STORIES FROM AROUND TOWN

By Shawn Personke

It's so interesting to find out who lived in your house throughout the decades. Our research found that John Strahle - the longest living Civil War vet - lived in our house for over 10 years, purchasing it from the Kantlehner family, who originally built it around 1910. Strahle and his daughter Carrie moved here after his wife Sophie died, John died in 1929. Since he died at the start of the depression, we surmised that the house ownership/occupation was in limbo for a couple of years until it was bought by the Groves, who started the "5 &10" in downtown Chelsea. We often imagined them walking uptown to open their store, or do some other business. These stories are just one of the many that can be found in the digitized "Chelsea Standard" archives housed by the Chelsea District Library.

Photo: A vintage postcard - looking south on South Main, from about where Cottage Inn now operates.

Spend any time going through the Chelsea District Library's newspaper archives and you're bound to find some great stories. As our house was built by the Kantlehner family, we enjoyed reading this story about GOLD found on his property. Take a look but the lead is: "Tuesday afternoon the children in the south part of town dug over 100 dollars in gold and silver coins from cinders and ashes drawn on the vacant lot of George Kantlehner on Congdon Street." But wait, it gets better. School kids from St. Mary, search parties, bankers....take a look! And find out for yourself...the rest of the story!

I was talking to _________ the other day. ___________ just turned 101. I asked him if he'd ever met anyone that was 100. .......... and then he said. and then I said. fjlksadjfkldjafkjdlafjklsadjflkasdjfklsjdflad.. It was amazing to think.......................