Its interesting to page through Brookings newspapers published in the 1890s. Excerpts below are exact quotes from the newspaper.
Oct. 14, 1880
Barb-ous shaves go up to 15 cents.
Oct 21, 1880
Our barbershop shaves are now down to 10 cents.
April 5, 1883
There was a baptism at Fountain last Saturday. A hole was cut in the ice in the creek about a mile south of the school house. One young lady backed out because of the cold.
July 22, 1886
The new popular cigar in Brookings is called Hindoo.
Aug. 5, 1886
A new craze in town is to place a funnel in the front of your pants and a half-dollar on your forehead, and try to get the coin to drop into the funnel.
May 22, 1890
There was no Norwegian May 17 celebration this year and each year the decrease of the vigor displayed on May 17 is noticeable.
Nov. 6, 1890
The boys of the city were out en masse last Friday night (Halloween) intent on demonstrating their superior smartness. Wooden sidewalks and outbuildings were evidence of their superior muscular and mental attainments. We hope that we will see the day when this barbarity which has followed civilization from the dark ages will be abandoned.
July 31, 1891
The county commissioners have approved $18 to Steen and Oyloe for a coffin for A. Mikelson of the county Poor Farm.
Sept. 25, 1891
Somebody has discovered that swearing is increasing at an alarming rate among the women of this country. This is easily accounted for by the increase in the number of women wearing mens shirts. Collar buttons and swearing are, of course, not synonymous, but they are never-the-less very closely associated.
Oct. 8, 1891
A joke of the day: A farmer raised 1,000 bushels of popcorn and put it in the barn. The barn caught fire and the corn popped and covered a ten-acre field. An old mare in an adjoining field thought it was snow and froze to death.
Dec. 17, 1891
Five pounds of coffee is $1; four pounds of chewing tobacco is $1 at Skinners Store.
Feb. 25, 1892
There was a weight social at the Presbyterian Church recently. Persons attending received a number when they entered the church and they matched it up with another of the opposite sex who had the same number. Then the man paid one-fourth cent for each pound of weight of the partner.
June 3, 1897
Gasoline is 15 cents a gallon. Many confuse gasoline with kerosene and suffer burns when they throw it on the fire.
June 30, 1898
A meeting is set for next week at the Presbyterian Church called by Mayor G. A. Mathews to consider a permanent library for Brookings.
July 21, 1898
An estimated 12,000 people attended the Ringling Brothers circus in town at the Fair Grounds.
Aug. 18, 1898
There is news from Madison and Sioux Falls that these communities are building sidewalks of concrete.
Sept. 2, 1898
A piano tuner from Minneapolis tuned 40 Brookings pianos this summer.
July 13, 1899
Barrs Bakery is making 1,000 to 1,200 loaves of bread a week.
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