From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society. For more history of Kosciusko County in the news visit yesteryear.clunette.com

Feb. 6, 1979 — A two-story brick building remembered by many as the headquarters of an auto dealership and clothing factory in downtown Warsaw will come to an end of an era under a wrecking ball next month.

Kosciusko County Commissioners Maurice Dorsey, Gerald Smalley and Fredrick Gilliam opened three bids and awarded a contract Monday for the demolition of the Blue Bell-Hartsock building at the corner of Lake and Main streets.

Feb. 7, 1977 — Battling near-zero temperatures again today, Kosciusko County residents continued a week-long struggle to dig themselves out from under blizzard conditions of 10 days ago that left in their wake untold hardships and monetary losses estimated into the millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, all schools in the county, with the exception of Tippecanoe Valley, were open today for the first time in a week and a half, and the critical shortage of natural gas appeared to be easing.

Feb. 12, 1966 — Charlie McKenzie, who uses his 6’7″ frame to a great advantage, last night became the highest scoring basketball player in a single season in Kosciusko County history by dumping in 43 points, although his Claypool Knights were nipped 83-80 by Caston.

The output brought the junior forward’s total to 681 for the season, surpassing the record of 672 set by Tom Hoover, of Mentone, during the 1956-57 campaign.

February 1962 — The Mentone High School Bulldogs will head into regional tournament play against South Bend Central Saturday with one of the winningest records in the state, with a 24-1 record. Mentone defeated Warsaw 65-61 Saturday night in the Columbia City sectional finals. 

Members of the Mentone squad are: cheerleaders: Linda Smythe, Diane Silveus, Linda Nees, Susie Nellans; players: Jerry Blackburn, Larry Beeson, Bill Nellans, Eddie Tridle, Steve Nelson, Lyle Long, Allen Creighton, Jon Newcomb, Rickey Nelson; student manager Mark Hubbard; coach Paul Bateman, Jim Whetstone, assistant coach Marvin Sanders and junior high coach Paul Rush.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels