100 YEARS AGO....
The inevitable happened. Mr. and Mrs. William Fiesler were advised that their son, Cpl. Rudolph Fiesler, had been killed in action in France. He was the first Rockdale soldier, and the fifth Milam County resident, to die in World War I.
Rockdale surpassed its Liberty Bond pledge total but it was bittersweet. As the Liberty Bond Committee was meeting to hear results, word was received of Cpl. Fiesler’s death. Mayor H. C. Meyer led the committee outside to the public flagpole where heads were bowed and the flag was lowered to half mast.
What would become a world wide pandemic made it to Rockdale. Due to an outbreak of what would come to be called the Spanish Flu, schools were closed indefinitely and public gathering places, such as the theater, were also closing.
Herman Talley, assistant postmaster in Rockdale for more than a decade, was named Rockdale postmaster, replacing the late John A. Shapard.
FORTY YEARS AGO....
Linda Kowalski, soprano with the Houston Grand Opera, charmed Rockdale with appearances before civic groups and students. Her appearance was sponsored by the Alcoa Foundation.
The brand-new Rockdale Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ambulance service was set to assume its duties on Nov. 1.
Rockdale City Council members approved long-awaited paving bids on Plum and Bigger Streets in a project funded through a Community Development Block Grant.
Wal-Mart (as it was then spelled) purchased the 12.5-acre site of the former Reel Drive-In Theater on West Cameron Avenue (US 79). At that time Wal-Mart had only 16 stores in Texas.
TWENTY YEARS AGO....
Britt Powell, who was credited with leading the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce through some of its most productive years, announced his retirement as Chamber manager.
Fall arrived and it wasn’t kidding around. An early cold front brought Rockdale a three-inch rain and lowered the temperature from 93 to 57.
A 23-year-old Rockdale resident was facing a variety of charges stemming from a chase which ended with a wrecked car and broken ribs for a Rockdale police officer involved in the pursuit.
Rockdale switched to a shotgun formation for its final pre-district football game and rolled up a balanced attack (168 yards passing and 150 rushing) in a 31-7 win over Smithville.
TEN YEARS AGO....
One man was arrested and one was being sought after the shooting of a 52-year-old convenience store owner in the parking lot of his business after closing up the store. The owner was recuperating. Police called the incident a “botched robbery.”
Alcoa said Nov. 30 was the estimated date for laying off an additional 660 employees who were losing their jobs after the company announced it was closing the final three potlines at Rock-dale Operations.
Rockdale athletes were collecting children’s clothing to be transported to Seabrook and given to Hurricane Ike victims. The hurricane had ravaged part of the Texas coast.
Needing a big “bounce-back” game after a tough loss, Rockdale got exactly that, routing Madison-ville 54-2. Only Mustang points came when the Ponies returned a blocked PAT kick after Rockdale’s final touchdown.
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