25 years ago: June 14, 2000

Only a few days after Tonganoxie Days 2000, organizer Connie Torneden already is looking ahead to 2001. High on Torneden’s list of improvements for next year is securing more volunteers. But highlights of this year’s festival (which was the 15th annual) included a wide variety of food and crafts, ranging from hand-crafted items and Beanie Babies to Polish sausage and funnel cakes. At the east end of downtown, the Tonganoxie Fire Department Auxiliary offered festival goers a chance to lob whipped cream at local dignitaries. Dance students kicked up their heels in a rendition of “Good Ship Lollipop.”

When a former Tonganoxie resident learned that the city library was in need of someone to direct the summer reading program, she decided to help. Last Friday morning, Julie (Lenahan) Cole, Kansas City, Mo., the daughter of Bob and Eleanor Lenahan, Tonganoxie, brought a special guest to story hour. It was a life-size mouse, who is a character in the children’s storybook by Laura Josse Numeroff, “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.”

50 years ago: June 26, 1975

Martha Stephenson will be installed as Honored Queen Saturday evening at the Jobs Daughters Formal Installation of Officers.

Ed Ames to star in Carousel at Starlight. Singing star Ed Ames will appear as the carnival barker Billy Bigelow in a special two-week run of the Rodger’s and Hammerstein musical.

`The annual reunion of the descendants of Joseph Henry and Mary Catherine Leighty was held at South Park Recreation Center in Lawrence. Six marriages and five births were recorded for the year.

On July 1, Larry Smith will become Tonganoxie’s chief of police. Smith has completed police school in Leavenworth recently.

Tonganoxie telephone customers will receive their new directories next week. The new wrap around cover salutes the 200th birthday of the United States and the 100th birthday of the telephone. The four color art depicts 32 familiar and symbolic personages from America’s history as they speak on telephones from yesteryear and today.

The Chief Tonganoxie Bicentennial Memorial Site at the Junction of U.S. Highway 24-40 and Old 40 Highway was the scene of some heavy earth moving activity last Saturday as Site Development Chairman, Dave Johnson, directed the installation of long overdue drainage pipe and excavation of the rough terrain on the small parcel of land on which a commemorative monument will be located honoring the Delaware Indian Chief who founded the community which bears his name.

In 1881 the town of Tonganoxie was populated by civil war veterans, a Quaker Settlement and some assorted sinners only 17 years after the end of the Civil War. While McLouth was named after Amos McLouth and Basehor for Ephraim Basehor; Tonganoxie missed becoming Lamingville because a Delaware Indian Chief pre-empted the name ahead of the original Laming. The Laming brothers were mixed up in numerous business ventures.

75 years ago: June 22, 1950

Just a friendly reminder that the shooting of fireworks in the business district of the city is prohibited. Take your boomers out to the country and enjoy a nice Fourth of July.

The federal census is complete and puts our population at 1,136, which is a gain of 22 residents in ten years. Of course, this doesn’t include those outside of the city limits. Linwood has lost 37 residents and is currently at 262 individuals.  

Two residents, who shall not be named, got drunk yesterday while sitting in a truck parked near a downtown cafe. The couple reportedly had been drinking and fighting in the truck from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. until their arrest yesterday. Deputy Sheriff Hoey found whiskey in a bottle and a tub of iced beer in the rear of the truck. The husband had several scuffed places on his face and his wife had a black eye. They were fined $15 each.

Horses for everybody and anybody will be for sale at an auction tomorrow night. Fifty head of saddle horses and 50 kid ponies are up, along with extra work horses and several matched teams. If you have a saddle horse or pony for sale, bring it in and Tonganoxie Sales Company will sell it for you.

100 years ago: June 25, 1925

With the close of the month, The Tonganoxie Building and Loan Association finishes thirty years of existence. The monthly payment plan of repaying loans is now more popular than ever, and the rate of $1.25 per month for each $100 borrowed makes the acquirement of a home almost as easy as paying rent.

We Mend the Rips — And Patch the Holes — Build up the Heels — And Save the Soles, The City Shoe Shop

Hear the old time cowboy songs as the cowboy sang them at Congregational Church next Monday evening, June 29th at 8 o’clock. Miss Ina Sires will give you a real treat telling stories from the cowboy’s views, giving readings that are typical of western life, and singing songs that kept the herd quiet and expresses the cowboy’s love and joy in his big out-of-doors. Wholesome and instructive entertainment, not of the vaudeville type. Auspices of Patron Teachers Acociation, Tonganoxie.

As the first hot days of summer come there is a real danger for some susceptible individuals who are obliged to work in the fierce rays of the sun. Persons who have ever suffered from sunstroke or heat prostration, or those having a high blood pressure are especially sensitive. Even the one in normal health does well to take his dose of summer sun by degrees.

Take a little rest in the hottest part of the day. Seek some jobs that can be done in the shade. Get a little more sleep than usual. Eat less meat and substitute green vegetables and fresh fruit. Drink cool water as required but be careful as to ice cold drinks. Let the man in poor health be especially careful. Deaths from “pyrexia” (which includes sunstroke and heatstroke) are very commonly those of people whose health was not at par.

125 years ago: June 28, 1900

A giant firecracker, which was exploded last Friday evening, knocked out two window panes in the front of F.J. Dessery’s building.

Dr. Watkins and George Hallenbeck will give a ball in Laming’s Hall the evening of July 4th. Ice cream will be served in the hall.

The Ladies Aid Society of the Congregational church will meet with Mrs. H.V. Needham Thursday, July 5th at two o’clock.

The school board has purchased 40 school seats that were in the Academy.

The regular meeting of the Tonganoxie Public Library Association will be held on the 10th of July.

The women had charge of the Methodist revival meeting Tuesday evening and the men last evening.

The Tonganoxie boys scored a pronounced victory over the Neely boys last Sunday, in a game of ball. The score was 21 to 10. The boys were training for a game with the Basehor boys the Fourth. Lon Cooledge and Firman Sechrest made 10 of the 21 scores and made no outs.

Mrs. S.J. McNaughton entertained the Reading Circle at her home last Friday afternoon. Nearly all of the members were present and spent a delightful afternoon and partook of a bounteous supply of the delicious ice cream and cake which was served.

The City Council had another special session Friday evening and passed three ordinances ordering the construction of sidewalks at certain places. Besides those previously ordered, the new ordinances require walks from Fourth street to the Union Pacific depot on Main, and from Fourth to Fifth on the east side of Bury street.