100 YEARS AGO....
The Texas Highway Commission designated the east-west road (Cameron Avenue) running through Rockdale as a state highway. The entire roadway from Milano to Taylor received that designation. Rockdale was now at the junction of two state highways, including a road which linked Waco and Giddings. (Those roads were to become US 79 and US 77.)
Rockdale’s new brass band played at a giant outdoor political forum “under the flagpole.” The Reporter ended its coverage: “Hurrah for all the candidates and especially for the band.”
The Arthur Black home was destroyed by fire on a Sunday evening while the entire family was at church.
Rockdale paid their first ever reward ($10) for apprehension of a shoplifter. A clerk at the W. W. White Store caught a shoplifter “in the act.”
FORTY YEARS AGO....
Congressman Marvin Leath brought a dose of reality to the area when he said he did not foresee Milam County as the site for a multi-billion-dollar synthetic fuels plant. Leath spoke at a town hall meeting at Rockdale State Bank.
Eleven of the 54 Alcoa employees laid off at Rockdale Operations when Potline No. 4 was shut down listed Rockdale addresses.
Seventy-two years of local automotive history ended when Gaither Ford was renamed Rockdale Ford. The firm was founded in 1908 by W. E. Gaither and began its long business life by selling Model-Ts
Lew Simmonds, assistant football and head track coach at Rockdale High School, accepted a position at New Braunfels.
TWENTY YEARS AGO....
In one of the more befuddling legal cases in Rockdale history, attorneys for the Rockdale Hospital District argued both sides of a complicated case in 20th District Court as they sought to hold an election to raise the district’s property tax cap. The bizarre move was said to be necessary to provide the legal underpinning for Judge Charles Lance to issue an opinion at all.
Earl Biehls replaced Jim Riley as Rockdale Postmaster. Biehls had previously served as Milano postmaster for two years and Thorndale postmaster for 12.
The historic rock wall at the Chamber of Commerce Rock House Headquarters was temporarily moved as part of utility line installation along the south side of West Cameron Ave. (US 79).
Five juveniles were arraigned and charged with a series of burglaries in the Buckholts area.
TEN YEARS AGO....
After hearing testimony saying “there are too many of them and they may be in the wrong place,” the city’s Planning & Zoning Board voted to drop the controversial street “thoroughfares” section from the city master plan.
Changes at the top. The Rockdale ISD School Board named Joey Geletka as theynew principal and Brent Hasselbach new assistant principal at Rockdale High School.
A dirt portion of Highland Street, which has separated the street’s two paved positions for more than 20 years, was being paved.
Chris White was named Milam County’s new Chief Deputy Sheriff, replacing Ted Retchloff.
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