71 years ago, 1947

The tourist information booth on the Milford Oval, shut down during the war, opened at the north end of the Oval. Funds for the booth were provided by the state Planning and Development Commission and the Monadnock Region Association.

At Milford’s High Diving Pool, formerly known as Pease’s Quarry, Richard Irons of Baboosic Lake was the winner of the underwater swimming contest, swimming 110 feet in 45 seconds.

Livestock in Milford had a difficult time one weekend. A cow belonging to Perley W. Jones got hung up in a fence and when released, rolled down a steep embankment injuring her hind quarters and was unable to stand. A horse owned by Fred Conry, Jr., was struck by lightning. Big Bertha, the tremendous carnival hog, apparently got tired and had to lie down.

The Latchis Theatre in Milford was showing “Notorious Gentleman” with Rex Harrison and Lilli Palmer. The Town Hall Theatre in Wilton was showing “I Ring Doorbells” with Robert Shayne and Roscoe Karns, plus “Just Before Dawn” with Warner Baxter and Adele Roberts.

30 years ago, 1988

The Milford Planning Board heard a preliminary plan for a 60-seat Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant and drive-through on an empty 41,000-square-foot lot on Elm Street.

The Milford Drive-In Theatre was showing, on Screen 1, “Bambi,” and “Three Men and a Baby,” and, on Screen 2, “Crocodile Dundee Part II, and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.”

Stuart Draper of Wilton was to apply to the town’s zoning board of adjustment for a special exception to allow a small convenience store at his Brookside Service Station on Route 101.

The Milford Soccer Club opened its inaugural season with a victory over Newmarket and then a victory over Merrimack.

20 years ago, 1998

Milford’s Downtown Ongoing Improvement Team (DO-IT) began putting on lunchtime concerts on the Oval. The first performer was Jody Rock Gaffney.

The Milford School Board signed a deal with the Coca-Cola company to provide free scoreboards to the town in exchange for exclusive rights to product sales at the high school and the Applied Technology Center. The Cabinet didn’t like the idea with Editor Michael Cleveland writing: “It never ceases to amaze us the lengths to which schools will go for sports. One wonders if the district, and the Coca-Cola company, would have been so quick to make a deal had the chess club needed something. Or the French club. Or the band. Nah.”

Jan Woodbury, a long-time town volunteer and one of the area’s staunchest environmentalists, was named Citizen of the Year at Amherst’s annual Fourth of July celebration.

“The All Night Strut,” a tribute to the music of the big band era, was to open at the American Stage Festival in Milford.

15 years ago, 2003

A west end fire station and more space at the downtown station were pressing needs facing the Milford Fire Department, Chief Richard Pauley told the town facilities study committee as it toured the station.

To mark the town’s Bicentennial celebration, Mont Vernon was building a stone wall in front of town hall using donated rocks.

Marie Grella was named Citizen of the Year at the annual Amherst July 4 celebration.

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre was showing “Spellbound” and “Winged Migration.”