Looking back: Hungarian woman found the wrong Farmington 100 years ago this week

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10 years ago

From the Nov. 22, 1961

edition of the

Farmington Independent

School board will choose name of new school Monday

An intense debate could arise at the School District 192 board of education meeting next Monday night.

With four options in front of them, board members will likely discuss each in detail before making a decision. After all, what they decide Monday will have a lasting mark on the Farmingotn community.

The major decision at hand is that of naming the new elementary school scheduled to open in the fall....

The names that will be presented for consideration are?Harvest Hills Elementary School, Meadow View Elementary School, Mist Valley Elememntary and Freedom Elementary....

The name “Meadow View” is meant to remind the community of the farmland that once occupied the site, and includes the facdt that there is a scenic view of the neighboring meadow bottom.

50 years ago

From the Nov. 16, 1961

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

New post office here to be complete, Feb. 1

The new post office building at Farmington, being constructed by Francis Henneberry of Farmington is making progress and the foundation is now complete.

Mr. Henneberry’s bid for $6,000 rental per year, was accepted about a month ago by the U.S. Post Office Dept., and he began work immediately. The building is being built on the former approved Ken Nelson lot of 80x120 ft., located on the east side of Third Street between Spruce and Walnut streets, (the former Faith Ev. U.B. church location.).

The building is 70 ft. wide and 47 ft. deep and it will be made of dark red brick, set back 13 ft., from the front sidewalk. The entrance is in the northeast corner of the building with a loading zone in the southeast corner, accessible to the alley and the rear parking lot, which will be blacktopped, size 80x60 ft....

The building will be modern in every way and it will be a credit to Farmington and the surrounding area. It promises to be one of the finest post offices in this part of the country.

Arcade to be built at new shopping center

More progress is being made by Ken Nelson Enterprise at Farmington’s new Town’s Edge Shopping Center. Three buildings now under construction will be completed by Dec. 15, 1961, Mr. Nelson said this week. Black-topping has been laid over an area near the buildings to accommodate from 150 to 200 cars. These parking islands will be electrically lighted. The buildings to be finished will be a large new Red Owl Grocery store with 7,700 sq. feet, besides a small basement; a combination filling station and restaurant at the corner of Hwy. 218-50, just southeast of the village.

Next week, Nelson will commence construction on an Arcade, just north of the Red Owl store in the shopping center. While he does not have a signed permit from Empire township for this building, the proposition has been discussed and will be signed shortly. Leases are not signed for the businesses which will occupy the Arcade, but oral agreements are being discussed for the following: barber shop, beauty shop, insurance agency, automatic dry cleaning establishment, carmel or candy shop and dress shop.

Local T.C.M.P. install largest scale made

The Farmington Twin City Milk Producers plant has installed the largest scale made and began using it a week ago. It is an extension from 45 ft. to 65 ft., in length now and will weigh up to 100,000 lbs.

The scale is for private use only. The T.C.M. P. use the scale to weigh their huge bulk tanks and the over-the-road transports. The scale was made by Fairbanks-Morse Co., John Goerss, manager said.

Installed with the scale is an electronic instument for remote control, so the weights can be read inside the building. The scale is on the north side of the main plant.

Holes shot in new FAA building

According to Lon Wirtzberger, superintendent at the Federal Aviation Agency building, person unknown shot holes in the siding of the new building about two weeks ago.

The holes were not discovered until an inspection of the building was made and it was necessary to plug them. Apparently they were made by a high powered rifle.

75 years ago

From the Nov. 20, 1936

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Blaze damages McGinn roof

Sparks from the chimney set fire to the roof of the Mrs. B.D. McGinn house at 10 a.m. Saturday. The fire was discovered by Edward Peterson who notified his mother, Mrs. Ingolf Peterson, who rents the house.

The fire department’s small truck roared to the scene of the blaze. The double extension ladder was pushed up to the roof where the chemical nozzle, manned by Ernest Schmidtke, sprayed the roof and extinguished the fire before much damage was done. A patch of shingles a couple of feet square was burned.

A similar fire occurred at the residence of Gregg McGinn at Castle Rock Sunday morning when sparks from the chimney set fire to the shingles on the roof, the blaze being discovered by Mrs. Ernest Berge and Mrs. Harry Ruff who were on their way to or from the nearby Methodist church. The firestarted shortly after 11:00.

Gregg, who is Castle Rock’s station agent, climbed onto the roof and extinguished the fire, assisted by neighbors.

The Farmington fire department truck answered the alarm but the fire was out when the truck arrived. Only a small quantity of shingles were burned. The house, owned by Dillion Tierney, is insured.

Frank Zanmiller killed by car

Frank Zanmiller, for several years a resident of Farmington and a well known metal worker, was fatally injured Sunday, as he walked along Highway 169 about a mile north of Skakopee, when a car driven by John Monnens of that place struck him....

The deceased was a World War veteran, a member of the American Legion, the 40 and 8 organization and a member of the Catholic church.

While in Farmington Frank made many friends, who deeply regret hearing of his tragic death.

Annual village election, Dec. 8

The forthcoming village election began to attract interest this week with the first filing for office.

Mrs. Mae Ackerman has filed for the office of recorder.

Terms of office expiring this year are Mayor Wm. McHugh, Recorder Mrs. John Wright, Councilman John Sauber and Assessor Jack Heinen.

Mrs. Wright said today that the deadline for filing will be Saturday, Nov. 28, 10 days before the election.

100 years ago

From the Nov. 17, 1911

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Woman from Hungaria misses her destination by 1,500 miles

Mrs. Toth Mihalky is the name of the woman who was sidetracked at Farmington, Monday and laid here until Tuesday when Marshal McAndrew took her to St. Paul to an interpreter to find out where she was going. Julius Methner with his seven different languages couldn’t handle the tongue and Bulgarians, Poles and Italians were brought out from the yards, but there were none who could understand a word she said or could make her understand a word. The woman was from Hungaria and bound for Farmington, West Virginia, but when she left Ellis Island she was started wrong and landed 1,500 miles away from her destination where her husband is working in a mine. From St. Paul she was given a pass to Farmington, West Virginia and was soon on her way.

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