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Remember When: A Community Review for March 26, 2025

By Janet Burnett, Lynn Jennings, Sarah Kettler, Rose Mangan, Kris Roberts and the late Billie Aye - | Mar 26, 2025

Tonganoxie Community Historical Society Museum

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: March 22, 2000

Tonganoxie may soon be looking for a new city administrator. Chris Eppley, Tonganoxie’s city administrator since 1997, has been tabbed as city manager in Keizer, Oregon, a city just north of Salem. Eppley is a native of Oregon and his wife of 2 years works in Oregon, so the couple have not been able to live together full time. “This will give us the opportunity finally to settle down and live together as a family.”

The new owner of the former Ice Cream Parlor sees a variety of possibilities for the property. Greg Ward, Tonganoxie, is in the process of purchasing the ice cream parlor building, as well as the former barber shop.

There was a successful book fair at the elementary school. The Scholastic Book Fairs are held twice a year, during parent teacher conferences. This spring’s sale sold over $4,000 worth of books.

50 years ago: March 27, 1975

A family get-together took place at the home of Mrs. Lucile Lenahan to celebrate her 90th birthday.

Local student, Kenneth Mark, Tonganoxie, earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from K.U.

Pat Sparks and Lee Mark are the candidates for mayor. Listed on the city council ballot will be Laurent Stoner, Connie Putthoff, Bill McGee, Darrell Pearce, Dave Nolan and Alvin Shilling. Jim Rogers is running a write-in campaign.

In school board races, incumbent candidates Gordon Watson, Jim Grinter and Bob Soetaert are running against Maxine Laming, Mildred McMillon, and Harold Clark. Ronald Sample is running unopposed.

Venice J. Lohman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Lohman and a senior at Tonganoxie High School, was named Miss FBLA of Kansas at the Twenty-third Annual Leadership Conference of Future Business Leaders of America. She will represent the State of Kansas at the National Leadership Conference which will be held at Miami Beach, Florida. Venice competed with approximately 50 girls.

There will be a free spring-cleaning trash pick-up on Saturday. Mr. Saladin, the local contractor, said pick-ups will be for oversized items and others not usually allowed.

The Jaycees will sponsor an Easter Egg hunt at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds.

Navy Lieutenant (junior grade) George F. New, son of Mr. and Mrs. George S. New is participating in a training exercise near Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. He is a member of Attack Squadron 35, taking part in maneuvers to test and maintain the operational readiness and coordination of naval air and ground support units.

Sam Stoughton spoke to grade and junior high students about the dangers of smoking. He has had cancer of the larynx and is now a Cancer Society Volunteer.

75 years ago: March 23, 1950

The Neibarger siblings have installed equipment for a self-serve laundry facility on Fourth Street. They have automatic washers, hot water heaters, and a water purifier. This is the first of this type of business to be established here. Several laundromats as they’re called have shown up in small communities near us. 

We’ve had truckloads of eggs spilled on our highway, but this last week there was a new product splashed across the highway. A trailer truck loaded with bonded liquor valued at $20,000 went off 24-40 highway. It was reported that the driver fell asleep, allowed the truck to careen off into a ditch and land near the Union Pacific right of way. Fortunately, the driver was not injured.

A reminder from the post office that Chain Postal cards that involve prayers and a threat of bad luck are illegal. Several cards have been dropped in the postal boxes and will not be delivered. Postal Laws prohibit such mailings with a penalty of $5,000 or five years in the prison or both! Don’t be tempted by promises of good fortune after sending or receiving one of these.

100 years ago: March 26, 1925

Wilson Myers, manager of the Myers Hotel, informs us that he has made arrangements whereby the Middle States Stage Line Busses will make their Tonganoxie depot at their hotel, with a seven minute stop. Work started at the hotel, converting the porch and a room on the south into a tea room and waiting room last Wednesday morning. Wm. Cronemeyer is doing the work

As will be noticed, reading the Hunter McNerney Lumber Co advertisement, they are going to give away $15.00, to be divided into three prizes of $7.50, $5.00, and $2.50. The prizes will be awarded to the school boy or girl who turns in the best slogan to be selected by the judges. Any student in the territory composed of the Rural High School district is eligible to enter the contest. The contest closes Saturday noon at 12:00 o’clock, March 28. The winners will be published next week.

Miss Genevra Adams, high school teacher, was a passenger to Kansas City last Friday afternoon for a weekend visit.

Dr. and Mrs. Roy L. Wolfe and family returned home Monday of last week from an overland motor trip and a visit with his brother and family at Palco, Kans.

Not a very large crowd was in attendance at the lecture by James H. Woertendyke, president of the National League to Enforce Prohibition of Kansas City, last Monday evening, because of so much illness in the town and community. Mr. Woertendyke, who was accompanied here by his wife and daughter and another gentleman, gave a very interesting temperance talk and all who heard him were glad to have been there.

125 years ago: March 29, 1900

The Tonganoxie Building & Loan Association had its annual election of officers last Thursday. Those chosen to serve for the ensuing year were: E.E. Heiser, president; Frank Zoellner, vice president; W. Laming Jr., treasurer; William Heynen, secretary. The Association is in a flourishing condition, and many loans that would go to outside parties are held at home. 

The Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist church will meet with Mrs. Joseph Hawkins, Thursday, April 5. All members are urgently requested to be present. 

The Primary department at the public school is getting overcrowded since the warmer weather. Sixty-five pupils were enrolled in that department last week, and they are still coming. 

We hope the citizens of Tonganoxie will turn out en masse Friday night at Laming’s Hall. The lecture will be of a high order. Mr. Cowgill is one of the best speakers in Kansas. 

The Congregational Sunday school, beginning next Sunday, April 1st, will meet at 10 o’clock. Any person having one of the library books of the school will please bring it next Sunday as the case must be sent away. 

Lawrence, Kan. — Pierson Brothers’ roller mill, valued at $100,000, burned Sunday morning at 2 o’clock. The fire started in the top of the grain elevator and, spreading to the mill, burned the entire structure inside of two hours. The mill and elevator building was erected in 1882. 

The Valley school will be out tomorrow. There will be a free basket social at the schoolhouse in the afternoon, and patrons of the school have a special invitation. 

Mr. Henderson has added fifteen more books to the Valley school library. These books are highly appreciated by the scholars and their parents, as the books are both instructive and entertaining.