By Dee Zimmerman

"OLDIES"

Years ago, houses, Small barns and sheds of various sizes were often sold and moved from one site to another within a community.  During recent years, we rarely see this practice being done as in the past.  There are probably many reasons for this discontinued trend of moving structures. - in the early 1900s, each town or community had at least one local resident in the business of moving houses, etc. Whoever had the business, owned the necessary equipment plus the hired helpers and had know-how

needed to get the jobs done.

The above photo shows a large house which had been built in 2 sections. As was often done then, the first house was built to be lived in for a few years and later a large wing or addition was built on one side. Some years later, this particular house was separated and made into two separate dwellings.

*The house, built ca. 1880, shown being moved in two parts, was the home of former Neillsville mayor M.C. Ring (d. 1915) and his family. It was moved to make way for the Masonic temple in 1928--now Hillside Community Church at 4th & Hewett. Cecily Ring Cook

Sherman Gress was in the business of house moving within the Neillsville area during the 20s. He and

 his employees or helpers are shown in the process of a moving job. Notice the large steel wheeled steam powered engine which was used to pull the house mounted on a wheeled dolly. A team of horses was apparently needed in the moving process, too.

One of those two sections of house was moved to a lot On West 10^th street. It is still on that lot and provides a nice, comfortable looking home for its owners. The other section of the original house was. also moved to a lot somewhere else within the city, but we're not sure where it is Iocated. Photos courtesy Gertie (Gress) Hagedorn.

Compiled by Terry Johnson

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Courthouse employees held their annual picnic at Lake Arbutus. A “gourmet treat“ was Wally Chimel’s beer brats.“ One man at the picnic commented "Terrible waste of beer.”

"A record $1,920 in fines, costs and forfeit were accepted in the court of County Judge Richard F. Gaffney last week Wednesday when the docket was cleared of a total of 74 summonses.“

In "Notes and Comments by the Editor": If Dick Urban and Tim Harvey seemed to be moving slowly and

painfully these days there's a reason. The sun was warm and caressing Sunday while they were fishing on Red Cedar lake, and it felt good when they took their shirts off. It caressed Dick into a bunch of blisters; and both of them looked like a couple of well boiled lobsters.”

The NHS. Class of 1952 held its 15-year reunion at Steinie's Club 10. Serving on the reunion committee

 were Mrs. Alan Voigt (chairman), Mrs. Melvin Marg, Mrs. Donald Ayers, Mrs. Charles Meyer, Robert Kunze and Ronald Embke.

Mrs. Donald Strangfeld of Rt. 3, Neillsville, was runner-up in the county dairy recipe contest. Her recipe was "Pacific Lime Mold.” Judges were Mrs. Lowell D. Schoengarth, Mrs. Roger Ingold and Hastings R. Baird.

Merrillan news reported that Gibson Gile and son Bob, were headed for Alaska for a vacation. "On their return trip home, they plan to travel by auto down the Alcan highway. This will all be familiar scenery to Gib, as he worked on the building of the highway in 1943. In charge of the AIcan highway construction during World War II, incidentally, was Gen. Clarence Sturdevant, a native son of Neillsville.”

The Municipal Ambulance service had purchased a second vehicle. The new "Ambu wagon cost $3,684.85, completely equipped:’

Arv Dopp was promoted to assistant professor with tenure by the university extension.

Groundbreaking was held for the new Holy Family Catholic Church in Willard.  “The site selected is south and southeast of the present Holy Family Church structure and was purchased in 1924. The present brick veneer church was built in 1912.”

“The first Clark County meeting of a junior National Rifle Association was held last Saturday at the Louis

Ziegler farm in the Town of Seif. Seven local boys participated... they were] Steve Lipscy, James Hendren, George and Paul Miedziak, Jerry Krehmeyer and Tim and Ricky Ziegler. The instructors were Gene Chennock and Forest Klueckmann..:’

Terry Holub and Bill Knoff were named outstanding senior athletes by the Neillsville Chamber of Commerce at its annual Athletic awards banquet.

FIFTY YEARS AGO

“TWISTER AT HUMBIRD” – A miniature tornado uprooted a large oak tree in the Ben Hat yard, at Humbird last week; broke limbs from a tree at Mrs. Bertha Stallard’s; and twisted a large limb off a maple tree at A.W. Short’s, damaging the electric wiring there.

Deep Rock Service Station advertised a ”Complete Grease Job for your Car $1.00.”

“Wells F. Harvey. editor of The Clark County Press, is confined to his home with a fractured ankle suffered ... while fishing on Black River, near Dells Dam.”

“John `Hans’ Walk, Veteran mail carrier completes 30 years of service within a few weeks. He began his duties

July l, 1905. Mr. Walk figures that he has carried mail, during the past thirty years, a distance of twelve times around the earth.”

Ad: “Public Notice: Due to my enlistment in the Navy. I am taking leave of my Neillsville dental office. All accounts due may be paid at the First National Bank, Dr. Walter Weaver."

SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

“W.C.T.U. Notes. Next Saturday afternoon the Chili W.C.T.U. win came over on the five o’clock train to be present at the meeting of the local union.“

"Fined for Seining Fish. Monday Sheriff Hewett went to Marshfield and arrested three men on a change of seining in Black River. They plead guilty before Court Commissioner Kounty Tuesday and were assessed $25 each. They had been using a seine to catch game fish near Greenwood.“

In "East Weston - Panther Creek” news: ”Mart Lastofka and Frank Bar have put so many spuds and all kinds of garden stuff into the ground they have crowded the woodchucks right out of their holes. Barr says he is a-going to keep on plowing and planting as long as his farm holds out.”

"See Mary Pickford, everybody’s favorite, in `Less than the Dust’. A star feature for Thursday and Friday at Badger.   Admission 15 and 25¢. Mary Pickford photo was a souvenir.”

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

"The road to Ross Eddy sand bar is now clear of logs.”

"An ice cream festival was held at S. E. Morse’s Saturday evening.“

"People who get married or do any other strange caper and want it in the paper, should tell the editor about it.“

“The veteran's reunion at Merrillan is in full swing, to-day being the second of three days.”

“Walter & Ranson’s realistic four act comedy drama ‘Side Tracked’ will be presented at the Fourth St. Theater tonight.  The company producing the play contains some really clever people, who take their parts well.”

”More settled weather brings more steady trade.”

”Sam Miner plowed his garden Tuesday. He-s a great believer in fall plowing.“

 "At St. Paul, the school board has done away with the distinction of sex and lady teachers will receive equal salaries with men."

"The residence of Hon. James O’Neill is receiving a fresh coat of paint, two shades of brown.”

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