50 YEARS AGO
June 6 - 12, 1959
At one minute after 1 a.m. on June 6, 1959, Mayor R.A. Blowery made the first dial telephone call in Augusta. The Gazette offered readers important instructions on how to dial and place calls, as operators would no longer be performing that duty.
Over 600 students from Augusta schools were taking part in the summer activities program directed by Leigh Warner.
40 YEARS AGO
June 8 - 14, 1969
Allan Patterson set a new record in hot rod racing at the Spring National Racing Show in Bristol, Tenn. Patterson covered the quarter mile in 13.6 seconds, breaking the previous record of 13.51 seconds.
Dr. and Mrs. J. David Crum had just moved to town. Dr. Crum went into an associate practice of optometry with Dr. Robert Whittaker.
The City Street Department was spraying an insecticide and fungicide to combat elm bugs on elms and other trees.
30 YEARS AGO
June 7 - 14, 1979
A self-serve car wash was near completion in the 300 block of Walnut and a building permit was issued for a new Sound Electronics store at 4th and Walnut.
City officials received word that the El Dorado Reservoir project would be delayed two years. Local officials were hoping to purchase water for Augusta from the reservoir as soon as possible.
An estimated 250 homes around the city suffered some form of damage when the worst flood since 1965 struck. Eighty percent of the city was without power for a number of hours and shelters were set up around town. Mobil Oil Refinery was under 4 feet of water.
20 YEARS AGO
June 5 - 12, 1989
Everett Johnson, an Augusta Republican, took the oath of office to serve on the Kansas State Board of Education.
Augusta football players Chris Arredondo, Jason Cantu and Chris Crum were all playing in the Kansas Charity All-Star Classic, which was held at Friends University.
10 YEARS AGO
June 7 - 14, 1999
Brooke Burns, a student at Lincoln Elementary, had submitted the name that would be applied to the new slide at the municipal pool -- Thunder Plunge. Brooke was the first one down the slide when the pool opened.
A wave of vandalism took place one night with over 20 cases of flat tires and broken windows reported.
The First United Methodist Church hosted a dedicatory concert for their new Berghaus organ. Wichita State professor of music Robert Town played practically every one of the 1,113 pipes in the new organ at the afternoon recital.
Augusta, Kan. —
