Month: September 2023

125 Years Ago: From the Oct. 6, 1898 Scott County Argus

Results of the work of the two long gravel trains which have been running through town a dozen times a day since the steam shovel was put in place at the nearby purchased gravel pit on the old Gifford farm, are quite apparent, now, even in the outskirts of town. The track has been built up on a fine bed of gravel, and the grades have been evened up for long distance. The change in the grade has spoiled many road crossings, some of them being quite impossible. But these will no doubt soon be fixed by the pathmasters of the different towns. Another improvement in the railroad is the straightening of the track. The slight curves have been taken out, at the expense in some cases of a complete change in cut or embankment. At a point near Blakely a new track has been laid for a comfortable distance, thus cutting out two bad curves in the old rack. All this will add to the comfort and safety of the patrons of the road, and enable the trains to run on faster schedules.

100 Years Ago: From the Oct. 4, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

J. J. Schaefer Received Mail Route Assignment

J. J. Schaefer received notice from the Post Office Department at Washington, D. C., last Thursday that he was the successful aspirant for the position of rural mail carrier out of the Shakopee post office which has been open for the past year or more. This vacancy was originally brought about through the illness of Herman Logenfeil, who had been carrying on Rural Route No. 1 for many years.

Since Mr. Logenfeil’s retirement the position of rural carrier on Route Number 1 has been filled by R. L. Brown. Mr. Schaefer will take up his duties as carrier on this route October 15.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 30, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Lutherans Begin New Parish House

Construction of a new parish house for St. John’s Lutheran church got under way this week with the excavation of the basement area.

The 1 ½ story frame structure will include a full basement and seven rooms. It is being erected on block 8, block 7, on East First street across the street from the church.

50 Years Ago: From the Oct. 3, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

The first day of Metropolitan Transit service to Shakopee went okay, according to Glenn Peterson of the MTC. The red express bus designated 35-J picked up eight local riders Monday morning and returned with three that night. Peterson, an MTC supervisor, said the numbers were satisfactory for the buses first run and added that he expected more commuters to Minneapolis would soon be taking advantage of the service.

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 29, 1898 Scott County Argus

G. S. Lander is planning to put a fine cement pavement, similar in construction to the one now surrounding the Argus block, in front of the opera house block. The work will begin in the early spring. At that time he will also have laid along the front of his residence property a walk of cement stone, similar to the one now being laid in the residence district by Ring & Fischer.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 27, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Shakopee to Have New Business Enterprise

A new business enterprise is being established in this city and will go into effect Monday, October 1, when Scherkenbach’s Hardware and Electric Supply will open its doors for business to succeed the Scherkenbach Electric Shop.

The new enterprise will be located in the same stand in the Post Office building as was the Electric Shop, and will be conducted by George M. Scherkenbach as formerly. However, the store has undergone complete renovation and has been greatly enlarged. The work of installing new shelving and show cases is progressing rapidly and is nearing completion.

The new store will carry in addition to the splendid line of electrical appliances always on hand, a large and complete stock of hardware, also a fine line of radio sets and accessories. The new stock arrived here this week and is being arranged at the store, where all will be ready for the opening next Monday, October Market Day…

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 23, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

State Baseball Tourney Crowd Record Shattered

All previous State Amateur Baseball tournament attendance records were shattered when 34,263 paid admissions passed through the gates during the nine-day event staged in Shakopee Sept. 13-19. The total topped by 5,927 the mark set at Mankato last season, association officers disclosed.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 26, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

New sign officially designates Lions Park

Lions Park came one step closer to completion when a four by twelve foot mahogany sign was erected at the entrance to the park with the following inscription: LIONS PARK – WE SERVE. The sign was placed on the site following a council resolution passed August 28, designating an area east and south of the swimming pool as Lions Park.

The Shakopee Lions Club started developing the park area two years ago when an agreement was reached with the city that the area could be developed into a park and named Lions Park if the club members were willing to take over the project. At that time the Lions hired a contractor to landscape the area, and planted approximately 200 trees and shrubs.

When the park is completed, it will provide picnic area for Shakopee residents and visitors. The park is designed to provide semi-secluded picnic areas for individual picnickers as small hills have been landscaped in along a shelter and restrooms.

A large sliding hill is also part of the park area which will provide an off-the-street area for the youngsters to enjoy this recreation in the winter months.

Money for development of the park has come from the proceeds of several Lions Club projects…

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 22, 1898 Scott County Argus

Of the 88 papers written by Shakopee High school pupils last spring, in the State examinations, all but 13 passed. Nine of the 13 were written by pupils of the 7^th grade, and the other four were from the class in English composition. The examination in this branch, Prof. McBee informs us, was so difficult that failures were the rule all over the state. In any event the result of the work done in the school as evidenced by the returns from the state examining board is highly creditable to both teachers and pupils.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 20, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Telephone Office to Open Sunday

The new Tri-State Toll Office will open for business next Sunday, September 23, at 7 A. M. at their office on the second floor of the M. J. Berens store building.

The work of arranging the rooms and installing boards and other fixtures has been under way for several months and at present the office is completely equipped and will be ready for operation Sunday morning. The toll work for the southern part of the state will be taken care of at this office instead of being handled in the offices of the twin cities.

Miss Rutherford of St. Paul is in charge of the office and is engaged this week in giving instructions to eight local ladies who will be employed there. However these ladies will not have charge of the boards until thoroughly competent. Eight experienced operators will arrive from the twin cities and will begin work Sunday morning.

About thirty or forty men will be at work Saturday in cutting and connecting wires to have everything in readiness for the opening of the new office.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 16, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Shakopee Park Setting for NCA Pictographs

National Coaches association, nationwide organization of college and high school athletic coaches, began work here Saturday morning on a series of baseball photographs.

Dica Siebert, University of Minnesota baseball coach and Shakopee first baseman, is directing the work for the coaches association. In addition to the Shakopee picture, Siebert said that more pictures for the series will be made at the University. From the photographs slides will be made, sets of which will be available to all coaches of colleges and high schools in the United States for use in demonstrating the fundamentals of the national game.

Local players in Shakopee uniforms backgrounded against the Riverside playing field were photographed here, and Siebert said the set of slides to be made would be known as Shakopee, U.S.A., representative of baseball-minded towns the nation over.

Siebert was delegated by the national body to compile the series, an appointment which indicates the respect with which the popular first basemen is regarded in the athletic world.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 19, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Courthouse construction should start in February

A representative of Fasch, Erickson, Madson, Inc., architects of a new courthouse recently approved by county voters, appeared at Tuesday’s County Board of Commissioners and indicated that construction of the building is scheduled to begin in early February and conclude in early April, 1975.

Donald M. Erickson told the County Board that his firm is now ready to begin work on the interior designs for the new building. All plans for the structure should be drawn up by the end of December, he said, with bids for construction to be taken during the month of January.

Erickson told the County Board that the 14-month projected completion date is a rough estimate, and that it is possible that the building could be completed in 12 months or less.

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 15, 1898 Scott County Argus

Ring & Fischer, of the Shakopee stone works, announce that they have secured contracts for cement sidewalks along the north side of Second street, for two solid blocks, from the post office to the Fred Scherkenbach residence. Dr. H. P. Fischer will have 3 ½ lots paved, E. L. Welch has ordered 50 feet, Mrs. Pauline Heidenreich and Mrs. Peter Mergens will also have the cement blocks, and Fred Scherkenbach has ordered 120 lineal feet, in addition to a walk inside the grounds. They have also contracted for a walk 65 feet in length for Nic Heger, which is to be laid with cement curbing. Then too, they have taken the contract for forty yards of walk and cement steps at the Theodore Weiland residence. The work of laying the cement along Second street will be begun at once and pushed to rapid completion. The improvement will be very marked, and it is to be hoped that it will prove such a fine advertisement for the cement paving that board walks will be relegated to the receding past where they belong.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 13, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

Work was begun last week on a new five room, story and a half residence for Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dellwo and family. It will be a frame structure, lumber is being furnished by the Simons Lumber Co. Mr. Dellwo is doing the work and expects to complete it this fall.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 9, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

898 Pupils In City’s 3 Schools

Breaking all previous first day enrollment figures, 898 pupils were registered in Shakopee’s three schools as the institutions opened Tuesday, school authorities disclosed.

The total was 55 above the 833 registered on the first day of school last year, which up to that time was the highest of record, it was learned…

Late registrations, additions of new families to the community and transfers to from other schools may push the total for the three schools close to the 1,000 mark before the term is many weeks old, authorities said.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 12, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Courthouse proposal passes 2-1

A proposal to construct a new Scott County courthouse was approved by Scott County voters by greater than a 2-1 margin Tuesday in a light turnout at the polls.

Vote totals on the bond issue were 2,124 for, 968 against.

Voters in each of Shakopee’s four wards overwhelmingly approved the bond issue, while in other areas, such as Savage, Sand Creek, New Market Village, Elko and Blakely, the proposal won out by narrow margins…

125 Years Ago: From the Sept. 8, 1898 Scott County Argus

The firm of Reis Bros. Livery has dissolved partnership, Val Reis having bought out his brother Henry. The business will be continued as before, at the same stable.

100 Years Ago: From the Sept. 6, 1923 Shakopee Tribune

The Henry Hentges home on 4^th street is being raised onto a new foundation and undergoing other changes. The house will be stuccoed and new porches will be added. When complete, it will be a very attractive residence.

75 Years Ago: From the Sept. 2, 1948 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Argus-Tribune Office Now on First Floor

For the convenience of its patrons the Argus-Tribune has moved its offices to the first floor in the building formerly occupied by the Huth barbershop on Lewis street.

The move eliminates the necessity of climbing the steps to the offices that for many years were on the second floor of the building.

Space made available by the move will be utilized in improving the printing and publishing plant.

50 Years Ago: From the Sept. 5, 1973 Shakopee Valley News

Tight money stalls shopping center plans in Shakopee

Indications are that a $3 million shopping center, for which ground was previously scheduled to be broken around Aug. 1, may not be in this area’s foreseeable future.

Ray Williams, president of Jacksondale, Inc., developers of the proposed center, said last week that project promoters have not been able to find “acceptable financing” for the project, and that construction has therefore been …

Williams said he is unable to predict when construction of the center, which was planned for a 124-acre tract of land immediately southwest of Shakopee on U.S. 169, could begin. He said it would be “as soon as interest rates drop.”

Planners envisioned the center as the location of both regional and locally owned retail stores, a movie theater, motel, restaurant and lounge and bowling alley. The proposed site for the center was moved to its present location when local residents’ objections cause the Shakopee Planning Commission to reject an initial plan to build the center south of Tenth Street in Shakopee.