Looking back...

10-20-40-100 YEARS AGO

100 YEARS AGO....

The Rockdale City Council was looking into the possibility of purchasing Fair Park. The 30-acre site in south Rockdale was owned by creditors of the former Rockdale Fair Association. City officials said their plans included using the area for “park and other purposes.”

The Dixie Theater re-opened with new owner E. L. Ware promising an “entirely new plant.” Ware said the floor had been raised, opera chairs installed, a new movie screen and “fireproof operating room.”

Superintendent C. C. Green announce his intention to leave the Rockdale school system before the beginning of the 1919-20 school term. Green, who had been superintendent in Rockdale for 10 years, said he had several job offers but had not yet chosen one.

Twenty-eight railroad cars with 140 Rockdale residents were sent to Cameron to attend a meeting promoting the proposed “Sap Highway,” a Waco to Giddings thoroughfare which would parallel the San Antonio & Aransas Pass (SA&AP) railroad tracks and pass through Rockdale.

FORTY YEARS AGO....

Walmart announced plans to construct a 41,000-square-foot discount store on the site of the former Reel Drive-In Theater on West Cameron Avenue (US 79) in Rockdale.

Johnny Weed, who had served as chief of the Rock-dale Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, stepped down and the department elected Ralph Walters Jr. as the new chief.

Rockdale City Council members Pete Clark (east ward) and Bill Avrett (west ward) were returned without opposition.

Coach Lew Simmonds’ Tiger track team competed on a metric track—as opposed to the familiar yards and feet facilities—at Killeen Ellison, but results were the same. Led by Gene Grayson’s 300-hurdles win, Big Blue won the meet team title with 132 points.

TWENTY YEARS AGO....

The big announcement finally came. Brookshire Bros announced it would rebuild its Rockdale store, which was destroyed in a July, 1998 fire.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) set an April 22 meeting at the Patterson Civic Center to unveil three proposals—two northern, one southern—for a proposed US 79 loop around Rockdale. Construction was estimated to begin in 6 to 10 years.

Rockdale native Virgil Clark, juvenile probation officer for the Rockdale ISD, reported since the beginning of the 1998-99 term, 41 students and/or parents had been charged with truancy.

Tiger sprinter Raymond Huff broke the oldest RHS boys record on the books with a 10.38 clocking in the 100 meters. The old record was 10.4 (metric equivalent).

TEN YEARS AGO....

Robin Faulkner, an employee of the Rockdale ISD for 33 years, was named new principal of Rockdale Elementary School, replacing Pam Kaufmann who was to become principal of the new intermediate campus.

Perry Bell, assistant superintendent of the Cameron ISD, was named new Gause ISD superintendent.

While the smelter at Alcoa’s Rockdale Operations had been shut down, the atomizer continued to operate, according to Royce Haws, location manager. Cast house operations had also ceased.

The summer game? Opening ceremonies for the Rockdale Youth Baseball Association were held with temperatures in the 30s and 30 mile-per-hour winds, courtesy of a spring cold front.