Bits By Betty

1963: Fox hunt begins at 1 p.m. sharp
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
July 09, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 7, 1963. Sportsmen plan fox hunt here on Sunday The Rock county sportsmen’s club is sponsoring a fox hunt this Sunday, it was announced by Louis Shelby, president of the club. The hunt is slated to begin at 1 p.m. sharp. Anyone wishing to participate may do so by being at the sportsmen’s club by 1, according to Shelby. Only shotguns…
1963: Production at new plant going as scheduled
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
June 25, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 24, 1963. Production is going as per schedule at MID Packing Company, according to Don Dennis, general manager. The new plant, shown above, has been in operation for little over a month. When full capacity output is reached, 450 head of cattle will be processed per day. “We’re happy with our employees,” said Dennis. “Their willingness,…
1963: Luverne, Hardwick merger talks continue
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
June 18, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 10, 1963. (Story continues from last week.) Teacher Problem Mentioned Another concern of the Hardwick board, expressed at the meeting was that of obtaining qualified teachers. They pointed out that they had an excellent staff of experienced teachers at the present time, but that replacements were becoming more and more of a problem.…
1963: Hardwick school explores merger possibility
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
June 11, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 10, 1963. School board at Hardwick explores merger possibility The Hardwick school board indicated here Monday night that it wants to be ready, should the legislature enact a bill this session, requiring elementary districts to merge with secondary districts, maintaining high schools. The Hardwick board met with the Luverne board…
1963: Corn crop good in yield, moisture content
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
June 04, 2025
The following article was published in The Rock County Star Herald on Jan. 3, 1963. Nearly half million paid in corn loans Rock County’s 1962 corn crop not only was a good crop in total bushels but moisture conditions are better than we have seen in many years, according to Jim Lewis, manager of the county ASC office. Most corn moisture runs from 16% to 19% moisture. Corn can contain 20%…
1992: County used to sport 19 newspapers
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
May 21, 2025
The following article was previously written by Carole Olson and published in The Rock County Star Herald on Oct. 8, 1992. County supported nineteen newspapers over its years At one time Rock County was peppered with newspapers. But times have changed. Only the Star Herald and the Hills Crescent are still published in Rock County today. At the time Arthur P. Rose was publishing his “…
1925: Annual sale features 75 horses and 50 sows
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
May 14, 2025
1925: Gas prices rise two cents
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
May 07, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 20, 1925. Prices of gasoline continue to ascend Boost of two cents per gallon attached Friday makes five cents increase since January 1st Prices of gasoline were given another boost this week when a two-cent increase brought the price up to 21.1 cents per gallon. Local oil service stations received announcement of the rise in price…
1925: Proposed highway crosses through Rock County
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
April 30, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 13, 1925. Luverne on Chicago-Black Hills trail New highway projected from hub of traffic to nation’s beauty spot crosses southern Minnesota Definite route of new airline fixed South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois Highway Association formed Wednesday Luverne and Southern Minnesota will be on the new airline…
1925: Continued story about Luverne bank mergers
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
April 23, 2025
The following article about the merging of the First National bank and the Farmers National bank of Luverne continues this week. It first appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 6, 1925. In the organization of the new bank, the board of directors elected was as follows: A.D. LaDue, chairman; E.A. Brown, Herman Fitzer, A.A. Anderson, Wm. Jacobsen, Jr., Carl Muller, Chas. L. Johnston, D.W.…
Bits by Betty
By Betty Mann
April 16, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 6, 1925. First and Farmers Nationals merged Complete Reorganization effected under title of First and Farmers National Bank Capital and surplus of new bank, $150,000 Stockholders of two banks to liquidate real estate holdings and frozen assets The merging of the First National bank and the Farmers National bank of Luverne into a new…
1925: Hardwick banks reach consolidation agreement
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
April 09, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 16, 1925. Consolidation of Hardwick banks found beneficial Results attained following merge held to justify elimination of double overhead expense In proof of the assertion that nothing is to be gained commercially or economically by too many institutions of a similar nature in a restricted field of endeavor, officers of the…
1925: Lodge celebrates 50 years of service
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
April 02, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 16, 1925. Masons celebrate 50th anniversary of lodge Ben Franklin Lodge, No. 114, chartered January 13, 1875, happily commemorates event The 50th anniversary of Ben Franklin Lodge, No. 114, A.F. & A.M., was celebrated Tuesday evening, at Masonic Temple, in an appropriate and delightful manner. A large crowd from Masonic…
1925: Nurse finds physical defects
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
March 26, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 9, 1925. Report of county nurse shows need of health work Inspection of pupils in sixty-seven schools shows majority have minor or major defects In a report of activities in Rock county from the first of August until January 1, County Nurse Florence L. Green shows that the number of children found with physical defects aggregates…
1925: Charles Hawes memorialized in tribute
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
March 19, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 9, 1925. Well deserved tribute paid late C.O. Hawes Kiwanis Club memorial service for much beloved business man brings out glowing attributes of character Sincere appreciation of his splendid worth as a pioneer, as a business man and as a citizen, was paid the late Charles O. Hawes in unlimited measures at the memorial service held in Mr…
1923: Record volume of livestock shipped
By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
March 12, 2025
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 9. 1925. Shipping association ships 219 cars stock Luverne livestock shipping association handles record volume of shipments during 1924 Value of shipments aggregates $285,399.07 Annual meeting of association held Wednesday — all officers and directors are re-elected Two hundred nineteen carloads of livestock have been…