Month: December 2023

150 Years Ago: From the Jan. 1, 1874 Shakopee Argus

What has become of the once famous Shakopee Copper Mining Company? Why are they not at work sinking that shaft into the bowels of the earth?

125 Years Ago: From the Jan. 5, 1899 Scott County Argus

George Theis, of Marystown, has purchased of the St. Croix Lumber company the lumber for a big granary, 40×70 feet in size with an additional shed 16 feet long. John T. Kreuser has the contract for the building, and work will be begun as soon as there is sufficient snow to make hauling possible.

125 Years Ago: From the Jan. 6, 1899 Shakopee Tribune

One of the latest improved talking machines, the ‘Graphophone’ has been placed in Otto Spielmann’s saloon recently. It is one of the most interesting and amusing, as well as the most wonderful machines ever invented.

100 Years Ago: From the Jan. 3, 1924 Shakopee Tribune

For Sale—About nine 10-acre plots located West of Shakopee’s city park, fair grounds and athletic field. Each plot has a frontage on the Minnesota river. The location of these plots is especially desirable. For price and particulars, communicate with Wm. Ryan, 1950 Dayton Ave., St. Paul.

100 Years Ago: From the Jan. 4, 1924 Shakopee Argus

Shakopee high school opens its conference season with a game in Dawson’s hall next Monday night, playing the Belle Plaine high school. In close succession ten games will be played, five here and five away, to determine the district winners. With its whole team from last year intact Shakopee is going to make bid for high honors. The game Monday will be well worth seeing. A fast preliminary will precede the regular game. The Shakopee team consists of the following: Edwin Cooper, captain, Fred Ring, Leo Hartmann, Howard Ries, Grant Lundberg, Roman Kopp, Walter Majerus, and Dale Chapman.

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

Fire Fighters to Stage School for 800 in Shakopee

Plans for a fire school that is expected to attract nearly 800 firemen to Shakopee next July will be discussed at a committee meeting to be he held here early next month, H. J. Pass, Shakopee fire chief, disclosed this week…

50 Years Ago: From the Jan. 2, 1974 Shakopee Valley News

Highway by-pass for Shakopee receives new emphasis

Plans for a highway by-pass to the south of Shakopee’s central business district and Valley Industrial Park took a step forward last week.

Local government officials, Metropolitan Council members and Highway Department representatives met before the Scott County Board of Commissioners last Thursday to discuss those plans.

The meeting resulted in a proposal to create a task force of the factions involved to formulate a specific route for the highway and an official map of the area…

The goal of the task force will be to designate a specific route for the by-pass which will be considerably narrower than the 2,000 foot corridor now indicated. The designated route will be used in an official map of the area which will have to be approved by each of the governments involved.

25 Years Ago: From the Dec. 31, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

County to have new treasurer, auditor in 1999

Scott County will have a new auditor and treasurer in 1999 following action by commissioners last week.

Meeting for the final time in 1998, the County Board on Dec. 22 appointed James Berg as the new county auditor and Michael Nguyen as county treasurer. Pat Boeckman was appointed county recorder, a position she won by election…

Interested in Shakopee history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.

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

The early sleighing created quite a boom in the wood market, and hundreds of cords have been hauled in and sold on the street at good prices. Herman Schroeder of the City Brick yard has already added a thousand cords to the long ranks in the wood yard in East Shakopee; and still it comes. He states that there have been as many as forty teams at his yard in one day. He has bought wood from forty five different parties, that is, contracted for considerable amounts from that number of farmers. He thinks there was a greater amount of wood cut last winter than usual owing to the light snowfall and the prevailing good prices. He is paying $2.25 for soft wood and $2.75 for oak, which is more than is offered in neighboring towns, hence the large amount marketed here.

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

The King Midas Milling Co. as usual played the generous roll of Santa Claus by giving all of their mill employees a Christmas gift and they also presented a goodly number of sacks of King Midas flour to various people and organizations about town in appreciation of their co-operation during the past year.

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

Five Ice Rinks Serve Fans Here

Shakopee skating enthusiasts are definitely not lacking in places to enjoy the sport this year—five municipal rinks are now in operation, Leonard Siebenaler, superintendent of parks and streets, announced this week.

Two of the rinks have been prepared in the recreation park near the Scout cabin; another is located on the south side of Shakopee avenue; a fourth in Holmes park, and the fifth on the vacant lot north of St. Mark’s school on West Third street.

Siebenaler, assisted by James Rein and members of the Shakopee fire department, got the skating areas in shape last week. All of the rinks were opened Friday night and have been in constant use since that time.

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

Shakopee’s downtown revitalization plans receive new emphasis

Plans for revitalizing Shakopee’s downtown business district advanced recently with the hiring of a development consultant firm.

Shakopee’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) has been discussing plans and ideas for a new look downtown for several months, and the city has hired the consultants to get the project moving toward something concrete.

The new firm is The Hodge Stageberg Partners Inc., and the man who will work on the project is John Gravender.

Gravender has a series of meetings planned with local businessmen and community leaders during January to assess their views on the planning…

25 Years Ago: From the Dec. 24, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Despite city concerns, train speeds to increase

Officials from Union Pacific Railroad said its decision to increase the speed of its trains from 10 to 30 mph through Shakopee was good for both the city and the railroad.

The Shakopee City Council didn’t buy a word of it.

Mayor Jon Brekke told company officials at the Dec. 15 council meeting that the city would use every means at its disposal to reverse the railroad’s decision. The council voted unanimously to direct City Attorney Jim Thomson to research the city’s legal options…

Interested in Shakopee history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.

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

One of the prettiest of the many handsome window displays of the merchants for holiday week is that of L. Schaefer, who has constructed a grotto out of rolls of cotton of a light green color literally sprinkled with tinsel. In this are displayed many handsome pieces of jewelry, watches and silverware, and when at night it is lit up with bright gas jets, the effect is striking, and very pleasing to the eye.

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

Local Mill is Exporting Flour

The King Midas Milling Co., has temporarily converted its 1200-bbl. wheat mill into a rye mill and is now making rye flour in both of its Shakopee units.

The changing over process took about three days and necessitated recorrugating thirteen pairs of mill rolls at a big expense.

At the present time the mills are working on several large export orders, one of which is going direct to Hamburg, Germany.

For the past three weeks, the mills have been operating at full capacity every day in the week, including Sundays, and present indications are that they will continue this pace for some time to come.

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

Church Getting Major Repairs

A major repair job involving the replacement of foundations, joists and stringers in a large portion of St. Mark’s church is now under way.

Settling of the floor along the communion rail led to the discovery that much of the supporting structure was deteriorating and that immediate repairs were necessary.

While the S. M. Hennen construction crew is restoring the impaired portions of the structure services have been conducted int eh basement of the school.

The Rev. Henry Scherer, pastor said Wednesday that Sunday masses would be held in the church as usual.

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

First phase of park plan okayed; City Council sets pay schedules

The city council took the first formal steps in implementing Shakopee’s five year park program at its meeting Tuesday night.

Park director George Muenchow offered a proposal to the council for beginning work on Memorial Park. The first phase of the park development plan will cost some $50,000, half of which will come from a grant of the Lower Minnesota River Water Shed District, and the other half from the city…

Included under top priority items were two new parking lots, connecting roads and hiking paths as well as posts and barriers to protect the park from automobile traffic as much as possible. The plans also included a new picnic shelter, well, play apparatus and a foot bridge across the creek.

25 Years Ago: From the Dec. 17, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Plan to purchase land for another school advances

Addressing the need for an additional secondary school in the future, Shakopee School Board members agreed Monday to move forward with the purchase of property located south of Highway 169 in Jackson Township.

The 85-acre parcel, owned by Norbert Theis, is situated between county roads 77 and 79. Because of its central location and access to athletic fields, the site is considered ideal for a junior or senior high school. It is also described as a “flexible” lot – its size and irregular shape could also accommodate an elementary building, Superintendent Bob Ostlund said…

Interested in Shakopee history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.

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

As will be seen from the published report of the proceedings of the common council, the city has won in the suit of the Steamer “Daisy” against the city for damages to the boat caused by a collision with the bridge on the night of the 14^th of June, 1896. The suit was most preposterous to begin with, and the outcome, which puts the costs of the suit upon the owners of the “Daisy,” is the only one that could have been expected.

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

The Scott County Welfare Board met last Thursday at the court house. Mrs. H. W. Messerer of Jordan was appointed to succeed Mrs. Wm. Berger who resigned.

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

Open Body Shop on Atwood Street

Opening of a car body repair shop in the brick building north of the Gipson lumber company on Atwood street is announced this week by Clarence Kunz and Lawrence Von Bank, co-proprietors in the business.

To be known as the Kunz Body Shop the firm will also deal in used cars, the men said. Both are experienced mechanics.

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

Police, firemen quell incident at reformatory

Shakopee police and firemen were called to the Correctional Institute for Women in Shakopee over the weekend to help settle a disturbance in one of the security cottages.

Five women originally began the incident with a sit-down strike over television privileges about 2:30 a.m. Sunday, according to administrator Jackie Fleming. She said that three of the inmates were returned to their rooms, but the remaining two lit fires in a bathroom.

Ms. Fleming said one fire was started in a wastebasket and a second ignited curtains and scorched a wall. Police and firemen quickly had the fires out and the smoke cleared, she added.

The two remaining inmates were placed in a maximum security area where they remained early this week.

Ms. Fleming said the incident arose in protest to late television privileges which were to start this weekend. The inmates involved had wanted the new policy to be effective last weekend.

25 Years Ago: From the Dec. 10, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Spooky World, Murphy’s part

Halloween theme park moves to Canterbury in 1999

For Spooky World and Historic Murphy’s Landing, the haunted honeymoon is over.

After four years on the grounds of the recreated 18^th century village, Shakopee’s outdoor harvest them park is pulling up stakes and heading to its new home at Canterbury Park…

Interested in Shakopee history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.

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

Mrs. Baker, of the Union schools, is an industrious and talented little lady. Not content with winning her way into the hearts of all her pupils and the esteem of parents and fellow teachers by doing some of the best grade work seen in the Shakopee schools, she employs a part of her spare time in writing. This week she received a check for $50.00 from the Youth’s Companion, of Boston, for a little story entitled “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.”

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

Improvements in P. O. Building

W. E. Redman and Charles Bierbaum, owners of the building in which the local postoffice is located, recently made extensive improvements in the building.

In making these improvements they had a new door put in the North side of the building about eight feet West of the old door which has now been closed. The partition in the building separating the working space of the rural carriers from the post office proper, has been removed and the rear of the building generally repaired and closed to prevent all outside exposure. This change will give the rural carriers and all other postal employees about twenty square feet additional working space.

The entrance to the basement was also changed and the washroom remodeled.

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

Cafe Building Sold, VFW Club Has First Floor

In a real estate transfer expected to be completed soon, Earl Ploumen will become the owner of the former Shakopee Cafe building on East Second street.

Ploumen said Tuesday that an earnest money contract had been executed last week between himself and Otto C. Siems, owner of the cafe building, and that the entire first floor of the structure had been leased to the Shakopee VFW post.

The second floor apartment, formerly occupied by the Leonard Siebenaler family, is now tenanted by the Ed Ploumen family who moved there from the house now owned by the Soconny Vacuum company at First and Atwood streets. The Siebenalers have taken an apartment over the Blue Inn cafe…

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

Correctional institute asks for new building

A request for a new activities building on the grounds of the Minnesota Correctional Institution for Women in Shakopee was formally presented to State legislators visiting here last week.

The proposed half million dollar building was part of a list of new construction and major repairs requested for the institution by administrator Ms. D. Jacqueline Fleming…

25 Years Ago: From the Dec. 3, 1998 Shakopee Valley News

Plan to shift fourth-graders sparks debate

Some would attend new school

A proposal to move selected fourth-graders to the new elementary school next fall sparked a debate among Shakopee School Board members Monday.

After more than an hour of intense dialogue, the board voted 4-3 to accept the administrative recommendation, which will bring certain fourth-grade students from Sweeney and Pearson elementary schools to a facility previously set aside for fifth- and sixth-graders. In planning for the elementary school construction project, district officials and a planning committee included space for the addition of grades, if necessary…

Interested in Shakopee history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.