Happenings from 1930 through 1939
(Okabena's history was provided courtesy of the Okabena Centennial Edition of
The Okabena Press, Jackson County History Books, Jackson County Historical Museum and Tri-County News.)

Business Census for 1930's

         1930

• M. E. Church Men’s Brotherhood sponsors "Father and Son Banquet"

• Tillam Nelson partner with Lietz in oil station.

• Mrs. Hyde who has been operating hotel, gives up operations as Mrs. Solfest returns.

• New 4-H Club organized: Lois Milbrath, Pres.; Lloyd Frederickson, Vice Pres.; Chester Folkers, Sec--Treas.

• A. J. Meents and John Albert start manufacturing of "New Way Garden Hoe and Rake" at Ruthenbeck Blacksmith Shop.

• Local creamery destroyed by fire.

• Home talent play, "Climbing Roses" cast including Mrs. R. Jones, Mrs. S. Frederickson, Miss Krause, Miss Telford, Miss Reindl, Mill Thompson, Miss Coffitt, Sidney Dahl, Franklin Dahl, D. D. Rempel, V. Eckert, R. M. Jones. Violin solo by Miss Kashinski, city orchestra and male quartet take part.  M.O. King directs play.

• Searchlight clubs starts campaign to beautify city by planting flowers and shrubs.

• Kuhlman takes over Tile Plant.

• Oscar Sundhal elected Supt. for next school year.

• Thieves enter Dahl's store.

• Lester Hotzler to operate store for Farmer's and Merchant's Oil Company.

• October-- R.T. Sabatka buys out Moja Market.

• School sponsors carnival.

• Miniature golf becomes the rage.

• Zavayna quits --leaves for Chicago.
  
  1931

• J. E. Ulferts builds WNAX station on the highway.

• Auction sale of Variety store goods by H. W Ahrens.

• De Moure Bros. in trucking business.

• Dahl's acquire store at Wilder, Franklin Dahl to be in charge.

• Diagonal road under construction.

• Plans made for county historical society.

• July--C. C. Donaldson quits business due to health and lack of trade.

• Fred Shipman new editor of Press.

• Former 4-H "Livewires" become "Okabena Be Square Club".

• Jack Winkler has lunch room between Paulson's store and the garage.

• Ed Scheppmann rents Donaldson store building -- opens confectionary.

• Irvin Bayerkohler opens garage next to WNAX station.

• Leach Bros. to manufacture "Iceland Anti-Freeze" here, local management to  be under Herman Kuhlman.

• Bandits hold up bank -- escape with $2400.

• On October 31, Samuel Dahl pioneer merchant, passes away.

• Fred Shipman purchases Evansville, MN. Paper of Basil E. Gordon, Gordon takes over Press.

• Crowds jam school for carnival.  Edna Albert chosen queen.

• Jinx gone; Okabena beats Heron Lake in basketball.

• Merchants launch holiday good will campaign -- 152 prizes offered.

• A. D. Langworthy's leave for California.
  
  1932

• Prices going lower daily.

• School receives favorable comment at band contest.

• 20% cut in teacher wages for next year.

• June -- Hart of Brewster takes over Lietz station handling Webb gas products.

• Albert Confectionary operated by John Albert and son John, to close.

• Sabatka sells meat market to L. B. Munsell of Marietta.

• Tornado hits Ellsworth & vicinity.

• Ed Scheppmann buys out Albert's Confectionary.

• Lietz takes over filling station.

• Karl Ruthenbeck new editor of Press.

• Mikelson resigns from school board.

• Three day holiday declared by town boards to protect deposits of local bank.

• Rev. Hulme and Rev. T. S. Mondale change pulpits.

• Munsell closes meat market in October.

• Due to inability of farmers to raise sufficient funds for support of St. John's Church, H. W. Ahrens offers to buy 2,000 bushels of corn at $0.20 per bushel to be paid to the church. Ahrens swamped with corn soon after the offer made.

• Large total of delinquent taxes in county.

• Okabena ranks high in declam contest, with Paul Hartman receiving 2nd, Helen Thornburg 1st, Lloyd Frederickson 2nd.

• Ask for contributions of feed for drought stricken areas of South Dakota.

• Kenneth Meister operates filling station -- Otto Ostwald bulk trucker.

• Local elevator ships in hay for the first time in 21 years.

• October-- Lehnert Ruthenbeck acting postmaster -- fixtures to be moved to Press Building.

• Roosevelt has a big margin over Hoover in local voting.

• August Scheppmann dies -- Manager of Creamery 1903-05, also former president of Elevator.
  
  1933

• Ed. Mittelstadt moves to town to operate portable mill.

• Clarence Pederson to operate confectionary.

• National Bank Holiday occurs.

• Helser leaves depot post - Jack Theophilus new agent.

• Beer licenses set by town board.

• Editorial on "Okabena has carried on" relative to the depression.

• H. W. Voehl advocates use of tile plant for manufacture of alcohol from grain.

• May - "Machine Guns bark in bank raid" - bandits shoot up town.

• June - Cyclone hits Okabena, uprooting trees, damaging garages, windows, etc.

• Town Board rules: no meal tickets to transients without work.

• Peterson closes confectionary, rumored hasty departure for violating prohibition laws.

• Parade starts 4th of July Celebration.

• June - Lehnert Ruthenbeck joins as partner on Press staff.

• Businessmen protest the use of foreign labor on railroad, in place of local help.

• Burglars visit Paulson and Bayerkohler shops.

• Girls basketball team undefeated for the season.

• September - Jury indicts local bank bandits.

• Bank robbers found guilty - sentenced.

• Series of robberies here - September 26.

• Henry Christoffer wins county corn husking championship.

• Annual carnival big success - Minerva Glaser voted queen.

• R. H. Lueneberg, first editor here, dies at South Bend, Indiana.

• Dec. - Irving Johnson dismissed from job at Fleischmann's, A.H. Olsen new manager.

• Paul Schulz saves Lloyd Kalfs in fall through ice.
  
  1934

• CWA projects begun on school house.

• Jan. - Robbers hold up Wm. Lietz station, kidnap him, but release him out of town.

• Sept. - Robberies solved as two men from Minneapolis and Benson confess to series of crimes.

• Mrs. Caroline Schumacher, old time resident, dies. Came to Okabena in 1871.

• H. H. DeMoure killed in auto accident.

• Girls team undefeated in season play.

• Theophilus leaves, succeeded by Mark Banks as station agent.

• Band wins first at State Meet. Will compete in National Contest at Des Moines. Citizens and groups raise $270 to finance trip to Des Moines. Band wins "fair" rating there.

• Walter Schulz in charge of Lietz station, leased by Farmer's and Merchant's Oil Co. of Brewster.

• Trapp's given surprise party on 25th Anniversary in ministry.

• Pioneer resident Mrs. A. Van Dam dies; Mrs. Sandberg dies.

• School adopts Heron as insignia for awards.

• Crawford and Harvey take over Press.
  
  1935

• R. J. Woodruff, new editor.
• John Albert dies Jan. 15; H. W. Ahrens dies in March.
• Chain letters craze sweeping the nation.         
• Heron Lake - Okabena road to be straightened.
• Okabena bridge, road to be built by PWA.
• Clarence Bayerkohler has Co-op station.
• Lester Hotzler appointed postmaster.
• Frank Ahrens seriously injured in corn picker accident.
• Ted Balko wins state cornhusking contest at Hartberg farm.
• "Tiny" Alberts new harness repairman.
• Adolf Trapp tries hand at running filling station.
• Wm. E. Widel, former station agent, dies.
• Danger from floods as water rises here.
  
  1936

• Fred Pomerenke leaves for Colorado.

• Lehnert Ruthenbeck, new pastor, Sherburne church.

• L.C. Pietz buys Dannett building - starts Red and White store. Paulson moves to Christy building.

• January - Schools close, mail halts, community gripped by cold.

• February - Community isolated in Minnesota's most severe storm in 20 years.

• Editor Barron leads battle with Interstate over power rates.

• Skelly station closes.

• Howard Benson instructor at Dunwoody Institute.

• Lawrence Barr leases station.

• REA starts construction.

• All time heat record set here.

• Emil Beckman farm buildings destroyed by fire.

• Okabena to have free outdoor movies.

• Will Schumacher dies - oldest resident in community.

• Herman Kuhlman gun shot victim.

• Fleischmann Elevator escapes serious fire damage.

• Barron gives up Press - new editors Walter and Robert Taylor.
  
  1937

• April - Alice Albert opens "Sunnyside Lunch Room" in Milbrath building.

• Reverend Shannon new Methodist pastor.

• Norman Peters leaves position with Elevator for new job in Missouri.

• Oscar Roos new blacksmith.

• Irvin Bayerkohler in paint spraying business.

• Sept. - Rev. Trapp resigns to become manager for Otto Baganz, harpist.

• Main street tarred by public subscription, and donation of gravel from railroad.

• Clarence Bayerkohler moves to Heron Lake.

• Rev. George Schweikert from McIntosh, Minn., new Lutheran minister.
  
  1938

• Wm. Droll, old time West Heron Lake resident, passes on.

• E. C. Milbrath and Ed Scheppmann trade businesses.

• School students stage strike when Supt. Sundahl not rehired.

• Burglars again visit Okabena.

• Mrs. Ida Anderson (Hovelson) dies. Born on Hovelson farm 1872.

• St. John's church free of debt.

• Leo Snyder to open cafe.

• School Board votes to put in Ag Department.

• Memorial Day exercises held here, Brewster Legion in charge.

• Robert H. Norman, superintendent elect.

• Arnold Hussong wins State 4-H ton litter championship.

• Jack and Okabena Creeks flood lands.

• Residents vote 81-36 for incorporation. Officers elected.

• A. H. Ohlsen family to take over Lietz station.

• Football becomes popular sport here.

• School and businessmen give "Harvest Festival."

• Okabena Fire Department helps save Paulson Grocery at Heron Lake.

• People vote in Liquor store.
  
  1939

• Creamery to install lockers.
• Nels Eidhammer passes away.
• Edw. Hovelson dies of heart attack.
• Veteran butter maker Wm. Gehrls, Sr. dies.
• Rost celebrates 50th anniversary for Pastor Meyers.
• Council restricts the use of fireworks.
• Post office offering U.S. savings bonds.
• Auto Co. burgled, August Atz car stolen, recovered at Lauton, Iowa.
• 8:50 Club (violation of stop signs) brings on feud with Lakefield.
• Claim sea serpent seen in Jack Creek.
• New addition built on Tire and Repair shop.
• Nesbit new blacksmith.
• Sam Frederickson director of Independent Bankers National Association.

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