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 7, 2000

The Tonganoxie Tree Board will meet at 10 a.m. next Tuesday in City Council Chambers. David Bentonj, district forester, and Brad Loveless of western Resources, will be guests at the meeting. They will be in Tonganoxie to assess tree damage and provide advice and/or assistance in stump removal and replanting.

Tonganoxie’s grocery store plans an expansion that will add a pharmacy and sit-down delicatessen to the store in northeast Tonganoxie. Jim Gambrill, owner of B&J Apple Market, said the decision behind the store addition is simple. “The population is growing out in this area, and we’re busting at the seams,” he said. “We need more room.”

Tonganoxie has paved its way into this millennium with a style that accentuates the small-town charm that the city has always had. Last week, when workers applied a new layer of asphalt down Fourth Street, the city’s downtown renovation project was completed. [Photos highlight the brick gridwork of sidewalks and the ambiance of new lampposts and trees.]

“It’s beautiful,” said John Lenahan, owner of Lenahan’s Hardware and lifelong Tonganoxie resident. “Best I’ve seen in 77 years.”

Marilyn Robbins, of Midwest Carpet, also approved. “I think it’s gorgeous,” she said. “What a refreshing look it gives to everything.”

50 years ago: June 19, 1975

Mike Brown found his car and himself in a rather awkward position after braking to avoid another car. Brown’s car went into a sideways slide on the right shoulder of K-16 about a mile west of Tonganoxie. A Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office said that Brown’s car was traveling at an almost negligible speed when it dropped into the culvert. Brown was taken to Lawrence Memorial as a preventative measure.

Anne Eskildsen of Denmark will be visiting for a few weeks with Debbie Heisman who lived with Anne and her parents as an exchange student in Denmark and she will be visiting Mr. and Mrs. Fred Scheller and Carrie Jo. Anne says she likes the area here very much and has enjoyed her stay in the U.S.A. She will return to Denmark in July.

The U.S. Department of Housing Development announced that effective June 11, 1975, Tonganoxie has been accepted into the National Flood Insurance Program. Tonganoxie would not have been able to secure Federal funds to help build the new proposed sewer plant if not been accepted into the program. Individual property owners are now eligible to buy flood insurance protection at affordable federally subsidized rates offering more extensive coverage under the expanded program. The law requires that it must be purchased by owners of property in areas identified as flood prone by HUD.

The popular Tonight Show emcee, Ed McMahon, teams up with Roger “King of the Road” Miller for a week of music and comedy at Kansas City’s Starlight Theatre.

Mrs. Elsie Smith, acting State Fire Marshal, announced recently that inspectors from her office will be checking fireworks stands this summer to ensure that state regulations are being complied with. Only approved types of fireworks will be allowed to be sold, used, manufactured, transported or possessed in Kansas.

Heidi Wallace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arch Wallace, was among the University of Kansas women who received varsity letters and sweaters for their participation in the women’s intercollegiate athletics program during the 1974-75 school year. Heidi is a junior at K.U and lettered in track. 

75 years ago: June 15, 1950

The special election for the rural high school bond issue went down, and it went down hard. The votes were 654 NO and 322 YES. That’s a 2 to 1 margin and sent a resounding message that supporters need to go back to the drawing board. Many farmers from outside the city jumped off tractors and were gathered up in trucks to get in and vote. Seems like it was more of revolt against taxes and not necessarily against the proposal. The $50,000 field house was a major issue and might have caused the vote to be smashed. An analysis of the voting did not show a difference between rural votes and city votes.  

Mr. Lemuel Franklin “Frank” Evans died unexpectedly of a heart attack while attending the baseball game at the fairgrounds. He had lived here for 13 years after returning to the area from Silesia, Montana. His wife Genevieve and a son, Jack survive.

Weaver’s Department Store has square dance blouses and swirl-away skirts in a variety of fabrics and colors, priced from $3.98 to $19.95.  Come in and check them out.

100 years ago: June 18, 1925

To Build Swimming Pool – A company has been organized in Tonganoxie to build a $10,000 Swimming pool in the corner lots east of the Myers Hotel. The proposition has been promoted by Wilson Myers, mostly, but he has had the assistance of others who have a vision of a fine cool and refreshing place to swim. The corporation is being floated by the sale of $4,000 worth of stock at par and the sale of first mortgage bonds.

The pool as the architects’ plans call for will be 112 x 127 feet and built in the shape of a fan and will be of the filtration type. That is the water in the pool will be completely filtered each twenty-four hours. The water in the deepest part will be about 8 feet six inches. There will be concessions on the grounds and bath houses and rest rooms. In fact, the place will be one of the most up-to-date swimming pools in Kansas. Work will be started on the project this week and it is expected that a big opening will be celebrated sometime in July.

Mill Operating Full Time Again — Beginning Monday of this week, the Fair-Hinshaw Milling Co, operating the Tonganoxie Mill, which has been temporarily off schedule, began operating with 24 hour work with shifts of workmen. This mill puts out an excellent grade of goods and everyone is glad to see the home industry thrive and hope to hear the pleasant sound of the whistle at that institution regularly in the future.

Besides building up the town, being a ready purchaser of the grains raise in the community and putting out a superior quality of flour, cornmeal and feed, the Mill furnishes employment to several of the home workmen. Mr. Fair, the manager, is to be complimented on his efforts to make the Mill a credit to the town and community

125 years ago: June 14, 1900

Tonganoxie Establishes a Graded School by a Decisive Majority – At the special school election held yesterday, 244 votes were cast and 243 of these were for a graded school. This carried the proposition with considerable votes to spare.

The annual school meeting will be held either June 27 or 28th, at which time both a director and clerk will be chosen. Adding a high school department to the Tonganoxie public school, will give pupils in adjoining districts an opportunity to take a high school course close at home by paying a small tuition.

Miss Mabel Senhousen begs leave to announce that she will open classes in music for the summer months beginning Monday, June 15th. Her Kindergarten class in music is a specialty.

The programme committee of the Reading Circle met with Mrs. Greever, Tuesday, and arranged a programme for the coming year.

The Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational church will meet with Mrs. W. H. Newby, Thursday, June 21, at 2 o’clock.

The Library Association had another meeting Tuesday, and made additional preparations for the Fourth of July stand.