Month: July 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 May 27, 1897 Scott County Argus

Messrs. W. N. Southworth and J. R. Buchanan have taken advantage of the recent rains to put their tennis court at the corner of Lewis and Third streets into first-class condition. After Jupiter Pluvius had soaked and resoaked the level court the young men got out and rolled a ponderous belt wheel from the mill over the surface, and it is gradually approaching perfection under their lavish expenditure of muscular tissue.

100 Years Ago: From the May 25, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Maurice Stans is the proud possessor of a new Radio outfit which he received last week for obtaining subscriptions to the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch. Maurice is very much interested in the outfit and has been busy for several days installing it. He has it complete now and is ready to enjoy Radio concerts.

75 Years Ago: From the May 22, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

City-Wide Garbage Plan Urged

Unwilling to concede that the garbage collection problem is a dead issue here despite failure in several attempts to get the project under way, the Shakopee Commercial club Tuesday night gave new impetus to the proposition by adopting a resolution memorializing the city council to facilitate a citywide garbage collection system.

Previous efforts to solve the increasingly difficult problem have been on a voluntary basis under which those desiring the service would authorize and agree to pay for the service. Under the new proposal made to the council the city would assume responsibility for the collection and would finance the work from city funds obtained by a tax levy.

That creation of a city garbage collection system as proposed in the resolution would not be entirely agreeable to those who now feel they have no need for the service was readily admitted by proponents of the plan, but it was likewise generally agreed that the city has reached the point in its growth where garbage collection is as essential as public utilities or police and fire protection.

Members of the city council present at the session declined to commit themselves on the matter but gave assurance the question would be studied by them at the next regular meeting.

50 Years Ago: From the May 24, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Historic Restoration Site May Return to City

To Pave Way for HUD Grant…

Deed to the Scott County Historical Society’s Minnesota Valley Restoration site may have to be conveyed back to the city in order to satisfy federal requirements for a $250,000 grant for site improvements according to Margaret MacFarlane, restoration director.

Mrs. MacFarlane told the Shakopee City Council Tuesday night that the grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development was out of legal review in Washington, D.C., and apparently available to the society, but either the city or county must act as an agent.

25 Years Ago: From the May 22, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

Lease for justice center OK’d

At its May 15 meeting, the Scott County Board authorized an agreement allowing the Scott County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to acquire an interest in the justice center campus in Shakopee…

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 May 20, 1897 Scott County Argus

At a meeting of the congregation of St. Mark’s church last Sunday it was decided to tear down the old chapel and frame buildings at the rear and erect in their place a small brick boiler house to run the steam heating plant of the church, school and priest’s house. The little chapel was built in 1856 and is dear to many old residents from the sad and sweet memories that cluster around it for them; but sentiment was indeed to give way before the spirit of improvement, and the work of demolition will be begun at once. The front of the church property will be walled up entirely with Kasota stone, and the broad wooden stairway at the front entrance will be replaced by ornamental iron stairs. The work of improvement as outlined will be expensive, but the beauty of the grounds and church edifice will be correspondingly enhanced.

100 Years Ago: From the May 18, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Julius A. Coller Receives Appointment

Julius A. Coller this week received from Governor Preus, an appointment as member of the State Crime Commission…

75 Years Ago: From the May 15, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Council Plans Utilities Board

Passage of a motion paving the way for the eventual creation of a utilities commission to take over the supervision and management of the city’s electric power distribution and water and sewer systems highlighted a long and heavy session of the Shakopee city council Tuesday night.

The utilities commission proposal, an outgrowth of many months of general discussion by council members and citizens in general, was presented by Alderman Lawrence Kreuser who has long advocated the measure. It would provide for the appointment of a three-man board to whom would be vested the authority to manage all of the city’s public utilities…

50 Years Ago: From the May 17, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

Zoning for Apartments, Shopping Center Asked

Planners Recommend Approval…

At its meeting Thursday evening, May 11, the Shakopee Planning Commission recommended approval of a request by the Shakopee Sand and Gravel Company to have 122 acres of land rezoned from its present use as mining area to use as a multiple dwelling and commercial area.

The area lies west of the Shakopee High School between County Roads 17 and 79. The Shakopee Sand and Gravel Company plans to cease mining operations in the area in the near future.

Greg Roberts, representing the company, said that 100 acres of the land would be developed as a residential area comprised of single-family homes, townhouses and apartment buildings. 60.3 acres would be used for the construction of a shopping center, and 17 acres would be donated to the City of Shakopee for use as a municipal park.

Roberts said that proposed Trunk Highway 169 would run adjacent to the new shopping center. The shopping center would block much of the noise coming from the four-lane highway into the residential area, he added…

25 Years Ago: From the May 15, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

Chaska bank opening Shakopee branch

Next spring, Shakopee will have one more bank, the First National Bank of Chaska.

Fall construction is planned for the 5,705-square-foot bank at the intersection of Marschall Road and Vierling Drive. The bank will have a drive-up window with three auto-bank lanes and two more in the future. An automated teller machine will be located along one of the drive-up lanes.

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 May 13, 1897 Scott County Argus

There is a cycle path in town, and it is worthy the name. It extends alongside the roadway from Hubert Marx’s residence to the Lutheran church, two blocks that have heretofore been almost impassable to cyclists, on account of sand. Its construction is due to the good will of the residents of that neighborhood, notably Clem Affolter, whose hoe and rake have been plied through several evenings. This pioneer work and its excellent results should serve as an incentive to others and even to the great city itself. At small expense many bad stretches of roadway could be made into a cyclists’ paradise, and the sidewalk question would settle itself.

100 Years Ago: From the May 11, 1922 Shakopee Tribune

Improvements Being Made at Upper Catholic Cemetery

Vast improvements are being made at Upper Catholic cemetery. The lane leading from the public highway to the cemetery has been graded the past year and this spring a row of elm trees has been planted along each side of the road, which makes it quite attractive.

The new addition to the cemetery on the south side has been platted and shrubbery has been planted there. Other improvements will be made soon and will continue during the summer.

The work has been done under the personal supervision of Rev. Dean M. Savs, to whom much credit is due for the interest he displays in furthering the good cause of beautifying the cemetery.

75 Years Ago: From the May 8, 1947 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Phone Strike Ends
Service Restored

Ending a strike that for 28 days had limited service to emergency calls only, several thousand Northwestern Bell telephone workers returned to their jobs Tuesday morning after negotiators Monday night reached a wage agreement that will provide weekly pay increases ranging from $3.50 to $4.00.

With the return of operators to their positions at the switchboard, Shakopee service was back to normal almost immediately, but it was not until late in the morning that many residents of the community learned the strike had been settled.

Still unsettled late Tuesday, however, was the strike of long lines of employees who did not return to their jobs. This situation was expected to be cleared before the end of the week, thus restoring service to normalcy throughout the nation…

50 Years Ago: From the May 10, 1972 Shakopee Valley News

$10 Million Roofing Products Plant for VIP

Certain-teed Products Corp. and its Minneapolis subsidiary, B. F. Nelson Manufacturing Co., have announced plans to erect a $10 million asphalt roofing plant on a 60-acre site in the Valley Industrial Park in Shakopee…

25 Years Ago: From the May 8, 1997 Shakopee Valley News

State agency approves ADC grant

The city of Shakopee and ADC Telecommunications Inc. have been approved by the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development to receive a $250,000 state loan to help the company expand its operations and establish headquarters in the city. ADC will create 75 new jobs and leverage $23 million in private investment for the project…