Editor’s note: The weekly “Prior Lake in the Past” column contains summary excerpts of news items published in the Prior Lake American during decades from the past. We hope our readers enjoy remembering those people and events mentioned in the articles, and this feature provides historical perspective about how much the community has changed over the decades.
Prior Lake American
Published 60 years ago
June 21, 1966
Fireworks show planned: The Prior Lake Association announced plans to once again sponsor the annual July 4 fireworks show that will be staged on the old Scherer farm, also known as the Knox farm, located on County Road 12, near Spring Lake. Wayne Konga, vice-president of the association and chairman of the event, announced that plans were being discussed for a boat parade prior to the fireworks show.
A first recital: Sixteen-year-old Rick Busse participated in his first piano recital, along with his students, at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Busse. Participating in the recital were Debbie Harthun, Barbara Jean Hastings, Gary Keckeisen, Jan Grimmer, Cindy Busse, John Keckeisen and Colleen Mahoney. Busse will begin teaching advanced piano students following another year of training. A member of the National Honor Society, he was to enter his junior year at Prior Lake High School in the fall.
Published 38 years ago
June 20, 1988
Medal winners: Five members of the Scott County Developmental Achievement Center’s (DAC) Special Olympic Team returned to Prior Lake on June 9 with medals around their necks and smiles on their faces. Contest winners included Tim Haferman, Loren Nelson, Terry Olhow, Mary Ostigaad and Linda Savage.
Dangerous stretch of road: A Prior Lake woman was the fourth person killed in a car crash that occurred on Highway 13 in the previous year. Evelyn Hanson and her husband were on their way to walk at Cleary Lake Regional Park when their car was rear-ended and pushed into the path of an oncoming car. The accident occurred near the intersection of Highway 13 and County Road 29. A group of more than 50 local residents had been studying the Highway 13 safety problem since the previous June.
Lakefront Days planning underway: The Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce was busy preparing for its celebration of “Lakefront Days” planned for July 2, 3 and 4 at Lakefront Park. The schedule of events included a two-day carnival with rides, two fun runs, a celebrity softball game, a dance with music provided by “Bob & the Beachcombers” and a hot-shot free throw contest.
Published 20 years ago
June 17, 2006
A Shakopee Vikings stadium?: Owners of the Minnesota Vikings football team were considering Shakopee as a possible stadium home if the proposed stadium in Blaine failed to move forward. Leaders of the Vikings organization were reportedly in early stages of discussion with Shakopee real estate developers. Previously, developers considered a site near Canterbury Park for building its stadium for the Minnesota Twins.
Diving for treasures: Fifty-two scuba divers from throughout the Twin Cities area gathered on Prior Lake to participate in the city’s first “Dive the Lake” event. The effort was intended to gather discarded items in the lake, and their efforts produced a massive amount of bottles, beer and soda cans, a CD player, a boom box, and a collection of cell phones. Other items brought to the surface included a shopping cart, a ladder, a diving mask and fins, concrete blocks and makeshift anchors. One diver even found a sunken rowboat but more divers and equipment would have been needed to bring it to the surface. The event was organized by the Prior Lake Association and held in conjunction with the city’s Lake Clean-up Day.
Potential new business: City officials reported that Tractor Supply Company had expressed interest in purchasing the long-vacant building that previously housed the County Market grocery store on Highway 13 prior to its closure the previous year.
