Remember When 8-4-2021

The Island

(Above) bathers hanging out on the beach near the Island in 1908.  Photo Credit: Roger Westover (From the Pictorial History of Clear Lake book).  (Below) the Island was the scene of many parties in the early days when a luxurious hotel was located on it.  The hotel included a bowling alley, ice cream parlors and billiard tables.  The hotel, named the Island House, burned to the ground, as well as its successor.  Several summer homes also graced the island in the early years. In 1945, the home on the Island was moved off to a site on the grounds of Girl Scout Camp Gaywood (currently Camp Tanglefoot).  In 1971, Mrs. Esther Woodford Ashland donated the Island to the State of Iowa. Photo Credit: Rick Brush (From the Pictorial History of Clear Lake book)

by Michelle Watson

25 Years Ago • July 1996

Clear Lake police and firemen were kept busy Sunday responding to a call of downed trees and power lines as a result of high winds and a thunderstorm which moved through the area Sunday afternoon and evening.  Winds were reported at 54 mph.  Jerry Pearson reported a tree fell victim to the high winds and landed on the roof of The Petal Shoppe, 1714 7th Ave. N., Clear Lake.  Four cars were damaged and one person injured when high winds split an oak tree near the Surf Ballroom parking lot.  The tree fell on one of the cars injured a Minneapolis, Minn. man.

Clear Lake Police have filed criminal charges against two Clear Lake men involved in a stabbing incident on June 21, 1996.

Congressman Jim Nussle (R-Iowa) will be in Clear Lake Aug. 7.

The 4th Annual Lakeside DixieFest is being called a great success.  A record number of registration were received for the event, with attendance from 100 Iowa communities and 14 states.  The overall attendance was estimated to be over 3,000, according to Jim Tjaden, festival chairman.

Michael Joseph Chizek, baby boy of Kenneth and Cynthia Chizek was born July 31, 1996.  He has one sister, Kaitlyn, age two and one-half.

Mary Rosenthal is the new owner of the Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream Store, Plaza 210 Highway 18 West, Clear Lake.  She purchased the business from Charles and Marty Taylor.

A leap of faith is all Ruth and gene Bergman, of Ventura, had to go on when they made final plans to adopt a little girl from Russia two years ago.  They had almost given up on the long process when they received a call of an 11-month old girl in Russia, a special needs child, whom they could adopt,  Katie was born with only one arm, but her biggest need was to find a good home and she found that with the Bergmanns.

Kim and Jenny Doughty, of Clear Lake, will welcome a new “daughter” this month, Maria Alexandrovna Krauze, a Youth For Understanding (YFU) International Exchange student from Russia.  Krauze will be a student at Clear Lake Community High School.

Clear Lake High School’s Jon Murray played in the annual Shrine Bowl North-South football game played at Drake Stadium.  Murray will be playing for the University of Northern Iowa in the fall.

Four Ventura Vikings have been named to the All-North Star Conference Second Team in baseball. Those named to the list are Andy Luscomb, Aaron Rothrock, Mike Menke and Tom Menke.

Senior Krista Fritz was named to the All-NCC First team in softball.  Sophomore Liz Jaben was a Second Team selection.

50 Years Ago • July 1971

The question of whether the Clear Lake Police Department cooperates with the Iowa Highway Patrol was brought up at a special meeting of the city council.  The question was presented for the purpose of discussing downtown improvement and sanitary sewers for a new addition.  The meeting ran from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  There seems to be some “unrest” between the two entities.

Harry Olson went to work at his barber shop as usual just as he has since 1948.  Everything seemed normal as he walked down the street, but when he reached the shop, something was wrong…something was missing.  What was missing was the barber pole. In the night Thursday someone had stolen it.  So if you see a stray barber pole around town get in touch with Harry.

The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform Wednesday, Aug. 4, from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at the Surf Ballroom.  Dance to the number one band of the big band era.

Sean Connery stars in, “The Anderson Tapes,” playing at the Lake Theater.  The movie also stars Dyan Cannon, Martin Balsam and Alan King.

Clear Lake was presented the American Automobile Association (AAA) Pedestrian Safety Citation in recognition of its excellent record in preventing pedestrian accidents during 1970.

75 Years Ago • July 1946

Fifteen friends and neighbors put up 27 acres of hay at the Ralph Kadolph home.  Mr. Kadolph was kicked by a cow and his leg was broken.

Plans are shaping up for the Governor’s Days celebration.  The entire celebration will be centered around the All Vets Social Center Club, expect the stage on the lake which will be in front of the sea wall on the lake side of City Park.

Dr. Donald Phillips left Saturday for San Francisco, Calif., where he is stationed in the Marine hospital.

Keith McGowan, fire chief, and Don Huey, left Monday morning for Cincinnati, Ohio, with the fire truck where it will undergo repairs.  A Mason City fire truck will on hand until their return.

Miss Doris Davenport flew by air from New York City to visit her parents in Clear Lake.  The flight took 11 hours, including a four hour layover in Des Moines.

90 Years Ago • July 1931

The Soda Grill will be sold on public auction next Wednesday.  The Mawhinneys, who have been managing the Grill for several years, have decided to sell because they have other interests which demand their attention.

Col. and Mrs. Hanford MacNider, of Ottawa, Canda, are spending a few days with their children in their cottage on the north lake shore.

The Cynthia Taylor home has been released from quarantine.  Her nephew Everett Taylor has recovered from a light attack of scarlet fever.

Two local golfers, the Misses Frances Drake and Charlotte Ames, made an excellent showing at the women’s state golf tournament held in Des Moines.  They both were runners-up for the championship.

Mr. and Mrs. O.T. Hansen and daughter, Miss Genevieve Hansen, are spending a week in Chicago on business and pleasure.