Richard Lyman (Excelsior book)r
1937 1938
February 25. The town's second annual Klondike Day defied low temperatures as the
people took part in skiing and skating races, a dog derby, a snow - modeling contest,January 6. Mrs. Willard T. Dillman had been manager and editor of the Minnetonka
a hockey game, the crowning of Queen Beth Teske and Princess Patty Lee, and finally,Record from 1912 until now the day of her death. Her husband had purchased the
a masquerade skating party. Chairman Roger Olds was assisted by Cliff
and
Leo paper in 1902. Ten years later he established a printing company in Minneapolis and
Cable, Eva Schmidt Morse, J. Mason and Joe Colihan. (HCR)left the local paper under his wife's supervision. Frederick O. Stout, who had moved
to Excelsior from Oklahoma to take charge of the Record's printing department,
May 4. Anson Mase asked if the Council would dedicate the triangle at the intersec-was still working there. During that time he had served as Justice of the Peace for two
tion of Second and Lake Streets to his grandfather, the late Captain Johnson. He said years, as Village Recorder for eight years, and as Mayor another eight years. One year
that the grandsons, and granddaughter Helen Hehl, would erect a flagpole and monu-after Mrs. Dillman's death, Mr. Stout left Excelsior to accept a position elsewhere.
ment and would landscape the property. The Village, for its part, would install curb MR)
and gutter around the triangle and have water brought in from the street.
February 17. When Richard and A.B. Lyman reported the loss of $200 worth of
May 27. The Minnetonka State Bank moved into temporary quarters while work turkeys from their farm south of Excel-
old buildin 16
t '1'sior, game warden Paul Farrell gaveproceededona $10 , 000 addition and remodelin g project on the g. A
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permission for a systematic fox hunt infootsquarevaultwastobebuiltwith18 -inch thick walls and the latest burglar -proo e -„
features. New up-to-date gtodatea ui ment and a more modern look, inside and out would r 5 the Minnetonka Game Refuge. Over 80
be completed about August 1. (HCR)i foxes were taken in that 12- square -mile7rearea. The Conservation Department per -
August 20. Mr. and Mrs. John Seamans'iodically permitted fox and crow hunt -
celebrated their Golden Wedding Anni-x•ing to improve conditions for upland
versary. John was born seven years after 3 game and protect the farmers' stock and
his father, Silas Seamans, claimed a crops. (MR)
homestead near Minnewashta in 1854.
At 14 years of age, John began taking s June 6. The Council "went on record as
lessons on the bass viol from the conduct -approving the placing of one or two
or of the orchestra then playing at
a wells in Excelsior to raise the level of
Hotel Lafayette. Before long he joined a " ,Lake Minnetonka." (VC; HAD, 69, 73;
the B.A. Rose orchestra, playing in the 44,s6-i y HAW, 94) The lake had been so low that,
Twin Cities and on the big Minnetonka t
steamers. He liked to sing, too, with his Two views of Minnewashta:
brother Edgar and in light opera. He
Connor's Store (above) and Minnewashta Congregational Church (below)
joined two opera companies where he I
proved to be a "quick study," soon knew
fifty roles, and could "go on" with short
notice.1 "'John and Sarah (Board) Seamans celebratedForawhileafterhemarrietheir50thweddinganniversaryin1937
Catherine Board of Indiana, in 1887,
A ".1
athecouplelivedinCalifornia. Mr. Seamans had become a painter and decorator before iil
their return to Excelsior in 1898, an occupation which may have seemed a more 4
4 4' 1
reliable source of income than small opera companies for the support of their six
flirchildren. Yet the gift of song was a heritage which appeared and reappeared in various
Y
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Seamans families through succeeding generations. (MR)
November 10. Warren H. Morse, son of County Commissioner H.A. Morse, married l gMissLorraineKlickofChristmasLake. Rev. Waldo Richards of the Congregational
Church officiated, and Mrs. F.W. Colburn was the organist. Four - year -old Donna I°Aldritt, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln Aldritt, was the flower girl; and Miss Geral-h
dine Klick, the maid of honor. Richard Klick and Vernon Morse served as ushers. The y r
couple planned to be at home, after December 1, in an apartment on Second Street.
HCR)
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March 26. Miss Lorraine King, vocal music director at Excelsior High, led a double
a barge owned by Anson R. Mase. Following a picnic supper served in the Park life. During school hours, she was preparing the high - school chorus for the annual
pavilion, more than 100 members and guests went aboard for the boat ride. As the spring music festival. Outside the classroom, she and her golden harp had appeared
ship" pulled out, the Hopkins Municipal Band played "Anchors A- weigh."with the orchestras of Andre Kostelanetz and Vaughn Monroe and had provided
Mase's boat, "built to sustain large ships," had been used by the Navy during dinner music in all of the larger Minneapolis hotels. This evening Miss King was guest
the war for emergency dry -dock work. Now on Minnetonka, she served large groups soloist with the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. (MR)
for events of this kind. (HCR)
March 27. The year -old Tonka Flying Club had increased its membership from 7 to 17
1 T'and now owned three planes: two Piper Cubs and one Aeronca Chief. During the
winter, members flew the planes with skis to land on Lake Minnewashta. In the spring
t
the Aeronca was "put on pontoons." Officers for the coming year were R.S. Kinghorn,
F #president; Harold Pohl, vice - president; and Les Johnson, secretary- treasurer. Semi - „,,,,
4 monthly meetings took place at the homes of members. (MR)
3 D r
n °April 3. This was the Grand Opening of the Wehnes Drug Store. The old MinnetonkaJ
1 / ,Drug Store had been rebuilt and remodeled by the new owner, Lloyd Wehnes. (MR)
7 April 9. The high - school vocal groups presented "Great Moments in Music” under
the direction of Miss Lorraine King. The high point of the evening was a "condensa-
3 tion" of the Merry Widow Operetta in which costumes, scenery and ballet combined
s:1`t
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Pearl and Ade (Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Sea-with the singing leads and chorus to produce a treat for the eyes, as well as the ears.mans) at two different radio stations, 1947
F The audience was wildly enthusiastic, calling it the "best musical program ever given
J,in Excelsior High School." (MR)
t April 16. Col. W.S. McWade, a veteran of two wars, died at his home on ChristmashA`
Lake, where he had lived since his marriage in 1899. He had been in command of
Company A of the 15th Minnesota National Guard when the regiment was ordered to
the Philippines. He was serving under Gen. McC. Reeve in the Spanish- American
November 1. This was Ruth Hutton Day in Excelsior, and the American Legion Post War and the Philippine insurrection that followed. During the first World War, he
served as Commander, was an instructor in infantry training at Dunwoody Institute,and Auxiliary gave a dinner in her honor. During her 25 years as a member of the local
organization, she had been ascending from one office to another on the state and Minneapolis, and military instructor in various Minneapolis high schools. After the
national levels. The World War, he enlisted in the Army Reserve Corps where he became a colonel andpinnaclewasreachedonAugust31whenMrs. Lee Hutton became remained active until 1941. (MR)National President of the American Legion Auxiliary. Since then she had toured
Europe with an Auxiliary delegation, visiting national cemeteries and studying the
May 12. The Excelsior School Patrol made its first appearance on street corners.needs of towns devastated by the war. Two years later she would be awarded the Backed by the Hennepin County Sheriff's office, this patrol was directed by SchoolFrenchLegionofHonorforherpart "in the rehabilitation of St. Die, a French town Superintendent Nilsen and sponsored by the Clarence Clofer Legion Post. (MR)destroyed by the Germans in World War II." (MR)
May 13. Roger Hennessy returned after two months spent in Philadelphia, studyingDecember1. The new National Tea store opened this afternoon with Russell Esau
at North America's School for Insurance Agents. He had been an insurance agent
as manager. It was located across Water Street from the Tonka Theater, on the site with the Minnetonka State Bank since his return from service two years earlier. (MR)where the White House had been razed and the land lowered to street level. (MR)
June 3. The new Town Pump was an eating place on Water Street owned by Mr. and
1948 Mrs. Mallory Bolton, of Deephaven. They had decorated their place in green and
mulberry and installed, in their front window, a real, old- fashioned, square wooden
pump with running water which flowed into an old oaken bucket. The Boltons offered
January 29. Arthur Lyman died. Son of Henry M. Lyman, he had grown up in Carver coffee, baked goods and fountain service at horseshoe - shaped counters with revolving
seats. One could also "take out" any of the famous brands of ice cream, candies andCounty, married Evelyn Brackett of Excelsior in 1903, and had two sons and one
daughter (Richard, A. Burton and Elizabeth). Mr. Lyman is best remembered for bakery goods they carried. Mr. Bolton had finally achieved a dream he had been
promoting Wendelin Grimm's alfalfa in the area and calling this hardy new variety harboring when World War II interfered with his plans. (MR)
to the attention of state agricultural experts. (MR)July 1. Sheila Kragness received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Minnesota in
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