Looking back: Lau family completed a fallout shelter in Castle Rock in 1961

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50 years ago

From the Nov. 30, 1961

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Laus complete fall-out shelter

Hoping they may never need the room for its main purpose, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Lau have completed one of the area’s neatest, most complete fallout shelters, at their Castle Rock township farm home.

Replacing an old coal bin, the glistening white shelter is 8x14, large enough for survival for from seven to eight persons.

Costing $1,150 the shelter in addition to providing fallout protection is used for food storage as a tornado protection room, a safe deposit vault, a cool room in summer where one can sleep in comfort yes, and even serves as a guest room.

A total of 306 interested persons have signed the register posted outside the door of the basement home....

Fall out travels three miles per minute from a blast, Lau said, and there would be time to collect the family if the Twin Cities were hit. The shelter would stand if the house would burn, he declared.

Surface winds close to a blast, could reach the terrific velocity of 800 miles per hour, Lau said. Farther away the wind would not be that strong.

Fred, who is really serious about civil defense protection, believes in preparedness – as do his neighbors, the U.S. Nike Guided Missile Base.

Yule dress again

Residents of the village of Farmington caught the Christmas spirit Friday evening when the village decorations were lighted for the first time in the current holiday season.

The businessmen and Commercial Club members sponsor the lighting each year. Vern Marcell and Carl Wicklund with Northern State Power Company and Don Skallerud of Central Telephone Co., furnished the equipment and helped personally put the lights up. The businessmen in the community each devoted one or more evenings of their time to assembling the festoons.

In keeping with Christmas, the merchants will remain open until 9 p.m., starting December 11 and continuing until Christmas, with the exception of one evening, December 16. The grocery stores will remain open the last few evenings preceeding Christmas.

Opposition in three offices at Farmington

Farmington has opposition in three offices this year, with the Mayor’s office having three candidates. There are two each in the offices of councilman and justice. Filing according to alphabetical order is the following: Mayor: G.M. Gorgos, Elbert Kindseth and Joseph Ruzicka. Councilman: Elmer Brosseth and Harry McElmury (Inc.). Treasurer: George Mohn (Inc.) no opposition. Justice: Eugene Kuchera and Charles Malecha (Inc.).

Both Farmington wards will vote at the city hall from 12 noon to 8 p.m.

Maynard Bell is named “Mr. Teen”

Maynard Bell, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Maynard Bell of Farmington is the new 1961 “Mr. Teen,” chosen by the widely circulated National magazine, “Teen” published at 5959 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. Bell was chosen over thousands of entrants and he will be the winner of the fabulous Bushnell binoculars, Remington rifle and Jantzen sweater ensemble.

Maynard is a freshman at Michigan State, where he is majoring in science. He wants to become a marine biologist. A full page picture of the handsome young collegian appears with the story in the Teen magazine. He is 5 ft. 11 inches tall and weighs 170 lbs; he has brown hair, green eyes and fair skin....

Maynard was a real favorite at Farmington High School. He was captain of the hockey, football, baseball and track teams, he was president of the student council, President of the Lettermen’s Club and King of the Homecoming week.

75 years ago

From the Dec. 4, 1936

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Hottest village election forecast

With the electric light franchise still unsettled, and candidates who voted for or against the measure running for re-election, the annual village election Tuesday promises to be the hottest on record.

Mayor Wm. McHugh, who voted against the passage of the franchise, and Councilman John E. Sauber and Recorder Mrs. John Wright, who voted in favor of it, are running for re-election.

Mayor McHugh is opposed in a three-cornered fight by Chas. S. Lewis and John Stegmaier.

Councilman John Sauber is opposed by James Schneider.

In the other three-cornered race, Recorder Mrs. John Wright is opposed by Mrs. Mae Ackerman and Leslie B. Whittier.

The present council stands 3 to 2 in favor of the five-year proposed franchise to the Central Electric & Telephone company and political observers are wondering if Tuesday’s election will change the council lineup as regards the electric light situation which has been discussed considerably the past few weeks....

Other candidates for office are: D.C. Michel for treasurer, 2 years; J. S. Heinen for assessor, 2 years; P.J. Walsh for constable, 2 years.

Thanksgiving turkey stolen from porch

A 15-lb dressed turkey, slated for the oven at the Mr. and Mrs. George Schuler home, was stolen from their rear porch Tuesday night of last week. Although the culprit is not definitely known, George says he has a good hunch who took the Thanksgiving bird. It was necessary to buy another turkey to supply the Thanksgiving dinner at the Schuler home.

Cars crash in first snow fall

The first snowfall of the season caused two auto crashes at the Ed Peters corner on south Third Street at 9:15 Wednesday night of last week, sending four persons to the hospital, one of them being injured seriously.

The first crash occurred when a Chevrolet driven by Harold C. Storm of Owatonna skidded around the corner from the east and collided head-on with the Chevrolet driven by Ham Clay, Jr. of Farmington, going south. The accident occurred in front of the C.G. Chase residence. There were four passengers in the Owatonna car while Mrs. Clay was the only other passenger in the local auto. No one was injured. The front bumpers and fenders of both cars were damaged.

100 years ago

From the Dec. 1, 1911

edition of the

Dakota County Tribune

Electric lights

Manager Eddy of the Farmington Electric Light and Power Co., informs a Tribune reporter that the switchboard arrived Wednesday morning and is ready to be put in place. He says that dynamos were shipped from Three Rivers, Wis., on the 22nd and are now here. The engine was shipped from Minneapolis on Wednesday and is expected to arrive at any time. Work on the building is completed and ready for the machinery and the work of installing will be pushed forward as fast as possible. The street lamps are all connected up and something like thirty-five business houses and residences have been wired ready for the service to begin, which will be about December 15.

The Gem Theatre

The Gem Theatre is now running every evening and playing to crowded houses every night. This show is a Tribune production and is owned and operated by the Clays, and is run the same as the Tribune is run — the best that our money and experience will produce. We buy our film from the best house there is and we get the best pictures also that money can buy.

The moving picture business is a new thing to us. We got into it when we had nothing else to do, intending to sell if we ever drifted back into business again, but this is the little Clay boys wouldn’t listen to it as they are fond of bringing about the conditions, which make the light, the handling of such delicate machinery and appliances and the production of like-like pictures on the canvas.

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