From the files of the December 1, 1994, edition of The Ellsworth Reporter.

138 YEARS AGO
December 4, 1884
The skating rink is still the center of attraction.
The building boom in Ellsworth still continues.
Getty & Larkin recently shipped a carload of flour from their mill in this city to Charleston, South Carolina.
Under the skillful treatment of E.R. Lang as physician and Joseph McBride as nurse, Mr. Job, the man who was severely cut last week, is doing exceedingly well and recovering rapidly.
The Schultz sisters have opened a millinery and dressmaking establishment opposite the post office.
The next meeting of the Plum Creek anti-horse thief association will be held at the Kokomo school house Tuesday evening, December 9, at 7 p.m.

128 YEARS AGO
December 6, 1894
The members of Hose Company No. 1, are making arrangements for their annual masquerade ball. This dance is always held on New Year’s Eve, being Monday evening, December 31.
Last Monday, A.M. Flitcraft purchased of R. Ruehl his butcher shop fixtures and business. Mr. Flitcraft has been a resident of Mulberry, this county, for a number of years, and we wish him success in his new business.
Oscar Seitz was in the city yesterday visiting with his brother George.              

103 YEARS AGO
December 18, 1919
High school notes — The basketball game which was scheduled with the town team for last Friday was postponed on account of the fuel shortage. The sophomore domestic science girls are commencing to work on the Red Cross layettes for French babies this week.
City engineer’s notes — Road drag men should watch for a favorable opportunity to drag the roads so they will not freeze rough, thereby making the travel difficult.
At a meeting of the city council held Monday morning, it was voted to reinstate the hours of opening and closing of business houses, which prevailed prior to November 1, 1919. This action was taken as a result of the ending of the coal strike and the favorable condition of the fuel supply at this time.
A marriage license was issued Tuesday by Judge J.R. Tercy to Miss Cora E. Root and Joe A. Wanek of Dorrance.
Several of the high school girls will go to Paradise Friday evening to sing at a box supper.      

78 YEARS AGO
November 30, 1944
The first snow of the season fell here briefly Tuesday morning, melting as it struck the ground. The first continued cold spell arrived Monday and continued until Wednesday when there was a gradual warming up.
Work shoes, $2.79; men’s rubber overshoes, $3.98; men’s heavy Rockford socks, 2 pr. 35 cents; men’s overalls and jackets, extra-heavy, full-cut, one pair to customers, $1.98 - Townsend’s.
Birth — Born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hudson of the Buckeye neighborhood at the hospital Saturday, November 25, 1944, a son.
Andy Myers, manager of the Ellsworth, Kansas Power company office, has been informed that outside Christmas and holiday lighting is taboo again this year.            

53 YEARS AGO
December 4, 1969
Jim W. Cowan, 32, formerly of McPherson, began work as undersheriff of Ellsworth County December 1. He will serve under Sheriff Charles Zavesky.
The Ellsworth debate squad will travel to Hoisington for a two-day tournament this Friday and Saturday. Those going are Randy Rathbun, Kevin O’Donnell, Sam Markham and Gary Wooten.
Ellsworth Developments, Inc., will hold an open house at its new house for sale at Elizabeth and Tenth streets in Ellsworth this Sunday, December 7, from 2-5 p.m.
Brand new 1970 Pontiac Catalina 4-door sedan, Helwick’s price $3,696.69. - Helwick Motors Inc.
Sergeant and Mrs. Donald Zvolanek and Robin have returned from Giessen, Germany, where he served a 2 ½-year tour of duty with the U.S. Army in the 2nd Finance Section.         

38 YEARS AGO
November 29, 1984
The Board of Ellsworth County Commissioners appointed Dennis Suelter to the Mulberry Township Board as clerk during their regular session November 26, with all members and County Attorney Roger Peterson present. Suelter fills the unexpired term of Don Little who moved out of the county.
The Quivira Heights Thunderbirds’ dream of defending their state championship in football was shattered by the Denton-Midway Eagles last Friday in the Eight-Man Division I title game at Russell. The T-Birds just couldn’t overcome a 40-point first half by the Eagles. Final score, 54-34.
Kenneth S. and Irene Urbanek of rural Wilson were honored at a surprise pre-40th wedding anniversary dinner and celebration Sunday, November 25, at the Brookville Hotel. Kenneth S. Urbanek and the former Irene Janda were married November 28, 1944, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Wilson, and have since resided on a farm southeast of Wilson.        

33 YEARS AGO
November 30, 1989
Two firefighters from the Ellsworth Fire Department, cut off from other units and facing a quickly approaching wall of flames, successfully battled to save the home of Kent Janzen Monday night as firefighters from four departments battled a raging grass fire near the junction of K-156 and the Lorraine blacktop.
Golfers who use the Ellsworth Municipal Golf Course in 1990 will have to pay slightly higher fees, following a short meeting of the Ellsworth City Council Monday night.
George and Dorothy Payton announce the engagement of their daughter, Rosemary Joan, to Alan Osborne Whitley, son of Gladys Whitley of Ellsworth and the late Osborne “Bud” Whitley.

28 YEARS AGO
December 1, 1994
The Kanopolis Middle School Winter Concert is Monday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. This will be the kickoff concert, not only for the holiday season in this area, but also for the beautiful new Performing Arts Center.
With his 1994-95 wrestling squad rated fourth in the state in pre-season polls, EHS coach Chuck Lovenstein will take his team to Minneapolis Friday, Dec. 2, for a dual meet. “This is the highest we’ve ever had; I just hope we can live up to our rating,” Lovenstein said Tuesday.
Two men who left home for college and careers will return to Ellsworth in January, along with a friend from Houston, to become partners in Ellsworth Lumber Company. Current owner Steve Holke inked the contract Sunday afternoon with Jeff Landon, Ryan Webber and James Silman.
The saying “A penny saved is a penny earned” is a familiar one to Alvina Novotny, who brought $1,000 worth of pennies to Citizens State Bank and Trust in Ellsworth Friday. Novotny said she has been saving pennies for 28 years, frequently picking up neglected ones off sidewalks. Novotny bought savings bonds for 10 of her grandchildren.   
Cunningham Motors here has just received a large volume of program cars, which Mark Cunningham believes give their dealership the largest group of 1994 program minivans for sale anywhere in central Kansas.
Ellsworth High School placed five students, two boys and three girls, on the North Central Activities Association all-league cross country team Coach Roger Perkins reported this week. Among the boys, Ryan Kohrs and Ignatius Rodriguez made the top 10, and for the girls, Lanitha Barber, Janell Duryee and Molly Bircher were honored.    
The Ellsworth High School Drama Department will present “The Glass Slipper,” the story of Cinderella, during two different shows. Both shows had been scheduled for Dec. 8, but one of those shows has been changed to Dec. 11 due to a conflict. Both shows are in the new Performing Arts Center.  

The historic items on this page appear as they did in the original publication.