July 8, 1926

100 years ago

Elect officers for junior Chautauqua

Children form a junior town with Robert Buell as Mayor

Junior Town was organized at Chautauqua this morning with Robert Buell, mayor. Other officers elected were:

Clerk-Jeanne Anderson

Law and order commissioners-Jay Stonebraker, Donald Swanson, Donald Rasmussen

Health commissioners – Marie Daniels, Helen Wildish, Betty Vawter

Thrift commissioners – Gretchen Tatham, Dorothy Comley, Elizabeth Miller.

Service Commissioners – Jack Bateman, Gilbert Bryan, Jack Stonebraker

Miss Dorothea Western is assisting Miss DeLuhery with the junior work.

1966/60 years ago

Sharer winner of 4-H Tractor contest

Jim Sharer of Jewell was the winner of the South Hamilton County 4-H Tractor Operators’ contest staged yesterday at the Harley Hupp farm near Webster City.

Others among the top four place winners were 2nd place, Chris Carlson, Stanhope, 3rd place George Groves, Kamrar and 4th place Rodney Patterson, Stratford.

Hupp is county chairman for the 4-H tractor project.

16 pass Lifesaving tests at pool

Seven youth have passed their senior lifesaving tests and nine their junior lifesaving tests at the Webster City swimming pool, it was reported by the Red Cross Office.

The young people, trained in the Red Cross sponsored program, have received their patches and will be issued certificates soon.

Seniors passing their tests included Ted and Tim Doolittle, Alan Maxon, Mike Eide, Sue O’Connor, Gretchen Reynolds and Jon Burnett.

Juniors included Danny Knoll, Kendall Anderson, Wade Ribbey, David Eddy, Roger Johnson, Bruce Baker, Connie Wepel, Rick Lovelace and Brad Smith.

1976/50 years ago

Hook’s Point tour will be part of Stratford Bicentennial observance

STRATFORD — Stratford will celebrate the Bicentennial with tours of Hook’s Point, the original townsite of the area, as part of the festivities planned for the two-day program of events and entertainment Saturday and Sunday, July 17 and 18.

Transportation from the Stratford park to the site of the pioneer set­tlement, one and one-half miles northeast of Stratford will be available in cars and school buses. Registration for rides will be made at the tour booth. No charge will be made for the tour but donations will be welcome to help defray expenses.

The travelers will be taken to the Marvin D. Johnson home where adults and children will transfer to Clint Peterson’s bicentennial “stage coach” for the ride to the Norman Arnold farm, then north through the townsite and through the Oakwood cemetery.

This first group will leave the coach at the cemetery entrance and make the return trip in a bus whose passengers will then make the tour in reverse. The tour will also include a bus ride along “Stringtown,” the road leading north toward the Boone river where early travelers forded the river or were ferried across the water to continue on to Fort Dodge and other destinations.

There are few evidences now of the early settlement that existed from 1849 until 1881 when the railroad was built through the present site of Stratford. However, for two days, Hooks’s Point will truly live again!

Many surprises await the tourists as they progress along the way including a skit depicting “a happening.”

A story explaining the village and its residents that numbered 100 before its demise will be given.

The com­mentary is being prepared by Clara Madsen from her story, “Hook’s Point Echoes,” written about 35 years ago from interviews with Finch Hook and other people who lived there. Finch Hook, son of Isaac and Mandy Hook, founders of the town, was born in 1857. He lived there in Stratford most of his 90 years where he knew everyone in a kindly way.

1986/40 years ago

City electric rates will increase

Webster City residents will pay higher electric rates and may see construction begin this week on a $280,000 sewer project after action last night by the City Council.

The council passed the final reading of an ordinance raising electric rates an average of 4.6 percent city wide. Residential users will actually experience a hike of more than 4.6 percent, while the increase for commercial users will be less.