The Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI)
May 17, 2006
Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Old Items Taken from The Thorp Courier files of 1906-1931-1956-1981-1996

100 Years Ago (1906)

The Northeast Part of the Town of Withee—Anton Strick will place a new 35 horse power engine in his saw mill.—A barn belonging to Jos. Gewoina was burned. Piles of brush were being burned by neighbors across the road and it is supposed that the wind, which blew in the direction of the barn, set the fire.

Eleven years ago on the 15th of May, the founder of The Boston Store ventured to this city and opened a modest general merchandise store. Older residents will recall it as occupying less space than its present location. It was not large enough to claim dignity, small in size, but inflexible in spirit. We became, and are today, the leading most up-to-date store in the city.

Hay Forks, 3 tines, best quality 45¢ Manure Forks, 4 tines, best quality 75¢ Garden Hoe, good 20¢ A good steel Shovel or Spade, each 50¢ Noxall, fast color, Paint, $1.40 per gallon; Pitkins Barn Paint 65¢ per gallon.

A freight wreck occurred six miles east of the village, three boxcars being entirely demolished. Trains were delayed several hours. Nobody injured.

75 Years Ago (1931)

Joseph G. Thorp, 78, Boston Lawyer and son-in-law of the late poet Henry W. Longfellow, died May 7, 1931 at his home at Cambridge, Mass. He was the son of J. G. Thorp Sr. after who Thorp Village and Thorp Township were named.

The Wolf Drug Store and George McClaren’s Jewelry Shop were visited by a gang of burglars, getting away safely with a large amount of goods.

Harry Hewett, age 64, former sheriff of Clark County was found dead in bed at his home in Stevens Point.

50 Years Ago (1956)

The 50th anniversary of the great fire will be observed at Stanley May 18. In 1906, a spark from the burner of the big saw mill there started a fire that left about 600 people homeless.

A roaring tornado which had come and gone before many residents of the area realized what was happening, slashed across the midsection of Clark County and laid a trail of mounting damage to farm buildings, trees, television aerials, and power lines. No injuries were reported.

May 23rd, commencement exercises will be held at the high school auditorium for the Senior Class of 1956. Forty-eight seniors will receive their diplomas, which will be presented by Corwin C. Guell, President of the Board of Education.

The grocery store known as J. & F. Store has been given a new name. It will be known as Pabich’s Food Mart.

25 Years Ago (1981)

A letter to Wisconsin U. S. Rep David Obey in Washington, D. C. by Thorp Elementary School sixth grader Scott Alger, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Alger, netted the school a new American Flag.

The Thorp FBLA Parliamentary Procedure Team was No. 1 in the statewide competition at the FBLA Green Bay conference. John G. Anderson received first place in Wisconsin’s Who’s Who in FBLA competition.

10 Years Ago (1996)

Forty-two Thorp High School seniors and their parents will gather in the Thorp High School Gymnasium for the last time on May 17, to hold its annual Commencement Ceremony.

Toni Gulcynski received the 1996 Gold Crest Award. Silver Crest Award winners were: Dorrie Eichman, Stephanie Larson, Sadie McCredden, and Mark Wacker.