Remember When 7-12-2017

Oaks Hotel, 1893 - Built in 1893, the Oaks Hotel was one of the Clear Lake’s most renowned summer hotels until its destruction by fire on July 20, 1922.  It was one of the interests of the Western Lakes Resort Company and stood where the Hilltop Motel now stands.  An old hotel, Prospect, was on the land and most of that was torn down when the grand old Oaks was built.  The hotel had four stories and 40 rooms.  The dining room on the ground floor was a spacious one, one of the most fashionable spots of Clear Lake, where good music and delicious food went hand in hand.  Large verandas on three sides of the hotel were some of its nicest features.  The M.C. & C.L. rails extended from in front of the hotel down Main over 10 miles of prairie to Mason City.  The hotel belonged to the Franke Brothers in Mason City at the time it burned.

25 Years Ago

July 1992

Directors of the Miss North Iowa and Miss North Central Iowa Scholarship Pageants have announced a merger.  A combined pageant will be held Aug. 1, at the E.B. Stillman Auditorium in Clear Lake.  The Miss North Central Iowa Pageant, scheduled for July 18, in Forest City, has been canceled.

The Clear Lake School Board met to consider asking the public to support a five percent levy.

A membership drive is now underway to support the Boyer Memorial Swimming Pool, located at Handicap Village.  Handicap Village recently assumed operation of the pool after the city had announced it would not fund public use of the pool in its new budget.

A pictorial history book scheduled for early 1993 release by the Clear Lake Mirror Reporter has been met with enthusiasm.  The book will feature 128-pages of old photos and text depicting the history of our town.

A week of rainy weather has lifted the level of Clear Lake t 2.64” above the weir.  The new mark is a 1.68” increase from the previous week.

Local Farmer’s Market organizer Sandy Dillavou has announced the Wednesday sales of fresh produce and crafts have been discontinued while more vendors are being recruited.  The Saturday Farmer’s Market will continue to be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the parking lot on the corner of Main Ave. and 3rd St.

The Main Street Clear Lake group has announced that more than one-fourth of the mound needed to complete the North 3rd St. sidewalk and lighting project as been raised.

Airline passenger activity increased 55.15 percent for the month of June, 1992 at the Mason City Airport.  Some 3,958 air travelers used the airport last month, making June 1992 the third busiest month on record.

The public is invited to join in celebrating Girl Scout Camp Gaywood’s 45th anniversary by attending its annual “Whing Ding” July 19.  This year’s theme, “Sailing and Soaring in ’92,”  will highlight scoring imaginations, as the public will be invited to share in new and traditional camp programming activities, including the camp’s new tee-pee, rabbitat shelter, kite flying and displays on the special interest session featured at camp.

Clear Lake was host to the 31st National Cougar Regatta held July 10-12.  Eleven boats were in attendance.  The Cougar is a catamaran class sailboat and Clear Lake has the only active fleet in the nation.  The regatta was won by Scott Curtis. Fred Wieck placed second, while Rudy Wieck finished third.

The Ventura girls softball team dropped their first round game in the North Star Conference tournament.  Allison Cooper had Ventura’s only hit in the game. Kim Meyer allowed nine hits and six walks in the 7-0 loss.

The Clear Lake boys baseball team pounded Clarion-Goldfield and lost to Webster City to keep their record even at 14-14.  Pitcher Paul Bruns was the winning pitcher against Clarion-Goldfield in the 15-7 victory. Bruns also helped himself at the plate with a two-run homer in the sixth and he had three RBIs on two hits.  Kyle Evans also smacked a two-run gopher ball and scored two more times after walks.

Grocery specials for the week at Fareway include: Wells Blue Bunny Fudge or Star Sticks, 20 ct., 2/$5; Blue Bonnet Margarine, 16 oz. sticks, 39¢; Lucky Charms Cereal, $1.59; California Cantaloupe, lb., 29¢; Bacon Wrapped London Broils, each, $1.29; 93% Lean Ground Beef, lb., $1.99; and Turkey Drumsticks, 30 lb. case, $9.

50 Years Ago

July 1967

The Clear Lake City Council will hammer out its 1968 budget and indications are taxes will be increased about one mill.  A mill raises $1 per every $1,000 in assessed valuation.  The present levy is 25 mill.

The Cobblestone Theatre opens for the season on July 11 with the production, “Barefoot in the Park.”

Playing at the Lake Theatre is John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in “El Dorado.”  “It’s the big one with the big two!”

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Dunn, of Clear Lake, named their new baby daughter, Sara.  She was born July 1.  She has four sisters, Pam, 10; Susan, 9; Lori, 7; and LeAnne, 4.

The old Indian practice of carrying children on their backs is taking the country by storm.  Wherever you go, you may see parents with their little ones strapped to their backs.

75 Years Ago

July 1942

Eighty vegetable growers met here Wednesday.  A caravan of 19 autos drove to Fertile, Goose Lake, Hanlontown and visited here at Sam Kennedy’s where his men were engaged in spraying potatoes.  Kennedy’s crops were free of weeds and looked fine.

Lester “Nick” Schwietert, who left here for active service with the U.S. Army, was sent to Jefferson Barracks, Mo.

The dining room at the Outing Club opened Sunday.

Clarence McGowan is recuperating from bruises and cuts which he received Monday morning while he was taking the cow to pasture.  He stumbled and fell while leading her and she trampled him and kicked his face.  He was taken to Mercy Hospital.

100 Years Ago

July 1917

Mrs. Captain Hunting while putting out a fire started by small children in her back yard, fell and broke her arm just above the wrist.  She is getting along as well as can be expected for one of her advanced years.  Let’s hope those children were taken to task.

Little Virgil Winnie is having troubles.  First, his glass eye exploded and the next day he stepped on a rusty nail.  Fortunately no infection set in.

While Pier soda fountain has a complete line of sherbets, cigars and candy, both box and in bulk.

The Clear Lake Boating and Amusement Co. has purchased a 47 foot boat with a 9 foot beam to be used as a trailer which will hold 100 persons.

A total of 1,469 vehicles traversed the Mason City-Clear Lake highway Sunday according to tabulations.  It is estimated 30 tourist cars ran between the two cities.  The count is being made under the auspices of the State Highway Commission.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt turned down an invitation to speak in Clear Lake due to lack of time.

Red Cross Tag Day was a big success as $785 was cleared.