From Our Files
1946: Hartley chosen to host O'Brien County Fair
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• Sept. 12, 1946
At a special meeting of the O’Brien County fair board, it was decided unanimously to choose Hartley as the permanent site of the county 4-H fair and other fairs that received state aid. The action was deemed necessary as Primghar along with Hartley had made a bid to be the site of the 1947 fair.
Leonard Zahn, of Hartley, was named chairman of the 1947 Farm Bureau resolutions committee for O’Brien County. The committee was to seek comments from members and present a set of resolutions for discussion and adoption at the county annual meeting.
O’Brien County was unique in the fact that every school, both rural and town, opened with a nearly full teaching force. The number of schools in the rural areas declined from 59 to 54 due to transportation by bus route and smaller enrollments.
• Sept. 9, 1971
OJ’s Drive-Inn on Highway 18 added a dining room on the front with seating for approximately 15 persons. Owner Lacey Jackson planned to keep the drive-inn open during the winter as long as patronage warranted it.
Hartley town council members selected Mayor Pro-Tem Earl Norton to fill the vacant mayor’s office until the election on Nov. 2. Norton’s appointment created a vacancy on the council which was not expected to be filled prior to the election.
Mrs. Lambert Mastbergen, unit president of the Arthur W. Kirchhoff Post No. 288 of the American Legion Auxiliary, and Mrs. Darold Rost, immediate unit past president, presented two American flags to Hartley Light Plant Superintendent Wilferd Schmeling. One flag was flying in front of the community building and the other was to be placed at the curb of the municipal office building.
• Sept. 12, 1996
Seth Erichsen, son of Alan and Lori Erichsen of Hartley, won the 9-year-old boys’ division of the Iowa State Pedal Tractor Pull Championships. His winning distance was 37’6”. He qualified to advance to the national competition in Omaha, Neb.
Rev. John Rosenberger began his ministry at the Hartley United Methodist Church. He had served churches in the Iowa Conference since 1963, and had been pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church in Walcott for 17 years prior to his appointment to the Hartley church.
Ruth Hobson was elected to the Director District 3 seat on the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn school board. She received 232 votes while Merlin Sandersfeld garnered 106. Running unopposed for the Director District 4 seat was incumbent Brad Smith who received 320 votes.
"From Our Files" is compiled by Sentinel-News sports editor/staff writer Mike Petersen.
