The 1970-era Main Street rededication ceremony, complete with a square dance and bicycle parade, commemorated the most recent overhaul of Main Street. A three-day festival, held from Oct. 14-16, 1971, culminated with a ribbon cutting and parade down Main Street 44 years ago.
According to newspaper accounts of the rededication, merchants offered three days of storewide sales. Prizes were awarded, including the grand prize of a color TV. A used automobile was given away; the car was parked at different locations on Main Street each day during the celebration.
The celebration was planned by the Oconto Falls Businessmen’s Association. It included a square dance at the Coachlight Inn, bicycle parade with prizes for the best decorated bicycle or tricycle, and a ribbon cutting followed by a parade featuring the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, antique cars and floats. The bands of Faye Hessil and Hugo Delzer provided polka music.
Jim Moynihan, city alderman and president of the Businessmen’s Association at the time, said he remembers introducing the guests of honor seated on a portable stage in the Coachlight Inn parking lot. He also remembers the names of the businesses in what was a thriving commercial hub. The theater, furniture store, hardware store, drug store, bowling alley, service station and newspaper office were among the enterprises on the street.
“From what it is now, to then, it’s quite a change,” he said.
According to Times Herald coverage of the celebration, State Rep. John Byrnes, 8th District congressman, was the keynote speaker on the final day of the celebration, joined by E.J. Shellman, former mayor. Shellman told how the County Board and municipalities fought to keep Highway 22 located in the city after a bypass was proposed.
Ralph Lemorande, who was chairman of the city’s industrial development committee, was the master of ceremonies. Honored guests were Mayor Ernest Henry, state Rep. Milton McDougal, state Sen. Reuben LaFave and an aide to U.S. Sen. William Proxmire. Pat Trudell, of the Businessmen’s Association, was the head of the celebration committee.
Before the ceremonies began, there was a one-hour band concert.
Debbie (Coppens) Maass was selected as queen for the rededication. The Times Herald was unable to contact her.
Mary (Asher) Deneys was the runner-up in the queen contest. Asher, who lived on the Howard Lahner farm in rural Oconto Falls at the time, said she remembers being interviewed by judges at Oconto Falls High School. She was 16.
“I remember there was a parade, and it was in the fall,” she added. She recalled riding in an antique car in the parade, but little beyond that. In 1975, she moved to the Green Bay area, where she still resides.
Moynihan and Deneys remembered Oct. 16 was a cold day for an outdoor ceremony.
“It was cold because I remember the jacket I had on,” Deneys said.
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