Headlines in History 1953: Diamond Lake Yacht Club prepares for '53 Regatta

What was making news in our area during this week in years past? The History Museum offers these newspaper excerpts to give you an idea.

July 16, 1909: “Miss Ruby Shetterly, employed at the New York Candy Kitchen, 125 South Michigan street, discovered a large tarantula on the floor of the store yesterday. The spider was captured and placed in a glass jar and is on exhibition. It is supposed the tarantula had been concealed in a bunch of bananas, but it is not known how long it has been in the store.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 17, 1916: “A break in the suspension wires caused both trolley wires to drop to the ground on North Michigan street between Marion street and LaSalle avenue, early Saturday evening, causing service to be suspended for 35 minutes. The break occurred as an interurban car was passing and the broken wire created a scare until the current could be turned off.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 18, 1926: “Indiana’s new state park, to be known as Lake James park, situated six miles north of Angola, was dedicated this afternoon, the speaker being Richard Lieber, of Indianapolis, director of the Indiana conservation department. The new park consists of 700 acres and has a two-mile frontage on beautiful Lake James. Lake James is the third largest lake in Indiana.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 19, 1933: “Square and solid and determined, a red brick house at 211 West LaSalle avenue — it was once the home of Schuyler Colfax — has withstood the advance of South Bend’s business expansion for more than three quarters of a century. But today a wrecking crew took charge. One of the last landmarks of a residential district now pushed back to make way for a city is about to fall. Soon there will be an automobile parking lot where the Schuyler Colfax home stood.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 20, 1945: “A total of $300 in cash prizes awarded in South Bend’s victory garden contest, the judging for which has just been completed, will be distributed from the Victory garden office in the city water works building, 224 North Main street, starting Monday.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 21, 1953: “The Diamond Lake Yacht Club, Cassopolis, with its many South Bend members, is preparing for its annual invitational regatta this week end. Besides the sailing races, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, social activities have been arranged. There will be a dance Saturday night and a luncheon Sunday noon.” — The South Bend Tribune

July 22, 1967: “Delegates have been chosen by St. Margaret chapter 2, Order of Eastern Star, to attend the grand lodge sessions of the organization in the Bahama Islands. The delegates will leave July 29.” — The South Bend Tribune

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: What made news the third week of July in South Bend in history