Rhinelander Reflections

Editor’s Note: The Northwoods River News presents “Rhinelander Reflections,” which takes a look back at stories that made headlines of our paper, formerly known as the Rhinelander Daily News, in 1925, 1950, 1975 and 2000 during the month of October. We hope you enjoy this look back at our past.

100 YEARS AGO

Thanksgiving spirit is to be carried into homes of city’s needy

Published: Nov. 20, 1925

The spirit of Thanksgiving will be carried to Rhinelander’s poor and needy this year through the efforts of Miss Mary Mead, school nurse, who is co-operating with school children and others in bringing happiness into the house of the unfortunates.

It has been the custom for the past few years for school children to contribute toward Thanksgiving baskets for the needy of the city. This year school children will give vegetables, home made pies, cakes, bread and other items of food which will go into baskets, to be filled and delivered next Wednesday afternoon.

Phillip Kramer, store owner at 119 Thayer street, who for the past few years has given a cash donation consisting of five per cent of sales for one day, will again carry out this practice. […]

Miss Mead expresses her appreciation of the efforts of parents, school children and Mr. Kramer in helping spread good cheer. “The giving of these baskets is one of the bright spots in school life,” Miss Mead said today, “and it is hoped that the custom will continue from year to year as there are always homes which, through illness or misfortune, need a helping hand.”

Hildebrand’s new building is largest store In city

Published: Nov. 30, 1925

 All of Oneida county and northern Wisconsin is invited to attend the formal opening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week of the luxurious new mammoth home of the F. A. Hildebrand & Sons furniture company on Brown street.

The building, 60x120 feet, is a two story structure, with a full basement. Many novel features are embodied in construction of the building, which is of brick and tile construction outside, with smooth finish white plaster walls and ceilings and oak finishing on the main floor and balcony. […]

On the second floor of the building are eight office suites, seven of which are occupied by the O’Melia Lumber Co, the Krause Lumber Co, A. J. O’Melia, attorney, and J. G. Hildebrand, attorney. The rear section of the second floor is taken up with a simple yet beautiful chapel, where funeral services may be conducted as a feature of the firm’s undertaking business. […]

75 YEARS AGO

Hunters throng area for season opening saturday

Published: Nov. 17, 1950

Deer hunters, including an unusually heavy turnout of non-residents, were crowding into the Rhinelander region today for the opening of the season Saturday morning.

Rhinelander and many other communities in this region were expected to be virtual ghost towns tomorrow, for practically every able-bodied man (and many women) seemed destined for the woods and the start of shooting in the seven-day season.

The Rhinelander Paper Company said it will close its plant tomorrow and Sunday so its employees can take part in the first two days of shooting. This annual suspension of operations will swell the hunting army by hundreds tomorrow.

First tree thefts reported in county

Published: Nov. 29, 1950

Sheriff Melford Krouze today issued a warning to owners of rural lands which have Christmas trees to get their properties posted against trespassing as the first Christmas tree theft of the 1950 season was reported.

The sheriff said a 15-year-old boy has admitted he cut 34 ornamental spruce trees from the small nursery on a farm in the town of Pelican several days ago. The trees were valued at $15 each. […]

50 YEARS AGO

Hospital meters cut to 5¢

Published: Nov. 20, 1975

Parking meter rates will be cut in half and the time limit lengthened in the city-owned parking lot in front of St. Mary’s Hospital, the parking utility commission decided Wednesday.

The new rate will be 5 cents an hour and motorists will be permitted to park in one stall up to 12 hours at a time. The present rate is 10 cents and the time limit is four hours. The change probably can be effective by Jan. 1, the commission was told. […]

Four from area in UW Orchestra

Nov. 26, 1975

Two students from the Rhinelander area were members of a 22-piece orchestra playing for the musical “The Most Happy Fella,” a student production on the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point campus. Two others from the area also played in the larger college orchestra.

The two in the musical are Annette Zoe Sirek, a junior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sirek, Box 400, Rhinelander, who plays the oboe, and Debra Mihalko, a sophomore, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Mihalko, Rte. 1, Crandon, who plays the flute.

The other students in the college orchestra are Patrick Bonnie, Rhinelander, playing alto saxophone, and Becky Boehm, Three Lakes, playing horn. […]

Budget rules out lights at ballpark

Published: Nov. 28, 1975

Lighting of West Side Park for softball play is not planned for 1976 because of budget limitations, the parks and recreation committee told officers of the Men’s Slowpitch League Wednesday afternoon.

Cost of installing lights would range from $22,000 to $28,000, depending on the type of mercury vapor lights used, the committee was told by Gary Coppenger, president of the league. The league has raised about $3,000 toward the cost of the lights. […]

25 YEARS AGO

Northwoods veterans receive gift of transportation

Published: Nov. 19, 2000

Wisconsin veterans receiving medical treatment at the Milwaukee Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Milwaukee have been beneficiaries of a program that provides free transportation to and from the facility since 1998. Now this program has been expanded to include veterans residing in the Northwoods who use the Veterans Administration Hospital in Iron Mountain, Mich.

Members of the Walter Dulin Chapter (Chapter 62) of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) were on hand Friday when a 15-passenger Ford van was delivered to the chapter at Bergstrom Ford Lincoln Mercury of Rhinelander. The van will be used to transport area veterans to the Iron Mountain facility at no expense. […]

YMCA makes offer on future building site

Published: Nov. 30, 2000

The YMCA of the Northwoods has taken another step towards its own facility by signing an offer to purchase a piece of property as a future building site.

Purchase of the 34-acre parcel of property located on Chippewa Drive between the Rhinelander Ice Association rink and the Oneida County Law Enforcement Center is a joint effort between the YMCA and the Ice Association. […] 

The two groups will divide the land and each have separate titles to the property.