(Taken from the archives at the Then & Now Historical Library in downtown Dorr)
25 Years Ago — Oct. 11, 1999
The Globe published a front page photo of the centennial Hopkins barn owned by Elwood and Eleanor Schwartz that may have to be razed because of its aging structure.
Visitors from the Dominican Republic dropped in on a Dorr farm family, Darryl Coffe to learn about the latest techniques in agriculture.
Wayland Township Board officials have told the city it lacks funds for helping to build a non-motorized fitness path along the old Interurban.
Wonderland Tire has received approval for a tax abatement from Dorr Township. The company plans to build a 12,000-square-foot addition.
Middleville Tool & Die has moved its operations from the Bowens Mills area to the corner of Bass Road and Patterson Road in Yankee Springs Township.
Mike Gadzinski of Dorr penned a letter to the editor critical of the Globe’s coverage of a story about false fire alarms, insisting the paper crucified the Jamieson family unfairly. Editor Nila Aamoth replied that it simply identified those who were charged in a court of law.
Pamela Strange wrote a letter asking why the need for a stop sign at the expressway exit to enter Dorr.
A 36-year-old Kalamazoo man, Floyd Lee VanDyk, was arrested for breaking into a Wayland home and was believed to have some connection with a rash of recent burglaries in the area.
Bob Monroe of Delton has been chosen new manager of the Gun Lake Area Sewer Authority.
Boot Lake Ridge developers have commenced work on their residential project on 35 acres on Sixth Street between 126th and 127th avenues.
Allegan County voters by nearly a 2-to-1 margin defeated a millage request from the Allegan County Intermediate School District to expand the tech center.
George Fennema has been selected new principal at the East Martin Christian School. He comes from Imlay City.
Brandee Davis of Hopkins suffered severe injuries in an accident in which her vehicle struck a back of a loader being pulled by a dump truck. Complicating things was that she entered the hospital eight months pregnant.
‘Wayland will be host for the regional marching festival welcoming units from Martin Hastings, Byron Center, Caledonia, Delton, Maple Valley and West Ottawa.
Kevin Glupker rushed for three touchdowns and Hopkins smashed Wyoming Lee 43-0 on the gridiron. Wayland lost 28-14 to Kenowa Hills and Martin lost 16-8 to Decatur.
Hopkins bested the Martin girls in the neighborhood basketball rivalry contest 40-30.
Wayland girls improved to 10-1 for the season, thanks to offensive firepower provided by Jessie Merchant, Nicki Merchant, Jody Ingle and Kara Potter.
The Wayland girls’ tennis team finished second behind Forest Hills Northern in the O-K Gold tennis tournament.
Glenn W. Carlson, longtime local pharmacist and Lions Club member, died at the Allegan County Medical Care Facility. He was 68.
Longtime local barber Gene Clack, a World War II veteran, died at the age of 89.
50 Years Ago —Oct. 8, 1974
The Rev. Collins Glenn, pastor of the Grace Baptist Church in Muncie, Ind., will be the main speaker at the Allegan County Sunday School convention Oct. 17.
Dave Meinke was elected king and Laurie Smith queen at Wayland High School’s homecoming. Randy Buskirk and Anna Medina earned the same honors on the same night at Martin.
Norman Hallbower, Democratic candidate for 9th Congressional District, running against incumbent Republican Guy VanderJagt, will speak to the Amalgamated Clothing Workers at the VFW post of South Main Street in Wayland.
Joe Kramer and Diana Wahl represented Wayland High School at the annual Student Congress in Lansing.
Members of the Experimental Association gathered at Wayland Airport to conduct their annual outing and were welcomed by Mayor Marshall Towne and local flight enthusiast Willard Benedict.
Wilma Landon penned a letter to the editor praising an unnamed youth for confessing to his role in a string of local burglaries, helping to solve the rash of 40-some burglaries in town.
Wayne Goodwin has returned home from Holland Hospital after injuries from a fall he suffered on the job.
Mrs. Kenneth Frue was pictured with her award from the Allegan County Fair for her bread and a gold ribbon as special recognition from the Michigan State Fair.
Martin remained unbeaten in the Southwestern Athletic Conference standings by taking out Lawrence, 24-18. Wayland’s homecoming was spoiled by Middleville 32-14. Hopkins bounced back from a loss to beat Decatur 22-6.
Dan Isenhoff again broke the course record at the Wise Farm with a time of 16:50.2, but Hopkins lost in a dual meet to Allendale. Isenhoff also broke the Wayland course record in 15:39, winning that meet as well. Wayland’s Kelvin Lapham was fourth and he broke 16 minutes on the 5K course.
The Hopkins golf team, led by Steve Adamczyk and Bill Sebright, broke their own school record with a score of 161.
Vernabelle Satterlee was elected worthy matron and Frank Dyer worthy patron of the Hopkins Order of the Eastern Star.
Mrs. James Brinkert was honored with a Michigan Education Association School Bell Award for her 23 years of serving Hopkins Public Schools.
Roy Satterlee, retired employee of the Reynolds Metal Co., died at his home at Gun Lake. He was 63.
Olivia Newton-John captured the No. 1 slot among the nation’s tunes with “I Honestly Love You.”
75 Years Ago — Oct. 14, 1949
The Wayland High School football team scored its third win of the season with a 13-0 shutout over Galesburg. Jim Henry and Jim Christensen scored the TDs.
The Wayland Village Council awarded the bid for concrete work on curbs and gutters downtown to Bowen Engineering and Construction of Spring Lake. Cost is $1,921.86.
Prominent local businessman and lifetime resident William Nicolai died at the Allegan County Health center. He was 77. Nicolai was Hopkins Township Clerk and a real estate agent.
Thieves broke into and ransacked Master Feed Mills and Wayland Cleaners, taking about $20 left in the cash register.
A cornerstone was laid at the new parochial school at St. Stanislaus in Hilliards.
The Michigan Audubon Society, in its quarterly magazine, published a tribute to the late Fanny Hoyt, Henika Library’s first director, for her tireless work on behalf of birds and nature.
Joanna Kinney, president of the Ladies Library Club, passed the gavel to new president Mrs. Elsie Kibby.
Leighton Township is the only township in Allegan County that has crippled children on the health department rolls. A total of 41 children are being treated for diseases such as cerebral palsy and polio.
An official with the Michigan Department of Economic Development spoke to 60 members of the Wayland Chamber of Commerce at the American Legion Hall about “Towns Bettering Themselves.”
The wife of former Wayland resident Raymond Fox, Mrs. Louvia Fox, will preside over the 105th Rebekah Assembly in Michigan.
The Rev. Allen Merrill, 63, former Hopkins minister, died at the Allegan County Health Center.
Eighteen members and one guest gathered at the home of Mrs. Gladys Guffin for a potluck luncheon for the Party Line Extension Club.
Now showing at the Wayland Theatre:
- Michael Conrad, Wally Cassell and Carol Thurston in “Arctic Manhunt.”
- Tim Holt in “Rustlers.”
- William Powell, Shelly Winters and Marsha Hunt in “Take One False Step.”
- Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Boris Karloff in “Meet the Killer.”
100 Years Ago — Oct. 10, 1924
Irene Yeakey sang a clever introduction song, “How Do You Do?” to members of the Ladies Library Club.
Now showing at the Regent Theatre downtown: “The Girl of the Golden West” with J. Warren Kerrigan. Hoot Gibson in “The Girl of the Golden West.”
The Third District of the Michigan Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church will meet at the Gun lake Church on the Bradley circuit.
Leo C. Bailey is the Democratic Party candidate for Allegan County Sheriff.
The lights were turned on in Bradley for the first time on Oct. 3.
Mrs. Pelona Williams, formerly of this area, died in SanFrancisco and is expected to have her remains brought back to Shelbyville.
Then Wayland High School football team will meet “the fast Zeeland bunch” at the latter’s field Saturday afternoon.
L.B. Mason attended the Michigan Convention of Optometrists in Battle Creek.
“Quite a number of local baseball fans went to Allegan Tuesday to watch the Detroit Tigers trim the fast Allegan team 10 to 8.
Albert Averill, born in 1849 and who moved to his Dorr Township farm when only 5 years old, died at his home in Wayland at age 75.
The village is installing a crosswalk at Hanlon Court and South Main because of heavy motor traffic in that area.
Concrete paving is being is laid on Superior Street in the business section.Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Mason, Mr. And Mrs. Rollo G. Mosher, H.D. Allgeo and W. W. Hooker attended the Republican Party banquet at the Allegan Congregational church.