100 YEARS AGO
APRIL 1922
- Construction is expected to begin shortly on Oregon’s new high school which will be on the east end of the lot purchased from Ira Johnson. The building will be constructed of load bearing tile and velvet texture brick with Bedford stone dressings and will be most pleasing in design.
- F.B. Cowdrey and E. F. Kramer made a trip to Marshfield and Wautoma Thursday and Friday where they investigated the installation of heating plants in school buildings.
- Clarence Stravaldsen, formerly of Oregon but now of Madison has purchased half interest in a gravel road surfacing company located on the Sauk Road between Springfield Corners and Middleton. Straavaldsen was formerly with the Madison street railways company.
- “All-Of-A-Sudden Peggy”, the Senior class of the Brooklyn high school, on Friday and Saturday evenings of this week at Brooklyn promises to be a winner. The cast is exceptionally well adapted and well directed. Try to see it.
50 YEARS AGO
APRIL 1972
- The water and sewer committee of the Oregon Village Board has opened negotiations to build a new water tower on the Riese property south of the village.
- Walter Waefler and Allen Gasner met with the village board to discuss further plans for their proposed development on the south side of the village, on the Scott Miller farm area.
- The freshman class of Oregon High School will sponsor a car wash as a memorial to Jack Swinehart at Ron Erfurth’s Car Care Center Saturday. Cars will be washed and dried by the freshmen at the cost of $1.00 with proceeds to go to the Swinehart family.
- Election results for the Village Board: Charles Crary and Don Doyle will join the board as new members. Incumbent Marvin Jensen was reelected. Holdover board members on the board are John Struck, Bob Weckerly and Jay Bossingham. President is F. E. Madsen.
- Easter dinner guests at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Norris Breitbach and family were her mother Mrs. Irvin Olson and her brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. James McKinley and Kala.
- Ground breaking for “THE STABLE” supper club, targeting an August 15 opening. A modern cocktail lounge will seat around 80 people, and will have a main dining room for 120. In addition, a secondary room will seat another 70 persons or can be divided into private party rooms for groups of 20 or more. This will all be on the main floor, with a lower level will contain a smaller cocktail lounge together with banquet and reception facilities. This is one of the largest commercial developments to take place in Oregon for many years.
25 YEARS AGO
1997
- The Oregon Area Chamber of Commerce presented a “mini-seminar” for local business owners to learn marketing ideas and actions that were easy to understand and simple to use, focusing on local market business development.
- In line with state, county and local groups to celebrate Wisconsin’s entry into the United States in 1998, the Oregon Area Historical Society began to plan for Oregon’s own sesquicentennial celebration. A steering committee was designated to start working on some ideas for the observance involving the whole community.
- The Social Studies Subject Area Committee (SAC) of the Oregon School District invited all parents and community members to attend a public forum on the exciting, new directions and innovations coming to the social studies curriculum. The Social Studies SAC is one part of the Oregon School District’s commitment to periodic review, evaluation and improvement of its curriculum.
- Fourth graders from Netherwood Knoll and Prairie View Elementary Schools participated in an all day pioneer classroom that correlated with their reading and social studies curriculum. All sorts of displays, exhibits, written work and even videos showed that the students had acquired a good picture of past history in Wisconsin.
- After a week’s worth of testing Oregon School District officials narrowed in the possible causes of the air quality concerns at the high school. Originally, carbon monoxide was a major suspect in the problem. Additional monitoring equipment was brought in that led district officials away from carbon monoxide, but toward another cause of the problems – a petroleum based residue from a solvent used to remove tile glue from the floors.
10 YEARS AGO
1997
- Oregon native Lynea LaVoy is honored among “40 under 40” in the March issue of In Business magazine. Lynea is the mother of three young children the manager of training and development at TDS Telecom, and an adjunct professor at Edgewood College, where she teaches executive communications. She is also known around Oregon for raising awareness of ALS disease.
- Oregon resident, Jamie Bush, owner of Deaks Pub and grill in Stoughton would like to begin construction on a new restaurant and Bar at the south end of Oregon. (Headquarters) . He appeared before the Village Board seeking TIF financing.
- Despite expectations that enrollment will decline again next year in the Oregon School District, no teachers will be laid off and class sizes should hold steady, officials said Monday.
- Alice Gehrke , an OHS Senior will have her original play performed next week. “The Prank Committee”, a comedy about three high school “misfits” who pull off a series of “senior pranks” before graduation. The play is set inside the fictional Bernie Madoff High School.