Snapshots of History
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Last week I honored the Mount Ayr High School class of 1975 as they get together for their 50-year reunion.
There are many overeaters in that class, so I know the event will be well catered.
The class of 1965 graduated 60 years ago and I found some information on what Mount Ayr was like in 1965.
The big school news was the high school wrestlers securing their first undefeated season going 9-0. The wrestling squad had only been organized a few years earlier, so this was a huge accomplishment.
This was also the year Mount Ayr High School Wrestling Coach Doyle “Tank” Thomas took on “Texas” Bob Geigel in an exhibition wrestling match for charity. The match was held at the Mount Ayr High School Gymnasium and, of course, “Tank” showed Mr. Geigel who the boss was.
1965 was the year (Andy) Johnson Chevrolet moved out to Highway 2. The Grand Opening was held October 7 with the beautiful new showroom on display.
The office for Dr. Roy Fell at 207 N. Taylor began to be built 60 years ago. Dr. Fell came to Mt. Ayr in 1955 and first located in the former office of Dr. T. I. Moffet at 115 South Fillmore. The new office opened in February 1966 and still looks beautiful today.
Oh, yes. Dog’N’Suds opened in Mount Ayr in 1965 with Keith Rogers as builder and owner. The business stayed Dog’N’Suds for the rest of the 1960s and had many owners and names after that. The restaurant closed in 2013.
Guy Todd sold his hardware store to Keith and Betty Cole. Todd Hardware was right next door to Cole Firestone, so a doorway was made between the two storefronts and Firestone became a double storefront. Also, Melvin and Dorothy Wurster opened a Gambles Store at 112 W. Madison.
Don’s Ayrliner opened in 1965 with Don Solliday as owner. There were two other grocery stores in Mt. Ayr that could be called “supermarkets,” but the Ayrliner was much, much larger and more modern that Hy-Vee and West End Market. This was a very big event.
Natural gas came to Mount Ayr in 1965, giving residents one more option on how to heat their home. Previous methods included burning wood or coal, fuel oil heaters, and electric.
Production Credit Association came to Mount Ayr sixty years ago as did Newman’s Economy Shoe Store. And the Shamrock Cafe built an addition onto their restaurant.
The Mount Ayr Sesquicentennial will be held September 19, 20, and 21 of this year and some high school reunions will be held at that time. There will be an enormous number of people in town for that event, so you can expect to see many old friends whether they were in your class or not.
I will be attending the Mount Ayr High School Class of 1975 Reunion on August 2 and I hope I get there before the food runs out. Hopefully we will be allowed to share some high school stories, one of which might or might not be fit for print in a newspaper. Our class numbered about 75 students. The class of 1965 had 116 graduates. Today, the number is around 44.
Our old school building is gone and most of our teachers, but not all. The town doesn’t look the same and neither do I. But Mount Ayr is my hometown and I love it! I’ve got memories and photos to share.
The Sesquicenteenial Celebration will have many Mount Ayr momentos and artifacts on display as will the Mount Ayr Depot Museum. Probably many other enterprises, too. Plan on attending September 19, 20, and 21, 2025!
