All posts by Wes Reinke

Shakopee Flour Mill

Places

By David R. Schleper

Flour mill, circa 1900

Ries brothers built a mill establishment in 1859 in Shakopee. It was a three story stone mill with three runs of stone. After three years, it was allowed to lie idle. The city authorized $3,000 for anyone who would erect and operate a flouring mill.

C.E. Woodward purchased the old mill and machinery, repaired it, and ran it for a few months in 1875. He sold it to George F. Strait and Company. It was called the Shakopee City Flouring Mill.

On May 10, 1877, the flour mill was destroyed by fire, but was soon rebuilt.

The mill had a strike in 1920, and in 1922 the elevator was struck by lightning but was never re-built.

The building was gobbled up by one chain, then another, and then they closed the mill.

The flour mill was torn down in 1969.

References: Shakopee Valley News, 23 Jan 1969.

Skat Tournament at the Opera House (1905)

Events

By David R. Schleper

Skat tournament participants outside the Opera House, April 24, 1905

A skat tournament was held at the Opera House at the northeast corner of Holmes Street and First Avenue in Shakopee on April 24, 1905.

Skat is a three-handed card game played with 32 cards in which players bid for the privilege of attempting any of several contracts. Players came from as far as 50 miles away to participate.

It has become the most loved and widely played German card game, especially in German-speaking regions. And it was the German Americans in Shakopee in 1905 who held the tournament.

The Opera House was in the Reiss Building, on the north side of First Avenue. The building was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1979, but unfortunately, the city bought it to be used as a right-turn lane. They demolished the building in 1986.

A book, Lost Minnesota: Stories of Vanished Places by Jack El-Hai discusses 89 historic buildings, including the Reiss Block. (It also included the Merchants’ Hotel/Conter Hotel/Pelham Hotel, also in Shakopee, which was leveled in 1987.)

(Some information from “Wrecking ball writes final chapter of House of Hoy’s 103-year history,” by Beth Forkner Moe, Shakopee Valley News, 24 Dec 1986; and Lost Minnesota: Stories of Vanished Places by Jack El-Hai, 2000, University of Minnesota Press.)

Major C.M. Wilson: Trading with the Dakota Indians of Shakopee (1853)

People

By David R. Schleper

General Thomas W. Wilson and his wife, along with his son, C.M., came to St. Paul in 1851. C.M. attended Miss Harriet E. Bishop’s school for a year, and also attended a mission school that was run by Rev. Breck.

At that time, many kids were in two gangs in St. Paul. The upper town boys would have contests against the lower town boys. Sometime the two groups would have pitched battles.

In 1851 in St. Paul, C.M. and his friends heard screams in the direction of the upper levee of the Minnesota River. C.M. and his friends ran to the area of the river, and saw people pointing to a man who was sinking into the water for the third time. Although there were a number of grown people witnessing the struggle, no one moved to save him. C.M. pulled off his boots, jumped into the river, and swam to the man, who was sinking below the surface. C.M. seized the man by the hair and pulled him to the shore. Everyone was impressed with C.M., who was only 10 years old, but was braver than any others in St. Paul that year!

Another time, Major Wilson was at an old house, called the Daniels House, a wooden building of four stories on the upper levee in 1852. Suddenly, it was in flames. A lady boarder frantically and piteously looked up into the faces of a number of men as she said, “Can’t you save that valuable package?” She pointed to Daniels House, which was in flames, and looked around. No one responded.

“I’ll go!” said Major Wilson, and he did! He brought out the valuables, and just as he go out of the building, the whole framework fell in with a terrible crash! The brave traits of Major Wilson caused him to be in prominence. The adult population praised him, and he was lionized as a hero by the boys in St. Paul.

Major Wilson and his brother were engaged in trading with the Dakota Indians at Shakopee in 1853. He was one of the only white boys in the place, and the Indians called him “the little black head.” Major Wilson gained knowledge of the Dakota language and habits, and even 30 years later, the Dakota Indians would see him and remember “the little black head,” as they used to call him.

In 1855 until 1857, Major Wilson attended school in Granville, Ohio. He then returned to Minnesota and farmed until 1861, where he joined the Union army. He was promoted step by step, each time for meritorious conduct.

In 1864, C.M. was captured and taken to Andersonville prison. He was also prisoner in Monticello, Florida, and Florence, South Carolina. In Florence prison, he escaped with 15 others, but was recaptured by the use of bloodhounds. Three of the 15 prisoners were killed by the bloodhounds, while seven more died before reaching the Florence prison again. Major Wilson was held in high esteem by his fellow prisoners.

After the war, Major Wilson helped build railroads, and became inspector of customs. He married Miss Miller of Ohio in 1871. They had two children, a son and a daughter. His wife died in 1884.

Major Wilson, who was born in 1842 in Ohio, was a rather slender, wiry man, who was full of energy. He used his indomitable will-power in his aims and in his purpose. He had a very active brain, backed by nerve, and entered earnestly into his enterprises. He was liberal in his disposition, social in nature, a natural schemer, persistent in his efforts, and devoted to his friends.

(Some information from Pen Pictures of St. Paul, Minnesota, and Biographical Sketches of Old St. Paul by Thomas McLean Newson, 1886.)

Bareass Creek in the 1950s

Places

By David R. Schleper

When he was nine or 10 years old, John Siebenaler used to go skinny dipping in the Minnesota River behind Growler Delbow’s house in Shakopee. He called this area “Bareass Creek” for obvious reasons.

In the 1950s, the city sewage went directly into the river where Huber Park is now located. John remembered swimming down river from the Huber Park area. “You had to keep an eye out for turds floating down river,” John recalled.

Of course, being nine or 10 years old, John and his friends often didn’t always let their buddies know when an incoming turd would hit them in the back of the head.

John Siebenaler and his friends also had a lot of fun with a rope swing, which allowed them to swing out over the Minnesota River before they dropped into the murky water below.

His parents didn’t know that he was swimming in the Minnesota River. John remembered drying off before going home. Of course, the clay mud would stick, and even busy parents would HAVE to know what was happening!

(Some information from John Siebenaler in “If You Grew Up in Shakopee…Then You Remember” Facebook post.)

Remember When: September 2018

Remember When

1893: Scott County Argus

Sept. 7, 1893

Michael Berens started in to tear down his frame building Tuesday. Work on his new brick structure will commence immediately, and under the skillful hands of Roehlfs & Woehling, will climb up to rapid completion. Tally one more for Shakopee’s little boom.

Chas. Siewert moved his family to Cologne last Monday. He has sold his property here and will open a blacksmith shop in Cologne.

J. A. Wilder is having his pleasant residence remodelled, just to help the boom along. A neat piazza and corner tower are to effect a most appreciable improvement in the dwelling.

Probably 1500 people from Shakopee, Jordan, Chaska, and Chanhassen were present at the dedication of the new parochial school building at Marystown last Sunday afternoon. The Shakopee contingent is estimated at four hundred. The members of St. John’s society to the number of fifty were in attendance and took part in the exercises. Prof. Soengerath, of St. Thomas Seminary, Merriam Park, delivered the oration.

Plans are not yet fully completed for Otto Spielman’s new building between the City Hall and Voelker & Koenig’s meat market. It is understood however that the building will be a two story brick structure as wide as the lot, leaving a narrow alley way, and running back about eighty feet. The upper part is to be used as a dwelling and the first floor will be occupied by Mr. Spielman in his saloon business. The building is to be a modern one in every way and an ornament to that part of the town.

W. W. Cornelie and family will soon vacate the rectory to occupy Joseph Buch’s new house in upper town.

O. S. Brown will make some extensive improvements in his residence this fall. The entire front of the building is to be reconstructed, a large plate glass window will be put into the front parlor, and a piazza across the front will adorn the whole.

O. J. Brown reports that the bodies of two dead horses lie just below the bridge opposite the fair sheds. One is already decomposed, he says, and the stench which arises is a menace to the public health. If this be true, action should be taken and at once by the health officer. The spot mentioned is inside the city limits.

Sept. 14, 1893

We learn that August Scherkenbach has bought the Heroux houses on Second street.

Ground was broken for both the Berens and Otto Spielman blocks this week. The brick work on both the Busse and the How blocks is now about completed and some idea of their attractiveness can be formed. Each is an ornament to the city and deserves all the praise it receives. Mr. Busse will occupy his smaller store as soon as it is ready to receive him, which will not be for at least two weeks yet. The How building will be ready for occupancy in another month.

At a meeting of the Scott Co. Driving Ass’n held in the offices of Dr. L. G. Mitchell last Monday evening it was decided to have a race meeting on Monday the 2nd day of October. $100 in purses will be hung up. There will be six events during the afternoon, the free-for-all, green trotting, farmers’, running, and professional and amateur bicycle races. The event of the day however will be the farmers’ race. This will be an event for farmers’ horses alone. It is probable that many buyers will be on the track and no better occasion could be had to make sales in horse flesh. No entrance fee will be charged for this race and a splendid harness will be hung up for the first horse under the wire so that each one has something to lose and lots of sport and a fine harness to win. The Shakopee Cornet Band will probably furnish music for the occasion. A 25 cent admission fee to the grounds will be charged, and a fine day’s sport is promised to all who attend. The stock fair will be the largest of the year and farmers would do well to bring in their families with the intention of staying all day. A day’s pleasure will not hurt anyone.

The American Express Office at the depot was entered by burglars last night but no money and no articles of value were secured. The moneys of the office are sent away every night and Mr. Cornelie’s plan is to leave the cash drawer open for inspection. This he forgot to do last night and the miscreants broke the drawer in getting it open. A burglary was attempted at the Milwaukee depot in Chaska last night but the student who sleeps there opened fire with a revolver and the fellow fled toward Shakopee. Here they broke in by breaking a pane of glass in the window and pulling out the catch. The work was undoubtedly that of our home talent.

Sept. 21, 1893

A little steam yacht brought up from St. Paul last Sunday eight young “bloods” from that city. They arrived here at three o’clock Sunday morning and, thinking they were in the back woods, set about having a real lively little spree. Officer Ring heard the sound of revelry by night and straightway proceeded to lay the strong arm of the law upon the devotees of the god of Bacchus. They were weighed in the balance the next morning but were let off with a fatherly injunction to “go and sin no more.” They left for down river points at three in the afternoon.

A gong has been put into the mill office ad connected by wire to the telephone office. This arrangement was found necessary to accomodate the mill’s ever increasing business.

John Reis has painted his dwelling and tenement on Fifth street. The color and style of work are quite up with the times, and render a most attractive effect.

Antoine Gentgen is making some substantial improvements in his dwelling at the corner of Lewis and Third streets. The house has been raised three feet and the lot will be filled in and sodded. The interior is to be remodelled and a bay window put in on the south side. A new roof will complete the whole.

The excavation for the Berens block is completed and the walls are rising. The excavation for the Spielman block also is nearly finished. All the building sand for the structure was taken out from the cellar. At a depth of eight feet an inexhaustable bed of sand was struck. It is of excellent quality and comes in just right for Mr. Spielman.

Perhaps you are not aware of the fact that we have among us a first class mechanic, jeweler and watchmaker. We have had the opportunity to examine a C. K. of A. solid gold watch charm, made entirely by hand of Mr. H. P. Marx for Chas. Grafenstatt. We have never seen any better work of the kind, the engraving being particularly good. As an engraver Mr. Marx far excels the average. He wishes to announce that he will make gold rings and other jewelry out of old gold. Take your old gold to him and have it made into something you can use. Silver and gold engraved bangles are made the same day the order is left.

The Milwaukee switch track between Sommerville and Lewis streets is being raised some eight or ten inches.

Sept. 28, 1893

August Scherkenbach has had the house occupied by Mrs. O’Dowd in the Third ward re-shingled.

Doctors Mitchell and Sabin have been appointed members of the pension examining board of the county.

The members of the firm of Paul & Heroux have dissolved partnership.

Mrs. Tessmer last Sunday accidentally swallowed a tack and in coughing it up sent it into her nose. A specialist from St. Paul came down Sunday night but was unable to find it. However, he thinks it will work out all right of itself, and the lady is rapidly recovering.

Another merry-go-round is affording amusement for the fun loving for a week or so. It is located on the same lot which the first one occupied and looks just the same with the exception that the nigger which plays the organ is a little lighter colored. This, however, makes no appreciable difference in the tunes he grinds out. They sound just like the ones evolved by the first one. It is claimed though that this one has two brand new ones for your delectation.

B. J. Gellenbeck will open a restaurant in the building now occupied by Mrs. Henschel within a week or two. This we think is a wise move. There is probably no other one thing that Shakopee needs so badly as a good restaurant, and Mr. Gellenbeck is certainly the right man to undertake the matter. He may feel assured of success from the start.

Mr. Mertz, our new shoemaker, moved over from Chaska this morning. He has located in the building just east of John Theis’s.

There will be a meeting at the Union School Saturday evening at half past seven o’clock to organize a reading circle. All are cordially invited.

1918: Shakopee Tribune

Sept. 6, 1918

The new Ford Sedan belonging to R. L. Brown was badly smashed last Friday evening, while Brown was crossing the tracks near the depot. We are informed that the Milwaukee motor, due at 5:41, with the motor shut off, was nearing the depot and was almost noiseless. The motor struck the Ford sideways, damaging it to the extent of $150. We understand the railroad company will adjust the loss.

Airplanes Visit Shakopee. Shakopee has been given a chance the past week to become quite familiar with airplanes. All day Sunday planes could be seen and heard overhead, and some were flying so low that with the aid of a small glass the occupants could be seen; indeed, those who had telescopes of the ordinary power were able to watch every movement of the flyers. All the machines belonged to the exhibition squadron of the British and American “wildcats” which has been performing at the state fair this week. The first of the machines was observed here about noon, and the hum of the engines was heard by some after dark. One machine came down on the John O’Dowd farm shortly after noon to adjust some engine trouble, but though Mr. O’Dowd hurried over to the spot, the fliers were on their way again by the time he came near. Another machine was seen to turn a series of veritable somersaults in the air as it passed over town to the south. Other machines are reported to have landed in this vicinity. It was a show well worth seeing, and to many it was something new…

Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Wise and daughters, Florence and Mary left for Faulkton, S. D., on Wednesday, where they will reside. Their home has been rented by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Green, who have already taken possession.

Schools Open This Week

The union school opened its doors on Monday morning when all pupils assembled for enrollment. The year’s work commenced on Tuesday and through the courtesy of Prof. Clark we give the following number of pupils enrolled in the grades and high school. 1st grade, 28; 2nd & 3rd grades, 39; 4th & 5th grades, 37; 6th & 7th grades, 37; 8th grade 18; high school, 54.

Two new subjects were introduced this year, French, the class having an enrollment of 42. Unified Mathematics, a new study, also has a large class. The study of German has been dropped.

St. Mark’s parochial school began the year’s work on Tuesday morning having an enrollment of 264 on the opening day.

Sept. 13, 1918

Mile Road Quite Impassable. Owing to unavoidable obstruction of the roadway where the construction gang is working, the mile road north of town is closed to travel for the next week or so. The obstructions are due to an accumulation of materials in one place and to the assembling of the line drag, with which the dredging is to be done, at another. Notice will be given as soon as the road is clear again.

Two Fire Alarms. The Shakopee fire department has responded to two alarms the past week, and in both instances have shown praiseworthy celerity in reaching the scene. Sunday noon an alarm was sent in to the effect that Lee Gelhaye’s saloon was burning. The company was before the place with the fire apparatus in less than five minutes, but there was no fire. The building was full of smoke all right, but it was caused from a smoke barrage which Lee had put down on the flies. Nothing daunted by this false alarm, the company made an equally prompt appearance the following noon when an alarm came in from the Kirkeby residence. In this instance a chimney fire was the cause of trouble. The fire burned through the interior of one of the rooms but was put out without doing much of any damage.

Mr. and Mrs. Achille Tuyten moved into their new bungalow, near the stove foundry, this week.

Next Friday evening, the last pavilion dance of the season will be staged in the Scott county agricultural society’s pavilion in Riverside Park. Everybody come.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dellwo have taken rooms in the John H. Ring residence on Second street.

Sept. 20, 1918

Gasoline Explosion. Tuesday morning an accident happened at the home of the Misses Bieren which caused considerable damage and came narrowly ending seriously for Miss Mary Bieren. Miss Bieren, having filled the tank of her gasoline flatiron in readiness to do ironing, had stepped out into another room for a minute or two when she heard an explosion, and running back to the kitchen found the room a virtual wreck from the explosion of the gasoline tank, while a blaze had started all over the ironing board. At considerable risk to herself she put out the blaze but did not escape without severely burning her hands. The damage done to the room was considerable and plainly denoted the force of the explosion. Two windows were blown out into the yard, the window casings were torn from the wall, and plaster lay everywhere. The kitchen was as complete a wreck as if 40-centimeter shell from a Big Bertha has landed in it. Had Miss Bieren been in the room when the explosion took place there would have been a more serious tale to tell. The gasoline iron ranks well up with the unloaded gun and the over-driven car as a menace to the continuity of the human race. Theoretically it cannot explode, but somehow or other it gets in its work when there is least apprehension of danger.

Ditching Machine Erected. The road foreman and his men are busy this week setting up the line drag ditching machine with which the excavating for the filling of the mile road will be done. The machine is being set up just north of Riverside Park, where operations will be started in a few days. It consists of a wide platform set on a track, upon which is the hoisting crane, a large kerosene engine and the bucket or dredge. The crane is based upon a circular track so that it may operate in any direction desired. They tell us that the scoop is so powerful that it is capable of cutting through one or two feet of frost. The purpose of the machine, of course, is to scoop earth from the right of way onto the road bed. As the grading is done the machine is moved forward by taking to the front and placing ahead of it the sections of track over which it has already passed. Thus only a very small amount of trackage is necessary. The operators, two in number, can do all their work inside the engine house on the platform, so that operations can be carried on in any kind of weather, from a Florida zephyr to an arctic blizzard.

Mrs. Fred Rohlfs was hostess to a party of Red Cross knitters at her home last Friday afternoon. The afternoon was pleasantly spent, after which a sumptuous supper was partaken of. All report a fine time.

John Strattmann sold his home and furniture to A. J. Mingo, last Wednesday, the consideration being $2200. Mr. Strattmann departed for Milwaukee on Tuesday evening where he will make his future home. Mr. Strattmann has been a resident of Shakopee for many years and has a host of friends who regret to see him leave but who wish him success in his new home.

The Hal Huth family moved here from Savage last Saturday and are occupying the Joseph Ries house, near the depot.

Sept. 27, 1918

The Schroeder Brick & Lime Manufacturing Co. has shipped the brick to be used for the new schoolhouse at Judson, this state.

Every farmer who has a silo doubles his bit for winning the war. So also think Tom Condon and Wm. Wiechman, who are two Shakopee farmers who have bought silos this week from the Interior Lumber Co.

The Irving Oltman family will move to Hopkins next Monday where Mr. Oltman will be employed in the machine shops.

An Historic Meeting

“Gug, Ga, Goo!” said Rose, Roger and Roderick in chorus on beholding Philomine, Marie and John, whose answering “Google, guggle, glug” in baby talk means kid, I love you, too.

It was a most unusual party which met at the Arnold Kopp home south of Shakopee last Sunday, this first meeting of two sets of triplets and their proud parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Abeln of Shakopee and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Kopp of Eagle Creek. The Abeln triplets, John, Philomine and Marie, are three months old, hale and hearty, and weigh 11 to 13 pounds apiece. The Kopp trio are one month old and are thriving apace, as healthy youngsters as one would wish to see…

1918: Scott County Argus

Sept. 6, 1918

John Heller has resigned as chief of police and Charles A. Rose was appointed to fill the vacancy by the city council.

Mrs. C. W. Daye and Mrs. S. T. Turner spent Wednesday in Minneapolis purchasing material for 100 comfort kits for the Red Cross.

As Lester Brown was driving to the depot Friday evening last he turned out to avoid a woman pedestrian and before he could turn back was struck by the approaching motor on the Milwaukee road. His Ford Sedan was upset and a wheel ripped from it but otherwise suffered little damage. Lester was pulled from the car by scared witnesses of the accident but escaped without a scratch and is considered very fortunate as he might easily have been killed.

Elsewhere in the Argus are published articles of incorporation of the Buchanan Grain company, capitalized at $50,000, with Wm. Fulton and Paul M. Marshall, millers of Minneapolis, and C. T. Buchanan of this city as directors.

The company has taken over the elevator at the depot and will engage in grain buying exclusively, principally of wheat. The business will be conducted in connection with the mill but as a separate part.

The first meeting of the directors is called for Tuesday, September 17th.

Sept. 13, 1918

Is Home Guard Possible? Whether or not Shakopee is to have a Home Guard will be determined by the number of men in attendance at a meeting called for next Monday evening at 7:30 o’clock at the court house. There are now 55 enrolled and in order to form a company 65 or 70 men must be signed up by September 20th. Regular drill nights are Monday, Wednesday and Friday and with the coming draft the advantage to be gained by the drill is incalculable. Chaska and other neighboring towns are organizing and it is hoped that Shakopee may also have a company. G. H. Jones the drill master, is deeply interested in the project and makes a special appeal to the men of Shakopee to attend the meeting Monday evening and for a Home Guard that will be a credit to the city.

Joseph Huettle has given up his position in Charles Hartmann’s meat market and left Tuesday for St. Paul to work for the McMillan company. Mrs. Huettle expects to move to that city the first of October.

Frank Boehmer moved into his new home on Third street Wednesday.

Sept. 20, 1918

Little Child Scalded. Rosella Powers, the two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Powers of Marystown, was the victim of a shocking accident at the home of her grandmother in Chaska Saturday. The little girl fell into a pail of hot water standing on the porch and was so badly scalded that pneumonia developed and she died at two o’clock Monday morning. The funeral was held yesterday at Chaska. The sorrow-stricken parents have the sympathy of the community in their affliction. Their only surviving child is a baby boy ten days old.

Andrew Mingo this week bought the John Strattmann home and will take possession October first. Mr. Strattmann left Wednesday for Milwaukee to spend the winter with friends there.

Peter J. Mahowald was at Lakeville several days this week plowing his farm in readiness for spring. Mr. Mahowald will give up his business in his harness shop and return to farming as he prefers that occupation to indoor work. He has not yet disposed of his shop and will not move immediately.

Sept. 27, 1918

Wm. Sudmann has rented the Peter Piske residence and will move there as soon as it is vacated by Andrew Mingo.

Carl Linhoff, who has been engaged in electrical work at different points during the summer, has returned home. He expects to enter the university later.

1943: Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Sept. 2, 1943

Revenue Dept. May Establish Office Here. The possibility of the collector of internal revenue establishing a full-time office in Shakopee, was hinted this week by Mayor J. J. Cavanaugh, who disclosed that a representative of the Treasury Department was in the city inquiring about space for a permanent office quarters…

There is considerable activity in the sale and purchase of city property in Shakopee. There is much demand for homes. The latest purchase to come to our attention was that of Albert Herrgott, who bought the house and lot advertised in this paper by our local citizen, John Garvey. He is advertising another house for sale in this week’s issue. Mr. Garvey says he will build more houses just as soon as he can obtain building material—after the war.

Christmas Seals May Be Obtained at Any of Shakopee’s Drug Stores

Tuberculosis Christmas Seals, a penny apiece, to be used on overseas mail for men and women in service have been placed on sale downtown for the convenience of local people, Mrs. M. L. Regan, chairman, announces.

They are available at the following places: Shakopee Drug store (bus depot), Strunk’s Pharmacy and Deutsch Drug store…

Sept. 9, 1943

Mr. and Mrs. Math Sames have moved from the house they occupied for a number of years, near the State Reformatory, into their own home at 618 Holmes St. Mr. Sames, having retired from the duties as engineer at the reformatory, will now, with Mrs. Sames, enjoy the fruits of their labors in their new home.

FOR SALE.—7-room house, priced $2,000—$100 down, balance $35 per month. Inquire at SINCLAIR OIL STATION, or Call 332-W.

Sept. 16, 1943

FOR SALE.—Shakopee kitchen range, laundry stove with water jacket, ice box, good stanchion. JOHN SAMES, Shakopee. Tel. 689-J.

FOR SALE.—To close estate; 197-acre farm, mile north of Marystown, 5 miles south Shakopee. Well improved buildings; electricity, water in house and barn; hot air furnace. Known as Mrs. Val Theis farm. Inquire HARRY V. THEIS, Adm., Tel. 486, Shakopee.

694 Pupils in Shakopee’s Three Schools

A substantial increase in the total enrollment of pupils in Shakopee’s three schools was disclosed this week in the announcement of registrations. Still greater increase is anticipated in the next few days, it was said, when students, now employed in farm work and other essential industry, return to their studies.

Registration records revealed that 694 pupils were enrolled in Shakopee schools on the opening day this year. Opening day registration last year was 678…

Sept. 23, 1943

Northrup King Co. Plant Now in Season’s Rush. Seed, many thousands of pounds of it, for next year’s sweet corn crop, is now being processed at the Northrup King and Company seed processing plant in West Shakopee…

T. B. Control in County Effective

Scott county is making encouraging progress in the march toward tuberculosis control, according to the Minnesota Public Health association, the State Christmas Seal organization.

Scott county now has its tuberculosis death rate down to 23.1 having decreased it by 1.8 within a span of two years. It ranks 54 among the counties in its tuberculosis death rate…

PAGE & HILL CO. HAS NAVY AND RAIL CONTRACTS

If you have been one of the many who have pondered the “what-for” of the mountainous piles of lumber in the vicinity of the Page & Hill plant in the west end of the city, you may find a partial answer in the disclosure made by plant officials, Tuesday.

Right now the firm, employing 100 men and women, is engaged in the manufacture of 100,000 grain donors for the Omaha railroad; 70,000 loading pallets for the United States navy, and in the last 90 days completed 3000 hog feeders for use on northwest farms…

Sept. 30, 1943

Another Repair Shop to Keep Our People Shod. Our fellow-townsman, Fred Wessel, has decided to operate a shoe repair shop in the rear of his home located on the corner of Third and Lewis. Fred is not a stranger to the people of this community, as he and his good wife have ben residents of Shakopee for a number of years. He conducted a shoe repair business here with success before disposing of it to others to carry on when he accepted a position as instructor in the shoe repair department at the Shakopee N.Y.A. Center.

Cigarette Fund Here Reported Gratifying

Although officers Wednesday afternoon, were just in the midst of counting the nickles, dimes and pennies, they reported that the Civic and Commerce association’s milk bottle campaign had been a gratifying success.

Milk bottles were placed in the city’s various business places where contributors could deposit their small change in the bottles. The coin thus accumulated is to be used to purchase cigarettes for the men in service…

1968: Shakopee Valley News

Putting the finishing touches on the blacktopping installation of Shakopee’s thoroughfare, Tenth Avenue was the achievement of the contracting crew this week. This project is a part of an approximate $150,000 1968 Street Improvement program for the city.

Meat Truck Blaze. Shakopee volunteer firemen were called out at 2:41 p.m. Tuesday of this week, September 3, to extinguish a blaze that originated in a Hormel meat truck at the Shakopee Red Owl supermarket in the Shakopee Shops Shopping Center on East First. The truck was unloading at the supermarket, and there was not meat in the storage area of the vehicle at the time of the blaze. It was quickly extinguished with no serious damage resulting.

Advisory Committee Meets Tues. Eve To Consider Courthouse Need. An initial meeting, to include a tour of the Scott County Courthouse and Public Safety annex building in Shakopee, was held Tuesday evening of this week, September 3, by the committee, named by the Scott County Board of Supervisors to assist the county board with the planning and determination of needs for new facilities…

Sept. 12, 1968

3,200 Tour St. Francis Hospital At Open House. Approximately 3,200 attended the Open House, dedicating the new wing at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee, from 1:30 to 5 p.m. last Sunday, September 8…

Shakopee Council No. 1865, Knights of Columbus building committee looks over the site of the new Knights of Columbus clubrooms for which construction is tentatively scheduled to begin this fall. The building is to be located approximately one-half mile east of County Road 17 on County Road 82 or East Fourth Avenue, and will include a lounge for members and guests and a large hall with kitchen facilities, meeting room and recreation room. The hall will be 52 by 72 feet to accommodate large receptions and parties. The large kitchen and service bar will adjoin the hall. The meeting and recreation rooms will be below the lounge and kitchen area, and will be open for youth, clubs or other activities…

Milk Shed Lost In Blaze Friday. Lost in a blaze at 4:15 p.m. last Friday, September 6, at the Bernard Schmitt farm, RR 2 Shakopee, five miles south of the city in Louisville township, was a small milking shed…

Sept. 19, 1968

Art Open House Sunday

An art exhibit and Open House will be held at the Minnesota Correctional Institution For Women at Shakopee, Sixth and Adams, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday, September 22.

Featured on exhibit will be the art work of Mrs. Mary Malekar of Eden Prairie, art instructor at this state institution…

Need For Courthouse Expansion To Get Further Study By Scott Board Next Tues.

The project of need for new facilities at the Scott County courthouse site in Shakopee is continuing to get active consideration, with Scott County Auditor Joseph Ries of Shakopee to make a special report at the meeting of the Scott County Board of Commissioners, at the Board’s scheduled meeting on next Tuesday, September 24.

Auditor Ries is presently preparing a report to indicate the present dimensions of office space, used by the county offices and agencies in Jordan, the Public Safety Building annex, adjacent to the Scott Courthouse as well as the courthouse itself, with these statistics to be presented to the Scott Commissioners at next Tuesday’s meeting…

Discussion of the committee at this time brought out the possible return of the Scott County Welfare department, presently located on East First in Shakopee and formerly located in the Public Safety Annex building, back to the courthouse site. Also discussed was the locating the Scott County Agent and Home Agent, now with offices in Jordan, in the proposed new facilities in Shakopee.

Also discussed at length was a possible judicial wing to the present court house facilities, and the need for remodeling the present respective offices and facilities in the present courthouse…

Reveals Plans For $1.5 Million Amusement Park Near Stage Coach

Plans for a $1.5 million amusement park in Eagle Creek township, south of the Belle Union Opera House-Stage Coach Restaurant – Frontier – City complex, just to the south of Highway 101 and east of Scott County Road 89, between Shakopee and Savage, was revealed last week at a meeting of the Scott County Board of Commissioners.

Raymond J. Colihan of Excelsior, the developer, said that the amusement park is proposed to be on 60 acres in Eagle Creek township. He said the park, tentatively called “Wildwood,” will include about 20 rides, a dance hall, restaurant, picnic area and parking for 2,600 cars. He added that he also has an option on 70 acres immediately south of the proposed amusement park site…

According to preliminary plans shown to the Scott County Board yesterday, the amusement rides will be located around a circular “mall” in the park. Colihan said the concept is similar to large amusement parks recently built in Texas.

Colihan, who declined to identify the source of financing for the park, said he hopes construction can start this fall. Because of the length of time required in building a roller coaster, that ride may not be available during the first year, Colihan said.

Sept. 26, 1968

Municipal Swimming Pool Now Nearing Completion. Shakopee’s new municipal swimming pool on County Road No. 15, just south of Sweeney Elementary School, nears completion with just the finishing touches to be added, according to Shakopee Recreation Director George Muenchow…

Teachers Expect 5 Per Cent More Increase In Salaries By 1970-71

Expected further increases in teachers’ salaries was revealed Monday night of this week, September 23, at the adjourned meeting of the Shakopee Public School District No. 720 Board of Education, when a letter was read to board members.

The letter, by Gary Volding of the Shakopee High School faculty, chairman of the teachers’ salary and welfare committee, was directed to the chairman of the District No. 720 board…

1993: Shakopee Valley News

Sept. 2, 1993

Kugath named new hoops honcho. After months of meeting and debate, Bruce Kugath is Shakopee High School’s new boys’ basketball coach. Kugath was awarded the position by Shakopee’s School Board Monday evening…

Tribute to Vietnam vets starts Saturday

The Vietnam Veterans “Moving Wall” Memorial will be in Shakopee from Saturday through Sept. 10 at Canterbury Downs.

The display is part of a week-long celebration marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Paris Peace Accords that ended combat involvement for the United States in the Vietnam War. The Minnesota Veterans Color Guard is host of the week-long events, which will feature speakers Chris Noel and Adrian Cronauer…

Two Shakopee schools receive arts grants

Two Shakopee schools are the recipients of Artists in Education School support grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Central Elementary received a $1,600 grant for the residency of artist Sean Brown, who will assist student and teachers in becoming more skillful in the art of storytelling, while increasing their knowledge of various cultures.

Pearson Elementary received a $1,300 grant for the residency of artist Susan Warner, who will work with students in creating a permanent tile artwork which will be incorporated into the school’s new addition…

Sept. 9, 1993

Funding, weather may delay bridge, bypass projects. The chairman of the Scott County Transportation Coalition (SCTC) told county commissioners Tuesday that the transportation picture looks bleak due to funding cuts, flooding and rains, and Gov. Arne Carlson’s opposition to a gas tax to help pay for transportation projects…

Hospital auxiliary’s 40th anniversary. The St. Francis Auxiliary will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19 on the front lawn of St. Francis Regional Medical Center, 325 W. Fifth Ave…

Valleyfair to spend $2 million

The parent company of Valleyfair, the family amusement park in Shakopee, said that it plans to make $21 million in capital expenditures on its three amusement parks for the 1994 operating season, including about $2 million at Valleyfair.

Cedar Fair L.P., based in Sandusky, Ohio, said it plans a family-oriented addition to Valleyfair featuring Berenstein Bear characters in Bear Country, an indoor/outdoor area.

Sept. 16, 1993

School reorganization approved

Additions and remodeling are not the only changes taking place at the Shakopee district’s elementary schools.

As of next year, its organizational structure will be different, too.

On Monday, the School Board approved a recommendation to designate two kindergarten through fourth-grade schools at Pearson and Sweeney Elementary and a fifth- and sixth-grade school at Central Elementary starting with the 1994-95 school year…

The place to be

With the changing traffic patterns that are expected once the Shakopee Bypass project is completed, the city’s two drug stores this summer made a decision to relocate along Marschall Road, which is expected to be a major retail corridor once the highway project is complete.

Roberts Drug opened June 1 in the strip mall on Marschall between Fourth Avenue and County Road 16. Owners Charlie and Dan Bartz were able to find a location that allowed them to double their floor space. Since moving from another strip mall at 814 First Ave. E, they added many new products and services, Cherie Bartz said.

The owners of Eastman Eagle Drug recently broke ground for a new drug store just west of the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Marschall Road. Owners Gary and Melissa Gustafson and Greg and Sharon Wiser expect to open an independently owned Snyder Drug Store there in November. They also own the Snyder franchise in Chaska…

Sept. 23, 1993

Shakopee instructor is music teacher of year. Colette Sherman, a music teacher at Shakopee Junior High School, has been named Classroom Music Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Music Educators Association. Sherman was recognized for excellence in classroom instruction…

Fields of dreams

Aug. 20 was a field day, literally as well as figuratively, for Shakopee School Board members and high school staff.

That was when a ground-breaking ceremony was held to signify the start of work in the first phase of the development of an outdoor activities complex at the high school…

Sept. 30, 1993

Ferry Bridge completion may be delayed. Work on the new Bloomington Ferry Bridge is again in full swing, but the loss of most of the summer construction season due to the Minnesota River flooding and heavy rains may now mean the $144 million project will not be completed until July or August 1995, said Scott County Highway Engineer Brad Larson. The project was scheduled to be completed by November 1994…

Downtown project’s phase two approved

About a dozen downtown business owners told the Shakopee City Council last week that they favor a proposal to begin work on the second phase of the downtown reconstruction project — and the sooner, the better.

After hearing testimony from business owners at a public hearing Sept. 21, the council voted 3-1 to begin preparing plans for the $360,302 project. Councilor Bob Sweeney cast the lone dissenting vote, and Councilor Michael Beard was absent…

City Council approves plans for flying-disk golf course

The Shakopee Lions Club plans to install a 12-hole flying-disk golf course in Lions Park after receiving approval from the Shakopee City Council on Sept. 21.

The project is expected to cost about $8,000, and is on the park’s five-year capital improvement plan as a 1995 project. However, the Lions asked that the project be approved for this year, and the council agreed…

KKCM to celebrate 30th anniversary Wednesday

Shakopee radio station KKCM-AM will celebrate its 30th anniversary next Wednesday.

When it signed on the air in 1963 with the call letters KSMM and a 500-watt non-directional signal at 1530 on the AM dial, the station was located on Lewis Street. In 1968, the station moved to its current home at 421 First Ave. E. In 1987, after an ownership change the station changed its format to a contemporary Christian music station and its call letters became KKCM.

In 1989, the station again changed ownership and in 1991, KKCM changed its format to Christian news-talk with an 8,600-watt signal, which reaches Wisconsin to the east and Willmar on the west, and can be heard as far north as Mille Lacs Lake and in Sauk Centre to the northwest.

The station has added more local news and sports programming, and this school year, a regular schedule of live play-by-play sports programming for Shakopee and Chaska high schools was added…

A, B, Cs and 1, 2, 3s: Schools in Early Shakopee

Videos

Shakopee has 12 schools. But many years ago, schools happened in houses, in churches, and in log cabins. Over time, public schools started popping up around the area of Shakopee. Learn about some of the schools in the area, and how they grew to fit the population of people who lived in our town.

This presentation by Shakopee Heritage Society Vice-President and Senior Research Chair David R. Schleper was held on Sept. 11, 2018 for the Sakpe ti Senior Lounge at the Shakopee Community Center, as part of the History of Shakopee Series.

See other videos recorded by the Shakopee Heritage Society.

Remember When: August 2018

Remember When

1893: Scott County Argus

Aug. 3, 1893

John Hirscher pulled out a big pickerel from the river this morning, the largest we have seen taken from the Minnesota. It was laid in a good sized wash tub and the head reached around within a few inches of the tail. Its back is fully five inches broad.

Miss Bertha Schepperle desires to announce that she will give lessons on the piano and guitar after August 7. Parties desiring information will please address Miss Bertha Schepperle, Shakopee, Minn.

Two young men with a long box, a square box, a hand organ, and a big painted sideshow canvass, stopped in our midst last Monday for a few hours. The long box contained a petrified Viking giant, the square one enclosed two monkeys, while the hand organ must have contained a whole chorus of the imps of darkness judging from the wails and discordant shrieks which emanated from out of its depths. The outfit had evidently come here expecting to see a crowd for the circus. They were disappointed.

During the past few days east bound freights have been loaded down with gangs of tramps who claim to be Denver miners going east for work in the harvest fields. Thirty-nine were lying on top of the box cars of yesterday afternoon’s freight. As long as they go on through we shall not object.

On Friday last the drug business of B. A. Kohler was transferred to the new firm, and Messrs. Deutch & Zettel took formal possession. Mr. Kohler has, during the years past, enjoyed the liberal patronage of our townspeople and of the residents of the surrounding country, the favor of all of whom he had won by his genial, gentlemanly ways as a fair dealing drug merchant; and there is not one of these but that will regret to lose him from the ranks of the tradesmen. Much of the popularity his business has attained in the past has been due to the affable young men who have presided over the prescription department, and especially is a word of commendation due Mr. J. G. Kiesel who has so faithfully attended to the interests of the business during the past three years. Mr. Kiesel has won many friends here during his stay and one and all join in wishing him success in embarking in his own interests upon the business sea, although regretting that it will take him to another place. He has all the elements necessary to success ensconced within his slight frame, and is bound to win. Mr. Kohler will retire from active business life to enjoy some of the fruits of his well earned prosperity. He takes with him the best wishes of all for renewed health and happiness. The gentlemen who have stepped into so desirable a business in our midst need no introduction to the public. Mr. Deutch is a registered pharmacist, by examination, and will have charge of the prescription department, while Mr. Zettel will have an eye to the general interests of the business. Both are gentlemen such as one likes to meet. They hope with zeal and energy to so conduct the business as to deserve an ample share in the public patronage during the years to come.

Dr. Mitchell and Geo. McMullen are now engaged in inventing a “snorometer.” They want to find out just how hard Mr. Peck snores in a small room in a farm house after a hard days’ fishing.

When flies become troublesome in a house they can always be expelled by a very simple mixture. A half teaspoonful of black pepper finely ground should be mixed with double the quantity of brown sugar and the compound be moistened with cream. The flies will generally eat greedily of this mixture if placed where they can get it, but it will be their last meal, for the least taste of it is to a fly rank poison.

Aug. 10, 1893

The “Omaha” road officials have decided to take off the local train which has run up from Mankato for several years past. The “stub” as it is called, made its last run yesterday morning. It is probable, however, that this may be only a temporary arrangement, as this train has always done a good business in the past. The St. Louis will get the benefit of the local morning travel by the new arrangement.

Several of our local clairvoyants got together the other day and brought back to earth the spirit of the defunct Shakopee Driving Park Ass’n. for a short consultation. The spirit was much pleased with the new enthusiasm manifested and evinced a desire to return to earth and again take up its abode among us. Dr. L. G. Mitchell was immediately set to work upon the corpse and with powerful linguistic electrical apparatus has succeeded in partially resuscitating the association. Forty-five dollars has been raised already, of which forty has been paid for the rent of the old track till the fall of ’94, and fifteen will be used in fixing it, up so that the association may have a field to exercise upon while recuperating. It is the intention to get up, with the aid of the merchants, some new features that will draw people in from the surrounding country. On fair days small prizes might be offered for the best farmer’s road horse, the best pair of roadsters, the best team of draft horses, etc. These contests in connection with some good races that could be gotten up with the excellent trotting stock already in the town, would prove very interesting and would doubtless draw much attention. We have some of the best trotting stock that can be found in towns of this size anywhere, as well as many excellent roadsters, and we surely ought to support a driving park. It is the intention of the promoters of the new scheme to make the track a public boulevard, rather than a racetrack pure and simple, and the public is welcome to use the track freely as such.

Otto Dierberger is erecting a neat brick dwelling at the corner of Somerville and Second street.

Work has been resumed on D. L. How’s new building and it is purposed to push it to rapid completion.

The Busse building is progressing rapidly, the walls being nearly completed. The iron front will go in next week.

The Minnesota Stove Co. is getting out a new cook stove that is really a work of art. John McMullen has one on exhibition at his store. It is worth a visit.

Deutsch & Zettel have just put in a fine line of choice cigars for your delectation. And you know how nice and fresh that large patent cigar showcase keeps them.

A steam merry-go-round, or “Flying Dutchman,” is located on the vacant lots opposite John McMullen’s residence. It commenced operations last night and was well patronized by the “small fry.” The amusement is certainly fascinating and it will not be surprising if some of the children of a larger growth are found indulging in a trip or two. The owner stated that in some towns “the big ones are worse than the little ones.” The outfit will remain about a week.

Four wires were run up on the telephone line this week. Two of these run to Chaska and Carver, while the other two run down to Mankato. The entire line will be ready for business within a few days.

House for Sale. House with 6 large rooms and summer kitchen, good stable, corn rib, brick smoke house, wood shed, 10 lots. The house is built with brick and is a story and a half high. A good well and cistern is on the place. The premises is situated on Second street two blocks west of the stove foundry. For further particulars inquire of the proprietor, Chas. Siewert, Shakopee, Minn.

Aug. 17, 1893

Do you enjoy the music of the guitar or piano? If so, would not you yourself like to learn to play upon them? Miss Bertha Shepperle gives lessons at the residence of Jacob Clemens, First street. Call Monday morning.

The telephone line to Chaska and Carver is now ready for business. The Mankato line is rapidly nearing completion.

H. P. Marx’s flyer, Hazel Fritz, has been brought home form Minnehaha Driving Park for a two week’s rest. She will then go to St. Cloud to trot in the races at that point.

Our enterprising horsemen have already raised money enough to pay for the use of the track until November ’94 and now need donations to put it in shape for a boulevard. Every evening it is a sight worth seeing to go up and watch the exercise of the young as well as the old horses and sometimes witness a pretty brisk race. Our citizens should all help this cause as it is intended to benefit each and all in the near future.

Two “aquarium” cars with a steam caliope visited the city last Tuesday. Those who visited them failed to find the aquarium, but they did see some fairly good curiosities.

Aug. 24, 1893

Paul Bierlein has moved his family into the Wm. Heidenreich house on Second street.

Last Saturday morning a young man was arrested on the charge of stealing money from A. Schmitz’s saloon. He was tried in the afternoon and found guilty and sentenced to ten days in the county jail. It seems that this fellow, in company with another, had struck town when the little birds were singing their early matins. All the world looked fresh and green, and to these deluded creatures the town and townspeople looked fresh and green, too. So they lingered in our midst, that is, around A. Schmitz’s saloon. During the morning Mr. Schmitz went out to procure a steak for his noonday meal, leaving one of the chips from the old block to watch the place in his short absence. The boy sat out in front until he heard footsteps inside when he went in and discovered one of these loafers in possession. He had entered by the rear door. The fellow called for a glass of beer and then went out. When Mr. Schmitz returned he immediately discovered that two half dollars had become a minus quantity in his absence. So he questioned the boy, heard the story, and had the two fellows arrested before they had got out of town. The money was found on the persons of the two. One of them was convicted of stealing it and is languishing in jail as stated. At this rate it will not be long before these strangers will give Mr. Schmitz’s saloon a wide berth. It will be remembered that a fellow who tried to get away with about $14 last year is now trying life in the state’s prison in consequence. It is, and rightly so, the policy of our authorities to urge these tramps to either go around or, at least pass directly through the town. They may learn to do so after a few such lessons.

J. B. Gellenbeck intends to open a notion store in Shakopee in the near future. He will move his family from Belle Plaine to this city next week.

Last Saturday night tramps relieved Mr. Pengilly of twenty-three chickens and his neighbor, Mr. Thomas, contributed a large can of milk. It is safe to say that the love of these two gentlemen for the tramp element at the present time is away below par.

George Sullivan contemplates building on the lot between the city hall and Voelker & Koenig’s meat market.

Aug. 31, 1893

Joseph Hirscher has that beautiful carved oak side-board on exhibition in the east show window of Hirscher & Sons’ new and elegant brick salesroom. It is a splendid piece of work and deserves attention.

Quite an extensive affair will be that of the dedication of the new and commodious parochial schoolhouse at Marystown next Sunday. The St. John’s Society has been invited to take part in the exercises, and it is probable that a large contingent from Shakopee will be present on that occasion. The building is a handsome two story brick structure in which the residents of Marystown feel a most pardonable pride.

Rev. Fr. McMahon of St. Thomas Seminary of St. Paul, was on Sunday last the guest of Dennis Flaherty and family. While here he viewed the Catholic churches and expressed himself as astonished at the splendid edifices and their equipment. He is of the opinion that St. Mark’s church is as beautiful and complete as that of any church in the state. And he is right. The parishioners of the German church have every cause to feel proud of their splendid cathedral, for it compares most favorably with churches in the larger cities of the state.

Otto Dierberger expects to move into his new residence in about a week.

A burglar entered the Hirscher residence last Friday night and made off with Geo. Hirscher’s best suit of clothes and his gold watch. George is now wondering how that fellow could want them more than he did.

J. B. Gellenbeck removed his family to this place from Belle Plaine yesterday.

1918: Shakopee Tribune

Aug. 2, 1918

Flag Raising. Thursday, August 15, has been set as the day for the dedication of St. Mark’s service flag. The flag is of silk, made in banner style and has 76 stars, one gold star, four officer’s stars, the latter recognizable by the bars, and a red cross for the army nurse. The banner is 3 ft. by 5 ft. and is the gift of Mr. Henry Hussmann, of St. Mark’s parish. Mr. Hussman, the generous and patriotic donor, has four cousins in the service of Uncle Sam and a fifth, enlisted, waiting for his call. Hon. Julius A. Coller will be the speaker for the evening, the exercises commencing at 7:45 p.m…

M. L. Castles and family are occupying the Wilder home on Shakopee avenue. Mr. Castles is the agent for the W. T. Rawleigh Co.

Work has commenced on the new 5-room bungalow of Frank Boehmer, in east Shakopee, The foundation was completed on Monday and the raising of the structure was commenced.

The Irving Oltmann home was entered on Monday evening, between the hours of eight and nine o’clock, by some unknown party. When the family returned home about 10 o’clock the house as somewhat ransacked. Upon investigation it was found that about $7.00 was missing. There is no clue as to the perpetrators.

Aug. 9, 1918

C. C. Storer has accepted a clerical position at the Omaha station, commencing work the first of the week.

Peter Cassellius has returned to his work in Flaherty & Lies’ store, after enjoying a three weeks vacation.

Nick Ries of Prior Lake, while driving down the mile road, which is being rebuilt, was unfortunate enough to have two blowouts in the tires on one side last Sunday. The roadster turned turtle in the ditch, badly smashing it. Mr. Ries escaped unhurt.

Aug. 16, 1918

Red Cross Dance Breaks Record. The Red Cross social and dance at Riverside park last Friday was one of the most successful affairs ever carried off by the local chapter, whose undertakings have been so uniformly satisfactory in their results. A very large proportion of the town patronized the ice cream stand and enjoyed themselves in the park for several hours. The fancy quilt, was disposed of during the evening, Miss Georgina Fischer now being the lucky possessor. The quilt brought $56.50…

Scout Movement Progressing. The Boy Scout organization has progressed rapidly. Sixteen members have signed up, with George Brown as patrol leader. The majority have ordered uniforms and are ready to be classed as Tenderfoot scouts. The object of the boy scout is for training in military tactics to an extent, also to train in discipline, and along other lines that are brought to bear in everyday life.

Much Canning Done. This is summary of the work that has been done in the canning department of the Shakopee High School this summer to the present time. We have canned 735 quarts of fruits and vegetables in tin cans and 210 quarters in glass jars. The girls canning club has been active and from them a team has been picked to meet the other teams of the county in a canning contest. The team consists of Margaret Schaefer and Pauline Ring.

Miss Regina Strunk resumed her work as clerk in Flaherty & Lies’ store on Monday, after several week’s absence.

The new six-room cottage which is being built by Delwo and Engel, near the site of the Women’s Reformatory, is about completed. The cottage is the property of Achille Tuyten.

Louis Keschnitzki was a St. Paul business caller over the weekend. While there Mr. Keschnitzki bought more than $100 worth of leather. Mr. Keschnitzki has been in the shoe repairing business in this city for the past 26 years and is deserving of the fine patronage afforded him. He also wishes to state that he has resigned as street overseer, his business taking up all his time. His successor has not as yet been named.

John H. Doyle has charge of the mill elevator, near the depot, to succeed R. M. Plumb.

Miss Rose Lenertz is assisting in the office of the Shane Bros. & Wilson Milling Company, commencing work on Monday.

Thomas G. Saymour and his men, who have been making an inventory of the property of the Tri-State Telephone in Scott county, have completed their work, having made a complete record of the condition of each unit, such as poles, wires, anchors and pins. The record has been filed with the state railroad and warehouse commission.

A severe electrical storm visited this section of the country last Monday morning and considerable damage is reported throughout the country. Math Sand’s barn at Marystown was struck by lightning with very little damage, and John Nesbitt at Eden Prairie lost a valuable cow. Nick Thielen, living in Eagle Creek was the heaviest loser. A fine new modern and up to date barn, built a year ago, was struck about 3:30 A. M. and was burned to the ground. Mr. Thielen succeeded in getting out two horses, and one set of harness. The barn was valued at $3,000 with $1,500 insurance. Besides the structure Mr. Thielen lost 50 tons of hay, 370 bales of straw, two horses, cream separator, three sets of harnesses and other articles too numerous to sum up. In all, his loss would easily figure up to $5,000. Plans are being drawn up to replace the barn at once.

Aug. 23, 1918

Fined for Speeding. Elmer Brown, a driver from the sanitarium, was arrested for speeding in the city limits Monday and was taken before Judge Theo. Weiland where he entered a plea of guilty and paid a fine. Brown was warned some days before by Mayor Lenertz but evidently he thought that the mayor didn’t mean what he said, for on Monday Mr. Lenertz saw him driving over the bridge at a high speed and caused his arrest. This is the first case to be prosecuted, but others will follow if infractions of the speed ordinances are persisted in.

Would you like to have a cedar chest? The Henry Simons Lumber Company is giving away a beautiful chest, free. Visit their booth at the fair, you may draw the lucky number.

Hirscher Bros. have just completed a handsome auto-hearse which they are now using in connection with their undertaking business. The body is 18 feet long by 4 wide, and the workmanship on it is equal, or indeed superior, to anything in that line that we have seen. When it comes to woodworking, carving and finishing the Hirscher brothers can take their place with the foremost artisans in the country.

The Shakopee Relief Association donated 50% of the cost of the new fire hose, recently purchased by the city. The amount was $250.

The corner room of the Southworth block, formerly occupied by the John Gentgen barbershop has been repainted and papered this week. The room will be occupied by the local draft board, moving from the courthouse, yesterday.

Fierce Electrical Storm

Wednesday night the worst electrical storm of the year passed over this neighborhood. In Shakopee wind and lightning did some damage which will amount into hundreds of dollars. Lightning wrecked the steeple of the Lutheran church, but no fire followed. Builders are of the opinion that the steeple will have to be torn down and rebuilt. At the state reformatory the hoisting tower was wrecked by the wind, and building operations are interfered with for a few days. We have heard of no other damage. The storm seems to have been general over the southern end of the state. At Tyler it took the form of a tornado, and it is reported that thirty persons were killed or many injured.

Owing to the heavy rains of the past ten days the Minnesota river has been rising rapidly and is now within a foot or two of going over at Riverside Park and is over at some places where the banks are lower. Last night’s downpour is likely to raise the water some more, and it is more than possible that the end of the week may see the river out of its banks in more places.

The backwater from Feldmann’s lake is now approaching the mile road and may shortly interfere with the building of the trestle.

Aug. 30, 1918

The members of the Home Guards are invited to join in the parade on Saturday evening. They will meet at the schoolhouse at 7 o’clock.

The ice cream social given for the benefit of St. John’s Lutheran church, on the Rohlfs lawn on Tuesday evening, was a grand success. The Mandolin orchestra furnished the music. A fine sum was realized.

Nick Thielen had a lumber hauling bee on Monday. Fifteen loads of lumber were taken from the Interior Lumber Company’s yards to rebuild the barn, recently destroyed by lightning.7

1918: Scott County Argus

Aug. 2, 1918

Lester Brown has a handsome new Ford Sedan which he is using in his livery business.

Boy Scouts Organize. George H. Jones, agricultural instructor of the high school, is assisting a number of young boys in the organization of a Boy Scout patrol in which the boys are manifesting deep interest. The organization was effected at a recent meeting and an order placed for uniforms with Boy Scout headquarters in New York. The patrol starts with a membership of fifteen, Mr. Jones serving as scout master. The boys will take the regular course of instruction in military drill, and camping trips and hikes will afford agreeable outings…

Service Flag To Be Dedicated

On August 15th St. Mark’s church will dedicate their service flag at an evening social on the church grounds.

Mr. Henry Husman is the generous and patriotic donor of the flag which is made of silk and is 3×5 feet in dimensions. It bears 76 stars—a gold star, four officers’ stars with bars and one army nurse cross. Mr. Husman, the donor, has four cousins in the services with a fifth enlisted and waiting for his call.

On the occasion of the dedication Hon. J. A. Coller will speak and music will be furnished. Refreshments will be served during the evening and amusements provided for the entertainment of patrons.

The event will be one of public interest and everybody is cordially invited to be present and witness the raising of the flag.

Aug. 9, 1918

Registration of Nurses. Registration of nurses is still going on at the high school and will continue until the evening of August 11th. Miss Rose Schwartz is acting as registrar this week. Those who are unable to call at the building may telephone their names and addresses to Mrs. W. F. Duffy.

Patriotic Event at St. Mary’s Parish

On Monday evening, August 12th, St. Mary’s church will hold flag-raising and dedicatory exercises on the church ground at 7:45 o’clock.

A handsome flag 6 by 12 feet and a 42 ft. flag staff have been donated to St. Mary’s church by Mrs. Joseph Lenertz and the flag will be appropriately dedicated with a program of music and speaking. Mayor Lenertz will preside as master of ceremonies and such well known speakers as J. J. Moriarty, George F. Sullivan and Rev. Fr. Carey of St. Thomas college have accepted invitations to speak. The Shakopee Cadet band will furnish music during the evening and a social time follow the exercises. Refreshments will be served and a feature of the occasion will be a booth conducted for the benefit of the Red Cross.

The event is one of universal interest and Rev. Fr. Lee and the congregation of St. Mary’s extend a cordial invitation to their friends of all denominations to be present and enjoy a pleasant evening with them.

Aug. 16, 1918

Boy Scouts Progressing. The Boy Scout organization has progressed rapidly. Sixteen members have signed up, with George Brown as patrol leader. The majority have ordered uniforms and are ready to be classed as Tenderfoot scouts. The object of the Boy Scouts is for training in military tactics to an extent, also to train in discipline and along other lines that are brought to bear in everyday life.

John H. Doyle began work Monday as manager of the depot elevator for Shane Bros. & Wilson.

Bolt Strikes Residence. Last Monday morning about 3:30 o’clock lightning struck the A. T. Dell residence, following telephone and electric light wires into the house and stopping their service. All of the electric light bulbs were blown out and the telephone was put out of commission. Shortly after the bolt struck smoke was smelled, and an investigation revealed several umbrellas in a rack near the telephone in flames, the fire having gained considerable headway by the time it was located. Chimney stops were blown out and soot was scattered over the rooms but no great damage resulted from the bolt and none of the occupants of the house suffered any ill effects from the lightning. It is probable that the shock would have been greater had not the house been equipped with eaves spouting which grounded the current to a great extent and largely lessened the danger.

Boy Shot In Shoulder

As the result of being shot at with a “didn’t know it was loaded” rifle Sunday, Arthur Strehlow, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. August Strehlow, is carrying a bullet in his right shoulder. The shot was fired by a playmate, Adolph Scheller, who found a 22 calibre rifle under the porch of the Strehlow home and supposing it to be unloaded, proceeded to demonstrate how to “kill the kaiser” with telling effect.

The rifle had been hidden under the porch by boys from a neighboring home who had borrowed it from a companion.

Realizing that he had shot Strehlow, young Scheller became frightened and ran away but returned after being gone several hours.

Dr. Reiter attended the injured boy and anticipates no serious results as the wound is healing nicely.

Aug. 23, 1918

Airplane at Fair. Through the efforts of Wm. Ries, secretary of the Scott County Agricultural society, assisted by Lieut. Dempsey formerly assistant medical director at Mudcura and who is now located at the Overland institute where he is doing his bit to help win the war, the Scott county fair at Shakopee will have a war plane or what is perhaps better known as a flying machine on exhibition on Friday, the second day of the big show. This is something that a great many of us have never seen and we are glad of the opportunity offered. The flier will be accompanied by twelve men, eleven privates and an officer. It will be Friday, the second day of the fair.

Lightning Hits Church. During the severe electrical storm Wednesday night lightning struck the tower on St. John’s Lutheran church, splintering it so that it will have to be rebuilt. The interior of the church was untouched and fortunately the bolt failed to set fire to the structure. Wind blew down the scaffolding at the women’s reformatory and lightning also destroyed part of a stack of wheat on the J. Evans farm but the fire was put out shortly after it started. The storm was one of the worst of the year and continued for several hours with a torrent of rain. The recent heavy rainfall has caused the river to rise rapidly and the volume of water is now nearly bank full.

Service Flag Raised. The service flag of St. Mark’s church was raised Thursday evening of last week with appropriate ceremony. The choir of St. Mark’s sang “America” with an accompaniment by the Mandolin club and Senator J. A. Coller spoke eloquently. The flag is a handsome silk banner bearing 76 stars, one gold star, four officers’ bars and a Red Cross emblem. It was donated to the parish by Mr. Henry Husman. A very large crowd was present to witness the flag raising and the later hours of the evening were spent in an informal social time. Refreshments were served and amusements of various kinds provided entertainment for the guests. Proceeds from the affair were very satisfactory and the treasury of St. Mark’s church was enriched by more than $300.

Foot Passenger Walk Completed for Fair. The contractor to whom was awarded the job to build the foot-passenger walk of the river bridge, started work the first of the week and an effort will be made to have the walk completed on or before the Scott county fair is held here, Thursday, Friday and Saturday of next week.

Jos. N. Conter, the insurance man, has moved his office from the Southworth block to what used to be the sample room of the Occidental hotel. This room will be nicely fitted up for Mr. Conter’s purpose.

The local draft board have moved their office into the Southworth block formerly occupied by John Gentgen’s barber shop. The move was made in order to provide ample vault space for the rapidly accumulating army records kept by the board.

Aug. 30, 1918

Fifty Dollars for Races Tomorrow. S. L. Donaldson of Minneapolis has come forward with a voluntary request to offer and pay fifty dollars for foot races to be participated in by Scott county people only and to be staged by the Scott County Agricultural Society at the fair grounds tomorrow—Saturday afternoon. These races will be staged on a circular track immediately in front of the fair grounds…

Mr. and Mrs. John H. Heinen and baby spent Friday and Saturday in St. Paul where Mr. Heinen purchased his Christmas toys. Mr. Heinen says that war conditions apparently have not affected that branch of trade and that he never saw a finer or larger stock of toys than those shown by the wholesale dealers. His own stock will be exceptionally large.

1943: Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Aug. 5, 1943

Many Give Blood for Fighting Men. Blood for the wounded men in the nation’s armed forces—120 pints of it—was gathered here Tuesday by the Red Cross, Mrs. W. A. Pomije, blood donor chairman, announced Wednesday…

Civic & Commerce Assn. Sponsoring Cigarette Distribution. Send cigarettes to your fighting men! The Civic and Commerce association of Shakopee in conjunction with the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco company dealer and distributor of Camel Cigarettes, are sponsoring a project which when carried through, will provide servicemen overseas with cigarettes…

FOR SALE.—The James Doyle farm of 40 acres; good buildings. CALL 782-J for appointment.

FOR SALE.—To close estate, dwelling with 2 ½ lots, centrally located on Fourth street. Inquire E. J. Huber, Adm. Elizabeth Engel Est., Shakopee.

Rev. H. P. Roberts Takes Charge Local Presbyterian Church

Rev. and Mrs. Hugh P. Roberts have moved here from Minneapolis and are occupying the Presbyterian Manse at 525 E. First street.

Rev. Roberts terminated his pastorate at Welsh Presbyterian church in Minneapolis last Sunday. He will conduct the services in the local Presbyterian church next Sunday…

He will begin his regular pastorate on September 1.

Remodelling of Cafe Now in Progress Here

Remodelling of the Gelhaye cafe on East First street, was begun this week. For the next two weeks, Lee Gelhaye, owner said the place will be closed.

Although complete plans for the alteration were not disclosed, it was learned that a partition is to be erected across the center of the building from north to south, reducing the size of the cafe and making the other half available for renting to some other business.

Several prospective tenants are now seeking the available space, Gelhaye said, but names or businesses were not divulged.

Aug. 12, 1943

Auxiliary Police Finish Training. Twenty-seven Scott county men successfully completed a training course for the instruction of auxiliary police Monday night. The training course was held as a part of the Civilian Defense program and the men have been attending a school in the court house here one night a week, for the past 10 weeks…

Boarding Homes for Children Sought in County, Notice Says. That there is a growing demand in Scott county for rural boarding homes for children was disclosed by the State Division of Social Welfare, this week in a notice received by the County Welfare office…

Aug. 19, 1943

More Shakopee Scouts Now at Tonkawa. Bringing the total of the season’s “campers” to 18, five more Shakopee Boy Scouts are doing their turn at Camp Tonkawa. They will return from their two-weeks stay Sunday…

Shakopee Hero Gets Two Air Medals for Action Over Europe

Two medals, awarded for five combat bomber missions over enemy-occupied Europe and for the destruction of one enemy aircraft, were received the past week by First Lt. Robert L. Schaefer, Shakopee flyer, wounded in action several weeks ago and now convalescing in a British hospital.

For the combat missions Lt. Schaefer was awarded the Air Medal, and for the destruction of enemy aircraft he received the Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster to the Air Medal…

Aug. 26, 1943

Post War Period Home Building. Daniel J. Fouquette, state director, and Ora E. Sahr, chief underwriter of the Federal Housing administration in Minnesota, visited Shakopee on Thursday of last week. Their visit in this community was for the purpose of examining into the residential situation in Shakopee with the view of making a survey, having in mind such assistance as their department may be able to render in the post-war home building program. They called on Mayor Cavanaugh, E. J. Huber of the First National Bank, and a number of other citizens of the community. The editor acknowledges a brief visit by the gentlemen…

There will be no service at the Presbyterian church next Sunday, Aug. 29, as the church is undergoing repairs. However, the congregation is looking forward to welcoming their new pastor, Rev. Hugh Roberts, on September 5, when he will begin his work in the parish.

Mr. and Mrs. Bud Almich and family, who have been residents of Shakopee the past six years, will move to Robbinsdale, Sunday to reside. During their stay here they have made many friends who regret their departure. Mr. Almich was in charge of the Lange meat department in the C. Thomas store for several years, and is now an employee of the Cargill Shipyards in Savage.

1968: Shakopee Valley News

Aug. 1, 1968

Sewer construction is now under way on West First and on Clay Street, with the Highway 169 a maze of barriers and directions as the cut is being made across the pavement. The sewer is to tie in the Rahr Malting plant with the present city interceptor running along the Minnesota River bluff to the sewage plant on East First. The project, bid at a cost of $21,768, on a contract let by the City of Shakopee, is to accommodate the Rahr plant’s process water and sanitary sewage with this firm paying full costs of the installation…

Levee Drive construction is proceeding along the south bluff of the Minnesota River with the erection of forms for pouring a retaining wall now taking shape and forming a pattern of squares and parallel lines…

Scott Sheriff’s Entry Featured On Cover of June Pigeon Journal. Scott County Sheriff W. B. (Rip) Schroeder of Shakopee has gained widespread recognition as a pigeon fancier, with one of his prize winning entries being featured on the cover page of the American Pigeon Journal’s issue for June 1968.

Scott County At 30.4 Per Cent Third Largest Population Gain

Scott county had the third largest gain in population in the State of Minnesota as of July 1, 1967, according to estimates released recently by the section of vital statistics, Minnesota Department of Health.

Only two other counties in the state had greater population increases over that of Scott county, showing a 30.4 per cent gain. They were Anoka County at 47.2 per cent and Dakota County at 44.9 per cent…

Aug. 8, 1968

‘Serenade’ To Kickoff Pow Wow Days Events. An evening of musical selections entitled “Serenade of the August Moon” will kickoff the Shakopee 1968 Pow Wow days under the stars at Huber Park Rodeo Arena at 8 p.m. on Thursday evening, August 15…

Establish Free Legal Service To Scott Co. Needy. The attorneys of Scott and Carver counties have established free legal services for residents who may qualify from Scott and Carver counties. Anyone who feels in need of legal services but cannot afford attorney fees is welcome to apply on the regularly scheduled dates and locations…

Aug. 15, 1968

Scott Board To Name Committee On Courthouse. The Scott County Board of Supervisors in a positive move on Tuesday of this week, August 13, agreed to give full consideration to the need for new courthouse facilities in Shakopee and to select a committee of 10 residents over the county to assist with the planning and determination of meeting the needs for the new facilities…

Scott County Historical Society’s first project in the proposed restoration of a frontier village in the Memorial Park area, to be granted by the City of Shakopee, at the east edge of the city, was in evidence this week as a specific area was “staked out”. This was to define the site of the former Oliver Faribault House, located at the rear of the Kelm property, just east of Shakopee Pond on East First that is to be moved and located in the proposed restoration area near the Pond Grist Mill in Memorial Park…

Plan Traffic Signals on E. First At Lewis, Up-Date Holmes. That the State of Minnesota Highway Department plans installation of a traffic control signal system on October 25 of this year at Lewis Street on East First (Highway 101), as well as to up-date the present control at the Holmes Street intersection was revealed at the regular meeting of the Common Council of the City of Shakopee Tuesday night of this week, August 13…

Aug. 22, 1968

Scott Board Acts On Transfer Of School Funds. The Scott County Board of Commissioners at its regular meeting Tuesday of this week, August 20, approved a resolution authorizing the Marystown School District No. 1875 funds be turned over to Shakopee School District No. 720, the two districts having consolidated effective July 1 of this year…

Jail 5 Youths After Fracas Sunday Evening. A fracas involving 14 youths, arriving from Minneapolis in cars, and 30 to 40 Shakopee youths resulted in the jailing of five of the Minneapolis youths, after Shakopee police broke up the disturbance at about 11:30 p.m. last Sunday, August 18, during Pow-Wow Days…

Shakopee High Teacher Attends Aerospace Technology Institute. Jack A. Anderson, metal and electronics instructor in the Shakopee Senior High School Industrial Arts department, who joined the Shakopee High Faculty last 1967-68 school year, was among the 22 junior and senior high school teachers from the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the Canal Zone to recently complete a six-weeks National Defense Education Act Institute for Advanced Study in Power and Aerospace technology held at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan…

Aug. 29, 1968

New Housing Authority Now Active. Now active is the Housing Authority named by the Common Council of the City of Shakopee, with a special meeting set for 8 p.m. at the regular council meeting on Tuesday, September 10, with Allen E. Anderson of the State Planning Agency to be present to outline duties and functions of this group…

Church Women ‘Man’ Bakery As Owner Goes For Surgery. Because Willard Paul, proprietor of Paul’s Valley Bakery, 114 East First, was scheduled to enter St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee for surgery last Sunday, August 25, he donated his retail bakery facilities to several Shakopee church women’s groups for giant bake sales on the various days of the week he expected to be absent from his shop…

Scott Board Names Courthouse Committee. A committee of 10 Scott County residents was named by the Scott County Board of Commissioners Tuesday of this week, August 27, to assist the county board with the planning and determination of meeting needs for new facilities at the Scott County courthouse site in Shakopee…

1993: Shakopee Valley News

Aug. 5, 1993

County approves Stans Museum. Shakopee native Maurice Stans will construct a $1 million building that will house a museum containing memorabilia and artifacts from his life and provide a home for the county’s historical society under an agreement signed by Stans and Scott County Tuesday…

Jehovah’s Witnesses to build church in Shakopee over three-day period. From Friday through Sunday, the Shakopee congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses plans to build a new Kingdom Hall at the intersection of County Road 78 and Old Brickyard Road…

County recorder Wermerskirchen calls it a career. Paul Wermerskirchen, Scott County’s recorder and registrar of titles for the past 27 ½ years, retired as of Friday…

DOC urges import of inmates for jail

The Scott County Jail Annex near Jordan was found to fully comply with mandatory and voluntary standards set by the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) when the facility was inspected in late June.

However, the declining prisoner population at the annex prompted the DOC to urge Scott County to actively seek minimum-security prisoners from counties experiencing a shortage of jail cells…

Aug. 12, 1993

City told that without financial help, Murphy’s will close

Murphy’s Landing is on the brink of closing its doors by Sept. 15 if city and county officials do not infuse financial support at the Shakopee historic museum.

That was the message given the Shakopee City Council on Aug. 3 by Dr. Rolland Pistulka, vice president of the Minnesota Valley Restoration Project (MVRP) board, the organization that manages the 88-acre “living museum.”…

Plan would reorganize school building use

Shakopee’s Elementary Grade Reorganization Task Force has recommended that the district have two buildings housing grades kindergarten through four, and one with grades five and six.

Although the School Board accepted the task force’s report Monday, board members asked for more time to review its recommendations before implementing them…

The task force further recommended that Pearson Elementary be considered as the site for fifth- and sixth-graders, since its structure was the most flexible for changes…

School land purchase approved

The Shakopee School Board Monday approved the purchase of 32 acres of land south of the high school at a cost of $435,000…

The land was purchased to allow for expansion at the high school, which is now on 21 acres. The state Department of Education recommends a minimum of 50 acres for high schools the size of Shakopee’s. The land also will be used to develop a school recreation complex, including a football field, track, bleachers, lighting and additional parking…

Hearing on second phase of downtown project set

The Shakopee City Council last week set a public hearing for Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the second phase of the downtown renovation project, which would include First Avenue from Holmes to Sommerville streets.

The project, estimated to cost $360,302, would include water-main replacement, sewer service connections, roadway improvements, curbs and gutter, new lighting, planters, benches and trash receptacles…

Aug. 19, 1993

Business plan for Murphy’s needed, MVRP board told. To keep Murphy’s Landing from closing under a quagmire of debt in September, the Scott County Board and city of Shakopee may be willing to provide help in the form of loans, grants and services-in-kind if the museum’s board of trustees can deliver a satisfactory business plan. Local government officials would seek accountability for the funds, and an explanation of how the money would be used to reduce the museum’s mounting debts…

Kingdom come

If you build it, they will come.

“They” being 400 Jehovah’s Witnesses from throughout Minnesota; “it” being a new Kingdom Hall.

In just four days — Aug. 5-8 — a new Kingdom Hall, or meeting place, for the Shakopee congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was constructed.

The building was constructed at the intersection of County Road 78 and Old Brickyard Road, where the old Kingdom Hall had been located…

Aug. 26, 1993

Board OKs school designs

Building designs for additions to Sweeney and Pearson elementary schools were approved by the Shakopee School Board Monday night…

Each building will get an additional 12 classrooms, and allow space for 750 students at each site.

Changes at Pearson are estimated to be less costly because of the building’s open-classroom concept. The 41,000-square-foot addition will be constructed to the east of the current facility. Renovations will be done on 8,000 square feet.

Other elements of the addition include art, science, computer and music rooms; an expanded media center; and two gymnasiums each with a floor space of 3,000 square feet…

Changes at Sweeney will be more costly and time-consuming, due to the less-flexible design of the structure.

Construction will be visibly more dramatic. There will be a two-story addition and new gymnasium at the back, or east, of the existing structure. Additions will cover 45,000 square feet, and there will be 14,000 square feet of renovations.

Besides new classrooms, arts, science and media centers, the Early Childhood Family Education Center, which is now housed in the high school, will be moved to the first floor of Sweeney…

Bond sale for new Shakopee clinic approved by city

The Shakopee City Council last week adopted a resolution establishing a joint-powers agreement to enable the city of St. Louis Park to issue $235 million in revenue bonds to finance a number of construction projects, including a new Park Nicollet Medical Center in Shakopee. The city of Shakopee will not be under any financial obligation or risk under the agreement.

About $4.5 million of the bond revenues will go toward constructing a 20,000-square-foot clinic in Shakopee, which likely will be built next to or connected to a new St. Francis Regional Medical Center in a medical campus off of Marschall Road, just south of the new Shakopee Bypass near Vierling Drive…

Post Office in Shakopee (1853)

Places

By David R. Schleper

Shakopee Post Office
Shakopee Post Office on Sommerville Street.

The first post office in Sha k’pay was established on Nov. 25, 1853.

The first postmaster was Thomas A. Holmes. This post office in the Territory of Minnesota existed until it closed on April 12, 1857. Once Minnesota became a state, the Shakopee Post Office was established on April 13, 1857.

As a side note: William Holmes, brother of Thomas A. Holmes, was postmaster in Sand Creek starting on March 29, 1856. It was changed to Jordan on Jan. 24, 1872.

The current post office is at 135 Sommerville Street South, in Shakopee. The ZIP code is 55379. Go write a letter today!