park and Thursday evening the boys chose up sides and had a Kitten Ball game which was enjoyed by a large crowd.

April 15, 1954
  BELLWOOD CONSTRUCTS NEW SIDEWALKS
   A new sidewalk was put in along the west side of main street, which is a great improvement to the town. Walter Hoshor and helpers are doing the work.

July 1, 1954
FIREMEN POUR CONCRETE SLAB FOR DANCE FLOOR
   The Bellwood Volunteer Fire Department began a worthy project last week when they leveled off the space between Scholz Hardware and the American Legion Building and on Sunday a large gang of men gathered to run concrete for a dance floor. This floor is 40' by 80' in dimensions and can be used for other things as well. The place will be used for the free shows as before. The Auxiliary ladies served the workers a chicken dinner and a lunch in the afternoon.

July 15,1954
Two Businesses Change Owners
   Two Bellwood business establishments have changed ownership in the past week. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Cook have purchased the General Store formerly owned by Mr. and Mrs. Carl Carson.
   Mr. and Mrs. Bud Gunderson have purchased the cafe owned by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mansfield and took over the business on Friday.
   Mr. Mansfield and Mr. Carson both have been forced to retire due to ill health.

November 4,1954
Streets Being Oiled
   After considerable delay, the main street and several side streets are being finished with an oil mat and soon will be all covered.

May 5, 1955
   Mr. and Mrs. Albert Jansen of Fremont purchased the Napier Tavern and opened for business Monday, May 2nd. They will move into the former Kennedy house now owned by Fred Mansfield.

April 7, 1955
      NEW BUSINESS TO OPEN SOON
   Emil Vrbka of Rising City has leased the Owens building north of the Kosch Garage and will soon open a produce station.

November 22, 1956
   Turkeys Big Business For Two Butler County Organizations Located West of Bellwood On Highway 64.
   Butler County
   Wright-Bolton Turkey Ranch and Harrington's Turkey Ranch together produced 27,700 turkeys.
   The Wright-Bolton Ranch sell their turkeys live to large processors. Both produce their own eggs and follow the raising process but Harringtons also do the processing for retail. Thanksgiving is a busy time but Christmas is bigger.

October 10, 1957
   Harold Bock, the new Superintendent of Utilities, has moved into L. J. Kreizinger's home and took over his duties as city marshal and water superintendent.

January 22,1959
   The Scholz Hardware store was sold by Marlin Scholz to Glenn Forre and Mr. Forre took possession on Monday. Mr. Forre is going to redecorate the interior but is open for business. Mr. Scholz has employment in Columbus.

March 26,1959
   The Post Office has had a face lift this week, when 90 new keyless lock boxes were installed Saturday afternoon. The line of boxes also was moved out about two feet to make more space in the workroom. Two new steel sorting tables also have been added.

May 7, 1959
   The Grain and Storage Construction Company arrived in Bellwood last week and began rebuilding the Farmer's Elevator which was damaged in the recent explosion.
   Walker Meyers is slowly recovering from injuries in the explosion. He is now undergoing skin grafting and will soon be able to come home from the hospital.
   D. of V. --- Elvina Hart Hill, Tent No. 23; 2nd and 4th Saturday evening. Mrs. Harvey Lillie, President.

July 5, 1962
   The town board has completed the work on the archway into the Bellwood ball park.

   Several years ago, J. D. Bell deeded several acres of ground to be used as an athletic field and ball park. The archway has the name "Bell Park", which it will be called. A new building to be used for a lunch stand will soon be completed.

October 15, 1964
   Heat for the Bellwood Public School Gym and Auditorium is provided by two heating units such as old type heating stoves. Custodian Jasper (Jap) Raric notes he has carried tons and tons of coal for these stoves from the coal bin in the basement of the structure. He also maintains fires in three other school buildings throughout the winter.

   If a $160,000.00 bond issue for a new building is approved for 3-R next Tuesday, the frame building will be one of the four school structures in Bellwood to be replaced.

October 22, 1964
BELLWOOD SCHOOL PROPOSAL APPROVED 251 to 28
   By a margin of nearly 9 to 1 voters in School District 3-R at Bellwood, Tuesday approved 160,000.00 bond issues for the construction of a new school building. The count was 251 in favor of the proposal and 28 against.
   The Board of Education of the district, which was created this year by the merger of 3 districts, had proposed a new building to replace the four buildings presently being used on the grounds that the present structures are not safe and not conducive to a good educational program.
   As soon as detailed plans can be drawn for the new building, bids will be asked so construction can begin as soon as possible. It is hoped the structure can be ready for use in 1965. The new building will be built just south of the central building which was formerly known as Bellwood High School.

March 18, 1965
   Construction on the new laundromat is rapidly progressing. The interior is being finished and it is now planned that this business will also include a beauty parlor for the ladies. It will be operated by Miss Emily Kouma of David City, Nebr.

March 9. 1967
   The bids on the new St. Joseph Church will be let Friday afternoon at two o'clock at the Bellwood Church.

February 5, 1970
   During the past weeks another of Bellwood's oldest homes was demolished. The place called the Fenstamaker place. It was built in 1882 and was known to lots of the older folks as the Derby Show Place.
   At one time, Father Hoffman and Father Flickenger resided in it until the rectory was built in 1912.
   Milton Scholz Jr. has purchased the property.

April 9. 1970
        LIQUOR BY DRINK APPROVED
           BY BELLWOOD VOTERS
   The Bellwood voters Tuesday approved the sale of liquor by the drink in their community. The vote was 95 in favor and 39 against.

September 10, 1970
   Store under new ownership. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Cook have sold their business known as Cook's Thriftway to Mr.

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and Mrs. Louis Oborny. Under the new management, the store will be known as Louie's Thriftway. Mr. and Mrs. Cook owned and operated this business for 16 years.

March 14, 1974
   Street lighting is being improved at Bellwood. NPPD converted 14 incandescent street lights in the residential section of Bellwood to 175 watt mercury vapor. The project completes the NPPD plan to convert all the street lights in the residential area to mercury vapor.

May 2, 1974
   To the residents of Bellwood and rural residents: The residents of Bellwood have nothing against the riding of horses and bicycles in their proper places in our Village; but a little respect for the Park and business district would be appreciated by all concerned.

May 30, 1974
   Bellwood Park projects get O. K. Bellwood $42,000.00 - acquisition of 7 plus acre addition to city park and construction of playground multi-purpose court.

October 17, 1974
   Bellwood area farm brings $1,140.00. A 160 acre farm northeast of Bellwood was sold at auction Monday for $1,140.00 an acre. Grubaugh Bros., the auctioneers, reported the farm located a mile east and 2 1/2 miles north by the Michael Ronkar estate. Osantowski Bros. of Bellwood bid $182,400 for the dryland operation.

March 27, 1975
   Bellwood group plans a Summer Theatre production, a slap-stick comedy play "Oh, Aunt Jerusha," Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, at Bellwood Elementary School Auditorium at 8:00 P.M. Steve Kovar - Director.

May 2, 1975
   Bellwood receives $21,000 in grants for developing parks. A $21,000 federal grant for developing parks in Bellwood was announced Tuesday by Rep. Charles Thone.
   The federal funds from the U. S. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation will be matched with $10,500 in state funds and a like amount of Village of Bellwood funds.
   Bellwood will acquire nine acres of land at two sites on the south edge of town. The Village will also lease school land and develop a multi-purpose court and playground. Lighting and fencing will be included in this work, Thone said.

July 1975
   Tennis Court was constructed.

July 24, 1975
   A tennis court and basketball court are being completed for use for the school and for the public on the ground purchased by the school east of the school. The measurements are 106 feet by 123 feet. There will be special lighting and it will be fenced and used jointly by the school and by residents of the town.

February 5, 1976
   The Crime Commission Friday approved a grant of $6,300 for the Village of Bellwood to help pay the cost of a fully-equipped police car.

February 12, 1976
   Bellwood receives plan grant. A $2,020 Federal Planning Grant for the Village of Bellwood has been approved by Rep. Charles Thone as he announced Tuesday. The Environmental Protection Agency will help pay for preliminary planning for new or additional sewage treatment facilities for the community.

June 17, 1976
   Mobile Health van coming to Bellwood. A mobile health van equipped to perform more than 20 medical tests is scheduled to arrive in Bellwood on June 22. The van is brought to Bellwood under the local sponsorship of The Consumer Co-op Oil Association of Bellwood through

Farmland Industries.

July 15, 1976
   Bellwood girls capture District Tournament crown Sunday. The Bellwood girl's softball team, coached by Chris Brandenburgh, sailed through the girl's school division fast-pitch District Tournament at Bellwood over the weekend without a loss to capture the championship trophy.

July 29, 1976
   Bicentennial plaque and flag were presented to Bellwood at ceremonies held in the Bellwood 3-R school.

February 3, 1977
   Mr. and Mrs. Louis Nozicka were honored Sunday in observance of their 60th wedding anniversary. Due to the health of Mrs. Nozicka, Mass was celebrated at 2:00 p.m. at their home, with Father Robert Rob officiating. Twenty members of the parish and Altar Society officers were present and served refreshments following the Mass.

   Jerry Oborny began his cabinet shop business at his parent's home in 1968. In 1972, he purchased a building in Bellwood and built on an addition. In 1977 he erected a new and larger building for his cabinet shop.

December 28, 1978
   Bellwood Community Education classes set. Community Education classes will begin at Bellwood in the middle of January, according to Bob Wilson, program coordinator.
   Community Education classes are sponsored jointly by Bellwood Elementary School and the Central Technical Conmunity College area.

1980 BUSINESSES

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     Cream Charlie Davenport picked up cream and eggs weekly from the farms.

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   Didier's Grocery is the largest privately owned business in Bellwood. Located on the east side of the mainstreet [lots 3,6,7,10 in block 7] It would very appropriately qualify for the term supermarket, with 6000 sq. ft. of shopping area and over one thousand items of merchandise.
   Jerome and Merna Didier started in the grocery business on May 19, 1958 when they bought the grocery store on the west side of the main street from Mr. & Mrs. M.D. Hicks. lot 4, block 6. This store had 1292 sq. ft. floor space and as their business grew they added on 420 sq. ft. of storeroom to the rear of the building. This was operated by two people, with Jean Carpenter at the checkout counter and Jerome filling the Job of buyer, meat cutter, stock boy and all the other jobs it takes to run a successful business.
   In 1962 the Didiers purchased the hardware store building on the east side of the street from Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Forre. The building was remodeled and a concrete 15-car off-street parking lot built on the south side of the store. In 1963 there were 2 full time employees, Peg Napier [Wilson] and Jim Cockson.

   By 1972 the business had grown to the point where the space was entirely inadequate. A new addition was built on the south which doubled the space. This addition used up the parking area so the Didiers purchased the old Legion Hall to the south from Gordon and Mary Zeller. This building was razed and a new 20-car parking lot installed.
   In May 1978 the Didiers opened up another food market in Schuyler. This market has also proved to be very successful and they have recently purchased another location which will give them twice the space. Jim Cockson, who has worked with the Didlers for 18 years now manages the Bellwood store. Florence Kamenske, has been in the store for 14 years and has a smile for everyone at the checkout counter. There are a total of 6 full time employees and 4 part time in the Bellwood store.
   The Didier children, Jeff, Lu Ann and Tony have all grown up and worked in the family business. In this centennial year of the town the Didiers celebrated their 22nd year of business.

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