Dusting Off The Archives
News From Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, July 28, 1949
• Mr. and Mrs. Leonard (Tony) Larson purchased the Verndale Cafe from Mr. and Mrs. Ed Shenkyr last week. The purchase consisted of the fixtures and stock. Mr. and Mrs. Larson are to take possession after inventory on Sunday, August 1. The deal was handled by E.W. Orr. The Sun joins in wishing Mr. and Mrs. Larson the best of luck in their business venture, and also good luck to Mr. and Mrs. Shenkyr wherever they may go.
• Businessmen of Verndale are again giving shoppers coming to Verndale on Friday and Saturday of this week an opportunity to gain materially from the many bargains they are offering along with numerous free prizes. Over $125 in prizes will be given away at the mass drawing in the village park on Saturday night at 9:30.
• Warren Harman, who is in charge of the harness horse racing at the Wadena County Fair on Thursday and Friday, August 4 and 5, stated his entry list is now complete and that some of the best trotters and pacers in the area will compete for the prizes offered at the fair.
40 Years Ago, August 1, 1984
• Over 20 young Verndale people may be seen in the area of school or on First Avenue between now and Saturday as they practice for a special event which will be presented at the 10 p.m. intermission for the street dance Saturday night. Even our celebration chairperson, Barb Schenk, is getting into the act and plans to be a part of the program as she still has the energy to perform that night. It’s guaranteed to thrill you to death.
• Two Verndale teens were among 364 contestants entered in the Miss Minnesota Teen contest last Saturday evening at Hallenback Hall on the St. Cloud University Campus. They were judged on scholastic achievement as well as community involvement, poise, and attractiveness. Rhonda Andrew and JoNeen Rousslang were the Verndale contestants.
• In a special meeting held last Thursday evening to receive a bid on a roof variance from the contractor, school board members rejected the bid for crickets and scuppers amounting to $2600 because the plan submitted did not give definitive details. Instead they voted to accept a bid for replacing worn gutters with new, where needed, for $2410.
15 Years Ago, July 30, 2009
• Bob “The Builder” Sommars wrote his page in Verndale’s history when he constructed a miniature Verndale grist mill. Sommars, age 84, has farmed in Verndale for 30 years and then worked as a federal crop inspector for another 30 years. After Clarence Horsager, president of the Verndale Historical Society, proposed to him the idea of making the mini grist mill, Sommars agreed to it.
• For the 2009 Verndale Celebration, Senior King Phil Finck and Queen Margie Rach were crowned. Phil and Margie have both worked here and have been residents of our town. They are the same age, 81, and have been around long enough to deserve the title they have been given.
• The Verndale Bison opened the Lake and Pine baseball playoffs this past weekend. The herd played Nisswa on Saturday in Nisswa and lost 15-5. Verndale came back on Sunday and defeated Staples 9-4 to get into the regional tournament. In the Staples game, the Bison trailed 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning when Ryan Schmitz and Joe Shoberal hit singles. The big blast in the inning came off the bat of Sam Moenkedick when he hit a shot over the center field fence giving the Bison a 5-3 lead.
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