Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Many Tales are Circulating

     What a wild week. Rumors galore. One absolute truth, yes, Virginia's Flowers south Story location has closed but there are also rumbles of still another Boone florist soon closing it's door. Whispers would even tell you that one, maybe even two Boone restaurants are teeter-tottering and near fini. Then too, the move of a plumbing operation story remains along with the tale that the old Walmart building has been sold, though that building is still unoccupied. Moves of a water softening business and an insurance firm are still being discussed and seem more likely as time passes. A changing landscape seems inevitable. Here's hoping it develops more for the good than the bad.
K-----K
     Recent Korner talk about sledding produced a memory for Doug Miller who wrote, "I remember when my dad towed several of us kids behind the car on the streets of Boone. I almost forgot about doing that until I read some comments from others. We also slid all the time down the hill at hole number four at the Boone Golf and Country Club along Marshall Street."
K-----K
     How about some National Guard memories courtesy of Larry Lindmark who wrote, "each February, the Boone National Guard held their Muster Day at the old Armory on Eighth Street. That was when the Guard had an open house and tried to recruit new members. I don't know what year the old Armory was built, but I have seen a postcard dated 1908 showing that Lincoln Armory and the YMCA next door. All of the Guard offices and equipment were eventually moved to the new airport location and the old Armory was torn down in 1972. At the south end of the old Armory were offices overlooking the front door. In the southwest corner were the offices of Col. Olson and my dad, Bob Lindmark, and in the southeast corner was Harold Hagge's office. In dad's office, there was a short wave radio for contacting other Guard units. For Muster Day, Harold would bring stacks of 45 rpm records and it was my job to sit on the balcony overlooking the gym/drill floor and play records all day as background music. Besides that south balcony there were narrow balconies on the west and east sides where spectators could be seated. Other names of full time Guard employees during the 50's and 60's that come to mind are Albers, Atkinson, Hora, Hubby and Perkovich."
     Larry added, "in the basement of the old Armory was a shooting range. There was an all dirt floor. During winter and cold stretches, dad had to go to the basement and switch the boiler from gas to oil or vice versa. The north end of the old Armory had vaults for storing guns and ammunition. On the northwest corner of the property was a storage garage for trucks and jeeps. One year, a traveling circus set up in the garage. One of the bleachers holding circus spectators collapsed. Included in the group that landed on their derriere was Rick Houser. It was always a big event when the guard left for summer camp. Family members and curious onlookers would line the streets and watch the convoy head off to Camp Ripley in Minnesota, Camp McCoy in Wisconsin or Camp Guernsey in Wyoming. One year the Boone guard helped find a lost boy in the Guernsey area. Bowling has been a recent blog conversation. The guard even had a team competing in the lanes in the "upper room" on Seventh Street. I remember counting all of the wooden lockers while dad and others were bowling. National Guard recruitment is much different today, but back in the 1960's one weekend in February, the annual Muster Day was a big event in the area."
     Editor's note: The Kornerman remembers the old Armory and yes, in fact, I played a game or two of basketball in that building. And, in comparison to the old "Y" where we played most of the basketball in my youth, we thought the Armory arrangement was like a "palace." Heavens, a huge wooden floor and even spectator areas. That was quite a thrill.
K-----K
     Our recent talk about the Globetrotter teams coming to Boone prompted some memories from Marilyn Long who wrote, "Ev once had a Minnesota Viking basketball team come here. That was when Karl Kassulke was playing so it was probably between 1966-72. It was probably some local softball players who played them in a basketball game. I know Ed Miller was one of the local players. Another time, about 1972, the Vikings came here to play softball. It became a disaster. Ev was to pay them about $300 to defray their expenses. It was to be played the last week of July and canvas was put up so admission could be charged and the event was well publicized. Sportswriter Ron Maly of the Des Moines Register even came up to interview the Vikings who were about to begin pre-season practices. However, about 7 p.m., a terrible thunderstorm came through. The Vikings hadn't arrived, Maly was here and waiting but there were very few spectators on hand. Game time was 8 p.m. and about 7:55 p.m., Maly decided to leave and at 8 p.m., Fran Tarkenton, the great quarterback, arrived driving a great big RV. He indicated he didn't know when the rest of the Vikings would arrive. They apparently were on motorcycles and got caught in the storm near Ames. They eventually did arrive and played a game but few people came and Ev gave them whatever monies had been collected. One other time, Ev brought the King and his Court to Boone and that was much more successful. Their cost was $2,000 and it was paid. That was about the time an average house could be purchased for $10,000."
K-----K
     A pair of quick notes: Just learned my neighbor, Arnie Ahrens, will have his 90th birthday on March 15.
     Speaking of softball, the old softball fireballer, Darrell Zunkel, lives in Ames and has had some health issues. In fact, he will be having some surgery in the coming weeks and we certainly wish him well and for a speedy recovery.
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Dena Sherrard, 58, Boone. BHS-74. Was a registered nurse. Boone area survivors include sons Shaun and Bryan Sherrard, her brother, Rich Tesdahl, and sister Dawn Molle and her mother Jackie Reeves all of Boone...........Henry Stahr, 83, Ames. Formerly of Ogden. Was a chemist and eventually joined the staff at Iowa State University as a full professor. Boone area survivors include his wife, Irene.........Arlene Hamman, 88, Perry. Worked for several Perry firms. Boone area survivor is her daughter, Sandra Gordon of Boone...........Steven Bushore, 41, Fort Dodge.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com
     
     

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