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 1895, the Hillsboro News-Herald reported that a new bakery would be the next to Hillsboro Enterprise and that it was being fitted up on South High Street. Mrs. Fullerton had bought out the interest of Mrs. Seybert in the drug firm of R.L. Seybert & Co.
At Union Chapel, it was reported that Mrs. Mary McCoy was very ill with lung trouble, Henry Mercer was moving onto the Tom Lewis farm in Concord Township and that Minor Suiter of Adams County had rented George Haigh’s sugar camp and was making the finest maple syrup at 80 cents per gallon.
Train passengers for business or pleasure could board a sleeping, dining or parlor car of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwest Railroad, with departures for Cincinnati at 7:45 a.m., to St. Louis at 2:20 p.m. and for Columbus and Pittsburgh at 7:45 a.m. Tickets could be purchased from agent A.A. Scott at the Parker House Hotel.
A new music store was in Hillsboro, and Frank Emerling advertised that “now that the 53rd Congress is dead and gone, it’s a time for rejoicing, shouting and whistling,” and to visit his store on North High Street and buy a new piano, guitar or accordion.
This week in 1919, The Hillsboro Dispatch reported that the Business Men’s Assn. meeting at the courthouse would be an important one, with among the matters to be discussed to include the securing of a welfare nurse, since Greenfield had had one for several years.
The State Highway Advisory Board had granted an appropriation of $300,000 for the construction of a federal road to connect Milford and Hillsboro, with the exception of a short distance across the Brown County “boot leg.”
A letter was received from Private R.C. Hamm, Co. 166th U.S. Infantry, who was then in Germany. In his letter dated Jan. 30, 1919, he said it was very cold where he was located and was told that it was the best place to be in the nation. He added, “If it is, I am sorry for the rest of the country.”
The event of the season was coming to the stage of Bell’s Opera House on March 11, called a “train of mirth and melody.” Charles Yale’s production of “Honeymoon Limited” was billed as a brilliant musical comedy of youth. Seats were on sale at Palms for 25, 50 and 75 cents, and $1 plus war tax. Coming up next week was “Parlor, Bedroom and Bath.”
Feibel Bros. clothing store was “going back to pre-war prices” on blue stripe overalls and jackets that were $2.25 during The Great War, but were reduced to $1.50.
R.P. Baumgardner of Mowrystown placed an ad in the classifieds for a 1917 Ford car that was sale. “Good as new, or will trade for a good team of work horses or team mules,” the ad said.
In sports, Hillsboro journeyed to Washington C.H. and defeated the hosts 20-17. The writer noted that the Washington team had to play the game with a number of substitutes since the regular team attended the Delaware Tournament.
This week in 1970, the Hillsboro Press-Gazette featured a front page picture of the new Highland County District Library that was nearing completion. Work still remained to be done on the interior, but an open house was planned for the spring.
Showing through Sunday at the Colony Theatre was Alfred Hitchcock’s expose on “the most explosive spy scandal of this century” in “Topaz,” based on the bestseller from Leon Uris.
An ad from the Hillsboro Bank & Savings Co. touted that by 1975, there would be only two major credit cards in America, MasterCharge and BankAmericard.
You’ll got more for less when you shopped at Lowe’s Grocery. Cedar Hill milk was 79 cents a gallon, a 50-pound bag of white potatoes was $1.59 and all hamburger, freshly ground in the store, was 63 cents a pound.
Clean used cars were bought and sold everyday at Harold’s Auto Sales, 600 S. High St. in Hillsboro. A ’68 Chevrolet four-door hardtop with power steering, 307 V-8 under the hood, automatic transmission, radio, heater, white wall tires and a sharp buy for $1,845, or get a zippy 1967 T-bird two-door hardtop, with power brakes, power steering, radio and clean, priced to move at $1,295.
A sure sign of spring popped up in the paper with an ad for the Hillsboro Dairy Queen opening for the season on March 7. Howard and Betty Ellis invited folks to stop in for that first taste of spring and buy one sundae for the regular price and get a second for a nickel.
The question of fluoridation for Greenfield’s water supply was going to be put before voters, since late in 1969 an Ohio bill was passed requiring all water supplies serving 5,000 people had to have fluoridation by Jan. 1, 1972. The Ohio Health Dept. determined that Greenfield’s 2,000 water outlets would be enough to serve the 5,000 benchmark.
Pat Shrock retired as editor of the Greenfield Times after 39 years on the job. The 62-year old newspaperman planned to continue part-time as a features writer. He was the first employee hired by C. Carlton Hartley when he purchased the paper in October 1932.
This week in 2006, for the start of the March celebration of MRDD Month, Hills and Dales held its annual balloon launch in calm winds but chilly temperatures.
A large photo-spread appeared of the 19th annual Homemaker’s Show sponsored by The Times-Gazette and held at Southern State Community College, with lots of what was described as “fun, food, freebies and fellowship.”
Two new recycling locations were announced by Highland County Recycling, in addition to the pair already in place at Kroger in Hillsboro and Detty’s in Greenfield. The new bins would be at the Hillsboro Kmart and the Rocky Fork Truck Stop.
Although it happened back on Nov. 7, a photo of the Hillsboro FFA’s Greenhand Night appeared on page five of the paper. Will Shoemaker, Lindsey Grimes, Emmy Jenkins, Ashley Gallimore and Dylan Hunter recited the FFA creed in the induction ceremony.
Construction continued on the new Hillsboro Lowe’s, scheduled to open in the fall. A front page picture showed a helicopter lifting and placing an air-conditioning unit onto the roof.
Hillsboro Mayor Dick Zink, Leesburg Mayor Bernease Priest and Greenfield Safety and Service Director William Lynch, filling in for mayor John Baal, helped the Highland County Community Action Organization kick off the March Community Action campaign with a Mayors for Meals Day.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
