95 Years Ago – May 9, 1929

Work of excavating for a full basement for a large new warehouse for the Master Package Corporation was begun on Friday of last week. The new building will join the factory building to the north and will be 70x120 feet in size, giving them storage for several carloads of pails and drums after their manufacture. The new building will be built with concrete foundation and brick walls following the scheme of the factory building.

Anybody want to buy a complete railroad? The Fairchild & Northeastern is for sale at Fairchild, intact or in pieces, with 23 miles of track, one engine, a few cars, 20 employees and all the tools and buildings that go with a railroad.

85 Years Ago – May 11, 1939

Plant efficiency is the aim of the Western Condensing Company, one of Owen’s leading industries, who are now installing a new unit which when complete will decrease the waste production of the plant which is estimated to be as high as 10 percent of the finished product.

With the completion of installing the new lighting system at the baseball park within the next week, the softball league will get their schedule underway in the near future. The lighting system has been the aim of the league for the past two seasons. It has been made possible this season through the generous donation of the city council and the combined donations of the various fans of the sport and the businessmen.

75 Years Ago – May 12, 1949

On Thursday of last week a business deal was completed whereby the ownership and management of the Starting Point Tavern, Withee, which has been under the ownership and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Frystak for the past two years was sold to Wm. Veurink, Withee. The business will be managed and operated by Mr. Veurink’s daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Norbert Bruchert.

65 Years Ago – May 7, 1959

An extensive remodeling project was begun Monday morning at the Soo Café which when completed will include a new sidewalk, reinforced footing and wall, and a new front to the building. Duane Mroteck, owner of the restaurant, said the new front will consist of a three-foot ledge of Tennessee stone with the upper portion of the front being finished off in redwood paneling and aluminum siding from the front’s canopy to the top.

55 Years Ago – May 8, 1969

Residents of the Fourth Ward were without water for nearly 12 hours Tuesday when the service was disrupted by a motorist who sheered off a water hydrant.

45 Years Ago – May 9, 1979

The Owen-Withee Education Association hosted a retirement party last Thursday evening, May 3, at the Woodland Inn, in honor of retiring Principal and Mrs. Hubert Haselton, retiring school board member Bert Miller, and three 20 year faculty members, Ella Zielinski, Art Feldman, and John Briski.

35 Years Ago – May 11, 1989

The Owen Happy Homemakers are celebrating their 39th year of “loving, caring and sharing” this year. Originally known as the Owen Homemakers, the club was organized in September 1950, with eight members.

25 Years Ago – May 12, 1999

Harold and Fern Laube celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary on May 1 with their family coming for the weekend, and dinner at the Blackhawk Inn.

15 Years Ago – May 13, 2009

The Hands Foundation is partnering with two local businesses in order to raise money for the Save St. Hedwig’s Fund, which is gathering funds to pay for repairs to the roof and windows of the St. Hedwig’s Church west of Thorp.

The O-W Track Team shotput and discus throwers appreciate the new medicine balls and power balls they were able to buy with money from the O-W Booster Club. The track team now has enough of the two types of weighted balls so that all members can be using them at the same time.