Month: February 2024

150 Years Ago: From the Feb. 26, 1874 Shakopee Argus

John J. Ring, County Treasurer elect, has moved into town. He will enter upon the discharge of his official duties on Monday next.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 24, 1899 Shakopee Tribune

The old Flaherty & Lies building which had served as a general store and one of the oldest familiar Shakopee landmarks the past 45 years on the corner of First and Lewis streets, was this week razed to the ground as the preliminary action to clearing the grounds for the erection of the large two story brick structure which will be commenced within a very short time…

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 29, 1924 Shakopee Argus

City Attorney Resigns

At the adjourned regular meeting of the common council Wednesday, City Atty. J. J. Moriarty tendered his resignation as counselor for that body, a position which we think he has filled with credit to himself and general satisfaction to the people of Shakopee. Mr. Moriarty’s resignation was accepted, but his successor has not yet been appointed.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 28, 1924 Shakopee Tribune

Postmaster Schwartz had another convenience built in the distributing room of the local post office in the form of the installation of shelves on which to file parcel post packages. These shelves make the handling of parcel post more convenient and efficient as instead of placing packages on the floor, they are now filed on these shelves immediately upon their arrival, where they remain until distributed.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 24, 1949 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Conducts Clinic at Dental Meet

Dr. W. A. Pomije, Shakopee dentist, held a clinic on cavity preparation for silicate filling as a part of the program at the annual convention of the Minnesota State Dental association in the Minneapolis auditorium Wednesday.

A further contribution to the program was the showing for the first time of Dr. Pomije’s bur dispenser which e designed and recently patented. The dispenser was demonstrated by Mrs. Jane Rockwell and Miss Honora Pomije.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 24, 1949 Shakopee Valley News

Julius A. Coller Gets Exclusive Northwest Franchise For New Jesse James Movie

Julius A. Coller, II, local attorney and owner of North Star Pictures, a film distributing firm has been granted the exclusive Northwest distributing rights for the new screen hit, “I Shot Jesse James”, the Screen Guild News of California announced this week.

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 25, 1999 Shakopee Valley News

Kmart plans move to larger store near Cub

Blue-light specials will be moving from Shakopee Town Square on the west side of the city to the intersection of Marschall Road and Vierling Drive now that Kmart has announced plans to relocate later this year.

The city of Shakopee has received construction plans for a larger Kmart store to be located on southeast corner of the busy intersection, now a hotbed for retail activity with a new Cub Foods store and several smaller stores at the CrossRoads Center.

Although rumors of the impending move from the Shakopee mall on County Road 69 have been circulating since store management informed employees several weeks ago, Kmart corporate officials in Troy, Mich., declined to confirm plans until late last week.

Though Kmart officials confirmed plans for the new, larger store, they declined additional comment. However, plans submitted to the city indicate that Kmart will build a 106,162-square-foot store, which compares to its 81,500-square-foot Shakopee store. The site plan for the 18-acre parcel was submitted to the city on Kmart’s behalf by Continental Development…

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

150 Years Ago: From the Feb. 19, 1874 Shakopee Argus

A Bill has passed the Legislature legalizing the acts of the Shakopee Soap Factory. We would like to be informed what illegal acts the Shakopee Soap Factory has been guilty of?

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 23, 1899 Scott County Argus

The new well at Paul Fischer’s is complete and fitted with a force pump of serviceable pattern. The unlimited supply of water will be of benefit in carrying on the extensive gardening operations in dry seasons.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 17, 1899 Shakopee Tribune

Bernard Gentrub of Westpoint, Neb., last week purchased the buildings and five lots belonging to John Stratman for $1000. Mr. and Mrs. Stratman will leave for Steinhausen, Westpahlia Germany, next Monday. They have been residents of Shakopee the past 26 years.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 22, 1924 Shakopee Argus

C. D. McKinnon, who has conducted a billiard hall in the Dawson block the past two years, sold his interests to Fred Stelten the first of the week and has returned to River Falls, Wis., his old home. Mr. Stelten was the former proprietor of the business and is again in possession, pleased to be back at his old stand.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 21, 1924 Shakopee Tribune

P. G. Miller installed in his café during the past week a complete blau-gas cooking equipment.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 17, 1949 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Recreation Body to Finance Ball Club This Season

The job of financing the Shakopee baseball club for the coming season was assumed by the Shakopee Recreational association according to a motion passed by the board of directors at their meeting in the city hall Monday night.

It was also agreed that the Shakopee ball park would be made available to teams in the Minnesota Valley league for the playing of “any and all scheduled night league games.”…

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 17, 1949 Shakopee Valley News

Shakopee Plans Delegation To Bid For 1949 State Baseball Meet

State Board To Pick Tournament City At Meeting Next Monday Night

Shakopee will submit a bid to sponsor the 1949 State Amateur Baseball tournament the Shakopee Commercial Club decided at their meeting Tuesday night.

The Shakopee delegation will meet with members of the state baseball board at a special meeting at the Frederic Hotel Monday evening…

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 20, 1974 Shakopee Valley News

HRA considering consultant’s “Action Plan” for downtown revitalization

A seven point “Action Plan” for downtown revitalization was revealed to the Shakopee Housing and Redevelopment Authority last week.

The HRA will be meeting again this week to discuss their reaction to the proposal with city planner John Gravender.

The highlights of the action plan involve an interim truck by-pass, riverfront development, beautification. redevelopment and off-street parking system.

The purpose of this round of downtown revitalization planning was to provide the city with a program which would bring results rather than another set of booklets and models as collected from past attempts at improving downtown Shakopee.

After reviewing past planning attempts and discussing downtown improvement needs with local businessmen and city officials, the new city planner offered a program to deal with redevelopment…

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 18, 1999 Shakopee Valley News

City gets federal grant for downtown

The city of Shakopee has won a federal grant that could help change the face of its downtown area. The $877,800 in funding will help enhance businesses and residential property in the downtown area.

The federal grant money will be funneled through the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development’s Small Cities Development Program. Shakopee was one of 33 applicants to win a grant. The grants ranged from $226,000 for Harris to $1.4 million for Deer River. A total of 78 small cities across the state applied for the grant…

The money is intended for the rehabilitation of owner-occupied residential housing, rental housing and commercial buildings. The city’s application said the money will be used within an area bordered by a portion of Third Avenue on the south, Bluff Street on the north, Naumkeag Street on the east and Clay Street on the west. Paul Snook, Shakopee economic development coordinator, said federal guidelines require that the funds be used to benefit low- and moderate-income residents and also eliminate “slum and blight conditions.”…

The city and its consultant – Community Partners Research – identified properties that may be eligible for the grant money and completed an application last fall.

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

150 Years Ago: From the Feb. 12, 1874 Shakopee Argus

We have been in receipt of valuable public documents from Hon. L. M. Brown and Hon. J. L. MacDonald, for which, gentlemen, please accept our thanks.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 16, 1899 Scott County Argus

John Reichel, of St. Paul, has accepted the position of head baker in the Shakopee bakery.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 10, 1899 Shakopee Tribune

Sewing Machines Repaired. For a short time I will do all kinds of repairing and adjusting of sewing or knitting machines. A full line of all kinds of needles, extras or attachments kept on hand. All work guaranteed to give satisfaction. Charges reasonable. New Shuttles fitted to any style machine.

Rob’t Iten, 2nd St. Shakopee.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 15, 1924 Shakopee Argus

New Filling Station

Rudolph P. Johnson bought from H. Simons Lumber Co. lot 5 in block 30, corner of Lewis and Third streets, and will install a large filling station. The sale was completed Wednesday and Mr. Johnson states that work on the station will begin as soon as possible.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 14, 1924 Shakopee Tribune

Art Bopple has installed a very fine radio receiving set in the Swenson Drug Store to provide entertainment for his customers. That it is appreciated is proven by the crowd which gathers nightly to tune in on stations from coast to coast.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 10, 1949 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Dahl Named to Municipal Police Board

On the recommendation of Mayor J. J. Cavanaugh the city council Tuesday night renamed Elmer Dahl to a three-year term on the municipal police commission. Dahl had been appointed for a one-year term when the commission was established last September.

In addition to Dahl the commission is composed of George Burshek and Dr. Paul F. Nevin…

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 10, 1949 Shakopee Valley News

Council Studies Utility Matters

Aldermen Discuss Sewers, Water Improvements, Purchase New Truck

Public utilities details occupied the attention of the aldermen at the regular meeting of the common council in the city hall Tuesday evening.

After some discussion, the council started action that will result in the purchase of about one block of private water main by the city from the residents of Second Street between Apgar and Scott. The same residents will donate the sewer line to the city.

The city will pay the original cost of the water improvement plus half of the excavation cost of the project. The water and sewer mains are in the same trench in that locality. The water main extension is one of the few private watermains left in the city.

The aldermen discussed some proposed variations in routing of the new “Naumkeag” intercepting sewer and will probably order a hearing at the adjourned session of the council which will convene at the call of the mayor sometime later in the month…

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 13, 1974 Shakopee Valley News

Bridge bill gets approval at House panel

A bill for a toll bridge across the Minnesota River near Shakopee was revived and approved by the House committee on governmental operations this week…

The bill was passed out of committee after the removal of a controversial amendment which would have required approval of all communities affected by the bridge and its connecting roadways…

The new amendment would give the go-ahead to the project on the approval of four of the six communities and units of government involved. Those are Shakopee, Savage, Bloomington, Eden Prairie, the State Highway Department and the Metro Council…

The new amendment was added in committee session and the bill was passed out with no dissenting votes.

Next move for the bridge bill is the Senate committee on governmental operations. It has already passed transportation committees in both houses, and is not expected to meet much opposition in the next committee.

Proponents of the bill hope to have their proposal for a toll bridge authority, the first of its kind in the state, in front of the full House and Senate before this session of the legislature ends.

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 11, 1999 Shakopee Valley News

Shakopee eyed for juvenile facility

Girls will reside in correctional center near women’s prison

The land that once was the site of the women’s prison in Shakopee could once again hold a correctional facility. But this time, the inmates would be juvenile girls instead of women.

The site being considered for an Adolescent Female Resource Center is a 10-acre parcel on the north side of Sixth Avenue. When the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) left the old prison site in favor of a new building on the south side of Sixth Avenue in the northwest corner of the city in 1986, the state retained the land. Now, the DOC is proposing a joint project with Hennepin County for a secured facility which would house approximately 50 girls convicted of felonies when completed in summer 2001…

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

150 Years Ago: From the Feb. 5, 1874 Shakopee Argus

The Bread Box of the City Bakery makes its daily rounds.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 9, 1899 Scott County Argus

Since the excellent sleighing came there has been wood to burn on the streets at all hours of the day. It would be interesting to know just how many cords are brought into Shakopee in a day. The number of loads that are hauled in to supply the general demand is very large, and when to this is added the dozens of teams that come trailing in every day to the brick-yard and the lime kiln the number must reach close to a hundred. Shakopee as a wood market is taking front rank.

125 Years Ago: From the Feb. 3, 1899 Shakopee Tribune

Mr. Robert Iten had business at Arlington last Tuesday. By mutual consent Mr. Iten will discontinue his services as clerk in Segelbaum’s big store after this week. While we wish him unbounded success in his future career, we know that the many warm friends Bob has gained since his location in Shakopee, some two years ago, all hope that he with his estimable family will still continue to make this city their place of residence.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 8, 1924 Shakopee Argus

Siebenaler Bros. finished the local ice harvest Saturday afternoon and have stored in their ice houses the largest quantity of ice ever cut by them. They report the crop excellent in quality and of good depth. On Monday Frank Siebenaler shipped his sawing rig to Red Wing and went down himself on Wednesday to harvest this year’s crop for the Red Wing Creamery Co. The job will be a big one and Mr. Siebenaler expects to be kept busy on it at least a week and perhaps longer.

100 Years Ago: From the Feb. 7, 1924 Shakopee Tribune

Plans Under Way for Grandstand

The city council and the Shakopee Baseball Association are jointly working out plans whereby a grandstand may be built on the athletic field recently purchased by the city of Shakopee…

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 3, 1949 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Valley League of Six Teams Formed Monday

A six-team Minnesota Valley league, including the same clubs that composed the loop last season, was formed when representatives of the teams met in the city hall here Monday night…

Teams composing the league are Bloomington, Chaska, Excelsior, Hopkins, Shakopee and St. Louis Park.

Tentative plans for a 20-game schedule for the season were drafted, but dates for the contests and season opening will not be set until next Sunday, Feb. 13, when the officers and team representatives hold their second meeting, it was learned.

75 Years Ago: From the Feb. 3, 1949 Shakopee Valley News

Solons Move To Repay County

Legislators To Introduce Two Measures To Help Repay Scott County

Scott county’s extraordinary expenses incurred because of the frequent escapes of inmates at the state reformatory for women was due for legislative scrutiny, it was learned this week…

It was estimated by Scott county officials that the county has incurred expenses of approximately $1500.00 in the past two years apprehending and returning about 25 escaped inmates of the reformatory.

Two bills were to be introduced in both the House and the Senate this week. One bill would reimburse the county for the expenses incurred in the past.

The other bill would establish the state liable for all costs incurred in connection with escapes, apprehension, and trial of inmates at all state institutions. At present, these costs are borne by the county in which the particular institution is located…

50 Years Ago: From the Feb. 6, 1974 Shakopee Valley News

Recreation building idea draws favorable Council reception

The possibility of a new recreation building for Shakopee is under consideration by the city council.

Primary discussion of the idea took place at a joint committee work session Tuesday night. No definite planning on a specific building was done, but councilmen did show some enthusiasm for pursuing such a project.

According to the councilmen’s early discussions, the recreation building would house an ice arena, but would also be used for other activities during some months of the year…

A survey of costs involved in other similar buildings around the Metropolitan area was presented by city administrator Bill Fahey. He said such a facility could cost anywhere from $400,000 to $1.5 million according to reports from other communities…

25 Years Ago: From the Feb. 4, 1999 Shakopee Valley News

Old Ferry Bridge to be demolished and replaced

Demolition of the old Bloomington Ferry Bridge, which has been used by pedestrians and bicyclists once the new bridge was opened in October 1994, will start later this month according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

The old bridge will be replaced by another that will be open to bicyclists and pedestrians as a route into the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge by next fall, weather permitting, said MnDOT…

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