Throughout 1949, exactly 100 babies were born in Boone County and 344 souls passed on to their great reward. Though this seems like a deficit in terms of our growth, the county was actually booming. Many new residents had joined our communities and by the end of 1949, the population had grown nearly thirty percent in ten years. This was the post-WWII era and Boone County, like the rest of the nation, was thriving.
In February, documentary filmmakers hired by the Army Air Force wrapped up shooting for a film titled Hidden Horizons at the two-year-old Greater Cincinnati Airport. The location was chosen because it was deemed “the most modern airport in the middle west.” Most of the footage was taken on the airfield, but the lobby and other facilities were also featured.
In August, large crowds attended a two-day airshow that featured Army, Navy, and Marine aircraft and pilots. The show opened with B-29 bombers sweeping the field, followed by the Blue Angels and other airborne dare-devils. Unfortunately, the airport also attracted some unwanted attention that year. Both travelers and teenage couples “parking” near the airfield fell victim to a flurry of armed robberies. Sheriff Rouse promised to track down the culprit, even if he “had to use bloodhounds” to do so.
Local politics were very heated in Boone County in 1949. The primary race for the Democratic candidate for county attorney was hotly contested. Because the Democrats carried a large majority in the county, the primary winner would win the general election. Challenger Bill McEvoy, who had narrowly lost to incumbent John Crigler in the previous election, was declared the winner by a thirteen-vote margin. Crigler demanded a recount, after which he lost to McEvoy by an even slimmer eight-vote difference.
A scandal that rocked New Haven school the previous spring was settled in September of 1949. School principal, Walton Smith, faced accusations that he had displayed “conduct unbecoming a teacher” during a graduation trip to New York, where he served as chaperone to 14 students. He was charged with permitting excessive drinking among students and “late-at-night, fast-driving incidents” that reportedly occurred on the trip. He was exonerated after the testimony of 181 witnesses.
Technology was also on the rise. The Poston brothers advertised a General Electric “daytime television” for sale for $325. The name was attributed to the bright 10- inch picture tube. Most homes did not have TVs until the mid-to-late 1950s, and a purchase like this would have been quite a luxury. For context, the price of a new car in 1949 was around $1,600 and the minimum wage was 40 cents per hour.
