Copperas Cove, From the Vault: '59, '69, '79

To commemorate the 125th year of publication of the Copperas Cove Leader-Press in 2019, every Friday the Leader-Press will share snippets from the community’s history over the past 60 years in From the Vault.

40 years ago, in the 
Copperas Cove Leader
The Centennial Committee of the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce stayed busy selling centennial buttons for $5 each and were available for sale at the Chamber of Commerce and the Copperas Cove Leader offices. Proceeds went to activities during the city’s centennial celebration. 

CSM Jimmie Johnson of III Corps and Fort Hood addressed pupils at Hettie Halstead Elementary on February 14 as part of Black History Month. Johnson at that time was the highest-ranking enlisted soldier on Fort Hood. 

50 years ago, in the 
Copperas Cove Press 
Girl Scouts of Troop 323 made games and toys for their Toymaker badges, with the toys to be donated to First Presbyterian Church for their Day Nursery. Scouts included Karen Duren, Rebecca Duren, Brenda Wright, Laura Sparks, Cindy Selberg, Amy McDowell, Sonja Bolte, and Janet Hukill. 

The annual agriculture show, sponsored by the Agricultural Committee of the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce was set for Feb. 15. As in past years, the show was held at the old Barnes Lumber Co. lot at Avenue D and Main St.

60 years ago, in the 
Copperas Cove Courier
In 1959, the legal sale of beer within the Copperas Cove city limits was defeated in an election, 236 to 107. 

Trinity Lutheran Church held its annual Mission Service, with the Rev. Carl Heckman, Texas District Stewardship Counselor as the guest speaker. 

State Senator Crawford C. Martin paid a visit to Copperas Cove to get a firsthand look at the “touchy highway 190 situation.” Two local people, J.L. Lightfoot and Curtis Manning who operates Cactus Lodge and Cactus Service Station on the busy thoroughfare. Both men had registered objections to the manner in which the State Highway Transportation have situated the cross-over lanes on the island down the middle of the highway.