(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — June 23, 1997
A runaway semi started a chain reaction traffic crash on U.S.-131 when his vehicle struck a wrecker from Ed’s Towing owner Ed Cole. The freeway was shut down for hours.
Allegan County is getting closer to having its family court plans approved by the Michigan Supreme Court. Details about record keeping and personnel files need to be worked out yet.
Wayland City Assessor Jeannie Franck plans to go door-to-door to update her records and get a first-hand look at residences and properties.
The Globe published a front page photo of Kyle Converse on the new boardwalk at Yankee Springs State Park, which is 450 feet long and part of a 1,810-foot system from the campground to the handicapped fishing pier.
The three area young men who identified themselves as the Dorr Boyz have been ordered to undo the damage they’ve done to Dorr parks, besides fines and six months probation.
Karen Krulac and Lisa Harnish wrote letters to the editor critical of comments by Wayland Schools Supt. Robert Brenner about 133rd Avenue and efforts to make it a Natural Beauty Road.
Country and western singer Brady Seals will perform at the South Park of the Dorr Fourth of July celebration.
Phillip Vilenski, Eric VanDuren and Cole Lutz are performing local beautification tasks this summer as part of junior department of public works. Each is being paid $4.75 an hour for about 10 hours a week.
Two local businesses, Station Break Video and Guiseppe’s Pizza have been given permission by the city to expand at their location.
A large contingent of Gun Lake area citizens came to a public hearing to support the Gun Lake Princess glass-bottim touring boat, but approval depends on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Coaches Ray Antel of Kelloggsville, Steve Harcourt of Wayland and Tammy Benjamin of Middleville Thornappl Kellogg are spearheading the “Road Runners” group that meets weekly at the high school to, well, run!
Wayland High School coach Rick Morse is starting a “Field of Dreams” baseball clinic.
50 Years Ago — June 20, 1972
Cousins Teresa Calkins and Peter Calkins both have won American Legion scholarships from the Wayland High School Class of 1972.
George R. Corsiglia, 36, of Allegan, has been appointed Allegan County District Judge by Gov. William Milliken. He succeeds Elizabeth Ramsey, who resigned.
A 7,000-pound bank vault door has been installed at Wayland State Bank downtown.
F. D. Hilbert will celebrate his 95th birthday at an open house June 25.
Russell Sill of South Haven has filed his candidacy for Allegan County Clerk, a post to which he was appointed to fill with the resignation of Esther Warner Hettinger.
Wallace Wakeman has resigned his position on the Allegan County Intermediate School Board, citing press of business as the reason.
Mrs. Marion DeWeerd, former Wayland Board of Education member, died at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., at age 67. She was the mother of veterinarian Dr. Kenneth DeWeerd and Fire Chief Hugh DeWeerd.
Nanette LaValley of Wayland and Pat Cooke of Dorr have been chosen ambassadors to the Philippines for the Youth for Understanding program.
Harold Ernst, commander of the Michigan State Police post in Wayland, has been elected president of the Lions Club, succeeding Noel Summers.
75 Years Ago — June 27, 1947
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher reminisced about his fishing buddies at Gun Lake — Naman Frank, Harold Hawkins, Jack Gurney and Harvey Zeerip. But he lamented that “the fish are not on the feed as they used to be.”
The American Legion Fish Fry will be June 30 at the Lakeview Tavern and servicemen are especially welcome.
Bids will be received for removal of the village bandstand on the Zumbrink lot next to the bakery.
Dolores Pawloski has graduated from West Michigan College in Kalamazoo. She has been appointed to a teaching position in Grand Rapids.
A chicken dinner and festival will take place on the Edwin Aflen property north of Wayland on Sunday, July 13.
Carl Hoffmaster is retiring from the Hopkins Board of Education and the school district is asking interested citizens to file petitions.
Editor-Publisher Rollo G. Mosher opined in his weekly column that Wayland would be a much better place to do business if all merchants prominently displayed price tags on their goods and services.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
• Monte Hall and Adrian Booth in “Last Frontier Uprising.”
• James Withers and James Lyndon in “Affairs of Geraldine.”
• Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith and Bruce Bennett in “Nora Prentiss.”
• Teresa Wright and Robert Mitchum in “Pursued.”
100 Years Ago — June 23, 1922
Judge David Stockwell, who had lived in Wayland for more than a half a century, died June 20 at his home in the village. A native of England, he and his parents had emigrated to the United States in 1854. He also served as Wayland Township Justice of the Peace and Wayland Township Supervisor, as well as Wayland Village President.
Mary Isabel Clark died at her home in Wayland of diphteria at age 6 “It is believed that the epidemic has been smothered out at the very beginning… and no new cases. Many children have taken the serum as a preventative treatment.”
Mrs. Alice Knapp has resigned her position at Beall Brothers and has opened an ice cream shop in the Hope Building.
Ruby Tallman and Hazel Doxey have completed course work at Western Normal College and have received life certificates.
Camp Fire Girls are spending the week at Barlow Lake with Rachael McKinstry in charge.
Paul R. Wing now is a fully licensed embalmer, just like his father, Faye C. Wing.
The Wayland Independents defeated the Oakdale baseball team of Grand Rapids, 8-5.
Mrs. Anna Brown who lived just north of Leighton Township died of scarlet fever. She was the mother of a baby just two weeks old.
About 40 graduates of Wayland High School attended the banquet at the school. Several scheduled speakers failed to show. Guert Fales was elected president of the group.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre: Constance Talmadge in “In Search of a Sinner,” T. Hayes Hunter presents “The Light in the Clearing.”