From Our Files

• June 10, 1948

Town Clerk Lyle Shinkle set three days during which time all owners and operators of bicycles in Hartley would be required to purchase a license. The licensing of bicycles was not enforced during the war years due to the inability to obtain tags.

Total sales on Poppy Day in Hartley were $246.87. The figure might have been higher if it had not been for the rainy weather. Members of the Legion Auxiliary and Junior Auxiliary sold the little red flowers. Mrs. LuVerne Sartorius was the local drive chairman.

The Hartley recreational program was scheduled for each Tuesday and Friday afternoon. The first hour each day was devoted to crafts, a story hour and a movie. Children were then given an opportunity to select a game they wanted to play for the remainder of the afternoon.

• June 7, 1973

General Telephone Co. of the Midwest began a major buried cable construction project which was intended to improve telephone service to the May City area. The cable would be large enough to provide future facilities for upgraded rural service.

Members of the Tritonia Club with their husbands and the aid of several Kiwanis members installed a new jungle gym at Neebel Park. Dan Shinkle built the jungle gym, which was cemented in by the men with the capable help of Pat Fanning. It was to be painted by Wally Petersen.

O’Brien County Engineer Lloyd Scherlin surveyed the site of the municipal airport and adjoining land. The council was in negotiations with Ed and Cloy Olhausen for an exchange of land so that the airport runway could be lengthened and surfaced.

• June 11, 1998

Initial residents of the Hartley Homestead Cooperative could expect to be living in their new homes before Christmas if construction progressed according to schedule. Ground was officially broken for the 12-unit cooperative housing complex in east Hartley. The first owners were Phyllis Dean, Reiny and Wilma Hibbing, Arlene Harders, Leona Olhausen and Irene Wagner. The Hartley Homestead Cooperative was the seventh to be built in Iowa.

Questions remained about what direction municipal cable television systems in Hartley and neighboring communities would take toward upgrading their facilities. Hartley City Council members expressed caution and wanted to receive more information about the cost of a joint municipal system with the cities of Paullina, Primghar and Sanborn.

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