Dusting off the Archives
News from Verndale's Past
75 Years Ago, July 4, 1946
•Mr. and Mrs. Dell Gibbs and Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Desrocher spent two days in Winnipeg, Canada this week attending the International War Veteran’s Alliance Victory Convention. The Alliance includes Legionaries of Word War I and II in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.
•Verndale was stirred with excitement last Thursday afternoon when news broke that Clarence Horn’s car had been stolen from the street in front of his store between noon and one o’clock. Suspicion of who the thieves were that took Horn’s car came when Mel Rundell reported he and his daughter, Betty, told of seeing six young men just east of Verndale about noon. It was also discovered by Frank Smith that these boys had stayed overnight in the District 27 schoolhouse, gaining entrance by breaking a window and doing considerable damage inside the building during the time they used it for a hideout. The six men, fugitives from Red Wing, were apprehended Saturday morning at Doran. The car was towed back to Wadena. Clarence reported that his car was in pretty bad shape, the motor being burned out, a hole shot through the top, locks broken, lights out of order and the spare tire and wheel were missing. The youths admitted to trading the spare for gasoline in Fergus Falls.
•Milton J. Brown, seaman, first class, Verndale, is serving aboard the USS Antietam, a carrier that has returned to the Marianas Islands after a six-week cruise into Asiatic waters with task for 77 of the 7th Fleet.
40 Years Ago, July 2, 1981
•Lions Club members busied themselves last Wednesday evening by digging post holes and inserting the posts which will serve as street signs, a new addition to the city. George Geray and Jim Neuerburg operated the power digger while follow-up crews inserted the poles, mixed the cement, etc.
• Several former pastors returned to Verndale to join the Methodist congregation in observing its centennial last Sunday: Reverend George Toschack, present pastor, Reverend Elmer Huchel, who served this area from 1951-1953, the most recent pastor, Reverend Douglas Ostlund and Reverend Harvey Anderson, each of who served here for 11 years. Also present and participating in the morning worship service were Bishop Emerson S. Colay of Minnetonka and District Superintendent Zart from Alexandria.
•The River Inn softball team took first place honors in a softball tournament held in Verndale last Saturday by the Jaycees. Kent Miller, who umpired the games, presented the trophies. Second place winners were members of the Northern Manufacturing team from Staples.
15 Years Ago, July 6, 2006
•On Wednesday, June 28 a large group from Verndale loaded two school buses and made the trip down to the Metro Dome for an afternoon of Minnesota Twins baseball. A good time was had by all as the Verndale fans cheered their Twins on to a 6-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Focused on the game...well mostly...is that bunny ears on Greg Johnson you see in the photo? Faith Kern and her dad Wade had a good day at the ballpark. You could see big smiles from big fans Daniel Hill, Dillon Card and Dan Card showing their Twins pride.
•Anderson Field has undergone many changes in the past few years. This month, volunteers made another big change, replacing the old, worn fence with a new and safer one. Funds raised by a community dinner and auction funded most of the project. Verndale also received a grant from the Minnesota Twins, and a plaque from them hangs on the new fence for all to see.
•The Bison lost both games of the doubleheader with Nimrod on a hot Sunday afternoon. The first game was a close defensive battle in which Nimrod scored the only runs of the game in the top of the first. Mike Kircher and Ryan Greenwood had the only Bison hits in the game, each getting a single.