150 Years Ago: From the May 14, 1874 Shakopee Argus
The Court House is receiving new shingles. Tom Holmes laughs.
125 Years Ago: From the May 11, 1899 Scott County Argus
G. S. Lander has been improving his residence property this week, and the finished work is very pleasing. The grounds have been sodded, evergreens set out, and the whole surrounded by an ornamental fence of galvanized wire surmounted by gas piping.
125 Years Ago: From the May 12, 1899 Shakopee Tribune
The Math Mayer residence will be remodeled, putting in block casing, a double set of front doors, also rear doors. When completed the substantial structure will have a modern appearance. E. B. Schneider has the contract.
100 Years Ago: From the May 16, 1924 Shakopee Argus
New Hotel to Open
Ed Schmidt of this city and his brother-in-law, H. J. Lane of Minneapolis have rented the St. Paul hotel and John Abeln’s soft drink parlor in connection with it and will reopen the hotel for business about June 1st.
The building is being thoroughly renovated and redecorated and all new furniture will be installed, the new proprietors planning on making the hotel as attractive as possible to patrons. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt are experienced in cafe business, have a very good location in the St. Paul House, as the hotel will continue to be known, and their new venture will undoubtedly meet with success.
100 Years Ago: From the May 15, 1924 Shakopee Tribune
Gem Theater Install New Gold Fibre Screen
Manager Dawson of the Gem Theater has installed one of the famous Gardiner Velvet Gold Fibre Screens which produces unusually clear pictures in graduated color tones, thus eliminating the violent black and white contrasts which are injurious to the eyes.
On the new Gardiner Screen all color tones are contrasted in their true values, for instance, an actor wearing a black felt hat and blue serge suit, does not simply appear to be wearing dark clothing—you can easily see that he has a blue suit and black hat because of the tone contrast made possible by the velvet gold fibre surface of the Gardiner Screen.
In addition to this, the new screen reproduces swiftly moving objects in clear, sharp detail, entirely doing away with the hazy, vague, outlines and jump which is the cause of so much eyestrain.
Manager Dawson invites everyone, especially the kiddies and elderly movie fans of Shakopee to visit the Gem as often as they wish and sit anywhere in the theater. The picture will not hurt their eyes, and they are promised a treat in the form of a motion picture that is seemingly a bit of actual life.
75 Years Ago: From the May 12, 1949 Shakopee Argus-Tribune
To Receive Bids on New School
New bids for the construction of Shakopee’s proposed new public school facilities are to be called for opening June 13, according to an action taken by the School Board Monday night.
Pressing need for more room and improved conditions, and the easing of the financing problem by virtue of new state legislation have encouraged the board to again seek a solution to the school problem.
The 20-man committee of the Shakopee Commercial club which has worked with the school directors in the project will again be called in to consult with the board when the bids are opened.
75 Years Ago: From the May 12, 1949 Shakopee Valley News
County Gets Big Increase In State, U.S. Road Aid Money Allotments
Scott county was assured of getting $21,750 more “outside” funds for county highway improvements during the year ahead than was received in 1948, the Minnesota Department of Highways revealed Tuesday.
From state-collected road-user revenue alone, Scott county will receive a total of $82,350 in regular state allotments. This consists of $12,100 for State Aid roads and $69,750 for County Aid roads, the latter figure compared with a $48,000 County Aid allotment in 1948.
In addition, the county will receive $500 for maintenance cost on the special state aid parkway at the Women’s State Reformatory in Shakopee…
50 Years Ago: From the May 15, 1974 Shakopee Valley News
Shakopee Senior High chosen for USDA project
Shakopee Senior High School was selected by the Minnesota Department of Education to take part in a nationwide project on school lunch participation.
Conducted by the State Department of Education’s school food service office and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the effort includes 300 high schools across the country — all of them exploring and developing methods to increase student participation in the lunch program…
25 Years Ago: From the May 13, 1999 Shakopee Valley News
Voters turn down city parks referendum
Shakopee voters Tuesday rejected a $6 million referendum that would have expanded the Community Center, and improved a dozen city parks and two trails.
In extremely light voting, with just over 16 percent of the eligible voters going to the polls, the question was defeated by 97 votes, 811 to 714, or by a margin of 53 to 47 percent…
Interested in local history? Find even more at the Shakopee Heritage Society website.
