July 1960
Some 52,000 sports car fans from a dozen or more states and several foreign nations were thrilled and broiled Sunday and Monday afternoons at the Grand Prix Road Races at Garnett. The spectators began pouring into the park early Sunday morning, establishing their cars, trucks or umbrellas at strategic spots about the 2.84 mile course which encircles Lake Garnett. The Sunday races were marred by the death of Ed Garner, 29, Collinsville, Okla., whose M.G.A. crashed into a utility pole after spinning off the cork-screw turn. Cars entered represented the cream of the sports car world: Ferraris, Maseratis, Porsches, Spyders, Elvas, Lotuses, Corvettes, M.G.A.s and several others. Gov. and Mrs. George Docking and representatives of the French, German and Italian consulates attended Monday.
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The Madison Ave. Baptist Church is now constructing a two-story masonry structure which will include an auditorium seating 400 and modern facilities for its church school. The congregation owns the two lots at the corner of Madison and Chestnut and now holds its services in the brick church which was constructed by the First Presbyterians in 1868. This 92-year-old edifice is one of the oldest in the county. For many years it was owned by the Salvation Army which suspended full-time work in Iola several years ago. The Rev. Don Kindhart, pastor of the Madison Ave. Baptists, says his congregation has outgrown its facilities. Roe Messner, Wichita contractor, expects to complete the building in November. Haskell Little is chairman of the building committee.
