125 YEARS AGO: 1895
At midnight the thermometer registered 80 degrees above zero, and the next night it was too cold for comfort. If you don’t get the weather you want, wait for it because it will be coming.
The population of Hutchinson is 2,013 as of the June census. It means a growth of 599 in the last five years, hard-times years, too.
100 YEARS AGO: 1920
Just a little after 1 o’clock, some of the employees at the Hutchinson Produce Co. noticed that the roof of the ice house behind the main plant was on fire. With a bucket brigade and chemical extinguishers, they attempted to put it out but it gained headway and an alarm was turned in, to which the fire department responded. The fire was soon under control but not until the Paul Magdanz barn standing a few feet away from the ice house was partially destroyed.
Deposits in the 19 financial institutions in McLeod County totaled $8,163,265.59 for the period ending June 30, 1920. This is a gain of more than $165,000 from the last call of Feb. 28, 1920, which certainly shows a healthy condition, financially, for McLeod County. A little more than $350 per capita, that’s what the total means, $350 for every man, woman and child in McLeod deposited in the banks of the county.
75 YEARS AGO: 1945
Hutchinson, in common with probably every town in the United States, was the scene of great rejoicing following the announcement by President Truman that the Japanese had yielded unconditionally to the might of the Allied nations. Sirens and whistles began to blow, church bells began to ring and a short time later, crowds began to form in the downtown section, and the impromptu celebration soon grew to impressive proportions.
Fill her up, that classic phrase long ago only a piquant memory, rang out again as in years of old in every station in Hutchinson shortly after the order lifting gasoline rationing throughout the country came through. When the order came over the radio, people realized for the time that the war was really over.
50 YEARS AGO: 1970
The 1970 Hutchinson Post 96 American Legion baseball team will open play in the state Legion tournament in Winona against Fairmont. The team roster includes: John Decker, Bill West, Chad Piehl, Nick Decker, Jerry Portele, Stuart Bonniwell, Mike Clasen, batboy Tom Prieve, coach Dave Mooney, Mark Katzenmeyer, team manager Bud Prieve, Lee Thunstrom, Steve Pellinen, Bill Tapper, Steve Prieve, Scott Powers, Marty Ogren, Brad Horstman, Terry Iverson and Post 96 Commander Fred Schmidt.
Stymied by a lack of quorum, three members of the Hutchinson Planning Commission put their ears to work but could take little action. A major item for the commission was a hearing on rezoning two half blocks on Franklin Street to allow the city to build off-street parking lots on property already owned, lots requested by the parking committee of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce. Residents north of Washington Avenue protested the idea of a parking lot and commercial zoning for their block.
25 YEARS AGO: 1995
In the heat of summer while many teens plaster themselves in front of the boob tube glued to soaps, talk shows and O.J., nearly 10 kids proved they’re proud to be members of Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Hutchinson. The youth left their air-conditioned homes to work on a house with natural air conditioning, the unfinished Crow River Habitat for Humanity home in Hutchinson. This is the first time a youth group has worked on the home that is slated to be completed in late September. Although John Nichols, president of the local housing affiliate, had targeted adults to volunteer their time, he’d like to see more kids hammering, sweating and hauling their way through what is left of summer. “It’s neat to see the enthusiasm,” Nichols said. “The way this has turned out, we’ll take advantage of it until they go back to school, and then there’s still Saturdays.”
The humid weather was one reason Hutchinson did not reach its goal of 260 units of blood per day during the American Cross blood drive. During the two-day blood drive conducted at the Armory, 53 people were turned away from donating blood due to high body temperature and low hemoglobin. Both factors were attributed to the weather.
