50 YEARS AGO
July 1 - 7, 1959
Safford Loadcraft, Inc. of Augusta, was awarded another $1 million contract for the U.S.
It was noted that very few Augusta homes and businesses were displaying the new 49-star American flag. The new flag was officially adopted on July 4th and plans were for Hawaii’s star to be adopted the following year.
The Augusta skating rink property on W. 7th was sold to Charles Lehr and Jack Taylor.
40 YEARS AGO
July 1 - 7, 1969
Augusta churches were requested by the Elks Lodge to ring their church bells at noon on the Fourth of July. Church bells across the nation would ring for a four minute duration.
Willene Cauthron made a hole-in-one at the Augusta Country Club during a flag tournament being played by the members of the Ladies Golf Association.
A ruptured tank on an oil transport truck left several blocks downtown sticky and had city crews working overtime to clean up the mess.
30 YEARS AGO
July 2- 8, 1979
Augusta had a new city ordinance banning bottle rockets in the city limits and at Santa Fe Lake. Capt. George Small reported the safest Fourth in several years.
The Augusta Saddle Club fed 1,000 people with their pit barbecue preceding the Bluestem Blowout PRCA Rodeo, the first rodeo sponsored here by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Approximately 4,000 people attended the two-night event.
20 YEARS AGO
July 2 - 8, 1989
The local Soroptimist Club celebrated its 37th birthday. The new officers were Norma Bisagno, Jeanne McDaniel, Naomi Cyphers, Virginia Carpenter, Faye Teegarden, Eugenia Nordman and Wilma Howell.
Longtime businessman and community leader, W.W. “Pick” Pickard had died at age 64.
The Taggart children presented their own patriotic message in the Independence Day Parade downtown. Amanda was the Spirit of ‘76, Angela was George Washington, Emily was Harriet Tubman, Michael was Abe Lincoln, and Andrea was Betsy Ross.
10 YEARS AGO
July 1 - 7, 1999
The Augusta City Council endorsed an expansion concept for the public library. The existing library had 3,214 square feet and the addition would take it to around 4,500 square feet.
Members of the Cherokee Nation asked the City Council to donate Santa Fe Lake to them. The Council took no action on the request, but wanted time for public input.
The improvement of Custer Lane (and the non-improvement of Campbell Road) was drawing lots and lots of reader comments.
