40 years ago: 1978

Countywide: Increases in the state minimum wage rate have been announced. On May 1, the hourly minimum for adults goes from $2.20 to $2.55 per hour. It will be followed by $2.80 in 1979, $3 in 1980 and $3.25 in 1981.

Algoma: The city has been hit by a wave of burglaries, including those at Kodan Feed Store, Coast Guard Auxiliary building, Jack’s Bait Shop and several residences.

Carlton: A Kewaunee woman traveling north on St. Peter’s Road lost control on the icy road and went into the ditch, striking a Wisconsin Public Service pole. She was uninjured but the left front side of the vehicle was damaged.

Rosiere: Catholic women are reminded to send in reservations for the Green Bay Diocesan Council of Catholic Women held at Silver Lake College in Manitowoc. The $6 reservation includes coffee and rolls, a noon dinner and all institute costs.

60 years ago: 1958

Montpelier: St. Paul’s Lutheran School observed Arbor Day with tree-planting exercises.  Orville Ihlenfeld donated a young maple and Laverne Reckelberg read the poem “Trees.” Pastor Baumgarter led the prayers.

Countywide:  Kewaunee County’s champion speller is Marilyn Kuehl, a Hillcrest School eighth grader.  Kuehl, Immanuel Lutheran student Sandra Siegmund (who placed second) and Sharon Sidwell from Whittier School (third place) will represent the county at the Badger Bee at Madison.

Rio Creek: Mr. & Mrs. Walter Gaulke drove to Milwaukee to attend the third annual music festival of Concordia colleges across the nation. Wallace Gaulke participated in the event which drew 6,000.

75 years ago: 1943

Algoma: Mr. and Mrs. John Nessinger heard from their three sons in the military.  A telegram informed them John Allen, who was sent to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, was in the hospital, but there was no other information. Joe, in the Army, received his second sharpshooting medal. He is the youngest in his battalion.  Seaman Second Class Melvin graduated from hospital corps training in Idaho and will be assigned in New York.

Kewaunee: A federal grand jury in Milwaukee freed a Kewaunee man of sabotage charges. Local businesses had provided his bond, but it was cancelled. He was working for Manitowoc Shipbuilding when charged.

Carlton: Prominent resident Matt Cherveny died at the advanced age of 86. Born in Bohemia in 1857, he came to this country as a lad of 10 and went on to be president of Dairyman’s State Bank and treasurer of Horseshoe Telephone Co.

100 years ago: 1918

Countywide: Highway Commissioner Mose Shaw says patrolmen are engaged for various trunk lines, but there remains a vacancy from the Manitowoc County line to the City of Kewaunee. Salary is $135 per month.

Kewaunee: Anton Undermann, the German alien enemy taken into the county jail for abuse of the government and President Wilson, was taken from Sheriff Kott’s custody and conveyed to Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, to be confined for the term of the war.

Bolt: Quite a number from here attended Judge Henry Grass’s speech at Stangelville. Dr. Wochos gave the address in Bohemian. Proceeds from sandwiches sold went to the Red Cross. An unusually large crowd attended, and the meeting was a fine success.

Norman: The county has been treated to a great speaking fest in the last 10 days. No less than 40 patriotic meetings covered every nook and cranny in the county. Judge W.A. Cowell and Mrs. Cowell addressed a gathering here last week.

125 years ago: 1893

Kewaunee: Herman Klabunder and family were the first European immigrants to arrive here via the Kewaunee Short Line. They left Germany, landed at New York, went to Frankfort, Michigan by rail and thence by steamer to Kewaunee.

Ahnapee: The railroad company has the timber out and framed for a new turntable. It also has material prepared for cattle guards along the line of its road.

Rio Creek: John Braun and Gustav Haack are starting a furniture factory. The two-story building will be 30-by-50 feet and should be ready in a few weeks.

Kewaunee: Another landslide occurred in one of the deep cuts on the Kewaunee, Green Bay & Western train track. An Ahnapee & Western train was sent out for mail and passengers. Help was sent to clear the track and trains are again running.

140 years ago: 1878

Ahnapee: Sons of Hermann (a fraternal aid society for German immigrants) chose officers for the ensuing term. They included President John Weilep, Vice President Magnus Haucke, Cor. Secretary Erdman Zander, Financial Secretary Joseph Janda and Treasurer F. Shimmel.

Walhain: A blacksmith working near the halfway house was found in bed in that place with his throat cut by his own hand. He was unmarried and a very industrious first-class workman. It is said he too frequently heavily indulged in strong drink which could have contributed to his suicide.

Ahnapee: A postal card received at the post office was addressed to “Name Unknown, Ahnapee, Wis.” Needless to say the card is yet in the office. It came from Two Rivers, which explains it all.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Memories from the Kewaunee County news archives