1952
J. Parr Godfrey, Publisher
Jan 24 Blizzard- worst of the winter- hit hard on Monday. All roads were closed with 4-6 foot drifts. Highway 10 was only open to transport trucks and many of them found shelter on the streets of Royalton.
Feb 21 a second blizzard hit at noon Wednesday. A plow from St. Cloud broke through and traffic flowed again on Highway 10. More then 60 semi-trailers, besides other vehicles, waited at Royalton. The café stayed open all night and the air in town smelled of diesel fuel. NOTE: The Royalton Banner shows a picture of the trucks lined up on Hwy 10.
Feb 28 military funeral services were conducted in Foley for Cpl. Elmer Kranz, whose body arrived from Korea Friday.
Mar. 6 the Royalton school board approved the start of a junior high school. A shop and a home economics classes will added.
Mar. 27 adult admission to the Royal Theatre will be increased from 40 cents to 50 cents effective April 1. Children admission will remain the same at 9 cents.
Apr. 10 Elmer Anderson and Melvin Larson have taken over the Wm. Grettum Elevator. The business name will be The Anderson and Larson Grain Co.
Apr. 17 the Platte River rises to new record. The old timers are calling it the “Mighty Platte” as it was this high in the times when the flour mill dams in lower town were in use. The new highway bridge on Highway 10 saw water lapping at the concrete span and began washing away the fill of the north pier. Many county roads and culverts are covered or washed out by high water from the spring thaw and rains.
May 15 the Dickson Café has been sold to Mrs. W.J. (Jerry) Harris. The restaurant will be known as Jerry’s Café. Mrs. Harris will occupy the Dickson residence in the back of the building.
May 15 J.A. Grell has resigned as the village constable. He will become a full time duty sheriff for Morrison County. The village council has made no plans to replace Mr. Grell.
May 15 Sunday, May11, was the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Royalton State Bank.
May 15 the local town baseball team now has professional looking uniforms and new bleachers have been installed and a new scoreboard has been erected.
June 5 high school diplomas were awarded to the 26 members of the 1952 graduating class of Royalton High School held May 29.
June 28 work is to start immediately on construction of a shop class room at the Royalton High School. A one story addition south of the old high school should be complete by the fall.
Aug. 7 erection of a new telephone building is to start in a few weeks on the vacant lot just north of the water tower. This is being done to bring in dial telephones next spring.
Sept. 4 Virgil Dean has purchased Ben’s Bar from Ben Ebensteiner, who has operated the liquor store for the past 12 years. The business will still be operated under the name Ben’s Bar.
Oct. 2 for the past week, workmen have been busy dismantling the remaining portion of the Royalton Elevator, which burned last summer.
Oct. 2 construction has started on the installation of a feed grinding mill at the Anderson and Larson Grain Co. elevator in Royalton. The mill is being installed in the Royalton Produce building, the former potato warehouse, adjacent to the elevator.
Oct. 23 a lot of Royalton homes have the distinction of having two telephones, as the Northwestern Bell Co. gets ready to switch to a dial system sometime after the first of the year. Telephone lines and pole will be taken down and lines buried.
Nov. 6 General Dwight Eisenhower wins the election to become the new president of the United States.
Dec. 25 once again the Royalton Civic Club had a packed house for the annual Christmas movie and treats for all the children.