Twice-Told Tales Redux
This column originally appeared in the September 23, 2015 edition of the Barnesville Enterprise.
Ten Years ago – 2005
The festival royalty contest Sunday night kicked-off the 2005 Barnesville Pumpkin Festival. Sydney Baum of Somerton was crowned Mini Miss Princess. Kylee McConnell of Barnesville won Princess Honors while Beverly Plumly of Somerton was crowned Queen of the 42nd annual festival.
Frank Williams, owner of Antiques on the Main, reopened his N. Chestnut Street store last week after a storm severely damaged the building in May. Over 100 local residents showed up to help him clean up the damage at that time.
The Boosters Club and Barnesville School District are teaming up to renovate the football stadium press box.
The Watt Center Barnesville calendar for 2006 theme is “The War Years” profiling conflicts from the Revolutionary War up through Desert Storm.
At a special program Thursday evening, 44 of Barnesville Independent School’s 115 students, were sworn in as charter members of the K-Kids Club sponsored by the Barnesville Kiwanis Club.
Twenty-five Years Ago – 1990
Taking part in the special service marking the 100th anniversary of the First United Methodist Church Building were Flora Boswell, member; Bruce Yarnall, local historian; Rev. Ron Hopkins, pastor, and Nancy Wildman, choir director
After practicing medicine in Barnesville for the past 25 years, Dr. Jerry Schmitthener has retired.
The village and Belmont County commissioners will share the estimated cost of $82,000 to extend water service to the Speidel community next summer.
Averil Lynn, owner of Averil’s Beauty Shop in Belmont, retired on September 15, the 50th anniversary of opening her Main Street Belmont Shop. She will continue to operate the Peaceful Corner Quilt Shop next door to the shop.
Fifty Years Ago – 1965
Downtown merchants staged sidewalk sales during the 2nd Annual Barnesville Fall Fair. A display of antique cars also lined E. Main. The fair, held at Assumption Church, was deemed a “rousing success” as over 3,000 viewed the exhibits and displays.
No one offered a bid for the sheriff’s sale of the Albert S. George house on E. Main. The property, appraised at $8,000, required an opening bid of $5,333. The property will be reappraised and offered for sale at a later date.
Members of the First Methodist Church will observe the 75th anniversary of the current church building’s dedication on October 3.
The long-awaited opening of the Interstate Route 70 by-pass of Cambridge will include a ribbon cutting by Governor James A. Rhodes at the I-70 and I-77 interchange. The new highway will now be open from Route 513, Middlebourne to just west of Cambridge.
Members of the Somerton Methodist W.S.C.S. (Women’s Society of Christian Service) marked the 25th anniversary of the local organization at a special meeting.
Seventy-five Years Ago – 1940
The new Barnesville General Hospital opened for business Tuesday with the first patient arriving a little ahead of the planned opening hour. The first patient was Mrs. Donald Shepherd, who soon after 3:45 am, announced the birth of a baby girl. Up until press time Wednesday afternoon this was the only patient admitted to the hospital thus far.
Foster Gasper announced this week he will open a new Men’s and Boys’ Clothing store on W. Main in the Kennard Building. Until his resignation recently, Gasper was associated with the Kirk’s Clothing Store for the past 20 years.
A veteran Powhatan team won the first game of the football season, 12-0. Yorkville is the next foe this Friday night.
The Tri-County Fair, slated for September 24-26 at the fairgrounds in Smyrna, will feature balloon ascensions Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
One Hundred Years Ago – 1915
From the Whetstone
The local team of football players is now holding regular practice. The boys expect to do some great work during the season.
The body of Edward T. Hibbard, 70, who died in Colorado, arrived Monday for burial. The deceased was a brother of the late Frances Hibbard who was for a number of years the senior member of the firm of Hibbard and Dent, merchant tailors. He left here for the west about 35 years ago.
Three special trains will arrive early Thursday morning filled with the equipment and paraphernalia of the Carl Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus which is scheduled for two performances on the city park grounds. The circus requires 22 separate tents, including cook house, stables (four of them), blacksmith tent, harness tent, side show tent, the menagerie tent and the big tent which can comfortably seat a thousand spectators.
Visitors to Barnesville on circus day will find Barnesville stores attractive places.
The herd of local Moose will be corralled at their pen Monday evening for a social campfire. The diversion of the evening will be the relating by members a number of snake stories – experiences of some of the brothers during the past summer.
____
Twice Told Tales is compiled by Bruce Yarnall, former general manager of the Barnesville Enterprise.
Barnesville Area News Needs Your Support!
We're dedicated to providing coverage of the local happenings in Barnesville and the neighboring communities.
As a non-profit entity, we rely on the donations of readers like you.
Make a donation today and you'll be helping keep local news alive in the Barnesville area.