Editor’s note: To capture time accurately, language from the past generally is left unchanged. This may result in some antiquated or out-of-use language from time to time. We try to maintain the exact wording when possible, but edits are occasionally made for the sake of brevity or because such wording isn’t acceptable today.

25 years ago: June 21, 2000

Tonganoxie’s second annual Relay for Life was held Friday night at the Reusch Memorial VFW Park. Organizer Jerri Cooper noted that the event was originally scheduled for May 12, but was postponed due to the May 11 tornado. This year the event raised $19,000.

Respondents to a city planning survey indicate that Tonganoxie’s a pretty good place to live. Linda Zacher, city planner, said that 151 citizens, or about 15% of those who received a survey responded. Even though this number might seem low, Zacher was pleased, and said the average return for surveys usually runs about 10 percent.

Next year, the county should be five warning sirens richer. But even so, Chuck Magaha, Leavenworth County director of emergency preparedness, warns that the 125-decibel sirens, designed to be heard from two miles away, may not always reach everyone.

“Outdoor warning sirens were designed to be heard outdoors,” he said. “With the new construction of homes that may have surround-sound TVs, Ninetendos and the construction of homes in general, it’s difficult to hear the sirens from inside homes.” Magaha would like to see every home possess a weather radio.

50 years ago: July 10, 1975

Robert E. Owens, Sr. may not be the champion cabbage grower in this area, but he is until someone comes along with a bigger specimen. Owens raised a 16 pound head at his home, the old Hawk Hallow School, southeast of Tonganoxie.

Tonganoxie volunteer firemen participated in fire drill activities. Fuel fires and brush fires were set east of the grain elevators for the fire department to extinguish. Charles Conrad, fire department training officer, noted that the exercise gave the volunteers an opportunity to work together and work on methods of extinguishing fuel fires and using fog nozzles.

Host farmers for the Leavenworth County Beef Tour have been busy preparing for the 100 visitors expected at their farms on Saturday. Stops on the tour include the farms of John Schlup, Bill New, and Bob Hall.

Interested persons are urged to attend the Leavenworth County Dairy Tour on July 17. The first stop will be at the Robin Leach dairy featuring his facilities for his 93 cow Holstein herd. The next stop will be at the B.J. Wedel farm. The 26 Holsteins of the Wedel herd currently are averaging 14,404 pound of milk for the last year of DHIA testing.


All Star Wrestling will come to Tonganoxie as the Jaycees sponsor a big night for fans of all ages. The match will feature “Easy Ed” Wiskowski, the current champion against challenger Ted Oats. A special event bills Jesse “The Surfer” Ventura against Jerry Oates.

Officials of the Community Blood Center have advised Dr. Richard Dean, Kiwanis Blood Drive Chairman, that the Tonganoxie Community Blood Drive has been termed successful. This means that all persons in USD 464 are covered when emergency blood is required for the next full year.

Tom Laming will be competing in the National Junior Olympic Weightlifting Championships. He will travel to Willimantic, Connecticut to participate in the national event.

75 years ago: July 6, 1950

Nobody knows for sure, but estimates are coming in for the State Lake attendance. Some say 10,000 and others go as high as 25,000, but this we know-one road into the lake was blocked for a solid four hours! Many people came the day before and camped out so to be ready when the sun came up. This is no surprise as the lake has been closed to fishing since 1945 and anglers were anxious to get out on the water and hook a nice big catfish. Many did.  

The lake wasn’t the only place with vehicles lined up – so were the wheat trucks on Fourth Street. Heavy rains have slowed the wheat harvest, but the corn crop is really shooting up with some fields starting to tassel. The Korean “disturbance” is causing hog prices to rice-good for the farmers, bad for the homemaker.  

Zoellner’s has a great buy of the week with Stokely’s Finest cut green beans on sale at two for forty-nine cents. Stock up now and save.

100 years ago: July 9, 1925

Saturday evening a car going west collided with a bus at the corner of Fourth and West Streets. Marshall Quisenberry, upon investigation, found the driver of the car was drunk and there was also liquor in the car. The driver F. H. Smith of Burlingame was arrested for driving a car while in an intoxicated condition and for transportation of booze. Monday morning Smith gave a $200.00 bond and left his car in the hands of the officials. The hearing will be held next week. Both the bus and the car were damaged in the collision.

Saturday, July 4th was very quiet in our hometown. The usual noise was in evidence as the anniversary day dawned, but only small noises were heard throughout the day and as there was no program or celebration here many went to surrounding towns to enjoy picnics or visit relatives and friends while others had small picnic parties of their own or remained quietly at home enjoying the day. The business houses closed for a part of the day, most of them opening again in the evening to allow the busy farmers to get provisions.

Wednesday afternoon of last week the 18-month-old child of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Wilder, who reside on the Freienmuth farm, was bitten by a copperhead snake on the heel of the right foot. The child was brought to Dr. J. M. Mott for treatment and later in the evening taken to St. Margaret’s Hospital in Kansas City, Ks., where it was possible to care for it to a better advantage and the little one’s limb, which was very badly swollen and poison filled was saved. It was a serious case, but the little one is recovering from the effects now very nicely. Mr. Wilder killed the snake about two hours later about twenty feet from the house.

125 years ago: July 12, 1900

The farmers about Jarbalo are going to whoop it up for their Farmers Institute to be held in Bell’s Grove Friday, July 20th. Business is to be combined with pleasure. Two professors from the State Agricultural college will deliver addresses of profit to the farmers. The picnickers will enjoy a basket dinner in the shade and amuse themselves with social intercourse before and after the mental feast. The invitation to attend the picnic is extended to all.

John Gatchell has secured the contract to carry the mail between the Northwestern depot and the post office. He commenced Monday morning.

The ladies of the Library Association, after paying all expenses including the float, had $21 left from the picnic stand receipts with which to purchase books.

The populist county convention will be held in Tonganoxie next Monday. The primaries for selecting delegates will be held on Saturday.

The school board will make the selection of teachers for the public school in a few days. Eight applications for principal have been filed.

A meeting was held Saturday at County Superintendent Howard’s office to organize an alumni association for graduates of the common schools of the county. Since the graded school system was adopted in this county in 1897 there have been about 110 graduates. The first meeting of the association will be held July 19. A good program has been arranged, and President Murlin of Baker University will deliver an address.

The city council had its regular meeting Monday evening. About $76 of bills were allowed, which is about $25 less than the average.

Some discussion ensued over paving the various intersections on Fourth Street and the street and alley committee were instructed to get estimates of the cost of such paving. The same committee were also instructed to see about a crossing over the ditch on Green Street near the Ashton place.