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: April 28, 1999

Tonganoxie High School track standout Sheri Stapleton is getting a passport so she can compete in Europe this summer. She was chosen by the World Sports Exchange Program, one of a handful of students selected from 48 states to represent the United Sates in a track meet against a Spanish team.

Tonganoxie’s lone stoplight has been blinking for almost a week. There are a lot of accidents at the intersection [at Fourth and US 24/40] which is not wide enough and it’s not properly marked. The City has applied for a KDOT grant to widen the highway to four lanes on K16 and Fourth Street and also widen US 24/40 to four lanes through the intersection.

50 years ago: May 2, 1974

Rodney Stephenson, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Stephenson, was one of the seventeen students at Baker University to be elected to the school’s Alpha Delta Sigma honorary scholastic society.

Mrs. Gordon Watson, member of the Auxiliary to the Veterinary Medical Association which consists of 336 wives of Kansas veterinarians, presented a book entitled, “What Does A Veterinarian Do”, to the T.H.S. Library and Mrs. Abplanalp. These women are involved in many activities to inform the public about careers in veterinary medicine and to educate the public about animal care.

The Tonganoxie High School Alumni Banquet will be held on May 11 in the High School gym. The class of 1949 will be the honored 25-year class and the class of 1924 will be the honored 50 year class. Mrs. A.M. Doege is endeavoring to get all the members of her 60-year class of 1914 to attend. The class of 1949 has contacted “Coach” Tom Beatty and he will attend the banquet.

Currently seeking her sixth term as Leavenworth County Register of the Deeds, Susie Parmer announced her intentions to seek re-election to that office as a member of the Democratic Party.

Mr. and Mrs. JW Grinter will be celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a family dinner party and would appreciate a card shower.

The Seniors of the International Thespian Society of Tonganoxie High School will present a “Dinner Playhouse.” The evening will start with dinner being served by the play cast, after which the seniors will present the play “Meet Me in St. Louis,” directed by Mrs. Marian Williams.

Most of the long-time area residents, particularly those who graduated from high school prior to World War II can remember the old Inter-Urban Line that ran from Kansas City to Lawrence across southern Leavenworth County. It was excitement, almost compared with a trip to Kansas City, to journey down near Linwood and watch the streetcar go by. Many made the all-day trip on a bicycle just to see the sight.

75 years ago: May 5, 1949

In 1928, the Tonganoxie Civic Club designated the zinnia as the official flower of the city. Sunflowers and dandelions might take second and third places. Get your seeds at any of our feed stores.

A special committee has been formed to study the crowded parking situation on Fourth Street – specifically the issue of double parking. It was noted that at noon on many business days, one can see solid double-parked cars on the entire block. This hazard could be remedied with the installation of parking meters or parking lots. In addition to the car problem, buses stopping right in the middle of the business district is likely going to create a serious situation.  

The annual Eureka School reunion was held this last week with many former pupils in attendance. Some of the students had attended the little one room school in the very early 1880’s. With talk of consolidation, many of our little rural schools may not remain open into the future.

The 1949 Alumni Banquet will be held this week at the High School auditorium. The dinner and dance is $1.50 and tickets are available at many businesses in town.

Lee’s Mother Style Beans are on sale at HGF Stores for $.23 a can. With those and a $.35 picnic ham, you can set up a pretty nice supper.

100 years ago: May 1, 1924

Kansas City, April 24: Leavenworth County has entered the Kansas Better Farming Contest and under the leadership of the Farm Bureau will compete for $1000 in cash prizes offered to the four counties showing the greater improvement in their diversification of farming. These prizes are offered by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. The contest is supervised by the Kansas State Agricultural College, Kansas State Board of Agriculture, and the Chamber of Commerce. W.M. Jardine, President of the College, is chairman of the committee in charge.

Improvements made in the farming systems in various counties will be measured partly by statistics showing increases in the following number of farms reporting milk cows, total number of milk cows value of dairy products produced on farms, number of farms reporting hen, value of poultry and eggs sold, number farms reporting sheep, number of sheep: acreage of alfalfa, Sudan grass, sweet clover, common clover and other legumes and acreage of milo , kafir and other sorghums.

No consideration is given wheat acreage, but it may be expected that an increase in these other crops and in the amount of livestock kept will reduce the wheat acreage.

125 years ago: April 27, 1899

The rain of a week ago last night, did more damage by floods in this part of Leavenworth County than any have ever known. The heaviest rainfall was west of here. It will cost the county of Leavenworth several thousand dollars to rebuild bridges and fill the approaches. Farmers have sustained some losses by damaged wheat in bottoms, and loss of timber washed away.

At the sawmill north of town 30,000 feet of native lumber was piled up and all but about 2.000 feet which had been piled against some trees, was washed away. Ezra Mark owned about 9,000 feet of the lumber, and C.R. Carver owned the balance. In the lot belonging to the latter was almost a carload of fine walnut timber which he had contracted to sell in KC, at $30 to $55 per thousand.

The iron bridge across Nine Mile creek, four miles southwest of here, was washed down the creek 100 yards. Jarbalo creek in the north part of this township had every bridge but one carried away.

The bridge across Tonganoxie creek, near Edminster, was washed away, and the one at M. Woodward’s north of town, also went down the stream.

The county board, which was in session Monday, reported seven county bridges washed away and over twenty township bridges also gone and none of the remaining escaped damage.

A number of families had to move out of the Nine Mile bottoms. Two men batching on Nine Mile four miles south of her had retired. The older man heard the water coming into the room and awakened his companion. The young man said he was sleepy and did not want to get up and the old man left him. When the bedstead got to moving the young man took alarm and crawled out of the building from above.