10 Years Ago – 2000

Nobel Hinkel, member of the Mandan Lions Club, has been named a Melvin Jones Fellow by the Lions Clubs International Foundation. The fellowship is the foundation’s highest honor. Hinkel also received a plaque and lapel pin acknowledging his dedication to humanitarian goals.

Forty-two red, white and blue Mandan banners, purchased through donations from Mandan merchants and the Mandan Progress Organization, have been suspended from the city’s street lights. Ten of the banners are hung along Sixth Avenue S.E. (Hwy 1806); the remaining 32 are displayed on Memorial Highway. The banners arrived June 27 and, with the leadership of Dave Auch, city employees and members of the Mandan Fire Department, managed to hang them all by July 1, in time for the annual Fourth of July celebration. The new banners became a reality, thanks to committee members Susie Kocourek, Pete Deichert, Dave Auch, Gene Veil, Del Wetsch and Fred Kraft.

25 Years Ago – 1985

Thousands of people are again expected to line Mandan’s Main Street for this year’s Fourth of July parade, highlighting the 28th annual Mandan Jaycees Rodeo Days. According to Jaycees officials, the 3-mile long parade begins at 11 a.m. All vehicles must be decorated and only cars from car clubs can be entered, and, for safety reasons, no candy can be thrown from the parade entries to spectators.

The West River Lions, the Mandan Lions and Dacotah Lioness chapters have installed their new officers for the coming year – West River Lions: Clifford Nelson, president; Rod Bachmeier, secretary; and Don Shaw, treasurer. Mandan Lions: Bill Schreiner, president; Dennis Grenz, secretary; and Keith Winks, treasurer. Dacotah Lioness: Mary Ann Kalvoda, president; Jean Doll, secretary, and Norma Nelson, treasurer.

The State High School Rodeo competition ended with seven Mandan “kids” earning the right to participate in the National Finals at Rapid City, S.D. Receiving top scores were: Dean Breuer and David Berg, Mandan, for Bareback; Brian Hartman, Saddle Bronc; Glenn Renner, Bullriding; Brett Hartman, Boys Cow Cutting; Lisa Schaff, Breakaway Roping; and Sheila Kuhn, Girls Cow Cutting. Unable to compete was Jeff Zueger, who was in first place until receiving a serious neck injury during the Bareback event. Brian Hartman won the Saddle Bronc crown.

Former Mandan News editor Jim Fuglie has been named director of North Dakota Tourism Promotion. The Hettinger native has served as the executive director of the N.D. Democratic Nonpartisan League Party since 1981.

50 Years Ago – 1960

More than 1,500 patrons, stockholders and visitors attended the grand opening of the new, modern Farmers Union Oil Company at 810 East Main. The company was incorporated in 1945 with Nick Stumpf as the first manager. In addition to the big sales room and four-station gas pumps, the facilities include a 70×40 warehouse, a 30×40 farm machinery shop with heavy hoists and a 40×57 garage which can service three vehicles at the same time. According to current manager, George Kostelecky, two new bulk delivery trucks are also ready to serve their nearly 1,000 patrons in Morton County.

Robert Lawrence, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Lawrence, will be Mandan’s entry in the North Dakota State Jaycees Road-E-O to be held in Bismarck, according to Sam Mann, Jaycee chairman of the event. Robert will be a senior at MHS. Judges for the contest held at the Mandan rodeo grounds were State Highway patrolmen Richard Bercier and Mandan policemen Clayton Kitchen and Richard Myers. Other contestants were Don Furstenberg, Ronald Goertel, Bill Assel and Wayne Goertel. Cars were provided through the courtesy of Remund Ford, Riedinger Motors and Chase Chevrolet.

More than 80 archers from 11 North Dakota Archery clubs participated in the Mandan Invitational Archery Tournament at the Red Trail Archery Course, north of Mandan. High score shooters were: Men – Harold Carlson, Kenmare; Women – Ora Henderson, Mandan; Intermediate boys – Paul Carlson, Kenmare; Intermediate Girls – Jonita Fleck, Dickinson; Junior Girls – Linda Kuntz, Gen Ullin.

An ad from a 1960 issue of the Mandan Daily Pioneer, these are round trip fares from Bismarck. For reservations, telephone CA3-3272.

75 Years Ago – 1935

Ditching for Mandan’s new water main, a part of the $48,000 waterworks improvement project, got underway this week at First Street N.W. and Seventh Avenue, the southern terminal of the main. Crews are beginning the ditch digging by hand until the big ditching machine arrives from the Haggart Construction Company. The 12-inch main will extend more than a mile from the new million-gallon reservoir on Collins Avenue, which is also part of the improvement project. All labor, except supervisors and technical men, are taken from Mandan’s unemployed.

Mandan’s municipal golf course opened officially on June 15, marking an end of a six-week delay due to new grass being seeded earlier in the spring. The course normally opens about May 1. Playing cards sell for $5 each. Green fees are set at the same rate as previous years, 40 cents for 18 holes and 25 cents for nine holes. Sunday and holiday fees are 50 cents. The new two percent sales tax will also be added to these fees.

Mandan’s Mike Heidt has been elected president of the state’s firemen’s organization during their three-day convention at New Rockford, attended by 750 firemen from across the state. The 1936 convention will be held in Oakes.

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With the odds of 10 to 1 against him, in a boxing match broadcast from a half empty Madison Square Garden in New York, 29-year-old James J. Braddock stunned the country in an astounding upset by beating the World Boxing Champ Max Baer after 15 rounds of consistent, steady fighting. The boxing crowd and radio listeners across the country (and Mandan) erupted in celebration when the announcer proclaimed Braddock as the new champion.

Since 1929 Braddock had struggled to win fights to put food on the table for his wife and three children, losing 16 of his last 22 matches and, unable to find work, had even filed for government relief. Braddock made $20 thousand on this fight worth at least $200,000 at the gate, according to his manager, Joe Gould.

(A 2005 movie, “The Cinderalla Man”, starring Richard Crowe, tells the story of Braddock.)

100 Years Ago – 1910

“The Mandan Hospital opened for business on the western edge of the Heartview addition on June 11, a huge accomplishment for the 29-year old city. Very few homes dot the area east of the hospital.

“Construction of the handsome three-story brick building with basement began in October, after a fund drive, headed by W. A. Lanterman, L. N. Cary, C. L. Timmerman, E. H. Hugh and T. A. Cummins. The week-long drive resulted in the formation of a stock company, capitalized at $50,000, with 100 stockholders, 50 of which are area farmers.

“The hospital has 12 private rooms, 10 double rooms and a large ward, besides apartments for attendants and employees. The facility will provide excellent medical care from the eight doctors practicing in Mandan. Seven registered nurses will also be on duty. There are also plans for a three-year Nursing School for the third floor.”

(To contact Diane, email dboit4thosedays@aol.com)