Month: April 2026

150 Years Ago: From the April 27, 1876 Shakopee Argus

We understand Dr. Stoddard has fitted up neat and commodious rooms for office purposes next to the Music Store on Lewis Street and contemplates occupying them in a few days.

125 Years Ago: From the April 25, 1901 Scott County Argus

The Jacob Ries Bottling works sent its first carload of 10,000 bottles of Rock Spring Table water to Chicago last Friday. The office of the Chicago branch was opened Monday of this week.

125 Years Ago: From the April 26, 1901 Shakopee Tribune

E. E. Douglas has rented the Jacob Pauly residence on Somerville street, and will remove from his present home in John Mertz’s house on May 1st. Mr. Douglas’s change of residence is for the purpose of getting a large garden, wherein some of his boys may find a vent to a good end.

100 Years Ago: From the April 29, 1926 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Paving on Trunk Highway from Shakopee to Jordan

Paving on State Highway No. 5 began Monday. Starting from the crossroad leading to Chaska, the work will proceed for two miles towards Jordan and then will be transferred two miles beyond the completed section, from which point the crew will work back to finish a four mile stretch of pavement. After finishing that, work will begin at the Women’s Reformatory and extend back to connect with the paved road at the crossroad to complete the entire ten-mile section of paving. Hanlon and Oaks, contractors, will have the road completed on or before September first.

75 Years Ago: From the April 26, 1951 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

War Defense P.T.A. Topic

What to expect in the event of an “A” bomb attack, and method of protecting life and property from its ravages, were depicted and discussed at the monthly meeting of the Parent and Teacher association meeting of the Parent and Teacher association meeting in the high school Monday night…

75 Years Ago: From the April 26, 1951 Shakopee Valley News

County Offices Move In Old Sheriff’s Home

May first, the traditional moving day, is still five days away but already county offices have completed their moving up at the Scott county courthouse.

Four offices are now housed in the former sheriff’s residence. Roman Schumacher and the welfare office is occupying the front portion of the former home while Sheriff W. B. (Rip) Schroeder and Deputy Don Miles have two rooms in the rear adjacent to the jail.

Miss Eunice Schaefer, Scott county selective service board is upstairs as is Veteran’s Service Officer Ed F. Smith. Lester Wolfram, county assessor, now has offices in the former sheriff’s office in the main building.

50 Years Ago: From the April 28, 1976 Shakopee Valley News

Franciscans present annual award to Dr. Pearson Saturday

Dr. Bror F. Pearson received the Franciscan International Award “for his witness to the healing ministry across the world” Saturday evening at the Marriott Inn in Bloomington…

25 Years Ago: From the April 26, 2001 Shakopee Valley News

Murphy’s fire cause not arson but unknown

The cause of the fire at Murphy’s Landing in Shakopee cannot be determined, but foul play has been ruled out.

The Jan. 17 fire, which destroyed administrative offices, a restaurant, shops and six apartments, did too much damage to determine the origin, according to Tom Neudahl, a deputy state fire marshal.

Murphy’s was to open this week for school tours. The regular season starts Memorial Day weekend. The park has moved its offices to a mobile home on site.

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150 Years Ago: From the April 20, 1876 Shakopee Argus

Terrible Accident.—On Monday forenoon a terrible accident occurred in our streets. A small shop on Lewis street was being moved a little back on the lot. In doing so about twenty feet in length of the wooden sidewalk was tipped up on one edge and left standing only slightly propped up. Several small children were passing along the walk, or playing about there, when the wind blew that piece of the sidewalk that was tipped up on the edge over and it fell upon a little four year old girl, daughter of our esteemed fellow citizen Mr. Jacob Ries, killing her instantly. The child was probably partly leaning over at the time of the accident, and was doubled up and almost broken in two. The sympathies of the whole community are freely and feelingly extended to the bereaved parents.

125 Years Ago: From the April 18, 1901 Scott County Argus

John Schmitz has taken Spencer Ferguson’s position in the old mill. The latter will assist his uncle in the new meat market.

125 Years Ago: From the April 19, 1901 Shakopee Tribune

Mrs. Kate Fischer is having a neat frame cottage built on her lot east of Charles Grafenstatte’s and it will add much to the improvement which has been going on apace there the past three years.

100 Years Ago: From the April 22, 1926 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Dr. D. L. Halver has purchased from W. F. Duffy a corner lot on Lewis and Eighth streets, south of Mrs. Josephine Huber’s new home.

75 Years Ago: From the April 19, 1951 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Drawings Nearly Completed For Hospital Here

Detailed plans for the new St. Francis hospital in Shakopee are nearing completion and bids on construction will be called for early in the summer.

This was the report of Dr. B. F. Pearson, who attended a meeting last week at the state department of health in St. Paul.

Dr. Pearson said architects were progressing “very satisfactorily” on plans for the new $450,000 building.

75 Years Ago: From the April 19, 1951 Shakopee Valley News

Baseball Practice Called For Sunday

With Riverside Park flooded out, baseball manager John Hovanec has called the first practice of the season for Sunday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock. Site of the practice will be the field south of the corner of Lewis street and Shakopee avenue, behind the Russell Hickman residence. All candidates are invited to attend the opening session.

50 Years Ago: From the April 21, 1976 Shakopee Valley News

Consignment Shoppe is open in Shakopee

Two Shakopee housewives have turned business entrepreneurs with the opening of the Rainbow Consignment Shoppe at 123 East First Avenue in downtown Shakopee (formerly Schmitz Sewing Center).

The two business gals are Mrs. JoAnn Flynn and Mrs. JoAnn Welter.

The Rainbow Consignment Shoppe will handle hand-made crafts, new and used clothing and small miscellaneous items…

25 Years Ago: From the April 19, 2001 Shakopee Valley News

County delays project approval

Although Scott County is expected to come through with its share of financing for a road improvement project needed to help Valley Green Corporate Center make the jump from drawing board to reality, commissioners were unwilling to commit to the project last week.

The county’s portion for the proposed expansion of County Road 83 and the realignment of County Road 16 in Shakopee is expected to cost around $1.1 million. The developer of the project, Valley Green Business Park, is on the hook for just over 90 percent of the $3.65 million assessable portion of the project. The total cost of the project is $6.5 million. The city of Shakopee will also pay a small portion of the overall cost…

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150 Years Ago: From the April 13, 1876 Shakopee Argus

A brick yard is about being established in our city. This is what we have long needed, and we are all glad it is so near at hand.

125 Years Ago: From the April 11, 1901 Scott County Argus

The walls and ceiling of F. J. Gross’ barbershop are being treated to a coat of wall paper and whitewash, which greatly changes the appearance of the place and makes it more inviting. A fine new chair and commode have been added to the equipment of the shop.

125 Years Ago: From the April 12, 1901 Shakopee Tribune

The big refrigerator and interior furnishing of the Main Cash Meat Market, which Ferguson & Helmuth are about to open in the south portion of the new Hinds block, arrived Monday. The new firm will be ready for business next week.

100 Years Ago: From the April 15, 1926 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Boy Scouts Plan Log Lodge
Plans Now Being Drawn

If plans materialize the Shakopee Boy Scouts will have a home to call their own. This home, it is planned, will consist of a log cabin or lodge built somewhere in Riverside Park, providing permission can be obtained from the city council.

The plans are being drawn by Scout Master J. Jacobi and it is hoped that construction will begin in the near future…

75 Years Ago: From the April 12, 1951 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Auxiliary Power Is Sent To City

Northern States Power company announced Wednesday afternoon that a 1000-kilowatt generator was being sent to Shakopee by flat-car. Operated by a diesel engine, the unit would furnish some power to the city in the event that power lines across the river were knocked out. Power would have to be divided up, however, as evenly as possible among the various needs in the city…

75 Years Ago: From the April 12, 1951 Shakopee Valley News

Work Continued On Rahr Plant Addition To Up Malting Capacity

With the arrival of warmer weather, construction work on the expansion of facilities at the Rahr Malting Co. plant at Shakopee is continuing. The project, begun when ground was broken for the first construction last August, is designed to increase the capacity of the local plant…

50 Years Ago: From the April 14, 1976 Shakopee Valley News

East side development project gets planning commission okay

The Shakopee Planning Commission agreed to recommend that the City Council grant a request to rezone 20 acres bounded by Gorman Street, County Road 17 (CR 17), and East 4th Avenue from retail and high-density dwellings to commercial.

The request was a result of plans to develop Shakopee’s east section. The plans include a bank and a shopping mall between Gorman and CR 17, a restaurant / lounge and a professional building on E. 4th Avenue and a two-level office plaza and convenience retail outlets on CR 17…

25 Years Ago: From the April 12, 2001 Shakopee Valley News

City skate park gets both cheers and boos

The skate park that supporters say will be a sure-fire bonus for the city was unanimously approved, with a change, by the City Council last week.

Neighbors of the skate park the city plans to build in the northwest corner of the Community Center property are nonetheless concerned it could be more a negative than a plus. They fear they’ll be disturbed by noise, loud music, after-hours use and increased litter.

The skate park is a series of ramps, jumps and platforms built on plywood and covered with a compound that’s a plastic-wood composite. The wooden ramps are secured to an asphalt pad. The 13,000-squaree-foot facility would be a Tier-I skate park, which means all the wood is 3 feet off the ground or lower. Metal railings may be above the 3-foot mark, said Mark Themig, Shakopee Parks and Recreation facilities coordinator… To attempt to control behavior at the proposed facility, the council agreed it should be within a chain-link fence…

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150 Years Ago: From the April 6, 1876 Shakopee Argus

Kohls & Berens are receiving their Spring stock of goods this week.

125 Years Ago: From the April 4, 1901 Scott County Argus

The Argus office phone is No. 44. Call us up when you have any news.

125 Years Ago: From the April 5, 1901 Shakopee Tribune

Wm. Hameyer will commence next Monday the work of erecting a brick addition to the parochial school of St. Mark’s parish. The new portion will be 18 by 29 feet in size, two stories high, and the exterior will be of cream brick to correspond with the present structure. The increasing attendance at this school which has made necessary the growth from six school rooms to eight speaks well for the increased efficiency of the work of the Sisters of Notre Dame, which Order has had the management for many years past.

100 Years Ago: From the April 8, 1926 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Last Thursday morning at 6:45 o’clock the fire department was summoned to the T. J. Nickolay home, where a chimney fire endangered the house and was speedily put out. A second summons called the department to the power house Friday afternoon about two o’clock to extinguish a rapidly spreading grass fire which threatened to get beyond control and set fire to buildings in the vicinity.

75 Years Ago: From the April 5, 1951 Shakopee Argus-Tribune

Shakopee To Be In Instrumental Concert April 13

Over 400 students gave lungs a work-out at the Shakopee high school last Friday, as the local school was host to the Minnesota Valley Vocal Music festival.

High schools represented were Bloomington, Chaska, Eden Prairie, Deephaven, Waconia, Watertown, University high and Shakopee. Bloomington, who brought its junior high and who had the largest representation, received several “first” ratings in the festival. That school will participate in the state festival to be held April 27 and 28 at Northrop auditorium, University of Minnesota.

The Shakopee glee club of about 85 voices was featured in the massed concert Friday night…

75 Years Ago: From the April 5, 1951 Shakopee Valley News

Hottest News In Town This Week

The hottest news in town this week must certainly be the Valley News cylinder press run yesterday afternoon. A sheet of paper caught in the gas dryer and the fire spread to the cloth tapes over which the papers are carried to the delivery table. The fire department was called as a precaution, but employees extinguished the fire before the firemen arrived. Little damage was done, but the paper was delayed about a half an hour.

50 Years Ago: From the April 7, 1976 Shakopee Valley News

$250,000 grant offered MVRP by Stans Foundation

Maurice H. Stans, former Secretary of Commerce and native of Shakopee, today announced the Stans Foundation is awarding a $250,000 grant to the Minnesota Valley Restoration Project, also known as Murphy’s Landing…

25 Years Ago: From the April 5, 2001 Shakopee Valley News

County is warned that jail may be shut down

The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) will formally tell Scott County it has three to five years to build a new jail or lose its license to operate the aging, non-compliant facility. The county committee studying the future of the jail is preparing to recommend to the County Board that a new jail be built — most likely on the parking lot west of the Justice Center — or that the existing jail be brought up to code…

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