Main Street modernizes

100 YEARS AGO

(1912)

The prisoners in the county jail have organized a quartet and spend much of each day rehearsing popular songs of the day. There are a number of good voices among the prisoners and the music they make is very pleasing.

The Fort Scott Sorghum Syrup Company has about 2,500 acres of cane contracted for this year and have been compelled to refuse many contracts offered by farmers anxious to grow cane, as the capacity of the mill will be taxed to handle that which has already been arranged for should the season prove a favorable one for cane. Many of the big farmers of the county have gone to growing cane and are finding it a sure and profitable crop.

75 YEARS AGO

(1937)

With a view to having the rural mail boxes on his route present the neatest appearance of those on any rural route in the this section of the county, J.O. Davee, who is the carrier on the mail route at Redfield, is conducting a contest and is sending out a letter to each of the patrons on the route offering prizes to those whose boxes are erected in the best manner and which are painted and lettered the best.

Davee is offering the following prizes: first, $2.50; second, $2; third, $1.50; fourth $1; and fifth, 50 cents. All boxes must be of a type that has been approved by the post office department. All boxes must be placed on the right hand side of the road. All boxes and posts must be painted white and name lettered in black on the side of the box. All boxes must be placed on an arm extending about 16 inches from the post and supported by a brace.

50 YEARS AGO

(1962)

The face of Main Street, in fact much of Fort Scott's business area, has been uplifted during the past year by modernization projects. The business buildings which have been completed since January 1961 include the following:

The new Southwestern Bell Telephone building at First and Judson streets.

The new Randles-Basham Clinic building at First and Judson streets.

The new Downtowner Motor Hotel at First Street and National Avenue.

The new Citizens National Bank Drive-In facility at Wall and Judson streets.

Major building remodeling includes the following:

Whitesides Food Store at Third and Crawford streets.

J.C. Penney Store at Main and First streets.

Montgomery Ward Store at Main and First streets.

Liberty Savings and Loan Association in its new location at 10 S. Main.

First Finance Co., a new loan company at 10 N. Main.

Midwest Auto Store in a new location at 13 Market.

National Bellas Hess Store, a new mail order store at 22 N. Main.

Security State Bank, a new bank at 12 E. Wall.

25 YEARS AGO

(1987)

Photo caption: "Man of the Year Award goes to Dick Hedges, president of Fort Scott Community College, from the Fort Scott Elks Lodge and presented by Exalted Ruler Bill Kimball. -- Tribune Photo

Photo caption: "Brad Wiley, Fort Scott, took advantage of Wednesday's near perfect weather to skim about on the waves of Lake Fort Scott on his jet ski. The extended forecast for Fort Scott calls for more of the same weather." -- Photo by John Lechliter.

Piano students of Ann Ludlum who received I Ratings at the Fort Scott Community College Grade School Music Festival were Jennifer Fewins, Jonathan Fewins, Lori Jackson, Scott Jackson and Abby Noll.

Olson-Frary-Burkhart Post 1165, Veterans of Foreign Wars elected the following officers: Gareth Reed, Tom Lyons, Paul Pavey, R.C. Coyan, Perry Dobbins and Bill Myers.