110 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 20, 1914

Shall we license a man to sell poison as a drink? Starbuck will probably have to vote on the saloon question again this year. Saloon petition has been filed. Golie, former Morris saloon-keeper, wants war. He has promised to give the Times editor a licking if the saloon petition is published. To be sure, we are scared to death. 

Most of the people in this vicinity spent a sociable time around the coal stove in their cozy homes Sunday. 

When Starbuck first went “dry” six years ago, we had seven vacant residences in this village. Residence property was low in price. Houses could be rented cheap. Saloons were voted out, and soon there was a change. We don’t know how many residences have been built during the past 6 years, but we do know that ten new residence buildings were built here in the year just past. Every house in Starbuck is now occupied, rent is up, lots are up, property is worth something in a “dry” town. 

Shows every Tuesday and Friday. Splendid motion pictures. Fun for young and old. Election return Tuesday evening. Dreamland.

100 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 15, 1924

Next Wednesday evening a community banquet and smoker will be given at the town hall. A committee consisting of Scar Olson, John Erickson, Alfred Erickson, and Arnold Hagestuen are in charge. The well known Starbuck trio, Noel Johnson, Harold Peterson and Christ Westby will sing several numbers. Another fine feature of the program will be a debate, “Resolved that married life is better than single life,” the affirmative to be taken by Victor Gorder and Lothard Finstad and the negative by Carl N. Nelson and Eugene Swenson. 

Mr. and Mrs. B.C. Bergerson were honored at a banquet given by the local fire company and their wives on Tuesday evening at the Minnewaska Hotel. The Bergersons are moving to Ada, Minn., where Mr. Bergerson will be cashier at the bank. 

The Starbuck Independent basketball team played a successful game last Friday evening at Sedan, resulting with a score of 18-12 in Starbuck’s favor. The team is composed of high school boys. 

A ten pound baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gudmenstad Monday afternoon. Mrs. Gudmenstad is at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Olson. 

A baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Sophus Christenson Feb 6. 

90 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 15, 1934

Miss Clara Throngard of Starbuck, and Rev. S.C. Brenni of Marietta were united in marriage at the Lac Qui Parle parsonage Friday evening at 6 o’clock, Rev. R.S. Chilmen officiating. 

Before the ceremony, Mr. Levine Tollefson of Starbuck, who acted as best man sang “O Happy Home” and after the ceremony, “Crown With Thy Benediction” was sung by Helen Dale of Dawson. 

The bride is a charming young lady of sweet personality, well known among many friends in Starbuck and Madison vicinity, being a graduate of Starbuck high school and later from the Ebeneezer hospital of Madison. The groom is a graduate of the Red Wing Seminary and of Luther Theological Seminary of St. Paul. 

The newlyweds will make their home at the parsonage in Marietta. 

Dr. C.R. Christenson, better known as “Christy” in Starbuck, came up from Minneapolis Wednesday afternoon to call on old acquaintances. The doctor, although maybe a little older, still looks as spry and cheery as ever. 

Mr. and Mrs. Peder Nygaard, Louis and Oliver visited with Hjalmer Anderson at Cyrus Sunday evening. 

Miss Ruth Engebretson of Holstad spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Engebretson and family. 

Valborg Reisrud is assisting at Thormod Brevigs. 

Ole and Arnold Bardahl and Oliver Rosby spent a week ago Monday at Arnold Gorders. 

Frowns make wrinkles, smiles iron them out. 

80 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 17, 1944

Imagine the surprise Thomas Hagert received when he was rudely awakened on Jan. 31 by Buddy Thorstad pulling him out of bed. Both men are stationed in England. Thorstad had charge of distribution of the mail in the pouch. Gordon Wiltse is also in England and Thomas expected to see him soon.  

Funeral services for Mrs. Hilmer Erickson, 44, were held from Indherred Lutheran Church Feb. 11. She is survived by her husband and two sons, Adolph and Harold. 

Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Larson received a call from Earl Larson of Osborne, Ohio, Tuesday evening saying they were the parents of a baby boy born Feb. 15. 

A son, Robert, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Engebretson Tuesday evening at the Minnewaska Hospital. This is their second son. 

Specials at the Red and White Store: Mello-Cup coffee, lb. 25¢; oranges 2 lbs. for 35¢; Blue and White peanut butter, qt. jar, 44¢; Kellogg’s corn flakes, 11 oz. pkg. 3 for 25¢; fresh California dates, 10 oz. pkg. 49¢. 

70 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 18, 1954

Rev. Norman O. Dversdall of the Glenwood Lutheran Parish of Decorah, Iowa, has accepted the call by the Call Committee of Fron Lutheran Church and will begin his duties here in May. Dversdall and his wife have three daughters, Gail, age 9; Mary, 6; and Anita 2. 

Relatives and friends helped Margie Colden celebrate her 2nd birthday Sunday afternoon. 

Funeral services for Bernard Mickelson, 73, were held Wednesday at Fron Lutheran Church. He is survived by a foster son, Henry Foss of Glenwood. 

On Saturday evening, January 30, Miss Josephine Annette Johnson, daughter of Joseph Johnson of Glenwood and Norval were married at the Chippewa Falls Lutheran Church. The couple are now at home on the groom’s farm in Barsness township. 

60 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 20, 1964

Miss Myrtle Kvenvold, administrator of the Minnewaska Lutheran Home for the past 2-1/2 years, has resigned her position here and has accepted a position with the health service center at St. Olaf College, Northfield. Mrs. Clarmont Dahlseng, Asst. Superintendent, will assume the full time position of superintendent at the hospital. 

Births: A daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Mithun (Janice Benson) of Cyrus Feb. 13; a daughter, Barbara Faye to Mr. and Mrs. Terry Rutledge (Sharon Moen) of Brooklyn Park Jan. 25; a son, Leonard Mark, to Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nali of Rockland, Massachusetts Jan. 19; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. William Davids, Jr. Feb. 18. 

Barbara Faye, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Terry Rutledge of Brooklyn Parks was baptized Sunday, Feb. 9 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Brooklyn Park. Sponsors were Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Wesen of New Brighton.  

Funeral services for Janell Rae Satrom, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Galen Satrom (Josephine Peterson) of Page, ND, on Feb. 14 at Lindsey Funeral Home. She was born Feb. 3 and passed away Feb. 12. She is survived by her parents; one sister, Brenda Jo; and four grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Axel Peterson of Starbuck and Mr. and Mrs. J. Palmer Satrom of Page.

50 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 14, 1974

Dean Hom, English teacher at the Starbuck High School for the past ten years has resigned that position to be effective March 2. He has accepted a new position as assistant park manager at Carlos State Park near Carlos, Minn. 

The Board of Pope County Commissioners has re-submitted a new plan to re-district Pope County as ordered by District Judge Stahler of Morris at a special court hearing on Dec. 10. The City of Glenwood originally brought action to re-district the county last summer. 

Fuel allocations for agriculture will be among the first needs met because farm crops exports assure a healthy trade balance for the United States, William E. Simon, Federal Energy office administrator, told extension leaders and others at a recent Agricultural Outlook Conference. He called agriculture’s needs important because farm crops are vital to health, to the U.S. balance of payments, and thus, the dollar’s stability and to rebuild surpluses needed for exports. 

40 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 15, 1984

An apparent battle is looking on the horizon at the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) office level, acting Cyrus Superintendent Fred Switzer reported to the Board at their regular monthly meeting last Monday evening. It seems a study committee of the MSHSL Board has recommended certain guidelines to be applied to cooperative sponsorship agreements. If these guidelines are adopted, they would go into effect for the 1984-85 year. 

A resolution endorsing a future by-pass between the cities of Glenwood and Starbuck was approved by the city council at their regular meeting Monday evening. The acquisition of the Burlington Northern rail right-of-way and building of an all season ten ton road would provide commercial users of the new road a considerably safer route to reach highway 55 and to Interstate 94. 

She just became one of the “elite” in Minnesota State  girls basketball circles. Cindy Vatthauer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vic Vatthauer, pictured in the Times, has dried her teary eyes to accept a commemorative cake from team members and the basketball used to reach the career 1000 point plateau. Following the making of a free-throw, Bucks head coach Bill Bailey had the game temporarily stopped for the brief presentation ceremony.  

30 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 16, 1994

Jerry and Jill DeGier of Vancouver, WA are the parents of a son, Taylor E. born Jan. 13.

Funeral services for Emma Erickson, 87, were held at Minnewaska Lutheran Church Feb. 14. She is survived by two stepsons, Adolph and Harold Erickson.

Pat Hennen and Melloy Flatten were married Dec. 18 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cyrus. 

A home in Cyrus has been established for developmentally disabled adults and will be under the management of Bridging the Gap of Elbow Lake. 

Funeral services for Carl Simonson, 86, will be held Feb. 17 at East Zion Lutheran Church. He is survived by one brother and four sisters.     

20 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 18, 2004

Family reading night’s theme “Fun in the Sun,” was hosted Feb. 5 by the Title I Staff at Starbuck Elementary School. More than 200 people attended the night’s activities. The Scholastic Book Fair was held in conjunction with the night’s reading events.  

In the northeast corner of the county courthouse, a narrow hallway snakes through the center of the Pope County Sheriff’s office 1,200 square foot facility. Adjacent to the hall are a series of offices and closets; one of those closets houses both a steam trap and the wiring for the county’s 911 phone system. The dispatch center is relatively small. A storage room sometimes doubles as an interview room and the chief deputy’s office is tucked behind an evidence intake area. According to Sheriff Tom Larson, his staff could definitely use some extra space to effectively function, “We’re kind of falling all over each other here.” 

U.S. Senators Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman announced this month the Starbuck Fire Department will receive over $74,000 in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. According to Starbuck Fire Chief Dalen Gosseling, the grant money will be used to purchase new firefighting gear. 

10 YEARS AGO

From Feb. 19, 2014

The Starbuck Study Club informed the Starbuck City Council last Monday that the club would like to volunteer to make some improvements, such as lighting and painting the snack shack at the beach. Study Club member Nancy Bakewell said the Study Club wants to get the building ready for use. She suggested the city could advertise for a nonprofit group to use it to make money. 

Samuelson’s Drug Store has seen some changes in the last year. The building which was last remodeled in the 1970’s is getting an updated store front. A new roof has been added plus an addition to the back of the store to rectangle off the building. New store front windows have been added thanks to grant money through Douglas County HRA. 

The CrossWind Lutheran Parish held its annual “Frozen Chosen” worship service on the ice of Lake Minnewaska on Sunday, Feb. 16. Eleven CrossWind members braved the cold and made their way out onto the ice to sing songs and worship. Food and hot cider were served.