From Our Early Files Feb. 8, 2023
25 YEARS AGO
February 12, 1998
Whitehall will get its first historical marker, courtesy of the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce. The business group voted to purchase a marker commemorating Seymour Gardens from the state of Wisconsin. Seymour Gardens was the area of flowers and bushes formerly located behind the site of the City Hall bandstand. Named after an official of the Green Bay and Western Railroad, it ceased to exist many years ago, but is still being recreated — on a smaller scale and in a slightly different location — by the Whitehall Garden Club.
Donna and Jerry Tranberg are the proprietors of Jerry’s Pizzeria, which opened recently at 18517 Blair Street in Whitehall, formerly E&S Hardwood Flooring. The Tranbergs offer a variety of styles and sizes of pizza, side orders of garlic and cheese breads and beer and soft drinks.
If the Whitehall city council accepts the recommendation of one of its committees, Sheila Boulevard will get a new sidewalk sought by a school group. The council’s special sidewalk committee approved a preliminary recommendation to the full council of a sidewalk on the east side of Sheila between Hobson and Dewey streets. The walkway had been requested by the Whitehall School District’s Elementary Collaborative Council.
Area residents concerned about the availability of long-term care crowded the Pigeon Falls Community Center Friday afternoon. The occasion was a public informational meeting on the proposed sale of Tri-County Lutheran Nursing Home to the Trempealeau County Health Care Center. About 50 people turned out for the meeting, which was hosted by TCHCC officials. Most of those present at the meeting appeared to be concerned about whether the facility would continue to provide long-term care to area residents. TCHCC Superintendent Phil Borrreson sought to allay those fears, noting that his facility’s geriatric wing had the same state license as the Pigeon Falls home, and was rated the best nursing home in the county.
A piece of the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be in Arcadia this week. The section of the quilt was shipped to Arcadia health instructor Mike Sobotta and will be displayed in the Arcadia High School gym during parent-teacher conferences. The quilt was made in 1987 by Cleve Jones as a tribute to his friend, Marvin Feldman, who died because of AIDS.
The Gale College committee Wednesday night unanimously voted to advise the city council to accept the proposal by the John and Pat Nickles for the purchase of the two dorms, St. Joseph’s and St. Ann’s and the low land. The Nickles are offering $10,000 for the purchase of the property. The formal proposal by the Nickles stated they would like to purchase all the land and buildings to the east and south of South 12th St., Galesville, north of Highways 54 and 93 and old rail right of way.
The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school board adopted a district wide gender equity plan. The plan includes four main goals: 1. Promote classroom climates that are free of gender bias, stereotyping and pupil harassment. 2. The school district will strive to achieve gender equitable curriculums. 3. Promote gender equity within all extracurricular activities. 4. The district will promote gender equity.
The Wisconsin Junior Men’s Curling team from Galesville took second place at the 1998 Junior National Championships. Teammates Ryan Quinn, Chad Anderson, Kevin Deeren and Shaun Anderson lost to Nebraska in the junior men’s championship game 12-7.
50 YEARS AGO
February 15, 1973
The Whitehall Packing Co. and the city council appeared close to an agreement this week on a plan to build a new, $600,000 city sewage treatment plant, which would be paid for principally by the pacing company. The city must submit a signed agreement to the state of Wisconsin by Feb. 21, otherwise the state would force the city to end the company’s overloading of the existing plant.
Brian Borreson and Ralph Lyon took a first and a second, respectively, in the regional tournament and qualified for this weekend’s sectional meet. Borreson, a 112-pounder, is now 27-0 on the season.
A five percent across-the-board raise in most salaries and wages of city employees was okayed by the Arcadia city council last Thursday. The council also hired David Galewski as the third full-time officer in Arcadia. Galewski worked part-for the city’s police department last year.
Members of the Arcadia Sno-Riders Snowmobile Club and everyone working for the Indian Head Country Sunshine trail rider scheduled in Arcadia on Sunday are pinning their hopes on a cooperative weatherman. Special guest for the 20 mile cross-country ride starting at the Arcadia Country Club will be Miss Wisconsin, Linda Marie Henderson of Elm Grove.
The G-E-T FFA parliamentary procedure team wont he district meet against Holmen and will be competing in the sectional meet at Black River Falls early next month.
The mid-winter Pops Concert of the G-E-T Senior High School band will be held Wednesday evening in the high school gymnasium.
75 YEARS AGO
February 12, 1948
Preliminaries for Trempealeau County’s part in the Wisconsin Centennial are taking shape, at a meeting of the local committee for the all-county day in Whitehall on May 21, the athletic field was selected for the place of celebration, and a street parade was voted. The evening program will feature a band tournament, and an Indian pow-wow may be arranged.
The casketed remains of Chief Specialist Instructor Archie L. Langworthy will arrive within the month in Whitehall from Guadalcanal for permanent burial. Archie served in the U.S. Navy during the war.
A junior band and orchestra have been organized at the Whitehall school. A string class of 20 students has been practicing since last November and now has been organized into a full orchestra.
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Johnson have sold their 40-acre farm on Hwy. 121 between Whitehall and Independence to Bert Kulig. Mr. Kulig has sold his former farm, adjoining the Johnson place, to his son, Marcel, and Bert and his wife plan to take it easier.
Carl Iverson is busy cutting ice for people in the York community who put up their own ice. The company ice house at Turner’s is being filled. The ice is about 24 inches thick and of very good quality.
A new Scout charter will be presented at Pigeon Falls next Tuesday evening, when the Lutheran Brotherhood will meet at the U.L. Hall. Wendell Hagen is the scoutmaster, and announces that a number of boys are waiting eagerly for their 12th birthday in order to enter the troop.
The district basketball tournament will get underway at the Whitehall High gymnasium next week Wednesday, and continue through Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Eight schools, Alma Center, Blair, Galesville, Hixton, Independence, Merrillan, Taylor and Whitehall, will play 11 games over the four evenings. Hixton, with a fine team built around a high-scoring player named Bob Jennings, will be a real threat; the two teams with the poorest record, but one win apiece, are Merrillan and Whitehall.
A very large crowd attended the Woodmen of the World masquerade ball Monday night in Arcadia. Music was furnished by Ernie Reck and his concertina orchestra and funmakers were provided to add a carnival note to the event. The prize for best costume was awarded to Rose Lyga and Julie Schorbahn.
The Arcadia fire company made a run to the Albert Skroch farm in Lewis Valley on Monday to extinguish a chimney fire. The alarm had been sent in by the son of Mr. and Mrs. Skroch and the firemen soon had the fire under control so that no damage was done to the residence.
100 YEARS AGO
February 15, 1923
A cold, driving wind from the northwest precipitated a blizzard Tuesday, which raged all night and during the following day, the worst Valentine received here in many years. The mercury was 30 above Tuesday, and taking a sudden flop, dropped to below zero in a very short time. The wind was terrific and the drifting snow that accompanied it soon put cars out of commission. Trains from the east were delayed. Verily, the groundhog is a wonderful prophet.
C.B. Melby had an experience Tuesday that he does not care to have repeated. While returning from Onalaska, and when near Galesville, the alcohol in his radiator became overheated and an explosion followed, setting fire to the car. Mr. Melby was compelled to jump for his life, after having headed the car into a snow bank. This action smothered the flames in the radiator, and he was able to whip out the fire in the curtains. He then ran the car to Galesville, and returned by train Wednesday. He suffered a sprain in his shoulder from jumping from the car.
The Ski Club made the following largest standing jumps over on the Engebretson hill in Tuff Coulee last Sunday: Carl Tingvold, 88; Hensel Fremstad, 75; John A. Berge, 71; Helge Kjornevik, 70; Neulan Berge, 69; Melford Monson, 71; Bennie Borreson, 68; Martin Peterson, 51; Sigvald Stalheim, 50.
Andrew Bue of Ettrick has been promoted to the rank of second assistant engineer on the steamer Sir William Simons. Mr. Bue has had a successful career on board lake steamers, and this recognition of his valued services pleases him.
At the annual meeting of the Farmers Shipping Association officers were elected as follows: R.J. Wieland, president; Ed B. McWeeny, vice president; F.B. McWeeny, secretary-treasurer and Fred Wiffler, Adam Zeller, Robert Ashton and Ole A. Olson, directors.
A.L. Martin was elected president of the Glencoe Co-op Creamery at the annual meeting. Serving with him were John Kotlarz, vice president; Robert Ashton, treasurer and J.J. Fernholz, secretary-manager.
Officers elected to the Arcadia Farmers Co-op Creamery board for the ensuing year were Ed. B. McWeeny, president; Morris English, vice president; J.M. Fertig, treasurer and G.W. Dopp, secretary and manager. Directors included Jos. Schaefer, John Schorbahn, Frank Stirn, E.R. Finner, Julius Nilsestuen, Peter Waldera and W.F. Rosenow.
Overland cars were the going car – sedans were selling for $860 at Carl Mckeeths in Galesville.
Measles are making the rounds in Galesville.
A George Washington pageant was held at the Presbyterian Church in Galesville with music by the Herbergs orchestra.
125 YEARS AGO
February 10, 1898
Miss Gunda Olsen closed a term of school in Irvin Coulee Friday.
Rev. Sweet reports a good congregation Tuesday evening at the Plunz schoolhouse.
A weekly, house-to-house prayer meeting is being held in the Dissmore neighborhood.
The town of Lincoln and village of Whitehall are dividing their property in accordance with the new village law.
The Regulars defeated the Invincibles in a game of polo Sunday, and an oyster supper was dished up to the victors at the expense of the vanquished.
The propositions to do the county printing for 1898 were opened and considered by the printing committee Saturday, when it was ascertained that The Times-Banner was the lowest, and consequently this office will be awarded the contract. Judging from The Arcadian’s bid, it would appear that Brother Wheeler got his eye-teeth cut on the county board proceedings deal, which is well. If he had more teeth to cut, he will get the job done trying to underbid the newspaper of Trempealeau County. Of course, there’s no money in the bid The Times-Banner put in, but the deal has resolved into a cut-throat scheme, and just so long as this thing obtains, our knife will remain unsheathed. “And damned be he that first cries, ‘Hold, enough!’”
Blair -- Ole Nelson has the Klondike fever, and if he can dispose of his residence and business property, he will take his family to Seattle and leave them there, while he tries his luck in the gold fields of Alaska. Ole believes that, if a man has the grit to weather the obstacles that beset the average gold-seeker in that country, there’s millions in it.
