10-20-40-100 YEARS AGO 100 YEARS AGO…
“Stop my paper for a few weeks,” said a loyal Reporter subscriber. “I have too many neighbors who just can’t do without The Reporter and who borrow my copy each week, sometimes before I get to read it myself. Maybe if my paper is stopped some of them will subscribe to it. They are as able to take it as I am.” Now what do you know about that? And The Reporter was only $1.50 per year or four months for a half dollar!
John Queen, proprietor of Queen’s Café, and one of Rockdale’s youngest “old-timers,” slipped off to Houston Christmas week where he was married to Mattie Brockenbush, a former Rockdalian. The marriage came as a surprise to the many friends of the couple, who joined The Reporter in extending best wishes and congratulations. They would, of course, make Rockdale their home.
The oil field continued to bring business to the town of Minerva, the latest news that Dr. B.O. McLean, of Caldwell, bought lots from W.H. Fletcher, announcing that he would erect a two-story frame building, 50x100 feet, to be used as a hotel and rooming house. The lower floor would also provide for a combination drug store and cold drink stand. Dr. McLean was to locate there for the practice of medicine. W.H. fletcher and John Wallace were each building a new tenant house which would be occupied by the refinery people. Mr. Fletcher informed The Reporter that he would probably erect two more rent cottages in the near future. Gene Marshall was operating a combination meat market and restaurant and reported business was very brisk. In fact, he said he believed he did more business than any meat market in Rockdale.
40 YEARS AGO…
Boosted by three major construction projects and the most housing starts in four years, building permits for 1982 soared over the $3 million mark for only the third time in history.
Teams from Elgin, Taylor and Lexington would be on hand at the RJH gym as four Rockdale teams hosted the annual junior high basketball tourney.
Dur ing 1982 Rockdale volunteer firefighters answered an average of one alarm per day. Volunteers responded to 362 calls in the 365 days of 1982, according to RVFD statistics, with 136 of those calls (37.5 percent) calling firemen outside the city limits.
20 YEARS AGO…
Rockdale wasn’t a junk yard, and police and city officials were promising a coordinated effort to keep parts of it from looking that way. “We’re getting too many junk cars and a number of complaints have been filed with us,” Police Chief Thomas Harris said. “An individual reported 60 of them in just one area, over the northeast part of town.”
Rockdale’s west got a new road for the new year when TXDOT contractors put the finishing touches on the US 79 project that brought five lanes, including a left turn lane, from CR 306 west of Rockdale eastward to near Brookshire Bros. supermarket.
10 YEARS AGO…
Rockdale’s first baby of 2013 was set to win $800 in prizes and gifts from local merchants and organizations in the annual first baby contest.
A young Milano family got a new lease on life after their home was destroyed by fire on Christmas Eve, but community “Santas” helped make the season a much brighter one for the group of five. Milano volunteer firemen were toned out to 102 West Avenue A on Dec. 24 to find the Cedric Myers residence on fire. Flames could be seen above trees as far as a mile away.
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