Looking back...

100 YEARS AGO

The city council received and had strung out some underground water pipe— 2,600 feet of 6-inch and 2,100 feet of 8-inch pipe. The pipe was replacing the six- and four-inch water mains belting the business district. Twenty-one hundred feet of 8-inch main was laid this summer, giving the city a total of 6,800 feet of new six- and 8-inch water main in the business district and leading therefrom to the source of supply.

After observing numerous cars struggling with the deep mud on North Ackerman Street for several hours, B. Ashby, manager of Rockdale Motor Co. decided to do something. Calling for a volunteer assistant, Eddie Backhaus responded and without further ado the two began soliciting funds to be used in graveling Ackerman Street out to the city limits on the Cameron road. As usual, Rockdale businesses interests responded liberally and $645 had been pledged for the work. No more important work could be undertaken. What was the use in having good roads if vehicle were to bog down after getting to town?

Trades Day in Rockdale was set for Oct. 25. On that day the big “Ford Blowout” would be pulled off as advertised. It would be remembered this was first set for Sept. 20, but rained out and postponed until Oct. 25. Announcement was made by the Trades Day committee that the program would be given, rain or shine. Fair weather was hoped for, but the big Ford Blowout would be pulled off regardless of weather this time. Hundreds of dollars in premiums and prizes were to be given away. Thousands of dollars in special bargains could be saved by patronizing the Rockdale merchants that day. A million dollars worth of fun was to be had.

40 YEARS AGO

A knife-wielding man and a companion forced a service station employee to give them approximately $300 in cash in a robbery. Police Chief Felipe Martinez said the robbery took place at the Sig II Shamrock Station as William C. Ahrendt prepared to lock up the service station located at the corner of Wilcox and West Cameron Avenue.

Preliminary construction work was set to begin on a 16-lane bowling alley just east of the Rockdale city limits, according to Jim Hughes and Pete Nimitz, project partners. Hughes and Nimiitz said the bowling alley would be located on a site just north of the Rockdale Inn restaurant on US 77 and it would feature a snack bar, pro shop and game room. An April completion date was planned.

20 YEARS AGO

Saturday was a red-letter day for La Escuelita, Rockdale’s historic one-room school for Mexican children which operated from the early 1900s until 1938. Many families escaping the Mexican Revolution in the late 1800s settled in the area just east of Rockdale to work the lignite slant coal mines. The one-room school was built to accommodate their children.

10 YEARS AGO

Even the sky cooperated when Rockdale and Taylor staged a “pink out” for breast cancer awareness during their football game at Tiger Field. Together, fans of the two teams purchased and wore 2,238 pink T-shirts—1,398 sold in Rockdale and 830 in Taylor— bearing the inscription “Two Teams, One Cause, Fighting for the Cure.”