Here are highlights in history for Jan. 7, gleaned from the files of the Albert Lea Tribune:

1989 — A Tribune article featured the commander of the U.S. Army unit that came through this area in 1835 – Lt. Col. Stephen Watts Kearney.

1979 — A fire three days earlier at the Ace Hotel in Austin caused the deaths of four elderly men. This fire was soon determined to be an arson. Temperature at the time of the fire was 25 degrees below zero.

1959 — The Albert Lea school board approved the concept of having a junior college created for this district. (Note: Nothing evolved from this proposal.)