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On October 15, 2023, St John Lutheran Church of Westhoff celebrated their 115th anniversary with a special service and meal. The service consisted of, reading the church history, a special music solo by Cheryl Bunjes and a special presentation of a framed German word…GOTT which means God.

The 75th Anniversary was held October 24-27, 1923. For that celebration the Chamber of Commerce had a delightful 20 page booklets printed, titled: “Yorktown DeWitt County” and “dedicated to the Pioneers of Yorktown”.

1st grade – A - Olive Blinka, Shyenne Courreges, Jaxon Foulds, Rosalie Grahmann, Abigail Parker, Charlie Roberts, Elayna Thamm, Ellie Thomas, Macrae Wenske. AB – Hannah Doehrman, Ella Jones, Kyleigh Sherman, Casen Waters, Owen Willers, and Mason Willers.

The Yorktown Junior High School Student Council (STUCO) organized the 2023 Fall Festival at Yorktown ISD this past Saturday, October 28, 2023. There were over a dozen booths set up by various school organizations: 6th grade, 7th grade, 8th grade, Junior High STUCO, Junior High National Honor Society, Junior High and High School Cheerleaders, Junior High Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Freshman, Juniors and Future Farmers of America.

It was written by C.H. Waltersdorf in his publication, The History of De-Witt County, that where there are Germans there is music and festivity. This was true from the early days to the present. The city had Civic and fraternal organizations from the very beginning. Some such groups were: The Fortschritts Verein (A business Men’s Club) which became the Chamber of Commerce in 1918. In 1920 a Yorktown Fair Association was organized. Gruenau area had a Turn and Schuetzen Verein begun in 1898 where athletic activities took place. The women had a Civic Club with their mission to plan and maintain the area of the City Park. Yorktown’s Masonic Lodge received its dispensation in 1852. The order of the Eastern Star became very active in 1948. There was a chapter much earlier but it demised. In 1882 Yorktown had the Schiller Lodge Knights of Honor. The Yorktown Hermann Sons Lodge was chartered in 1891 and until 1947 gatherings and meetings were held in German. A Lodge of the Woodmen of the World began in 1895 and as late as 1988 had a local membership. A Sandwich Club, the U.T. D. Club, and the Lese-Zirkel Club organized in 1894. During the early 1900’s Yorktown had an amateur baseball club which operated for several years. As of 1917 Yorktown had a branch of the Red Cross. In 1923 the Yorktown Country Club was started in a beautiful area along the Yorktown Creek one and a half miles southeast of Yorktown. The Lion’s Club was chartered in 1940. Finally, a group interested in restoring the very early Eckhardt building began the Yorktown Historical Society in 1994. Many of these organizations exist today along with Domino Clubs and Bridge Clubs that meet on a regular basis. The churches of Yorktown likewise host times of gatherings for the purpose of sharing each others’ company. Sharing and festivity around Yorktown is still very much a part of the culture of Yorktown.

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For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity. The Yorktown Lions Club recently sponsored a Peace Poster Contest that was facilitated by Yorktown Secondary teacher Ellen Yosko. The winners were: 1st Place: Allie Geffert; 2nd Place: Lily Peña; 3rd Place: Gabby Gonzales.

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Yorktown 4 H Club members took to the streets last weekend to perform a sweep up of the city. Young 4 H’ers could be seen at businesses all over town performing the much needed service of sweeping and blowing away the dirt and dust that collects on the city streets and sidewalks.