The social news or gossip columns in the old newspapers are always fascinating to read. A special section in the newspaper was devoted to the social media of the day. The whereabouts of local people and events were often featured in these columns. Here are a few from The News Messenger of Lyon County on January 3, 1908:

The graduates for the year 1905 of the Marshall High School held a class party in the Woodmen hall on Tuesday evening of this week. Of a class of 28 there were 20 who were able to be present. Music, games and light refreshments furnished entertainment for the evening.

New Years afforded an occasion for the family of Mr. A.W. Winter, of Granite Falls, to get together, and was doubly interesting from the fact that they were entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Dibble in Marshall. There were seven guests, including Mr. and Mrs. Winter and their two sons, their daughter Miss Mary, who is attending the Pillsbury school, and Mr. Winter’s mother. Mr. and Mrs. William Rea, Jr., and Miss Sidonia Dibble who is home from Stanley Hall. The New Year house party just escaped by one the prophetic number thirteen.

Mr. and Mrs. Roy Williams pleasantly entertained a sleighing party on Monday evening at their country home.

Mr. L. H. Blegen, manager of the Hayes-Lucas lumber company, returned Tuesday from a week’s visit his home in Waukon, IA., where he says he found a wide awake busy city the same size as Marshall, and with no empty stores.

Attorney James H. Hall and wife celebrated their second wedding anniversary on New Year eve, by entertaining a number of their young friends, and a jovial evening was passed. A five course mid-night lunch was delightfully served by the hostess and host, and the new year was voted by all present to have been most auspiciously entered upon.

Mr. and Mrs. John Nash gave a six o’clock dinner party on New Year evening, when the excellent menu was daintily served by Misses Viola and Leona Nash and Miss Blanch Regnier to the twenty guests who were present, and a most enjoyable evening was passed in sociability and merriment.

Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Hills returned from their wedding trip the first of this week, and went to their home in Duluth on Tuesday. They will visit Marshall the last of next week, with the view of thawing out after a period of ten days in the zenith city by the unsalted sea.

The photograph featured this week is a wedding dress in the Lyon County Museum’s collection. The dress was worn by Minne Sota Whitney, the daughter of Charles Colby and Nellie Whitney to Fred A. Hills. Minne Sota and Fred were married in Marshall on December 11, 1907.

Happy New Year! The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a non-profit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 W Lyon St in Marshall. In compliance with Minnesota Executive Order 20-103, the Lyon County Museum is closed through January 10 or until further notice. To contact us, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or on our Facebook page.