1951 - 2000

1901	Dallas Woolen Mill machinery was dismantled and moved to Sellwood and the building was sold to the LaCreole Academy and was used as a gymnasium. M.M. Ellis is Mayor again. Basketball was first organized in Dallas. J.W. Crider retires and his brother takes over the business but about bankrupted it. Louis Gerlinger Sr. purchased 7,000 acres of timberland just west of Dallas. He incorporated the Salem, Falls City and Western Railway Company. Ordinance passed prohibiting livestock to run at large.
1902	Guy Brothers, with basic hardware inventory opens on Mill St by Newton L. and Bert Guy. Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Morris open a jewelry store at the present Brixius location . W.C. Brown scattered thousands of nickels on the courthouse square for the children to scramble for.
1903	HV Gates started construction of a water system that continued to expand. City approved purchase of 3 hose carts outfitted with 100’s of feet of 2 ½ hose. J.C. Hayter is Mayor. Muir and McDonald Tannery was Destroyed by fire and a new tannery was begun on the same location<. The first train ran from Dallas to Falls City. The cost was 35 cents, one way, to ride and took forty-five minutes to ride nine miles. The light plant was sold to the city and then to the Mountain States Power Company.
1904	Sewers were laid on more populous streets to initiate a system . H.V. Gates completed the first Dallas Water System and operated it for 27 years. Conrad Stafrin and Dr. W.S. Carey bought the Adam Wilson building and the pharmacy it contained.
1905	Ed Biddle is Mayor and appoints the first library board; J.C. Hayter, R.E. Williams, D.M. Metzger, H.B. Cosper, F.H. Morrison and Dan P. Stouffer. Dallas High School began when the community decided to add the ninth and tenth grades to the public schools. Chauncy, J.W. Crider’s son, comes back to Dallas from California and takes over; adding a grocery store, at the Blue Garden location. Later, Chauncy purchased another location to the north and tore down the building and built a new two-story structure that made the business unique. He installed a freight elevator and sold buggies, wagons and harnesses upstairs and hardware and groceries downstairs. Charles Guy entered the hardware business with his brothers. George Cone began building a sawmill on the train terminal in Dallas.
1906	Cone Lumber Company began production (March) and was purchased two months later by the Gerlingers, H.L. Pittock and F.W. Leadbetter and was combined with the railroad and associated timber lands to become Willamette Valley Lumber Company. Stafrin buys out Carey and sells monogrammed hot water bottles, Georgia Rose face powder. Rexall hair tonic, as well as many other items.
1907	Andrew B. Muir is Mayor. Willamette Valley Lumber Company employed 40 men producing 60,000 board feet on a 10-hour shift.
1908	Dallas businesses contributed $2,000 to Carl Fenton and the Dallas College Basketball team to embark on a legendary trip across 22 states in a little less than three months, to promote the city of Dallas and the State of Oregon. They played 58 games with an impressive 49-9 record. W.C. Brown held his annual birthday banquet for the widows in November. This year, however, he also invited all of the widowers. This became the most memorable occasion, with the approximately 50 guest gathering in the Dallas Hotel parlor wanted their group picture taken on the porch as a remembrance of such a fine occasion. Dallas free library association was granted use of the fireman’s room in city hall for a library and a reading room.
1909	June 7th the City Council a 6mph speed limit was set for the streets in the city limits. H.C. Eakin is Mayor. Gail Hotel built by J. B. Thompson. George T. Gerlinger home on SE Main and Cherry St.
1910	F.J. "Joe" Craven started Craven Insurance Agency in the Dallas City Bank, writing fire and liability insurance on homes, farms, and businesses. Willamette Valley Lumber Company now cutting 100,000 board feet on a 10-hour shift.
1911	J.R. Craven is Mayor. A new high school was built on the corner of Academy and Main as there were too many students. The eleventh grade was added at this time and there were 40 students. Mrs. George T. Gerlinger, librarian, came before the council and asked that a library be built. National Guard Armory was built.
1912	National Guard Armory is dedicated Feb. 5. The first students graduated from the high school. There were six girls . Guy Brothers moves to the corner of Main and Mill (later Adolf Electric site) an new plumbing and heating shop was added to the business as well as Ford and Studebaker automobiles. Terror Engine Co. No.1 was reorganized under the present city charter with August Risser the first fire chief. Andrew Carnegie was awarded construction of the library for $10,000 and the city hall was moved around the corner to a location on Church. The library was built on the city hall’s original site.
1913	Hard surface paving began on parts of Main, Mill, Court and Oak streets, by the Clark Henry Company. J.G. Van Orsdel is Mayor. New courses were added to the high school and student enrollment jumped to 160 so three more teachers were hired, making a total of six. The high school severely injured the Academy as there were not tuition fees.
1914	August 31, the council purchased the Rowell tract in the southwest part of the town for the county fair. Cost was $5,000. The tract was traded to Polk County prior to the building of the new city hall for the property on Jefferson and Court. The two schools competed unnecessarily and duplicated offers so the two schools were combined. The Farmer’s Union Cooperative Warehouse was founded. Jennings Lodge added a third floor to the Blue Garden.
1918	Tracy Staats is Mayor.
1919	August Risser is Mayor.
1920	U.S. Grant is Mayor. A fire broke out at Willamette Valley Lumber Company sawmill. Fast work on the part of the employees and the Dallas citizens saved the finished lumber, logs, planning mill and box plant, but the sawmill was a complete loss. Farmer’s Union Cooperative Warehouse was built at the south end of Main St. Walter R. "Walt" Craven joined his father in the insurance business. Bill & Ruth Retzer purchase the jewelry store from the Morris’.
1921	Polk County Observer was destroyed by fire, but never missed an issue.
1922	Mark Odom Hatfield was born in Dallas. Fire at the sawmill destroyed the mill’s finished lumber inventory.
1923	Walter S. Muir is Mayor. First O & C timber bought. C.W. Henkel built a lovely Victorian home at SE Oak (184) and Jefferson. He was a funeral director and banker.
1924	Dallas Planing Mill founded . Fire burned the Willamette Valley Lumber Company logging camp and two weeks later a fire destroyed the planer, dry Kilns and some finished lumber. Walter Muir’s home built on (561) Levens St. Earle Richardson purchased the Polk County Observer from E.A. Koen.
1925	Conrad Stafrin is Mayor. The first motorized fire engine was purchased; a Stutz pumper. (Approx. this year) L.J. "Laurence" Smith joined Craven Insurance and the name changed to Craven, Craven & Smith and still located in the Dallas City Bank. Auto insurance was now available as a new product.
1927	New county jail built at Jefferson and Court St. Itemizer Observer name appeared when Richardson bought the competing Itemizer in Dallas and consolidated the papers.
1929	Leif Finseth is Mayor. Walter L. Young (joined in 1912) was the new fire chief.
1930	The ID. Bartell Hospital was build on (286) Court St. N.L. Guy helped establish the Northern Wholesale Hardware Association in Portland.
1931	Water system became municipally owned and the city built an additional three million gallon reservoir.
1932	Conrad Stafrin dies and his two daughters, Ruby and Ida continued their father’s business. The "Stafrin girls" became Dallas’s first ambulance drivers.
1935	Otto Adolf founded Adolf’s Electric on (611) Mill St. Guy Brothers purchased and remodeled a larger two story building on Main St.
1936	New City Hall dedication (Court and Jefferson) constructed for $45,000, 40% was a Public Works Administration grant. On the building committee were Mayor Leif S. Finseth, Maurice Dalton, C.B. Sundberg, and William C. Retzer, councilmen.
1938	Demolition of Rickreall Academy . Lair V. Woods started Woods Insurance. N.L. Guy and his son Frank bought out the other brothers. During this time, along with the basic lines, Guy’s sold Harley Davidson motorcycles and washing machines. N.L. Guy suddenly dies and Frank L. Guy became the president and owner of Guy’s Hardware. Albert Burelbach starts Dallas Welding and Boiler Works located where the Dallas Civic Center now stands.
1940	The worst fire in Dallas’ history destroyed nearly everything at Willamette Valley Lumber. Damages estimated at over $500,000 and only a portion was covered by insurance.
1941	Orlando Peters started the Peter’s Fuel Company . Willamette Valley Lumber was rebuilt.
1943	F.E. Kersey is Mayor.
1945	Mayor is Hollis Smith.
1946	Albert’s son, Marlin took over Dallas Welding and Boiler Works and formed Western Steel and Supply, hardware and logging supply business on the corner of Jefferson and Washington, where Radio Shack is today.
1947	Mountain States Power Company, on the corner of Main and Mill, becomes the new home for Adolf’s Electric. July Dallas had its largest celebration to date. Planned and hosted the Polk County Centennial, with all of Polk county towns participating and visitors coming from all over the Pacific northwest.
1948	Village Missions is formed.
1949	A Mack pump truck was purchased for the fire department for $15,555. Lee Wright opens Lee’s Auto Service on the SW corner of Washington and Church St. Mr. & Mrs. O.A. Sjolund purchase Retzer’s jewelry store. Fox Theater opened.
1953	Wall Insurance is established.
1954	Model sewage disposal plant now serving 12,000 people. Public school enrollment is almost 2,000 students and 85 teachers. 25 of the city’s 27 miles of streets are paved. Willamette Valley Lumber Co employs 450 with an annual payroll of approx. $2,000,000. Gerlinger Carrier employs 250 with an annual payroll of $1,100,000. Population of Dallas 5,350. George DeGraff’s Cabinet Works specializes in the manufacture of church furniture. Dallas Plaining Mill is one of the West’s few factories devoted exclusively to the manufacture of moldings. Friesen Core Co makes cores of alder wood used for ticker tape, gum machines, adding machines, and cash registers. Muir and McDonald Tannery specializes in tanning russet strap leather. Pacific Power and Light purchased the power plant.
1955	A sheathing plant officially opened on the sawmill grounds (Dallas plywood plant). Dallas High School Dragons under coach Ken Jacobson lost to Vail High School in the A-2 Sate football championship.
1956	The City Council bought 15 acres across the creek of the city park from H.H. Harder.
1957	A.H. Freisen is Mayor. The first students enter the new Whitworth Grade School.
1958	Dallas voters approved a municipal water project that will assure the city of an adequate water supply for decades to come. Earth fill dam on the Rickreall will create a reservoir to hold 410 million gallons of water for municipal usage. Cost will be approximately $290,000. The Dallas High School Dragons (18-7) under coach Gordon Kunke beat St. Francis (22-4) 46-42 at South Salem High School for the first boy's A-2 basketball championship.
1959	Jack Isaacson was awarded contract for the Dallas Municipal Dam. Don & Lavina Brixius purchase the jewelry store from O.A. Sjolund and the store becomes Brixius Jewelers . March 1, only two mercantile establishments, an abstract off, a law office, the bank and the Itemizer Observer, are the only businesses in the same location and under the same management or family chain of decent as they were in 1924.
1963	The Mayor is R.I. Van Den Bosch.
1964	City Beautification Committee was formed. Richardson sold the Itemizer to Blue Mountain Eagle, Inc, . Don Denlinger opened his own real estate office, Northwest Enterprises on Main and Oak . Lee’s Auto Service moved to its present location on the corner of Ellendale Ave and Orchard Dr. Marlin moved Western Steel & Supply to its present location. Marlin did the engineering there and Al did the welding and fabrication downtown. The flood damage to the city part was $9,915 for damages done on both sides of the river. The Rickreall creek reached its highest peak since 1932 and for the first time in its 103-year history, the Muir and McDonald Tannery had water flowing through it.
1965	W. Robert "Bob" Craven joined his father, Walt and the name changed again to Craven Insurance Agency.
1966	the two Burelbach businesses consolidated.
1967	Eldon Bevens purchases the Muir McDonald Tannery. The Stafrin girls sell the store to Mr. and Mrs. Ross Stetson. The Bank of Willamette Valley was formed. Bob Halvorson, owner of one of the oldest homes in Dallas, tears the old house down. It was on the Solomon Shelton donation land claim. (Next to Harry’s Auto Service on Washington St). Willamette Valley Lumber and several others merged to form Willamette Valley Industries, Inc. Dallas Garbage Disposal Company starts up.
1968	Volunteers along with some Rotarians and Kiwanians built the Japanese garden in the city park.
1969	Dallas Business and Professional Woman’s’ Club donates a Japanese lantern to the city park. Clarence T. Smith built the "Japanese Garden" sign and it was installed by Gene Fredrickson. Vacu-Maid Northwest, Inc began.
1970	Due to Frank Guy’s efforts, Northern Wholesalers was purchased by Cotter and Companies True Value Hardware Association, and Guy’s Hardware became a leading True Value dealer.
1971	A new pagoda style park shelter with a new fireplace was completed in the city park at the cost of $6500, half provided by the city and half provided by the state highway department. The Polk County Itemizer-Observer Dallas office burned and was moved to its present location.
1972	Thomas C. Forbes Plumbing Co. is established.
1973	The Mayor is Kenneth L. Woods. Orlando Peters sold Peters Fuel Company to his son, Scott, who still runs the business. Guy’s Hardware was remodeled and enlarged and the old Chevrolet garage that occupied the corner of Oak and Main St received a new store front and became part of Guy’s.
1975	Willamette Valley Title Co. opens.
1976	Van Well Building Supply Company opens.
1978	The Mayor is Gwen Van Den Bosch (Dallas’ only female Mayor). The City Park Board donates land for the development of an arboretum and botanical garden.
1980	Don Denlinger purchased the Realty World franchise and Northwest Enterprises became Realty World Northwest Enterprises.
1981	Frederick "Fritz" Meyer purchased the Lovelady House on Shelton and Washington St. Bob Praegitzer broke ground on 27.000 sq ft manufacturing facility and 6 months later, 15-20 employees began manufacturing the company’s first printed circuit boards. Kenneth L. Woods Jr. joined Bob Craven in the agency. Ken’s grandfather and father were also in the insurance business in Dallas.
1982	Pat DeLaGrange purchased the Denlinger business when he retires. Great Western Bank begins.
1983	The Friends of the Delbert Hunter Arboretum was formed to develop land donated by the city for native Oregon trees and plants. Focal Point Photography started business; buy, sell, trade photographic Equipment.
1984	The old HARDER HOUSE became the offices for attorneys Chris Lillegard and Doug Berg
1985	Realty World Northwest Enterprises becomes Century 21 Northwest Realty Inc. Farmer’s Co-op was privatized and renamed Dallas Feed and Seed, Inc.
1986	The Dallas High School Dragons won the AA state football championship under head coach Ron August beating Sweet Home 34-8.
1987	Fire destroyed the newly expanded Praegitzer plant. Bob Brixius bought the jewelry store from his parents, Don and Lavina Brixius . Stuart Wright purchased Lee’s Auto Service from his father. The AA Dallas High School Boys basketball team (22-2) under Ken Lathem beat The Dalles (21-5) at McArthur Court, Eugene 45-41 for the state championship.
1988	Praegitzer Industries hosts a grand open house in its new 115,000 sq ft plant. It was attended by 600 city, county and state dignitaries.
1989	Robert Brixius takes over Brixius Jewelers
1990	Century 21 office was sold to Eric and Nancie Rogers and the office moves to East Ellendale . Carnegie Library building becomes the home for the Polk County Museum. Great Western Bank builds a new building; Polk County’s only locally owned bank. Two Dallas Recreational Complexes were dedicated, LaCreole and Whitworth. The city received a first place award for these complexes from the League of Oregon Cities.
1991	Chuck Friesen purchased Guy’s Hardware from Frank Guy. Burelbachs combined technology with Globe Machine Manufacturing of Tacoma.
1992	Bank of Willamette Valley becomes First Security Bank.
1993	Al Adolf (Otto’s son) retires and the business is purchased by Jerry Bower.
1998	The Performing Arts Pavilion becomes reality after two years of planning.
2000	The new Mayor is Jim Fairchild. The Blue Garden closes for good. Groundbreaking for the Dallas Skate Park.