Life gets back to normal in Highland following victory in World War II
With the close of World War II, life began to get back to a sense of normalcy in Highland.
All price and wage controls were finally lifted and slaughtering quotas ended. Magically, all meat markets had meat again.
A year after the war had ended, automobiles were still in short supply, and the lists were long at all dealers.
Wartime, zinc-coated pennies weren’t holding up and were recalled.
Boys dungarees were selling at $1.65.
First-class mail went up to 5 cents.
Business
Edgar Haller bought Sam Michael’s Meat Market after working for Neubauer’s Meat Market for 24 years. Sam Michael ran the Michael’s Meat Market on the northwest corner of Cypress and Ninth streets. It was in the same building, just next door to Herman Pattberg’s Grocery Store. Later, Edgar Haller owned the entire building, and after Edgar’s death, Mrs. Haller turned the building into apartments.
Russ Hoffman, in his March 19, 1996, column in The Shopper’s Review, wrote: “Mr. and Mrs. Sam Michael were the parents of Sumner ‘Summie’ Michael of the class of 1934. The Michaels’ son Summie was an excellent Highland High School trumpet player and played for many years. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Sumner could sit in with any band, even one time with Harry James at Columbia, Missouri. Summie was returning to Nashville after an engagement and had a late-night auto accident. It was touch-and-go for a long time, but he finally recovered, but his trumpet playing had ended.”
“Calvin Klaus of the Klaus Built-in-Arch Shoe Co., in June 1946, announced they had purchased three acres on ‘Gisler Hill’ and would build a factory.” (Today, it is Clean, the Uniform Co. at 601 5th St.)
“Edward B. Hug of OK Meat Market retired after 43 years; his son Harvey Hug, will operate the Hug Meat Market.
“Highland Builders Supply built their new building at the northwest corner of Broadway and Chestnut, opened under the ownership of Hank Louden, Milt Sautter and Jim Byrne.
“Moulton-Bartley Shoe Factory, at Broadway and Washington, and its employees agreed to a new minimum wage of 52 ½ cents per hour and maximum of 57 ½ cents.
“Pennsylvania Railroad was experimenting with diesel engines.
“Christ (C.J.) Hug announced he had sold the entire Hug Truck Co. plant to Alton Box Co. of Alton. They would be opening Highland Box Co. plant as soon as machinery was available.
“Walter Schnurr bought the Western Auto Store.
“George Stratmann of Stratman Lumber of Highland purchased Pocahontas Lumber Yard.
“Cletus Pattberg of Highlnd bought Brenkendorf Grocery of St. Jacob.
“Leo Wirz, Frank Winter and Al. Korte purchased Neubauer’s Meat Market.
“Otto Jakel and Leonard Heim opened their J&H Machine Shop behind Voegele’s Studio.
“Elmer Kaiser, Vic Diesen and his wife took over operating the Airpark Barn Restaurant, just south of the airport.
“Val Portwood was named manager of the Lory Theatre.
Community
“The first Australian war bride, Mrs. Elvin Wiese, arrived.
“The city of Highland built a new water tank at Zschokke and 13th streets. (The water tank is still in operation, and the Parks & Recreation Tot Lot is in the south portion of that lot.)
“Dentist James Baumann, son of Dentist Reuban Baumann, has also became a dentist, in Paris, Ill.
“Dr. Edward Hediger of Jamestown has also followed in his father’s profession and become a medical doctor in Highland.
“Chief of Police Elmer Winter was succeeded by Albert Wehrle, and Jerry Roberts joined the Highland Police Department.
“Max Iberg, a Highland farmer, had the first test-tube calf born in Madison County.
“Floyd Basler of Basler Electric shot his second hole-in-one at the Highland Country Club.
“The American Legion of Highland purchased the John Geismann home at Broadway and Pestalozzi for its new home and meeting place. (Today, Patty’s Style Shop at 621 Broadway.)
“Highland Country Club purchased ground from A.P. Mosimann, Herb Stocker and Berns Duane (B.D.) Tibbetts.
“Marion Kaeser, daughter of Dr. Albert and Jennie Latzer Kaeser, began teaching Home Economics at the University of Illinois, following her discharge from the U.S. Navy.
“Amos ‘Pat’ Spencer, near 70 and retired editor of the Highland News Leader, bowled a 289 game, with a 673 total.
“As 1946 neared an end, the Rev. Elmer Baker was announced as the pastor of the First Congregational Church.
“Teachers were seeking a salary minimum of $2,400.
“Irma Lory Knebel, formerly of Highland, was elected president of the Pocahontas American Legion.
“Highland High School elected its first homecoming queen, Queen Jeanette Jegel (Now Mrs. Bernell Hammel).
“Milton, ‘Mink’ Mueller was elected to the Illinois State Senate.”
Learn more at the museum
Rich Federer, former owner and editor of the Highland Journal newspaper, gave me a copper printing plate of Mink’s photograph used for advertising for this 1946 election. It is now in the Highland Home Museum in the “M” cabinet.
Many of the businesses listed in today’s column are also in the museum. Remember this Saturday, Sept. 2, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., we will also be celebrating, V.J. Day, Sept. 2,1945, in the museum. If you have any questions, bring any of my last three columns with you, and we will answer them after the tour. Hope to see you here to celebrate, VJ Day with me, the original happiest day of my life. See you Saturday.
(Information for today’s column from the Highland Sesquicentennial book, the Good Old Days, and my files.)
This story was originally published August 31, 2017 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Life gets back to normal in Highland following victory in World War II."