Month: March 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 April 1, 1897 Scott County Argus

Jack Frost is frequently a mischief maker. One of his latest pranks was the upsetting of a pile of wood at the foot of the alley at the rear of Jos. Nachtsheim’s bakery. There was a lot of the wood, and it was piled eight feet high, and when it came tumbling down upon Aug. Scherkenbach’s cutter, it put an end to that vehicle about as effectually as the hundred year’s wear did the memorable “one-hoss shay.”

100 Years Ago: From the March 30, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Work Completed on Sisters Home

Improvements on the Sisters’ residence in connection with St. Mark’s school, which was partly destroyed by fire about two months ago, were completed the past week and the Sisters are again domiciled in their home.

The work was performed in a very satisfactory manner and the rooms present a very bright and cheerful appearance. The kitchen and community room on first floor and several rooms on second floor were completely renovated and re-furnished. The rooms on the east side of the building, which were not in the path of the fire, however, were damaged by smoke will be redecorated after the completion of the school year.

The improvements were made under the personal supervision of Rev. Father Savs, who is deserving of much commendation for the creditable manner in which the work was performed.

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

N. Y. A. Land Bill Moves Nearer to Final Approval

The bill which would authorize the transfer of the former NYA property title from the state to the city of Shakopee was reported to have cleared another hurdle early this week, as the measure was placed on general orders to the house, Mayor J. J. Cavanaugh disclosed.

A companion measure was approved by a vote of the senate earlier and the bill is now expected to come before the house this week, the mayor said…

50 Years Ago: From the March 29, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Split Shifts At Senior High Next Fall

Board Votes 4-3 On Decision…

Faced with choices ranging from bad to worse, the Shakopee Board of Education determined Monday night to institute a split-shift for Shakopee students on the secondary level, moving the junior high students to the Senior High building next fall.

The emergency measure is necessary to provide space for the rapidly increasing number of elementary students.

Preliminary thinking is to instruct the 600 senior high students in the morning hours, and the 450 junior high students in the afternoon. The present junior high building will become an elementary school…

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

Demolition contract for Blocks 3, 4 approved by city

Work to start week of April 14

The Shakopee City Council last week approved a contract with Dulas Excavating of Wells, Minn., for the demolition of Blocks 3 and 4 in the downtown…

Preparation for the demolition of the two blocks, according to Paul Snook, city economic development coordinator, will begin this week with the removal of … Before a building can be demolished Hazardous Materials Abatement Corp. of Brooklyn Park will remove all the asbestos and other hazardous materials including … and light bulbs.

The week of April 14 is when the actual demolition is scheduled to begin. Snook said it will take a week to demolish the buildings. After removing the building debris, Dulas will complete the project by filling the holes remaining from demolition and put up a chain link fence…

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 25, 1897 Scott County Argus

There is a lake on the bottoms extending here from G. H. Kunsman’s to Dean’s lake, and the residents alongshore and in mid seas are now induced to study astronomy, navigation and the arts dependent upon them by which society has been so much benefitted.

100 Years Ago: From the March 23, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

City Fire Whistle Moved to Minn. Stove Co. Plant

The city fire whistle has this week been taken from the City Power house and installed at the plant of the Minnesota Stove Co.

The change was made on account of the greater amount of power, at the Stove Works at all times which therefore is able to render better service.

The whistle will be tried out Saturday noon from its new location and hereafter all fire alarms will be given from the Minnesota Stove Co.’s plant instead of the City Power house.

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

Service Station, Flax Oil Plant Hit by Fires

Fire at the Zephyr Oil company station south of Shakopee Saturday afternoon and another at the Cargill flaxseed oil plant at Savage Monday noon sent Shakopee firemen on runs.

The oil station fire it was reliably stated, resulted when a motorist … into the drive and smashed into two pumps, knocking each over. Flowing gasoline immediately ignited and threatened the entire plant. The damage it was learned, may exceed $700.

A spark from a welding torch is believed to have been the cause, firemen said, of the fire in the flax … plant at Savage Monday night. Extent of the damage was not determined…

50 Years Ago: From the March 22, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Commissioners Agree to Build Temporary Courthouse Addition

In response to a plea from Scott County Chief Judge F. J. Connolly last week for adequate space at the courthouse to conduct trials, commissioners agreed Tuesday to construct a temporary building on the present courthouse site.

The building, as described by architect Donald Erickson, would be of modular design, partially preassembled at a factory. It would provide 1152 square feet of space for a court room, and cambers for judge and jury.

Cost of the building was estimated to be a total of $37,000. The county could expect to recover about one-third of that if the building were sold when the proposed second phase of county construction is completed and court facilities are located on the new site on County Road 17.

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

It’s official: black is in

It will join red and white as school colors

It’s official. As of Monday, black can be used as a primary color for Shakopee School District uniforms, signs and logos.

The School Board unanimously approved the addition of black as one of the primary school colors at Monday night’s regular meeting after listening to the recommendations of representatives of a committee formed to study the matter.

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 18, 1897 Scott County Argus

The entire stock of John Berens & Co. was last week moved to their handsome new brick block at the corner of Holmes and First streets, and the quarters that they have known for so many years past now know them no more.

100 Years Ago: From the March 16, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

School Notes

Many absences are noticed in school attendance this week, probably due to the floods on the streets.

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

Senators Approve Camp Sale

Acquisition of the former NYA tract east of the city as a memorial park for Shakopee moved nearer to resolution Tuesday Mayor J. J. Cavanaugh disclosed upon his return from the state capitol where a bill authorizing transfer of title from the state to the City of Shakopee was favorably reported out of a senate committee that day.

Immediate vote on the measure was not expected inasmuch as a companion bill was still in a lower house committee and was to be reported out in a few days, the mayor said.

After committees of both houses have given approval the bill will then be presented for adoption and eventual signature by the governor. This phase of the procedure is not anticipated for at least two weeks, it was learned.

The tract, originally used as a homeless men’s camp and later as a National Youth Administration center for learning trades to underprivileged boys, is composed of more than 200 acres, the greater portion of which lies between the south bank of the Minnesota river and the right of way of state highway No. 101. Another portion lies between the highway and the north line of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha railway right of way.

Buildings erected on the property by the federal government and the state are now occupied by several industries. One of the structures, the old stone “Murphy house” is not included in the property sought by the city but is said to be “ear marked” for the State Historical society.

50 Years Ago: From the March 15, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Split Shifts Likely for Some Shakopee Students Next Fall

Question: Where to Make the Split?

After an exhaustive two hour presentation and discussion of the alternatives open the Shakopee Board of Education in providing classroom space for next year, it became apparent Monday night that split shifts of some kind will be a reality in the district when school begins next fall.

But the board did not feel it had examined all possibilities, and so did not make a final decision. Still to be determined is where a split will be made.

There are three main possibilities. 1, a split of the elementary grades; 2, a split of secondary grades, combining the junior and senior high classes at the senior high building; and 3, a split of a portion of the elementary grades (4-6 for example).

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

City ordinance regulating towers adopted by council

The passage of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, and its edict that cities allow telecommunication companies to erect towers, threw communities throughout the area into a quandary…

The Shakopee City Council imposed a moratorium in November to give city staff time to research the issue and prepare a draft ordinance. The moratorium was then extended to April 1.

On March 4 the City Council approved a new ordinance regulating the telecommunication towers. However, the … still in place, Shakopee currently has no application awaiting approval…

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

One of the last items of news unearthed this week is the establishing this spring of a nursery and greenhouse at Shakopee. During the week James Sullivan concluded the sale of the “Schulte Forty,” east of the Strait farm, to two Minneapolis gentlemen, Messrs. Leopold Low and Robert Stern, nursery men and florists of ten years’ experience with the well-known Mendenhall. They will remove to Shakopee at once, the latter being a man of family, and commence the building of the greenhouse as soon as they can get into the ground. The entire tract will be made use of and the business be conducted on a correspondingly extensive scale.

100 Years Ago: From the March 9, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

C. M. Kopp has announced his candidacy for re-election to the office of County Sheriff and solicits the voters support on the record he has made while filling the office for the past several years.

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

Rail Crossing Order Stands

Denying the city council’s recent petition to “… and nullify” the state Railroad and Warehouse Commission order closing nine grade crossings of the Omaha railroad in Shakopee the commission this week framed its reply to the petition.

According to Harold E. Flynn, city attorney, the rejection of the nullification request leaves the rail crossing matter just as it as before the council requested a re-hearing or abandonment of the commission order.

The order from which the council sought to appeal provides for the closing of Omaha railway crossings at Pierce and Shumway streets in West Shakopee, and Sommerville, Spencer, Fillmore, Main, Market, Dakota and Prairie streets in East Shakopee, after the rail company has installed automatic safety devices at the Lewis, Holmes and Fuller street grade crossings.

50 Years Ago: From the March 8, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

County Building Cost Chopped $600,000

Plant Gets Good Reception…

Architect Donald Erickson presented revised plans for a county office building at a special meeting of the Scott County Board Monday night which Commissioners termed “impressive.”

The building would be built on a 20-acre site the county owns at the intersection of County Road 17 and an extension of 11^th Avenue in Shakopee.

Erickson, of Patch, Erickson, Madson and Hanson, Inc., estimated cost at $1,265,819, more than $600,000 less than an original plan cost of $1.9 million…

Erickson told commissioners Tuesday that the reduction in size had been accomplished by reducing some storage and expansion space which had been included in the previous plan, along with reductions in administration and commissioner’s area.

Despite the reduction in overall square footage, the plan also provides for quarters for the county welfare offices, now occupying rental space in Shakopee…

If approved by voters in September, the building would probably be ready for occupancy in early 1974. When county offices now housed in the courthouse move out, the present courthouse would be taken over largely by the county courts system.

The office building, in the county’s long range plans, is the first in a three-phase building program on the 20 acre site. Later stages would see construction of a county courts building and a county public safety building.

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

Former hospital building meets wrecking ball

Workers began knocking down the former St. Francis Regional Medical Center building at 325 Fifth Ave. W. last week. The demolition and cleanup is expected to take several weeks. Plans are for the site to become a parking lot for the Scott County Courthouse and proposed county justice center.