Time Machine Trip to January 1968

January 3, 1968

Packer fanatics from the Heart of the Valley are reliving the historic National Football league championship won in -13-degree weather. First were the delightful delirious last minute 21 to 17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Then there was their personal triumph over the elements.

Airman First Class James M. Reader, Kaukauna, took part in the recent 10,000-mile airlift of the 101^st Airborne Division units to Vietnam – the largest aerial troop deployment in history. Airman Reader is an aircraft mechanic. 

Captain Thomas McAndrews, Kaukauna native, has been awarded the Silver Star for his actions in the Bong Son battle in South Vietnam December 7-8. The U. S. Army 1^st Air Cavalry Division, which is Capt. McAndrew’s unit lost approximately 267 men in the battle. In the citation Capt. McAndrews received with his award, the Army cited his exceptionally valorous actions whole serving as company commander during the operation. He had consistently exposed himself to intense enemy fire in directing his unit.

Funeral services were held Thursday for Randy Hietpas, 16, of Appleton, who died as result of an automobile accident December 25. Randy was a junior at Kaukauna High school.

As his proud parents look on, Robin Whitman is presented the highest award in scouting, the Eagle Award, from Scoutmaster Tim Tousey. Robin is a member of Troop 104, Kaukauna.

Charles and Richard Heindel, Brothers street, Kaukauna, were flown to South Vietnam in November as members of the Navel River Assault patrol group located in the area of the Mekong Delta. Word has been received that Richard has been wounded when his boat was hit by a rocket. He has been evacuated to a hospital in Guam.

Robert Grogan, Kaukauna Postmaster, said the post office had received numerous queries from citizens concerning the new postal rate of 6 cents that will go into effect this Sunday, January 7. The question most often asked is the redemption of the old 5 cent stamps. The stamps may be exchanged to the new 6 cent stamp or currency.

January 5, 1968

The Kaukauna high school wrestling team got on to the right track after the holidays with a 24-21 win over Oshkosh Lourdes Wednesday evening at Oshkosh.

January 10, 1968

An explosion followed by a fire burned out of control for about 1 ½ hours early Sunday morning and did extensive damage to the asphalt department room at the Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co. Two fire trucks from Kaukauna were called to the scene and firemen fought the blaze in -24-degree weather. 

Sp. 4 Lawrence Delaney, 21, Kaukauna, is currently serving as a VHF radio operator with the 41^st Signal Battalion at the Vung Chua Mountain signal site in Vietnam.   

Bill Jirikowic picked up the 7-10 split at the Bowling Bar last Wednesday evening while bowling in the Knights of Columbus League.

January 17, 1968

Some fifty Kaukauna persons were among the more than 5,000 Packer fans who went to Miami to witness the Green Bay Packers 33 to 14 win over the Oakland Raiders for the World’s Championship in football.

Fred Gerhard, owner of the Hill Top Bakery, is taking count on his nationwide distribution of Honey Houses and looking ahead to a bigger year in 1968. “We shipped out 140,000 units,” Fred says after checking last year’s production which was 80,000 units over 1966.

January 24, 1968

Calvin Spice, Kaukauna, has been elected to a one-year term as president of the Wisconsin Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs Association in Milwaukee last week. Spice is a former Outagamie County sheriff and is currently serving as undersheriff. Spice was a Kaukauna policeman and later an Outagamie County traffic patrolman. 

 

Kaukauna’s newest arrival and winner of the Kaukauna Merchants’ First Baby Contest is Ann Marie Kortz. Ann Marie was born January 3 at 11:05 p.m. Her parents are Mr. and Mrs. William Kortz, 20^th Street, Kaukauna.

January 26, 1968

Incumbent Mayor Gilbert Anderson has filed his nomination papers for the April election. Anderson’s opposition consists of Alderman Russel Dix.

January 31, 1968

The Outagamie Selective Service has inducted a total of 23 men into the Army in the month of January including five Kaukaunans.  Gerald J. Arts, James A. Kempf, Marlin G. Geurts, Ronald N. Gonnering and William R. Schiefelbein. 

Bob and Bill Sachs, with a 834 two game series, were the winners of the Father-Son bowling tournament held at the Bowling Bar by the Kaukauna Recreation Department.

Time Machine Trip to January 1928

January 4, 1928

Eighteen of the younger men employed in the back shop working force of the railroad shops here will start a lay-off on January 9. This follows closely on the heels of the “Back to work order after the recent lay-off of the entire force.

Fire destroyed the Freedom high school this Wednesday morning, according to word received here. The large frame building was burned to the ground nothing was saved. The fire loss of the Freedom high school caused a loss of about $20,000 according to the report, $8,000 was covered by insurance. 

Phil Zwick, local battler, lost a hard-fought ten round bout to Joey Sangor of Milwaukee in that city Monday afternoon before 8,000 fans, about 500 from Kaukauna. Sangor proved to be too ring-wise for the Kaw battler and took the majority of rounds.

Harold Engerson, well known young man, was appointed to the local police force on six months’ probation to fill the position of night policeman on the south beat to succeed the late John Hiting who died recently after holding the position for the past twenty-one years. Chief of Police R. H. McCarty made the appointment.

January 10, 1928

With an all-star line-up of former college luminaries, the Kaukauna All-College basketball team will make their bow before home fans this Friday evening at the local auditorium against the Yellow Jackets of Neenah. Kaukauna’s team consists of LaVerne Dilweg, Marquette All-American; “Red” Smith, Notre Dame all-western and Johnny Roach, Notre Dame.

January 13, 1928

Harry McAndrews, Kaukauna high school basketball coach, expects to have his local squad to Two Rivers in time for the boys to get a little workout before the game Friday. Among those who will probably get a chance in the fray are Esler, Ferguson, Sager, Bill Miller, Landreman and Cub Farwell.

January 17, 1928

Kaukauna fans received their first taste of professional basketball here Friday night as the locals took on the Yellow Jackets. The game ended in favor of the Kaukauna squad 20 to 15. 

Chief of Police R. H. McCarty stated today that the new laws require forms being sent to the state following conviction of any motorist infringements of the state driving laws. McCarty warns all motorist to carry their driver’s license with them when operating a vehicle.

Myron “Mush” Esler, football and basketball star at the Kaukauna high school was named captain of the local cage team at a recent meeting. 

“We came we saw but we didn’t conquer.” That in short is the summing up the 29–18 trimming handed the McAndrews men in their first league basketball conflict against Two Rivers.  Bill Miller, big local center, was the only Kawman who could sink the ball from the floor as he accounted for the entire Kaukauna score.

January 24, 1928

Feds busting an illegal brewery

134 cases of home brew were smashed here Monday afternoon in the basement of Vandenberg Cement Works on Canal street when six federal agents swooped down upon the building armed with warrants. At least 100 people saw the liquid brew trickle from beneath the wall and run down the bank on to the ice in the government canal. Not only was the beer destroyed but all the brewing equipment used to make it.

January 27, 1928

Dr. W.C. Sullivan, mayor of Kaukauna and J. O. Posson, head of the Kaukauna Electric and Water Department, were at Madison last Friday where they investigated the possibility of USH 41 being rerouted outside of the city of Kaukauna. Upon their return they reported that the rerouting of the highway is very remote.  

Time Machine Trip to January 1988

January 5, 1988

LaVerne Forster, of Kaukauna has been appointed Director of Education for the National Association of Tax Practitioners by    IRS Commissioner Lawrence Gibbs to his Commissioner’s Advisory Group for 1988.

Kaukauna High School Seniors Betsy Kruse and Mary Dercks have won the Century III Leadership Award and the DAR Good Citizen Award according to Bob Rose, assistant principal at the high school.

Although the 21-year drinking age affected only a limited number of 19-year-olds in the first year, the state Department of Transportation said drinking related accidents dropped dramatically for those caught on the dry side of the higher drinking age. The 19-year-olds that could not drink legally had a fatal injury accident rate 38% less than the 19-year-olds who could legally drink.

A 4-game losing streak went by the wayside last Wednesday evening for the varsity boys’ basketball team from Kaukauna High School. Bill Huss provided the KHS with the winning points with a basket with four seconds left in the contest to defeat the Menasha Bluejays 59-58 at Menasha.

January 7, 1988

First in “88 is Pajia Her the first baby born in 1988 at the Kaukauna Community Hospital, arriving at 6:55 p.m. on January 3. Her parents are Bee and Cher Tong Her of Kaukauna.

Kaukauna high school varsity wrestling team didn’t mind making the trip to UW Stout last week as they came back with six medals. One medal for third place finish by Matt Lemke at 132 pounds 9^th place by Brian Sanderfoot at 145 and Mark Weyenberg at Heavyweight. The Ghosts also had a 7^th place finish by Eric Koller at 185 and 8th place by Kevin Kloehn at 112 and Mike Maes at 126. 

Forrest Gregg, Packers head coach, is convinced his team is on the verge of success as he set the National Football Conference playoffs as his goal for 1988. The Packers are coming off a 5-9-1 season of 1987.

A boat lift to replace the sealed lock at the Rapide Croche Dam could cost up to $1,395,000 says a study by the East Central Wisconsin Planning Commission. The Department of National Resources has called for the Croche Lock to be closed as a barrier to prevent any sea lamprey from migrating into the Fox River and on to Lake Winnebago.

January 14, 1988

An 11-foot polar bear, towers over Thousand Islands Environmental Center Volunteer Peg Keys. The bear is part of the collection of the late Joseph Van Daalwyk of mounted game from around the world. Naturalist Lee Hammen of the center is planning for another addition to the Center. 

January 21, 1988

If there are no problems this week the Kaukauna Electric and Water’s  new Combined Locks hydroelectric plant should be operating this week according to Carl Verhagen director of the electrical operations.

January 27, 1988

The KHS cheerleaders include Emily Verhagen, Marni Lust, Julie Warner, Kelly Kiffe, Sara Senso, Joanne Vander Velden, Kara Frank, Emily Geenen and Staci Wurdinger.

Members of the KHS wrestling cheerleading squad pose with coach Betty Steger. Seated Jenny Rosenbeck, and Sally Brandt; kneeling, Tracy Brantmeier and Heidi Wolfinger and standing are Dawn Diedrich and Paulette Fara. 

Time Machine Trip to January 1908

January 3, 1908

Farmers in this vicinity are taking advantage of the present sleighing for bringing in their logs. According to reports there are lots of logs to haul and the indications are that when the saw mill of Kaukauna Lumber and Manufacturing company starts up it will be kept running for some time. The high price of lumber is causing farmers to cut their timber as rapidly as possible.

Two hundred miners were entombed in the Darr mines in Connellsville, Pa. Of the victims fully 100 are Americans the others being Hungarians. A terrific explosion shook the vicinity and within a few minutes the mouth of the pit was surrounded by the relatives and friends of the entombed men. 

Brokaw Memorial church, under the direction of the paster Rev. J. E. Manning, has commenced making preparation to commemorate its twenty-first anniversary.

The Rev. Julius Rhode, pastor of Holy Cross church for twenty-nine years, died here New Year’s Day. He had suffered several months, and death was not unexpected. His only survivors are two brothers in Prussia.

January 10, 1908

One of the wheels of the hose wagon was badly "dished" while the apparatus was on the way to the fire in the Stevens block. Owing to the icy conditions of the roads the rear end of the wagon collided with the bridge in making a short turn at the approach. Wm. Klumb has the wheel in the "hospital" and a plain wagon has been substituted at the station for the time being.

Louisville, Ky., Clarence Sturgeon, 19, was executed in the jail yard last week. His extreme youth was the basis of many efforts to have him pardoned. The execution was rendered unusually painful for those present as the mechanism failed to work. Sturgeon was so light that he did not break his neck on the drop and was not pronounced dead for seventeen minutes. He murdered three men one year ago.

Charles Grignon was the victim of highwaymen here last week on Ducharme street, being relieved of a gold watch and some cash by three men.

January 17, 1908

Ashauer & Renn, the new ice firm, lost a valuable team by drowning while cutting ice opposite the ice house. The team was attached to a plow and was driven by a boy named Keller, who narrowly escaped being precipitated into the water.

Joseph J.  McCarty, Treasurer of Outagamie County, and one of the prominent citizens in the civic, business and social life of the city of Kaukauna, passed away shortly after 12 o'clock Thursday night, his death resulting from a relapse following a recent attack of pneumonia.

The William VanLieshout Ford Dealership

The grip and the mumps are reducing the attendance at all schools in Kaukauna. Nearly one fourth of the High school students were out days this week.

The Kaukauna high school girls’ basketball team played their first game of the season with the De Pere high school team at the opera house in that city Friday evening and were defeated by a score of 7 to 8. The De Pere team was heavier and had home court advantage. The Kaukauna team this year consists of Carol Farwell, Ethel Townley, Flossie Armstrong, Elizabeth Boettshen and Idabel Warely.

Peter Lowe, an employee of the Kaukauna machine shops, had his foot badly crushed by a casting weighing several thousand pounds. He will be laid up for several weeks.

Two more Kaukauna residents purchased tracks of Oneida Indian lands last week. It is estimated that the whites are now in possession of about one-third of the available land of the reservation. 

Smallpox had made its appearance on the Oneida reservation. The disease is in a mild form and so far, there have been no deaths.

January 24, 1908

Manager John Lawe has announced the roller rink will be closed on Sundays. This action was brought about by the patrons themselves. One of the largest crowds of the season was at the rink Sunday afternoon. They became hilarious and paid no attention to the request of the manager to preserve order. As a last resort he rang up, "Skates Off," and closed the building in the middle of the afternoon. It also remained closed in the evening.

January 31, 1908

A lady entered the store of the Butler-Dietzler Hardware Company and wanted to know if the second story was for rent. For a moment George Butler, who was addressed, could not recall whether it was occupied or not. Finally collecting himself he informed the lady that they had no tenants and were not in a position to accommodate any. The lady looked puzzled until she reached the sidewalk, when she saw it was only a one-story building.

Time Machine Trip to January 1955

January 5, 1955

Little Thomas Norbert Pieters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Pieters, Kaukauna, was announced as the winner of the Kaukauna Merchants-Kaukauna Times First Baby of the Year Contest. Thomas a bruiser weighed in at eight pounds at St. Elizabeth hospital on January 2.

Leo Coffey has been named chairman of the 1955 March of Dimes polio drive in Kaukauna. He has recently sent out for volunteers to assist in soliciting funds for the campaign. He announced this week that the Kaukauna service stations have agreed to contribute a penny from each gallon of gas sold all day Friday January 21.

January 7, 1955

Automatic refrigeration takes care of the fresh and frozen food needs of practically all the people of the city. One of Kaukauna’s ice-dealers Fred Reichel, Sr., started in the ice business back in 1910 and continued in the family until 1954, when John, the last of the Reichel icemen disposed of the business to Joe Giordana.

Kaukauna’s 1955 accident rate got off to a discouraging start on this yea

Carl Trettin blasted a 235 game and 577 series and was the top man in the Businessmen’s bowling league at the S&B on January 4.

r as three automobiles suffered over $200 worth of damage and a fourth was destroyed in three accidents which occurred when 1955 was less than five hours old.

A $1500 check from the Appleton Coated Paper Company was received by E. H. Jennings, chairman of the Kaukauna Community Hospital drive committee. The amount of the contribution was determined by the number of employees living in the area to be served by the hospital.

A new peak in the number of telephones serving Kaukauna and the continuing growth in the volume of telephone calls made during the past year. Approximately 2855 telephones were in service here as the year closed.

January 12, 1955

Little Billy wanted a sled for Christmas. Instead of asking Santa as most kiddies do he asked the Baby Jesus to see that he got the sled, promising to give Him the first ride. Come Christmas morn, the pastor entered the church and noticed that the figure of the Infant was missing from the crib. Billy had kept his promise and the little Babe of Bethlehem was being pulled along the street on Billy’s new sled.

Near hysteria reigned Friday night as the Kaukauna Galloping ghosts rolled to a 77-68 win over a strong and determined Two Rivers team at the school gym here. 

Richard Lehrer this week announced that the dumping grounds will be located one mile south of the present location.

The opening session of the 1955 Kaukauna Grade School cage season got under way Saturday at the KHS gym with Holy cross trampling Park by a 30-18 count and Trinity Lutheran nudging St. Mary’s by a 23-20 count.

January 19, 1955

Lt. Tom Gerend, Kaukauna, landed in Germany where he will serve with the Air Force medical corps.

George “Stormy” Kromer

Fred Reichel of Kaukauna, who has arranged the Stormy Kromer night here last fall, is doing some spade work to get Stormy, Kaukauna baseball great, elected to the Wisconsin Baseball Hall of Fame “It’s a big job to get someone elected,” Fred said. “While there are many great ball players from the state few people know what Stormy has done for the game”.

January 21, 1955

The purchase of the Farm Equipment Company property located on the corner of East Second street and Crooks Avenue by Henry Carstens & Sons Elevator was announced by Richard Carstens, local manager.

2^nd Lt. Thomas J. McDaniel, Kaukauna, recently completed the basic infantry officer course at Ft. Benning, Ga.

 

Donald Kroll and John Wunrow recently completed basic training with the Sixth Armored Division at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Airman Navel Cadet James R. Henry, Kaukauna, recently soloed for the first time at Corry Field Navel Auxiliary Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. 

Pvt. Leroy and Pvt. Ronald Romenesko completed basic training together at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., and after spending a furlough with their family the brothers will go separate ways Leroy returning to Missouri and Ronald to Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey.

Pvt. David A. Ristau, Sarah street Kaukauna, recently completed basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., with the 6^th Armor division.

Pfc. Elmer Arnoldussen, 2^nd street Kaukauna, received his training Camp Gordon, Ga., for his military police training and will be assigned to overseas duty.

Tech. Sergeant James Wagnitz is spending a 30-day furlough with his family. He will be returning to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 

Rev. Peter A. Salm, St. Mary’s new pastor was welcomed at a reception Sunday Jan. 23. He came to Kaukauna to succeed the Rev. Joseph Esdepsky who died December 13, 1954.

The 1955 Kaukauna Galloping Ghosts: Front row; Ron Welch, Dan Gillis, Jim Otte, Bruce Kemp and Joe Van Linn. In the Back row; Coach Fred Barribeau, Don Ristau, Mike Walsh, Jim Rausch, Cal Engerson and manager Robert Theis. 

1955 DeSoto Fireflite