Looking back...

YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO…

The baseball team being organized by Carlisle Post American Legion and the local high school team under Coach Magee will cross bats at Fair Park Friday, April 10. This promises to be a good game. There will be a small admission charged, and the entire proceeds above expenses will go to the High School Athletic Fund.

The regular luncheon of the Lions Club of Rockdale last Thursday was given over entirely to eating and attending to business matters, The first named item was accomplished with great evidence of satisfaction and appreciation for the excellent luncheon provided by Hotel Larrieu, while in the business session which followed the most important item was the report of the special committee was the arrangement for “Charter Night.” The affair will be made into a “ladies night” dinner and reception with invited guests from other clubs.

Last Monday evening Mr. and Mrs. James L. Coleman entertained with bridge and dancing, honoring their guest, Miss Lola Drewry, of Corpus Christi. The Easter motif was chosen for decorations. Partners were found for bridge games by matching cunning Easter tally cards. Following the games of bridge dancing was enjoyed until a late hour. Ice cream and cake were served.

W.E. Gaither put men to work this morning on his lot at the corner of East Cameron and green streets leveling same in preparation for the erection of a modern filling statin which he contemplates erecting in the near future. This is the old “Cottage Hotel” corner and is admirably located for the purpose. At the same time it spoils Rockdale’s best location for that modern hotel which we hope to have some day.

Cotton stolen from cotton yards and from farmers and thought to have been permanently lost and the thieves escaped has been found and in one arrest confession has been obtained by Sheriff Blaylock. A man was arrested in Milano last week and confessed. Other arrests have been made and cotton thefts cleared up.

40 YEARS AGO…

Names of recipients of the top awards at Thursday’s annual Rockdale Chamber of Commerce banquet were Glenn Hodges, outstanding citizen; Jim Hughes, citizen of the year; and Earl Whitmore representing the organization of the year award for the Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department.

20 YEARS AGO…

History comes calling on Rockdale and Milam County in three weeks with a celebrity- studded weekend commemorating the El Camino Real National Trail, set to pass north of Rockdale. A two-day symposium April 22-23 will feature Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Liz Carpenter, former press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson, and Lindy Boggs, U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, who will read a proclamation from Pope John Paul II.

10 YEARS AGO…

Earth Day, 2015, in Rockdale will be the biggest ever from 10 a.m. to 12-noon Saturday, April 18, with more than a dozen projects planned by teams of individuals, churches and businesses. Dave Melton, coordinator, said the City of Rockdale is cooperating with the effort. A Stash Your Trash collection will be held at Fair Park the same day. “We already have a lot of people eager to go,” Melton said. “Our goal is for a community-wide event with broad-base support, promoted and executed by residents, businesses, churches, schools and our city government.”