Arenac County Local History Timeline, 1890-1967

Most dateline items from 1890 on are quoted from the Arenac County Independent.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1831

2 Mar 1831: Arenac County was created from Non-County Area 2 which was attached to the large portion of land that was originally Oakland County. Arenac is not fully organized at this time. At this time, Arenac and Oakland are part of the Territory of Michigan.

1836

2 Mar 1836: Arenac, still in Michigan Territory, is now under Saginaw County for judicial purposes.

1837

26 January 1837: President Andrew Jackson signed the bill that would make Michigan the 26th United State.

1840

1 Apr 1840: Arenac confirmed as attached to Saginaw County.

1857

20 Apr 1857: Arenac is absorbed in the creation of Bay County and is eliminated as a county entity.

1883

21 Apr 1883: Arenac is re-created from Bay County, with boundaries differing some from the original 1831 boundaries.

1890

23 January 1890: An expert had to be called to open the safe in the Arenac County Clerk’s office as George W. Brown, the County Register of Deeds, who was found dead in his bed, was the only one who knew the combination.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1904

26 August 1904: Twining will have the Pioneer Picnic this year. Frank Mahoney’s store, operated by Dave Dumond, at Pine River was destroyed by fire Sunday. Alex Page will open a bowling alley in Standish next week.

1907

4 April 1907: (1) A train left the rails at Alger and 16 cars plunged through the depot. The depot and cars were destroyed by fire that followed the wreck. The Geister store was also destroyed. (2) Lentz Brothers are operating five fisheries this spring.

1910

28 April 1910: H.M. Schmidt, owner of the County Line Cheese Factory, in Gibson Township, announces that the factory will start up again on Monday, May 2. There is a grocery store in connection with the factory. October 27, 1910: Week’s market prices: butter 25 cents, eggs 25 cents, and new wheat 83 cents.
10 November 1910: C. E. Hammond, Standish, announces that he has purchased the W. C. Gottenmeyer Meat Market.
17 November 1910: Albert Hagley raised a bumper crop of beans this year. He got 752 bushels from 80 acres.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1911

26 January 1911: The Standish telephone exchange is growing rapidly. About 180 phones are installed at present.
28 February 1911: A. A. Geister is figuring on building an elevator at Alger this year.
9 March 1911: Greanya’s ice cream parlor and soda fountain will open tomorrow.
16 March 1911: Miss Alice Reeves is the new telephone operator in Standish.
25 May 1911: (1) John Caton of Arenac is now paying cash for rags. Jack Milne will pitch for the Masonic ball team as Charlie Honey is working afternoons at the depot. (2) John Milne will pitch for the Masonic ball team as Charlie Honey is working afternoons at the depot.
2 June 1921: The Liberty Garage in Turner, owned and operated by Emil Kevresian, was destroyed by fire Thursday Morning.
15 June 1911: W. S. Kimberlin has purchased the J. C. Howard furniture store and the Fred Menzer undertaking business. Howard is retaining the Singer Sewing Machine agency.
20 July 1911: (1) The Standish barbers have decided to charge five cents for neck shaves. (2) The State proposes to abolish the public drinking cup.
27 July 1911: (1) J.C. Howard has re-purchased the furniture and undertaking business from W. S. Kimberlin and also bought the Fred Menzer undertaking business in Omer. (2) The New York Central Lines is advertising its annual excursion to Niagara Falls.
3 August 1911: Fred Neeley of Standish announces that his thresher is now equipped with a self-feeder and that he is now scheduling jobs.
21 November 1911: Rev. A. E. Hill is the new Congregational minister in Standish.
14 December 1911: The Arenac Telephone Company and the J. H. Kennedy drug store are now in their new locations in the Hamlin block in Sterling.

1912

25 January 1912: International Milk Products Company in Standish is now paying $1.60 per cwt. for milk. C. Lonsberry is the new manager of the plant.
23 May 1912: Pt Lookout will be serviced by the Steamer, City of Holland this summer.
6 June 1912: The Episcopals will start building their church in Standish this summer. It will be a one-story brick structure with a basement.
25 July 1912: The Standish Elevator Co is going to build a 30 x 80 hay shed just north of Kiley’s coal sheds.
10 October 1912: After a month of squabbles the telephone situation is becoming normal in Standish as both sides are agreeing on the rates.

1913

2 January 1913: New faces in the courthouse this year are County Clerk Asa Whiting and County Treasurer John Perrin.
3 April 1913: Eleanor Gilbert and Archie M. Knight, Sterling, were married Wednesday.
17 April 1913: Charles Whipple has made over 200 gallons of maple syrup this spring at his Maple Ridge farm.

1914

15 January 1914: The Elm Grove Telephone and Roading Company, operating in eastern Arenac, elected George Koven as president for this year.
19 February1914: Maple Grove Farmers and Standish Businessmen combined to purchase the Bell Telephone line serving that area which ended the long telephone debate.
2 April 1914: Standish school district is voting today on a $20,000 bonding issue for a new school.
12 October 1914: The old Welles Factory buildings in Standish are being torn down. At various times they housed a tub and pail factory, the Central Implement Co. and the Michigan Cooperage.
22 October 1914: (1) The International Milk Products Co. is putting a new smokestack at the Standish Factory. (2) The Arenac School burned to the ground yesterday morning.
3 December 1914: H. Morley of near Twining had a top bean crop this year. From 13 acres he threshed 472 bushels and sold them for a little over $900.00.
10 December 1914: Fire destroyed the store, house and contents of Jacob Blumberg in Melita last Thursday.
24 December 1914: Bill Thoms has bought out Sam Sanford’s interest in William’s Barber Shop.

1915

28 March 1915: The Omer School District voted to borrow $6,000 to rebuild the school destroyed by fire.
1 April 1915: (1) The county will vote on the proposed $10,000 sheriff’s residence and jail Monday. (2) Holden & Fry have purchased the J.S. Elwell undertaking business in Standish.
29 April 1915: Robert Armstrong was the first Arenac County farmer to use an oil mogul International tractor engine weighing 4,800 pounds. The tractor cost $675.00 and was sold by W. N. Pomeroy & Son.
3 June 1915: (1) A road building bee has been called for by Standish businessmen for June 10, in fact all communities of the Lake Huron Shore Lines roads will participate. (2) W. A. Forsyth and R. J. Burr are offering new Overland Automobiles for $750.00.
1 July 1915: (1) Detroit prospectors claim to have found a good coal vein near the pinnacle hill on the Rifle River. (2) The blacksmith shop of A. Jacobs at Turner burned to the ground last week.
2 September 1915: Joe Pendhayn, who will appear at the fair with his airplane this year, recently broke a flight record in California by traveling 14 1/4 miles in 12 minutes and 32 seconds.
9 September 1915: Pomeroy & Son will have a big oil tractor giving actual plowing demonstration at the fair this year. Another top attraction will be the first airplane ever in Arenac County. The pilot will make two flights on two different days.
7 October 1915: Au Gres merchants have discontinued the practice of delivering goods to their customers. The new Omer School is now being used.
14 October 1915: Jack Ryland’s two horses, Viola R. and Sidwood, have been placing first and second in several area county fair races.
21 October 1915: Dr. J. M. MacVicar is announcing the opening of a new dental office in Standish.
28 October 1915: Fred Defoe is working Jim William’s Fishery near the cut.
18 November 1915: Hunting licenses were fewer this year as veteran hunters refused to buy following the new law limiting each man to one deer.
25 November 1915: The Board of Supervisors voted to install a steam heating plant and proper toilet facilities in the Courthouse.
9 December 1915: It has been discovered that Standish City still has an active ordinance prohibiting chickens from running at large.

1916

1 February 1916: Sam Good expects to ship another carload of horses from Standish next Tuesday by express. He ships to Chicago where they are reshipped to Europe for use in the war. The express charges on a car load of horses from here to Chicago are $50.00.
3 February 1916: The Air Line Roadway Co. has been organized and now has 10 telephones between Chris Wolf’s and Standish. Wm Curry is president and Bert Sivier secretary-treasurer.
13 February 1916: Research reports that the log product of the AuGres River in 1881 was 75,000,000 feet.
17 February 1916: (1) Mrs. Paul Lutron, who started the publication of a paper in Prescott for two weeks, has disappeared. (2) Newsprint prices are going up 30 percent.
27 April 1916: Buggies and Fords were advertised on the same page in this week’s Independent.
9 November 1916: With early returns in, the GOP is carrying the State but Wilson is defeating Hughes in the Nation. He also won by a small margin in Arenac.

1917

11 January 1917: Robert Hunter of near Maple Ridge has purchased the implement business of Percy Crawford at Twining. The Maple Ridge Grange is sponsoring an oyster supper Friday.
25 January 1917: Arenac County farmers are standing firm on their demand for $8.00 per ton or they will not raise sugar beets next year.
January 26, 1917: Mr. Albert Badour will soon be engaged in his usual winter occupation of ice harvesting, and wishes the Enterprise to notify customers to get their ice houses ready.
11 February 1917: The Maple Ridge Grange is sponsoring an oyster supper on Friday.
23 April 1917: Three towns, Turner, Twining and Whittemore were served last week with electricity for the first time.
3 May 1917: Bread has gone up again to seven and 13 cents a loaf.
17 May 1917: M. E. Osborne was elected president of the Arenac National Farm Loan Association. Paul Mosciski is Vice President and W. A. Forsyth, secretary-treasurer. Loans totaling about $50,000 have been applied for.
15 June 1917: For the first time in many years, farmers are getting $2.00 per bushel for potatoes at this time of the season.
19 June 1917: (1) At their annual meeting Turner voted to increase their school to 12 grades. (2) Uncle Sam will begin drafting young men in a few days.
28 June 1917: Tom Williams and Joe Pero have raised hair cut prices to 35 cents.
30 August 1917: A stack of hay 62 feet long, 18 feet wide and 20 feet high at the M. C. Harding farm is evidence that Arenac crops are a success this year.
6 September 1917: The county’s first draft soldiers, Richard Stock of Lincoln, Art McLean of AuGres, James Moore of Twining and Leo LaBarge of Standish leave for the army next week.
4 October 1917: The “Air Line” Road between Standish and Omer has been declared a federal road so now the county and the State will finance one quarter each and the federal government half of construction costs.
25 October 1917: The State and Federal governments are cooperating to build a 16 foot gravel road from Omer to Standish with the county paying only 30% or about $20,000.
1 November 1917: Another train wreck at Alger last night made a total of four near the same location in the past month.
9 November 1917: Prohibition carried in the County by two to one. James Glasure was elected Sheriff over Bill Hasty.
15 November 1917: The third regiment of Arenac County soldier boys, totaling 23, will report to Camp Custer next week.
22 November 1917: This Friday 23 more Arenac county boys will leave for Fort Custer.

1918

January 3, 1918: Arenac County farmers are now endeavoring to form a Gleaners Association with capital stock of $10,000.
January 31, 1918: To save fuel the electric lights in Standish will be turned off at 10:30 p.m.
March 7, 1918: Candidates in the Sterling village election are Adelbert Scott, president; Hiram Brundage, Clerk; Amos Jackson, Treasurer; James Adams, assessor; Harry Shearer, John Adams, Earl Abbot, Clark Pomeroy, Mathais Vogel and James Mann Trustees.
April 4, 1918: Walter Kelly of Turner has been appointed County Treasurer to replace Daniel Perrin, who resigned.
April 11, 1918: Capt. Bert Payea leaves Standish this week to take command of his Great Lakes Boat. John Serens will sail with him this year.
April 18, 1918. In order to supply the Allies with the necessary wheat the United States must cut its use in half. The ration per person will be one- and one-half pounds of wheat products a week until the harvest.
May 30, 1918: Otto Herman and Harry Frank will use their new $5,500 dredge on the Whitney drain.
June 13, 1918: Last Saturday day electric power in Standish would have ceased had not the business places voluntarily tripled their rate.
June 26, 1918: Tom Lamoria of Saganing arrived home from overseas last week with a second lieutenant’s commission and a winsome French bride, both won overseas.
July 4, 1918: Owen Glover of Omer has rented the Lentz Fishery at Timber Island and will have all the necessities for bathers and boaters.
August 15, 1918: E.H. Chamberlain, Civil War Veteran died Wednesday morning. Twenty-four Arenac County boys are scheduled to go to Camp Custer this month.
September 19, 1918: George Costello has sold his farm in Melita to Archie Knight.
October 10, 1918: County dogs killed sheep valued at $2103 last year.
October 24, 1918: A costly blaze in Turner Sunday night wiped out four business places with damages near $50,000. The buildings were Kelly & Whitehouse, M. O. Collins & Son Hardware, Hunt’s Pool Hall and the bank. Kelly & Whitehouse plan to reopen at once, possibly in the Foot & Miller building.
November 14, 1918: (1) Jack Ryland has given his fast racehorse “Viola R” to the County Patriotic War Fund to be sold at auction, with proceeds going to the fund. (2) The East Michigan Farmers Elevator Co. purchased the Omer Mill Tuesday from J. E. Martindale. Burt Reid will be the manager.
November 17, 1918: Unless the flu epidemic becomes worse the Standish school will reopen next Monday. The buildings have all been thoroughly fumigated.
November 28, 1918: Ireland Auto Co. announces that the Ford company is being released from some government contracts and is again making cars.
December 5, 1918: The sugar beet price for next year will be $10.00 per ton.
December 19, 1918: The Arenac Red Cross has received a quota of 132 sweaters that must be completed by February; so more volunteer knitters are required.
December 26, 1918; The Red Cross campaign is moving slowly with only 431 people contributing the $1.00 membership fee.

1919

2 January 1919: F. J. Conrad is remodeling his planing mill and lumber sheds in Standish.
16 January 1919: (1) Women voters must register this month if they wish to vote in the spring election. (2) The F. J. Fuehr and Co. of Twining is going out of business. (2) The flu ban has been rescinded and schools are now open again.
22 January 1919: Charley Cuttle has purchased the Pine River Store from Jesse Hamlin.
20 February 1919: Sgt. R.F. Dunn of Alger has won both French and English honors.
13 April 1919: The W. W. Britt auction sale at Turner Thursday went well over $10,000 with cows going as high as $154.00.
18 May 1919: The Alger town well has been completed.
22 May 1919: Speed limits in Standish City limits and business section is 10 miles per hour and 15 miles per hour in the residence section.
15 June 1919: On and after this date all autos driven in Arenac County without 1919 license plates will be arrested and prosecuted.
19 June 1919: While driving the other day Joe Martin had a chicken strike his machine high enough to strike the windshield with such force it broke into a hundred pieces. “That sure must have been a tough old bird”, remarked Joe.
10 July 1919: (1) The bounty on rats has been doubled from five to ten cents. (2) The Omer-Twining road should be started as soon as possible, according to the State Highway Department in a letter to the Independent.
1 August 1919: All drivers are required to have a drivers license effective August 14. Until now, anyone could drive, regardless of qualifications. Age 14 will be the limit on age.
14 August 1919: Two old Independents were found, one dated December 6, 1883, and one September 24, 1894. The 1883 was apparently the first to be printed in Standish. The paper formerly had been printed in Bay City.
18 September 1919: (1) Two “Aces” who flew in France will be at the Arenac County Fair to demonstrate and offer rides if you have the nerve for it. (2) The Standish School will close Wednesday for the balance of the week because of the fair.
19 October 1919: Ed Kiley is the new manager of the Kimball Martindale Elevator at Pine River.
23 October 1919: Pero and Weishuhn, Standish, have added an electric hair clipping machine to their “up to date” barber shop.
18 December 1919: (1) Summary of the report to Game Warden John Baird of deer killed this year includes the following: largest buck killed weighed 276 pounds, smallest weighed 26 pounds. Three albino deer were killed. (1) The local K. of C. are planning on opening their new large hall here to the public on New Year’s night with a big dance and chicken supper.

1920

8 January 1920: Over too people attended the opening of the new K. of C. Hall here New Year’s night.
22 January 1920: (1) The Secretary of State has notified Sheriffs and other officials throughout the state that there will be no laxity in the manner of securing 1920 license plates. (2) J.R. Putman sold a hog to William Carrol of Omer that weighed 600 pounds, for which Mr. Putman received $75.00. This was surely some hog!
5 February 1920: Pelton and Austin of Bentley were here Tuesday. They are buying several carloads of horses.
6 February 1920: Fred Deford of Maple Ridge has sold his store and residence to Percy Hull.
12 February 1920: The Proulx Opera House in Au Gres has been bought by the proposed Amusement Company.
26 February 1920: The Standish School opened Monday after being closed for a week due to the coal shortage.
11 March 1920: The Joseph Pocquette house in Omer was destroyed by fire Thursday night. All household effects except one chair were burned.
18 March 1920: Last Wednesday afternoon, the Gibson School teacher and pupils took a pleasant sleigh ride to the Pine River School.
25 March 1920: On the evening of March 17th was held a very large and enthusiastic meeting of the “Friends of Irish Freedom” in the Turner Opera House.
13 May 1920: Lost. One driving glove. Finder, please return to J. W. Dunn, Standish.
20 May 1920: The Abbott Drug Store and the Johnson & Griffith Garage in Sterling were robbed last Friday night.
3 June 1920: Miss Carrie Swaffield is the new telephone operator at the Bell Telephone office.
7 June 1920: The Ireland Auto Company has started construction of the 42 x 100 addition to the present garage. The Standish Baking Company has installed a new oven which has a capacity of 340 loaves of bread.
10 June 1920: Omer had a $16,000 fire loss last Wednesday, in a blaze that threatened the whole City. Fire, originating in William Carroll’s barn in Omer spread to his residence and the Township Hall. William Carroll’s house and contents and barn and the Arenac township Hall were destroyed.
17 June 1920: The Standish Baking Company have installed another oven in their bakery. The Middleby-Marshall oven has a capacity of 340 loaves of bread.
1 July 1920: Miss Genevieve Angers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Angers, and Byron Cardinal, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cardinal, were married Monday morning.
22 July 1920: (1) The general store at Delano, owned by S. Underwood, burned down Thursday. (2) A great big black bear was seen crossing the Courthouse yard Wednesday afternoon.
26 July 1920: Percy Hull of Maple Ridge has a Mitchell Light Six Touring Car for sale for $600.00
29 July 1920: The Tonkey Road Handicraft Club won third honors in the state.
5 August 1920: The local American Legion post will soon receive its permanent charter. The first officers of the post are G.A. Welcome, Clark Pomeroy, Glenn Beardsley, Otis Mutch and R. J. Crandell.
26 August 1920: (1) The Standish Board of Commerce decided last night that the M. C. depot park will be beautified and kept in good condition. (2) The M.C. Depot Park to be beautified and kept in good condition, Standish Board of Commerce decided last night.
9 September 1920: Omer loses Northeastern Michigan League pennant to Standish after keeping it for three years.
11 November 1920: G.A. Burnside, manager of the Turner Hardware co. is preparing to move into the new building.
18 November 1920: W. A. Armstrong and D. A. Foley will open a general store at Turner in the building formerly occupied by Roy Eymer.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1921

6 January 1921: George L. Smith of Sterling has been appointed truant officer by School Commissioner Lena Herman to fill vacancy caused by resignation of John Donnelly who began his term as Sheriff this week.
13 January 1921: Sheriff John Donnelly is taking the “bull by its horns” and will endeavor to enforce certain laws and ordinances governing pool rooms, punch boards and slot machines throughout Arenac County.
20 January 1921: Will Lentz of Pine River has consented to put up and deliver ice for the businessmen and residents of the City of Standish.
27 January 1921: Nearly 800 miles of state trunk line roads have been completed since 1917
3 February 1921: Indian Pete, trapper and reputed to be 112, died near Alger recently.
10 February 1921: (1) Ed Biskner has opened a blacksmith shop at Bukman’s Garage in Omer. (2) All sleighs and cutters manufactured after 1921 must be of a standard gauge, 56″ from centers of treads.
3 March 1921: Undersheriff James Munro arrested another hootch manufacturer last week. He had a barrel of wheat mash in his possession.
10 March 1921: The Kimball-Martindale elevator at Twining, together with six carloads of beans, was totally destroyed by fire last Friday.
8 April 1920: (1) Pelton & Austin shipped out a carload of horses from Standish yesterday. (2) On next Monday evening, April 12, another of those popular balls will be given at the Turner Opera House.
29 April 1920: Melita claims to be in the lead yet and proves it thusly: R. Dennis has a ewe that gave birth to five lambs last week.
26 May 1921: A new state law calls for all owners to register their cars with the Secretary of State’s Office.
6 June 1921: Mike Wilk has purchased the garage business in Au Gres from Alex Willett. He will replace the present building with a new 50 x 100 foot one.
16 June 1921: (1) The Standish City Band furnished an excellent outdoor concert in the depot park last Wednesday evening. (2) The new elevator in Twining, being rebuilt by the Kimball Martindale Company of Bay City, will be one of the most up to date in Northern Michigan, storage capacity – 25,000 bushels.
28 July 1921: The schedule of the better sire and dairy train to be run by the Michigan Central in August shows two stops in Arenac County.
4 August 1921: Sheriff Donnelly discovered a 30 gallon still in Whitney Township Monday. It’s one of the largest he has ever found.
18 August 1921: The D & M Railroad is building a new trestle bridge across the river at Au Gres and plans to extend the spur to Alabaster.
25 August 1921: Thirty-five miles per hour is the legal speed limit on the county roads beginning August 18.
1 September 1921: S. H. Graves of Saginaw has opened a watch and jewelry repair shop in Standish.
8 September 1921: Charles Chaplin’s super production, “The Kid” which took the comedian a year to make, has been booked for the Temple Theatre Saturday and Sunday. It is six reels, full feature length.
1 December 1921: The farmhouse and contents of George Canadan, six miles east of Turner burned to the ground last week. Also, Emil Larko’s house on the Burnside Road burned last Monday afternoon.
15 December 1921: A Ford touring car driven by Henry Cardinal was struck by a two-ton Nash truck Thursday night about half a mile south of Pinconning.

1922

12 January 1922: In the future the Twining bank will be known as the Twining Bank of Sleeper, Merrick, and Company.
4 May 1922: F.M. Hunt of Turner has installed a radio outfit in the pool room and is receiving programs from both Detroit and Pittsburgh broadcasting stations.
10 August 1922: The City of Standish is building a new dam to replace the one washed out as a result of last spring’s heavy down pour of rain.
5 October 1922: The elevator of the L. Wolfe & Company at Turner was burned to the ground Friday evening.
19 October 1922: The tall smokestack on the Standish light and power plant was blown down Monday by heavy winds.
23 November 1922: Automobile speed laws broadened by the 1921 legislature and prescribing the limit at 35 miles per hour are held dangerous and may undergo a still more liberal modification in the 1923 legislature.
21 December 1922: Arenac County’s oldest pioneer, 83-year-old Bernard Frank Bourassa, died Monday.

1923

8 February 1923: William Bell and John McGillivary have opened the Dixie Garage in Sterling.
15 February 1923: (1) Ireland Auto Co., in a Ford ad stated that 105,799 Ford cars and trucks were sold in December 1923. (2) Cow testing associations are now being urged for Arenac County. Ernest Labarge, Albert Gibson, Pete Gibson and Charles Gawne have cooperated in purchasing the first purebred Guernsey bull in Arenac County. (3) Welcome Garage announces that 50 new Chevrolets will be sold in Arenac County in 1923.
9 March 1923: A capacity crowd attended the land clearing school sponsored by E. J. Leenhouts of the M. C. C. R. last week.
21 March 1923: (1) A carload of purebred Guernseys is being shipped into Arenac County. (2) S. J. O’Keepe has sold his hardware store in Standish to Kiley & Shannon.
2 May 1923: The Au Gres Garage announces the price of the Star Touring Car at $487.00.
16 May 1923: An exploding gasoline engine caused a fire which destroyed the Au Gres Elevator Saturday afternoon.
6 June 1923: Peter Sagatoo, one of the remaining Chippewa Indians of Arenac County, died in the Newberry hospital May 24.
10, October 1923: New ford prices just announced list Runabouts at $269.00
17 October 1923: Mr. Townsend of Flint and George Campbell of Twining have traded stores.
31 October 1923: Abbott’s Pharmacy in Sterling will celebrate its 10th anniversary this week. Mr. and Mrs. Calvin have sold the Twining ice cream parlor to Mr. Hunt. F. N. Hunt of Turner has purchased the Pool Room in Twining from Robert Rhyndress.
7 November 1923: One of Frank Nowak’s large barns in Arenac burned to the ground Friday.
14 November 1923: The William Schaiberger store at Au Gres was destroyed by fire Saturday night.
19 December 1923: About 3,000 people crowded the streets of Standish last Saturday to see Glenn Gray of Gibson Township win a new car.

1924

9 January 1924: Sugar beet farmers have been guaranteed $6.00 per ton for their 1925 crop.
23 January 1924: Omer businessmen will give away a Ford car Saturday.
13 February 1924: Because of cancellation of train service due to trains being snowbound, Sterling did not get mail for 4 days last week.
15 February 1924: Ernest LaBarge, Albert Gibson, Pete Gibson and Charles Gawne have made a combined purchase of the first pure bred Guernsey bull in Arenac County.
27 February 1924: The Ketchum Hill School burned last Thursday.
7 May 1924: Unknown persons burned a Ku Klux Klan cross in the Standish Depot Park Saturday.
P4 May 1924: John McKenzie, 84, of Maple Grove shook hands with President Abraham Lincoln in 1861.
21 May 1924: Paul Miller of Standish was attacked by a rattlesnake while fishing on Spring Creek in Ogemaw County.
27 June 1924: Another summer resort, Huron Heights, will soon be open to tourists at the former Robert Lee homestead in Whitney Township.
2 July 1924: The 120-foot Omer Bridge will be let to contractors July 9.
16 July 1924: The state has ordered a bible installed in every school.
27 August 1924: Eleven Standish business-places were affected by the early Monday morning fire which destroyed an entire block with losses amounting to $51,250. Store buildings owned or operated by William Arnold, Thomas Goodman and Son and George Grier were leveled to the ground. Only two walls remain of the Glover block and the front portion of Grier’s Grocery.
19 November 1924: The D&M railroad set a new record for the Bay City to Alpena run. The train averaged better than 48 miles per hour.
24 November 1924: The largest vote cast in the county, 2,818, was registered at yesterday’s election. S.J. O’Keef lost the sheriff’s race to Frank Warren and Judge Dunn, a slip candidate, defeated Roy Crandell by 30 votes. E. E. Hayes was elected prosecuting attorney and W. R. Gridley treasurer.

1925

4 February 1925: Turner stockholders elected H. A. Chamberlain, president of the State Savings Bank.
11 February 1925: Standish schools have been closed for a week to prevent an epidemic of scarlet fever. Tawas-Bay City Bus began to operate two complete round trip schedules last Saturday.
1 April 1925: Claude Forshee has sold his Twining Variety store to the S. N. Weinberg Co. and the Dixie Commissary Stores. As soon as his remodeling is completed, he will establish a funeral home.
29 May 1925: The Hilding Construction Co. started the pouring of cement Monday morning on the west end of the new portion of the US-23 highway between Standish and Omer.
23 June 1925: Sterling will be the starting point for the Michigan National Guard march to Grayling, 700 men will be in the march.
1 July 1925: Remember Indian gasoline? Ireland Auto Co. has taken over its distribution in the local area.
8 July 1925: A. E. Ardis has been hired as superintendent of the Standish schools. He is now at Roscommon.
29 July 1925: One thousand soldiers will detrain at Sterling on August 5th. The soldiers will train along the Rifle River north of Sterling.
16 September 1925: Mr. And Mrs. Ed Gillis have started a fox farm near Twining.
14 October 1925: While transporting the Independent to Twining, the mail sack containing the Twining papers fell from the back of the Ford Coupe, un-noticed by the driver, was dragged until all the papers were destroyed, a special edition was printed for Twining.
23 December 1925: George Freehling of Au Gres realized $2,800 off 1/4 acres of peppermint.

1926

2 January 1926: M-10 will be open for winter traffic as far as Standish.
10 January 1926: Dr. D. T. Smith is completing the hospital in Omer, the county’s only regularly equipped hospital.
13 January 1926: Last Wednesday, the Belle Isle Creamery at Standish was purchased by the United Milk Products Co. of Cleveland. The plant had been purchased by Belle Isle from International Milk Products Co. in 1919.
27 January 1926: Turner Village will vote Monday on raising $3,100 to construct a new community building.
17 February 1926: (1) Over 1,000 people in the area attended the meetings at the conservation “white car” provided by the M.C.R.R. (2) Seven business places were destroyed by fire in Standish last Wednesday night causing a loss of over $100,000.
24 February 1926: (1) A fire prevention train will visit Turner and Omer March 8 and 9. (2) People of Turner voted to build a new community house.
27 February 1926: Workmen started construction of the new Wheeler’s Restaurant Monday morning to be located on Main Street.
10 March 1926: Whittemore voted for electric lights last week.
17 March 1926: The Bernthal Company will replace the building destroyed by fire. The Standish Lumber and Coal Co. will start the building at once.
7 April 1926: (1) Standish High School basketball team had an 11–6 record for the year. (2) The Red Star Stove and Red Star Auto are being advertised in The Independent. (3) In just 17 years Arenac County has provided over 121 miles of improved roads.
8 April 1926: The Pt. Lookout hotel, operated by Byron Brackenbury, was destroyed by fire Saturday night.
14 April 1926: S. W. Packard of Au Gres township has been elected chairman of the Board of Supervisors for the eighth consecutive year.
21 April 1926: (1) The D.& M. R.R. has made application to close its Pine River Station. (2) The opening of the bakery and restaurant in Standish last Saturday was attended by 2,749 people and over 1,500 cups of coffee were served.
28 April 1926: Point Lookout Hotel burned Saturday night.
5 May 1926: The M.C.R.R. train into Bentley was wrecked when two cars jumped the track.
18 May 1926: The storm loss of May 9 has grown as reports are completed. Losses in Arenac are believed over $75,000 with more than 10 barns leveled. The storm hit all areas of the county.
16 June 1926: Harold “Doc” Reeves of Standish won a 12 inning pitchers’ battle over Harry Matuzak of Omer by the score of 5 to 4 last Sunday.
30 June 1926: The route for new US23 has been definitely announced. It will break off old US-10 one-and-one-half miles south of Standish and form an S-Curve. It will follow the route of Main Street through Standish. B.S. Holland and H. C. Macy are constructing new buildings in Omer.
7 July 1926: (1) Stanley’s Service Station was opened at the Y in Standish Thursday. (2) A traffic count Friday showed that traveling is way over the 1925 level. Fifty-five cars per minute were counted in Standish.
14 July 1926: Carl Fox, Standish Veterinarian, has been awarded a contract to furnish 275 horses for the Army’s use at Grayling.
11 August 1926: John Selka, over in Alger has a fine tobacco patch.
25 August 1926: Dominic Miller of Saganing has just completed construction for an 80 by 32 barn with a basement under the entire structure.
8 September 1926: Work on the MCRR Depot Park in Standish recalls the construction of the Depot 38 years ago. (1888) Through the efforts of C. L. Judd of Saginaw, the Standish Bank and area farmers, the stone building was constructed to be an outstanding depot in the north. The attractive park was also part of the original plan.
15 September 1926: An official traffic count at Standish during Labor Day traffic reports 23 horse drawn vehicles competing with 7,353 cars.
29 September 1926: State Highway M-10, which runs from Detroit to Mackinaw City, carries the heaviest traffic in the state.
26 October 1926: Earl Ousterhout is expanding his poultry farm at Sterling.
17 November 1926: To date 185 deer hunters have purchased licenses in Arenac County.
24 November 1926: The current census shows 3,332 school children in the County.
1 December 1926: The new 32 x 80 Turner Community House has been completed. It has a 30×60 auditorium, plenty large enough for basketball and a stage across the south end.
15 December 1926: Arenac County growers shipped out 586 carloads of sugar beets.

1927

6 April 1927: Bill Baikie and John Nowak will build a new garage and gas station near the river in Omer.
13 April 1927: Only one person voted against the Northern Power Company proposal to give electrical service to Sterling.
25 May 1927: Twining, Turner and Whittemore will vote June 7 on the question of electrifying their towns.
8 June 1927: The electric light propositions voted on yesterday at Turner, Twining and Whittemore carried, and construction work will begin at once.
29 June 1927: George Taylor will carry the mail from Omer to Au Gres.
27 July 1927: An unknown man threatening Miss Alma Nehls, local telephone operator, hastily withdrew when sheriff’s officers came upon the scene.
13 September 1927: A big treat will be in store for Arenac fair patrons next week when a radio broadcasting station will be installed at the grandstand.
21 September 1927: Fire destroyed the farm home of Mr. And Mrs. Wallace Edmonds at Kitchum Hill Thursday.
5 October 1927: A new fur farm has been installed at the Frank black farm, east of Maple Ridge by H.H. Gilbert of Detroit.
2 November 1927: Col. Charles Lindbergh will visit Camp Skeel at Oscoda next where 60 enlisted men and 20 officers are encamped.
9 November 1927: (1) Milo Squires of Turner had a chicory harvest of 15 tons per acre. (2) Gus Fuehr has just received his appointment as a conservation officer. He will be stationed in Arenac County.
14 December 1927: J. D. McIntosh heads the local Masonic Lodge.
21 December 1927: Arenac County has sold 2,119 license plates this year.

1928

4 January 1928: (1) Charles Jones has retired as a Sterling rural mail carrier after 20 years of service. (2) Ice fishing with five lines is now being permitted.
26 January 1928: On account of the flu epidemic the dances at the Proulx hall will be discontinued until February.
21 March 1928: (1) U.S. 23 from Standish to Omer will be paved this year. (2) The Deep River School construction job will be let to R. A. Warren of Omer.
28 March 1928: Standish is embarking on a program to make the city more attractive to tourists. Projects include improvements in the campgrounds, investigation of a possible airport and more courteous service.
9 May 1928: Judge John Dunn traded 560 acres of his large Alger farm last week for real estate in Detroit.
30 May 1928: Last week’s road census showed 11,524 cars passed over Arenac County trunk-line roads.
13 June 1928: From the A&P Grocery ad… Grandmother’s Bread, large loaf 9 cents, Pure Cane Sugar 100# bag $6.40, Shredded Wheat pkg 19 cents.
15 August 1928: Plans are being made for a Lake Shore Road from Omer to Pt. Lookout, and then north along the shore. Contracts for the US23 road between Standish and Omer will be let September 6.
22 August 1928: A new sign put up outside of Standish welcomes travelers to the city where the summer trail divides.
19 September 1928: The fame of the powdered milk made by the Freeman Dairy Co at Standish has carried far. Last week a barrel was shipped to Mt. McKinley National Park, Alaska, to be used by the rangers and their families.
25 September 1928: A new American Legion Post has been organized in Arenac County.
26 September 1928: A new welcome sign at Standish, erected at the south entrance of the city, states: “Welcome to Standish, Where the Summer Trail Divides, Free Camping Grounds.”
24 October 1928: During August, September and October, 119 people visited the fire tower in Alger.
31 October 1928: “I will give $5.00 reward for the finding of my hound dog lost west of Bentley.” Notify John Kucera, Pinconning. R. 4. Mich.
26 December 1928: (1) Sheriff W. H. Hasty and Deputy Gus Templin rounded up two men last week and after considerable questioning the two confessed to stealing several bushels of beans in Clayton and Lincoln Townships. (2) Special Holiday Brick ice cream is available at Wheeler’s Confectionery.

1929

23 January 1929: In Chicago a barrel of beer costs $3.00 to make and sells for $60.00 leaving $57.00 for ammunition.
27 February 1929: Tuesday. The deal was completed whereby the meat market owned by B. J. Senske was sold to Keller & Martin, local grocer dealers.
13 March 1929: (1) William Tulloch, Omer, has been notified that he has won and has been awarded the State Championship in 4-H potato club work. (2) Mrs. H. G. Smith won on the sixth ballot to be elected the first woman supervisor in Arenac County.
18 March 1929: Ollie Porter, six-foot three-inch ace of the Golden Arrows, capped off three brilliant years of basketball by earning a position on the Class C. All-State team named Sunday by the Detroit Times.
27 March 1929: Dr. Walter Lenehan announces that he will return to Standish to again take up his practice.
3 April 1929: The longest survey ever attempted by the Michigan State Highway Department has been practically completed. The route leaves U.S.23 at a point about two miles east of Omer, cuts across country to Au Gres, thence northward along the Huron lake shores to Cheboygan.
10 April 1929: Mrs. H. G. Smith, Standish Ward I Supervisor is the first woman to have a seat on the Board.
24 April 1929: The “Work to Win Potato Club” will hold its organization meeting at the Omer Community Hall Friday.
26 April 1929: Erwin Major, selling in a district contest, completed a record of 54 sales of new Buick automobiles, delivering 16 new cars Thursday.
8 May 1929: Arenac County’s birth and death record for January is nine births and six deaths.
15 May 1929: Miss Reta Biskner attended the annual Lufkin Rule J. Hop in Saginaw last week.
29 May 1929: The Hilding Construction Co. started the pouring of cement Monday morning on the west end of the new portion of the US-23 highway between Standish and Omer.
5 June 1929: (1) The M. C. R. R. water tank and pumping station, which have been landmarks at Alger since 1883, are being torn down. Cupid is losing his grip in Arenac County. (2) During 1928, cupid persuaded only 34 couples to agree to live together.
12 June 1929: Kathryn White of Turner, a graduate of the Standish High School, has not missed a day in her two years of high school work here. She also won high honors by being named valedictorian of her class.
3 July 1929: (1) Miss Margaret Garrish, 16, saved Misses Hazel Houch and Alice Provoast from downing. (2) Robbers, disguised as the State Police, took the slot machine from Earl Foster’s general store of Arenac recently.
17 July 1929: (1) Wheeler’s Confectionery, located in the Standish Baking Company building was partially gutted by fire at 2:00 a.m. Monday. (2) The recent legislature passed a law making it lawful to kill skunks at any time during the year.
28 August 1929: Sterling, for the first time in the history of the 13 years of the North-Eastern Michigan League, became a pennant winner Saturday by defeating Omer, the challenger, 9 – 5.
18 September 1929: A small town is one where the newspaper prints a short story about the death of one of the leading drayman’s workhorses!
2 October 1929: (1) Back in 1885 there were eight passenger trains passing through Standish. Now in 1929 there is only half that number and there is some talk of discontinuing two of these. (2) For the first time in many years rain failed to fall during the time of the Arenac County Fair and as a result the association shows a profit of $1,000.00.
9 October 1929: Ed Kiley is the new manager of the Kimball-Martindale Elevator at Pine River.
20 November 1929: Andrew L. Dupius of Deep River shot and killed a large black bear while deer hunting near St. Helen last Saturday.
11 December 1929: Undismayed by an estimate that a bridge across the Straits of Mackinac will cost at least $40,000,000 Governor Fred W. Green said last week he will not abandon his hope of making a definite start on this long dreamed of project before quitting his office as chief executive.

1930

8 January 1930: Jake Coon, one of Saganing’s oldest Indians, passed away at his house Monday noon.
15 January 1930: Last six years has seen over million-dollar gain in State Fish Industry: 3,195,541 pounds from Saginaw Bay in 1928. Squadron of airplanes roar over the city on long journey to Spokane, Wash. Made a pretty sight.
22 January 1930: The people of the city of Omer granted the Southern Light & Power Co. a 30-year franchise for lighting and furnishing electric power to the city at a special election held last Tuesday.
5 February 1930: Arenac County now has nearly 28,600 acres of State Land.
12 February 1930: Henry Hibner, Standish, 90-year-old Civil War Veteran and his wife went to school with Thomas A. Edison.
26 February 1930: (1) Forward & O’Keefe have wrecked their old garage building in Standish and are now constructing a new and larger plant. (2) Benjamin Frost 87, Civil War veteran presented to our readers this week, is of foreign birth, coming to America from England in a sailboat. (3) Dangerous Curves starring Clara Bow is playing at the Temple Theatre this week.
5 March 1930: Last Sunday night at the Temple Theatre the film of the comedy reel caught fire and was partially burned. While there was no actual damage, someone in the audience called “fire” and caused quite a commotion.
12 March 1930: (1) The Plymouth car prices have been cut $65.00. With prices now ranging from $590 to $675 the cars are in direct competition with the Ford, Chevrolet and Whittet. (2) Standish lost to East Tawas in the cage tourney Saturday. It was the last game for three members of the local squad: Jack Sivier, Wallace Jennings and Clinton Selle.
19 March 1930: Miss Alice Tulloch, Raymond Joley and Gerald Wyatt have been presented awards for their outstanding 4-H work.
30 April 1930: There are still several who do not observe the new traffic light at the intersection of US23 and M61, at the bank corner and who carelessly “go through” the red light.
21 May 1930: The new Suburban Oil Co. Station is now being constructed at the intersection of M-65 and US-23.
4 June 1930: (1) Miss Grace DuFort, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry DuFort of Standish, graduated from the Mercy Hospital School of nursing at Bay City last Tuesday. (2) Mrs. Mary Ann McTaggart celebrated her 90th birthday on May 15.
11 June 1930: (1) Official notice of the letting of the contract for the construction of the Omer to Au Gres Road was received from the State Highway Department for publication Thursday. (2) The contract for the road from Omer to Au Gres will be let June 25, 1930.
18 June 1930: Nelson Ireland, former publisher of The Independent and pioneer salesman of Ford cars in Arenac County, died Wednesday.
19 June 1930: Miss Helen Ellis, for several years the home economics teacher in the Standish schools, was wedded to Robert Savage at the parsonage of the St. John the Baptist Church Saturday morning.
9 July 1930: (1) The proposition to grant the Southern Light & Power Co. a franchise to erect light and power lines in Sims and Au Gres Townships was passed. (2) The contract for the construction of the Omer-Au Gres road has been let for $326,000.00.
23 July 1930: (1) New physician at Omer is Dr. John J. McManus who is now an associate of Dr. D. T. Smith at the Omer Hospital. (2) The Temple Theatre in Standish will soon install equipment for talking pictures.
6 August 1930: Teams from Beaverton and Crump have joined the Northeastern Michigan Baseball League.
13 August 1930: Charles Hamlin, our last Civil War Veteran, died July 22.
20 August 1930: Seven young people brought high 4-H honors to Arenac. Among them, Dorothy Hasselbring, Myrtle Wyatt, Helen Joley, Verna Tulloch and William Tulloch, Roland Kaven and Gerald Wyatt.
27 August 1930: The first school in Standish was built in 1871 at a cost of $1,000. 1930 census of school children in Arenac was 3,170.
12 November 1930: The Lumberman’s Monument which is to be erected on the AuSable River at a cost of $50,000, will be financed by descendants of the original Michigan lumber operators.
19 November 1930: Miss Bay Munro has been appointed postmaster at Omer.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1931

28 January 1931: F. J. Buzaw is acting as relief agent at the D&M station in Omer.
15 July 1931: J. C. Howard & Son have installed a unique machine for testing radio tubes.
29 July 1931: Floyd Greanya, formerly of Flint, has opened a confectionary store and lunchroom in Bentley. Ed Stiehle has completed construction of a 46 X 100 red brick garage building in Au Gres.
12 August 1931: The Frank Kolinski home and farm buildings at Maple Grove were entirely destroyed by fire a week ago Monday.
26 August 1931: (1) George Bessinger pitched a no-hitter for Omer against National City Sunday. (2) Construction work is now underway for erection of a 41 x 40 office and shop building by the Arenac County Independent.
16 September 1931: (1) There is now located in Weishuhn’s shop, a hair dressing and beauty specialist, Miss Ruby Gunther. (2) Silver Fox Farming is one of Arenac County’s newest industries.
14 October 1931: Arenac has 504.7 miles of town roads.
21 October 1931: The Arenac County Board of Supervisors took the first step to reduce expenses of the county be reducing their own pay.
2 December 1931: (1) The proposition for the improvement of Pt. Lookout Harbor has been made and rejected on the claim that the waters are not of enough importance. (2) Train service from Gladwin to Pinconning will give daily service.
9 December 1931: Laundrie led Arenac Schools in the attendance record with a 99.8 percent mark.
23 December 1931: The Sterling Hospital, owned and operated by Dr. C. S. Tarter, closed Thursday for an indefinite period.
30 December 1931: Only four of Arenac County’s 40 schools had attendance records of under 90 percent in November.

1932

13 January 1932: The Au Gres post office has been moved from the building on Michigan Avenue to the new structure on the new pavement.
3 February 1932: Oscar Dhyse of Turner led the state in 1931 sugar beet production with 28.72 tons per acre on a five-acre tract.
10 February 1932: (1) Frederick L. Vincent, 88, Civil War veteran died Tuesday morning. (2) An interesting note: three thousand carloads of ice will be harvested off Lake Margrethe near Gaylord. Solid trains of ice on flat cars pass through Standish daily.
9 March 1932: Burglars who broke into the Jennings and Proulx stores in Au Gres Saturday night made off with $150.00 and some merchandise.
13 April 1932: Mrs. Rachel Warren of Delano has been appointed County School examiner.
20 April 1932: (1) Twelve-year-old Bryan Moat saved playmate Newton Stevens Friday after a raft fell apart in the Twining Brick yard. (2) Weishuhn’s Barber Shop in Standish announced shaves will now cost 20 cents, haircuts 35 cents, finger waving 50 cents and permanent waving $4.00-$7.50.
8 June 1932: Roland Humerickhouse of Turner, 14 years old, won a trip to the State Fair because he was high pupil in the eighth-grade examination.
19 October 1932: (1) Andrew Metevia, 93, Pine River, died Tuesday…He had Indian children as playmates. (2) The Shore Line Road, now US-23, was opened Sunday from Omer to Tawas City. (3) There will be no county or township road tax spread this fall in Arenac County.
26 October 1932: A runaway team caused the death of Philip Maser, 24, of Au Gres last Tuesday.

1933

4 January 1933: John Johannes was sworn in as Arenac County’s sheriff, reported to be the youngest in the state at 32 years.
18 January 1933: Ernest Rupp and R. J. Shurlow will open a new creamery in Standish next Saturday.
8 February 1933: Because of cancellation of train service, due to trains being snowbound, Sterling did not get mail for four days last week.
22 February 1933: The Citizens Military Training Camps of which Arenac has three will open July 5.
22 March 1933: Newly elected village presidents in the county are George Glasure, Twining, Jay Ames, Sterling, and Harry Hollenbeck, Turner.
11 October 1933: The Mt. Forest Community Church was dedicated Sunday.
18 October 1933: A new Hi-Speed Station, owned by Joseph Pauquette and operated by Jess Clairmont, will open Thursday in Standish.
25 October 1933: (1) The big stock barns on C. H. Rossman’s Maple Tree Stock Farm near Omer burned Friday causing a $10,000 loss. (2) William Hasty has been named Poor Agent for Arenac County.
1 November 1933: The State has approved a $25,000 bridge to replace the 35-year-old bridge crossing the Rifle River on M70. A regulation hockey rink will be constructed south of Hall’s Mill in Sterling and a league organized for scheduled games.

1934

10 January 1934: Monday evening, by unanimous vote, the City council granted the right to A. G. Forward to sell liquor by the glass in Standish.
17 January 1934: (1) People of the Union School District at Twining voted 54-23 to proceed with plans whereby they may be successful in having a new school built with CWA funds. (2) Chevrolet’s newest creation, a coach featuring knee action and longer than last year’s model by four inches, is now on display at the Pomeroy auto Sales Co. in Standish.
7 March 1934: Russel Carruthers of Standish and Edwin Christie of Au Gres have leased the Stiehl garage in Au Gres.
21 March 1934: The question of selling liquor in Standish will be decided at the April 2 election.
2 May 1934: The S. N. Weinberg & Co. has announced that they will close the Omer store.
13 June 1934: (1) Henry Hibner, 94, Standish is Arenac County’s only Civil War veteran. (2) The Independent published a picture this week of Harry Matuzak of Omer conversing with Manager Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics. (3) John Shaffer, 90, Turner, father of Sheriff Edgar Shaffer, died at the Omer Hospital Sunday.
27 June 1934: The county stone crusher is in full operation on the Vaughn property east of Omer and provides employment for 80 men.
30 June 1934: Lawrence Kiley announces the opening of a grocery store in Omer.
4 July 1934: (1) Art Server removed from his home in Standish, the two cupolas that have adorned his home for several years. (2) M. J. Rappel has opened a cheese factory in Saganing.
11 July 1934: Evalyn Reinhart, 11-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Reinhart of Arenac, proved herself a heroine when she saved the life of Earl Langdon who had fallen off the bridge at “The Cut”. Earl was going down the third time when she swam to him and pulled him out of the water.
18 July 1934: Will Rogers and Zasu Pitts are staring in Mr. Skitch at the Temple Theater in Standish this week.
5 September 1934: The Rifle Range Gun Club has been organized with Edwin W. Sim, Jr. as the president. The location of the range is planned for Steven’s Point, north to Omer.
3 October 1934: Bill Hoyt has opened a tavern in Sterling. A freshman college may be established in Standish as a part of the Federal Government’s Emergency Educational program.
10 October 1934: Lawrence Kiley has sold the Lone Star Station in Omer to Regionald Lesperance of Bay City.
17 October 1934: The State Bank of Standish will re-open in the near future with 40 percent available to former depositors at that time and the balance later.
24 October 1934: The 27th annual Sims Ranch hunt will be staged this weekend.
31 October 1934: (1) Twelve people in Arenac County are now receiving old age pensions of $10.00 per month. (2) The Martin Major building, an old Sterling landmark, was damaged by fire Sunday.
14 November 1934: Last Thursday the Standish Methodist Church Choir under the leadership of Forrest Rinehart, won top honors in a singing contest at Gaylord.
22 December 1934: Arenac will receive $36,000 from the state for construction of the bridge at Omer over the Rifle River.

1935

6 March 1935: (1) Calvin Ennes was returned victor for school commissioner over Owen Noffsinger by one vote in Monday’s primary election. (2) Plans are complete to have a county library in Standish with branches in eight different communities in the county.
24 April 1935: Dennis O’Keefe has been named manager of the Standish Baseball League for 1926.
26 June 1935: Quality Chiffon hose is selling for .59c per pair at a Standish store.
18 September 1935: (1) A. H. Townsend has been appointed receiver of the Twining Bank to succeed W. G. Anderson. (2) The Northern Power Co. is offering a trial rental plan on electric ranges.
13 November 1935: An oil railroad car was derailed in Standish last week near the main crossing. It took the company derrick six hours to clear the tracks. Construction work has started on M65 east of Omer.

1936

15 January 1936: (1) Charles Gehringer will speak at a banquet in Turner next week. Arrangements were made by his uncle, Matt Hahn. (2) Last week Ernest Rupp sold his interest in the Standish Creamery to R. J. Shurlow, a former partner. Albert Harland is the new manager of the Standish milk plant.
22 January 1936: CCC workers have moved the fire tower from near Prescott to Omer.
18 March 1936: The Twining Bank will make a 20 percent payoff to its depositors this week.
10 June 1936: An Oldsmobile Six sold for $665.00 at this time.
24 June 1936: (1) Miss Rose Thaut will reign as the Au Gres Onion Queen. The Au Gres Airport will be dedicated during the July 4 celebration. (2) Workmen started pouring concrete Tuesday on the new US-23 between Bay City and Standish.
8 July 1936: The Au Gres Airport was formally dedicated last weekend. Miss Laura Steihl of Omer was chosen Au Gres Onion Queen.
16 September 1936: Nominated at the county level Tuesday were John Johannes and Philip Compau for the sheriff race and Harry Converse who defeated Roy Crandell as judge of probate.
14 October 1936: Turner will have a pheasant festival and homecoming this weekend.
18 November 1936: The Signor’s No. 1 oil well in Clayton Township has attracted statewide attention with its flow of 900 barrels an hour. A mad scramble is on by oil men throughout the county to secure leases and acreage not under lease to McClanahan Oil Co.

1937

6 January 1937: Tuesday morning Joseph Kolevar took over the management of the Standish Bakery Restaurant for B.G. Hasselbring.
27 January 1937: H. A. Proulx will open the new Au Gres Theater Saturday evening.
17 February 1937: (1) Here Comes Carter is now being shown at the Au Gres Theatre. (2) Harold Greanya, Harriet Williams, Alma Oliver and Lincoln Ennes will appear in Arenac County Normal’s production of “Cheerio my Deario” next week.
24 February 1937: (1) Bernard DuFort purchased the Northern Dry Cleaners business from Frank Nuttall. (2) The Department of Agriculture is urging all county residents to be prompt in returning their milk bottles to avoid shortages.
10 March 1937: (1) The Pt. Au Gres school was destroyed by fire Monday evening. (2) Village presidents elected Monday were J. O. Mutch in Sterling, G. B. Moat in Twining and Harry Hollenbeck in Turner. (3) Lyle Orr, Ernest Courneya, Ed Bukoski, Albert Raynak, Vic Galazin, Herb Lee, and Bill Martin are the regulars on the Standish High School Varsity Team, winning 16 straight games this year.
17 March 1937: (1) Ray L. Williams has been named superintendent of the Standish schools to replace H. A. Beutler who resigned to take over the Standish Lumber & Coal Yard. (2) The Peavy No. 1 well came in Tuesday at 200 barrels per day.
24 March 1937: Arenac, Iosco and Ogemaw counties were without power and unable to use the roads due to a huge snowstorm that swept the state Tuesday.
7 April 1937: Steve Youngs will become Superintendent at the Sterling School in the fall, succeeding M. G. Burdick.
21 April 1937: Oil shipments out of Arenac County are nearly 100 tank cars a week.
30 May 1937: Henry Hibner, 94, only Civil War Veteran, in Arenac County, was honored in the Memorial Day Festivities.
2 June 1937: A big day is planned for Au Gres Saturday as three U.S. 23 business places plan a joint grand opening. The three are H. C. Noggle and C.H. Jennings Stores and Roland Roe’s Sun Set Inn Tavern.
9 June 1937: Robert L. Gillingham, owner of Charity Island announced yesterday that he will organize fishing parties to the island this summer as his contribution to the community’s new recreation campaign.
7 July 1937: Seven planes used the Au Gres airport over the weekend.
1 September 1937: Turner, Twining and Sterling are all in the process of having hard surfaced streets under construction.
20 October 1937: Theater of Otto Rahl and Norman Staebler opens this week.
27 October 1937: Mr. And Mrs. A. G. Forward have sold the Summer Trail Inn at Standish to Clyde Ransier of Bay City.
10 November 1937: Harry Hollenbeck has sold his barber shop in Turner to Elwood Bronson.
17 November 1937: S. H. Graves is remodeling the interior of his Standish Store.
8 December 1937: The road from M65 through Turner has now been blacktopped through a WPA project.
22 December 1937: Junior Bourgeois trapped an albino squirrel in Melita last week.
29 December 1937: Norman Sibley of Whittemore has been granted permit by the state to collect birds’ eggs.

1938

5 January 1938: B. G. Hasselbring has sold the Standish Bakery to Leslie Rancourt and Joseph Kolevar.
22 February 1938: The Arenac County P. T. A. was organized last Saturday with Clark Kerr selected as president.
23 March 1938: The state will complete the three-lane highway from Pinny to Standish this year.
6 April 1938: Harry Matuzak of Omer has reported for spring baseball practice with the Baltimore Orioles.
11 May 1938: Dr. Harry Berman left Omer last week to practice medicine in Detroit.
8 June 1938: The Pinconning Pickling and Canning Co. will operate four pickle stations in Arenac County this year.
15 June 1938: A fine crowd attended the first concert given by the high school on the courthouse lawn last Wednesday evening.
22 June 1938: B. S. Holland of Omer has taken his son into partnership. Their store will be known as B. S. Holland and Son.
27 July 1938: A lighthouse is to be built off Pt. Lookout as a PWA project.
10 August 1938: Joyce Noggle was saved from drowning in the Rifle River at the Omer bridge by Frank Brabo.
28 September 1938: The county banks have adopted new banking hours effective October 3rd. All banks will remain open during the noon hour and remain open until 3:00 in the afternoon.
12 October 1938: (1) Bentley Methodist Church will commemorate its 60th anniversary with a homecoming this Sunday Oct 12. (2) Undersheriff Jess Clairmont was all decked out in a new uniform Sunday while directing traffic at the light in Standish.
16 November 1938: Bert Withey will have on display at the national Onion Show, several bags of onions grown on the Wheeler Farm east of Omer.
23 November 1938: The Omer High School has been closed so teachers and pupils may participate in deer hunting.
21 December 1938: (1) Louis Gorsheim is home from sailing on the Great Lakes to spend Christmas with his father and family. (2) Arenac County has eight students enrolled at Michigan State College for the 1938 fall term. The students are, Catherine Howard, Lois Major, Chester Orr, Thurlow Berry, Roland Humerickhouse, Kenneth Etchison, Pat Kelly and Wellington Pomeroy.
28 December 1938: Last Thursday night while the George Harts were enjoying the Christmas program at the Jarvis Center School, thieves entered their home and helped themselves to the contents of the ice box, Mrs. Hart’s fruit cakes, and a couple quarts of “cheer” that were on hand to celebrate the holidays.

1939

11 January 1939: Hugh O. Staley, M.D. of Richmond, VA. has taken charge of the Smith Hospital in Omer.
22 January 1939: J.R. Putman sold a hog to William Carrol at Omer that weighed 600 pounds for which Mr. Putman received $75.00. This was surely some hog!
29 January 1939: Deep River, still the top field in oil production in Michigan, produced 140,696 barrels in November.
1 February 1939: Datus Moore, instructor of music of the Standish schools, announced this morning that Warren Darby and Dickie Cardinal will be entered in the baton twirling contest at MSC to be staged Thursday.
1 March 1939: The Standish landing field is one of the 37 recognized fields in the state.
15 March 1939: Miss Mouise Gorsline, senior of the Standish High School, won a $100.00 prize Sunday in a professor quiz contest sponsored over WBCM in Bay City.
22 March 1939: (1) Fire in the walls of the M. E. church above the furnace did some damage to that portion of the building as well as smoke damage to the gym walls. (2) Raymond Templin has signed up with the St. Louis Cardinals as second baseman and is in training camp in Georgia.
10 May 1939: The Independent is now on the local news stand at the drug store of Seator & McCready.
17 May 1939: (1) Mayor Martin Shannon will throw the first ball for the opening of the Northeastern Michigan League baseball season. (2) Because of increased demand for its product, the Arenac Salt Co. last week installed another drying unit at its plant in Clayton Township.
31 May 1939: Miss Carolyn Seator, a member of the Standish High School band was a student at Interlochen last summer and plans to attend again this year.
14 June 1939: Miss Alma Oliver of Clayton Township had the good fortune to be in Washington and see the King and Queen of England, who were guests of President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
5 July 1939: (1) And unto Standish a hospital is born, planned by Dr. Robert Gunn and built by Lee Haddix & Sons. First birth in the new Standish Hospital is Larry Jean, son of Mr. & Mrs. Howard Gould of Sterling.
19 July 1939: (1) Dr. Hugh Staley announces in another column of The Independent that he purchased the Omer Hospital at Omer last February and is sole owner. (2) At the first of July there were 278 telephones in service in the Standish exchange. At the first of July there were 278 telephones in service in the Standish Exchange.
23 July 1939: Misses Marion Kelly, Nellie LaBrosse and Cassie Nolbock took Arenac County queen honors and will compete at the Bay city water carnival.
9 August 1939: Some new auto traffic regulations passed, most important being the amendment clause which legalizes punishment of persons driving cars under the influence of barbital or any of its derivatives.
16 August 1939: A diamond back rattlesnake was killed in Omer Friday.
27 September 1939: Standish High School opened its 1939 football schedule with a 25 to 0 victory over its ancient grid rival, West Branch.
22 November 1939: Fire completely destroyed the First Methodist church, Standish, and its contents Sunday morning, losses incurred at $15,000. This was one of Northeastern Michigan’s largest community church buildings.
6 December 1939: The serving of hot lunches to Au Gres students began last Tuesday under the direction of Mrs. Lydia E. Meyer of Omer, assisted by Miss Ida Mae McCaluey.

1940

24 January 1940: Five thousand Fins have been evacuated to the Western part of Finland in weather as cold as 40 degrees below zero to escape the fury of Russian bombs.
13 March 1940: William B. Cardinal, son of Mr. And Mrs. W. B. Cardinal of this city, (Standish) is studying in Chicago aeronautical school.
8 May 1940: (1) Maurice “Mose” Winslow and his orchestra will play at the Sterling Senior Prom this Friday night. This will be the second school dance at which he and his orchestra have appeared at Sterling. (2) Floyd Wyatt, son of Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Wyatt of Arenac, is making good in a big way in the United States Navy.
5 June 1940: New building and dial service to be introduced in Standish by Michigan Bell Telephone, who will also spend $236,400.00 for 40-mile cable north of Saginaw and Bay City to Standish. This will make Standish an important long-distance center.
12 June 1940: Miss Miriam J. Pomeroy and Miss Muriel E. Schmitz both to receive diplomas in nursing from U of M.
19 June 1940: Miss Helen Ellis, for several years the home economics teacher in the Standish Schools, was wedded to Robert Savage at the parsonage of the St John the Baptist Church Saturday morning.
26 June 1940: (1) Standish’s newest gasoline station on US-23, the Fletcher Oil Company’s new Texaco station, is now open. (2) There have been 2275 books of adult readying, 1135 books of junior reading and 754 magazines circulated through the Turner library in the past year.
17 July 1940: Smoke belched forth from the Hall Milling Company just before an inside explosion of the grain bins. The smoke rolled many feet above the doomed building and was as black as coal.
24 July 1940: Ralph McCready, Orion Johannes and Dennis Kiley went to East Tawas Monday to compete in the Bay city Times novice tennis tournament.
14 August 1940: The Standish Library, that has been located in the council rooms of the water works building the past four years, is being moved to the C. M. Schoerpf Building on Cedar Street.
21 August 1940: Last Friday evening the businessmen of Au Gres met and organized a Chamber of Commerce with Theodore Reichle being elected as president.
27 November 1940: The Night NYC passenger train was wrecked south of Standish.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1941

24 December 1941: Ted B. Southerland, former superintendent and this year part time teacher of the Au Gres Schools, has resigned his position for the National Defense in Detroit.
31 December 1941: Fire has destroyed the Alabaster Gypsum Store and an office.

1942

7 January 1942: (1) Supervisor William Perry of Au Gres Township died Friday from a heart attack. Harry Ullman will succeed him as supervisor. (2) There were 13 active oil wells listed in the weekly drilling reports.
20 January 1942: Mr. and Mrs. Neil Peters, Pinconning, announce the birth of the third set of twins in their family.
21 January 1942: Automobile rationing will start in February.
28 January 1942: Unnaturalized residents from Germany, Italy and Japan were instructed to turn in their radio transmitters, short wave radios and cameras to Sheriff John Johannes.
4 February 1942: Six Arenac County boys left for Fort Custer in Battle Creek last Friday morning.
11 February 1942: Harry Wright’s (Standish) herd of lambs placed third in a showing at Michigan State College in East Lansing last week.
8 April 1942: Harold Duby, Bryan Moat, Theodore Reichle, Conner Smith and Melvin Mueller are new members of the County Board of Supervisors.
18 July 1942: In the past 25 years the number of homes and cottages at White’s Beach has increased from about a dozen to 75.
2 August 1942: The cruiser “Miss Arlene” sinks after hitting rocks off the Charity Islands. Only one of the 13 aboard survived.
16 September 1942: (1) Mr. & Mrs. Alex Willette of Au Gres celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last week. (2) Thirty-five miles per hour is the speed limit for automobile driving because of war restrictions.

1943

10 February 1943: (1) Mary Ann Kolevar, Independent bookkeeper, is the first Arenac County young woman to enlist in the WAAC’s. (2) The Standish Senior Class sent three of their members, Jim Cardinal, Harlan Shotwell and Alan Perlberg, away in the service of their country with a farewell party Wednesday evening.
17 February 1943: (1) The O.P.A. (Office of Price Administration) limits each person to three pair of shoes in a year. (2) Standish, Au Gres and Sterling are switching back to Central War Time (slow time). Turner and Twining are staying on Eastern War Time, and Omer is undecided.
7 April 1943: The Sturman home in Saganing was destroyed by fire Saturday afternoon.
21 April 1943: After 30 years in business in Sterling, Earl Abbott has sold his building to Gus Proulx, who will remodel it for grocery store, and offers his entire stock for sale.
7 July 1943: Area residents have been warned that they may shoot rabbits, but only if they are molesting Victory Gardens and only then by a special permit.
18 August 1943: Bob Savage has passed the State exam to become a recognized embalmer.
3 November 1943: The green stamps of the new War Ration Book Four will be used to buy fruits and vegetables beginning November 1st.
10 November 1943: Over 1400 bags of milkweed pods have been collected in the county and shipped to Petoskey.
24 November 1943: (1) Louie Proulx of Pt Au Gres has been proudly displaying a 206-pound, nine-point buck he shot just east of Omer. (2) No more alcoholic beverages will be served to men and women between the ages of 21 and 25 inclusive, without an identification card issued by the county clerk, announced a spokesman for the State Legislature. (3) Beginning January 1 next year everyone between the ages of 21 and 25 must have a liquor card.
1 December 1943: In an attempt to double the collection of kitchen fats the Office of Price Administration has authorized retail meat dealers to give two meat ration points for every pound of fats turned in by housewives.
22 December 1943: Bob Turner, Ed Kiley and Dick Miller and Dick Weishuhn were named on the football all conference eleven.

1944

12 January 1944: Pete’s Market Basket in Standish will be closed after this weekend since Pete Butch, the owner, will enter the armed services.
19 January 1944: Mike Davis has received permission from the city council to build a fish market in Standish.
4 February 1944: (1) Miss Catherine Staebler of Turner was announced as the winner of the “Miss Central Michigan” contest in Mt. Pleasant last Friday. (2) Due to OPA regulations affecting prices to be charged, it has been necessary for the Standish Bakery Restaurant to discontinue the serving of meals and substantial lunches.
9 February 1944: Standish High School youngsters sold $25,660 in War Savings Bonds to meet its quota.
23 February 1944: (1) Carl Reichle of Au Gres has taken Henry Heinrich in as a partner in the lumber company. (2) Draft boards Thursday were ordered to review immediately the cases of all deferred farm workers and cancel deferments of those not contributing their share of production.
1 March 1944: Arenac county’s quota in the Red Cross Fund Drive is $6,200. Thirty-nine selectees leave Thursday for their medical exams. Five boys leave Saturday for induction. Discharged veterans of World War II are now entitled to mustering out pay.
5 April 1944: Dick Weishuhn, of Standish High School, has been named to the Eastern Michigan All-Conference Basketball team.
17 May 1944: Mr. and Mrs. Harry Converse have purchased the Arenac County Abstract office.
31 May 1944: Mrs. Clarice Shannon is the new chief rationing clerk of the local OPA board.
7 June 1944: Adams Township has erected the first out-of-doors honor roll in the county.
12 July 1944: J. M. Horvath announces the opening of a new dress shop in Au Gres this Saturday.
26 July 1944: Mr. & Mrs. Owen Reid announce the opening of their new grocery store in Twining.
2 August 1944: H. C. Noggle of Au Gres has sold his grocery store to Wines & Prescher of Detroit. He had been in business here 22 years.
22 November 1944: Three business changes have taken place in Sterling. Durkee’s Grocery, a new store, has been opened in the Ames Building. Dick Eyner has purchased the Proulx General Store and Gus Proulx is operating the Abbott Drug Store.
6 December 1944: Omer Telephone Co. has switched over to the dial system.
31 December 1944: The new Adams Township Hall was opened last week.

1945

3 January 1945: (1) Mrs. Charlotte Smith, the only woman to hold office as supervisor in Arenac County, died Sunday at her home in Standish at the age of 82 years. (2) The Lawrence Janish home in Maple Ridge was destroyed by fire last Tuesday afternoon.
7 February 1945: Draft boards have been notified that farmers will be drafted.
14 February 1945: Greyhound Bus Co. has established a terminal at Standish.
21 February 1945: The War Department has decreed that all places of entertainment be closed at midnight for conservation purposes.
28 February 1945: Twenty-seven Arenac County boys leave for service March 6.
11 April 1945: Felix Meyette of Standish Township is the new chairman of the board of Supervisors.
18 April 1945: Holland’s Grocery of Omer joined the IGA group last week.
25 April 1945: The Ulman Tavern and Sterling Hotel have been sold, the former to James Gardner of Detroit and the latter to Tom Solomon of Sterling.
16 May 1945: (1) Omer City will dedicate its new community building on Monday. (2) Omer will dedicate its new recreational building on May 21st.
6 June 1945: John Michaels has purchased the Standish Bakery from Leslie Rancourt.

1946

27 March 1946: Al Gulvas of Standish High School, has been selected to the Eastern Michigan Conference Basketball All Star Team.
3 April 1946: (1) Chester white announces the establishment of the Turner Oil Col, which will distribute Leonard products. (2) Last Saturday 47 more county men and women received discharges from the armed services.

1947

18 January 1947: The Turner Sportsmen’s Club has a Fox Chase scheduled for next Sunday.
19 January 1947: The Lock Joint Pipe Co. in Pinconning has begun turning out 48″ pipe for the $11,500,000 Whitestone Point water project.
12 February 1947: Bill’s Hi-Speed Service Station in Standish has been purchased by Stan Fill and Ted Senter.
5 March 1947: Adams Township is leading the county in reforestation work.
19 March 1947: Fifty feet of wire clothesline is on sale for 59 cents at the Standish Hardware, a claw hammer is $1.60.
24 March 1947: Adams Township is preparing for construction of a Township Hall as soon as plans can be completed.
30 April 1947: (1) The new Greyhound Post House located at the Y in Standish will have a formal opening tomorrow. (2) Entry blanks are now being accepted for participants in the AuGres Onion Queen Pageant, the Onion Festival will be held July 28-30.
4 June 1947: The Lone Ranger will appear in person at the Standish Fairgrounds June 7 and 8.
11 June 1947: An unknown party or parties broke into the Omer fire Tower Monday night, damaging radio equipment.
25 June 1947: The Standish Baking Company is having a new and up to date oven installed this week.
3 September 1947: Dick Fish of Standish counted 7,789 cars passing through Standish between one and six p.m. on Labor Day.
10 September 1947: (1) Emmet Beach, well known author, was found dead at his cottage at Point Lookout last Wednesday. (2) A Standish man escaped serious injury when the car he was driving hit a freight train on the curves South of Standish late Monday night.
8 October 1947: Omer plans to celebrate the opening of the new pavement this Friday evening.
15 October 1947: Over 1,300 spectators saw the Detroit tigers play at Standish last Wednesday.

1948

18 February 1948: Joe Schinko has opened a real estate office in Standish.
10 March 1948: (1) The attempted bank robbery at Au Gres Friday failed when the four robbers were captured the same day. (2) Mrs. William Patterson was elected president of the Standish Woman\’s Club this year.
28 July 1948: Roy Holland and Bob Stiehl are holding the grand opening of the H & S Recreation (Bowling Alley) in Au Gres Saturday.
4 August 1948: The Au Gres Onion Festival opens this Friday.
18 August 1948: Fire destroyed the barn and four out-buildings Thursday on the Thomas Bryan farm in Adams Township.
29 September 1948: Construction of curb and gutter in Twining, preliminary work to the paving of M-65 is underway.
6 October 1948: George Kell’s Tigers will play the NEM All Stars at Standish Monday. The new Dawn theatre in Sterling will open tomorrow.
13 October 1948: Dr. C.D. Smith has installed the first mobile telephone unit in the area in his service truck.
20 October 1948: Elmer Britt was reappointed as chairman, of the losco County Road Commission last week.
27 October 1948: (1) Construction has started of the new Johnson Bar in Au Gres. (2) The new Saginaw-Midland pipeline is now in use. (3) Construction has started of the new Johnson Bar in Au Gres.
3 November 1948: The Republicans were trounced in yesterday’s election throughout the nation. In the top local contest Earl Foster defeated Dr. C. D. Smith in the battle for the road commission. The Independent covered the county election with Dr. Smith’s mobile telephone.
10 November 1948: Dr. R. V. Humerickhouse has returned to Arenac County to set up a veterinarian practice.
24 November 1948: Traveler’s Inn will hold the grand opening of its new building at Omer Friday.
8 December 1948: (1) Beginning this week auto license plates in Arenac County will be sold at the Reno Dairy in Standish instead of the county clerk’s office. (2) Plans to begin construction of a divided four lane highway between Bay City and Standish have been announced.

1949

9 February 1949: Rev Fr. Glenn Cronkite heads the newly formed St. James parish to consist of the Whittemore and Turner churches.

1950

19 January 1950: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Foster have opened Foster Recreation in Omer.
25 January 1950: (1) Tom and Steve Pavelka have purchased the Trading Post restaurant. (2) Ervin Major’s Maday No. 1 well in Adams Township is flowing 15 barrels an hour.
22 November 1950: (1) Over 4,000 deer licenses have been sold in the county so far this year. (2) Sunday over 25,000 cars passed through Standish from the north in 12 hours.
25 May 1950: Standish city has been warned that pollution of the stream in the city must end in 1952.
14 June 1950: Whittemore has opened its auto racing season with a schedule of top-flight races.
28 June 1950: (1) The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to switch the road commission to an appointive office. (2) Edgar Shaffer, Fred Netzlaff and Edward Bessinger have all filed to run for sheriff on the Republican ticket.
9 August 1950: Seven girls have entered the Au Gres Onion Queen Contest, Misses Opal Weishuhn, Dorothy Munroe, Inez Erickson, Eunice White, Mary Jo Eichsteadt, Arelene Derus and Betty Schutte.
4 October 1950: Jim and Velma Anderjeski opened Vel’s Grill south of Standish.
18 October 1950: Calvin Ennes was appointed to the county road commission yesterday.
25 October 1950: Rudy Dittenber has purchased Ed Christie Sales & Service in Au Gres.
1 November 1950: B. J. Senski in Standish has been announced as a new Ferguson dealer.
22 November 1950: Over 4,000 deer licenses have been sold in the county so far this year. Sunday over 25,000 cars passed through Standish from the north in 12 hours. Red Beaton of Standish shot a doe with horns last Sunday.
29 November 1950: Mr. And Mrs. George O’Brien of Detroit have taken over the Au Gres Theatre.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1951

17 January 1951: The recently remodeled Grace Episcopal Church in Standish will be dedicated Sunday by Bishop Emerich.
21 March 1951: (1) The newly formed Paul Bunyan Boy Scout council will include Arenac. (2) Work started last week on the new $125,000 St. Florian Church in Standish.
11 April 1951: (1) Louis Duby has been appointed rural mail carrier at Au Gres. (2) The perch run is on in the Pine River east of Standish.
9 May 1951: Twining dropped out of the NEM baseball circuit this year and Bentley entered a team.
18 July 1951: (1) The “Whistle Stop” has been selected as the name for the former railroad depot that is now the headquarters for the Sterling Community Recreation Center. (2) Dennis Shannon of the summer Trail softball squad hurled a no-hitter against City Lumber. It was the first no-hit game in the league’s history.
26 September 1951: The George Viele home in Turner was practically destroyed by fire caused by lightening Saturday.
14 November 1951: Carl Dewald of Arenac Eastern, Charles Rashotte, Morris Stelmach and Tom Berglund of Standish were named to the NEM All conference Squad.
12 December 1951: Barbara Burtch will be crowned Homecoming Queen during Sterling’s game with Arenac Eastern.
26 December 1951: Six days of work by county crews have cleared the roads of snow.

1952

2 January 1952: The S.N. Weinberg store in Turner closed Dec 23 after operating for 30 years.
16 January 1952: (1) George Tulloch of Arenac and Charles Dittenber of Sims are new supervisors this year. (2) Phil Kelly, Turner’s senior citizen, arrived at his 91st birthday January 7.
6 February 1952: The Hasselbring Building has been sold to the Knights of Columbus and Joseph Kolevar. The new Standish Hardware, under the management of Jack Sivier made its announcement to the public this week.
13 February 1952: Familiar plea…we need more donors for blood clinic.
20 February 1952: Charles Dittenber has been named Sims Township supervisor.
27 February 1952: The local sugar beet crop in 1951 was valued at $154,000.
5 March 1952: Harvey Spencer, Gust Abel, Edward Kocot and Ed Lucas, all of Sterling and Victor Senske, combined hunting skills in an effort to rid the county of foxes. The hunting team killed eight grey dogs on a three-day hunt.
12 March 1952: Mr. And Mrs. George O’Brien have sold the Au Gres Theatre to John Booth.
18 March 1952: Ollie Porter, six-foot three-inch ace of the Golden Arrows, capped off three brilliant years of basketball by earning a position on the Class C all state team named Sunday by the Detroit Times.
19 March 1952: (1) The Holstein herd of the Pihaylic Brothers sold at auction for an average of $475 to $500 each. (2) Mr. and Mrs. Earl Foster have opened the Swap Show in Omer.
23 April 1952: Martin & Lewis, Standish grocers, received a letter from the comedian team of Martin & Lewis, asking the local firm to keep up the good name.
30 April 1952: Joe Gee will open his new grocery store in Turner this week.
7 May 1952: Work started last week to rebuild the Pine River Road.
21 May 1952: Charlie Feller has purchased the Shurlow Building in Standish and will convert it into a self-serve department store.
25 June 1952: Meeks’ Cabins at Au Gres were hit by high water last week when the water rose over two feet to infest the cabins, it’s hot… 96 in the shade.
17 September 1952: A local boy, Arthur Pula, won $500 with his prize-winning essay, “How I Think the Restaurant Industry Can Best Serve the Public Interest”.
23 September 1952: Mrs. Anne Beaton, 78 years young, saw the first football game she has ever seen in her life at the Standish lighted field last Friday night. Another seeing his first football game was Frank Bachleda
15 October 1952: Over 500 people attended the dedication services at St. Florian Catholic Church in Standish Sunday morning.
22 October 1952: According to a story in the Independent written by Frank Black, Maple Ridge was settled away back in 1865.
24 December 1952: The Ralph McCready home won top honors in the second annual home decorator’s contest in Standish.
31 December 1952: (1) The Howard Funeral Chapel will in the future be known as the R. O. Savage Funeral Chapel. (2) Clayton John Forshee, who has spent the past 10 months in Korea, left by boat December 14 and is expected to arrive home soon.

1953

11 February 1953: G. B. Moat has purchased the D. & M. Railroad depot at Twining.
1 April 1953: One hundred and seventy railroad cars of pipe have been shipped into Standish for this segment of the gigantic Canadian pipeline that will be built through Michigan this summer.
29 April 1953: Four Arenac County boys were named on the Northeastern Michigan Conference Basketball Conference All Star team. The boys were: Willard Badour and Ollie Porter of Standish, Ralph McCormick of Arenac Eastern and Gene Senter of Sterling.
13 May 1953: (1) For the 35th time the Northeastern Michigan league will the lid off for the baseball season next Sunday. Cletus Vallad, young Worth baseball hurler, is going great guns with the Camp Pendleton, Calif. team. (2) Cletus Vallad, young Worth baseball hurler, is going great guns with the Camp Pendleton, California team.
3 June 1953: (1) Len Gulvas, who caught fire at the Michigan State bowling Association tournament in Detroit last winter, ended up in 21st place in the important all-events class while competing with over 4,000 bowlers. (2) Miss Susan Schaffer will be one of the graduating seniors at the University of Michigan this week.
10 June 1953: (1) Two former classmates of Sterling High School, Kenneth L. Miekle and William B. Fegan, met unexpectedly while on the front lines in Korea. (2) M. E. Fisk, a Sterling lad, is hitting his stride while playing with the Tongue Point Navy Team.
17 June 1953: (1) Doc. Dolbee, Harry Baldwin and Walt Nowak went fishing and Walt made the entire trip without falling in the water a single time. That’s somewhat of a record for fishing trips involving the trio. (2) Little Bobby Charbonneau, classy young chucker for Eli’s Drive In, tossed the softball season’s first no-hitter to pitch his team into first place.
8 July 1953: After a forty-year effort, natives of the village of Detour have finally convinced the post office department to change its name from Detour to DeTour.
29 July 1953: The trench is being dug about seven miles west of Standish for a 30-inch pipeline that will carry crude oil all the way from Alberta, Canada to Sarnia, across the St Clair River from Port Huron.
5 August 1953: Parking meters in Standish are now being enforced.
26 August 1953: John Tremble had their nine-day old daughter, Pauline on the fairgrounds Saturday afternoon.
7 October 1953: Mrs. Grace Proulx, Au Gres, had three ripe raspberries off her vines Oct 3.
15 October 1953: This fall Mrs. Charles Molineaux begins her 25th year of coaching in girls basketball at Sterling.
25 November 1953: Arrows place for men on NEM All Conference Team: Joe Trombley, Don Thorner, Ronnie Mahoney and Dave Converse.
6 December 1953: The serving of hot lunches to Au Gres students began last Tuesday under the direction of Mrs. Lydia E. Meyer of Omer, assisted by Miss Ida Mae McCauley.
9 December 1953: Mr. and Mrs. Merritt McLavy of Au Gres will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with an open house Sunday afternoon.

1954

13 January 1954: Frank Lewis has sold his interest in Martin & Lewis to Owen Reed of Pinconning.
3 February 1954: (1) Cpl. George Doran, Twining soldier, makes a 20-day tour of Europe. (2) Dial phone scheduled for Omer in 1954.
17 February 1954: Fire completely destroyed the Kozlow Brothers lumber yard and sawmill at the Standish south city limits around midnight Saturday.
17 March 1954: Water meter installation in Standish is underway.
7 April 1954: Cletus Vallad asked for his release from the New York Giants because of a sore arm, and is returning to Standish, railroading and pitching for Worth.
14 April 1954: (1) The Standish library committee is increasing its efforts to raise the necessary funds to finance a branch library in the community. Au Gres to have library, council votes to pay librarian for coming year. (2) Coffee Wholesalers predict the price for vacuum packed coffee will be $1.50 to $1.60 a pound by the end of the month.
28 April 1954: Standish now has street signs, just like the big cities (and surrounding townships that have been similarly equipped for years). Au Gres and Standish libraries are open. Open house at both this weekend.
19 May 1954: The new Whipple Studio is the biggest business building to go up in Standish’s downtown district in nearly 50 years. At the corner of Cedar & Forest, Proulx and LeVert Plumbing has completely renovated the old Blumenthal Building and will move into the modern show room and plumbing shop early next month.
26 May 1954: (1) A Brooklyn Dodger scout was at the Standish-Gladwin championship baseball game Monday afternoon to look over Bill Page and George Pestrue. (2) German librarian, Mrs. Kate Seibicke, looks over supply of books in Standish branch library with state library consultant, Miss Muriel Fuller.
4 August 1954: Fred W. Whitehouse has sold his grocery store in Turner to William Rahl, he had been in business there for 57 years.
18 August 1954: The completion of the new Point Au Gres Hotel just west and south of Au Gres is on an important sept in attracting summer visitors to that section of the county.
1 September 1954: Bill’s Super Market in Turner has scheduled a big sale to celebrate its grand opening.
1 December 1954: (1) Four outstanding stars from the Detroit Lions professional football team, led by the brilliant Bobby Layne, and the Detroit Tigers ace pitcher, Steve Gromek, will come here with Dizzy Trout for a noon luncheon with the Kiwanis club and an afternoon program in the Standish High School gymnasium with athletes from the county’s four 12 grade high schools in attendance. (2) Leon Treichel, the Standish Golden Arrows ace, pass catching end, made Standish football history today by being named to the Associated Press, First Team Class C-D All State.
8 December 1954: Diz Trout, former Tiger ace, and two Detroit lion stars, Harley Sewell and Torgy Tergeson, made the trip from the Trading post to the high school in antique cars at yesterday’s Diz Trout Day, sponsored by the Standish Kiwanis club. Over 400 greeted the baseball delegates.
29 December 1954: (1) The Michigan Bell Telephone Company is laying a cable between Saginaw and Standish. (2) Au Gres Telephone Company unveils building program. During the last five years, the number of telephones in service at Au Gres has more than doubled, increasing from 154 to 345.

1955

16 February 1955: Frank Sims, well known Chicago attorney in the AuGres area where he maintained a large hunting and summer area, died Saturday.
23 February 1955: Arthur Elwell was honored at his home last Sunday, he had retired from the rural mail carrier service in 1942, but this was his 75th birthday.
2 March 1955: Sterling’s High School basketball team won its 16th championship title with this year’s victories.
9 March 1955: There are 13 oil wells in the course of drilling activities in Arenac County.
6 April 1955: Arenac County voters cast 1,551 votes for and 1,142 against the county library.
20 April 1955: Harold Sample, a first grader at Au Gres, became the first youngster in the county to be inoculated with the Salk Vaccine Monday.
27 April 1955: E. H. Borgioli, superintendent of the Standish Schools has resigned his position here. He has been in the local system for 17 years.
4 May 1955: Elaine Gregg and Marion Kevresian have earned co-valedictorian honors at Arenac Eastern.
18 May 1955: A 10 room addition is being added to the Standish Hospital.
10 August 1955: Standish retail stores will close Thursday afternoon for the Arenac County Fair as usual.
5 October 1955: Arenac County receives polio vaccine for all nine-year-olds.
12 October 1955: The first issue of “Highlights” from Arenac Eastern High School was published this week.
19 October 1955: The Northern pipeline co. may extend gas lines in Arenac County.
9 November 1955: The Joe Blata, Sr. farm in Whitney Township burned to the ground Sunday, just one day after a joint meeting between people of Sims and Whitney Township at which the purchase of a fire truck was discussed.
16 November 1955: Sheriff Edward Bessinger has received notice that the Arenac County jail now carries one of the highest ratings in the state.
23 November 1955: Polio vaccine ready for five and six-year-olds in Arenac County.

1956

1 March 1956: Alfred LaPorte has opened an insurance agency in Standish.

1957

8 May1957: Whipple Studio has purchased a piece of equipment that will develop color film automatically.
3 July 1957: A tune that Mose Winslow wrote in India during WWII has been recorded by Coral Records.
10 July 1957: Sam Miscisin, Ellen Peppel, George Tulloch, and Catherine Kosmider, were elected to Standish-Sterling School Board posts in Monday’s election.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

1962

7 March 1962: Residents of West Bradley School district voted to annex to the Standish Sterling Community Schools yesterday.

1963

30 January 1963: Glenda Swartz of Arenac Eastern and Patricia Groszek of SS Central, have been named “Homemakers of the Year” at their respective schools.
6 November 1963: Andrew Kopaczewski, chairman of the Arenac County Board of Supervisors, received the long-awaited grant of $279,000 last weekend for the construction of the new Arenac County Courthouse.
11 December 1963: Ed Sawyer announced this week that he was opening Sawyer’s Dairy Bar and Coffee Shop next to the Holland IGA in Au Gres to begin his new business Saturday.

1964

19 February 1964: The Detroit & Mackinac Railway has petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission for permission to tear up the 7.9 miles of railroad tracks from Omer to AuGres because of insufficient business.
26 February 1964: Rifle River Canoe Livery will open a new livery in Sterling this week.

1967

28 June 1967: Turner Village has purchased a new $9,000 fire truck.

1831-1900 | 1901-1910 | 1911-1920 | 1921-1930 | 1931-1940 | 1941-1950 | 1951-1960 | 1961-1970

Header photo courtesy Notorious4life on WikiCommons.com, 26 Jan 2022.