Mazeppa Area Historical Happenings
Compiled by Helen Reiland and Mike Holtorf
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The Mazeppa Journal, L. A. Phillips, Publisher and Editor
August 25, 1939
Drive is On Against Passers and Speeders: More than 500 motorists have been arrested and brought into court by state highway patrolmen this month in a near-record drive to demonstrate once and for all that the Highway Patrol means business in enforcing observance of the new white line “no passing” zones, speed regulations and stop signs.
Things That Happened Hereabouts:
     Held up at Point Of Gun, He Says: Junior Schumacher reports of having been held up by a two-gunman near the Alvis Hofschulte farm recently. He gave the man his pocketbook with a dollar and the bandit took the money and gave back the purse, threatening to return and repeat the holdup. The holdup occurred early in the morning.
K.F. Flugstad Unable to Resume Work in September: Principal K.F. Flugstad of the Mazeppa High School will be unable to resume his duties when the local schools open in September and will return as soon as possible. Mr. Flugstad was in poor health when he left here and took treatments at Prairie du Chien this summer for sciatica.
Exhibit Percheron at National Show: Ralph and Edwin Hermann of Zumbro Falls will exhibit their young Percheron stallion next week at the National Percheron show in St. Paul. The 10-day national show celebrating the centennial of the first importation from France of the dapple gray and black Percherons will be held at the Minnesota state fair. Horses valued at $250,000 including the grand champion stallion and mare of the San Francisco.
South Mazeppa: Married: Miss Audrey Sibley and Ceylon Kuehn at the Bear Valley Lutheran parsonage.
Thursday evening about 250 friends and relatives met at the Red Bridge schoolhouse for a shower for Amos Whipple and Miss Mae Koenig.
Lela Whipple spent Sunday with Lucille and Eva Sommerfield.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Reeve are parents of a baby girl born last Thursday.
December 22, 1939
Lucine Gerken and Gwendolyn Gregoire are this year’s cheer leaders. They are to be complimented on their fine work.
Mrs. Alice Kline passed away at midnight Sunday at Lake City. She had suffered a stroke and since gradually failed. Alice Wagner was born in Wisconsin and was married to Frank Kline.
Luverne C. Buck son of Mr. and Mrs. John Buck residing north of Mazeppa and Miss Helen N. Swiderski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. August Swiderski of Hinckley were married Saturday.
Infant Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Rich Dies: Gary Michael, 3 ½ months old died suddenly Sunday morning of heart ailment. He was found dead in bed when the parents arose at 7:30 am.
Municipal Skating Rink Ready When Weather Is: A municipal skating rink is one of the most desirable winter attractions in town. This year the commercial club promoted such a feature in Mazeppa. A place was cleared in the park for a rink, the village contributing toward the project and furnishing one of the bath houses from the lake shore as a warming house. Then came the wait for freezing weather so that the rink might be flooded. The weather didn’t come—in fact it was more suitable for swimming than skating.
Fuglie Manufacturing Plant Moves to Winona: Winona Tool Manufacturing Co. will engage in manufacture of in-the-block crankshaft grinders. Seven or eight persons will be employed at the start, some of whom will be brought from Austin and others hired in Winona. Mr. Elmer Fuglie began this business in Mazeppa, and local friends will extend sincere wishes for his success in this larger field.
Hit By Falling Tree: Cutting wood at Victor Holtorf’s Wednesday, Floyd Schreader, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Schreader, was hit by a falling tree. Several ribs were cracked and his spine injured. He was taken to a Red Wing hospital and placed in a cast.
Mrs. Nelson Watts, aged resident from the Zumbro Falls vicinity, died Wednesday.
   Don’t forget that another free movie is given at the opera house Saturday afternoon, Dec. 23. It is for the children and all are welcome, no matter where they live.
Frank Darcy was taken ill Friday and was taken to a Rochester hospital.
The Light and Power Commission have hired Darcy’s steam shovel outfit to dig out the race below the municipal light plant. This will produce a deeper fall of water when the water unit is used.
There was a goodly crowd bid on the used lumber and other material taken from the Maas house, at the auction Saturday. Not everything was disposed of, and another sale will be held at the same time and place Saturday, Dec. 23.
The grounds of the Maas house are a busy scene these days in connection with the new school gymnasium. A large house has been built to store cement and when it is no longer needed it will be sold, as it will be suitable for a residence. The superintendent on the job is Frank Simmons of Hammond.
The long-awaited change in the weather came Monday night. Following a rainfall of several hours snow began to fall and next morning a white Christmas was in prospect, barring a thaw. The finest fall weather and highest temperatures known in many years were temporarily at least interrupted by the swiftly flying snow. The roads were bad Tuesday and Rural Carrier C. P. Denison was unable to make the north end of his route.
Mr. and Mrs. Mons Larson received word from their son Tilden Saturday at Albin, Ill. that he had been in a bad auto wreck. He was alone in his car when the steering rod broke. The car was wrecked and he suffered a bruised back and chest.
One hundred children attended the Christmas party at the Catholic Parish Hall Sunday afternoon given by the Ladies Aid. There was a Santa Claus and candy and apples were given the children, for whom this is an annual event.
SEASONS GREETINGS – People’s State Bank/ Leo Colling/ Mazeppa Telephone Co./ F.W. Kingsley/ C.W. Robinson/ John Gruhlke/ Mazeppa Creamery/ Henry Prigge/ Murdoch & Hatfield