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 21, 1999

A new business is looking at Tonganoxie as a possibility for its home. Cornell Corrections proposed a 450-bed holding facility for U.S. Marshals located in Tonganoxie. The facility would lie within a 45-acre space of the Urban-Hess Industrial Park. This space that is owned by the Leavenworth Port Authority is already appropriately zoned for a facility like this, and the utilities are on site.

The weekly report from the Kansas Wildlife Department has the Leavenworth Lake a good place to fish. According to them, the white bass and catfish are eager to take a line. Mike Skaggs is opened his Our Post Mini-Mart last week, which includes a bait shop. Free State Bait also has a bait sop on the west side of the lake.

50 years ago: April 25, 1974

Fred Leimkuhler is an amateur painter of considerable merit. He reproduced an early stone church erected by the Society of Friends in 1872 at Lawrence for which one thousand postals were reproduced and sold. Now he comes up with a reproduction of the government house erected by the United States at Tonganoxie for Chief Tonganoxie in the 1830’s. He painted the picture to gain inspiration and to help with the plan for putting in a Historical Marker and Park on the southwest corner of Tonganoxie.

FC Brannon, Leavenworth attorney, takes an interest in county matters including Tonganoxie, and advises that the original town plat spells the town name as Tonge-Noxie. However, the railroad and the U.S. Mail spelled it Tonganoxie. Since the Delaware Indians did little writing they naturally wouldn’t be authentic on the spelling.

Tom Laming, 15, won the state championship in Olympian Weightlifting at Norton, Kansas. Weighing 123 pounds, Tom lifted weights in two classes for a total of 305 pounds. He represents Shawnee Mission Olympic Lifters authorized under the Amateur Athletic Union.

One of the worst robberies in Tonganoxie history occurred Sunday night or early Monday morning. Thieves broke into the B & J Thriftway store and made off with a safe weighing 500 pounds. Included in the loss were security certificates, food stamps, checks and cash. The safe was recovered by police in Kansas City, Missouri when its location was reported by children playing under a bridge in a remote area. Apparently, those who stole the safe were hurried because some of the stolen items from the safe were left behind. The safe was damaged beyond repair and damage to the front door was severe. Officers from Tonganoxie, the Leavenworth County Sheriff Office and KBI are investigating the robbery.

75 years ago: April 28, 1949

One can never be too safe, as our citizens learned this past week. A young California girl was lost in a well several weeks ago. Our community has been on the lookout for abandoned wells on farms and home lots. This week, Mr. Bateson placed a concrete top on a well near his home in north Tonganoxie which is located in the northwest corner of the Fair property. Mr. VI Morey has recently purchased this property and was told by Mr. Bateson that he did not know it was there. The abandoned well was covered by brush and some old rotten planks, which might not be enough to keep curious children out of danger. Mr. Bateson and Mr. Morey covered the opening with concrete to prevent any serious accidents. Reports are that there are many abandoned wells in and around our city whose locations are unknown.

Have you heard about the new gas range that is all the rage? Whether you are baking, broiling, frying, stewing, boiling or steaming an accurately controlled heat makes the difference!

100 years ago: April 24, 1924

Alfred Thistlewaite moved here from Kansas City on Tuesday of this week to make his home.

Merle G. Ridgway has sold a half interest in his tailoring shop to Mr. T.S. Gallaway. The new firm name will be Ridgway and Company. The new firm will do tailoring, repairing, plaiting, pressuring and cleaning, etc. and asks that you let them make that spring suit for you and assure your satisfaction.

High School Notes – By Junior English Class, Frances Wenger, Editor. Interviewing Miss Freienmuth. The Domestic Science Class is still studying invalid cooking. This week they are taking up acid-free for people having acid stomachs and preparing meals for diabetic patients.

125 years ago: April 20, 1899

Water poured down for nearly two hours yesterday evening and for over half an hour it hailed. The rain must have assumed the form of a cloud burst in places, for Tonganoxie creek got several feet higher than it has ever been before. The water washed away every movable thing in the bottoms. Water flowed over the Tonganoxie creek wagon bridges in the east and northeast parts of town and flowed over the Union Pacific railroad bridge. None of the bridges were moved by the flood.

At the sawmill north of town. The engine was dumped into the creek, and there are only vacant spots where the piles of lumber were. Water was all around Frank Lawrence’s icehouse but did no damage.

Jerry Jarret had to flee from home with his family the water entering his house. Lindley Cook had water all around his house and the flood missed his floor but a foot. His chicken coop had 27 fowl in it and every one of them drowned.

The city council held an adjourned meeting Thursday evening with all members present, the president of the council C.J. Halsted presiding. The street commissioner was instructed to loan no city tools to private individuals.

C. F. Greever appeared before the council with two profiles of all the streets between Pleasant and Shawnee and First and Sixth streets, according to a survey recently made. The profiles were accepted by the council, and the grades according thereto will be established by ordinance. A warrant for $50. Was ordered drawn for the service.

Owing to a misunderstanding over the salary to be paid, F.M. Lawrence sent in his resignation as city marshal, and it was accepted at a special meeting of the city council held last night. Mr. Lawrence at first declined to run again, but finally consented to serve on the understanding that the pay was to be considerably increased. However, the city council did not make the concessions Mr. Lawrence understood would be made, and so surrendered the office. In his retirement Tonganoxie loses a good officer. The city council considered several names for city marshal to fill the vacancy, and finally agreed upon P.H. Strange who was appointed by Acting Mayor Halsted at yesterday evening’s session. The new appointee will take the office today.