Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

From Our Files

1947: 4-H Fair and Harvest Exposition set in Hartley

• Aug. 7, 1947

All was in readiness for the 4-H Fair and Harvest Exposition to be held in Hartley. The livestock show at the Kruse sheep barn was expected to be the largest in the history of the fair. Girls’ exhibits and demonstrations were planned in the school auditorium. Other events scheduled were a performance by the famous White Horse Patrol, an address by Gov. Robert D. Blue, a dance each night of the fair at Neebel’s Danceland, and a street carnival in the main business district all three days.

W.R. Wagner, Laura Munster, Olga Fricke and Irene Giesel attended a restaurant owners and employees session at Spencer. The meetings helped workers help themselves to become more efficient in their work and to assure diners good food, properly prepared and served amid sanitary surroundings.

• Aug. 10, 1972

Twenty-three members of the Hartley Fire Department received certificates of completion for Unit I of the Basic Firefighters Training Program. The unit consisted of 12 hours of training in protective breathing apparatus, hose and firefighting tools and appliances, ladder practices and chemistry of fire.

A new piece of equipment resembling a giant corkscrew mounted on a truck was added to the inventory of General Telephone Company of the Midwest in Hartley. The Tel-Econ was an all-purpose construction and maintenance vehicle that with a two-man crew could do the work of several vehicles and many workers.

Brown Supply, of Fort Dodge, and Sorensen Farm Drainage, of Hartley, were the successful bidders for pipe and digging to provide five fire hydrants to five blocks of the improved area in northeast Hartley. The city council also approved blacktopping the new street in the Synco Addition after water mains and hydrants were installed.

• Aug. 14, 1997

Plans were approved for the house to be constructed by Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn High School students in the Building Trades program. The plans were prepared by Fine Homes of Primghar. The site on 7th Avenue West was chosen because of its proximity to the school, the visibility of the construction project and the neighborhood. The home was simple enough for students to build but also provided interesting construction features.

Rod and Miriam Patton, of Hartley, continued their summer tradition of participating in RAGBRAI. They rode with the Emmetsburg Bike Club (Team Drag On). Within the club the Pattons were part of a small group called Team BOPP (Back of the Pack, Pack). One of the members was Tom Musel, formerly of Emmetsburg, who was the new band director at H-M-S High School.

From Our Files” is compiled by Sentinel-News sports editor/staff writer Mike Petersen.