See all posts in the Chaska’s History Speaks series
(For your enjoyment, we present to you, from the archives of the Chaska Herald newspapers, the Herald Reports – now known as Chaska’s History Speaks!)
March 1, 1866
We are indeed at the opening of spring in appearance as well as reality. This week has brought some beautiful sunny days that have given the snow a decided admonition of its fate. The river has risen a few inches from the thaw, making it difficult crossing with loaded teams. The boatmen are beginning operations preparatory to the opening of navigation, re-caulking and repairing. Newcomb & Griggs are hurrying up their new boat, and altogether things are assuming a more busy appearance — but a few mild days don’t make a summer, and March which has come in so mildly will yet bring some very cold weather.
March 2, 1876
On Monday evening Herman Brinkhaus held forth, and a large number gathered in his spacious hall, and to the fine music rendered by the Chaska Band they tripped the light fantastic toe until time to go home in the morning.
March 3, 1966
Chaska Junior and Senior High School students received seven superior ratings at the Minnesota Valley Conference solo and ensemble contest held Thursday, February 24, at Eden Prairie. Kenneth Leander, CHS Music Instructor, announced that Jane DuToit, soprano solo, and a trio composed of Vicky Zamjahn, Nancy Engelhardt and Jane DuToit were given superior ratings in the vocal competition. Thomas Leander, senior, received a superior rating with a baritone horn solo while junior Gayle Bleichner and sophomore Barbara Perrin were given a superior rating with their clarinet duet. Juniors Diane Swanson and Robyn Teich also received a superior rating for their clarinet duet with freshman Paul Casey and eighth-grader Michael Leander awarded a superior rating for their horn duet.
March 4, 1926
The Glass Block Store, always up and doing, has taken quite a stride forward by installing a modern artificial refrigerating system, which does away with the necessity of ice. The plant is run by electricity and is the last word in sanitary refrigeration equipment.
March 5, 1868
Owing to the almost impossible state of the roads leading out of town, business has been very dull for some time past. Wood and hoop-pole trade very dull. Wheat brings $1.50 per bushel with light sales. As soon as the roads are in good condition again we look for a resumption of business in all branches.
March 6, 1941
A very popular spot during afternoons and evenings is the recreation room which has been opened in the City Hall basement for youngsters of the community. Quarters are provided by the City Council and supervision by the Work Projects Administration through the Chaska Recreation Council. The room is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 3:30 until 5:00 o’clock, and Monday, Tuesday and Friday evenings from 7:00 until 10:00 o’clock. Besides this, young boys have additional recreation provided in gym classes in the public school every Saturday morning. Each Saturday afternoon girls have their gym classes. The gym is open to young ladies and women every Tuesday night and to men each Thursday.
March 7, 1985
The Chaska American Legion Auxiliary will again sponsor a Poppy Poster Contest open to area students. The contest is scheduled to run from March 7-31. Tag board, contest rules, poppies and the poppy story are available at the Chaska Public Library. Finished posters should be returned to the library by March 31. Cash prizes are awarded in each class for the best efforts. Winning posters will be displayed in a local store window prior to Poppy Day.
March 8, 1917
The local Commercial Department basketball team had little trouble in defeating the Knights of Columbus five at the Opera House last Friday evening. The score of 78 to 30 indicates that the locals clearly outclassed the City tossers and they had little trouble in scoring about whenever they felt like it. Captain Faber, Dick Schallow and Spotty Heinisch were all over the floor and shot baskets with a regularity that would make the opposition feel like a bunch of drunken sailors. The “big three” of the scoring machine put across no less than 68 points between them.
March 9, 1882
Matt Muyres has purchased a new set of tinners tools throughout, and will run a repair shop in connection with his hardware store, and for this purpose has secured the services of Fred Iltis, as tinner, and is now prepared to promptly attend to all work entrusted to his care. Store and shop opposite Iltis’ Hotel.
March 10, 1938
Six Chaska basketball players will be a part of the Minnesota Valley All-Star line-up which will meet the famous Original Harlem Globe Trotters in a game at Shakopee Friday night at eight-thirty. Hunziker, Rehman, Kamerud, Jumer, Huntington and Schimelpfenig will join players from Shakopee, Jordan, New Prague and Belle Plaine to combat the team which has a record of 1,310 victories in 1,426 games during the past ten seasons. The game is a benefit for the Shakopee High School Athletic Treasury.
March 11, 1971
Chaska volunteer firemen now truly have a “home they can call their own.” The so-called “Home Away From Home” for Chaska’s thirty-two member volunteer fire department is a new fire station located along Highway 212 in Chaska. Voters of the City of Chaska approved the $125,000 fire station last year and firemen finally took occupancy Saturday morning.
March 12, 1981
Eight Chaska residents will receive free gas courtesy of the Chaska Chamber of Commerce as winners in its retail promotional “Save Energy and Money, Shop in Chaska.” The promotion features drawings for free gasoline at four Chaska service stations each week throughout the month of March. The first week’s winners are: Agnes J. Carlson, W. E. Johnson, Mary Ann Meyer, Mary E. Vestreich, Bonnie Jukamm, Randolph Aylor, Pam Franklin and Norma Berglund.
March 13, 1975
The City of Chaska will have a full-time Recreation Director, with a little help from the County. The County is providing Chaska with $2,100 which, coupled with $4,750 in Chaska’s budget, will provide the salary for such a position. The funds are a one-time offering, not renewable, and the City of Chaska must commit itself to continuing the position in subsequent years.
March 14, 1929
We read such a great deal of all different sorts of marathons in the daily papers, which is the present day fad it seems. Now Manager Happ of the Happ Auditorium, who is conducting roller skating in the auditorium during the Lenten days, comes out with the announcement that he will hold a roller skating marathon beginning Friday, March 15th at ten o’clock in the evening, and will continue for 60 hours, terminating sometime on Monday. The winning couple will be presented with a $50.00 cash prize. Many from this community are expected to take part in the marathon as well as others from the neighboring places. Registration must be made before nine PM Friday. Spectators will be admitted for 25 cents.
March 15, 1951
Holt’s Food Mart, the new Chaska grocery emporium located in the Klein Building, will have its Grand Opening this week. A three-day program is being planned that will feature gifts of free bags of groceries to customers, the serving of a “snack” lunch and other gifts. Everett Holt opened his doors for business Thursday of last week and his new store was admired by a host of customers. Everett invites the public to drop in and see his new place of business during Grand Opening week-end and to register for the prizes awarded.
March 16, 1911
A typewriter is a necessity in every business. It helps you economize on time and adds greatly to the appearance of our business correspondence. When buying a machine, buy the best. It may cost you a little more at the start, but it is the cheapest in the end. The new Model 5 Printype Oliver is the acme of perfection in writing machines, and its good qualities are its best endorsement. Let us show you one, and explain its points of superiority. We also give you plenty of time in which to pay for the machine. — Herald Pub. Co., Chaska
March 17, 1921
The famous Schnitzelbank Auditorium, recognized as one of the largest and most complete in Minnesota, will be thrown open to the dance loving public on Monday evening, March 28th. This affair is the annual Easter Dance and marks the opening of the spring and summer social season of 1921. Hundreds of dance lovers from this city and the surrounding country are expected here that evening and the first “Schnitzelbank Dance Frolic” is bound to be both a social and financial success. The Haering’s, famous and widely known musical artists, will be there with a peppy program of the season’s newest dance hits. You will be entertained as you never were before and the Club extends a cordial invitation to you all to come to Chaska and have the time of your life at the greatest auditorium in the country.
March 18, 1943
Friday and Saturday of this week are proclaimed as double-feature night at the Rex Theater with two good shows on the program. One stars Roy Rogers, known as the “King of Cowboys,” in the top-notch film of “Heart of the Golden West.” According to all advance reports this picture is one of the outstanding screen treats of the season. The other part of the double-feature program is an exciting and breathtaking film entitled “The Man in the Trunk.” This picture will keep you on edge.
March 19, 1891
Our village was taken by storm on Saturday by school Masters and beautiful school ‘Mams, and it is needless to say that they were welcomed to our homes. The boys say they wish they (the ‘Mams) would come oftener and stay longer.
March 20, 1969
Trout fishing will open today (Thursday) at the Courthouse Lake in Chaska. A special season has been opened to enable fishermen to take trout that conceivably will be lost in the event of a flood. Minnesota Conservation Department officials report that in the event of a flood, the waters will again be cleared of any rough fish that may enter the lake during flood conditions and again be re-stocked with hatchery trout.
March 21, 1901
An unprotected foot often leads a man into trouble. Some men go about in a “half-soled” way. They defy the weather, catch cold, spend a dollar for medicine, all of which we could save them if they’d buy a pair of our celebrated “Aristo” shoes for men. These are built for perfect ease and durability, and we carry them in five kinds of leather and sell them at $4 a pair. —J. A. Schmidt, The Big Store, Chaska, Minn.
March 22, 1934
With its hopes pinned on Miss Nora Schimelpfenig to bring the state Declamatory crown to Chaska the first time, the City anxiously awaits the result of the Minnesota contest being held at the Minneapolis YWCA at 1130 Nicollet Ave. tonight, starting at eight o’clock. She will compete with three others. All have the same selection, “Tipping Off Teacher.” Admission is 50 cents, but tickets can be secured for 35 cents from Supt. H. C. Hall.
March 23, 1922
The river went on the rampage last week, owing to ice jams and quickly overflowed the bottoms. However, the ice was jarred loose by Saturday evening, and since then the river has been receding at a rapid rate and is now well within its banks. Unless we have a lot of spring rains, we hardly expect the usual high stage of water as the cold weather of the past week slowed up the thaw.
March 24, 1892
Our streets are rapidly drying up, and with good weather will be ready to be cleaned up of winter garbage in a few days.
March 25, 1965
A teenage charm school, sponsored by the Chaska VFW Auxiliary, will get underway here Saturday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the VFW Clubhouse. Mrs. Gilbert Kerber, Chaska, will supervise the “Charm School,” which is under the guidance of Mrs. Marion McDonald, Director of Beauty and Fashion for DuBarry. A class of twenty-five students will attend six two-hour lesson plans to be held on ensuing Saturday afternoons — starting this week. The “Charm School” will feature lessons in diet, exercise, sleep, skin care, makeup, personal grooming and manners, nail care, modeling and poise.
March 26, 1863
The subscribers to the Bell for the Moravian Church will be glad to learn that it has been purchased in New York and was shipped on the 10th and is probably now in La Crosse awaiting shipment to St. Paul. It’s all paid for except the freight which must be paid upon its arrival here. The Rev. Mr. Lehmann concluded to send for it and rely upon the liberalacity of the citizens to raise the money for transportation. It will be hung in a cast iron frame and all we need is a “string” to pull it with.
March 27, 1913
There were more teams and people seen in our city during the big sale at Schmidt’s Glass Block Store than at our monthly fairs the last two months. This is good proof that the sales held by
Schmidt’s Glass Block Store are the best drawing cards in this city. These sales always attract people from far and near.
March 28, 1991
The new elementary school in District 112 has been named, but none of the recommended names was selected. Instead, the School Board opted for the name Jonathan Elementary School. The recommendation to go with a place name was made by Fred Whitney, Chaska Board member. Whitney said, “Precedent has been set for naming schools after towns — Chaska, Chanhassen, East Union — ergo, Jonathan.” The names recommended by an Advisory Committee, but not supported, were Susan Hazeltine (after the first teacher in the area), Lake Grace (named after an Olympic star and wife of the area’s developer), and Jonathan Carver (named after an 18th century explorer).
March 29, 1883
It will be observed by the readers of this paper that there has been a reward offered for the detection of those who have, of late, made it their especial business to scatter poison over the Village streets. The placing of poison promiscuously is very dangerous not only to animals, but might prove fatal to some of the inhabitants. Our advice to those engaged in this nefarious business is to stop at once.
March 30, 1905
The School Board met in the bank yesterday afternoon and resolved to send a communication to the City Council asking them not to grant a license to any saloon that may wish to open up near the public school. This does not mean saloons that have been long since established, but simply to hold out new ones that may wish to come in close by the school house.
March 31, 1949
The public is invited to attend a program honoring the Veterans of World War II, of Chaska, Carver, Cologne, and Victoria, to be held at the Chaska High School Auditorium on Thursday, April 7th at 8:00 P.M. Several selections by the Chaska High School Band and Chorus will highlight the program. Lt. James O. McHan, of Minneapolis, will be guest speaker of the evening. A short movie appropriate to the occasion will be shown.
