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 years gone by.
This week in 1926, The Greenfield Republican reported that Greenfield started to display holiday items for the season. Some of the items include small Christmas trees in all the flag receptacles on the edge of the sidewalks throughout the business district and the business houses started to put the decorations up as well.
The merchants of Greenfield had a Visiting Day for holiday shoppers on Dec. 9 from 7 -9 p.m. where “practically” all the stores in the city were open for holiday shoppers to look at and inspect, but that none of the items inside were for sale.
New automobile license tags for 1927 were received in Greenfield and went on for sale around Dec. 10, according to the general manager of the Highland County Automobile Club. Members of the club were requested to send in their bills of sale to the headquarters of the club so there wouldn’t be a delay in their licenses.
C.E. Sturm, the publisher of the Leesburg Citizen, purchased the New Vienna Reporter from Homer Wright, who helmed that paper for the prior two years. The two papers were issued from the Leesburg office, but a business office was kept in New Vienna.
The local Eagles chapter announced arrangements were completed to hold its first annual charity ball at the lodge on the night of Dec. 10. The Heath Melody band played at the event while the proceeds of the ball were given to charity.
A Christmas Seal campaign started. Two people planned to make a “complete canvas” of the business district over the later part of the week to check on possible sales.
This week in 1956, The Press-Gazette reported that most of the Highland County elected officials received a salary increase of at least $1,000 when they took office the next year for their new terms because of a new state law passed by the Ohio legislature in 1955.
The Highland County Farm Bureau Federation won two awards at the Ohio Farm Bureau meeting in Columbus. Highland County was the only bureau in the state to win two. The awards were a citizenship certificate, which was for enrolling people in participation in citizenship responsibilities, and a “Best Overall Program” plaque that was for membership participation, the work of advisory councils, youth groups, women’s committees and more.
The Highland County Board of Health met to discuss the prospect of improving the county’s milk stock. The county health commissioner demanded it to be cleaned up and milk with high bacteria counts to not be used.
The results of the annual magazine subscription drive done by Hillsboro High School students were released. The total sales of the drive were $2,979, with $1,982 going to the Curtis Publishing Company, and $1,006 going to Hillsboro High School.
The Lynchburg branch of Highland County District Library held an open house. Helen Satterfield, a district librarian, said the guest list had “a number of persons” that had previously never visited the library.
This week in 1971, The Press-Gazette reported that Hillsboro’s fourth annual Christmas parade had an estimated 6,000 people in attendance even with “threatening, misty skies.” The parade went from the fairgrounds through the main business district.
The paper reported that people should decide on where their Christmas tree would be placed in their home and then measure the height and width of the space prior to their tree purchase. The article said to remember to consider the ornament at the top of the tree.
The gate for the dam at Rocky Fork Lake was opened to start trying to lower the water level of the reservoir. The process normally would take two weeks, but rain in the forecast meant the process might go on “indefinitely.”
The funding drive for the area Boy Scouts of America reached a total of around $1,850 and was nearing its end. The paper also reported there were a few more solicitors that hadn’t yet made their reports and were asked to turn them in as soon as they could.
The General Telephone Company of Ohio announced its Aug. 17 rate order, in which the company authorized a first-time charge for unlisted phone numbers, with a monthly charge of 50 cents, as well as a rise for the one-time charge for the installation of a new residence from $5 to $12.
This week in 1994, The Press-Gazette reported that Highland County Sheriff Tom Horst reminded people of multiple things prior to deer season’s start. He said that killing a deer out of season held a maximum penalty of a $500 fine and 60 days in jail, and then “bagging” an endangered species could be a $1,000 fine and six months in jail.
The year’s elections for the Highland County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation (ASC) Committee were rescheduled to accommodate some of the changes from the previous month’s law enactment that reorganized the United States Department of Agriculture.
A public information meeting focused on the disposal of low-level radioactive waste was held for citizens of Adams County and Southwestern Ohio. The Ohio Legislature was planning to soon debate the passage of enabling low-level waste disposal “somewhere” in Ohio.
An engineering legal pursuit fund was created to try and help the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) find and stop fraudulent engineering practitioners. The article said the fund helped support the OSPE in bringing legal action to people that were unlawfully practicing engineering.
Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.
