1948: Loney’s restaurant was to give a free turkey dinner to anyone who has been in business for 25 years or more. Fourteen business people have made reservations.

1948: Clare Flanders and Warren Ferris bought the building on N. Front Street now occupied by Dee Carney and Mike Mott for their new plumbing business.

1948: Dorothy Thornburg was queen of the 1948 centennial contest. Second runner-up was Sarah Jane Adams. Third runner-up was Helen Nemethy.

Sue Springsteen got appendicitis and had to drop out of the contest.

Norma (Cranson) Fisher sang at the contest. She sang “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “You Made Me Love You.”

Both of these girls were my classmates in 1948.

The design for the centennial envelopes was made by Laurine Wilson.

Dowagiac’s mammoth float was made for the centennial Parade of Progress – the biggest ever built.

The framework was made by Raymond Phillips and decorated by John Blow of The Fair store.

Lewis James was master of ceremonies at the contest.

The Town Criers band played during the program.

There were two street dances on Commercial Street on Oct. 16 and 23 from 7 to 10 p.m. with music by the Little German Band (Jack Thomas’s).

The centennial parade had seven bands and 60 floats.

Oct. 14, 1948, headline: Board of Supervisors asked the Cass County Road Commission to resign.

1948: Gus Tyler announced a “live” radio broadcast at the Century Theatre with the Tune Vendors, Paul Bakeman and Bettie Silverthorn for their part of the centennial program.

1948: Picture on the front page of the Daily News of Thomas Dewey waving at the crowd at the depot from the back of his campaign train as it passed through Dowagiac.
It was estimated 20,000 folks watched (I was there).

As the train went slowly through, Lou Caine of Heddon’s stepped into the track and tossed a fly road to the would-be president.

The rod was called and engraved the President.

They had to have prior approval in order to do this.

Paul Easton gave Gov. Dewey something to look at, as Paul was wrapped in an Indian blanket and had a big Indian headdress on his head as he stood next to the tracks.

“Cardinal Charlie” Gill writes a nostalgic weekly column about growing up in the Grand Old City.
E-mail him at cardinalcharlie@hotmail.com.