This Week in Marblehead History: 1959

Every Tuesday, Marblehead Patch digs through the Marblehead Messenger microfilm archives at to find out what was happening this week in local history.

In 1959:

• Selectmen Solve King's Rook Puzzle: The Selectmen, led by Chairman Skinner, determined that the King's Rook Coffee House would be allowed to keep business hours to 12 a.m. provided that a police officer was kept on duty from the hours of 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Because a crowd of about 200 wanted to witness the hearing it was adjourned to the auditorium of . 
• YMCA Prepares for Centennial: Prescott Baston, general chairman of the Marblehead YMCA Centennial Celebration, released completed plans for the event today. The program will take place starting Saturday with a New England AAU swimming meet at the Y pool. Highlighting the celebration will be a banquet on Monday Nov. 23.
• Mrs. James Skinner, chairman of Girl Scout program committee, announced that a Folk Dance Workshop will held Tuesday, Nov. 17 at the YMCA in Marblehead from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. Evelyn Carter Wells will teach Girl Scout leaders and all others interested in learning the technique of folk dancing. 
• 's varsity football team was preparing to play Swampscott in the 50th annual Thanksgiving day game at the Spanish War Veterans' Field. Marblehead lost a week later, 18-0.
• The New England Telephone and Telegraph Co. ran an advertisement for discounted long distance telephone rates. "Once again, rates have been reduced on Long Distance station-to-station telephone calls. Rates for all such calls which travel over 675 miles have been cut- some by as much as 25 cents, for the initial three-minute period. The three-minute rate from Boston to any point in California is only $1.75 station-to-station, nights after six o'clock and Sundays."
• First National Stores, the place for Thanksgiving Shopping: An advertisement for First National Stores listed prices for an upcoming Thanksgiving Sale. Turkeys, 43 cents per pound; Pork Loins, 29 cents per pound; Canned peas, 2 lbs. for 35 cents; Whole onions, 2 lbs. for 49 cents; Margarine, 2 lb. cartons, 33 cents; Mayonnaise, quart jar 69 cents.

Do you know anything about Marblehead in 1959? Do you recognize a name or the name of a former location in town? Let us know in the comments section.