Oregon History Timeline
100 yrs. ago (1916)
The Opera House hosted a mass meeting of local citizens who were against licensing saloons in the Village. The program included talks by the Rev. M. A. Condon, Rev. M. R. Olson, Rev. G. N Foster and C. W. Netherwqood. A brass band and the high school orchestra provided music for the occasion. The crowd was also entertained Miss Lillian Hanan performing a whistling solo.
The results of the spring election were as follows: Village President and Supervisor, R. D. Ozburn; Trustees: G. L. Booth, W.. H. Dreher, and Chas. Martin; Village Clerk, C. A. Hanan, Treasurer, Fred Luchsinger; Assessor, W. B. Chandler; Police Justice, Norris Getts; Justice of the Peace, Arthur Criddle; and Constable, Wm Minch, Jr. It was noted that Oiver [Oliver] Gray was the first and only elector in the village taking advantage of the new law allowing ballots to be cast by mail. On the question of allowing liquor licensing in the Village, the proposition was defeated 93 ballots for and 127 against. Oregon will remain dry.
The Railroad Commission finalized its decision concerning the subway (viaduct) south of the Village. The railroad company will maintain the bridge and the Village the roadway underneath. (remnants of the old viaduct can still be seen from South Main St.).
The Fire Department received their first new chemical engine equipment;
The local drug store announced that they had covered their floor with “a handsome pattern of inland linoleum” which greatly improved the appearance of the store.
The Oregon Business Men’s Club elected the following officers for the coming year; President, F. B. Cowdrey; Vice-President E. F. Kramer; Secretary, Milton Wischhoff; and Treasurer, J. F. Litel.
The Village Board set the salaries for the Village Clerk and the Village Treasurer at $140.00 a year.
50 yrs. ago (1966)
The Oregon Masonic Lodge #151 observed their 100th. anniversary on Saturday, April 12th. About 240 masons and their guests attended a noon dinner and program. Winston Hughart was the Worshipful Master of the local lodge. Invalid Hembre, Past Grand Master of the Masons in Wisconsin, served as master of ceremonies.
OHS students who were recipients of “A” ratings at the district forensic contests will proceed to the state forensic contest. The winners were Laurel Black in non original oration and Therese Cole in declamation.
Forest E. (“Steve”) Madsen, Oregon Village President, was elected to the Dane County Board as supervisor of the newly organized district 41, representing the towns of Primrose, Montrose, Oregon and the villages of Belleville and Oregon. The election returns were 676 for Madesn and 604 for Clarence Fritz of Belleville. The voting for Oregon Village Board returned incumbents Marvin Jensen, and Walter Waffler and elected a new member, Ken Robert.
OHS athletes were honored at a banquet sponsored by The Rotary Club. Those honored were Rick Severson (basketball captain); George Williams (cross country captain and most valuable player); Mike Kehl (football captain and Kissing Hardness Award Winner); Steve Kellogg (most valuable basketball player); Dennis Strander (most valuable wrestler); Steve O’Brien (most valuable football player); and Ron Kopke (wrestling captain). Jim Cannon served as toastmaster for the event.
An FFA Father-Son Banquet was held. The meal was prepared and served by the mothers of the FFA boys. Co-hostesses for the dinner were Mrs. William Mann and Mrs. Stanley Schneider. Those students receiving awards in their respective categories were Bill Clark, (farm mechanics); Mark Owens (swine); Ron Klein (sheep); Fred Clark (dairy cattle management); and Grey Prosper (beef cattle). The Annual Honorary Farmer Awards went to M. T. Moler and Claude Klein.
The OHS Senior Class presented a production of the play “The Solid Gold Cadillac”. under the direction of Mrs. Sandra Ott. Members of the cast included Gordon Brickner, Rebecca Jallings, Sharon Searl, Philip Hamburg, Eric Schroeder, Donn Briggs, Laurel Black, Candy McKinstry, Ann Franzen, Rick Severson, Steve Kellogg, Charles Olson and Mike Kehl.
OHS Senior, Pat Anderson, was selected to serve as the first “Miss Oregon”. Nearly 500 spectators attended the event which was sponsored by the Oregon Chamber of Commerce.
The Oregon Youth Bowlers took honors in the Madison Area Bowling Tournament; The Prep Boys’ Team consisting of Denny McMannes, Robbie Noyce, Kurt Hansen, Dale Alling and Steve Olson took first place. The Girls’ Junior team, consisting of Debbie Gross, Kris Hansen, Paula Meidl, Kathy Olson and Lorene Stichter, took second place. Kathy Olson was first in singles as well taking first in all events. Paul Meidl and Kris Hasnen won 2nd place in doubles. Jim Anderson and Earl Tarr placed third in the boys’ junior doubles.
25 yrs. ago (1991)
Voters turned down an advisory referendum (454 – 184) to build a new library on Village owned land adjacent to the present Village library at a cost of approximately $1.2 million.
The HMC Youth Choir participated in the Madison Area Children’s Choir Festival at St. Bernard’s Church in Madison. Over 300 youth from all denominations participated. Participating choir members from HMC were Kara Schultz, Kelly Draves, Alex Bogucki, Bethany Ballweg, Rebecca Crook, Shannon Freitag, Heather Pecosky, Melissa Thelen, Brenda Crotty, Allicia Crook, Heidi Baumgartner, Geri Sphaff, Jessia Frisch, Molly McGrath, Andrea Shult, Joan Grady, Mandy Powers, Natalie Crook, Tanya O’Malley, and Tina Draves. Directing the group were Ginna Ellifson and Virginia Ward.
Construction of the new band shelter in Waterman Park was on schedule and is expected to be finished by the first of June.
Two Oregon “Odyssey of the Mind” teams claimed state titles. The team from the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades whose members were Ann Barry, Tony Callahan, Phil Natkins, Dee Dee Paster, Eli Paster, and Anna Thayer, wrote and presented a play about Pompeii, Italy nearly 2,000 years ago, prior to its destruction by a volcano. The second winning team consisting of Junior High Students, Lisa Berroilhet, Thayer Bryant, Jeff Heller, Katie Lightborne, Zak Paster, Dee Dee Paster, and Robert Thayer, performed the Transformation of the Concept of Law in Five Stages. Coaching the teams were Donna and Tom Thayer and Penny Paster.
Banners in celebration of Oregon’s 150th. Anniversary were hung along the downtown road ways exclaiming “Building on Our Heritage 1841-1991”.
Village residents were informed that their average quarterly water rates would be increased by 72 to 80% and that the sewer rates were expected to rise by 6 to 7%..
Nearly 1200 eggs were grabbed up during the Annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Jaycees
The Village Board approved a motion to impose user fees ranging from $25.00 to $60.00 for the use of rooms in the Community Building. Users exempt from the fees would be non-profit civic groups and those events sponsored by the Village.
10 yrs. ago (2006)
The winning candidates for the Oregon Village Board were Jerry Bollig, Jon Lourigan, and Tom Eitun.
The returning letter winners for the OHS boy’s golf team were Erick Knapp, Andrew Verhelst, and James Boley. Verhelst, back for his fourth season as a starter, had been named to the all conference team last year. Coach Don Cornwell looked for a good 2006 season with 45 boys vying for one of the five varsity slots.
Three Oregon District teams qualify for the state competition of “Destination Imagination Tournament”. The Elementary Team included Brook Bellamy, Caylan Laundrie, Parker Griebel, Cora Statz, Forest Winkepleck, Zack Bonno, and Will Paltz. Their manager was Pam Marr-Laundre. The middle school team included Cody Filtz, A. J. Kannal, Taylor McKenna, Wes Lethem, Wyatt Paltzer and Alex Snell. The team managers were Colleen Paltz, and Andrea Kannal. The Seconday Team (high school) consisted of Nathaniel Snell, Robert Koenig, Jordan Dietrich, Michael Lethem, Elizabeth Leighton and Elle Judd. The team manger was Barb Snell.
Almost 100 blankets made by Oregon and Verona Middle School Students in their consumer education classes were distributed to the victims of Hurricane Katrina by Mary Kay Bishop, Oregon Middle School guidance counselor, and her friend Jerilyn Bramson of Verona. Both Mary Jay and Jerilyn traveled to the area to volunteer for two weeks, assisting victims of the disaster.
The Oregon School District announced that as of the 1st of July Dr. Brian Busler would be succeeding Dr. Linda Barrows as the Superintendent of Schools.
The Chamber of Commerce’s 6th. Annual Big $$ 50/50 Raffle was held on April 14. The winning tickets were held by Tom Cain, Raphael Byrne, Riley Maloney and Darlene Barry.
The OHS boy’s tennis team get ready for the coming season with returning letter winners Trevor Pauls, David Gooze, Brian Gruber, Brad Slaney, Luke Bowman, and Matt Slepcia.