Rolling Back the Years

News from the Coloma Courier

100 years ago – 1923

Dance the year out at the Good Fellows Dancing Club. A New Year’s Eve party is being planned.

As you begin 1924, speak a good word for Coloma. This is a good habit to form. Soon others will speak good of you.

The marriage of Harry Wood and Miss Twila Stratton was solemnized. His fellow workers of the C. E. Geisler Ford agency had fun by chaining him to a tractor. The appropriate tag read: “Just spliced for life by Rev. Goltz, but very much ‘attached’ to a Fordson.”

60 years ago – 1963

Coloma’s First Lady turns 104 on January 1. Mrs. Harriet Leedy will spend her birthday without any special event due to failing health. Her three children along with Mrs. Ophia Hartley share in caring for her.

Mrs. Kenneth Tibbs has been engaged as librarian for the Coloma Public Library, announced the Library Board. Mrs. Tibbs attended the Benton Harbor Community College.

Mr. and Mrs. Wesley Arent are proud to announce the adoption of Angela Joy. Mr. Arent is the industrial arts teacher at the high school. Mrs. Arent is the former Lois Kilmark.

30 years ago – 1993

Drive around the Tri-City area to be rewarded with the beauty of outdoor holiday displays. See the famous Hazen display along with Bellwood, Center, Sassafras and West streets. Thank you, Carole Kiernan for photos.

Don’t miss the “Home for the Holidays” Victorian Bear Christmas Exhibit. This display is at the Coloma Public Library. Mary Ann Bower owns the display.

Hair Innovations has put together an “Innovative” Christmas Tree. Owner Fran Boothby and staff created “ornaments” made of sculptured hair set with hair care products.

Dr. Ron Karpanty demonstrates the oral camera. The patient’s teeth are pictured on a screen with the capability of making “videos.”

Submitted by volunteer Sandi Musick Munchow at Coloma Public Library from the Coloma Courier newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record.

Hours: Mon-Thu 9-7; Fri & Sat 9-2

Phone: 269-468-3431

News from the Hartford Day Spring

100 years ago - 1923

Christmas in Hartford was marked by successful festivities, many family gatherings and by the most perfect community Christmas tree that was ever displayed in any village. Members of the Kiwanis club climbed a giant tree at the George van Auken farm north of town and cut off the tree top some forty feet above ground. When the lower limbs were trimmed off, it left a perfect shaped tree which was erected at the corner of Main and Center streets and brilliantly lighted with many colored incandescent bulbs. It was intended that the tree should stand through the holiday week, but a stiff gale Christmas morning snapped one of the wires and permitted the tree to topple to the pavement.

Christmas programs at the churches Sunday evening drew record crowds. Some of the churches were overcrowded and many people were turned away.

80 years ago - 1943

Fires occurring Christmas night, shortened holiday rejoicing for two families and interrupted Christmas festivities of Hartford’s fire department volunteers who were called to extinguish a fire in a trailer house early in the evening. The trailer owned by Earl Hannon smoldered for nearly an hour; firemen being unable to immediately locate the flames.

Fire of an unknown origin completely destroyed the five-room frame house of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Ott at about 6 p.m. Christmas night. Everything was burned.

The Hartford Mother’s Club met for the annual Christmas party and was served a Christmas dinner by Mrs. Conrad Kabel at her home. After the dinner club members went to the home of Mrs. E.M. Smith where the evening was spent playing bridge.

60 years ago - 1963

Two postal employees were injured when the roof over the loading dock at the Hartford Post Office broke loose from the building. Assistant postmaster, William Dyer suffered a dislocated shoulder and custodian, Lewis Rush suffered bruises in the mishap. Both are at Community hospital. Rush was helping Dyer remove a large accumulation of ice when the metal roof gave way where it was bolted to the building.

Submitted by Librarian Stephanie Daniels at Hartford Public Library from microfilm copies of the Hartford Day Spring.

Hours: Mon & Wed 10-7; Tue, Thu & Fri 10-5; Sat 10-2

Phone: 269-588-5103

News from the Watervliet Record

90 years ago - 1934

Splendid progress has been made on the wrecking of Watervliet’s old school building. The structure erected over 40 years ago, which was the pride of the community, is now a mass of ruins.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pflugradt of North Watervliet are the parents of a baby daughter born Jan. 6, 1934, at Dr. Kotler’s sanitarium. The baby has been named Frieda Marilyn.

About forty relatives and old acquaintances gathered at the home of Albert Bujack, South Watervliet, on Jan. 9, 1934 to celebrate his 70th birthday anniversary. A German Orchestra furnished music.

60 years ago - 1964

Printed on Jan. 2, 1964: An early 19th-century American diplomat is responsible for introducing the poinsettia—the colorful Christmas plant — to the United States. Joel R. Poinsett of Charleston,

SC was appointed the first American ambassador to Mexico in 1825. While there, he found a simple, yet attractive green weed which had as its flower a bunch of yellow pods that formed a center of a scarlet whorl. In 1836, the plant was brought to the United States, and the botanists named it Poinsettia after the famous Southerner.

Army Specialist Four Ronald G. Burford, 19, Watervliet, was a finalist in the 1963 U.S. Army Southern European Task Force pistol matches in mid-November in Vicenza, Italy. Top contestants will fire in the U.S. Army Europe matches later this year. Burford, a transportation specialist in the U.S. Army Garrison, in Verona, entered the Army in June 1961 and arrived overseas in August 1962. Burford attended Watervliet High school.

30 years ago - 1994

New Year’s baby is Nicholas Postelli with his proud parents, Jamie Postelli and Michael Creeden of Watervliet. Nicholas, the first baby of 1994 in southwestern Michigan, was born at Mercy Memorial Medical Center in St. Joseph at 5:23 a.m. on Jan. 1, 1994.

Congratulations to freshman Melanie Garner, chosen as WHS’s “Student of the Week.” She has participated in band, seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball, and seventh-grade basketball. Melanie is planning to pursue a career as a psychologist or a nurse and working in a rehabilitation center.

Submitted by Sally Q. Gonzalez from files at Watervliet District Library of the Watervliet Record newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record.

Hours: Mon & Wed, 10-7; Tue & Thu 10-6; Fri 10-5; Sat 9-3

Phone: 269-463-6382