25 years ago: June 2, 1999

The Tonganoxie VFW chapter welcomed a crowd of over 100 people to a ceremony paying tribute to ware veterans. A new plaque was unveiled. Dale Freeman and Harold Putthoff read the names of casualties of foreign wars from Tonganoxie. Casualties from World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War were honored.

Don Himpel is pictured on his tractor, taking advantage of a dry moment to plant corn on his land that lies southeast of town. Many area farmers have been deadlocked due to bad weather.

50 years ago: June 6, 1974

Twelve members of the graduating class of 1914 from Tonganoxie High School, met at Hunters Restaurant for dinner Saturday. All but three of the class members, now living, were present.

Tonganoxie Kiwanis with the help of the Tonganoxie Jaycees are sponsoring a mobile blood unit on June 25th at the First Methodist Church. The Blood Center operates on a quota system which requires that six per cent of the total School District populace donate one pint of blood in order to provide enough blood to cover the needs of any member of this area. The Tonganoxie quota for one year is 132 pints as based on the number of residents in the school district. If they can draw 132 pints, total coverage will begin immediately and every family in the community will be protected for one year.

Mrs. Elaine Jones, Linwood first grade teacher for 24 years, is retiring. She taught and then took a break for 22 years to raise her children. Mrs. Jones finished her teaching career in the same community where she was born and in an annex to the same high school where she graduated in 1925. In every community there are teachers who, by their special abilities and rapport with children, command the respect of those who knew them. Each of us have had such a teacher. Mrs. Jones was such a teacher and will be remembered.

Henry Foth, Leavenworth County Commissioner, was the key figure in an unusual event Friday morning at the courthouse when he set a lighted match to the last $2,000 Benefit District Bond for Road Improvement. When the paper evidence of debt went up in flames the County was out of debt.

On April 27th Sara Louise Aye became the bride of Thomas Raymond Froehlich at the First Christian Church.

75 years ago: June 2, 1949

Due to the heavy rainstorms and tornadoes so far this spring, the month of May is soaked! We registered 6.97 inches of rain this May compared to 2.31 inches last May. The deluge of moisture has caused more harm than help with a great strawberry crop being cut short, construction on highways delayed, and soggy wet fields for farmers.  

The wheat crop is so large this year that the Kansas City Board of Trade has warned that elevators are nearly full and that local operators should be cautious in buying more. Prices may be discounted because of lack of storage in and around Tonganoxie.

Many local businesses are laying out gravel parking areas behind their stores. This gesture has alleviated much of the double parking on our Fourth Street business district, providing more shoppers a place to park their cars.

It’s Dairy Month in Kansas! So let’s celebrate! Dairying is a big business in Tonganoxie with nearly 9 out of 10 farms reporting that they produce milk or cream. This equals out to over 13 million acres in Kansas used for dairying purposes. Kansas has over 400 dairy plants. It’s a very big industry in Leavenworth County and we salute our dairy farmers

100 years ago: June 5, 1924

Last Sunday afternoon, May 18th, at the beautiful Klan Park west of town about 2500 people assembled in response to bills and advertisements circulated a few days before to hear a national lecturer, Mr. R.L. Clarkson, deliver a lecture on the subject, “Americanism and the Ku Klux Klan.”

For nearly an hour and half the audience listened to the well outlined talk by Mr. Clarkson who in his quiet, unassuming manner made his every word distinctly heard by all. It was an inspiring and educational lecture and one every citizen of our midst might have enjoyed, as it was unbiased and full of patriotism.

The spot was ideal for a big gathering and seats had been arranged for several hundred and many sat in autos while others sat on the ground or stood in groups. A platform had been erected for the speaker. Rev. McKenzie delivered the benediction.

Tuesday night about midnight during heavy rainfall here, lightning struck a transformer near the M.C. Harris home which put the power for Tonganoxie’s service out of commission all day Wednesday. By hard work, the Kansas Electric Power Co. was able to get the necessary repair work completed in time to furnish lights at night. They placed six lightning arresters, three on either side of the transformer, which will help to eliminate future troubles of this nature

125 years ago: June 1, 1899

Beginning today there will be rural mail delivery from Linwood which thereby becomes the first distributing office in the county. Mail has already been delivered into Leavenworth County from Bonner Springs for several months, but the Linwood route will be exclusively in this county. One carrier route will extend due north from Linwood five miles, then turn west from the Dreisbach farm to the Pleasant Valley school house, thence south back to Linwood.

An old man and a young man have been in this neighborhood the past two weeks, buying old metal and have accumulated quite a pile of it, principally old iron, near the Northwestern depot.

The senior member of the firm got into trouble last week, by neglecting to purchase a copper boiler which he carried away from the premises of L.C. Myers on Friday. A warrant was issued for the man’s arrest and Constable Lawrence serviced it Saturday. The metal buyer gave his name as Meyerson and entered a plea of not guilty before Justice Cooledge. The trial took place at once before the justice. The identification of the man was complete for Mrs. Myers had seen him lug off the boiler and it was found in his possession. Meyerson claimed he had purchased the boiler for forty cents but would not say from whom, and he and his partner’s stories did not hang well together.

Justice Cooledge found the defendant guilty and fined him $1 and accoutrements. The boiler which Meyerson coveted cost him nearly ten dollars. He fished out the cash and was discharged.