110 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 30, 1914

Sunday morning at 2:00 o’clock the New Prairie Farmers Elevator was entirely destroyed by fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. There were about 8,000 bushels of grain in it when it burned. There was insurance of $9,000 on the grain and building. All the books and records were destroyed.

A large company of friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Siverson last Sunday and tendered them a delightful surprise, the occasion being their 25th wedding anniversary. After dinner, the honored guests were presented with a handsome silver tea set and a purse of silver.

This whole copy of the Star-Times contained mostly advertisements of political candidates running for office. Some of these were William E. Lee, for governor; J.A.O. Preus, state auditor; Lyndon A. Smith, attorney general; J.A.A. Burnquist, lieutenant governor; Walter J. Smith, state treasurer; Julius A. Schmahl for secretary of state, and several others.

E.P. Byhre sold his store at Minneota last week and is now back in Starbuck with his family.

Clara A. Tollefson who is teaching school near Ben Evien’s visited at her home over Sunday.

100 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 31, 1924

When S.L. Gaarder came down to his jewelry shop on Sunday evening he found the door partly ajar and his showcase stripped of all the watch charms and other articles of jewelry. The trays were lying on top of the showcase. Silverware and other valuables in the safe were untouched. The robbers had forced the front door open sometime during the night Saturday.

The local post of the American Legion and Auxiliary decided at their meeting last week to take over the work of making the regular drive for Red Cross membership in this village this fall. The work will start in a few days with personal solicitations, and they hope to enroll every person as a member. The Red Cross goes on in times of peace as well as war, in every calamity that befalls our own state, our own country and the farthest parts of the world.

Paul P. Klevann, well-known nurseryman of White Bear Lake brought in a fine bouquet of gladiolas to the Times office this week to prove that no killing frost has yet touched his nursery.

Items of interest about our school (by Gudrun Bolstad): Last week the seniors were presented with a clock for the office. It is greatly appreciated. Miss Bly and Miss Weikert are planning to go down for the homecoming at the University of Minnesota on Saturday. They will attend the Michigan-Minnesota game.

90 YEARS AGO

From Nov. 1, 1934

Starbuck High School ended its football season at Alexandria on Thursday by defeating the Alex “B” team, 3 to 0. This is the only victory for Starbuck this year, but it came as a fitting climax. Everett Wesen, end, drop-kicked from the 25-yard line in the fourth quarter and sent the ball sailing squarely over the goalposts for the only points of the game.

On Sunday, October 28, about 250 relatives and friends gathered at the West Zion Church to help Mr. and Mrs. Albert Espelien celebrates their 25th wedding anniversary.

The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Palmer Opdahl was baptized Sunday at the Fron Church by Rev. M.C. Johnshoy, receiving the name Donald Douglas.

A baby boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Art Nordberg on Sunday.

Sunny Side School note, District 3: The following have perfect attendance for the first month; Clarice Gorder, Ralph Norland, Gladys Smedstad, Mildred Olson, Jacob Gorder, Walter Nelson, Dorothy Finstad, Doris Olson and Nels Forde. The Sunny Side Society was organized with the following officers elected: Pres. Clarice Gorder; Vice Pres., Ralph Norland; Secretary, Mildred Olson; and Treasurer, Gladys Smedstad.

70 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 28, 1954

Miss Eldred Gorder, who has been a social worker at Ancker hospital in St. Paul for several years, has accepted a position as social worker in the hospital at Ukiah, Cal. She will leave for California on the 17th of November. Miss Lillian Gorder of Richland Center, Wis., will accompany her on the trip, returning to Wisconsin by plane after a two week vacation in California.

Construction of the storm sewer was started Monday by the Thorson Construction Company of Balaton. The big trees by Anton Elie’s were knocked down and torn out by the Starbuck Cement Products bulldozer, engaged by the contractors on this project. Contract calls for completion by June 15, 1955.

From the Rev. Oliver Sidney, pastor of Minnewaska Lutheran church of Starbuck, has come the announcement that a series of special meetings will be offered to the community, beginning on Wednesday, November 17, and continuing through Monday, November 22, with Dr. O. Gornitzka of the Lutheran Bible Institute of Minneapolis as the speaker.

To serve as a nursing consultant of the World Health Organization, Miss Pearl McIver of the U.S. Public Health Service, left by plane from New York on October 21 for a three months assignment at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

60 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 29, 1964

Starbuck sportsmen again have proved what can be accomplished through community effort, when 84 hunters turned in 161 pheasants, in addition to a few ducks, at the annual pheasant hunt dinner held Monday evening at the VFW club rooms. Pope County as a whole turned over 188 birds to Game Warden Walter Trippe, the Glenwood veterans and VFW contributing 27 birds.

Glen Johnshoy, Starbuck High School Senior will be competing in the state cross-country meet in St. Paul on Oct. 31. Glen placed second in the regional meet at Detroit Lakes last Wednesday.

Starbuck romped to its seventh consecutive victory of the season Friday night by whipping Chokio 38-0 on the home field.

Mr. and Mrs. Dean Hanson announced the birth of their first child, Dezra Lee, born October 13. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Norman Adams of Lake Lillian and Mr. and Mrs. Louie Hanson of Starbuck.

Some grocery specials for the week: pork chops, 59c a 1b.; extra lean ground beef, 39c a 1b.; bacon, 2 lbs for 89c; Crystal sugar, 10 lbs. for 89c; head lettuce, 10c each.

Shortly after lunch Wednesday afternoon the first snowfall of the season covered the ground with a blanket of white. Cooler temperatures set in after several days of Indian summer weather.

50 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 31, 1974

Gary Bartlett, a graduate of Starbuck High School is currently a student at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls. The school is in its 100th year recording its second largest enrollment in history, 4213 students.

Buckettes rated No. 1 as District 21 tourney starts.

Roxanne Gunness, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arnie Gunness of New Prague and Jerry Lee Chlian, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Chlian, Sr. of Glenwood were united in marriage Sept. 28th in the Fron Church of Starbuck, Pastor Robert Rendahl presided at the seven o’clock double ring ceremony. The couple will be residing at a home in rural Starbuck

Those receiving certificates for 25 years or more of service in the local hospital were Mildred Dahlseng, Alfred Aaberg and Margret Thorstad. Twenty to twenty five years were Dr. F.D Bucher, Ada Erickson, Alfred Evjen, Ruth Klingbeil, Mary LaQua, Oscar Lien, Chester Peterson and Ole Tollefson. Fifteen to twenty years, Sylvia Behl, Ralph Chalenburg, Agnes Dahlin, Harold Gorder, Hilma Nordaune, Conrad Pederson, Mildred Stenson, Camille Sylvester and Dr. A.R. Zempel. Ten to fifteen years of service at the hospital were Eldora Aal, Ruth Brown, Judith Engebretson, Ruth Evensvold, Donna Frank, Robert Lund, Marilyn Quitney and Doris Thompson. Five to ten years service were Ruth Brenden, Lorinda DeJong, Bonnie Disrud, Lillian Flaten, Darlene Hagestuen, Gertie Olson, Milt Samuelson, Ted Samuelson, Vangy Wagley, Mabel Wesen and Dr. S.B. Wilson.

40 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 31, 1984

Funeral services for Harold Meyer, 78, were held from the Immanuel Lutheran Church Oct. 29. He is survived by his wife, Elsie; four sons, Norman of Cyrus, Donald of Starbuck, Howard of Corvallis, Oregon and Richard of Stillwater and one daughter, Margaret Lawson of Waconia.

Births: A daughter, Katherine Teresa to Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Sorenson of Minneapolis Oct. 27; a son, Benjamin Charles to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Sorenson of Brooklyn Park Oct. 23.

Mr. Gary Buysse and Miss Denise Beck of Sauk Rapids, MN announce their marriage which took place in Munsinger Gardens, St. Cloud, on Oct. 13. The couple will make their home in Sauk Rapids.

The Starbuck Bucks football team shut out the previously undefeated Mustangs of Beardsley-Browns Valley 33-0 Saturday night at Browns Valley. Although all the Bucks had great games defensively, four players stood out. Mike Syverson topped the Bucks in tackles with 15. Senior Shaun Stottler continued to play well as he tallied 14 tackles. Sophomores Kurt Amundson and Rick Guggisberg each kept up their fine performance as Amundson had 13 tackles and Guggisberg had 12 tackles.

Starbuck’s varsity volleyball team completed a perfect conference season last Thursday (Oct. 25) as they crushed Campbell-Tin-tah in three straight games. The 15-4, 15-3 and 15-0 wins raised the Bucks’ Pheasant Conference record to 8 and 0 and their season record to an impressive 15 wins against only 2 losses.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has begun plans to acquire a portion of the Burlington Northern Railroad’s abandoned Right of Way between Glenwood and Starbuck. The rail line was abandoned in 1981. This is the first acquisition through the State Rail Bank Program (SRB). The SRB was authorized by the Legislature in 1980.

30 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 26, 1994

Olive and Adlore Forbord received a $10,000 check from the Minnewaska District Hospital and Minnewaska Lutheran Home as a reward for the physician recruitment program launched in 1992. Dr. Stephen Hanson was recruited to the Starbuck area in Sept. 1993. His wife, Oronah, is a daughter of the Forbords.

A son, Joseph David, was born to Gary and JoAnna Hoium of Coon Rapids Oct. 21.

Shirley Anderson of Starbuck, Amy Lee of Glenwood, Edna Mork of Lowry and Emily Elliott of Villard will be honored at the Ann Bickle Heritage House on Oct. 29, for their years of working publicly and behind the scenes to make their communities the very best of rural Minnesota.

Main Street renovation. An old storage shed that at one time housed a Coffee Shop owned and operated by LuVern Barsness (according to Starbuck historian authority Earl Larson) was torn down last Friday. In recent years, the building had been used as a garage and had deteriorated to the point where it had become an ‘eye-sore’ and was unsafe for use. The property is now owned by the Starbuck Depot Society. At this time, there are no replacement building plans for the site.

Once again, Starbuck Elementary Schools will have students participating in the Minnesota Elementary All-State Choir. Pictured in the Tribune are Director Shirley Hanson, and vocalists Lindsay Lehtola, Jenna Johnshoy, Erika Danielson, Tara Larson, Cindy Chan and Mrs. Hanson.

20 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 27, 2004 

Three Minnewaska players, Reid Nelson, Tyson Hill and Taylor Hill, were nominated for the Class A All-State boys’ soccer team for 2004. Taylor Hill was selected to the All-State team for the second time. Taylor was also selected as a finalist for Mr. Soccer in 2004. This honor is awarded to the top high school soccer ambassador in the State of Minnesota.

Election Day in Lowry will see only one person filed for office, David Lundblad for Mayor, write-ins will be needed for clerk, a council member and hospital board member. Public option on a Sunday liquor license will also be on the ballot.

Dave Mork has accepted a call to be pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Duluth. He brought the morning message Sunday, October. 17, at the Kensington and also Lowry Covenant Churches. He and wife Shirley stayed at his mother’s town house apartment Saturday night.

Candidates for public office across the land are cranking out their final efforts for your vote. The energy for the 2004 general election is building and record voter turnouts are anticipated. On the ballot for Mayor are Milo Holte (incumbent), Janice Ranum and Steve Gorder. Running for Starbuck City Council are Steve Dinsmore (incumbent), Larry Noyes (incumbent), Jim Johnson, Jamie Logan and Adam Shea.

10 YEARS AGO

From Oct. 29, 2014

Minnewaska fifth and sixth grade students adopt a two-mile stretch of Highway 28 on both sides of Villard. Sixth graders clean the ditches in the fall and fifth graders will head out to clean ditches in the spring.

The Minnewaska girls’ tennis team took to the courts on Tuesday in Minneapolis, competing in the state tournament as the Section 6A team champions. By Thursday, the Minnewaska tennis season was over, but what a season it was! A 17-2 overall record, undefeated in West Central Conference play, a win in Section 6A and a trip to the state tournament along with three individual members (Jada Hoffman in singles and Joelle Thorfinnson and Makenna Hanson in doubles) making the individual tournament.

Volunteers Ron Feigum and Vic Vatthauer planted some trees on 8th Street between Poler Street and Abercrombie Street in Starbuck on Wednesday, October 22. Volunteers have been planting a variety of trees to help if a disease comes into the community, such as Emerald Ash Borer, that all the trees won’t be wiped out at once. According to Vatthauer, 45% of Starbuck’s trees were ash trees in the past.