Waunakee's Early Files

100 Years Ago

May 15, 1924

The Waunakee Post Office was robbed early Sunday morning. The safe was blown open with nitroglycerin. The loss included $30 in cash and $152.72 in stamps.

Waunakee defeated Mazomanie here Sunday by a score of 6-5 in the Tri-County League opener.

The 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Acker died at St. Mary’s Hospital on May 10.

Over 100 numbers were sold for the Young Ladies Sodality Leap Year Dance held Tuesday night.

The Ralph Wheeler family has moved into the Peter Meyer residence.

The Men’s Club is planning a big feed and dance to be held in the canning company warehouse in the near future.

95 Years Ago

May 16, 1929

Mrs. William Schewe, 68, Middleton, died Thursday at her home in Middleton.

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Officer announce the birth of a son at their home on Monday, May 13.

The Junior Prom will be held on Friday evening, May 17, at the Men’s Club Hall.

J.W. Baker had second high herd in the Waunakee-Middleton Cow Testing Association.

The grade school commencement exercises will be held on Tuesday, May 28.

Miller’s Store is advertising seedless raisins, 2 pounds, 15 cents; fig bar cookies, 2 pounds, 23 cents.

75 Years Ago

May 12, 1949

After some very warm weather, we are now having nights which are very close to frost.

Mr. and Mrs. Knight Bakke announce the birth of a daughter at St. Mary’s Hospital on Friday, May 6.

Mrs. Sarah Woodburn, 80, resident of the Town of Westport for many years, died at her home on Monday after a long illness.

Miss Laura Mae Barman and Cyril Haag were married at Sacred Hearts Church at Sun Prairie on May 3.

The Civic Club baseball team defeated Arlington Sunday for the first win of the league season.

70 Years Ago

May 13, 1954

We have a very backward spring this year with farmers putting in corn and some have grain to be planted.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Julson of Madison are the proud parents of a daughter born Friday, May 7, at Methodist Hospital.

Herman J. Adler received his official commission as postmaster of Waunakee from the Post Office Department in Washington, D.C.

Rev. Herbert Waldkirch will mark his Silver Jubilee at Roxbury on Sunday.

60 Years Ago

May 7, 1964

Mrs. John Pertzborn Jr., 69, well-known resident of Martinsville, died Saturday at a Madison hospital after a brief illness.

Named as this year’s Badger Boy and Girl are Lee Trotta and Elaine Agerjord. Their alternates are Mike Baldwin and Karyn Ripp.

Walter J. Acker has purchased the Clarelen Orchids, Inc. on Co. Trunk Q near Waunakee.

Mr. and Mrs. Donald Pape, Waunakee, are the proud parents of a son born Tuesday, April 28, at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Waunakee High School grabbed another first place in a track meet held here on April 30 against Wisconsin Heights with 46 points. Verona had 24 and ⅔ and Waunakee had 77 ⅓.

50 Years Ago

May 9, 1974

Harry Fellows, lifelong Town of Dane resident, died on Friday, May 10, at a Lodi nursing home.

Last Saturday, May 11, 102 years of walking to and from the post office ended. The Postal Service extended its rural delivery to all town residents, some having it brought right to their doors.

On Saturday, May 4, in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Miss Darlene M. Adler became the bride of Mr. Edward J. Vervoort.

Kris and John Elliot, children of Mr. and Mrs. John Elliot, received their first Holy Communion on Saturday, May 5.

The Waunakee high school baseball team ran their season’s record to 8 wins and 2 losses with a non-conference come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Sun Prairie.

40 Years Ago

May 3, 1984

Lance Hackbart and Vicki Thompson were chosen King and Queen at the Waunakee High School junior prom.

Ron Bittner and Dennis Fitzgerald recently have been appointed as two new sales associates at Simon Realty, Inc.

Howard and Lidia Endres of Waunakee are the parents of a daughter born n Tuesday, April 24, at Madison General Hospital.

Paul Cohen, age 30, died on April 23 after a three-year struggle with cancer.

30 Years Ago

April 21, 1994

The Waunakee Village Board deferred to the wishes of neighbors when they denied a request for a rezone for office use Monday night. Developer Mike Simon and dentist Paul Maggio argued that rezoning the land at the corner of Woodland Drive and Division Street would allow for much needed office space which would keep professional services in Waunakee.

The Waunakee Area Chamber of Commerce has proposed renovating the depot building for use as an office by the Chamber.

The Department of Public Instruction wants Waunakee High School to get rid of its Warrior team name. Sixty-eight Wisconsin school districts, including Waunakee have been asked to stop using the American Indian related mascots, logos or nicknames for their schools.

The Madison Area Apartment Association has recognized Ed Niebuhr of Westport with its Distinguished Service Award.

The Waunakee girls’ softball team maintained its perfect record by defeating DeForest 9-5 on April 14. The win leaves Waunakee tied for first place with Fort Atkinson in the Badger Conference.

20 Years ago

April 22, 2004

Waunakee and Westport’s plan commission approved a site plan for the Waunakee High School expansion, along with parking lots and practice fields along the Gilles property.

The Waunakee Village Board took the first step toward establishing a tax incremental finance district in the village’s downtown by approving a document entitled “Comprehensive Plan for Downtown Redevelopment.”

Waunakee music students took a whirlwind tour of New York City, visiting sites such as Times Square, Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.

The Waunakee softball team had a busy week with four games and managed to win all three.

10 Years Ago

April 24, 2014

As the Waunakee Village Board considers the former Waunakee Alloy site for a new library location, one question was answered. The N. Madison Street property can feasibly hold a library, along with a senior citizen development now in the planning.

A Waunakee village panel charged with fostering economic growth is formalizing its priorities for the next year or two. Among them is studying parking needs and a plan for Main Street’s downtown district.

Waunakee students are planting flowers, herbs and vegetables in the greenhouse to sell to support the FFA program, with the produce also going to families.

Preparations are underway for the Town of Westport to pull out of Dane County zoning.

The high school Jazz Ensemble 1, the Vocal Jazz and the Jazz Combo all qualified for the WI School Music Association State Solo Ensemble Festival held at Platteville later this month.