Pages from the Past
by Fred H. Keller
Posted: Living Sussex Sun, August 6, 2014
Pages from the Past 08/06/14
Posted: Aug. 1, 2014
100 years ago – 1914
Aug. 1, 1914: Germany declares war on Russia.
Aug. 2: German troops occupy Luxembourg and invade Belgium on Aug. 3.
The United States is having conversations of the question of voting by women.
50 years ago – 1964
David Ehlers of North Maple Ave., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ehlers, has earned a grade-point average of 3.48 in accounting at his Milwaukee Spencerian College.
In late July, the Butler Grade School construction hole for a swimming pool was filled in at the unanimous direction of the Hamilton School District Board.
Donald Roskopf is running at large for a position on the Hamilton School District Board.
25 years ago – 1989
A late July rain storm that dropped an inch and a half of rain in 30 minutes flooded low lands, but quickly subsided.
The Color Ink is a new plant on Highways VV and J (now Highway 164). The leaders are Jim Meissner and Randy Klibowski.
The original purchase order for the first Sussex Fire Department pumping truck was recently recovered. It cost $3,700 in 1931.
A benefit for Bob Klisch, a 1981 Hamilton athlete, was held. He started in football and basketball at Hamilton, but was killed on his honeymoon at age 25 the previous November.
10 years ago – 2004
The Leo Club has been chartered for Hamilton High School students; Flora Zeng is the new president.
The Huffy Sports Company in the Sussex Corporate Center has been sold to Russell Corp. Huffy was going bankrupt and it was hoped the 200 jobs could be saved.
5 years ago – 2009
A long-time member, both as a player and director, of the Sussex Land O’ Lakes baseball team, the deceased William “Bill” Kallio, was honored by the dedication of his memorial tree adjacent to the Tetzlaff-Veterans Field in the Sussex Village Park. He also served multiple terms on the Sussex Park Board and was named to the Land O’ Lakes baseball hall of fame. At Hamilton, he was an all-conference halfback.
Pages from the Past: 08/13/14
Posted: Aug. 6, 2014
100 years ago – 1914
The Panama Canal officially opened on Aug. 15, 1914.
William B. Taylor is the owner of the Templeton Hotel, also known as the Taylor Tavern (it would become Berger’s Templeton Inn).
50 years ago – 1964
A total of 16 people are running for five positions on the Hamilton School District Board. Dan Schnabel was re-elected as the president of the school board.
Farmers and Merchants Bank in Sussex bought one half acre of land behind the bank for a parking lot $4,000 from the Hamilton School District. The bank will spend approximately $15,000 building the new bank parking lot.
25 years ago – 1989
Hardees in Sussex is paying “up to $4.25 per hour” for help at their Waukesha Avenue location.
According to a Sussex-based Waukesha County sheriff’s deputy, “This last year’s Sussex Lions Daze was one of the best behaved.” He added there wasn’t a single arrest. There were actually two arrests, but it was a pair of men who had warrants out for them.
Waukesha Board representatives Joe Marchese and Jo Mason voted against and for a Waukesha incinerator, respectively.
10 years ago – 2004
Joshua Schwitz, age 15, is the newest Sussex Eagle Scout. He belongs to Sussex Troop 95.
Manager-sponsor Eddie Fleischner’s So Busters softball team rolled to a 21-4 Friday Night Men’s League victory and maintained their current second-place standing with a 8-2 record.
Sussex is going to get a Walgreen’s drug store, but Kohl’s is not happy about it.
5 years ago – 2009
Who would have guessed that a Lisbon road project would endanger a Butler Garter snake. To counter this danger, a special nearby extra culvert (for snake crossing) will be installed.
Two neighbor boys in Sussex, Ethan Rentmeester and David Hudson, opened a hot dog and lemonade stand in their subdivision and raised $126.75 for the Sussex Food Pantry.
Pages from the Past 08/20/14
Posted: Aug. 14, 2014
100 years ago – 1914
Sussex is an unincorporated village with the four corners of Maple Avenue and Main Street, stretching east as far as Silver Spring Drive. Sussex Main Street School is essentially the eastern limits of the village, although the Sussex State Bank, now three years old, is at the intersection of Main Street and Silver Spring Drive.
Silver Spring Drive is called “The Slant Road.”
50 years ago – 1964
Dan Greulich had three hits as the Hamilton baseball team beat Brookfield East, 7-3.
Jim Stracka is the football coach at Hamilton High School, which will field its first team with seniors. Aug. 20 marks the first day of practice. There are 111 boys signed up for the team: 43 freshmen, 34 sophomores, 13 juniors and 21 seniors.
25 years ago – 1989
It has been pointed out that the road sign on Colgate Road off North Lisbon Road is misspelled “Cogate.”
The fish fry at Dilly’s (now Tailgaters) is $4.95. Meanwhile, the downtown Findlay on Main offers its Friday fish fry for $5.75.
An Aug. 2 announcement said that the Sussex Tombstone Pizza plant has been purchased by Kraft Foods.
10 years ago – 2004
Federal agents raided homes in Sussex and Lisbon, code named, “Operation Falcon.” The raids involved pornography and the forfeiture of $1.1 million to the US Government. Leslie Larsen moonlights as a member of Sussex Fire Department; her day job is as a Milwaukee-area FBI intelligence analyst. She has been with the SFD for five and a half years.
The Sussex Lisbon Area Historical Society will have a sneak peek at its museum in the former North West Railroad Depot on the evening of Aug. 11. It will officially open Aug. 20.
A dry July (0.75 inches of rain) is hurting corn, soy beans and area lawns. In contrast, 11.8 inches fell in May.
Jan and Ken Gutbrot of Lisbon were in charge of the annual Pauline Haass Library Friends Club’s ice cream social; a record 1,400 cups were served.
5 years ago – 2009
Oscar Grieb, one of the key men in Sussex’s 1958 purchase of Sussex Village Park (78 acres) for about $36,000, died at the age of 80 on July 25. He lived on Sunset Drive, adjacent to the park. He served in executive positions for the Sussex Lisbon Business and Professional Association, a promoter of the local community.
In the Sussex Sun area, there is a move to raise chickens on fenced-in grass areas, for a better tasting chicken.
Pages from the Past 08/27/14
Posted: Aug. 20, 2014
100 years ago – 1914
The land that today is owned by Quad Graphics was owned by William Viergust and adjacent to it by Mrs. C. H. Davis.
The land that Quad Tech is on is platted out for 30 house building lots with the subdivision owned by the Wisconsin Lime Stone Company.
James Templeton lives in a huge house on Waukesha Avenue, as it goes south from Main Street. Today, Rumors occupies the site.
50 years ago – 1964
The Sussex Area Youth Band received second place at the Lannon VFW Parade on July 26.
The Lisbon Presbyterian Church installed a new pastor, Rev. Wendell C. Wright.
Frying chickens cost 27 cents per pound. They are sold whole at that price.
Winston Brown, the former principal at Sussex Main Street Two-Year High School (and the grade school) has been appointed superintendent of the Menomonee Falls School System.
25 years ago – 1989
David Anderson, age 31, has resigned as Sussex administrator. He started in 1984 at age 26. He will take a position with Ehlers and Associates as a financial consultant.
The 1966 Sussex post office has been abandoned on Main Street for a new post office on Silver Spring.
A historical marker was put up at the Olde Templeton Inn; when it was torn down in the 21st century, someone stole the marker.
10 years ago – 2004
Jan Alten won $10,000 at the Sussex Lions Daze raffle.
The recent census said Sussex lost 47 citizens since last year. It is one of only two Waukesha County communities to lose population.
Sussex is going to celebrate its 80th anniversary on Sept. 12 with a Main Street closing event.
Hamilton football coach John Damato is hosting team practices.
5 years ago – 2009
Seth Kroenke belted his ninth home run of the season for the Sussex Land O Lakes baseball team to defeat the Brookfield Blues.
The town of Lisbon and the village of Sussex are working for a 12-mile quiet zone for the two train tracks that cross the community.
The Sussex Lions are gearing up for their third Piston and Rod Show in Sussex Village Park.
A total of 2,400 people were served at the annual Friends of the Pauline Haass Library ice cream social.