25 years ago: Dec. 17, 1997

Tonganoxie High School computer science teacher Bob Hensley has been putting in a lot of hours lately to wire the high school for computers. With 17 new computers at the school, there has been plenty to do.

Dogsled racer Duane Halverson and his dog, Lumpy, visited the Tonganoxie Elementary School on Tuesday, Dec. 16. He talked about his life as a “musher” crossing the Alaskan Yukon.

50 years ago: Dec. 14, 1972

The rapid growth of the Tonganoxie area has produced two more businesses.  Nolan Plumbing and Heating is located on the north side of Fourth Street, while Jim’s Auto Parts will be located in the former Opal’s Cafe Building also in the 600 block of East Fourth.

Judging for the Jaycees Annual Christmas Decorating Contest for homes in Tonganoxie will be held December 21. Prizes will be presented December 23. Prizes will be awarded for best decorated and best original theme. First prize in each division will be $25.00.


Oldsters can recall similar winters, but almost everyone knows this is one for the books. A solid week of murky weather, rains, snow, sleet, hail, temperatures barely above the zero mark just about capped the climax when the sun reappeared after a prolonged absence.


The State Board of Health has approved plans for a water transmission line and reservoir for Tonganoxie, bringing the town one step closer to solving its water supply problems. Before any more progress can be made, Mrs. Frank Hughes, clerk-secretary to the Council, said the town must have the approval of the State Corporation Commission for a $49,000 bond issue to fund the project. Excessive water usage in recent years has led to a drastic reduction of water levels in the city’s well and brought about the need for the new facilities.


The building is started on a shopping center at 155th Street and 24-40, according to Joe Daniels, owner of Mr. A.G. (Associated Grocers) in Basehor. Daniels said due to the growth of the town, there is a need for a larger and well-equipped grocery store. There will also be a barber shop, beauty shop, TV sales and repair, a liquor store, drug store and doctor’s office.

75 years ago: Dec. 11, 1947

There was a fine turnout for the Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. George Peters, who was in Pearl Harbor on that fateful day, was awarded the American Defense Medal, which was given for service prior to Pearl Harbor Day, and the Victory Medal, which was given for service during the war. (Thirty young men received awards as well.)


The Leavenworth County Fair Association met at the vocational agriculture room at the high school. This was the largest gathering of concerned citizens at this meeting in the history of the fair. At question were four concerns. 1. The fair be held before school starts so that 4H students can attend without academic punishment. 2. Erect a separate 4H tent to house the numerous 4H exhibits. 3. Re-instate a poultry show (which was discontinued due to a poultry disease that did not materialize) 4. Increase premiums from $140 to $250 to cover larger exhibits. Several members were interested in reinstating the horse show which was discontinued in 1947. Board members are cautious as they do not want the organization to overextend itself. It was decided to schedule the fair the first three days of September to avoid conflict with the start of school. 

The wife of an early day preacher wrote of many events in this part of Kansas. Her name was Julia Lovejoy and she wrote about Big Stranger Creek in 1858. Her letters were sent to a Massachusetts publication that year wherein she describes the dangers of flooding along the creek. After much rain during the fall, the roads were impassable, and the usually small stream was raging. She wrote “…many cases of drowning by persons endeavoring to ford or swim creeks. The stage driver who goes daily from Leavenworth to Lawrence was drowned and two horses endeavoring to ford the creek.” She wrote of several dead persons who were found still astride the saddle of a drowned horse. 

Mr. William Stephenson of Baker University has achieved the honor of induction into Alpha Delta Sigma, an honorary scholastic fraternity.

Installing storm windows and doors will help decrease your home heating bills. The Gas Company offers that helpful tip plus advising owners to set the thermostat at 72 degrees or lower.

Henry Toburen has published his Christmas card in the Mirror so, as he says, all will see it fifty years hence when reading old time news.

Billy Denholm, son of Representative William Denholm of Tonganoxie and college freshman at Kansas State University has designed a way to make his GI funds go farther. Pink elephants! That’s right, he makes them of felt with an eye which flashes on by a small battery in the animal. So far, he has sold over 80 of these pets through the Zoellner store. He also made monkeys and horses but plans to return to the original design of the pink elephant. He says they’re selling fast.

100 years ago: Dec. 7, 1922

Status of the Condensery, part two.

The primary business of the Condensery is to furnish the Ice Cream Mix for the Franklin Ice Cream Company, Kansas City. Through the ice cream season, they ship to Kansas City 400 ten-gallon cans daily in refrigerator cars. This makes 7,500 gallons of ice cream.

In addition to this the huge condenser will condense 12,000 pounds of milk into 1600 pounds of milk and when 1400 pounds of sugar are added, the syrup weighs then 3000 pounds or one fourth of the volume when it arrives.

This is sold in barrels to bakers, candy makers, ice cream men and the like, who put it back in its original form by adding water, which has been taken away during condensation.

The plant is worth $150,000 and employs 25 men. They buy milk from 350 farmers all within a radius of seven miles. There are huge separators, cooling vats, storage vats, pasteurizers, and various other articles of equipment. We were impressed with the absolute cleanliness of the entire place. There was not a speck of dirt or dust, no grease, no odor, from the milk–even in the room where it was unloaded from the farmers wagons.

Of course, an ice plant is in connection. The large garage will hold seven or eight trucks. There is a huge vat for storing oil as oil is used for fuel. There are 10 acres in the grounds adjacent to the plant. These grounds are pasture and woods with a clear brook flowing through. The plant is located on the Union Pacific railway.

125 years ago: Dec. 16, 1897

The city council had its regular session Monday evening. Frank Lawrence tendered his resignation as deputy marshal and turned over his star and jail keys.

The council had prepared a list of police officers they wanted appointed. Matt Boman was slated for marshal and Martin Younger for deputy. In relation to the appointment of the former, Mayor Dreisbach stated he did not want to appoint a chestnut for that place unless there was a demand from the people of the city to do so. He offered to appoint Martin Younger to the first place.

The council adjourned until last evening, to give an opportunity to show whether there was any general demand for the appointment of Matt Boman as city marshal. In last night’s session, Mayor Dreisbach appointed Matt Boman city marshal under protest. Boman will draw 25 cents every three months for his services until next April. Martin Younger was made deputy marshal.