Oregon History Timeline:
100 yrs. ago (1916)
In a lopsided victory the Oregon baseball team defeated Lodi by a score of 15 to 6. The highlight of the game was a three base hit by Ed Cusack.
It was noted that in controlling the dust and dirt from the Village streets, the county road oiling crew will help the Village out with the oil left over from their recent projects. As soon as the oil tank car for the village arrives, Main and Janesville streets will be coated
OHS graduating exercises were held in Busker’s Theater (the opera house). A class of eighteen received their diplomas. Roy Cowdrey was the salutatorian and Dallas Lamont the valedictorian. The class motto was “We Finish to Begin”. Their speaker was Professor Julius E. Olson of the U.W. whose subject was “Literature in Education”. However, it was noted that the noise of an approaching storm made hearing the speaker somewhat difficult. Principal of the school, B. L. Boss, presented the graduates with their diplomas.
The Camp Fire Girls enjoyed a week of camping along the shores of Lake Waubesa. They had the use of Dr. Hanan’s large cottage and his two boats. Misses Marie Vaas and Elsie Brictson were the chaperons.
- S. Waterman had the following notice in the newspaper: “No sewage from cess pools, vaults or any other foul smelling matter from cellars will be allowed to be drained into the ditch which runs through my premises.”
- G. Booth & Son have traded their large Peerless car for a new six-cylinder Paige touring car.
The Danish Brotherhood Lodge elected the following officers: Walter Rasmussen, president; Chris Miller, vice-president; S. B. Therkelsen, secretary; M. C. Karmgard, treasurer; Hans Jorgensen, conductor; and Ferd ]Fred?] Christensen, J. F. Jensen, R. Peterson; trustees. Others elected positions were the I.G., Henry Jensen; and the O. G., Anton Fredrickson.
Hughes & Wischhoff were advertising new recordings of Hungarian Dances played on a cembalom by Joseph Moskowitz. The cembalom is an instrument of the dulcimer family once considered the national instrument of Hungary.
The Village Board takes action on granting a franchise to J. F. Litel, J. S. Cusack, and R. R. Pease on behalf to a company being formed to supply electric lighting for the community.
50 years ago (1966)
The local rock-n-roll group, “The Knightmen”, leave for New York to audition for the Ted Mack Amateur Show. Members of the group were John Rhyner, Bill Pierce, Dave Hallett, Tom Orvis and Jim Bossingham.
OHS senior George Williams was again winner of the State Class B Mile Championship track event. His track record during his 4 years at OHS has been 52 races won while losing only seven.
Mrs. Anna Thompson hosted the Southside Birthday Club. Those attending included Mrs. Otto Driewer, Mrs. C. A. Meister, Miss Nell McGill, Mrs. Lydia Frederickson, Mrs. Wayne Sholts, Mrs. Alice Booth, Mrs. Grace DaWalt, Mrs. Maurice Nielsen, Mrs. William Champion, and Mrs. Elmer Peterson.
Norman Champion and Jim Cannon were honored by the Oregon “O” Club in recognition of their being exceptionally loyal athletic boosters during the past year. Making the presentation were officers of the club, Steve O’Brien, George Williams, and Rick Severson,
Ginger & Roger’s Western Wear, located at 113 North Main Street, featured western wear for the whole family including top quality Nocona Boots.
The Oregon firefighters were called to the Dick Noyce farm. A barn, well over 100 years old, was a total loss as were the contents which included hay, grain, machinery and a couple of tractors.
Ken and Donna Dary, new owners and operators of the A & W Root Beer Stand are opened for business. The business was located on Oregon’s north side, along what was then U.S. Hwy. 14.
OHS football coach, Cal Callaway, launches Oregon’s first full-scale summer recreational program. Activities planned for the program involved swimming, basketball, softball, teen dances, supervised playground activities, etc.
Oregon celebrated its 125th. Anniversary. The festivities included animal acts from the Circus World Museum and what was described as the biggest parade in Village’s history. In the contest for the best beards, the judges, Roberta West, Ann Bossingham and Doris Schnabel announced the winners in their respective categories to be Ken Bavery, Bob Jones, Vic Paar, Bill Newton, Neil Denton, and Arlen Christensen. Winner in the heavyweight tractor-pulling contest was Miss Connie Clary of rural Brooklyn.
25 yrs. ago (1991)
Residents of the Oregon School District approved a referendum allowing for the borrowing of$10 million for the construction of a new middle school and the remodeling of existing facilities. The initial bond sale of 7.6 million will occur in 1991. The remaining 3 million of bonds will be issued in 1992. The projects would include the remodeling of the high school and the Brooklyn Elementary School.
Winners in the Summer Fest parade were Oregon Sno-Blazier (most beautiful); Oregon Cub Scout Pack #350 (most original); After School Clubs (most humorous); and the Oregon Area Historical Society (the best thematic) with their horse drawn covered wagon in celebration of the Village’s Sesquicentennial.
A two-alarm fire at the Oregon State Farm caused more than $70,000 in damage to a structure storing 20 tons of cottonseed, straw, and 6,000 to 8,000 bales of hay. Firefighters from Oregon and several other area departments responded.
The Oregon Masonic Lodge celebrated its 125th anniversary with a parade, band concert, camel rides and a food bazaar and dinner.
The Town and Country Women’s Club elected new officers for the year 1991-92. The new officers were Ina Stoehr, president; Ruth Boerth 1st vice-president; Phyllis Buzogany 2nd vice-president; Pat Lindberg, secretary; and Gina O’Brien, treasurer.
Kim Bland, competing in the 400 meter dash, and Nichole Northrup in the 300 meter low hurdles were the first in OHS history to bring back two Gold Metals in the individual track and field competition.
Alpine Dairy, owned by Dora and Betty Keller, hosted the 13th Annual Dane County Breakfast on the Farm.
The Oregon Middle School Math Team won the regional competition and will advance to the state competition. Members of the team were Curtis Rueben, David Waskowski, Marytha Blanchard, Robyn Siedochlag, Andrea Schnelle, Nathan DeWitt, Frank LaVoy, Brent Warner, and Jessica Joseph. The captain of their team was David Skogen.
Oregon Elementary School 3rd graders read 691 books to raise $1,605.59 for the fight against multiple sclerosis . Jeff Schmidt was the top MS Readathon winner, raising $521.50. He was given a portable TV for his efforts.
The new band shelter in Waterman Park was finished. Jeff Groenier of Architectural Design Consultants, Inc. was the coordinator and chief designer for the project. Lease Construction took care of the overall building of the structure and Crowley Masonry, the masonry work. They were helped by many local volunteers.
10 yrs. ago (2006)
The Village Board approves a Specific Implementation Plan for the new Oregon Area Sports Arena.
Dorothea Rossmeisl is crowned Brooklyn’s new Dairy Queen.
OHS had 252 students receive diplomas. Katie Moore was the valedictorian and Elizabeth Fisher the salutatorian. The class motto was “We will not follow where the path may lead, but we will go where there is no path, and we will leave a trail.”
The Brooklyn Mighty Mites 4-H Club provided about 40 handmade blankets to aid the Project Linus, a non-profit organization providing for those in need. Participating in the project were Mariah Martin, Tori Evert, Stacie Squire, Katie McGuigan, Anila Russell, Marie Fritz, Andria Squire, Lydia Russell, Leanne Loyd, and Samantha Loyd.
OHS senior, Andrew Verhelst, qualified at the Tomah Sectional Tournament for the WIAA State Golf Tournament.
The Village reached an agreement with westside developers, Dan Fleming, Jerry Heinrichs, and Nick Ladopoulos to pay $900,000 toward sewer interceptor cost overruns.
The Rotary Foundation presented scholarships to five OHS graduating seniors., Chad Russell, Adam Trudel, Adam Hinz, Justin Millard, and Meghan Kleitsch. Vicki Cothroll, president of the Oregon Rotary Club, made the presentations.
Chuck Elliott was developing the “Village of Foxboro” on the Village’s southeast side, near Wolfe Street and Concord Drive. It will include 40 condos and about 24,000 square feet of retail space.
Darrell Wild’s proposal for building a hotel in Oregon was put on hold.