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Left side: Kelly Drug--Wabasso Std--Gamble--Thomas
barber shop--Benno's Bar--Larry Guetter body shop--Dutchmen or Feurstein's
beer joint--Post Office--Franta Ins--Red Brick or Lawrence Bernardy
Red&White Groc.--Fischer's meat market and locker plant.
Right side:Peavey or Val Altermatt(Peacocker) or Harrington's
liquor store in hotel-- Vacant lot--Carl Liebel's pool hall--Annie Andrew's
ice cream store--Dr Eaves or DR ?(white bldg, later Nonnemacher's new
bldg)--Dr Nick Goblirsch-- next was Hank Jorges? cafe--and Goblirsch
store-- both burned to ground in 194_. Must have been vacant lots in
this picture yet. Photo and information courtesy of Joe Moelter |
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As one looks back at the Centennial weekend it is impossible to
choose a picture that sums up the festivities.
This picture taken on Saturday 8/12 at the Wabasso Centennial
Celebration - threshing display and demonstrations. |
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As the Centennial weekend draws near, make certain you set aside time to visit the Wabasso Museum. You will be able
to see for yourself many aspects of Wabasso history. Take a look through the photo albums and look at those things that have made
Wabasso and the surrounding area what it is today. A special
thanks to the Wabasso Museum for their support of this web site and the work Museum staff have done preparing for the Centennial
Celebration. Let them know that you enjoyed their photos that were include on this site! |
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This last week, construction crews started putting the finishing touches
on the entry to the Public School. Centennial visitors will find
many changes to the school they probably remember from years gone by. |
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Somewhere around 1910-1915 this photo of the office for the Wabasso Standard was taken. The photo shows the press and
other equipment used to print the newspaper. Ed Weldon, editor of the paper is shown standing in the back of the room.
Mr Weldon is also shown in last weeks photo. |
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This photo taken during the summer of 1910 shows several enjoying a refreshing slice of watermelon along main street
Wabasso. People shown in the photo include Andrew Nelson, H.H.
Turbes, Tom Kokus, John Nelson, John Stark and Ed Weldon. Others are not named. |
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This last week, Wabasso as well as the rest of the nation celebrated Independence Day. This photo (unknown date) shows
the Wabasso Auto Livery all decked out for a 4th of July celebration of the past. |
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On Wednesday of this last week, the Wabasso Lions Club hosted its annual BBQ pork feed. Aided by a beautiful evening with
temps in the mid 70's, and a polka band playing on the side, the crowd
enjoyed a great meal. The BBQ pork feed is just one of many wonderful projects that the Wabasso Lions Club has done to
support our community over the years. Thank You! |
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This photo was taken back in 1909 looking north east across
Wabasso. The picture was taken from one of the Grain Elevators that were found
along the railroad tracks. |
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During the last 100 years, there have been many improvements made allowing us to do our jobs easier and faster. This photo
taken just outside of Wabasso on a local farm shows just one of the early ones. Your computer and the way you're viewing this photo
being due to a more recent technology advancement. It's hard to imagine
what the next 100 years of Wabasso will bring and how we will celebrate it's bicentennial. |
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On May 29, 2000 this memorial was dedicated to all the Wabasso Area Veterans. The memorial shows names of all
those who have served in the Armed Services. It highlights those veterans that have given the supreme sacrifice. The
memorial was donated by the Victor Hirsch Post 263 |
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Another then and now shot. In the site where the original school
building once stood a park and garden now mark the spot. The new
school commons can be seen in the background. The Centennial
Committee, City Employees, and friends have been getting ready for the
celebration. Well kept lawns, gardens and proud residents should
greet visitors in August. |
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Over Wabasso's 100 year history, we have had many reasons to celebrate and many people to honor. For this Memorial Day,
here is a photo perhaps taken during one of these celebrations of life in a small town. Waterbury Township Band and The Wabasso
Young Boys Band. Exact date of the photo is not known but it's estimated around 1920 - 1930. |
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"Wabasso for County Seat"... Back in the early days of
what was to become Redwood County. There were obviously some folks who felt that Wabasso would make a great
County Seat. At least judging from the sign on the back of this car. Wabasso may not have become the center for
Redwood Counties government functions. But no one will ever argue the fact that we are at the "Heart of Redwood
County!" |
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I thought it might be interesting to do a "Then and Now"
photo. Last weeks photo taken in the early 1900's and this week's photo taken on
a nice quite sunny May Sunday afternoon. (5/14/2000). I am glad
that little has changed except that cameras are smaller when one has to
climb a water tower.! |
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This photo taken in the early 1900's shows a view of South
Street. The photo, taken from the top of the water tower, looks east. Some
recognizable features shows Brad Pohlen's current house (2nd block on Left) The
Knox Presbyterian Church, and an open field where the Webmaster now lives. |
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The date of this photo is unknown, it shows the Wabasso State Bank
(now Integrity Bank) and the Wabasso Post Office. Do you remember
when the post office was located here? |
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This photo, taken in 1933, is of St Anne's School in
Wabasso. |
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On June 15, 1975, Wabasso celebrated it's 75th Anniversary with a parade down main street. The Centennial Committee has similar
plans this year. The Centennial Celebration parade is planned for the
afternoon of Sunday, August 13th. |
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The photo this week of Wabasso's main street is a little more recent
then those we have shown to-date. The date of the photo is
unknown. Some of the highlights show Kelly's Drug Store, Druck's
Standard Oil and the bowling alley (without the current Pitz Stop Bar). |
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This photo was taken in the late summer of 1909. It shows a farm family on the north side of Wabasso harvesting small grain.
The original public school is also shown in the photo. |
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This photo taken at the end of World War I shows Wabasso residents celebrating on main street. The sign post in the middle was found
on the corner of Main and Oak Street (present day Integrity Bank Corner)
Note the dyslexic misspelled sign... One can only assume that "you had
to be there" to know the hidden meaning. Or, maybe someone was just in a
hurry... |
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This photo is of the Wabasso Public School building
taken in the early 1900's. Being the Web Master for the Centennial Web Site
I would love to post some information about the Public and St Anne's Schools. Not being originally from Wabasso, I have very little
information about the school system's history. Any volunteers that would like to help? Due to the nature of
the Internet and to make it readable on a web page, , it should be kept as a brief summary for each school. Submit entries to centennial@wabasso.com |
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This photo was taken in May of 1974, about 2 years
before the Wabasso depot was torn down. The depot was built in 1916 and was located north
of the current Community Center. |
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The railroad crew still had their work to be done
laying tracks when this picture was taken on June 16, 1909. Pictured from
left to right are Carl Gores, Joe Thomas, Fred Kuku, Paipon Pickett, and Andrew Schottenbauer.
Picture courtesy of Veronica Johanneck |
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There is nothing better then a
softball or baseball game. Even for those that are not attending the game, there is
something about the sounds of cheering crowds that drift into open windows on a warm summer evening that makes one happy to live in a
small town!. People identified in the photo Sam Robinson, H. Pickett, Ed Weldon, Phil Davis, Hank Bauer
Oren Davis and S. Babcock |
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Wabasso being a small town located on
the prairie of Minnesota might lead one to believe that some of
history's events didn't effect us as much. This photo proves
otherwise. General Pershing around the time of WWI gives a speech
to Wabasso crowds to help with the war effort.
Click
here to listen to a General Pershing speech given about the same
time. Click
here to learn a little more about General Pershing |
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There are many life events in a small
town that bring people together. Births, deaths, ball games, and of course the
Wabasso Appreciation Days in the park. This photo was taken in 1975 at Wabasso's 75th Anniversary Celebration. |
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This photo is placed here to
highlight one of the main industries that has made Wabasso (and most of the towns and cities of Southern Minnesota)
what they are today. The photo of a early threshing crew was taken
just north of Wabasso on the Daub's farm. |
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This photo is here not so much
because of past history, but of the current history it holds. The Knox Presbyterian Church is the current home of the
Wabasso Museum. Special Thanks to the Museum for its support of the Centennial Celebration
and this Internet Web Site! |
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This photo is the highlight of our Welcome page. A
photo of an early parade in downtown Wabasso. |
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January 30, 2000 - Centennial Benefit Dinner at the
Wabasso Community Center |