Laughing it up over April Fools

Many readers remembered with fondness the memorable front page of the Winsted Journal April 1, 1991 with the “water tower on fire” courtesy of publisher Dale Kovar. He said it took him hours in the darkroom to pull off this shot (see left). The 1991 front page was chock full of silliness, including “gravity appreciation week,” a photo of a member of the “Baath Towel Party” running for president vs. George Bush (jr.) and other jokes.

The photo below was posted on the HJ Blog April 1 as a tribute to this former front page April 1. Here is what was posted below on the blog.

“Winsted tower temporarily catches fire
The Winsted water tower temporarily caught fire today, April 1. The Winsted Fire Department made such an immediate response that the fire spontaneously conceded defeat and put itself out, rather than go through the hardship of being “put out.” This was attributed to water inside the water tower as being part of the reason it was extinguished as well as the lack of prevailing winds and recent virtual precipitation predicted by weathermen.”

The fire “putting itself out” was inspired by Paul Herbolsheimer.