Remember When April 16, 2020

10 years ago (2010)
•Eleven of the 16 plots in Luverne’s new community garden have been spoken for, and there’s still time for latecomers to get in the game.
Community garden volunteers Deb DenHerder and Vicky Henderson attended Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Luverne Economic Development Authority to report on the project.
The garden will be located near the city’s animal pound located south of Redbird Field baseball diamond.
It will measure 49 feet by 49 feet. Each garden plot will be 10 feet by 10 feet with 3-foot-wide walk paths between each plot.
A $20 plot fee covers water usage, tilling, fencing, plot markers, hoses and other expenses.
The group needs $400 to get started, and so far $320 has been generated by fees and donations.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the LEDA agreed to fill in the funding gap to get the project off the ground.
Mayor Andy Steensma said he likes the idea of the community garden and said he hoped it could become a reliable food source. “That thing could really grow into just a huge garden, and help some people who really need food,” Steensma said.
 
25 years ago (1995)
•The gathering at the corner of Freeman Avenue and Main Street Friday evening wasn’t social.
Postal Service employees, the Luverne Police Department and Luverne Fire Department were all called around 7 p.m. to put out a fire in a mailbox.
They removed three burned letters from a melted carrying case in the drop box and investigated the incident. Postal customers whose return addresses could be read were notified of the incident.
Assistant Police Chief Mike Winkels said two juvenile girls, both age 12, are being investigated in connection with the arson. He said police received a tip from people who were in the area of the box at the time of the incident.
According to Winkels, damage to postal property is a federal offense. However, such cases are often turned over to local authorities, in which case penalties are set by the local court.
 
50 years ago (1970)
•Vandals who caused an estimated $270 damage to a car owned by George Nuffer, Hills, are being sought, Sheriff Ole Hommen reported.
Nuffer’s 1968 Javelin had the windshield and the rear window smashed out, and the radio and outside mirror damaged, the night of April 13 or the morning of April 14, the sheriff said.
Nuffer had left the car at the Henry Rozeboom service station on the night of April 13, so that Rozeboom could service it the following morning. When Rozeboom came to work the following morning, he discovered the damage, and reported it.
Investigation has led to several clues, but there have been no arrests as yet, the sheriff stated.
 
75 years ago (1945)
•Sale of the Wm. Rathjen Grain Co. to D. E. Boyer, Kenneth, was announced this week. Mr. Boyer, who for ten years has been manager of the Kenneth Farmers Elevator Co., will take possession of the business on June 4.
Mr. Rathjen has been in the grain and feed business for the past 32 years in Kanaranzi, Beaver Creek and Luverne. He has been in business in Luverne for the past 23 years.
Mr. Boyer came to Kenneth from Round Lake, and since that time has been active in the affairs of that community. He has served a number of years as the village clerk, and has served as chairman for his community in various war bond drives, Red Cross drives, and similar community projects.
 
100 years ago (1920)
•A new high record price for the sale of a Rock county farm of any size was established Thursday of last week when Chas. E. Tatge sold his thirty-nine and a half acre farm in the northwest part of this city, to L. J. Meyers, of Adrian, at $1,012.66 an acre.
This farm is the southeast quarter of the former LaDue 160-acre farm, and was sold in August, 1918, by the LaDue Bros., to E. W. Miller, of Rock Rapids, at $450 an acre.
A few months later Mr. Miller sold the farm to W. F. Martens at $475, and on May 24th, 1919, Mr. Martens sold the farm to Mr. Tatge at $580 an acre.
A few months ago Mr. Tatge sold the cottage and a half acre plot to “Dick” Streeter, and it was the remaining 39 1/2 acres which Tatge sold to Mr. Meyers for $40,000, or $1,012.66 an acre. This sale was made by Wm. Larkin.
Under the terms of the sale Mr. Meyers, is to receive possession of the land at once, but will not receive possession of the residence until August 1st. The sale nets Mr. Tatge a profit of $432.66 an acre, or $17,380.04, through less than a year’s ownership.
The new owner did not purchase the farm for agricultural purposes, however, but will eventually plat the entire farm and place it on the market in the form of residence lots.