Yesteryear

From the Mascot files 100, 75, 50 & 25

100 Years Ago
(April 27, 1923)

Partnership dissolves, Bromen to take over law firm alone
The law firm of Gislason, Bromen and Gislason has been dissolved and hereafter Mr. Bromen will have charge of the business alone. This change is necessitated by the elevation of Attorney A.G. Gislason to the bench. Mr. Bromen will continue to have his office in the same place as heretofore, but he will alone take care of the legal business that comes along.

Sisters have good-natured rivalry on who marries first
It is not the custom of the Mascot to write up a marriage four months after it takes place and yet when the facts are not disclosed by the parties interested until that long after, and everybody concerned has kept still, the event has the same news value four months later which it had at the time of its consummation. Sisters Magnhild Orsen and Mamie Orsen of Minneota had always had a good-natured rivalry on which one would be the first to get married. When Mamie was married to Walter Miller on Jan. 4, 1923, she was sure that she had married before her sibling. When Magnhild learned of the date of her sister's wedding, she moved her wedding date up to Jan. 1, 1923, but kept it a secret and didn't let on until recently as she continued to teach school. Magnhild and Mamie are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. O.L. Orsen of Minneota.

75 Years Ago
(April 30, 1948)

Allen, Eastwold, Grong file for posts on school board
Three members of the Board of Education if Independent School District No. 20 filed for office in the coming election on Wednesday, according to Bernard Tillemans, clerk of the board. The three are L.W. Allen, Hans Grong and Dr. C.E. Eastwold. A fourth member of the board, Norman Olafson, whose term expires this year, filed to succeed himself as a member of the school board shortly before noon on Tuesday. Mr. Allen, who was appointed to the board when William Evans resigned, filed for the remainder of that term. Dr. Eastwold filed to succeed himself for a three-year term. Mr. Grong, who was named to the board after the death of E.R. Coleman, filed for the remainder of that term.

Porter baseball club signs South Dakota pitcher
The Porter ball team has signed Earl Thorson of Gary, South Dakota, as pitcher for the coming season, according to Olaf Syltie, manager of the Porter team. Mr. Syltie said that Porter played a practice game at Gary last week and lost 2-1. He also said the Porter team is slowly getting into condition, and that with a few more practice sessions, the club would be ready for the season opener against Hansonville.

Mootz purchases Johnson Lumber Yard south of town
A deal was completed this week whereby D.J. Mootz became the owner of the land and buildings which has housed the lumber yard operated by Reynold Johnson. The property is located on the south edge of Minneota. Mr. Johnson had operated the lumber yard here for about two years.

Three triplets, one quadruplet lambs born at Beukema farm
Twin lambs are no unusual, but triplets are. Quadruplets are even more rare. On the farm of Mrs. Pearl Beukema near Minneota, three sheep bore triplets and one gave birth to quadruplets this spring. All are alive and healthy.

50 Years Ago
(May 3, 1973)

Local youth killed in cycle accident south of Minneota
Steven Koppien, 20, an employee of Obe's Electric Co. of Minneota, was killed in a motorcycle accident one mile south of town. Koppien was alone on his motorcycle when the accident occurred. Police officers on the scene said it appeared that Koppien had lost control of his motorcycle just before the accident happened. Koppien was killed when the vehicle hit a highway guard post as he traveled north toward Minneota. He graduated from Minneota in 1971.

Go-Kart club begins racing southeast of town
Go-Kart racing, sponsored by the local Go-Kart club, was in progress last Sunday afternoon. The racing was done at the Walter DeCock farm three miles southeast of Minneota. Officers of the club are: Jerry Vlaminck, president; Thomas Dero, vice president; and Patrick Dero, secretary and treasurer. Anyone interested in joining the club is welcome to come out. Go-Karts are available to use. The public is invited to come out and watch the action on Sunday afternoons.

Marcotte Bakery has been sold to Granite Falls couple
The Marcotte Bakery of Minneota, which has been owned by Douglas Marcotte for the past six years, has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. Mike Lee of Granite Falls. The new owners will take over operation of the bakery during the next week. Mr. Lee is presently employed as a baker in Granite Falls. The bakery transaction was completed Tuesday of this week.

25 Years Ago
(May 6, 1998)

Johnson becomes administrator at Minneota Manor Health Care
Kathy Johnson of Cottonwood began her job as administrator of the Minneota Manor Health Care Center on May 1. Kathy has been an Accounting Controller for the past 10 years at the Manor and is excited about the new challenges before her. She replaces Richard Erickson, who resigned.

Lengthy council meeting centers on water, sewer mains
Monday evening's City Council meeting turned out to be quite lengthy, with the major portion of the meeting concerning plans that the Council is considering for water mains, and storm and sanitary sewer lines, specifically in the Industrial Park area. Jim Vander Woude, an engineer with the City of Minneota's engineering firm, DGR, met with the Council for approximately two hours, during which time they "mulled over" the possibilities of extending the water and sewer mains about 1,200 feet in an easterly direction on the north side of the Industrial Park, with the plan being to extend it as far as the Golf Course Road, thus providing the service to the lots that the City owns there as well as property owners already there.

Minneota sailor cruises the world aboard the Vinson
The sailor of yesterday would be awed by the fleet of today, especially upon sizing up the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. Nearly 1,100 feet long, displacing 90,000 tons of water and home to a crew of 6,000, the Vinson is a veritable floating city, complete with its own newspaper, barber shop and radio station. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Gregory J. DeSmet, 26, the son of Francis and Doris DeSmet of Minneota, is one of the many who serve aboard the Vinson. As an aviation weapons handler, DeSmet maintains, inspects and handles all types of weapons and ammunition carried onboard. Carriers deploy around the world for up to six months at a time.

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Minneota, MN 56264

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