Month: February 2022

A look back at what happened in Shakopee history. You may also find this column in the Shakopee Valley News.

125 Years Ago: From the March 4, 1897 Scott County Argus

The four pretty little quail which John McMullen is wintering are as happy as clams at the high-tide in an overhead room which he has given up to them. There is hay for cover, food and water in abundance, and the little fellows scratch and peck away at the floor all day long. As previously stated he will put them into a large enclosure on his lawn this summer. Master Valencourt Chewning also has some of the shy little birds in a room at his home, and with several rabbits they make quite a happy family. The statement that they cannot be tamed seems likely to be refuted, as the quail are rapidly accustoming themselves to their surroundings and their keepers.

100 Years Ago: From the March 2, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

R. T. Schumacher this week completed a deal, whereby he purchased from Ben Scherkenbach, his interest in the Shakopee Marble and Granite Works, thereby becoming the sole owner. The business will be carried on at the same place and under the same name, Shakopee Marble and Granite Company.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 27, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

City Council Acts To Get 200-Acre Tract

A move to acquire the 190-acre former NYA camp tract east of Shakopee as a memorial park for the city has been launched according to a resolution officially published in the Argus-Tribune today.

The resolution, adopted by the City Council provides for the appointment of a committee “consisting of the mayor, the city attorney, the city engineer and the president of the common council…authorized to contact the necessary departments and officials of the State of Minnesota and to take whatever steps become ultimately necessary for the acquisition of said site by the City of Shakopee to be used as a memorial park.”…

Transfer of title, it was explained, requires an act of the legislature.

According to the description of property, approximately 168 acres of the tract lie between the south bank of the Minnesota river and the right of way of state highway No. 101, about 35 acres of the total area lie north of the right of way of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha railway….

The large stone “Murphy” house, formerly the NYA administration building now under lease to the Shakopee American Legion as an apartment house for veterans and their families, is excluded from the description…

50 Years Ago: From the March 1, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Memorial Park Now Wildlife Refuge

Hunting, Trapping, Traffic Banned…

Memorial Park, including the old Indian corn field north of the picnic area and the land surrounding the Mill Pond area, was designated a wildlife refuge by resolution of the Shakopee City Council Tuesday night.

Hunting, trapping, motorized traffic and boating is now expressly forbidden in the area, although fishing will be allowed.

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 27, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

City Council votes 4-1 to assume the duties of the EDA

The Shakopee City Council Tuesday night voted 4-1 to take over the duties of the city’s Economic Development Authority (EDA)…

A look back at what happened in Shakopee history. You may also find this column in the Shakopee Valley News.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 25, 1897 Scott County Argus

Aug. Woehling & Co. are making plans for enlarging the livery stable of Reis Bros. to twice its present size. Running westward a “store” front of 60 feet two stories high will add to that part of First street, and the addition will run back 62 feet. The present structure, 30×80 feet, will be raised two stories in hight to make one building of the whole. The plans include a large office, harness room, wash room, and bay window on the front. The brick is already being hauled for the improvement.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 23, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Students of the commercial department of the local high school visited the First National Bank, Tuesday afternoon, for the purpose of getting some real practical knowledge of banking.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 20, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Rail Crossing Issue Closed by Council

Nullifying the entire proceedings originally instituted to secure automatic stop signals for the Fuller, Holmes and Lewis street crossings of the Omaha railroad here the city council at the meeting last Tuesday night adopted a resolution closing the action.

The nullification, it was explained, was agreed upon because the Railroad and Warehouse commission order calling upon the rail company to install the signals also provided for the closing of nine additional grade crossings…

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 23, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

County Office Building Plan Being Reconsidered

On 20-Acre Site…

A self imposed “cooling off” period is over, and Scott County officials are again actively working together on a plan to provide space and facilities for offices which are scattered all over the county.

The Minneapolis architectural firm of Patch, Erickson, Madsen and Hanson has been instructed by Scott County Commissioners to revise plans for a county office building on a 20-acre site owned by the county near County Road 17 and an extension of 11^th Avenue in Shakopee.

The request of the architects was made at a special meeting of Commissioners and architects Monday. It was the second of such meetings, which are the first movements of the board toward a solution of county space shortages since a bond issue was narrowly turned down by county voters November 30…

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 20, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

HRA will seek city guarantee on project

Projections for Blocks 3, 4 financing trouble EDA members

Just as the design committee gave final approval to the entrance look of the building proposed for the joint Scott County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and Shakopee Economic Development Authority (EDA) project on Blocks 3 and 4 in downtown Shakopee, the EDA voted 4-2 to authorize bids for demolition of the buildings on the site.

This is not to say that the EDA or the HRA has given the estimated $5.2 million combined housing and retail shop development the go-ahead. In fact, financial data and size-specific studies presented by the HRA and representatives from market consultant groups at the EDA’s Feb. 12 meeting have left a number of people reeling from “sticker shock.” Part of the reason for that shock is that the county, to obtain lower interest rates on funding, will ask the city to pledge $3.2 million in general obligation bonds as a fail-safe measure for investors should the project fail…

A look back at what happened in Shakopee history. You may also find this column in the Shakopee Valley News.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 18, 1897 Scott County Argus

In addition to his ministerial proclivities Head Engineer Ferguson of the mill is allowed to pose as “Engineer of the Public Waterworks of the City of Shakopee,” and frequently receives pieces of “one-cent” mail addressed thus, without a quiver.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 16, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

The Shakopee Stove Co. have a fine exhibit at the Hardware Dealer’s convention which is being held at the Auditorium in St. Paul this week. Art Hamilton has charge of the exhibit. E. V. Mertz and Wm. Spoerner were also in attendance at the convention.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 13, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Attorney Harold E. Flynn returned Saturday night from Kansas City, Mo., where he had represented the Minnesota Valley Natural Gas company at hearings before the Federal Power Commission. The hearings concerned the extension of natural gas lines to communities in Iowa and Minnesota. Because heavy snow had halted rail traffic, Mr. Flynn returned to Minnesota by plane.

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 16, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Memorial Park Proposed As Wildlife Refuge

Lease to County Historical Society…

Long range development plans for Shakopee parks were presented to the Shakopee City Council Tuesday night by Parks and Recreation director George Muenchow, including a recommendation for a major shift in usage of Memorial Park.

The change, as outlined by Muenchow and concurred with by representatives of the Scott County Historical Society, involves leasing the Memorial Park area from the sewage lift station on the west to the boundary of the land currently held by the Historical Society. It would include the land from Highway 101 on the south to the river on the north.

As part of the plan, the area would be designated as a wildlife refuge, in which no hunting or trapping would be allowed. If the lease is granted by the council, Margaret McFarlane, project coordinator for the Historical Society, said that monies received to develop the lands of the Minnesota Valley River Restoration project could be extended to include the Memorial Park area too…

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 13, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

Shakopee Junior High passes second cut in Blue Ribbon Schools Program

Shakopee Junior High School has made the second cut in the U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

The junior high school was one of four middle schools in Minnesota which passed the first hurdle in November, on their way to becoming a Blue Ribbon School. Surviving a second review of the 42 page application by a panel of national education experts, the junior high will now receive a site visit in March or April from a panel of representatives from the program, which is based in Washington, D.C. Of the 528 public and private schools nominated for the program this year, a total of 268, or 51 percent, were chosen to receive a site visit.

The purpose of the two-day visit is to provide staff members, students, parents and the community with the opportunity to verify the information in the self-nomination form. Representatives from the Blue Ribbon Schools Program will interview administrators, teachers, specialists, parents, School Board members, and custodial, secretarial and food service staff members, and will make observations in classrooms, halls and during after-school activities.

The information gathered will be submitted to the review panel members who recommended the school for the site visit and who will then make the decision on the final award…

A look back at what happened in Shakopee history. You may also find this column in the Shakopee Valley News.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 11, 1897 Scott County Argus

Yesterday C. F. Wicke sold his interest in the Globe Hotel to John Leidgen, who took possession to day and is now welcoming the coming and speeding the parting guests that have been stopping at that hostelry in increasing numbers of late. Mr. Leidgen is himself a cook of unquestioned skill and has the energetic qualities that should fit him for a model landlord. Adding to his own abilities those of his wife, the future can hardly fail to place the Globe on the top round of success. Mrs. Wicke will remain here for the present, while Mr. Wicke will go to Wisconsin to accept a position sealing logs.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 9, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Local League of Women Voters Organized

A meeting held Monday afternoon at the Public Rest rooms for the purpose of organizing a branch of the League of Women voters, in this city, was attended by about twenty-five ladies and proved a very interesting meeting.

Mrs. Eli Southworth read a paper prepared by Mr. Southworth, on City Government which was very interesting and instructive. Mr. Southworth was present and explained all civic questions any one present wished to ask.

The League was duly organized and will hold monthly meetings on the first Monday of the month at the Rest rooms.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 6, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Offer $100 Reward for Apprehension of Careless Driver

A reward of $100 for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the motorist who drove over a fire hose here Saturday afternoon is being offered by the Shakopee fire department, H. J. Pass, fire chief announced Tuesday.

According to the fire chief, the offender drove a 1932 Chevrolet over a fire hose at the rear of the First National bank while firemen were fighting a fire in the building.

The hose was cut and rendered useless and the loss of the water supply might easily have resulted in a devastating blaze…

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 9, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Bond Issue for Junior High Defeated

Voters Turn Out in Record Numbers…

Voters of Shakopee School District 720 left little doubt Tuesday about not wanting to stand the expense of a new junior high school, crushing the $4,160,000 bond issue by more than a 2 ½ to 1 margin.

A record number of voters turned out, as 2,399 went to the polls. That number far eclipsed the previous high district school bond issue total of 1400. “No” voters totaled 1732, and “Yes” voters numbered 667…

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 6, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

MPCA, Rahr reach ‘trade’ agreement for waste-water discharge in river

Rahr Malting Co. in Shakopee and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) have reached a unique agreement in which the company will have the flexibility to “trade” discharge limits on the waste water it produces. MPCA officials said this week the water discharge permit is one of the first in the nation to include the concept of “trading.”

In exchange for a permit to discharge waste water into one part of the Minnesota River from Rahr’s malting facility in Shakopee, the company will be required to reduce the emission of pollutants going into other parts of the river, primarily from agricultural land uses. The net effect, said MPCA officials, will be to lower the total pollutants in the river…