Bygone Days: A look at the history of NE Allegan County

25 Years Ago — Aug. 5, 1992

The mobile home of Ken “KC” Clack and his family of five was destroyed by fire at the Yankee Springs Meadows trailer park.

The Wayland City Council decided to place a $1 million bond proposal on the November general election ballot to fund a 400,000-gallon water storage tank for the city with a 15-year payoff.

Wayland Township officials have reported as many as 150 building projects that have not properly been inspected since 1987. Michigan Township Services, the township’s former building inspector, was blamed for the lapse.

Three upsets were recorded in the August primary election. Pete Hoekstra unseated 13-term Congressman Guy VanderJagt, David Haverdink won his challenge over Allegan County Robert Schra and Don Black upended Wayland Township Supervisor Erwin Doublestein.

Gary Marsh, in a letter opposing a proposal to bring in an amphitheater in Wayland Township, asked, “A number of people try their damndest to make our community ‘a good place to do business’ with tax abatements, zoning variances, etc. When are they going to give equal focus to making it ‘a good place to live’?”

Wayland Township Planning Commission Chairwoman Laura Shepherd has announced there will be a work session Aug. 10 to talk further about a proposed amphiteater.

Gordon Lyons, Don Kern, Tom Miller and John Shoemaker, all of Martin, with violating the law with their scrap tire storage site near the Allegan State Game Area.

William Alexiuk, 82, owner of Bill’s Tavern in the city and Bill’s Place in Wayland Township, died at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo.

Longtime Hopkins dairyman Walter Krug retired after 14 years serving as a representative of the Michigan Milk Producers Association.

Native American Dave Shanaquet and the Skin Tones were among the performers in the Michigan State University Folklore Festival.

50 Years Ago — Aug. 5, 1967

Pauline Fifelski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Steve Fifelski of Dorr, met the president of India, Dr. Zakir Hussein, at an Asia Humanitarian Seminar at Western Michigan University.

Navy Medic Hospital Corpsman Jake Inverso of Wayland has been training Vietnamese sailors on the art of advanced first aid techniques.

Eight local girls, Ann Bender, Martha Blaine, Loretta Comrie, Roxie Greenawalt, Beverly Johnson, Diance Smith, Gail Wilcox and Patty Wisniewski, will vie for the Miss Wayland title at the annual pageant Aug. 12at the “girls’ gym” stage at Wayland High School.

Rollo G. Mosher, in his “Observations Here and There” column, waxed eloquent about long gone swimming holes in recreation areas of Yankee Springs, focusing particularly on Murphy’s Point.

Airman Second Class Dennis Arndt a Hopkins High School graduate, is a missile guidance and control specialist at Cam Rash Bay in Vietnam.

Douglas Brower of Shelbyville has been promoted to Army Spec-4 in Vietnam.

Jay Hurst, a Wayland High School graduate, has been promoted to airman second class.

Alan Hayes, a 1965 WHS grad, has earned a special aid medal for his service in Vietnam.

Phillip Nicolai, a 1961 graduate of Hopkins High School, has been commissioned as a second lieutenant at Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre: Jerry Lewis in “The Big Mouth.”

Miss Inge Grauer, sponsored by the Rev. and Mrs. Fred Dunbar of Wayland, has earned her U.S. citizenship and is spending a brief vacation in her native Germany.

Allegan Grange members were guests of the Wayland Grange and the following week the Wayland and Monterey Granges were to be guests at Leighton Grange for a presentation by the state lecturer.

The Knights of Columbus in Hillards held their first-ever outdoor service with about 250 in attendance. The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Albert Radowski officiated.

Repeating at No. 1 this week among the nation’s tunes was the Doors’ “Light My Fire.”

75 Years Ago — Aug. 7, 1942

Jack Gurney has reported that his son, Merlin, was the only man in his company to earn Expert Marksman ranking.

Civil Defense has ordered a mandatory blackout for the southern half of Michigan, including 41 counties, between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12. The period will be ushered in by three fire siren blasts and the work whistle from Pet Milk. Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher said, “State and county law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for all violators… the penalty is severe.” Traffic will be suspended and no pedestrians will be allowed on village streets during the half hour.

Clayon Blue has announced that his Wayland Oil Co. has won the right to be distributor of Gulf Oil products.

Next week’s Rotary presentation, appropriately, will be Sam Rankins on everything that needs to be known about air raids.

“Simple Methods of Repair and Salvage of Farm Machinery” will be the topic of discussion at the next Wayland Grange meeting. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Huff also will sing a duet.

Joseph Baweja Sr., 59, a lifelong local farmer, died at age 59 at the Allegan Health Center. He has a son, Valentine, who is serving in the U.S. Army overseas.

The Globe had photos and advertisements for GOP primary candidates H.D. Tripp and Kim Sigler for State Senate, Frederick Miles for State Representative, Clare Hoffman for Congressman and Chester A. Ray for Allegan County prosecutor.

Featured entertainment in next month’s Allegan County Fair will be Jimmy Lynch’s Death Dodgers, Ernie Young’s 1942 Revue, horse racing, Willie Necker’s trained Doberman Pinschers and the Ward Bell Fliers. Fair Board President Earl W. DeLano promised this year’s week-long festival to be the best yet.

Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:

Gene Autry and Faye McKenzie in “Home in Wyonin’.”
Jeffrey Lynn and Jane Wyman in “The Body Disappears.”
Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyk in “Ball of Fire.”
Jane Withers and Majorie Weaver in “The Mad Martindales.”
Virginia Bruce and Dick Foran in “Butch Minds the Baby.”

100 Years Ago — Aug. 3, 1917

Pvt. Dick Hydenberk sent a letter from France, where he and another local doughboy, Alec Modriewski, are serving in the same unit “over there.”

Caroline Crocker, 69, one of the pioneers of Byron, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. A. E. Weaver, in Wayland.

The Rev. Myron B. Rawson, “an honored and noble minister loved by all,” has died. He was pastor at the Christian Church in Wayland for about 2 1/2 years and returned here for about five more years later. He officiated at 225 weddings and 88 funerals in his career.

The annual Hooker Family Reunion was scheduled to take place Aug. 16 at the Maple Grove, Leighton Township, presided over by A. M. Hooker.

The West Gun Lake Methodist Protestant Church will have special two-days services Aug. 4 and 5 with special guest the Rev. W.C. Harper of Detroit. “Our Sweidsh friends will favor us with songs, sung in their native language” Sunday morning and evening.

The Rev. Foster Fuller, editor of the Plainwell Enterprise, stopped in for a visit at the Globe after officiating at the funeral for Rev. Rawson.

Jacob Longstreet has purchased the stock of goods from the grocery store on West Superior Street owned by Ellis Sigler.

“The fact that some people outside (the village) are paying taxes in the village does not entitle them to free use of the library… They have access to the library by paying quarterly cards at 25 cents each.”

“Allegan County has 10,024 children of school age and the amount of primary money apportioned to this county is $96,572.80, or $7.20 per capita.

Woman Legislator of the Week: Mrs. Frederick Greene of the New York Suffrage Party, who wrote that 47 suffrage bills have been introduced in the 48 states.