Looking Back: 1940 — Fire consumes Luverne’s Catholic church

10 years ago

Gene Foth, an agent with American Family Insurance in Worthington for 15 years, was retiring.

Lind Thovson recently opened the Tick Tock Clock Shop in Slayton.

Representatives of the Worthington Area Language Academy (WALA) signed a leasing agreement for the former Faith Christian School in Bigelow.

Ella Elizabeth Ann Noerenberg was the first baby born at Worthington Regional Hospital in 2005. She was the daughter of David Noerenberg and Candace Jones of Jackson, and she was the first daughter for the couple who had six sons between them.

Winter’s first significant snowfall arrived in Worthington and the surrounding region this week, with an accumulation of five to eight inches.

The Worthington ambulance was summoned to transport a snowmobiler who went through the ice on the west end of Lake Okabena, Worthington, on Wednesday night.

Showing this week at Worthington’s Northland Cinema were “National Treasure,” “Meet the Fockers,” “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events,” “Ocean’s 12” and “Fat Albert.

25 years ago

Advertised specials at Hy-Vee in Worthington this week included a 32-ounce bottle of Dawn dish soap for $1.59; 100-count Puffs facial tissue for 88 cent; a 64-ounce carton of Citrus Hill orange juice for $1.89; a 15-ounce bottle of Prell shampoo for $3.29; and a 39-ounce can of Folgers coffee for $4.99.

Tom Suby opened a new State Farm Insurance agency in the former Farm Credit Services building on U.S. 75 south in Luverne.

The third child of Steve and Beth Prins, Worthington, was the first baby born in 1990 at Worthington Regional Hospital. Emily Dyane Prins was born at 11:39 a.m. Jan. 3; she had been due Dec. 23. “It’s been a long 11 days,” commented her mother Beth. Emily’s older siblings were Tyler, 4, and Morgan, nearly 3.

50 years ago

Automobile accidents hit an all-time high in Worthington during the month of December (just passed). The 72 accidents during the month were 14 higher than the 48 recorded the previous December, and 17 more than recorded in February 1962, the winter Worthington motorists flew flags from antennae due to high snow banks along city streets. Afternoon and evening hours proved the most dangerous. Ninety-three men and 31 women drivers were involved; there were 14 personal injuries.

Weather and crowded flights caused a drop in airline boardings from the Worthington airport in December, it was reported by North Central Airlines. But Worthington still exceeded its quota of five boardings per day, the minimum established by the Civil Aeronautics Board for retaining air service.

Lesa Marie Kleasner was the first baby born at Worthington Municipal Hospital in 1965. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chester Kleasner of LeMars, Iowa and arrived at 3:45 a.m. Jan. 4.

Break-ins continued to plague southwest Minnesota law officers, with five new ones reported over the weekend at locations in Fulda and Avoca.

A broken water main in Lismore emptied the water tower of 50,000 gallons of water and created an unlooked-for school vacation for local students. A water main had broken in the village two years earlier and had caused similar problems.

75 years ago

The Catholic church at Luverne was in smoldering ruins on Jan. 2 following a disastrous fire that broke out early in the morning. At noon the building was still burning and firemen were on the job pouring water into the mass of debris. The interior was completely destroyed, with only the four walls standing. The roof and floor collapsed shortly after the fire started to gain headway. Firemen were hampered by the sub-zero weather and battled the blaze for hours, but the flames had gained too much momentum. The church was constructed 32 years earlier at a cost of $24,000.

Advertised produce specials at the Worthington Red Owl this week included a dozen grapefruit for 23 cents, celery stalks for 10 cents apiece, a 20-pound lug of winesap apples for 79 cents and a 10-pound bag of yellow globe onions for 15 cents.

First-place honors in the Worthington illuminated home decoration contest, sponsored by the Civic and Commerce Association, were awarded to the residence of D.W. Anderson on Winifred Street. Anderson received a $5 prize for the honor. Second prize went to R.V. Hess on Smith Avenue, third to George Rockwood of Miller Street and fourth place to Dr. B.O. Mork Jr., of Lake Avenue.

Joseph Brabender of Adrian, recently appointed Nobles County enumerator in the business count, to be conducted as part of the 1940 census, began his work this week. Brabender was one of an army of 6,000 men and women scheduled for visits to 3,200,000 business establishments in the U.S. in the 1940 census of business, manufacturing, mining and quarrying.

A group of 60 friends from the Mission Covenant Church gave a party for Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wass, who recently returned from a honeymoon to the south. A social hour and lunch followed a program of music, Scripture readings and poetry.