade Mountains, a visit to colorful Santa Cruz and an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon.  She also found the ghost town of Jerome (near the Canyon) very interesting. Two weeks later, Mrs. Kellor and daughters, Florence and Eileen, drove to Milwaukee to pick up Annette Kellor.  Annette returned August 31 from a 2-1/2-month AFS sponsored trip to Austria.  She found the trip extremely interesting and fun.  Among other things, she spent a week with Oregon’s first AFS student, Dagmar (Schramm) Gelny and her husband, Michael and children, Alexandra and Denise.  Annette also visited Italy, Yugoslavia, Belgium and Germany.  She spent time in New York City between flights, sightseeing and sleeping. Before returning to the States, the Austria AFSers spent five days in Vienna, taking part in a “disorientation” program, intended to prepare the students for their return home.

“Annie Get Your Gun” is OHS Musical in November

The Music and Drama department of Oregon High School announced the musical for the 1976 season; ANNIE GET YOUR GUN.  The tryouts were held last Thursday evening and the cast was selected.  They are; Annie Oakley, Tracie Halverson; Frank Butler, Luther Appel; Dolly Tate, Monica DiMaggio; Charlie Davenport, Bill Conners; Sitting Bull, Harley Schoville; Pawnee Bill, Jeff Robert; Wild Horse, Dave Ahrens; Foster Wilson, Chris Erickson; and Mike Bacon, Robin Larson, Renee Demrow, Kelly Champagne, and Toni Prestigiacomo.  In the cast there are also about 50 other students. The student director for this year is Miss Corie Nelson.  The dates for the production are November 11, 12, and 13.  Tickets will be available from the Musical cast.

Farewell Party for “Bert”

On Tuesday, September 7, Mrs. Roberta “Bert” West was pleasantly surprised by a farewell party given in her honor at the Home Café, which she has operated for the past 13 years.  Bert’s daughter, Sue, and Larry Kivlin, originated the idea for a party and kept it a well-hidden secret.  Many of the Home Café customers gathered late in the afternoon to help celebrate and say farewell to Bert upon her retirement from the restaurant business.  

The business opened January 20, 1964, with Doris Schnabel and Bert West as proprietors.  After eight years, Doris sold out and Bert became the sole proprietor. The business and building have been purchased by Larry and Shirley Gilbert of Brooklyn.  Mr. Fritz Kivlin and Mr. Earl Wheeler were the owners of the building.  The Gilberts expect to be re-opening the restaurant this week.

Bert would like to thank all of her customers who attended the party and to the Oregon teachers who presented her with a beautiful plant and corsages for the waitresses.  

Open House at Brooklyn State Bank

The Brooklyn State Bank will open its doors for an Open House this Saturday, September 18, from 1-5 p.m. to dedicate the completion of the bank’s remodeling and expansion.  In addition to remodeling the older portions of the bank, a drive-up area was added, the walk-up has been improved, and office space and conference rooms were added.  The bank also has increased the safety deposit box area.  A new sign has been erected in front of the bank.  The Open House will feature refreshments and free gifts, four door prizes to be awarded, and an art exhibit of Jonathan Wilde’s original paintings.  

Oregon Man Killed in Accident

Alfred Keller, age 51, died on Tuesday, September 7, the result of injuries received in a one truck accident.  Coroner Clyde Chamberlain, Jr. ruled Keller’s death accidental, probably caused by a faulty steering mechanism on his big tanker truck that was loaded with 15,000 pounds of milk. County officers were called by Keller’s sister, Dora, with whom he lived, at approximately 8:30 a.m.  She reported that he had not arrived at the dairy with the load of milk.  At about 10:00 a.m. Traffic Officer William Christopherson checked the Rutland-Dunn Townline Road, about 5 miles east of Oregon, on which Mr. Keller would have been traveling and spotted a broken roadside fence.  Upon investigation he found Keller deceased, apparently run over by his own truck which was found stalled 300 feet away in the water-filled old Rutland-Dunn town dump pond.  The malfunction in the steering mechanism apparently caused the truck to leave the road and Keller to be thrown out.

Mr. Keller was born September 7, 1914, in Hollandale, Wisconsin and lived for eight years in Oregon, previously farming on Fish Hatchery Road. He was the owner of the Alpine Dairy, Oregon, and was president of the Country Boy Dairy, Stoughton.  He was a WWII Army veteran.  He is survived by four sisters, Miss Dora Keller, Miss Betty Keller, both of rural Oregon, Mrs. Martha Borbe, Switzerland, Mrs. Olga Robbins, Waukesha; a brother, Robert, Switzerland and nieces and nephews.

World Dairy Expo Starts September 29

World Dairy Expo celebrates its 10th anniversary in 1976 with a program designed to please American and foreign dairymen.  Several hundred overseas visitors are expected. World Dairy Expo will be held September 29-October 3 at the Exposition Center in Madison. Dairy and farm equipment and products will be on display daily from nine to five.

Central National Ayrshire, Guernsey, Brown Swiss and Holstein Shows take place on Sept 29, Sept 30, Oct 1 and Oct 2.  Collegiate and 4-H dairy cattle selection contests and FFA dairy cattle, steer and milk judging contests, country pickin’ contests and a tractor pull are on the agenda on designated days of the event.  Other special events include the multilingual World Holstein Forum and World Premiere Holstein Sale.   In addition to the dairy events, visitors can enjoy the Wisconsin International Buffet, the Dairymen’s Dance with Roger Bright’s Band and a Cook ‘n Craft Show.  

Community National Bank Opens

The Community National Bank of Oregon officially opened the doors last Wednesday in temporary quarters on North Main Street, just across from the Oregon Clinic.   A converted mobile home is being utilized while the new $180,000 bank building is being constructed next door.  The new bank building is expected to be completed about the first of the year.

Andrew J. Anderson, who was cashier at the Racine County National Bank for several years, stated that the bank is totally independent of any one controlling interest, with the 10-man board of directors owning less than half of the total 50,000 shares.  Ten organizers from the local area put in money and time to organize the bank and took a year or more to raise the $1 million in starting capital from local investors, who purchased stock at $20 a share.  The bank includes both lobby and drive-up facilities.

The Main Tap

It seems like community expansion goes in streaks. For a time, not much movement, then several new or expanded businesses all at once.  Our congratulations to Clem and June Heinzel as they enter the Oregon business community with the opening of their new “Main Tap” on South Main Street.  We hope they will meet with a full measure of success in the new enterprise. 

 Home Café Sold; New Name is Cactus Café  

On September 8, 1976, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Gilbert purchased the Home Café from Roberta West, who operated the restaurant for 13 years.  

The Gilberts closed the café for 10 days to do some remodeling and reopened the restaurant on Monday, September 20th under its new name, Cactus Café.  The unusual name stems from a large, fifty-two-year-old cactus owned by the Gilberts.  A western theme is being planned for the café.

Mr. Gilbert is employed at United Parcel Service.  He plans on remaining in his present job and his wife, Shirley, will manage the restaurant.  Some additional remodeling is still planned, so the restaurant may be closed for one or two days in the future. The café will be open for business Monday-Thursday from 5 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 5:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.  Saturdays they will be open from 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

OHS Band to Compete in Oktoberfest

The Oregon High School marching band, along with 10 other high school marching bands will air their talents at Band Day, following the 1976 LaCrosse Oktoberfest Maple Leaf Parade on Saturday, October 2.  The units will compete in field competitions at 3 p.m. at Memorial Field.  Class B bands competing will be LaCrosse Acquinas, Verona and Melrose Mindora.  Class A includes Reedsburg Webb, Oregon and Caledonia, MN. Schools in Class AA will be Bloomer, Sussex, Hamilton, Coon Rapids MN, Bloomington Lincoln, MN and Sterling, Illinois  

The competition will begin with an exhibition by the West Salem “Farmer Band”.  The University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse “Marching Chiefs” will be in exhibition after the contest.  Twelve parade awards for drum and bugle corps, bands, color guards and baton corps will be announced at intermission.

Admission to the day’s competitions is $1.50 or with an Oktoberfest button.  Band Day is sponsored by the UW LaCrosse Music Department and LaCrosse Festivals, Inc.

September 2001

Penny War

Students at Oregon Middle School raised $2,800 with a penny war last week.  Classes competed against each other to raise as much money as possible for those directly affected by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.  A bake sale held last Friday raised an additional $336, for a total of $3,136.

Teaching the attack

Educators try to help students sort out the issues surrounding the recent attacks on America.

The news of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon was immediately relayed throughout the country, and no doubt it took some time for people to process and react to the information. 

Throughout the week as details and newly uncovered facts emerged from the rubble of the destruction and the tangle of information, a clearer picture gradually came into focus. 

But public-school teachers didn’t have the luxury of time to deal with events.  They had to quickly come to terms with how best to approach unfolding events and try to make sense of it in the classroom. 

Eight teachers from Oregon High School’s social studies department took a few minutes last week to discuss how they helped students to think about and try to make sense of the tragedy.

“I’ve been listening to students and trying to answer questions as best as possible, but it’s such a big story that students have to know there can be erroneous information at first,” Daniel Hanson said. “I encourage them to pay attention to what’s going on, and I also caution them about stereotyping – not every Muslim, not everybody who practices Islam is responsible for the acts of a few.  I think the main thing is to listen to what the students are saying at this point.”

Hanson said that one particularly perceptive student pointed out that “one group’s terrorist is another groups revolutionary.”

“Theres some sophistication among the students that surprises you,” he said.

Dick Gustafson said he’s opened each class session by updating the latest information. “I have been trying to relate all this to what we’ve been doing since the start of the year.  We’ve been doing a timeline of the most important events of the last century,” he said. “This is exactly that type of thing.” 

Gustafson said he had closed his class the Monday before the attacks with a discussion about the isolationist viewpoint in the US before the attack on Pearl Harbor. “Some in the U.S. dreamed World War II would not affect them.  It was the sense of “why get involved in a European war?”  “Today, of course, we’re flooded with the sense that Arabic nations hate the United States, which is probably a mistake.  And some of our leaders had been pretending, trying to ignore what’s happening in the rest of the world.

He said there are some “obvious parallels” between Tuesday’s events and other crises in history.  “I’m hoping to help students gain meaningful understandings of what other generations have gone through.”

Greenhouse will help students grow

When Oregon High School was remodeled more than five years ago, the school’s greenhouse was raised with the expectation that soon another would be built to replace it. 

Construction of the new greenhouse, a 24-by-50-foot building, has recently gotten started with an anticipated completion date of Nov. 1. 

“We’re going to have a unique greenhouse when we’re done, “said Bill Urban, the district’s school-to-career coordinator. “We want to involve as many students and disciplines’ as possible, areas like accounting, marketing, special needs students and several areas of scientific study.”

Glad to be home – Letter to the Editor

Having just returned home from the World Games in Akita, Japan, I found out just how great it is to live in a small town. 

While in Akita competing in the tug-of-war many of the Japanese wanted our autographs and to have their pictures taken with us.  I thought, “O.K., my 15 minutes of fame would end when I get to the United States.”  Was I ever wrong!

We have had a lot of publicity over our accomplishment of the bronze medal.  Different types of media have contacted us, and we have had our pictures taken, I can’t tell you how many times.

But the best part of all is the way the people of Oregon have responded.  Before we left, I got a call from an old friend who said she was proud of all my accomplishments with the sport of tug-of-war and she placed an envelope with cash in my mailbox.  Totally unexpected!  Who does these kinds of things in the big city?  I now walk into businesses in Oregon and people ask how the trip was and congratulate me on the medal.  When I am riding my bike, people yell, “Hey, good luck” or “Pedal harder”!  People do realize how hard we worked to accomplish this honor.

We traveled biweekly to Minneapolis to train.  When we were not there, the other half of the team was here to train. Our whole lives revolved around going to Japan to represent the United States.  Everything was put on hold until we returned from Japan. 

To our families, friends and everyone who supported us, I thank you for your efforts in helping us achieve this goal. In my case, I thank my husband Dick, for his undying love of the sport of tug-of-war and for moral support of me.  I don’t think I could have made the sacrifices without his support and love.

If you ever get an opportunity to represent the USA in any sport or venue, don’t hesitate for a moment to do so.  I have done a lot of things in my life, but to see the USA flag hoisted into the air in your honor is one that you will never forget.  What a thrill!

Again, I want to thank everyone who bought a ticket, called me or just wished me luck.  I hope I did Oregon proud.

Shelby Richardson
USA Tug-of-War Team 2001

Prairie Homes petitions for annexation

Another 136 acres of town of Oregon farmland could be added to the village’s west side.  

Landowner Nicholas Ladopoulos of Prairie Homes, LLC, in Waunakee, submitted to village leaders last Tuesday a petition to annex the land located between Cty. Hwy. CC and Netherwood Road.

The tract is almost entirely agricultural.  Prairie Homes owns all of the land except a narrow strip running along Highway CC that would make the plot contiguous to the village limits, said Village Administrator Mike Gracz. 

The land in question borders two other sections of town land up for annexation and if all three go through, the village could add 625 acres to its boundaries. 

Sunlight to Starlight

It’s billed as a community dance, but it’s much, much more. 

Sunlight to Starlight, which is scheduled for Saturday Sept. 8 at Waterman Triangle Park in downtown Oregon, will again feature free food, games, prizes, entertainment, tours and much more.  And according to the Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce, sponsor of the event, it should be a fantastic celebration, at least if last year was any indication.

“Last year was a hoot. Just lots of fun,” Bill Torhorst, chamber president said.  “And we had big crowds.  Spectators were 10 or 15 deep around many of the events.” 

The first phase of the event will run from 4-7 p.m. and should be wall to wall fun.  There will be free food, including soda, hot dogs, ice cream and popcorn and games for both adults and children, including an egg toss, balloon toss, pie and melon eating contests and more, including the infamous box game which always has the crowd in stitches. There will also be downtown walking tours through Oregon’s historic building and an acknowledgement of the downtown district.

Linda Pollock, chamber director, promised that in addition to last year’s favorite events, there will be some all-new entertainment.  “This year we will have Tony the Twister, a balloon tier.  Kids just loved him at Summer Fest” she said. “And there will be a sing-a-long with the popular group, Buzz, Thomas and Sarah.

Last year a great many people took a walking tour through the historic buildings that line the downtown streets of Oregon.  According to Torhorst, “People really seemed to enjoy the tour and were very impressed.” He added that much of downtown Oregon is considered historic and a great many of the buildings will again be open for the tour.