Compiled by Don McNeil, Shakopee Heritage Society

Lewis Street Swing Bridge

1982 (30 Years Ago)

From the Shakopee Valley News

Shakopee Police Chief, Tom Brownell, knows how to cut the number of traffic accidents in the city by half...shut down First Avenue. The long-awaited Shakopee highway by-pass could also do the trick. "Unfortunately," Brownell said sarcastically,"that probably won't happen in my lifetime." In 1981 there were 480 traffic accidents in the city. The vast majority of accidents happened on First Avenue where 22,000 vehicles a day pass through the heart of the city.

State Senator, Bob Schmitz (DFL-Jordan), this week expressed the need for more local control over the district's transportation system by reforming the policies of the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC). "It currently appears as though the property owners of our district are paying much more in taxes into the MTC system than benefits they are receiving from this service," Schmitz said. "Ideally I would like to see this service more locally controlled."

Emotions ran high and low, mixed and battled for Shakopee's Jill Sinn, as she finished second runner-up in the 1982 Miss Minnesota Pageant. As Miss Minnesota Valley, Sinn was caught up in the magic of the contest; meeting new friends, performing before thousands of people, reaching deep inside for strength and stamina and finding it.

The Minnesota Waste Management Board proposed an area in Belle Plaine and Helena Township in Scott County as a "candidate site" for a hazardous waste disposal facility.

Valley News Editorial – Pat Bouley – "Something has got to change in this country's criminal justice system. A Washington DC jury's 'not guilty by reason on insanity' verdict for John Hinckley, Jr.'s shooting of President Reagan and three others is nothing short of disgusting. It's not the jury's fault. It is a backward judicial system that is suffering from misplaced compassion that put the jury in that unpleasant situation."

Views about television and its effect on children are as numerous as Saturday morning cartoons. Television has proven itself an effective and interesting teacher, yet some suspect that too much television limits our children's ability to think creatively and to learn in other ways. While some people claim TV breaks down stereotypes, others say it fosters them. TV exposes children to people, places and cultures they might not otherwise experience, but it also may expose them to situations that frighten them, to ideas they can't understand or to morals their parents don't agree with.

Details for a $30 million program to make low interest mortgages available to first time Minnesota homeowners were released by Gov. Al Quie in a press conference with State Auditor Arne Carlson and the Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA). About 550 mortgages, averaging $55,000, will be available in first phase of the program. The interest rate of the loans will be 12%.
Any young women interested in participating in the Miss MN Valley Pageant are invited to attend a Pepsi Party at the home of Maggie Klein. The meeting is strictly informational and there is no commitment involved. All eligible women are welcome to participate for the $500 scholarship.

One of the longest-running national youth activity programs – The World Junior Frisbee Disc Contest – will be taking place at the Shakopee Jr. High. The 14th annual observance of the popular contest, sponsored this year by the makers of Wheaties, "Breakfast of Champions," is expected to draw thousands of boys and girls 15 years of age and younger from throughout the US, Canada and Great Britain.

NEW...People's Savings and Loan pays interest on checking – 5-1/4% on Chextra Account.

Local Duo Does First Album...Bob Cole and Mark Magnuson are good friends. In real life Cole is a photographer who works as a cashier at Juba's Super Valu. Magnuson is an Electronics Tech Second Class in the US Navy. But when they get together, their imaginations and ambition soar, and their creative juices flow as quickly as the MN River at flood stage. Both are talented musicians who like to write their own songs...songs about friendship, love, life. They write letters, exchange tape recordings of their latest compositions and make plans. Their next project is to do a video disc featuring more of their music.

Junior high students living between one and two miles from school will be provided district-funded transportation for the upcoming school year without increasing the amount of the local levy.

The barn fire in Jackson Township was caused by children playing with matches, according to the Scott County Sheriff. Three young children admitted playing in and near the barn on the Norbert Theis farm where the fire occurred. Approximately 1500 bales of hay and the barn were destroyed.

Firecrackers Caused Auto to Explode...It happened at the Carposia Days parade in So. St. Paul. Moments after the parade had ended, a car driven by a young man exploded. The cause?...Firecrackers! The explosion demolished the car, and injured the young man and a woman passenger. The "Firecracker Car" was displayed on the front lawn of the Shakopee Sr. High and was sponsored by the Shakopee Lions Club. According to an article in the Minneapolis Star, "debris was thrown about 150 feet...and the blast was so powerful it even blew out a piece of asphalt on the street."

The largest purses of the summer racing season are on the line for the July 4th weekend at Raceway Park with $7000+ up for grabs. A field of some 100 cars is expected.

1962 (50 Years Ago)

From the Shakopee Valley News

With the traditional pomp and pageantry, Miss Betti Lu Wermerskirchen, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. William Wermerskirchen, was selected as the new "Miss Shakopee." The 19-year-old newly crowned queen is employed at the Minneapolis division of the National Foods Store in Hopkins and plans to attend the U of M to major in physical education.

Beginning today and continuing tomorrow and Saturday, is the Grand Opening event at the Berens Super Fair, relocated from the former location at First and Holmes to the new site at Second and Fuller Streets. The new all-modern supermarket, now expanded to include 8640 sq ft of merchandising facilities on a three-lot site that provides customer parking for 60 cars, is offering an impressive list of grand opening prizes. All in the community are invited to visit and inspect these new quarters for a firm that is a Shakopee institution having been in operation for nearly 90 years.

Now under construction at Port Cargill in Savage is a two-mile dike that will completely surround the property to afford flood protection. The new levee is to be one foot higher than the 1952 flood level of 715, with normal elevation being 687.

Beginning next week the Dakota-Scott Regional library in Shakopee will discontinue being open Friday morning for 9 am to 12:30 pm, these special hours having been added during the summer vacation to accommodate patrons. The library also announced that it intended exhibiting the work of Shakopee art students and would appreciate them contacting the library so that facilities can be offered them to exhibit their work.

Area school enrollment up 14%...Increase of 93 in Shakopee and 100 in Prior Lake, coupled with the continued larger increase in the Savage area of 421, combined with others to make a 14.1 percent increase in area school enrollment for the 1962-63 school year as compared with 11.4 percent increase last year.

Persistent burglars hit again at Ries Super Valu supermarket over the weekend breaking a hole in the wall at the rear just two feet from where the same type of an attempted break-in was made in June of last year. Similar grocery break-ins occurred last weekend in LeSueur and Montgomery where a 500-pound safe was hauled away.

Two new businesses in the Shakopee Shops shopping center will hold separate grand openings. The events are announced by Big V Department Store and Shakopee Hardware. The Big V will feature dry goods and wearing apparel, as well as a wide selection of variety items. Merchandise will be displayed on attractive gondola-type cases and in a peg board display paneling on the walls. Both new additions to Shakopee will be staffed by local residents.

A steering committee to acquaint the public with the facts concerning a proposed golf course in Shakopee was appointed during a meeting of golf enthusiasts in the community room of the First National Bank. The Shakopee Common Council agreed to place on the ballot the proposal of granting a franchise for the proposed golf course using land in the NYA area. The proposal as discussed by about 35 persons, centered around the possibility of obtaining the use of 35 to 40 acres at the NYA site.

Northwest Premiere...Mail Orders Now! Daryl F Zanuck's "The Longest Day" playing at the new Mann Theater, 706 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis – Smoking Lodge seating: $2.80; Main Floor: $2.65; and Balcony: $2.40. Include remittance and stamped return envelope.

"Rather disheartening note does exist with regards to usage of our library. I fear that due to increased demands on our children by means of school and television that reading as a child's pastime is diminishing to a considerable degree." This was the comment of Superintendent, John F. Schmidt, in a release concerning the Prior Lake school's library and its use.

50 Years Ago...1912 – Pursuant to the action taken by the council, a mass meeting was called for last Monday evening at the Opera House. The purpose of the meeting was to get an expression from the people of Shakopee on the proposition as to whether or not the council should enter into a contract with the Minneapolis General Electric Co. to furnish this city with electric energy for light and power purposes.

A gift to gladden the hear of any woman...A mink stole was awarded to Mrs. Edna Larson, 6932 Newton Ave. So., Minneapolis, by Lull's Red Owl, Earl Lull, during their Grand Opening event.

Two young men escaped Monday night when their car was struck by a Chicago and Northwestern Railway train at the crossing on Naumkeag St. near Second Ave. The young men were passing through Shakopee planning to stop to visit at 309 7th St. when the mishap occurred shortly after 9 pm.

Francis Horrigan, former editor of the Park Rapids Enterprise is the new managing editor of the Valley News, John Suel, editor, announced. A native of North Adams, Massachusetts, Mr. Horrigan has a background of over 20 years experience as a newspaperman.

The annual Shakopee Pet Show will be held on July 27, at Holmes Park, announced Park Recreation Director, George Muenchow. He added that details of this fun activity are to be given in next week's Valley News. All types of pets are eligible to enter and Muenchow urges those interested to begin making their plans now as the event is just two week away.

For the fifth consecutive time the Shakopee Chamber of Commerce's summer float has won the Vice Commodore's first place award for out-of-town Chamber of Commerce entries in the Minneapolis Aquatennial competition, being judged in the afternoon Grande Parade.

Successful opening night was the experience of the professional company at the new Belle Union Opera House of the Stagecoach Players, July 12, when the new theater, designed specifically for presentation of melodrama, opened at the Stagecoach on Hwy. 101 between Shakopee and Savage. The Stagecoach Players will present three productions, each running four weekends during their first summer season.

Picketing continues at the Shakopee Foundry Co with strikers appearing at the location July 27 after the fourth meeting for negotiations was held the previous day at the Shakopee Public High School auditorium. At the negotiations meeting a staff member of the Shakopee Valley News was present to report the meeting, but at the request of the Federal conciliator, he was instructed to leave the meeting, it being explained that the union representative objected to the press being represented.

1952 (60 years ago)

From the Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Polio epidemic feared in Texas....two more deaths listed as disease hits 771 victims. It could strike here! Is your family protected? $5000 polio insurance for families, only $6.00, Mextz Agency, Shakopee.

Noxious weeds must be destroyed. You are required to destroy noxious weeds on your property by order of the township and municipal weed inspectors of Scott County.

The Scott County Sheriff's office has a newer, faster police car capable of traveling 125 miles per hour. The Ford Interceptor V-8 engine is built especially for police work. It features the Ford Power Pilot which automatically meters and fires the right amount of gasoline for every power condition. Other features include: "Centri-Flo" carburetor, super fitted 4-ring pistons, rotating type valves, full flow cooling system, and water proof ignition. The new car is designed to give extra acceleration when needed, higher performance and more dependable power.

State prisoners will get a break under the new superintendent of the St. Cloud State Reformatory...prisoners will now be allowed to carry matches, instead of getting "lights" for their cigarettes from a "light boy" that went from cell to cell. The reformatory will also pay for soap, toothpaste, shaving cream, razor blades and other personal items which heretofore were purchased by the prisoners from their wages of 17 cents a day.

We hear the United States Post Office is running in the red....its reason given for recent postage boosts. That may be...but is there any government agency that isn't operating at a deficit? It seems strange that the post office should have to show profit. Incidentally, a great percentage of the mail handled by this department is government propaganda.

District of Columbia families led the nation in per capita ownership of insurance policies, says a release. And in this election year, we'll bet that wind insurance is most popular.

Newest type of kitchen equipment is an "island sink," located away from the walls and accessible on all sides...latest type of cigarette lighter gives you music as well as a "light."

You can't make a wrong choice in office supplies when you buy at the Argus-Tribune. Carbon paper...all weights and sizes, budget books, bookkeeping forms, receipt books, staples, adding machines, tapes, rubber stamps made to order. Plenty of parking space! Shakopee Argus-Tribune.

Shop! Compare! Save!...Wheaties, 12 oz. box - 21 cents, Monarch Pork and Beans, 21 oz. can – 6 for $1.00...Wozniak Grocery, Phone 321...free deliveries at 10 am and 3 pm. "Just Call – That's All!"

Baseball...Excelsior vs. Shakopee, Minnesota Valley League, Sunday, 2:30 pm, Riverside Park, Admission - 25 cents and 50 cents.

Dad and Mom, brother too, can register to de-tassle corn...farm families, college students, retired persons, teachers, teenagers (14 and older) have found de-tassling profitable. Your nearest Northrup King plant will supply details. Minimum rate $15 per acre. Part-time de-tassling also possible.