Editor’s note — We’re continuing our tradition of taking a look back each Saturday at some of the important, interesting or even odd events as they were reported during the same week throughout the years, along with interesting advertising features from back in the day.
This week in 1884, the Hillsborough Gazette reported that I. Kaufmann & Co. had on hand five barrels of A. Lewis & Son 1866 Sour Mash, 115 barrels of Rocky Fork whisky, 215 barrels of Lynchburg whisky and 225 barrels of Finch’s Rye. The company was overstocked and was cutting prices to “roll out the barrel.”
Winter was fast approaching, and the ad for Kibler & Hughey’s advertised a large size No. 7 Wood Cook Stove, fully trimmed, for $10, or a large size No. 8 for $2 more. New heating stoves were $4 and up.
During a thunderstorm on Tuesday morning, a flash of lightning struck the Parker House stable and knocked over one of the horses. The paper noted “the electric fluid was carried off by the rods or no doubt the damage would have been large.”
The temperance people of Samantha and vicinity held a mass meeting on Monday, addressed by the Rev. R. Grogan of Columbus, who put forth the political phase of the question.
An earthquake was felt in Hillsboro and the entire state Friday at 2:30 p.m. lasting several seconds. At East Walnut Street, a fissure was made in the earth about four inches wide and 40 feet long.
This week in 1923, the Hillsboro News Herald reported that the public schools opened Monday, with things running smoothly under a new superintendent. Total enrollment in Hillsboro was 958, with the high school at 375.
An old Hillsboro newspaper had been found in the Wooster University archives, stating that the first Highland County Fair had been held in 1849. The newspaper was dated March 23, 1849, with part of it being a report given by the Highland County Agricultural Society.
At The Forum, starring in the drama “The Eternal Flame,” was Norma Talmadge. Tickets were 17 and 28 cents for the Saturday stage play.
At Bell’s Opera House, Harry Shannon’s famous players were presenting “Pollyanna” live on stage, with new vaudeville and new scenery, in a story described as “a story of little glad girl hunting for sunshine.”
Grocery savings at the Hillsboro Kroger included Kroger flour for 47 cents in the 24-pound sack, Jewel coffee for 24 cents a “fresh ground pound,” and Churngold oleo margarine for 30 cents a pound.
Hillsboro decisively defeated Lynchburg in a horse shoe pitching tournament Monday night, outscoring the boys from Lynchburg 867 to 430 points.
This week in 1955, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette reported that burglars broke into the Dunlap grocery store in Leesburg late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, making off with between 100 and 125 cartons of cigarettes, plus items in the cosmetics department.
The second major work was about to be published by school teacher and county historian Violet Morgan, with a book entitled “Squaw Winter,” described as a love story based on the Indian folklore of Highland and surrounding counties.
Diane Rossellot of Buford had the champion steer at the recently completed Highland County Fair, with her 1,190 pound white-faced Hereford bringing $1 per pound in auctioneer Ove Swisshelm’s show ring. The reserve champion steer, a black Angus owned by Daun Hauke of Mowrystown, brought 66 cents a pound. A Greenfield youth, Ernest Roll, had the grand champion hog of the junior fair. The purebred Hampshire brought 42 cents a pound.
Holiday Oldsmobile Sales offered “the biggest trade you’ve ever made” on a new ’55 Oldsmobile 88 two-door sedan, sale priced for September for $2,348.
At the Colony Theatre, it was “an avalanche of fury” with Burt Lancaster starring in “The Kentuckian,” and Henry Fonda in “Mister Roberts” was coming soon to the big screen in downtown Hillsboro.
Down U.S. 50 in Allensburg, George Montgomery and Dorothy Malone were starring in “The Lone Gun,” with an adventure from the lost jungle of Mexico’s forgotten kingdom showing later in the night. “The White Orchid” starred William Lundigan and Peggy Castle.
This week in 1991, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette reported the Great Oaks Joint Vocational School hoped to complete renovation of the Scott House for the 1992-93 school year.
A “most excellent” comedy was showing at the Colony Theatre, with “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” gracing the big screen, followed by Patrick Swayze in “Point Break.”
Bargains galore throughout the store could be found at Bob & Carl’s finer foods, with fresh ground in-the-store hamburger at 99 cents a pound, fresh bulk-style sliced bacon for $1.19 a pound, Chase & Sanborn coffee for $1.69 in the 12-ounce can, and all two-liter Coke products were 89 cents.
The year-end clearance sale was going on through the end of October at Hillsboro Ford, with 8.99 percent APR financing on like new 1990 models, and new ’91 and ’92 cars. A 1991 Ford Ranger XLT pick-em-up truck was sale priced at $8,995 or get a ’91 Ford Festiva for just $5,495.
Barry Thackston said he had played a lot of golf in his life, but on Thursday he pulled a 6-iron out of his golf bag and promptly wacked his first-ever hole-in-one on the eighth hole at the Rocky Fork Golf and Tennis Center.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
