From The Clarkston News archives

25 years ago – 1998
Following the dream into Autumn: It was a great day to follow your dreams, and youngsters on the Clarkston Chamber of Commerce float, which won the Best Float Award, were all smiles at this year’s Labor Day Parade.
Board splits on rezonings: The Independence Township Board of Trustees upped the density for three vacant parcels planned for new subdivisions despite opposition from some board members who said it was changing the rural character. All three parcels, north of Clarkston Road, were rezoned from R-1R (rural residential) to R-1C (suburban residential) The rezonings meant nearly double the amount of the new home sites could be built with average lot sizes changing from three to one and a half acres under suburban residential.
Discovering their way: Bright colors, a scavenger hunt, and a pep rally with balloons and popsicles greeted Pine Knob Elementary students their first week back to school. The festivities were organized by Principal K.C. Leh and her staff to kick off the school’s theme for the 1998-99 school year, “Discovering My Way.”

50 years ago – 1973
Building permits up: Independence Township issued building permits totalling an estimated $98,096 in new construction during the month of August. The figure was up $78,000 from the same period in 1972. In the village of Clarkston, permits totaled an estimated $81,200 worth of construction including an $80,000 antique shop and living quarters on Main Street, just north of Washington.
Daddy went a-fishing: What a feast they had at the Thomas L. Kretz, Sr. house after dad came home from a fishing trip. His biggest catch on his Upper Peninsula trip was a 42-inch northern pike, weighing 18.3 pounds.
Springing up: The Pine Knob Pedalers of Clarkston, LeRoy and Michael Davis and Bill VanCurler, were joined by P.K.C.’s Wayne Warren of Pontiac, and Pamela Ciliax and Carole Ward of Swartz Creek, on a trip bicycling to Lansing where they joined 320 other bike riders in Dalmac ‘74 (Dalmac meant Dick Allen to Mackinac City).

75 years ago – 1948
Streets crowded to see parade: The rain on Labor Day morning delayed the annual parade sponsored by the Clarkston Rotary Club, but it in no way dampened the spirits of either the parade participants or the onlookers. The street was crowded and at about 10:30 a.m. the old time German band could be heard approaching the main four corners.
Local girl wins title: Sixteen-year-old Evelyn Mae McCrum of Clarkston was chosen “Miss Homemaker of 1948” from a group of other contestants at a program held in Book Cadillac Hotel.
Clarkston locals: Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Galligan and family and Mrs. Galligan’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Vergin of Davisburg, returned from a trip into northern Michigan. They went as far north as Sault Ste. Marie. From there, they went across the upper peninsula and into Wisconsin, down to Milwaukee and across on the ferry to Michigan. Then, back up to Clarkston.

  A Look Back