Our Yesterdays

Mike Noel, of Hackert’s Wood Products, took down the brick wall on the south side of the building where the Rob-inson building formerly stood.

Sue Gill was named to fill the vacancy on the Richland City Council. The Council accepted and approved the written resignation of Joel McDanel. The Council approved to appoint Sue and she was officially sworn in following the regular June meeting.

1989 … 34 years ago

Thomas E. Wolcott, son of James and Mary Wolcott of Richland, has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force upon graduation from Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. His wife, Anita, is the daughter of Wendell and Barbara Hall of rural Packwood. Wolcott is a 1983 graduate of Pekin High School.

The Richland High School graduating class of 1939 celebrated their 50th class reunion at the Richland Public Library. Fifteen of the nineteen members of the class were present for the class picture. They were Merwyn Bonnett, Leo Cox, Irene Dickinson, Clarence Hasley, Gretchen Howald, Lisle Luithly, John McClure, Ila Prenger, Janet Schlabaugh, Betty Smith, Eloise Snakenberg, Kenneth Steinbeck, Clois Talley, Virginia Teeter, and Maurice Tinnes.

1959 … 64 years ago

A tornado hit the area north of Richland, causing severe damage and in one instance, total destruction. Damage caused by the twisters will total near the quarter-million dollar mark. It was the worst disaster to hit the immediate area in a half century. The most serious damage was at the Kenneth Henry farm north of Richland on highway 77. Appraisers estimated Henry’s loss at over $40,000. Several families suffered severe loss. At the home of William H. Bond, also north of Richland on highway 77, where the twister first dipped the worst in its path of destruction. The twister then hit on the Leslie Brown farm, after leaving a trail of scattered debris and broken trees across the Skunk River bottom. It then hit the Dewey Horning farm before doing damage at the Bill Bond home. It also did damage at the farms of Andrew Hoekstra, Elmer “Bud” Adam, Nick Weber, and Kenneth Steinbeck.

1949 … 74 years ago

Betty Gowey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M.M. Gowey of Brighton and Donald Hoekstra, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Hoekstra of Richland, were married at the Howes Memorial Chapel in Evanston, Illinois. The couple honeymooned in Missouri and are at home in an apartment in Richland.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Ward of Fairfield are moving to Ollie in the near future and will take over the management of the Conoco filling station, now being operated by Glen Middlekauff. The Wards will move into the Gene Reinier residence.