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HISTORY OF
BETHUNE
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Bethune, Bethune being French for farmer or
farming. Dutch Jake shot Buffalo and also
trapped fur animals. He would take the hides
to Indianole, Nebraska stopping at the old
Benkelman Ranch near the present town of
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HISTORY OF
BETHUNE
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1908 water tower serving
Bethune.
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the Rock Island R.R.,
St. Francis. Kansas. He would visit with Mr.
Benkelman. Mr. Benkelman would say "Vee
3ehtz Laundsman?", which became the name
Part
lor "Landsman Creek",
October 3, 1928, the United States Geographic Board rendered this decision regarding
the creek in Kit Carson County to be the
"Landsman Creek".
When the Rock Island Railroad was built
1
Bethune first got it's name in 1886 from the
first settlers and first trappers. Dutch Jake,
an indian who lived in a cave Northeast of
Bethune, used to tell people he lived by Lost
Man Creek (presently called Landsman
Creek). It was to French trappers he told of
through Bethune in September 1888, railway
sectionmen built a section house just West of
town. The section foreman, J. B. Pfaffley,
moved into the house in 1897 with his wife
and daughter Erma. Erma later became
Postmaster from 1920 to 1962.
An Indian burial ground was located
Northeast of Bethune on the Landsman
�.:
now lives on First Avenue and Main Street.
In 1932, Bank failure and depression caused
the bank to close it's doors. Later a store was
run in the bank building by Arthur Cassen.
Mr. Kingsbury ran the store later, and Walter
Seelhoff after him unitl it closed it's doors
and was torn down. Across the street and to
the North, Mr. Carr and Bill Stutz also had
l
a store.
Among the businesses built in Bethune in
the early 1900's was a lumber yard opened by
Carl Alexander. A hardware store owned by
Carl Alexander, was located west of the
lumberyard. These were located across the
street from what is now the Bethune Grain
elevator. A Farmers elevator was built by the
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farmers and run by Tom Dillon; It burned in
1925, was rebuilt in 1926 and enlarged in 1936
and again in 1949. Cora Lovelace opened a
Cafe in her home, which operated until 1940.
This was located next to the Yersin store. On
the north side of the Cafe, a pool hall was
opened.
Jim Erveu built the Hotel in 1920. This was
next to the pool hall and Bank building. Bill
Chapman bought it, later his son Earl bought
it. Ethel Smith ran a Telephone office and
soda.
by Clara Mayers
Aerial photo of Bethune about 1950.
Several graves were explored
in
1920 by
several pioneers. They found Indian blankets, tomahawks, knives and various trinkets.
In 1889, Elbert County was divided and
Bethune
fell in the portion forming Kit
Carson County.
Bethune established the first school district in Kit Carson County in 1889. The first
school board members were Sam Beidelman
and Dr. C.A. Gillette whose office was located
in Bethune. The school house occupied the
Southwest corner of the present school
grounds. A well there supplied water for all
the town residents. Mrs. Della Hendricks,
who later became County Superintendent,
was Bethune's first school teacher. In 1926 a
new school house was constructed on eight
acres purchased from Mr. Delaney. The
HISTORY OF
BETHUNE
townspeople and those of surrounding areas
decided to add two years of high school to the
curriculum. Luella O'Hare and Ray Boggs
taught the first high school classes in the
T243
school year t927-28. The school had six
teachers and 90 students.
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Bethune's first store was a combination
General Store and Post Office owned by
William Yersin in 1910. It was a small sod
building located south of the present townsite on the south side of Highway 24. "fhe
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store was moved in 1916, it was then located
where the Duane Monroe home now stands
on the corner of Pikes Peak and Main Street.
The Bethune State Bank opened it's doors
in
1916. The Bank president and owner was
J.J. Delaney with William Steur, cashier. It
was located where the Dean Fisher familv
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Earl Chapman's first garage 1925.
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Part 2
Fountain
in the Chapman Hotel. Tom
Davis started agarage in 1920 on what is now
Pikes Peak Avenue West of the Monroe
time,
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First store and post office in Bethune, Yersin Store.
It
had living quarters above it at the
Shop was
built by Everett Blackburn, it was on First
Avenue and Main Street across from the first
Post Office. In 1921, the livery barn was built.
home.
it still stands. The Barber
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twice a day. Mail was hung so a catcher on
the mail car of the train could pick it up as
the train went by. Ted Knodel, who had been
carrying mail as a tri-weekly on the south
route since September 1924, took over Route
1 and carried until July 1965 when he retired.
Albert Amman carried Route 2. the triweekly route since 1936. The routes consolidated in 1966 to an 86-mile route, which
covered both the north and south routes.
Albert Amman continued to carry until 1971,
when he retired. The route was then changed
to a Highway Contract Route and Carl Adolf
Jr. became the mail carrier.
Bethune has again grown in the last few
years from a population of 52 in 1962 to
around 200 in 1985. It has one garage owned
and run by Johnny Johnson, the Bethune
Grain Co. owned and run by Charles Schulte,
Onahue Trucking Co. run by Bill Powell, and
ofcourse the Post Office and school. Bethune
has an accredited school with grades ranging
from Kindergarden through twelve. James
Poole has been the superintendent since
1964.
The following is a recollection of
Celebrating Armistice Day in the 1920's on Main Street in Bethune.
It
was where the David Richards home now
stands on Second Avenue and A Street.
The Baptists held Sunday School and
in the school house until
1924. Then they had Mr. Arnet build the
church. In L927 it was purchased by the
Church services
Evangelical Congregation. The pastor from
that fact West of town. It drew customers and
visitors. But the depression and bank failure
in 1932 brought a marked halt to Bethune's
upward climb. People were forced to sell out
and move away, rapidly decreasing the
population.
By 1936 Bethune still had a hardware store,
Stratton held services.
The town of Bethune was incorporated in
lumber yard, general store, two cafe's, a
railroad depot, two grain elevators, a filling
L926.
station, and two garages. Because the County
seat was in Burlington, most people went
there to do their trading. Eventually most
ln t924, The Post Office was built. Erma
(Pfaffley) Cordonnier was the first Postmaster until March 1962 when she retired. Clord
Meyer built the present Post Office in 1962.
Clara Meyer served as Postmaster from April
1, 1962 until April 1985, when she retired.
Kathy Witzel is the new Postmaster since
April 1, 1985.
The townspeople built a City Park by their
water tower, later a new park was started
northeast of it's former site. The townspeople
called their growing town "The Land of
Opportunity" and put up a sign proclaiming
businesses went out of business.
The first mail carrier was Jesse McFarland.
He carried Route 1 starting in July 1911, a 36
mile route by one horse and top buggy. Later
a regular mail wagon such as was in use at that
time, was used and drove two horses. He
resigned in 1915. Tom Dillon carried until
1920. Roy Smith took over and carried until
his death in 1935. In the early years, it would
take two days to get mail delivered if there
was a lot of snow. Mail came by a fast train
some
people, and their families, who might not now
have any connection in Kit Carson County.
John & Gladys Argebright, Orla Anderson,
H. H. Ernest, "Billy" Lamm, John Robinson,
C. C. Tony, Mike Golden, Hugh
Rouse,
Charles Hopson, Dr. Dickey, L. Youtsey, L.
Doughty, Ed Chipman, "Shorty" Stephen,
Bertha King, Harry Roberson, C. L. Spahr,
Dvoraks, Charles & Johnny Day, Noah
SydeBotham, Fred Kasten, C. W. Sawyer,
Fred Buchholz, Roy Smith, John Burns,
Debakeys, Amos & Ida Holland, Charles
Chandler, Walt & Anita Baer, Charles &
George Baer, Thomas Davis, Elwood Richards, Cora Lovelace, Bill & Norma Negus,
Art & Mary Haviland, Bruce Davis, Bill
ZiegIer, Fletcher Vilott, Austin Johnson,
Truman Hightower, B. K. Springer, Bill
Stutz, Balls, Carl Mitchel, Harry Brogun,
Jake Gramm, Charles Evens, Robert Wilburn, Critchfields, Leo & Nan Kindsvater,
Floren Kuhn, Ralph Humrick, Henry Fanslow, John & Jesse Thomas, "Shorty" Stockwell, Henry & Esther Daum, Preston Simer,
"Swede" Johnson, Iver & Ever Iverson,
Eugene & Iris Taylor, Claude Zimmerman,
Clark Rutter, Logan Stitt, J. J. Delaney,
Charles Short, Bob Gaddy, Ericksons,
Brownawells, Sanstedts, Lynns, Art & Fern
Cassen, Millers, Clotiers, Henry Kline, Herb
Kukuk, Glen Chapman, Ed Bower, Truman
Hooker, Emil & Pauline Knodel, Fred Rock,
E. H. Mitchel, Harold & Velora Hopkins, E.
L. Kingsbury, Floyd Mills, Bill Ratuke, Oscar
Olson, Ira Rowbothan, Chance Humphry,
John Halter, John Kible, Mrs. Connor, Joe
"Rusty" Evans.
I'm sure that being gone from Bethune for
Reese,
over 30 years has dimmed my memory and
some have been forgotten.
by Clara Meyer and Donald L.
Chapman
Bethune Lumber Company. In the 1920's when Bill Stutz worked there.
�across from Hotel and a little south. On the
south side of the building it had a hitch rack,
where farmers gathered. Also there were
horse shoe pits on the south side. The farmers
BUSINESS IN
BETHUNE
T244
These are memories of Dean A. Chapman,
2nd son of Earl & Blanche Chapman born in
Burlington in 1921.
Grocery Stores: Dan Carr, east of Main St.,
Bethune Grain Co. owned by Charlie Schulte,1988.
*w,*"*Enm
came in from the settlement and south of
town. They would arrive at about 10:00 AM
and leave around 3:00 to 4:00 PM. They
traded produce, eggs, chickens and cream.
This store was later run by August Helcher,
who after a couple years moved across the
street west. Art Cassen purchased the store
from Helcher's widow. He later moved the
store to the Bethune State Bank Building.
This store was then run by Mr. Kingsbury
during W.W.2, then was sold to Walter
Seelhoff, and then closed in 1954. W. T.
Chapman ran a store in the front of the Hotel
from 1920 till 1935. Bill Yearsin ran a store
just south of the Post Office, later sold to Bill
Stutz, later sold to Charles Helcher, brother
of August Helcher, who later changed it to a
Shoe & Clothing store. This building was
later used for a residential use.
Black Smith Shops: O. J. Speaks due west
of Bank building. J. G. Walgamott built his
shop just east of Earl Chapman's Garage on
srnr,slB
Elevator.
Creameries: The first Creamery was next
door, east of Tom Davis Garage. Art Gramm
ran one across the street, south of the Davis
Garage. Kingsbury built a creamery between
the Bank and the Hotel.
Elevators: The first was
the Robinson
elevator across the street, south of the Davis
Garage, run by Ben Pyle, later leased by
Henry Daum. The Farmers Elevator was on
the south end of Main Street, first run by
Thomas Dillon, then owned by Henry Daum,
later sold to the Bethune Co-op. The East
Elevator was built in the late 1930's by O. E.
Powell, run by Preston Symer, later sold to
Bethune Co-op.
Garages: The first was built by Tom Davis,
probably built in the late teens, who had Walt
Baer as a partner, with Charles Dvorak as
salesman and mechanic. They sold ChevroIets. This garage closed
garage was
a
in
1934. The second
was
built by Earl Chapman (who
mechanic for Evans Brothers in Burlington,
later Sim Hudson Motor Co.). This small
building was just west of Post Office. Earl's
second garage was built in 1925 across the
street east of the lumber yard, on the north
side of the old highway. Along with his
garage, he furnished electrical power for the
Town of Bethune. Each home was allowed
one sixty watt bulb. He would at 5:00 P.M.
fill and start the generator and it would run
until it ran out of gas, which usually lasted
dkmo,.,
from 9:00 to 10:00 in the evening. Each family
helped pay for the gas, this was a one cylinder
Delco plant. In 1931 Earl built the building
on US 24. In 1956 Earl and his sons Dean,
Vernon, Donald and son-in-law Neil Springer, moved this business to Paonia Co. The
Bethune business was sold to Bill Storrer.
This building later burned.
Filling Stations: Both garages sold gas. In
1932, Tom Davis built a new station on U.S.
24, on the south west edge of town, later run
by Fred Kasten, Bill Wilcox and others.. In
1932 Glen Chapman opened up a station in
the old barber shop across the street from the
Post Office. Bethune had the oldest Conoco
bulk gasoline agency in CO in numbers of
years. Earl Chapman was the agent from 1924
Bethune State Bank check, 1920's.
i
to
{F,r"*-
1956.
The poolhall, recreation parlor and barber
shop was just south of the Nebraska Hotel
and was run by Bill Evens.
The Bethune State Bank was started by
J.J. Delaney in 1916. William C. Steur was
the last cashier, and the bank closed in 1931.
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the old highway, just across from the East
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by Don Chapman
:
BETHUNE POST
OFFICE
T245
Route 1 started in July 1909 as a 36 mile
Route with Mr. Jess McFarland as carrier. He
carried the mail in a top buggy pulled by one
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horse. Later, he got a regular mail wagon.
These wagons were in use at the time and
were pulled by two horses. Mr. McFarland
resigned in April of 1915. Tom Dillon started
carrying the mail and continued until
1920
*%*{-q -
when he resigned. Martin Stahlecker was the
temporary carrier taking over the duties until
Chapman Garage. Don Chapman, Leo Kindsvater and Vern Chapman.
Roy Smith took the route on. He delivered
�Yersin, September L2, t9L0; Edward L.
Newton, June2,l9ll;Albert L. Bell, January
18, 1917; William H. Yersin, April 20, 1917;
Erma Cordonnier, October 18, 1920; Clara
Meyer, April 1,1962;and Kathy Witzel, April
covered by insurance. The Burlington Call,
November L2. 1925.
by Anna Strobel
1, 1985.
A poem composed by Mrs. C. W. Sawyer
of Burlington paid tribute to Mrs.
Erma
Cordonnier, retiring postmaster at Bethune.
Mrs. Cordonnier recently retired after 42
years service in postal department. The
Poem follows:
RETIRED
In eastern Colorado in the town ofBethune
In the year 1920, two months after June,
A new postmaster started her career,
Her name - Mrs. Erma Cordonnier.
At that time the mail had to go
Thru rain. sleet. hail or snow.
Smith, Knodel, then Amman, on the RFD
Carried the mail to and from the country.
When Erma wished to take off a day or
more
Thru 41 years she had subs galore.
Pfaffly, Ardueser, Evans and Casten,
Woods, Chapman, Helscher and Batson.
Klein, Knodel, Springer and Taylor.
The last two, Bucholz and Sawyer.
March 31. 1962. Erma retired.
41 long years she had worked and perspiRoy Smith delivering the mail out of Bethune,
Colorado. about 1935.
red;
So, Erma, it's time to say adieu
And all our best wishes go with you.
by Clara Meyer
FARMERS ELEVATOR
T246
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New Bethune Post Office opened in October of
1986, Kathy Witzel Postmistress.
the mail until he died in October of
1935.
A fire Wednesday morning completely
destroyed the Farmers Elevator at Bethune,
Colorado. The building caught fire from a
stove in the office and as there was no water
system in the town the flames made rapid
headway. A call for help was phoned to
Burlington and the fireman with both trucks
left at once, but the damage was wrought
when they arrived at the scene of the fire ten
miles away. About ten thousand bushel of
wheat stored in the elevator was practically
all damaged. It was reported that the loss was
Claude Zimmerman was temporary carrier
for a year, then Ted Knodel took over the
route on September 8, 1936. The route had
been extended to 43.6 miles by that time.
as
carrier until September 8, 1936 when he was
transferred to Route 1. Albert Amman who
was the temporary carrier, took on the route
and delivered the mail until May 7, 1966
when the routes were consolidated. Albert
continued carrying the mail until September
30, 1971. Albert Weiss was temporary carrier
until the Star Route was established
on
November L, 1972. Carl Adolf Jr. was awarded the contract for the Star Route and is the
present mail carrier.
Postmasters through the years were Sam-
uel Beidelman, January 1889; Josephine
Parody, July 23, 1890; Emma Mutchmore,
September 19, 1890; John Griswold, December 8, 1891; Mary E. Braden, September 27,
t892; Margaret Gruwell, June 4, 1896; Nancy
Root, April 5, 1899; John Lamb, October 15,
t901; William Blake, September 17, 1906;
Iohn McFarland, March 1"5, 1909; William H.
T247
In 1899, Bethune Colorado organized the
first school district in Kit Carson County.
The original school was located on the west
side of County Road 40, directly west of the
present school grounds. Dr. C. A. Gillette and
Sam Beidelman were the first school board
members. Mrs. Della Hendricks was their
first teacher.
In 1926 it was decided to purchase eight
acres of land from a Mr. Delaney, and it was
on this land that the present schoolhouse sits,
being completed in 1928.
It was decided that there would be two
years ofhigh school taught in this new school,
so they began to teach Freshman and Sophomores along with the grade school. Luella
O'Hare and Ray Boggs taught the first high
school classes in 1927-28. At that time there
were a total of 6 teachers and 90 students.
The first class to "graduate" from Bethune
School was in 1930.
A basement was dug east of the school and
this was used as the cafeteria for many years.
Later, the old Prairie Star School from south
of Bethune was moved onto this basement.
The upper floor was used for a teacherage, the
basement for the cafeteria, and the middle
floor as the Superintendent's home.
In 1955 the cafeteria was moved to the
main school building, and a beautiful large
gymnasium was added to the west side of the
original schoolhouse. InIg74,a separate shop
building was added, also on the west side. Mr.
Orin Pankratz was the first to call this
"home". Kindergarten was instituted in 1g74.
The year 1978 saw Bethune School become
accredited, under the direction and guidance
of Mr. James Poole.
Bethune School fielded its first football
team in 1983 to add to the volleyball,
basketball and track programs already in
progress.
New additions to the school also include a
.
Route 2 started on Septembet L7,1924 as
a 36 mile tri-weekly with Ted Knodel
BETHUNE SCHOOL
Farmer's Elevator at Bethune, burned to the ground.
�Humrich, Don Noxon, Arthur Adolf, Eugene
Rowbothem, Mary (Smith) Stahlecker, Maxine (Helcher) McCoy, Ethel (Kasten) Dragiff,
Irene (Adolf) McAuliff; 1937 - Aletha
lll'i
(Woods) Taylor, Delores (Chapman) Grant,
Raymond Ray, Iris (Rouse) Taylor; 1938 Gladys (Adolf) Patterson, Nina (Dunlap)
Lanham, Harry Olson, Anna Dvorak, Dean
- Hilda
(Ratenka) Vilott, Loren Ardueser, Fern
(Knodel) Gremm, Norman Meyer, Mary
Louise (Dillon) Schemfsll' 1940 - Wallace
Chapman, Stanford Ernest; 1939
Eslinger, Gladys (Schaal) Byington, Harold
Rouse, Stanley Sydebotham, Virgil King;
1941 - Robert Knodel, Blanche (Stolz)
Beckstrom, Vernon Chapman, Janet (Dillon)
Toland, John Burns; 1942 - Velma (Eslinger)
Sweet, Sylvia (Kiebel) Malone, Mabel
(Meyer) Bishop; 1943 - Raymond Knodel,
Doris (Gulden) Travis, Helen (Gulden)
,r;*1r;l111,.;r,11, .,.1.11.:.,11'' 11'.1
Schaal, Eleanor (Ardueser) Dreitz, Dixie
(Wood) Conkey, Ruth (Spahn) Jensen, Rueben Zeigler; L944 - Alvin Buchholz, Steve
Sydebotham, John Critchfield, Owen Powell;
1945 - George Baer, Viola (Humrich) Critchfield, Lewis Parsons, Elsie (Miller) Powell,
Dr. Earl Berens, Thelma (Kirkendall) Young,
.'.''.'l:.'.::..il'rr' I:":,l
Mary Louise (Dreitz) Waechter; 1946 -
Bethune Public School, grades K through 12. 1988
Joanne (Guy) Wolf, Russell Knodel, Peggy
(Wood) Jensen, Ardith Gulden,
(Spahr) Shaner; L947
-
Rona
Donald Chapman,
William Stolz, Roberta (Guy) Kindred,
Eleanor (Knodel) Thomas; 1948 - Norman
Kramer, Marge (Chapman) Springer, Lorena
(Kramer) Buchholz, Ivan Amman, Ruby
(Buchholz) Butterfield;1949 - Gene Amman,
Jeanette (Knodel) Amman, Henry Stolz,
Melvin Berens, Della (Adolf) Pugh; 1950 -
Max Kramer, Clarine (Stahlecker) Fergus;
1951 - Eva (Adolf) Wood, Marvin Buchholz,
Maureen (Amman) Felger, Ernest Ziegler,
Gerald Johnson. Paul Knodel: 1952 - Lucille
(Schlichenmayer) Krnmer, James Miles,
Esther (Richards) Young, Bob Young, Vernon Stolz, Ed Kramer; 1953 - Wesley Eslinger, Eilert Weiss, Willard Stahlecker, Delos
Amman, Irene (Kramer) Hilt, Bill Stewart,
Allan Adolf, Ernest Adolf, Hazel (Hicks)
Adolf; 1954 - Lela:rd Ernest, Loyd Knodel,
Lester Powell, Aldene (Weiss) Beringer,
Bethune School looking east.
large library, computer room, upgraded office
space, and an addition on the Superintendent's home. A large grassed area was made
into a new playground with new equipment
installed in
It
1984.
should be noted that Mr. James Poole,
Superintendent, and his wife, Nora came to
the Bethune School District in 1964.
a
position he holds to the present day.
In 1988, there are 105 students attending
Bethune School with 12 teachers on the staff.
The school board consists ofFrank Ruhs, Art
Waitman, Pat Williams, James Cummons,
and George Stahlecker.
by Marylyn Hasart
BETHUNE SCHOOL
GRADUATES
T248
1931 - Hilda (Adolf) Ziegler, Agnes (Dvo-
rak) Berthiaume, Janet (Mitchell) Moore;
L932 - Amanda (Adolf) Richards, Leona
(Adolf) Hefner, Harold Chipman, Crystal
(Hartsook) Schlosser; 1933 - Ethel
(Chipman) Pearce, Dallas Chipman, Howard
Rouse, Carlos Dillon, Lillian (Dvorak) Wil-
Geraldine (Schlichenmayer) Carter, Duaine
Richards, Phyllis (Waitman) Brown, Narieta
(Ziegler) Hines, Kenneth McArthur, Darlene
(Ziegler) Hendricks, Paul Jacobs, Edna
(Schall) Fross, Bonnie (Johnson) Moorhead,
Alfred Schritter; 1955 - Philip Stolz; 1956 Phyllis (Schlichenmayer) Hall, James Schlichenmayer, Donna Kay (Richards) Powell,
Barbara (Schick) Briggs, Viva (Eslinger)
Witzel, Margie (Stahlecker) Schneider, Leo
Rutter, Geraldine (Zieeler) Weiss, Eileen
(Waitman) Wahl, Leroy Arends; 1957 - Alice
(Knodel) Gramm, Verlin Taylor, Louise
(Adolf) Schlichenmayer, Rose Marie (Leik-
am) Gwinn, Dorsey Carroll; 1958 - Iva
(Stahlecker) Crist, Elaine (McArthur) Taylor, Donald Ziegler, Norman Arends, Arlene
(Waitman) Nider, Bonnie (Matthies) Covey,
Leona (Leikam) Brunmeir, Arthur Waitman;
1959 - Delmar Zeigler, Beulah (Stahlecker)
Lambert, Mary (McArthur) Harris, Jerry
Meyer; 1960 - Charlene (Taylor) Robinson,
Roy
(Erickson) Rictichy, David Richards; 1934 -
Schlichenmayer, Jerome Warner,
Maryln (Schick) Tofoya, Dr. Larry Weiss,
Doris (Kramer) Barchanger, Ralph Stolz,
(Ernest) Varce, Dale Chapman, Opal (Esling-
(Schlichenmayer)
Carroll, Clord Adolf, Virgil Eslinger, Celestina (Leikam) Brown; 1961 - Wilford Adolf,
der, Pauline (Sandstedt) Dillon, Dorothy
Earl Perry, Lester Mitchell; 1935 - Marie
(Perry) Hasenbalg, Alvin Ernest, Eleanor
er) Schaal, Melvin Eslinger; 1936 -
Dale
Nolan Carroll, Judy
David Corliss, Darlene (Ruhs) Yates,
Sue
�(Dower) McDonald, Betty (McArthur) Barker, Annette (Stahlecker) Scherre, Ivan Stahlecker; L962 - Art Taylor, Marie (Schaal)
Eslinger, Clord Meyer, Ruth Corliss, Julia
(Leikam) Fox, Joan (Adolf) Carroll; 1963 -
Linda (Taylor) Barnhart, Evelyn
(Ruhs)
Kelly, Ruby (Eslinger) Hundertmark, Mary
(Richards) Colglazier, George Gramm, Dennis Moore, Paulette (Powell) Brachtenbach,
Phoebe (Schauer) Friston, Jerry Jenkins;
1964 - Jane (Guy) Downing, Margaret (Kaplan) Stripes, Dorothy (Meyer) Soward, Elizabeth (Blagg) Wolfe, Frank Ruhs, Dennis
Arends; 1965 - Gerald Ardueser, Annabel
(Eslinger) Nickolson, Edwin Guy, Jerry Guy,
David Hillman, Peggy (Matthies) Clark, Rick
Young, Fred Zeigler; 1966 - Linda (Moore)
Stolz, Fred Shauer, Marsha (Carroll) Rau,
James Rau, Timothy Ardueser, Jean Stahlecker, Elaine (Weiss) Morrow, John Kuhn,
Dale Schlichenmayer; 1967 - Grant Guy,
Dianne (Stolz) Cox, Virginia (Leikam)
Wright, Carl Schaal, Tom Rau, Troy Williams, Allan Weiss, Fred Matthies; 1968 -
Janis Ardueser, Linda (Guy) Rau, Linda
(Matthies) McDaniel, Linda (Schlichen-
mayer) Coles, Everett Matthies, Eric Martell,
Roy Williams; 1969 - Art Martell, Carolyn
(Matthies) Martell, Terry Young, Rita (VanTassel) Hendon, Joe Leikam, Kathy (Dreitz)
Hermann, Arlinda (Adolf) Thomas, Ronald
Gramm, Anne (Guy) Cody, Don Kraus; 1970
- Velda Adolf, Karen (Adolf) Baird, Dale
Jenkins, Lynne Powell, Jackie (Williams)
Critchfield, Terry Weisshaar; 1971 - Loraine
(Ardueser) Beeson, Judy (Dreitz) Garrison,
Carl Jenkins, James Dobler, Bill Kraus,
Victor Bill Powell, Fred Gramm, Roy Schlichenmayer, Beverly (Weiss) Ruhs; 1972 Nina (Elsey) Powell, Ellen (Guy) Eastin,
Dean Matthies, Gene Matthies; 1973 - JoAnn
(Gramm) Barber, Kathy (Kramer) Jenkins,
Sherry (Kramer) Friesth, Pat Williams,
Eugene Weiss, Ernest VanTassell, Verlin
Corliss, Doyle Adolf; 1974 - Judy (Kramer)
Whipple, Betty (Matthies) Ganser, Randy
Dreitz, Tom Schlichenmayer, Raymond Dobler; 1975 - Mark Beringer, Curt Graham,
Trudy (Elsey) Powell, Sandra (Hardwick)
Wade; 1976 - Nadine Corliss, Lacey (Hansen)
Stokley, Dalene (Knodel) Enyart, Glen Heidschmidt, Kerry Stahlecker, Millie (Leikam)
Brawley, Steve Kramer, Kathy (Adolf) Witzel; 1977 - Wayne Adolf, Ronnie Dreitz,
David Rutledge, Vicky (Crouse) Cox, Ralene
(Dobler) Adams, Carol (Kindred) Keil,
Shelly (Powell) Mangus, Karen (VanTassel)
Loganbill, Pam (Kramer) Mills; 19?8 - Pam
(Adolf) Burton, Connie (Beringer) Peterson,
Brent Crouse, Scott Crouse, Lisa (Hardwick)
White, Cecilia (Leikam) Criswell, David
Poole, Dan Wahl; 1979 - Scott Powell, Barry
Crouse, Stanley Kramer, Lori (Brown) Nordorf, Janet (Poole) Cure, Tammy (Crites)
McGuire, Brenda Hanson, Maurice (Dreitz)
Weyerman; 1980 - Tryn (Hendricks) Pizel,
Dora Crouse, Sharla (Beringer) Troyer,
Adam Burkey,
- Charlene (Adolf) Flock, Lisa (Beechley)
Mullis, Lisa Monroe, Lora (VanTassell)
Burnet, Robin (Smith) Smith, Kenneth
McArthur, Dawn (Harrell) Kramer, Matt
Corcoran, Rick Monroe, Jerry Loeffler; 1985
- John Stolz, James Eslinger, Rhonda Waitman, Greg Zieglet, James Stolz, Mike Price,
Nancy Weiss; 1986 - Angie Davis, Deanna
Stahlecker, Debra Waitman, Michael Crites,
Deanne (Dreitz) Heskitt, Darron Lightle,
Dawn Adolf, Esther Schlichenmayer; 1987 Shelle Davis, Deanna K. Stahlecker, James
Stahlecker, Scott Webb.
by Amanda Richards
INTRODUCTION TO
BETHUNE CHURCHES
T249
as
the pastor, and served until November 1902.
Rev. Newman H. Hawkins served for the year
1903. On March lst, 1094, B. S. Hughes came
as pastor, and served for six months. On
account of removals it was thought best to
suspend all services at Bethune and the few
members left attended S. S. and church at
Claremont until the Spring of 1906. When the
community began again to be resettled the
Sunday School was reorganized. In September 1906, Rev. J. L. Read who was pastor at
Claremont and Seibert was called to become
pastor of the Bethune Church and regular
services were resumed. How long the work
continued is not known. The Congregational
Church at Bethune, like the one at Claremont
and Seibert was destined to not make a go of
it
due to the lack of financial help from a
Conference or General Church which would
have enabled the work to have kept going
Iong enough to become strong enough to be
Bethune are the Evangelical United Brethern
Church in Bethune. now abandoned, Imman-
self-supporting.
The Colorado Conference of the Evangelical Church had a number of school house
congregations to the south and west of
Congregational Church both located north of
Bethune.
There was a Nazarene Church located on
the correction line south of Bethune. The site
Central, Bethel and Smoky Angle, and was
attracted to Bethune as hopeful territory for
missionary operations. However, before it
became possible for them to enter the field,
the Baptist Gospel Car was taken in for a
The churches included in the history of
uel Lutheran Church and Hope United
Church of Christ formerly know as Hope
consisted of the church building and a
cemetary behind the church yard. Agnes
Beeson remembers attending some of the
services held there when she was a girl and
lived about five miles away. There is a fence
around the graveyard and may be a grave left
there. The church was moved off in about
1950.
Immanuel Lutheran Church is mentioned
in the book "White Churches of the Plains"
by Robert Hickman Adams.
Hope United Church of Christ and Immanuel Lutheran Church are still active serving
the community and drawing members from
Burlington and other towns near them.
EVANGELICAL
UNITED BRETHREN
CHURCH
T250
Church work was started in the Bethune
Community on October 19th, 1900. A Congregational Church was organized in the
school house by Rev. Sanderson with five
charter members, five more soon thereafter
Bill Crites, Douglas Stolz,
Mary (Campbell) Holcomb; 1981 - Todd
Hendricks, David Price, Danny Leoffler,
Allan Matthies, Monte Arends, Sandy (Atkins) Adolf, Gina (Crouse) Hines, Teresa
Crouse, Sharon (Poole) Greene; 1982 - Deb
Yates, Margaret (Meyer) Robben, Monte
Carroll; 1983 - Deb (Arends) Miller, Penny
(Zieglet) Aeschilman, Rita Leoffler, Tim
Campbell, Patricia McArthur, Kristy (Poole)
Liming, Mark Crouse, Roger Stahlecker,
Nathan Kramer, Carla (Eslinger) Foth; 1984
joining. The Rev. M. A. Bevier was called
Bethune E.U.B. Church. 1940's.
Bethune such as
First Central, Second
special meeting, and pursuant thereto regular
services were held.
A baptist minister was stationed to the
place, though there were less than a dozen
charter members, and as far as is known,
never any more.
These people soon undertook to build a
new church in Bethune at a cost of $3,000,
soliciting aid in the community and where
funds were available. Because of local conditions the Baptist friends felt necessitated to
withdraw from the field, leaving the town
without a pastor and open to any Protestant
denomination ready and willing to take up
the work. For a while there were no services
of any kind conducted in the church.
Less than two years after the church was
built, The Colorado Conference of the Evangelical Church was asked to place Bethune on
their list of appointments. This urgent
invitation was accepted. The Bethune people
again organized a Sunday School in the
consolidated school building with the Evan-
gelical Church representatives including
President Elder B. Barthel present. The
people were very anxious that they be served
regularly provided such arrangements could
be made in the interim of conference sessions.
Consequently the Brethren R. D. Dexheimer
and Leslie E. Gabael of Seibert were asked
to serve this new point for the remainder of
the year as time would permit. In the spring
of 1928 these same brethren were by Conference appointed to serve Bethune in connection'with the Seibert Charge.
In about six months it was considered
expedient that the Services of Worship be
changed from the school house to the church
building. This permission the Baptist headquarters in Denver cheerfully granted.
Initial steps were taken January 1, 1929 in
a regularly announced meeting, with the
thought of receiving members and effecting
an Evangelical Organization. Subsequently
32 charter members were received. Later the
Colorado Conference Trustees purchased the
church property from the Baptist State for
�the consideration of $850.00. On Sunday
February 24,L929, this commodious building
was dedicated by President Elder B. Barthel
as an Evangelical Church. The Pastor's
assisted in the services. Though the weather
was cold and stormy was the attendance
good. More than 9400.00 was secured in cash
and pledges that day toward the purchase
price of the property.
At conference in the Spring of 1929, Rev.
Leslie E. Gabel was appointed to serve
Bethune along with the school house congre-
gations
to the
southwest such as First
Central, etc. The next year this circuit was
without a pastor. In the Spring of 1931, Rev.
Edward J. Ness was appointed to serve the
south country school house congregations,
and Rev. Wm. R. Van Devender was appointed to serve Bethune and Stratton, living at
Stratton. In the Spring of 1935, Rev. J. Ness
was assigned the Bethune and Stratton
Congregations in addition to the South
Country School House Congregations. One
pastor continued to be appointed to all these
churches including Bethune until 1945-1946.
That year the Rev. Delbert C. Paulson was
appointed, and the churches at First Central,
Smokey Angle and Bethel discontinued.
Annual Conference in the Spring of 1946
ordered these churches liquidated. Membership was transferred to either the Stratton or
the Bethune Churches, depending on the
wishes of the members. The membership of
persons who could not be contacted were
transferred to the Bethune Church roll. In
the Bethune Council with the
Pastor V. J. Lamm removed 21 of these
1952-1953
names "without certificate" when they were
unable to contact them. From the Spring of
1946, Bethune has shared with Stratton the
services of a pastor as a charge with the
minister residing at Stratton.
During the pastorate of Rev. Francis M.
Bayles, Jr. from 1949 - 1952 great improvements in the physical property were made.
The flat roof was removed and built up to a
peak which improved appeilances and
stopped leaks in the ceiling. Also the interior
ofthe sanctuary was completely redecorated.
A gas fired heating system has replaced the
ineffective coal and oil units. The basement
was plastered and decorated and modernized
with cesspool, gas range and kitchen cabinets
so that an adequate room is now available.
The entire exterior was painted and the
windows reputtied. Sidewalks were laid and
the stairs repaired.
Rev. Edward J. Ness directed a week of
meetings in December of 1949 after which a
number of members were received. Rev. B.
Barthel came to lead in a week of revival prior
to Easter in l95L and our hearts were made
to
rejoice
in the Lord.
use. The floors were sanded and refinished
before the pews were installed. Plans were
made to build on a four room Sunday School
addition north of the church during 19b41955. These plans were not carried out due
to the drought which not only made it
impossible
to raise the needed money but
caused a number of our church families to
move from the community. This drought
continued until the summer of 1957 when
rains came and a good feed crop was raised
which however did not help the farmers in
their need for
cash.
The moisture in the Spring of 1957 caused
plaster on the ceiling
to fall. This was
repaired and the entire sanctuary re-decorated. Mr. Ammonn who lives west of the church
deeded the two lots north ofthe church to the
church as a gift. This was much appreciated
as more space was needed if it becomes
possible to build onto the church for Sunday
School purposes.
Friendly relations were established with
our sister church, The Hope Congregational
Church north of Bethune, in 1960. The two
women's groups invited each other
to
a
meeting for fellowship. January 1st and Good
Friday in 1961 and 1962 were utilized to have
Union New Years and Good Friday Commu-
nion Services, one at one church and the
other at the other, alternating.
October 25-29, L96l "Four Days for God"
services were held under the leadership of
Rev. Carl Anderson, Pastor of the Ravenna
Blvd. United Presbyterian Church, Seattle,
Washington, with an average attendance of
38 and 6 conversions, 1 dedication and 1
reclamation. As a result of these meetings, 8
new members were received into the church
and a mid-week prayer service was started
with an average attendance over the following months of 17.
In January and February
1962, the pews
were removed from the sanctuary and the
floor sanded, then 10 coats ofseal and 3 coats
of wax applied. Carpeting was laid on the
chancel floor. The basement walls and ceilings were painted and plans made to put
tiling on the basement floor.
Annual Conference Session, June 1964,
transferred Rev. U. J. Lamm and family to
the Peetz congregation, to assume his duties
there on July lst. In the reading of the
assignments by Bishop W. Maynard Sparks,
Stratton-Bethune was left "to be supplied",
due to a serious shortage of ministerial supply
in the Rocky Mountain Conference. This
caused much concern for the Bethune congregation, as well as Stratton, as no indication
could be given when the pulpit could be
supplied with a regular minister. Mr. Lorin
Lindstrom of Sterling, Colorado supplied one
Sunday; Rev. Harold Maxwell, Professor of
Rev. Marvin M.
Hudson conducted a meeting to strengthen
the Sunday School program in the fall of
Religion at Westmore College, working on his
1952. Rev. C. P. Gates of the Oregon-Wash-
Sunday.
ington Conference was
to have come for
meetings in the Spring of 1.953 but due to ill
health couldn't and Rev. C. G. Bartsch held
a
weeks'meeting in March 1953. In February
1955, Rev. Ralph C. Hiness held a weeks'
meeting. During Holy Week the last of March
1956, Rev. W. C. Lasater preached. Due to
drought conditions it was not attempted to
hold a revival meeting each year.
The physical property was further improv-
ed in the winter of 1952-1953 with the
purchase and installing of six pews for the
sanctuary to replace the chairs previously
PhD
in
Denver this summer, supplied on
Dr. Wm. L. Young, Conf. Supt.
supplied several Sundays.
Finally, after consultation, the decision
by the Conference Cabinet to
was made
transfer Rev. David B. Finley from the Niwot
Congregation
to the
Stratton-Bethune
charge, to take over his duties here, August
1, 1964. This left Niwot to be supplied.
October, 1965, saw the church building reshingled. This was a very much needed
project.
November 1, 1967, Bethune Church was re-
aligned on
a circuit with the Methodist
Church of Burlington. The Rev. Ole Aarvold,
Pastor. Thus ended a long history of alignment with the Stratton Church. Stratton was
re-aligned with Zion Church of Kirk. This
change was made necessary because of the
severe shortage of ministerial supply in
Rocky Mountain Conference which left Kirk
without ministerial supply until this arrangement was made. This continues a policy in
our Conference that has seen several Methodist - E.U.B. yoked circuits, as the Union of
the two churches approaches.
In June of 1969, Rev. Willis C. Wisehart
was appointed
to the Burlington-Bethune
charge. Some consideration had been given
to closing the church at a Church Conference
in May 1969 due to declining population. It
was decided to continue for another vear and
then evaluate this situation. A speciai congregational meeting was held on September 10,
1970 at which time it was voted to close the
church as of October 1, 1970. The last service
was held at 9:30 A.M. on September 27 and,
a basket dinner was served at noon. The
Trustees were authorized, to dispose of the
property under the direction of the Rockv
Mountain Conference Board of Trustees.
This brings to a close a spiritual pilgrimage
and ministry of more then forty years of
service,
by Betty Guy
IMMANUEL
LUTHERAN CHURCH
T25l
The pioneers who came to live north of
Bethune and Burlington establishing the
"Settlement" community soon gathered to
worship and have christian fellowship because they missed their religious services,
needed instruction for their children and
there were babies to be baptized. They
gathered together and arrangements were
made to start worship services in the home
of Mr. Christian Dobler which was located
near the center of the community. Because
there was no pastor, one was selected to read
a sermon using their books and Bibles that
they brought with them. These services were
held every Sunday and were called
"Lesegottesdienst" or reading services. The
fathers Dobler and Strobel took turns reading the sermons and leading the meetings.
These services did not satisfy these people;
therefore, they called Rev. Maier who served
another church 15 miles northeast called the
Evangelical Lutheran Salem Church in the
summer of 1890.
Rev. Maier served them every third Sunday and they held their Lesegottesdienst on
the other Sundays. This was the official
beginning ofour congregation. The first child
baptized was A. W. Adolf. Mathis Schaal and
Eva Baltzer was the first couple to be manied
and Daniel Adolf was the first person buried
in the summer of 1892 and Rev. Leupp was
called that fall.
The following are some of the families that
settled in this community: Baltzer, Stutz,
Bauer, Dobler, Schaal, Strobel, Adolf, Win-
ters, Haefner, Fanslau, Bauder, Jacober.
Kramer, Wahl, Stahlecker, Schmidke,
Gramm, Weber, Zeigler, Weisshaar, Amman,
Knodel, Weiss, Stolz, Schlichenmayer, Gowagner, and others that came later.
�Iw
call and came in January, 1930. He also
served St. Paul's in Burlington and because
he chose to live in town, the parsonage was
now vacant.
One bright event came to the congregation
in 1932 with the ordination of Rev. Ernest
Stolz, a child of the congregation.
fl:l:::. ,it.']
The church remained strong despite the
difficult times brought on by the depression
and drought. They were able to maintain
t.
a{tl
.A
'6.lhl
.f9r
li:':lll
er€
ffi
:
w
I
rs*
their pastor by sharing food etc. The sunday
school was conducted in two languages, the
German consisting of three classes and the
American with five classes along with a large
Bible class which were held each Sunday.
*s.
3iil
&
I
Worship services were conducted in German
for many years with the transition to the
English services being made in the 1940's.
Activities and special events were the annual
(
I 3t'4&)
Children's Day with the making of homemade ice cream in huge wooden freezers, the
church picnic, the annual Mission Festival
held in the fall, and the Children's Christmas
program held on Christmas eve. The last two
Immanuel Lutheran Church located north of Bethune. This picture shows the group that gathered to
celebrate their 90th anniversary in July of 1980.
in July of 1909 and was followed by
Rev.
Martin Jensen.
Recorded in the Dakota Free Press, November 8, 1909, Immanuel's congregation
had 17 voting members and a total membership of 287. In 1911 congregational differences brought about the separation of several
members and they established Hope Congre-
gational Church located 1 mile north of
Immanuels. Rev. Jensen left during the
summer of 1912 and Rev. V. Brun came in
1913 and in the spring of that year Immanuels
bought their first organ. Rev. G. Adolf came
in the spring of 1916 and was followed by Rev.
Otto Kloeckner in
1921.
The 1920's were prosperous
April, 1985, after worship
as a
nation and
community with many changes coming
about. As the congregation grew in number
it was decided to build a new larger church.
It was to be 32' x 60' with a steeple 55' high.
Mr. Schmidt was the main contractor and
was finished at a cost of $7500. The alter,
pulpit, and lectern were hand made by Mr.
Schmidt. Thorwald's statue of Jesus was
services.
In the spring of 1893 these pioneers
decided to build a church, 24'x40'x10', out of
rock. Each married family had to haul eight
loads and the single members had to haul four
Ioads of rock. Mr. Dobler was the carpenter
and all work was donated. Rev. Leupp laid
the corner stone and in the latter part of
October the church was dedicated. Rev.
Leupp and Rev. Jansen officiated.
Sam Schall Sr. was confirmed on Palm
Sunday in 1894. This was the first confirmation class in the rock church.
The church was incorporated on September 7, 1902. In the spring of that year the
congregation decided to build a new parsonage, 30'x 30', one story with four rooms. The
dedication was in the fall and Rev. Jansen
was the first pastor to live in the new home.
He went to St. Francis, Kansas and helped
start Salem Lutheran Church north and west
of St. Francis in 1901. He left in May of 1902
and was succeeded by Rev. Robert Ackerman
who came in the summer and remained until
May of 1906. Rev. Stein was called and he left
placed on the altar and the spun brass bell,
cast by Stuckstede and Bros. of St. Louis,
Missouri, 1926 was hung in the bell tower.
The benches were hand made by Jacob
Hasart Sr. The congregation supplied much
of the labor with Mr. Zeiglet, Mr. Adolf, Mr.
Hasart and Rev. Kloeckner in charge. The
day of dedication was well attended with
pastors A. Bishop, G. Bergstrasser and O.
Kloeckner presiding. Rev.. Kloeckner was
given a gift of gold coins from the congrega-
tion for his untiring efforts in getting the
project completed. When the church was
completed it was debt free and valued at
$10,000. The dedication was on September
26,1926 and the offering was over $360. The
first couple married in the church was Daniel
and Naomi Adolf on the following Wednesday.
Rev. Kloeckner also served St. Paul's
Lutheran Church in Burlington during his
pastorate here. He resigned in November of
1928 and died August 17, 1931 and was laid
to rest in Immanuel's cemetery just west of
the church. The congregation was without a
pastor until Rev. H.L. Woebler accepted the
events being a part of the congregation's
activities as long a can be remembered.
Immanuel Lutheran church celebrated its
50th anniversary in 1940 and during these
past 50 years in this congregation 531 were
baptized, 231 confirmed, 64 couples married,
and 109 died. On January 1, 1940 the church
had 63 voting members, 241 souls, 60 sunday
school children, and 145 communicants. The
church council consisted of six members as
follows:: A.W. Adolf, Jake Hasart, Fred
ZiegIer, Crist Kramer, and George Wiedman.
Organist for the English service was Mrs.
Woebler and Ed Stahlecker played for the
German service for the last 29 years.
There were about 25 to 30 men from the
congregation who were drafted into the
military services and all returned.
In 1944 the church remodled the sanctuary
consisting of the removal of the arches and
the round dias. The metal wall panels were
removed and replaced with new wall siding
along with new drapes being hung. In 1945
they enlarged the basement by excavating
under the building and adding much needed
fellowship space, sunday school area and
kitchen facilities. That year the old organ was
presented to Mr. Ed Stahlecker for his many
years of faithful service as a new piano was
purchased. Mr. Rudolf Schlichenmayer became the pianist.
By this time worship was conducted in
to meet the needs of a changing
English
congregation. Rev. Woebler left after serving
faithfully for 17 years with Rev. L.C. Johnson
coming in 1947 to serve Immanuel and St.
Paul's. Many changes were made while he
was pastor.
The brown hymnals were purchased, Vacation Bible School was started, Luther League
for the youth was organized and the Ladies
Aid was started. The
Brotherhood
was
organized in the 1950's. New altar hangings
were made of wine velveteen with gold fringe.
May 21, 1950 finds the congregation cele-
brating their 60th anniversary with guest
speakers Rev. H.L. Woebler of Loveland,
Colorado addressing the afternoon service in
German and
Dr. E.G. Fritschel, District
President. Special music was presented by
the choirs from neighboring Lutheran con-
gregations from the Tri-State Conference
and our own choir.
It is of special
interest to
note that Immanuel Lutheran Church of
Bethune was the oldest active American
�Lutheran Church in the State of Colorado at
that time. The Central District of the A.L.C.
of which Colorado is a part, presented a
bronze plaque to the congregation to memorialize their 60th anniversary.
There were 50 active families in the
with a total of 198 souls.
congregation
Improvements and changes made during this
time were the connecting to the REA and
improving the electrical system in 1951. The
League had the candle holders and Communion ware gold plated. In 1953 the church was
enlarged with bathrooms and sunday school
rooms being added. Rev. Johnson left in June
of 1954. The congregation decided that they
needed to be independent and could support
a pastor of their own so in 1955 they built a
new parsonage south ofthe church and called
Rev. A.F. Boese who came in 1955 and served
the congregation through the drought of the
50's. The interior of the church and the
furnishings were painted and the wood floor
refinished.
Due to the involvement in the Korean War
several members of our church went to serve
their country and all returned home.
Two sons of the congregation joined the
ministry of the ACL with Ivan R. Amman
being ordained in 1956 and Henry Stolz was
ordained in 1957 with services being held at
Immanuel.
Pastor Boese died in 1960 and his loss will
be remembered as he served for six years and
was our
first pastor to live in the new
parsonage. Rev. Herbert Schauer came in
June of 1962.
At this time church
records
show that in 1964 we had a baptized member-
ship of 231, and 166 confirmed. During the
50's and 60's many of the young people left
the community to find employment as farms
were getting larger and fewer people were
needed to till the land. Many members now
Iive in Burlington and faithfully come to
worship services and in 1960 the Ladies Aid
became the American Lutheran Church
Woman with all confirmed women as members. This was brought about with the merger
of the American Lutheran
Church with
several other Lutheran bodies creating the
new organization. The red hymnals were
purchased in 1963.
Immanuel celebrated their 75th anniversary on May 9, 1965 with guest speakers: Rev.
Henry Stolz, Minden, Nebraska and Dr. E.G.
Fritschel, President of the Central District.
A taped message from Rev. Ivan Amman,
Missionary, Territory
of New Guinea
was
purchased a used organ in 1978 from the
church in Benkelman. Nebraska and the new
green hymnals were bought. Jean Weisshaar
is providing music and guidance for the men's
choir with Lois Jacobson as our organist with
younger members assisting in the music for
worship. The basement was remodled and
redecorated during the winter of 1979 and the
church and steeple were painted on the
outside. As of January 1, 1980 membership
consists of 63 active families, 228 baptized.
and 178 confirmed.
We began 1980 by celebrating our 90th
anniversary with our first day of celebration
on May 4 with Rev. Ivan Amman, Randolf,
Nebraska as guest speaker for the morning
service. Music for the day was provided by
our own men's choir and a German Quartette
from St. Francis, and by the Hope United
Church of Christ choir. Mr. A.W. Adolf
shared some memories from the past. A
reception was held in the afternoon for the
friends who were able to come and share in
the fellowship of this event. Attendance for
morning services was about 188 and 258 for
the afternoon program. On July 27,1980,
Immanuel held its Heritage Day Celebration.
Bringing us the message for the morning
service was Pastor Henry Stolz with Pastor
Henry Thorburg and Pastor Howard Jacobson conducting the German and English
worship service commerating our past.
Many worshippers arrived in their buggies
and wagons and riding horses and driving old
cars with many people dressed in period
clothing to help set the atmosphere for the
day. The church was overflowing with worshippers numbering over 350 for the morning
and afternoon services. Everyone gathered on
the south side of the church where a group
picture was taken. The afternoon program
consisted of special music and a slide presentation covering events from the past 90 years
and special historical events of interest were
shared. Everyone shared in a huge basket
dinner with the crowd overflowing outdoors
as the weather was just perfect. Events held
were the horseshoe games and the beard
growing contest with refreshments of homemade ice cream and cookies being served and
enjoyed by all creating a warmth of christian
fellowship that was shared by all and will be
remembered and cherished for years to come.
Pastor's Fred Schauer and Greg Adolf
visited us in August and our annual Mission
Festival was held on September 28 with
Bishop Archie Madsen, President of the
presented. Mrs. Eulalia Schauer was pianist
with music by several choirs from the community. Our congregation was once again
called to supply young men for service in the
Vietnam War with all returning home safely.
The church steeple was repaired and painted
Central District of the ALC bringing the
morning message and the afternoon slide
in the late 1960's.
Rev. E. Martell came in
windows were replaced with colored glass and
the sound system was updated. As ofJanuary
1, 1988 we are a part of the new Evangelical
1967. New carpe-
ting was purchased to cover the sanctuary
floor and the living and dining rooms of the
parsonage. New altar paraments were made
ofraw silk in the colors ofthe church year and
the red velveteen backdrop was hung in 1968.
Rev. Henry Thorburg came to Immanuel
in 1973. In 1974 Fred Schauer, former
member, chose Immanuel for his ordination.
In 1976 the congregation held a special
service celebrating the Bi-Centenial of our
nation. Pianists were Louise Schlichenmayer,
Karen Ziegler and Janet Weisshaar Willis.
In 1977 Rev. Howard Jacobson accepted
our call and arrived in Januarv. The church
presentation on his trip to Africa.
Rev. Michael Greenwalt accepted our call
in September of 1983 and left in the fall of
1987. During this time the upper part of the
Lutheran Church in America due to the
merger of three large Lutheran bodies.
Membership consists of 2l9baptized and 162
confirmed members. Pastor Dennis Mueller
is serving as supply pastor and pianists are
Jean Weisshaar, Gladys Stolz, Eulalia Mueller and guitarists James Lightle and Roger
Weisshaar providing music for our services.
If those first pioneers could be with us now,
they would see that their dream of freedom
and a home of their own became a reality in
the presence of this congregation and com-
munity today. May our God who has so
faithfully showered His blessings upon
us be
Praised!
by Marlyn Hasart
HOPE UNITED
CHURCH OF CHRIST
T252
Hope United Church of Christ was organized in a School house 11 miles north and
1 mile east of Bethune, Colorado, on Aug. 31,
1911 in what was then called Yale, CO.
At this time a group of 11 families gathered
with the Pastors F. Sattler, G. Schmidt and
J. Wagner who helped with the organization
of the "German Evangelical Congregational
Hoffnungs Church" as
it
was originally
named. The names of those charter member
families were: Andreas and Beata Bauer.
Margareta, Martin and Mathilda; Christian
and Christina Gramm, Gottlieb and Eliz-
abeth; Jacob and Emma Gramm; Gottlieb
and Christina Knodel, Edward and Gottlieb;
Gustave and Christina Paster, and Katherina; Matthias and Eva Schaal, Edward and
John; Anna Magdalena Schmidke and
Emma; Samuel and Bertha Schmidke Jr.;
Christian and Dorothea Strobel, Lydia, Emil,
Pauline and Christ: Friedrich and Maria
Stutz, Lydia, Ida and Whilimina; Joseph and
Margareta Weisshaar.
On January 18, 1912 the congregation
voted to build a church and this task was
undertaken immediately. The first church
building was a small one-room frame structure which stood some 250 feet west and
north of the present brick church. It was
completed and dedicated, together with the
cemetary, on Feb. 18, 1912, only one month
after it was started, on land donated by John
Dobler Sr. In 1923 he added to this parcel so
that a parsonage could be built adjacent to
the church. The details of the construction
are as follows: Building funds were obtained
in the sum of $150.00 from the Congregational Building and Loan Association; member
donations were collected
in the sum of
$316.75. This was a total of $466.75 which was
also the construction cost. Needless to say,
many hours of dedicated volunteer labor
went into the building. Christian Dobler was
the carpenter. A pump organ was purchased
on November 20,l9l4,atacost of 975.00. The
first organists were William Stutz and Doro-
thy Schaal.
For several years the congregation was
served by student pastors during the summer
months, and the rest of the time reading of
sermons by the elders of the church for the
worship services. The elders and older members also helped conduct the Sunday School
for the children which always preceeded the
morning worship service. The afternoon
hours were devoted to Christian Endeavor for
the Youth and immediately following an hour
of prayer and singing. Christian Endeavor
especially gave the youth the opportunity to
use and develop their talents, formulate and
express their thoughts on a given subject,
based on the study of the Bible. The prayer
meeting or hour of prayer was an outgrowth
of the revival meetings conducted by the
Evangelist Rev. John Schwabenland. This
filled a real need and the deep spiritual
longing of these first pioneer families. The
�able at that time.
Rev. J.P. Flemmer was then called to Hope
Church and he was the first to call the new
parsonage "home". This was erected on a site
north of the present church in 1923, being
dedicated on
July 15 of that year.
Rev.
Flemmer came direct from Redfield, So. Dak.
Seminary in the summer of 1922 and boarded
,t\
at the home of the Jacob and Katherina
Strobel family until the new parsonage was
completed. Rev. Flemmer was married to
Marie Fahrenbruch on May 16 and so he and
his new bride began their life together in the
new parsonage and served the church until
L925.
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Hope United Church of Christ formerly Hope Congregational Church, 1912
student pastors that served the young church
during the first six summer months from 1912
to
1917 were: John Rothenberger, Karl
Haemmelmand, J. Peter Wagner, R. Otto, A.
Selmikeit and V. Pietzko.
Then in 1918 Rev. Karl Haemmelmann
was called to serve as the first full-time
pastor. He remained to served the church
until 1922. During his ministry, the yearly
It is also interesting
to note that the first Mission Fest offering
was $50.50. A joyous occasion took place
salary paid was $500.00.
when Rev. Haemmelmann and Minnie Stutz
were married here at Hope Church as Minnie
was a charter member of the new church.
The brick church was built in 1928, a beautiful
sight on the plains north of Bethune.
They lived approximately three miles south
of the church on land they purchased, which
had an adobe house standing on it. The
church came together and helped them set up
housekeeping since no parsonage was avail-
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During the ministry of Rev. C.E. Maedche
the congregation voted to erect a new church.
The basic contract was awarded to Mr. J.A.
Haughey of Burlington, Colorado. He completed this work for $5,494.00. The total cost
of the finished structure was $7,500.00 in-
cluding furnishings. The new church
was
dedicated to the service of the Triune God on
September 2,1928. Present at this dedication
were Rev. Mssr. J. Peter Wagner, J.P.
Flemmer, J. Rothenberger, H.J. Stroh and
Theodore Strobel, all of whom assisted in the
dedication service. Present also were pastors
from Burlington, Co. churches who brought
greetings in the English language, Rev. Alley,
Methodist Church and Rev. Tyner, First
Christian Church. Rev. Maedche served
Hope Church longer than any previous
minister, 8 years, terminating his pastorate
in 1934. Rev. and Mrs. Maedche lost their
oldest son during their tenure here and he is
buried in Hope cemetary. On a more joyous
note Rev. Maedche had the privilege of
officiating at the marriage of John and
Margaret Weisshaar, being the last couple
married in the little frame church, and John
Gramm and Frieda Adolf, the first couple in
the new church.
In a note which was found written in John
Strobel's personal handwriting, some of the
costs of the church were broken down as
follows: Brick
(25,000)-$29.50/thousand$73?.50. Tile-$90.00/thousand-$94.00. Cement for basement, side steps-$320.00. Seats
(each)-$4.25. 3 Art stained glass windows$402.00.
In 1935 Rev. John and Julia Hoelzer came
to Hope Church and they ministered through
the difficult depression and dust-bowl years.
A number of families left during this time to
find better opportunities to make a living,
which made it more difficult for those that
remained to maintain the church. However,
the Ladies Missionary and Aid Society was
organized the first year the Rev. Hoelzers
were at Hope, and the 25th Anniversary of
the church was celebrated the following year,
August 29-30, 1936.
Rev. J.F. Reister filled the pulpit from 1939
to L942. Rev. H.G. Pfeiff began his ministery
in 1943 and it was during this time the church
became self-supporting. Previously, the
church had received financial assistance from
the Board of Home Missions. In 1944-46,
during the ministry of Rev. D. Schurr, the
church came very close to being consumed by
fire. Lightning struck close to the church and
the wiring carried cunent to the furnace
room where a fire was started. Fortunately,
discovered and did very little
damage. Student Arthur Siewart served
this was
during his Christmas vacation from Yankton
College. Rev. J. Rothenberger called Hope
The parsonage, church and cemetary of Hope United Church of Christ, 1950's.
Church his home from 1947-1950; he had
�previously served as the first student pastor
in 1912. In 1951 Rev. Wm. R. Schafer came
to serve the church and was ordained here.
He served the church until 1953. During the
ministry of Rev. H.E. Wilske, (1953-1959),
the parsonage was moved to Burlington, Co.
It was completely remodeled and still remains at 325-16th St. During 1960 and 1961,
the church was served by several supply
pastors including students E. Schoessler,
Rev. B. Barthel, P. Kreuzenstein and V.
Schively.
On Aug. 26-27,t961, Hope Church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. There were over 250
members and guests present for this occasion.
It
was during this same year that the
congregation voted to accept the constitution
of the United Church of Christ. Rev. John
Eversole was at Hope from 1962-1963. Rev.
Arthur Hoffman served from 1964 to
1968
and during this time (1967) a new organ was
purchased by Mr. Jake Schaal. This was a
surprise to everyone when they came to
church for Mission Fest Sunday that year.
During the ministery of Rev. Virgil Kellogg,
it was voted to build an addition over the
south entrance of the church. This also
provided an extra Sunday School room. This
was the year 1970. Rev. Kellogg became ill
and passed away during his calling at Hope
Church. Students R. Freeman, Ron Wunsch
and Rev. H. Griffith then filled the pulpit.
Rev. Ruben Isaak came to the church in
1971. At this time extensive remodeling was
undertaken with carpet being Iaid in the
sanctuary and side room. Linoleum was put
in the basement. Rev. Isaak eventually left
Hope Church due to the prolonged illness and
death of his wife, Alta. Under his ministry,
however, many new members were added to
the role of the church and many were
baptized in the name of the Lord. During
Rev. Isaak's absence, Rev. Howard Johnson
filled the pulpit. Rev. Isaak returned to the
church in 1978 retiring as a full-time pastor
at the end ofthis year. Rev. Loren Swanson
served Hope from 1979-1981.
The Dr. Rev. Albert Wetzel was called to
the church in 1982 and served the church
through 1986, along with his wife Rosemary
and daughter Julie. In 1982, during his
installation as pastor at the Hope Church, he
was also recognized for serving 25 years in the
ministry. It was under his direction and
guidance that we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of Hope United Church of Christ. It
was noted that in celebrating this joyous
occasion, new pews had been added to the
sanctuary and remodeling
of the
kitchen
completed.
Two of the charter members are still living.
They are Christ Strobel and Mathilda
(Hohn) Mitchell, as well as 8 of the charter
family's children, who were Sunday School
age and under at the
time of the organization.
They are: Eva (Knodel) Schaal; Margaret
(Weisshaar) Strobel; Pauline (Gramm)
Schaal; William Stutz; Emil Schmidke;
Emma (Schmidke) McDowell; Anna (Bauer)
Hays; and Edward Bauer.
On Easter Sunday, April lg, 1987, Pastor
Ted Meter first served Hope Church. He and
his wife, Betty, arrived from North Dakota
and were surprised to be greeted by an
extensively remodeled and modernized parsonage. At this writing, Meters are actively
and busily involved in the work ofthe church
serving the Lord.
Registered thus far in the church records:
255 Baptisms; 183 Confirmations; 73 marriages; 88 Funerals; and 104 Families.
OUR CHURCH SCHOOL- The purpose of
the Sunday School is to teach the children the
Bible stories that would mold their lives into
law abiding and God fearing citizens. In the
beginning it was conducted in the German
language and children were taught the German ABCs and how to write in German. The
memorizing of Bible verses and studying of
Bible stories taught them about the love of
God and singing the song "Jesus loves me this
I know, for the Bible tells me so," has helped
to love God and
also to love their
fellowmen. The first week in June a week of
Vacation Bible School is held and children
bring their money for a missionary in a
them
foreign land, and a program at the end to tell
what they have learned during the week. One
of the highlights of the year is the Sunday
School picnic on a Sunday in July in a grove
of trees by the river and singing of the hymn
"Shall We Gather at the River" and an open
air church service. After the service we share
a potluck dinner and freezers of homemade
ice cream. Also games and visiting makes for
a day of good Christian fellowship.
Near
Thanksgiving time, recitations and parts for
drills are handed out for the Christmas
program on Christmas eve. The program
ends with a pageant and a nativity scene to
commemorate the birth of the Savior of the
world.
PAIRS & SPARES- Pairs and Spares was
organized in 1982, under the direction ofRev.
and Mrs. Albert Wetzel. The group is open
to anyone, and presently consists of the
younger married and singles of the church.
Meetings are held in various members'homes
on the third sunday evening of the month.
Fellowship consists of Bible study and sharing views on controversial issues concerning
Christian living. During the summer months
we take advantage of the various outdoor
activities. Our goal is to further our education
in Jesus Christ and His teachings, and use it
to walk closer with Him in our everyday lives.
THE MUSICAL DEPARTMENT- It ap-
parently started as a mixed choir in the early
years (1912-13), and later Rev. Flemmer
started a men's quartet, consisting of himself,
John Dobler, Bill Stutz, and Ted Knodel.
From there it has blossomed into a larger
men's choir that has lasted until the present
time with various choir directors through the
years. The church has been fortunate to
always have two or three, or more, accompanists available. There is also a host oftalented
singers as demonstrated in the congregational singing each Sunday. At the present time
there is a men's choir that sings in the winter
months. In the summer and fall a mixed choir
sings, or special numbers are provided by
various members of the church. There have
been cantatas and concerts performed at the
church. Most of the cantatas were performed
with Immanuel Lutheran Church and the
Hope Church combined. A lot of dedication
and hard work have made the music at Hope
Church an important and necessary part of
the church and has been very instrumental
in the growth of the church.
MISSIONARY AND AID SOCIETY- The
first official meeting was held on July 1, 1935,
at the church. Some of the highlights of this
meeting are: The name of the organization
shall be called the "Missionary and Aid
Society". Meetings shall be held the first
Thursday of the month. The motto will be
"Alle Eure Dinge Lasset in der Liebe Geshehen" (Let All Your Efforts Be Motivated bv
Charity and Love). The present motto is
No Longer Strangers Are". All
2l
"Wi
ladies
present were recognized as "charter members". They were Christina Gramm, Magdalena Dobler, Julia Hoelzer, Carolina
Schaal, Emma M. Schaal, Lena Strobel,
Emma Schaal, Edna Dobler, Pauline Schaal,
Martha Gramm, Margaret Strobel, Lydia
Gramm, Frieda Gramm, Christina Knodel.
Pauline Stahlecker, Martha Adolf. Anna
Strobel, Martha Schlichenmayer, Pauline C.
Schaal, Lydia Adolf and Rev. John Hoelzer.
The first meeting held in English was on Feb.
2, 1950. This group was organized to be
mission dedicated to help the needy in the
community and foreign missions. The aid
celebrated its 25th Anniversary in June 1960
and the 50th Anniversary in June 1985.
AND THEY WENT FORTH- Three
young men have gone forth from the Hope
Church into the full-time service of the
Church. THEODORE. C. STROBEL graduated from Redfield Seminary and was ordained in 1921 in Canada, where he served a
church parish for about three years. Ted also
served churches in Colorado and the Dakotas,
as well as on the West Coast, for the past 50
years, the last 10 years as interim pastor. DR.
WALTER E. DOBLER graduated from
Yankton School ofTheology, Yankton, South
Dakota. He then attended the Andover
Newton Theological School in Newton Cen-
ter, Mass. where he completed residence
requirements for his Doctorate degree. He
was ordained in 1942 at the American FallsTwin Falls, Idaho parish. Dr. Dobler was
appointed to the faculty of the Yankton
School of Theology as a Professor of German
Language and Literature. He served several
churches throughout the Northern and Eastern areas of the United States. Dr. Dobler was
Associate Conference Minister for the western area of the Missouri Conference. HERBERT R. SCHAAL graduated from Yankton
School of Theology. He was ordained in
Crook, Colorado in 1966. In 1958 he was
commissioned as missionary to our work in
Concordia Entre Rio Argentina, South America. He served as Superintendent ofthe work
there, including the School of Theology in
which ministers were trained for both Brazil
and Argentina. He and wife Doris served in
Argentina f.or L2 years and then served
several churches in the United States. In
addition to these persons, yet another young
lady from Hope Church has served for many
years as a ministers wife, namely, Minnie
(Stutz) Haemmelmann. Two of her sons and
a daughter, as well as a grandson, are also in
full-time christian service.
AND THEY FOLLOW AFTER- Dr. Robert Strobel, son of Rev. Theo. Strobel was
Professor of Religious Education at United
Theological Seminary for 25 years from the
very beginning, and his wife, Alice, as Admis-
sions Secretary during those years. Robert
also served in the Air Force as Chaplin for
many years, and Betty, daughter of Rev.
Strobel also was active in church work for
many years as the wife of Rev. Ernest
Sprenger. Rev. David Dobler, son of Dr.
Walter Dobler is also in the ministry and
presently serving in Alaska. Patty (Schaal)
Browning, daughter of Rev. Herbert Schaal
and her husband, Steve, are scrving in the
Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (College
Campus Ministry) presently
at
Seattle,
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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Bethune
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
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history
Description
An account of the resource
The history of the Town of Bethune as recorded in the History of Kit Carson Count book.
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/407/Businesses.pdf
03dd4dbd03db888ac7dfd0ba054723b8
PDF Text
Text
GREAT WESTERN
TIRE
CO.
B1
The Great Western Tire Company was
purchased in L977, from Keith Bracelin and
Warren Cook, by Jerry Arendsee. Some of the
past managers were Ken Moddlemog and
Don McCune. The new and present manager
is Dan Spain from Rapid City, South Dakota.
Jerry Arendsee added 2 bays, one a line bay
and the other a service bay in 1980. The
office, showroom and warehouse were added
later.
They primarily sell Goodyear tires, but also
sell Michelin and Dunlop and other tires and
auto service. They employ about 6 employees
on the average. A change of the time is the
in this territory. The company also had a
well-equipped retail station on Main Street,
next door to Orin Penny.
P.J. Remington was the local agent, who
assumed control of the business on Januarv.
1929.
D.G.
LIQUORS/ROADRUNNER
BAR AND CAFE
83
The First National Bank at Burlington
new idea of the Radial tractor tire. This
provides for a large tire business and the
quality is good. Another sign of the times is
the introduction of the computerized equipment on line, for the last ten years.
is.s
.
by Marilyn Hasart
OLD OIL BUSINESSES
B2
In the van of the rapid advancement of
Burlington's business interests was the
White Eagle Oil Corporation, located in the
northern part of the city, just east of the
depot. This firm was exclusive distributor in
this territory of the far-famed White Eagle
gasoline, kerosene, and Keynoil and Mobiloil
motor oils and greases. These products had
been sought after by discriminating motorists.
The local bulk station supplied the Bur-
Iington retail station, also a number of
independent dealers and large consumers in
this locality, deliveries being made to all parts
of the surrounding territory. R.E. Hook was
the agent for the company.
The Continental Oil Company was located
on North Main Street, opposite the then City
Hall. This company operated a modernly
equipped filling station, and also had a large
bulk station here. They handle Conoco
gasoline, kerosene, motor oils, greases, and
Esco and Germ processed oils, which had few
equals on the market. The business was
managed by R.W. Plummer.
The Sinclair Service Station No. 1 was
located on Main Street. This station made a
specialty
of the famous Sinclair
gasoline,
motor oils and greases. It was on April 1, 1929,
when this company assumed control al-
it was originally established some
time before that date. E.E. Hoskin was the
though
manager.
The history of the Sinclair Refining Company dates back to March 28,1923. The local
bulk station, which is situated east of the
Rock Island depot, handles the entire Sinclair line of petroleum products, which
comprises Sinclair gasoline, Sinclair High
Compression gasoline, kerosene, distillate,
Opalene and Mobilene motor oils and
greases. These products have been on the
market for years.
The Burlington station covers Kit Carson
county, making deliveries by truck to a
number of dealers as well as large consumers
D.G. Liquors and Roadrunner Bar and Cafe in
Stratton. . ahistoriclandmark
Donald D. and Patricia C. Guernsey at
present are conducting business as the
Roadrunner Bar and Cafe, 2L7 Colorado
Avenue, and D.G. Liquors at 211 Colorado
Avenue, and live above the businesses at
2l7Vz Colorado Avenue.
We purchased the Roadrunner May
1,
1980. Since we have moved to Stratton, we
have sandblasted the exterior ofthe building,
painted and remodeled the upstairs and
downstairs, updating
the electricity
and
bathrooms.
The abstract of the property is quite
interesting as it goes back to the 1880's, we
presume, based on the abstract, the north
half of our building was the first bank of
Stratton. We still maintain the vault. The
The First National Bank at Burlington, Drive-thru
Facility.
still holds, Mr. Harker has given direction to
a growing viable bank which has helped
finance the growth of irrigation, dryland
farming, cattle feeding and the many service
related businesses. More than twenty-five
new businesses have received their financing
original vault inspections were 1911 through
1922 and, are still on the vault doors.
from the First National Bank.
Drive-Up facilities were provided in 1980
to add more convenience for the customers
by Patricia Guernsey
by expanding the business hours. On line wire
service for money transfers were also provided by the bank.
In 1973 Mr.
THE FIRST
NATIONAL BANK AT
BURLINGTON
B4
The First National Bank at Burlington was
organized and chartered in 1963 to meet the
needs of a growing agriculture community.
John E. Harker, a farmer and rancher of the
area, saw the need for an additional financial
institution to provide credit for this progres-
sive industry of agriculture. A feasibility
study made by the Denver University indicated that this assessment was correct and
Mr. Harker then filed for a charter. It was
granted by the Comptroller of Currency in
August of 1963. Assuming the office of
Chairman of The Board. an office which he
Harker was elected to the
Colorado Bankers Assn. representing District
C-3. In 1976 he was elected to serve the office
of President for the Association. During this
time the EFT Bill became an Act. This was
after many Iong hours from the beginning of
the Task Force study to the final lobbying.
Officers of the Bank have continued their
education through attending The Colorado
School of Banking, Colo. Agriculture Lending
Forum, American Bankers Assn. Agriculture
Meetings and various seminars given to
update them in new banking regulations. The
present officers are: President John E. Hark-
er, Vice-President and Cashier Jimmie L.
Jones, Vice-President Tim J. Weibel.
The current directors are John Harker.
R.C. Beethe, Jimmie L. Jones, Harold McArthur and Ray Rhoades. The First National
Bank is the only locally owned financial
institution in Burlington and has fifty local
shareholders who have supported the bank
�over the years and have seen
it grow to totals
of over thirty million.
by Norene Harker
A stockholders meeting was held in June
of 1918 for the purpose of organizing a bank
in Stratton, Colorado. Mr. E.W. Tarrant was
the new building with an open house in
October of 1962. In 1965, Mr. J.W. Borders
Secretary, and they were employed to Iook
H.E. Clark, President and Mr. Bob Best, Vice
President. Through the remainder of the 60's
and ?0's the Bank remained under the
capable direction of Mr. H.E. Clark seeing its
50th anniversary in July of 1968, and continued to grow and prosper. Mr. H.E. Clark and
stockholders sold the Bank in September of
1981. Mr. Robert L. Todd became President
and Chairman of the Board upon the sale of
the Bank with Mr. H.E. Clark remaining on
the Board of Directors. The Bank continued
to grow from its asset size of $18,000,000.00
through the early part of the 80's to approximately $25,000,000.00 before encountering
named Chairman and Mr. M.E. Denver,
after the affairs of the bank during its
ORIN P. PENNY
HARDWARE
B5
formation. The Federal Reserve Bank Charter was issued on November 4, 1918, making
official the creation of The First National
Bank of Stratton. From the first meeting of
June of 1918. Mr. E.W. Tarrant continued to
watch the affairs
resignation
in
of the Bank until
his
1923 at which time Mr. J.W.
Borders was elected President, Mr. D.E.
Davis, Vice President and Mr. J.G. Ford as
Cashier. In that same year Mr. R.H. Calverly
was appointed Vice President and Director
B&on,
Orin P. Penny; Hardware, furniture, Undertaking;
Burlington, Colorado
The Burlington business was one of the
largest and well stocked retail houses of its
kind in eastern Colorado. The business was
located in a modern brick structure which is
finely adapted for the purpose it was intended and contains dimensions of about
50X140 feet with a basement half the size of
the building.
The stock was comprised of staple and
heavy hardware, farm implements, cream
separators, gasoline engines, Delco light
plants, Frigidaire refrigerators, furniture,
stoves, ranges, household necessities, rangers' supplies, and sporting goods.
Orin P. Penny also ran a funeral parlor.
with active management being tendered to
Mr. R.H. Calverly on January 8, L924.
In April of 1924 a call to raise money for
STRATTON,
coLoRADO 80836
L.L. Pugh was Chairman of the Board, Mr.
the tough conditions of the agricultural
economy in the'83-86 period.
the purchase of shares through assessment of
the current shareholders was not met by all
of the stockholders and subsequently several
of the existing bank officers and directors
acquired additional stock of Mr. E.W.
Tarrant. In June of 1926 Mr. Ford resigned
from his cashier duties and Mr. R.H. Calverly
was elected as Cashier. In October of 1926,
total assets of the bank were $157,018.00.
Today the Bank continues to grow and
flourish and provide a stable source of funds
and deposits for the community of Stratton
and its surrounding territories in Kit Carson
County. The Bank has seen both good and
bad times but continues to be optimistic for
the future of this fine community and the
eastern plains of Colorado. The First National Bank of Stratton proudly claims its
minutes "We felt
that it was better business to liquidate the
by Mr. Robert L. Todd
The bank continued to run through good
and bad cycles during the L929 and early 30's
culminating on May of 1934 with an excerpt
place as a cornerstone of Kit Carson County
and will continue to provide a stable building
base for the years to come.
from the Director's
Bank as the Bank was over capitalized now
for the size of the town and the burden of
taxes would be too great for a Bank of this
size; but under general conditions it seems
that there is no way but to take preferred
stock" and hence was born a request for a
Reconstruction Finance Loan to see the Bank
through the dark days of the early 30's. In
SOMEPLACE SPECIAL
87
December of 1936, the balance of the monies
borrowed under the Reconstruction Finance
Act were repaid to the U.S. Treasury and by
L944t}ire Bank was once again free and clear.
In 1940 deposits totaled $203,000.00. Significant growth in 1944 and 1945 resulted from
the largest wheat crop the community had
ever seen. Deposits had grown from
$203,000.00 in 1940 to a little over
THE FIRST
NATIONAL BANK
was the honorary Chairman of the Board, Mr.
* - ::rl!:r -i'ir!irqix;;4;
.,
.- :-t:rr,:&
._
'...-..
'trf.qs.
"
ll..:,
liry,i
##n
f*
$2,233,000.00 by the end of L947. In January
of 1946 Mr. H.K. Clark was elected Director
and was further appointed to the position of
in 1948. Mr. R.H. Calverly
became President of the Bank in January of
Vice President
1951 with Mr. H.E. Clark coming on the
Board at the passing of his father in 1952.
In 1955 Mr. H.E. Clark was elected as Vice
President of the Bank and shortly thereafter
Mr. Calverly resigned. Years 1955 and 1956
were some of the toughest years brought on
by drought conditions in the local area and
the Bank once again endured the rough times
until some relief was provided through the
ASCS Soil Bank program in 1957.
Mr. Bob Best was elected Assistant Cashier
along with Wanda Sweet in January of 1957.
In early 1960 John G. Clark was elected as
President of the Bank with J.W. Borders as
Chairman of the Board. Mr. Clark resigned
effective January 10, 1961, with Mr. L.L.
Pugh being elected as President, Mr. H.E.
Clark. Executive Vice President and Mr. Bob
Best, Cashier. Savings interest was raised to
The First National Bank, Stratton, Colorado
37o at that time.
In November of 1961 discussion was undertaken concerning the building of a new bank
building in Stratton. Dedication was made of
Someplace Special, a Stratton clothing store
Someplace Special is a clothing store in
Stratton located in the same building at the
corner of Colorado Avenue and Main Street
which has housed a number of previous
clothing stores within the past 40 years. The
present owners, Dischners IGA, have been in
�business there since
the November.
1984
opening.
by Marlyn Dischner
STRATTON
UPHOLSTERY AND
SPORTTNG GOODS"TO
OLD DRUG STORES
IN BURLINGTON
B8
The Busy Corner Fountain was located on
L92L.
now in what a modest way this tremendous
industry was started, of how great its ramifications had become.
This theatre was modern in construction;
its equipment was the latest and was adistically decorated throughout. The house seating would accommodate 400 or more persons. The Midway theatre was an old established enterprise and in 1929, had been under
the management of Orin Milburn and V.S.
Hennen for about four years.
They exhibited the latest in
Main Street. This firm served all kinds of
refreshing temperance beverages, ice cream,
frozen dainties, sandwiches, light lunches,
etc., also carried a line of druggists'sundries,
toilet articles, stationery, fine candies, cigars,
tobacco, cigarettes, kodaks, films, magazines,
newspapers, periodicals, etc.
Starting in business on Sept. 10, 1928, the
Fountain was owned by E.G. Ormsbee.
The Rexall Store had been located next to
the Stock Growers State Bank, and met every
requirement in its growing field. The place
provided with specially designed fixtures and
all stock was kept under glass and free from
dirt, soot and moisture. They dealt in pure
drugs, allied specialties and also did kodak
developing and printing. A feature of the
store was the up-to-date fountain.
This firm consisted of E.L. Weinandt and
J.D. Brown, both registered pharmacists.
The only registered pharmacists in the city.
One of their special lines was the famous
Rexall family remedies and druggist sundries. The firm had been established since
grown so rapidly that one seldom remembers
All
Talking
Pictures tobe had from leading studios of the
world, and no picture shown that could
possible offend the most refined.
Stratton Upholstery and Sporting Goods in 1988
To make a long story into
a
STRATTON
LIVESTOCK, TNC.
Br2
few paragraphs,
we started out with a used furniture store and
upholstery in the mid 1940's in Burlington.
In 1951 we moved on a farm 13 miles north
of Vona. When farming began going down
hill, we decided to try our hand at upholstering again on the farm.
In 1957 we set up our shop (across the
street from our present location) in with the
Red's Body Shop owned and operated by Red
and Nita Lindsey. We drove to and from the
farm each day.
In 1958 we moved into Stratton and
continued our upholstery in with the body
shop. As our business grew too large for the
same building, we moved across the street in
BURLINGTON
AUDITORIUM
a building just south of our present location.
At that time the building was owned by Bob
Miller. At one time it housed a liquor store
B9
The homestead boom of 1902 to 1906 was
a reality, and more community activities were
thus possible. Following the successful 1908
festival in the Auditorium were Shakespearean plays, roller skating and other projects
until it was bought by Louis Vogt and the
lumber used to build his new Midway
- the
present movie house, which still stands
on
Fourteenth Street. Most memorable event
besides the first Fair in the auditorium was
a huge land sale by A.W. Winegar, a well
known early community Realtor and builder,
who brought a train load of buyers from the
east, importing rented cars from Denver to
take them into the country. Hot winds curled
the crops between the time the land sale was
planned and the time the Easterners arrived,
so only moderate returns were gleaned for his
efforts; but some new settlers were coming all
the time. Thus the need for events to keep
them here. such as the Fair.
operated by Charley Scholz. The old American Legion Hall used to be where Millers used
car lot is located now.
In 1962 we purchased the building to the
north from Joe Evans who had a pool hall.
When this building was built it was a bakery.
There were brick ovens out behind where
they baked their bread outdoors. Some of the
bottom part is still visible today. The north
part was a living quarters. At one time it was
Phil's TV operated by Phil Helsel.
We continued with our upholstery and
added used furniture. In 1967 we got our first
firearms license. Soon we added archery
equipment. In a few years, by Ray selling
archery equipment and trading for firearms,
our store was built into what it is today
"The Biggest Little Sporting Goods Store -in
Colorado."
by Ray and Lila Jones
1988 view
In the spring of 1976, various individuals
of the Stratton community agreed that the
community needed a livestock market, and
agreed to assist an individual in the construc-
tion of a facility. Richard C. Engel
COMPANY
Btr
Not many years ago, when the moving
picture show opened its doors timidly, offering its exhibitions for an admission of not
more than five or ten cents, one was inclined
to laugh at its pretensions as a surveyor of
public emusement. But the business has
was
contacted and agreed to be this individual.
These various persons, nineteen in all, agreed
to finance $200,000.00 for the construction.
Total cost when completed was $240,000.00.
It was built during the year 1976, the first sale
was in September 1976.
Richard "Dick" Engel designed and oversaw the building of the facility. Much volunteer labor went into the construction of the
barn and corrals. Nearly all of the materials
were purchased locally, most of them at cost.
The businesses in Stratton knew they would
also benefit greatly from this new business.
The facility consists of a cinderblock building
containing a sales pavilion which seats 221,
office space and a restaurant which seats 45.
A shed attached to the north contains the
scales and some small pens. There is pen
space for 5000 cattle, three main loading
chutes,
MIDWAY THEATRE
of Stratton Livestock. Inc.
3 pick-up loading chutes and an
adjustable chute for loading hogs or calves.
Dick owned and operated the business,
known as Stratton Livestock Marketing
Center, Inc. (changed in 1983 to Stratton
Livestock, Inc.) from 1976 until June 1984.
Elizabeth Engel was the office manager.
From July 1984 until the end of December
1984 it was owned by Bill Hornung and
managed by Harold Adolf; office manager
was Donna Gwyn. In January 1985 LeRoy
Herndon bought Stratton Livestock, Inc. and
still owns and operates it at this time. Eleanor
�Herndon is the office manager.
The largest number of cattle for any one
sale was in October 1980 when 4336 head
were sold. The largest number for any one
year was 1981, with 75,16? head of cattle sold.
Records aren't available for hogs, horses or
sheep. 1980-1982 were the years when the
livestock numbers were at an all time high in
this area. Since then, many people have sold
their cow herds and run just calves and
yearlings. Many of these cattle are brought
in from other states such as Montana,
Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas because
there aren't enough in the local area to supply
the needs of the area feedlots and grassland.
When the barn first opened, the sale was
on Monday. Later this was changed to
Tuesday, with hogs on Wednesday. At the
present hogs are sold on Tuesday at 10:30
This is the grocery store that was run by Chris &
Myrtle Buchanan back in about 1930 to 1933,
located at what is now 1461 Senter Street.
a.m. and cattle Tues. at 12:30 p.m. There is
a horse sale once a year and sheep sales about
to accommodate the
growing number of sheep producers in the
every two months
area.
Auctioneers have been Pete Schlichenmayer and Tom Westrope assisted by Lyle
Garner, Dick Engel, John Nichols, Bob
Gates, Dick Homm and Ed Herndon.
Veterinarian is Dr. Joe M. Bohnen, DVM
Brand Inspectors are Les Davis, Paul Scott
and Jim Palmer. Previous Brand Inspectors
have been Don Pursley and Ed Humphreys.
Present employees are:
Office: Eleanor Herndon, manager; Donna
Gwyn, assistant; Audrey Eisenhart; Rene
Weibel; Virginia Malone; Charlene Gorton
By 1923 his own order slips said "strictly cash" but
we do not think that was adhered to closelv.
Bringing the cows to the meat market for butchering.
by W.H. Yersin. By the fall of 1929, it was
about seven years old.
and Susan Corliss
Block: Tom Westrope, auctioneer; Lyle
Garner, penback and auctioneer; Ed Hern-
don weighmaster and auctioneer;
Dick
Hcrfrm auctioneer - hog sale; Sharon Powell,
deighmaster and clerk.
Ringmen: LeRoy Herndon, owner and
operator; Wil Adolf
Yards: William Cure; Beulah Garner;
Gregg Laybourn; Charlene
Mills;
Leland
Monroe; Loran Moore; Steve Stegman; Connie Stegman; John Hoyda; Albert Warkentine; Rueben Schreiner, Bud Matthews.
Cafe: Cecelia Fox' manager; Gladys Beeson; Marilyn Pottorff; Trudy Herndon; Angela Isenbart; Dorothy Lucas.
Custodians: Richard Flageolle and Kathy
Herndon
Field Representative: Joe Bohnen
DISCHNER'S IGA
814
r,T:Wr,
GEN$RAL MPR
A.J. (Tony) Dischner entered the service in
World War I. A few years after he returned,
he purchased the N.H. Fuller general store
located on the northeast end of today's
Colorado Avenue in Stratton in 1921. At that
time prices were not marked on items but
carried in a clerk's head. Tony or a clerk wrote
up all orders on a pad, and they would round
up the requested items for the customers.
Tony used many suppliers and was in effect
a small wholesaler.
There was no refrigeration in those days.
by Eleanor Herndon
OLD GROCERY
STORES 1920's
Bacon came
fruit,
It
was the
grocery store of Carl Hamilton, owned by Mr.
Hamilton. He had been in the grocery and
meat business since 1918 or 1919 and was
located at the location of Main Street for two
years in 1929.
Also located on Main Street, was The Red
Front Grocery. This business was managed
in a slab; sugar,
beans, dried
cookies and vinegar came in bulk. Folks
brought their own vinegar jug. Flour was in
50 pound cloth sacks. . . the source ofevery
kitchen's dishtowels. Bulk cookies were a big
item. Ed Dischner recalls the buying of eggs
which were then traded for groceries and
household items. At that time there were
three or more cream stations in town, and
most families were fed with cream and egg
813
The following is a listing of some of the past
and present grocery stores in the Burlington
vicinity. The Buchanan Cash Store is one of
these, owned by C.J. Buchanan.
One of the stores featured the famous
Solitaire groceries exclusively.
A.J. would love Dischner's IGA at 216 Colorado
Avenue, Stratton
Tony Dischner must have used N.H. Fuller order
pads for a time.
money.
Tony extended a great deal of credit and
he was able to operate with credit from the
ware houses.
In
1936 Dischner's dropped
clothing from the general store line and
became a grocery store strictly. In 195L much
remodeling was done to accommodate the
new innovation of carts for customers to
�choose
their own groceries. A new counter
and shelving made the store like all new
establishment.
In 1963 Tony sold the store to his son, Ed,
but he continued to work in the store until
he took sick in 1964. Shortly, he passed away
in January 1964 at
age 75, after forty-three
years ofserving Stratton households. In 1966
Dischner's moved to its present 216 Colorado
Avenue site after buying the grocery business
of Mel Hatfield, who had procured the
grocery of John and Dick Buhr. Today
Dischner's IGA is a very large grocery serving
customers from a very wide area.
by Ed Dischner
AMBULANCE OF
STRATTON
Mary Schulte, Jan Halderman, John O'Brien,
Greg Engle, and Rev. Bloomer the others are
still active.
Many people have helped in the support of
our ambulance service, with money making
projects, and money gifts which have helped
to gain equipment and allowed continuing
education. Things have changed a lot in the
fourteen years of service, from our old
D&D CLEANERS
There wasn't much business, Burlington
just coming out of the Dirty 50's.
The cleaners in Cheyenne Wells was
closing so we started a route to Cheyenne
Wells and Kit Carson. We also had a route
to Stratton, Vona, and Seibert.
About 1960 the Flagler Cleaners was for
sale, Dean, Freda and family moved to
Flagler and we bought the Flagler Cleaners
(I had lived and worked in Flagler in 19b4 at
this cleaners.) Dean operated this plant for
was
m€rny years.
In 1958 we were charging about 600
1973 Stratton got
its first ambulance,
Kit Carson
County Ambulance Service. The first one was
an Oldsmobile station wagon. It was graduated to yet another station wagon, which was
followed by a van. It was eventually replaced
by a Cadillac, which was replaced by a Type
I ambulance. It was first housed in the old fire
house on Colorado Avenue, and later moved
to the new fire house.
Our first EMT's were Ace Woller, Louis
and Lynna Pugh, Dick Wheeling, and Sherry
Monroe. They were followed by Mrs. Harley
Pottorff, Mrs. Bob Pottorff, Evelyn Schmidt,
Joni Pottorfi Karen Fehrenbach. Marv
Havens, Nona Woller and Janet Carnathan.
As the years went on they were followed by
KentJostes, Ron Curry, and Kevin Hubbard.
In 1983 a new group took up the reins with
Rev. Don Bloomer, Jim McConnell. Cindv
McCombs, Marjo Shean, Janet Halderman.
We continued to add to our ranks with Sonia
Schuman, Mary Schulte, Melody Schulte,
John O'Brien, Rob Coles, Greg Engle, and Ed
Herndon. We have several drivers who help
out: Kathy Woller, Rod Blackwelder, Don
Peters, Pam Smith, Vern and Betty Dresher,
and Mike Dreher. With the exception of
GAMBLES STORE
for
a
pair of pants, 91.25 for a suit. Hangers,
supplies, and cleaning fluid have gone up
700% since 1958. We had a period in the 60's
when coin-op dry cleaning, polyester hurt the
cleaning business (selling point for clothing
stores, as polyester cleaned beautifully) but
since those have passed, the materials popular in 1987 are about as they were in 1958,
wool, silk, cotton, and rayon.
Some of our early employees at the D&D
Cleaners at 470 14th St. were my Mother,
Alberta Sevens 1960-66, seamstresses were
Mildred Bishop, Carrol Kosch, Reta Loun-
ger, and my wife Doris.
Over the years we have been a family
business, and our children have
Bl7
816
ness for ourselves.
In
by Dallas Stevens
stations wagons to our newest ambulance. We
In 1958, I, Dallas Stevens, Doris. and our
two daughters Dana and Debbie were in
Brush, Co. I was working at Stars Cleaning
Shop there. I had been in dry cleaning since
1952; my brother Dean was in construction
in Brush also.
A cleaning shop was for sale, Jack The
Cleaners, and I talked Dean into coming with
me back to Burlington and going into busi-
and we became a part of the
of school look good.
The future of our business depends on the
economic condition of the area.
have also added a Fire/Rescue vehicle and
extrication equipment.
We sincerely apologize if we have missed
any one that was associated with the ambulance. Your time and effort were appreciated.
We would like to thank the community for its
support.
815
Max Toland administering oxygen
well groomed in 1987. Our young people out
all been
trained and worked there through school
years. Dana, Debbie, Diane, Devona, Dee and
Derek.
In
1975 we bought Felzien's Cleaners and
moved to present location at 260 14th St.
Irma Robertson worked for us 1975 -'82 as
a seamstress. Devona Jensen, has worked
since 1980-87. She, my wife and I operate it
at this time.
Over the years we have done cleaning for
many generations, some of our customers
have been with us for 30 years.
Our trade area reaches from Arriba to
Goodland and from Wray to Cheyenne Wells.
The future looks good for our business,
wool, silk, cotton are back, and people are
Gambles Hardware, Stratton, celebrating 25 years
in
1988.
The Stratton Gambles Store was started bv
Mr. and Mrs. George Heid around 1g48 in thl
building south of the B and B Drug Store.
Mrs. Heid sold the business after her husband's death to Mike and Alyce Lewis. In
June 1963 Gene and Rosemary Jostes purchased the business from them.
In
1966 thev
purchased the building the store is presently
in. It was formerly a dry goods store started
in the 1920's by George Waters. He later sold
this business to Bernard Waldron. who later
sold
it to Les Hatfield, who later sold the
business to Leonard Dischner, who later sold
it to Virgil Pugh all of whom in the many
years operated it as a dry goods store. Virgil
sold the store to Gene and Rosemary Jostes,
who remodeled it and moved their hardware
store there.
This year of 1988 Gene and Rosemarv are
celebrating their 25th year as owners and
operators of the Gambles Store in Stratton.
by Gene Jostes
LIGHTLELOG
Br8
James Lightle and his wife, Joyce, were
involved in a cattle operation and managing
a custom haying operation when an article
appeared in the High Plains Journal which
caught their eye and changed the direction of
their business and life.
This article explained a revolutionary
for converting the straw of cereal
grains into a clean-burning material for
process
fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. Lightle
was impressed with the new process and
recognized the marketing possibilities for a
product that would contribute to the agricultural economy while it helped to keep the
environment clean.
After much research, it was decided to
pursue this business. The couple was able to
convince a banker and enough investors to
support their venture, and by January of
1987, the Lightles had the money needed to
�Dave's Brand
Inn Iron
J.B. Automotive in Stratton at
a
site with a colorful
past
Johnsons. Then after, it was the "Supper
Club" until around 1975. At that time it
became the Brand Inn lron. In August of 1985
it
was changed to "Dave's Brand Inn Iron"
and is presently owned by Dave and Marcia
Eder.
by Marcia Eder
James Lightle, president of Lightlelog, Inc. of
Burlington displays a bag of the finished product
his firm is manufacturing.
open Lightlelog, Inc. for business.
Lightle says the biggest obstacle the business faces is the fact that the consumer knows
very little about alternatives logs. However,
he believes once they are educated about the
benefits of burning straw logs, and more logs
are circulated in the marketplace, the demand for the product should soar.
Some of the major selling points of straw
logs are their ability to burn cleanly, producing very little smoke. They leave a clean ash,
high in potash, rather than the messy charcoal ash left by wood. The straw logs leave
absolutely no creosote buildup in fireplaces
and stoves.
The current market price for a 40-lb bag
of Lightlelog straw logs is $9.99. The 20-lb
boxes sell for $6.99. Lightle points out the
price is another area where straw logs have
BURLINGTON
FLOWER SHOP
a
business that can benefit the consumer, the
farmer, the processor and the local community. "Now, we just have to be patient and try
to build interest."
by James Lightle
DAVE'S BRAND INN
IRON
819
"Dave's Brand Inn Iron" was originally
built in 1947 by Bill and Glen Holloway,
Lewis Beck and Nick Stoffel. It was owned
by Al and Lillie Young and named "Al and
Lil's Bar and Cafe". In 1950 Charles Sholes
an addition on the south side and living
quarters in the back. The bar was then moved
to the south side and has not been changed
since then. Dorothy Lucas who still resides in
Stratton was one of AI and Lil's long time
employees. In 1956 Al and Lil's Bar and Cafe
was sold to Fay and Maime Jones.
In the 1960's it was called "Johnny and
built
Betty's Supper Club", and operated by the
famous customers: E.A. Richardson, Indiana
poet laureate and Mr. Red Skelton. Byrd died
in 1960 and his wife Dessie kept the station
for several years after his death having others
runs the business for her.
In 1964 Anthony J. and Dolores K. Liebl
bought the business and it became Joe's Used
Cars. In 1969 Robert M. Miller owned the
building which he used for storage. He sold
the building and land to Gary and Diane
Salmans in 1974. Gary added on to the
820
building and the long time ago post office was
then an automotive mechanic's shop. Along
with the automotive work he also ran
a
wrecker service. After his death, the business
was purchased by Everett H. Duncan, who
then sold the business to ArDale and Janet
Schulte in 1980. The business was called
D&S.
JB Automotive is now owned by Jack A.
Burian who purchased the building in 1986.
The business employs three full time mechanics. It offers automobile repairs, tire
service, and a 24 hour wrecker service.
by Julie Smith
KENNY'S SEED AND
SUPPLY
Christmastime at the Flower Shop
the advantage over wood.
The Lightles feel this is definitely
penny candy and pop. They had several
Ba2
The Burlington Flower Shop has been in
business for 25 years. It was started by Jim
and Dixie Johnson in 1961. Some of the first
services were the flower shop, greenhouse,
and landscaping services. It is still located in
the same location, on the north end of 14th
Street.
The business was sold to Evelyn Busby in
1977. Jean Swafford and Jatta Miller purchased the business in May of 1983. It is no
longer a nursery as the green house was
destroyed by a hail storm in 1981. The
landscaping services were ceased when the
Johnsons sold the business.
by Jean Swafford
J.B. AUTOMOTIVE
In
1936
BzL
Byrd and Dessie Cassity paid
$150.00 for the land where J.B. Automotive
now sits. The office of the building now was
once Eva Hamilton's post office from downtown. Byrd Cassity ran his station for many
years. Cassity's Service Station sold
gas,
Kenneth Pottorff handles his dealership of several
agricultural necessities of today from his Stratton
Iandmark office.
In 1964, Kenneth Pottorff became a Dekalb Seed Dealer, and like many seed dealers,
operated the business at his farm southeast
of Stratton along with his cattle and farming
interests.
In 1968 Kenny purchased the building on
Colorado Avenue. The earliest business in the
building that he has knowledge of was the
Holloway Chewolet Garage. Then Shell
�it for Grain
until their business closed. Robert
Grain had the building, using
storage
Miller then bought the building, which he
CENTER
sold to Kenny in November 1968.
Kenney's seed business increased and
foreseeing the opportunity to expand his
business, he moved his seed and chemicals up
town, opening up the business as Kenny's
Dekalb Seeds. Mrs. Bob Pottorff was hired
to work in the office in the south side of the
building. The business was only open during
the planting season, which was March
through July.
In March of 1969, Dorothy Lucas was hired
to work in the office, as receptionist and
salesperson until 1982, when she had to quit
due to the illness of her husband. Myra Davis
was hired to replace her. In 1971 Kenny's
brother Loren Pottorff started working and
is still working for his firm today.
Late in 1969 the new office on the north
side of the building was completed and we
moved into it in the spring of 1970. Then
additional offices were added int974, adding
a bookkeeping office and an office for Kenny.
The name was then changed to Kenny's Seed
and Supply.
In 1971 Kenny expanded the business,
taking the dealership to sell Arcadian Fertilizer. He was the first to sell Liquid Fertilizer
in this area. Kenny bought the lots on the
corner ofFirst St. and Colorado Avenue from
Andrew Selenke to put up storage tanks for
fertilizer and the liquid feed. He then bought
Again, because of more growth, a third
BURLINGTON HOME
move was needed and Langston Style Shop
found its home in the Hamilton Building,
B23
The Burlington Home Center opened its
It was started by Al
Bandel for the purpose of supplying the
specialty items he needed for the custom
homes he was building during his summer
break from teaching Industrial Arts at the
high school. The business grew and Al retired
to become full time builder and retailer
passing the services and knowledge he had on
to the people in the area.
1977, Kenny became
a
11,000 sq.
ft.
ln
to add
a
L977 Burlington Home Center, as
it
LANGSTON STYLE
SHOP
824
In 1981 Kenny purchased the south halfof
the lots where the old high school stood. In
1982 he erected a large Butler building to use
for storage. The corner of 4th and Colorado
Avenue was purchased in 1981 from Jenny
Zurcher and is used to display new and used
machinery that is for sale.
During the past 20 years in business,
Kenny has seen many changes in the economy of the country that affects farmers and
Businessmen alike. At the present time
Kenny employs 5 people through the business. They are Loren Pottorff since 1971, Jo
Bauman, bookkeeper since L977, Jan
Schulte, receptionist and salesperson since
1985, Harry Fox and Jim Fox since 1986.
by Dorothy Lucas
The Orth's, Helmuth, Francis, Dennis, Jean and
Sterling, 10 months. Taken in front of Orth's
Department Store on their 28th anniversary.
Orth's Department Store celebrated it's
28th anniversary in June of 1987. Helmuth,
Francis, Dennis and Jean have, over the past
28 years, made their department store one of
the largest independent stores in the tri-state
area.
The family opened its store 28 years ago in
the building formerly occupied by J.C.
Penney's. A modest store with only 2,b00
ployed for parts, sales and service of Zimmatic Sprinklers. In 1979-1986 Marc Pottorff
worked as Zimmatic service man. In 1982 the
business was closed in Burlington and the
parts department was moved to the Stratton
store.
In 1978 the Richardson Farm Machinery
rzet,
B26
by Al and Norma Bandel
Burlington. Jo Bauman was employed as the
bookkeeper and Royce Roemer was em-
began selling anhydrous
ammonia along with selling the liquid fertil-
DEPARTMENT STORE
became known, joined Our Own Hardware
and in 1983 another 6,500 sq. ft. was added
to house the mill shop and receiving dock and
the added storage area for a growing business.
dealer for
at his farm and
ORTH'S
warehouse to
enclose the building material and
drive through custom service lane.
Lindsay Zimmatic Sprinkler systems, and
bought the Gigot Valley building west of
and Big Ox dealerships were added to the
business. In 1986 Kenny put up storage tanks
by Vanetta Pottorff
The 40'x100' sq. ft. building was enlarged
to include a
replace the Tyro. The dealership of Compensator Liquid Feed was added this year also,
along with adding a fertilizer blender building on the corner of First and Colorado in
ln
was
operated until 1973 when the store was closed
after 25 years of business.
doors in the fall of 1974.
a Tryco flotation applicator to apply the
fertilizer. In 1973 he purchased a Big A to
1977.
north of the Midway Theatre and
Hazel and Walter Langston
In
1948 Langston Style Shop had its
beginning with Hazel working for Ed Hanten's Mens Shop, located north of Penny's
Hardware. Mr. Hanten agreed that she could
buy some dresses and sell them while working
for him. She used racks made out of old water
pipes to hang 12 dresses on. She added to her
stock and in 1950, after Mr. Hanten closed his
store, Hazel moved her merchandise across
the street into a little shop in the front end
of the north side of the present Burlington
Record on Main Street where she had her
first exclusive shop.
At this time, Walter Langston retired from
his job with the State Highway Department
and became involved in the business. They
were at this location for about three years,
but because of growth another move was
needed and they enlarged their stock and
moved to the Hammond Building on Senter
Avenue where they operated their business
for the next six years.
square feet, the store now consists ofapproximately 8,000 square feet.
The Orths purchased the old Safeway store
25 years ago as they began to expand their
operation to accommodate the people of the
trade area. Approximately 14 years ago, they
opened the basement of their structure which
now houses mens and boys clothing.
Continuing with their expansion 1? years
ago, Orth's purchased the building formerly
occupied
by Western Auto and put in
a
complete fabric department.
Helmuth and Francis originally opened as
a Skogmos store 28 years ago. After being in
business for approximately three years, they
decided they could offer their customers a
better line of merchandise at low prices by
going independent.
Their son, Dennis, joined the business 18
years ago.
The Orth's moved to Burlington from St.
Francis, Kansas 28 years ago with little
clothing experience. Their operation now
requires that they spend about 25 days a year
doing nothing but attending various markets
and purchasing merchandise for their customers.
In a joint statement, the family said, "We
certainly do appreciate the excellent response of all of the many people of our trade
area. We have strived to give the people a
complete department store
that
stresses
quality merchandise at reasonable prices. In
addition, we have made our store a'complete
�family store where you can purchase all of
your family's needs'in one facility."
Helmuth continued, "We will attempt to
give the people an even better department
store over the next 20 Years."
by Dennis Orth
K-G ELECTRIC
HATCHERY
The K-G Electric Hatchery, was
a
B26
compar-
atively new enterprise, having opened for
business in February of 1930. The plant was
modern in every detail, with Buckeye incubators. brooders and other requirements. They
had a capacity for 50,000 chicks. A specialty
was made of purebred stock and their aim
was to raise bigger, stronger and better,
grades of chicks at moderate prices.
The Hatchery also carried a complete line
of poultry supplies, with Purina Chow being
the best. This business was run and managed
by Mr. C.G. Gould.
FLAGLER NEWS
B27
the competing newspaper' The Flagler Progress, in 1918 and merged it with the News.
The Borland's sold The News in 1923 to
Philo F. Falb who published the paper until
1927, when the Borlands bought it back.
They continued to publish it until 1931, when
they sold
it to T.
and Grace Gaurd of
Breckenridge. Mr. Gaurd had published the
Summit County Journal and Mrs. Gaurd had
taught school. After selling the Flagler News,
Will Borland became a clerk in the Flagler
Post Office and was active in the Democratic
politics in the county.
The Gaurds published The News until
1948 when they sold it to Clyde and Ruth
Coulter, who came to Flagler after working
on newspapers in the Chicago area. The
Coulters are continuing to publish the paper
in this their 40th year. The Gaurds relocated
The Flagler News office twice, first in the
its 75th year of publication.
Flagler News files date back only to 1915
but it is believed the newspaper was started
in 1913 as a Democratic paper to compete for
legal publications with the existing weekly
paper, the Republican Flagler Progress, a
primary source of revenue for early newspapers was pubtishing legal notices regarding
homesteads and it is probable that the News
was founded to get a share of those legal
notices.
Founder and
first publisher was
E.H.
Kruchten. He published the paper for a year
it to J.D. Heiny, who sold it to
H.E.Wetherell, who operated it until 1915'
when Will and Sarah Borland. Mr. Borland
and sold
had worked as a printer in Brush while
proving up on a homestead located south of
Brush. (Will and Sarah Borland were the
parents of Hal Borland, who graduated from
Flagler High School in 1918 and became a
nationally known journalist, columnist, and
author. He is particularly known for his
nature writings.) The Borlands purchased
BATT REALTY
B29
the newly built "Theatre Building"
now
occupied by the Witts Family Store. In about
1940 The Gaurds constructed the present
building being occupied by The News and
moved there. They also developed one of the
most modern small town newspaper plants in
the area. In 1938, they installed a photo
engraving plant. After World War II, they put
in a new Model 31 Linotype and a rebuilt 4-
page Miehle newspaper press. The Coulters
recently donated the press to the Old Town
Museum in Burlington, where it can be seen
in operation. The linotype is still being used
for commercial purposes in the News office.
New technology in recent years has revolutionized the printing of newspapers. Instead
of hand set type and "hot metal" linotypes,
newspapers now use "cold type" computers
phed and printed on "offset" presses at a
central printing plant. The Flagler News is
now being prepared in Flagler but the actual
printing is done at the Burlington Record.
A second weekly newspaper, The Flagler
Progtess, was published in the community
from about 1908 until 1918, when it was
The town of Flagler will be celebrating its
100th year anniversary in 1988 and its weekly
newspaper, the Flagler News, will be marking
1920's.
early 1930's from the basement of the "Bank
Building" (now the "Otteman Building") to
to set type. Pages are "pasted up", photogra-
Flagler News, building constructed in 1940 by T.
Guard.
Burlington Ice and Bottling Co. (foreground) in
published by the Will Borlands. There are no
file copies of The Progress available in the
community except for a few copies which
have been saved by families of early residents. It is believed to have been founded and
published by Charles E. Gibson. Its office was
in the original Odd Fellows Building, on the
south side of the building.
BURLINGTON ICE
AND BOTTLING CO.
828
Batt Realty dealt in real estate and oil leasing.
This real estate office actually originated
as Rose and Wall by Claus Rose, Jr. and
Charles S. Wall. The office was in the old
building owned by the Stratton State Bank,
North 20 feet of lot 7, block 7, original
Stratton. These two men purchased the
building on August 19, L942.
Claus Rose was elected County Treasurer
and moved to Burlington. Charles Wall
operated the real estate office from that time
until it was sold to George Batt on September
9, 1946.
George Batt immediately went into business with Swidbert A. Hornung, who purchased the building from George Batt on
August 21,L952. "Swede" Hornung operated
the business until his death on January 16,
1970.
"Swede" was responsible for the influx of
families from the Dodge City - Spearville,
Kansas, area who still live in the Stratton
area. Some of these families are: Cures,
Downey, Bill Hornung, Schulte, Conrardy,
Stegman, Torline, Grasser, Rueb, Kliesen,
Pottorff, Shean, Warner, Dvorak,
etc.
Swede was a community-minded man and
was into many projects, such as REA, the
Stratton School relocation to the present site,
the building of the present Catholic Church,
the Post Office.
He was an eternal optimist and a great
believer in the future of the Stratton area
among other things.
The Burlington Ice and Bottling Company'
was an institution that had a broad and
steady growth from the date of its inception.
The ice plant was established in 1922. It had
an icemaking capacity of six tons evety 24
hours. The bottling plant was added in 1925'
it was devoted to the manufacture of a full
line of high grade soda waters, including all
popular flavors, one of their specialties being
lcal-Aid", (an orange drink). They were also
the distributors of Hamm's, and Windsor
Club Beer and Oxford CIub Ginger AIe. H.A.
Keese, was the proprietor.
by Edith Hornung
�VANCE'S
DECORATING
CENTER
crockery, variety goods, paints, oils and
couNTY,
B30
In June of 1983, Dennis and Dianne Vance
decided to open a new business in Burlington,
Colorado. Dennis had been a carpet installer
and painter for 20 years. Dianne is a hairdresser by trade, but shared an interest with her
husband to start a new business, thus Vance's
was begun.
From June 1983, to March 1985 the
business was located at l46t Senter in
Burlington. In this store the Vance's carried
a line of unfinished furniture, carpet, and a
unique gift section. In October of 1984 the
Vance's added the Cook Paint line to their
store. They remained at L46l Senter until
March 1985. Even though these were stressed
economical times, the Vance's had done fairlv
well in their little store and decided to makl
a move to a larger building, in a new location.
They moved to 314 14th Street which many
years ago was the old Red Front Grocerv
Store. Shortly before Vance's moved to this
location it was a T.V. repair store. The new
business location was leased from John
Penny. At the time of the move the name of
the store was changed to Vance's Decorating
Center. Moving from a very small location, to
one almost double in size, Dennis and Dianne
had room for expansion. From March 1985 to
the present date, Sept. 198?, they are a full
Iine decorating center. They carry in their
store, Cook Paint, floor coverings, wallpaper,
PANGBORN'S
PHARMACY, PHOTO
AND SOUND CENTER,
INC.
B32
Pangborn's Pharmacy was founded February 4, 1966, by Bill and Penny Pangborn at
347 - l4th Street, Burlington, Colorado. It
began as a family business and remained one.
Bill was the pharmacist and Penny helped
with the clerking, was the bookkeeper, and
managed the office.
In 1975, following college graduation, their
son, Tom, returned to Burlington and expanded the electronic section into a full service
Sound Center/Radio Shack. Bill incorporated his hobby of photography into the
business and "Pangborn's Pharmacy", Photo
and Sound Center, Inc. was born.
The business prospered and on April 1,
1987, twenty-one years after it began, the
store was sold.
by Mr. and Mrs. Bill Pangborn
Times are still not as flourishing as everyone would like, but the Vance's have managed to keep the business going, trying to
please the public with their merchandise and
services.
by Dennis and Dianne Vance
VARIETY GOODS
STORES IN
BURLINGTON
83r
C.J. Copeland was located on Main Street.
He had been established here eight and onehalfyears in 1929, and carried a well selected
stock of variety goods. Goods of every kind
including hundreds of articles that were both
useful and ornamental, such as crockery,
glassware, tinware, china, kitchen utensils.
books, stationery, toilet articles, school
supplies, radios, stoves, and ranges.
Prominent among the number of business
enterprises of Burlington was Ed. Purinton,
whose neatly arranged store on Main Street
was well stocked and well arranged.
Mr. Purinton had been connected with the
commercial life of Burlington for six years in
1929. The stock he carried comprised of
furniture, rugs, linoleums, stoves, ranges,
household necessities, kitchen utensils,
B34
Certified Public Accountants
The business had its start in 1g6? when
Larry Mich and John Lindell bought the tax
practice of Bob Shamberg. The Burlington
Record printed a story regarding the purchase and establishment of a new busineis to
be operated under the name of Mich and
Lindell, CPAs. The newspaper article indicated that Larry Mich would come down
from Wray two days a week to manage the
office initially but that the plans were to hire
a full time accountant to man the office.
I became a Certified Public Accountant in
1965 and at the time the article appeared in
the Record I was employed by the U.S.
General Accounting Office as an Auditor.
That job required a great deal of travel so I
was looking for a position with little or no
travel. Burlington was my hometown so when
I saw the article indicating that an accounting
position was open I was very interested.
I met with Larry Mich and, after some soul
searching about the job and salary, accepted
the position as office manager for Michand
Lindell, CPAs.
Our business then was much the same
as
nesses.
833
home.
P.C.
it is today only not quite so complicated. We
prepared tax returns, did bookkeeping and
performed audits of a few towns and busi-
STRATTON
SPOTLIGHT
NEWSPAPER
window treatments, and custom draperies.
Dennis still does his own carpet installation.
The gift line is not as big now, and they carry
mainly decorating accessory items for the
their
WINFREY AND
varnishes.
Home of the Golden Plains Insurance and Stratton
Spotlight.
The Stratton Spotlight, Stratton's weekly
newspaper, began business on November 2b,
1982. Rick and Beverly Gaddy along with
their son Travis moved to Stratton from
Simla, Colorado to publish the new newspaper following the termination of the Stratton
Press, which ceased publication on November 11, 1982. The Gaddy's attempted to
purchase the Stratton Press, but decided a
new publication would best serve the Strat-
ton community. The Stratton Spotlight is
located at L25 Colorado Avenue in the
building owned by Ken and Pat Stegman,
who operate Golden Plains Insurance from
the same location.
by Bev Gaddy
In July 1969, Larry Mich bought out Mr.
Lindell's interest and I bought into the
business. The name of the business was
changed to Mich and Winfrey, CPA's.
The business was located at I4b7 Martin
Ave. which is the office building across the
street South of the Post Office. We occupied
two rooms in the middle of the building.
In 1980 Jerry County came to work for us.
He became a CPA in 1981 and in December
of that year he became a partner with me. We
gllanged the name to Winfrey and County
CPA's. In 1982 we formed a professional
corporation to be known as Winfrev and
County, P.C. Certified Public Accountants
which is how we operate today.
During the years we have expanded our
business by buying other practices. In September 1980 we bought a practice with offices
in Limon and Cheyenne Wells. Mr. James
White became associated with me and he
managed the Limon and Cheyenne Wells
offices. Then in June 1981 we bought a
practice in Flagler. We closed the office in
Cheyenne Wells and moved everything to
Flagler. We bought another practice in Hugo
and combined that into the Limon office.-
In July 1983, Jim White left us and we
brought all three offices together under the
Winfrey and County name with employees
managing the Flagler and Limon offices.
On December 1, 1985 we moved our office
to 593 - 14th St (the old Esch Lumber Co.
building). This move gave us much more
room for expansion in the future.
Our work continues to be primarily the
preparation of income tax returns for people
in the area. We also do bookkeeping and
perform audits ofvarious schools, towns, and
businesses around the area.
In the future we plan and hope to continue
�to serve the people in the area with the same
services as we have provided in the past.
the local manager was Dick Hendricks of
by Noel Winfrey
North 14th (Main) Street. This firm made a
specialty of the popular Seiberling Special
STRATTON SALE
BARN
835
Burlington.
The Gassner Tire Shop was located on
Service Tires and tubes. Seiberling tires were
sold with a one year guarantee. They also did
steam vulcanizing, dealt in batteries, furnished tire service, and did car washing greasing.
As of 1929, the business had been established
ten or eleven years and had been under the
ownership of R.I. Gassner for three years.
Zimbelman's sponsor a soft ball team and
is a member of the Burlington Chamber of
Commerce.
by Calvin Zimbelman
FLAGLER MILLINERY
SHOP
838
The Flagler Millinery Shop was owned and
ZIMBELMAN'S
JEWELRY STORE
837
Calvin Zimbelman opened his business
"Zimbelman's Jewelry" on June 17, 1960 on
14th Street in Burlington, Colorado. He
located in the building south of the Midway
Theater where Willies Flower Shoppe is
operated by Bertha (Biggs) Nourse, the
widow of Frederick Ray Nourse, Jr. He was
the sister of Maude Williams, wife of Ellis
Williams, son of Andrew and Alma Williams.
The picture was taken in the twenties.
Treva Williams, the daughter of Maude and
Ellis, said she made beautiful hats.
Treva graduated from Loretta Heights
Academy in L922. While attending school
there, she said her hats, made by Aunt
Bertha, were the envy of many.
by Margaret Clark
located now.
In 1964 Calvin with the help of family and
friends built his present building with
a
lovely show room to display beautifuljewelry,
distinctive
gift ware, dishes and silver,
watches and many other items. Robbie
Lehnherr designed the building and Albert
Zimbelman and Mr. Krien layed the blocks
Stratton Sale Barn in the 1950's
and bricks. Albert and Elmer Zimbelman
helped finish the construction of the building. Calvin and family all helped to do the
STRATTON SALE BARN
finish work.
In 1964 Zimbelman's Jewelry was robbed
with $10.000 worth of merchandise stolen.
Stratton Sale Barn Letterhead
The Stratton Sale Barn, Iocated across the
railroad tracks north, was owned, operated
and built by Swede Horning and Lloyd Pugh.
The Sale Barn was Iater sold to Bill Peters
who operated the market for several years
it in 1955, due to the drought and
low cattle numbers.
Bill and Jean Scheopner bought the market from Bill Peters and had their first sale
May 8, 1956. They operated the Stratton Sale
and closed
HEINZ OFFICE
SUPPLY, INC.
839
Melvin J. Heinz, and wife Frances, owners
of Heinz Office Supply, Inc., founded the
business in 1958, during a time when farming
was poor and he needed another income to
The crime still remains unsolved and none of
the items that were taken were recovered.
There were no clues to be found and the crime
was investigated by Roy Doughty.
Calvin moved into the new place of business 1964. Employees over the years have
been Maxine Andrews who worked here for
23 years and Cindy Kemp has been here for
support his family. He wanted to create a
that would enable his children to
work and remain a part of the rural community, instead of having to find employment in
the cities. Melvin had, at one time, been a
salesman for Monroe Calculator Co. in
Wichita, KS, so he was familiar with the
office supply business.
He started out with a small shop in his
8 years.
garage in Cheyenne Wells, Co. Melvin and his
business
Barn until April, 1968.
Some of the employees who worked at the
market for several ye€us were: Peter Schlichenmeyer, auctioneer; Kenny Scheierman,
clerk, Mabel Scheiei.rnan, bookkeeper, Herschel Salmans, weighmaster, LeRoy Herndon
and Lyle Garner, ringmen, Chuck
Foreman. Others known to have worked at
the sale were: Jim McConnell, Boots Wilson,
and James Havens.
Calista Swogger operated the cafe.
f,*
by Bill Scheopner
TIRE SHOPS
836
"Keeping pace with the progress of the
community" was the motto of the Hendricks
Tire Shop, located on Main Street in Burlington. The business was established in
June, 1927, and featured the well known
Diamond tires. The general manager of this
business was S.E. Hendricks of Denver. while
lt
i:'j'ii
i,i**
":.;,,"iutif
Fox,
The Flagler Millinery Shop in the 1920's.
�ity through the years. We will continue to try
to serve them in the best way we can.
by Kathy Killian
OLD GRAIN
COMPANIES IN
BURLINGTON
Heinz Office Supply, Inc.
HAROLD McARTHUR
APPRECIATION DAY
B4l
840
"With a view to faithfully portraying the
present development of Burlington, and in
order to fully set forth the advantages with
which our community is so richly endowed,
we may be permitted to call special attention
to the character and magnitude of a few
representative concerns. In this connection it
is fitting that we devote some space to the
Swenson-Tooker Grain Company, which was
established over three or four years ago in
1929." This advertising promoted Burlington.
This firm was located a short distance east
of the depot on the Rock Island tracks. They
were wholesale and retail dealers in grain,
feed and coal. They also had an elevator at
Peconic, six miles east of Burlington. The
Melvin J. Heinz and Jerry Heinz
Jerry Heinz, sold typewriters, calculators
and a small line of office supplies. They also
repaired and served the machines they sold.
They serviced most of the typewriters for the
son,
schools in the area.
As the business grew, and Jerry finished his
schooling, they decided to move the business
to Burlington, CO in 1963. They started in a
small store shared with another business in
Burlington and eventually moved into a
rented building on main street, and finally
purchased a building on main street, where
the store is presently located.
Jerry Heinz managed the store until 1983,
at which time Kathy (Heinz) Killian, daughter of Melvin Heinz, took over management.
Kathy has been working for the business
since 1973.
Olympia, Royal, Underwood, Victor and
Sharp are some of the main brands of
machines sold and serviced by Heinz Office
Supply over the past 30 years. After the move
to Burlington in 1963, office furniture was
added to the line, both new and used.
In 1973, Melvin started another store in
Goodland, KS. His daughter Sharon and her
husband Mike Houk operated that store for
him until 1983, when they purchased the
store from him, and now they own and
operate it.
Between the two stores, Heinz Office
Supply, Inc. has supplied employment for the
support of 8 to 10 farnilies at a time in this
area.
In 1982, Melvin started his own leasing
company, called Big H Leasing Co. He leases
office equipment and furniture in Colorado
and Kansas.
The customers of Heinz Office Supply over
the years have been from many communities
in Kit Carson, Cheyenne and Lincoln Counties. They are greatly appreciated and have
been responsible for our growth and prosper-
business was under the management of R.V.
Tooker.
The Burlington Equity Exchange Company had an implement department and an
elevator department. The implement dept.
was located opposite the City Hall, on North
14th Street, and the elevator being located on
North Main Street, near the depot.
The organization came into being back in
1915. The two special lines of equipment
featured at the implement dept. were: Massey-Harris and Minneapolis-Moline, with
this department being managed by R.A.
Hedding.
The elevator dept. was devoted to the
buying of grain and the sale of flour, commercial feed, bran, shorts, fence wire and posts,
steem and domestic coal, all kinds of grain,
seeds and salt. This dept. was under the
management of D.H. Loomis.
Very prominent among the grain dealers of
eastern Colorado was the Roller Grain Company, located on the Rock Island tracks east
of the depot. It was founded in about 1922 ot
1923. Their principal business was the buying
and selling of grain, although they handled
flour, feed and salt as a side line. The Roller
Grain Company was managed bv C.E. Roller.
The O'Donnell Grain Company, which was
organized in July, 1927 was located just east
of the depot on the tracks of the C.R.I.&P.
Railway. F.J. O'Donnell was the manager.
The O'Donnell Grain Co. dealt in the wholesale and retail sales of grain, livestock, flour,
Forrest Miller as he presented Harold with his
plaque citing him for his many "outstanding
contributions for the city, county and the entire
area." Forrest was the prime organizer for Harold
McArthur Appreciation Day.
Saturday, January 24, L981, was a very
special day for a man who has devoted most
it was Harold
of his life to helping others
McArthur Appreciation Day.-
Harold and his wife, Ines, moved to
Burlington from Flagler in 1945. There he
operating a John Deere dealership before
assuming ownership of the one in Burlington
which he purchased from Jack Chalfant. He
also kept the Flagler facility open for a short
was
time.
The business was operated for many years
where the City Hall is now located. In 1964
Harold moved to 2181 Rose Ave. and became
one of the largest independent John Deere
dealers in the United States. In 1984 he
moved to his present location at 17777 Hwy.
385.
This was accomplished by becoming
a
service center, a parts center, and a new farm
equipment center for an area encompassing
a radius of 100 miles.
He has always kept up with the latest
technology, and he has also helped several
and feed. They also manufactured high grade
feed. A few of their special lines were Purina
Chows for livestock, hogs, and poultry, and
other dealers in the area get started by
providing them with financial assistance.
One might think that accomplishing such
Pure GoId Flour.
task would take all of one individual's time.
Not so with Harold McArthur. He was mayor
of Burlington for 12 years, has been on the
Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital board
for 25 years. Harold is an original member of
the Board of Directors of the First National
a
Bank of Burlington, is on the Board of
Directors of the Colorado Boys Ranch, and
an original member of the East Central
Activities Center, now known as Dynamic
Dimensions, and the list could go on and on.
�Harold has helped many young farmers get
by loaning them equipment and
money, and offering advice when asked for.
As Jerry Brenner says, "I thought I knew a
lot about farming when I took over the farm,
but it didn't take me long to realize I needed
a lot of help. Harold was always ready to help,
not only myself, but all of the farmers".
He has proven over the years that he is
never too busy to help, no matter how large
or small the task, such as helping someone
who needs a fork lift to unload a truck or a
started
railroad car.
Kermit Buol, representing the Burlington
Rotary Club, expressed the Club's gratitude
for being an outstanding member. Carol
Dvorak, representing the Board of Directors
of the East Central Activities Center, expressed his gratitude to Harold for his generous
assistance in making the center a reality. Not
only giving money to the center, but by his
personal presence on the board. Ted Wickham said, "I have been told several times that
we would not have a hospital if it were not for
Harold McArthur." Russ Wilcox also said,
"He has donated a lot of the 'long green line'
to the hospital, and I don't mean John Deere
farm machinery. He has given thousands of
dollars to the hospital over the years."
Now it is six years Iater and we still find
Harold contributing in many ways to the
betterment of this community through con-
tributions of the building for the Senior
Citizens Center in Burlington and in helping
the town get "Old Town" off to a great start.
As long as he is able, we will see the imprint
of Harold wherever there is a need.
January
9,
1988
- Harold McArthur
honored for being John Deere Dealer for 50
years. Last Saturday, January 9th, was a
special day for the people of the area and for
McArthur Implement Co. of Burlington.
Saturday was the annual John Deere Day,
and it also marked the 50th Anniversary of
Harold McArthur being a John Deere Dealer.
Harold was informed that he was the only
dealer in the Kansas City division of Deere
and Company (and quite possibly in the
United Stated) that had been affiliated with
them for 50 continuous years. "There are
several dealerships that still retain the same
name; however, none where the contract with
Deere and Company was with the same man
for 50 years," stated a spokesperson.
Over 1000 people attended the free lunch
provided by McArthur Implement Co. It was
followed by
a
joint program (John Deere Day
and recognition of McArthur). A crowd in
excess of 700 filled the Burlington High
School auditorium.
McArthur expressed his gratitude to the
firm's many customers over the years.
"Without you (the customers) we certainly
would not be here. We have appreciated your
fine support over the past 50 years."
Harold started as a John Deere dealer in
1938 in Flagler. His first location was where
the present Case-IH dealership is located. He
then moved to where the John Deere dealer
in Flagler is now located. Harold moved his
dealership to Burlington in 1945. The firm
was located at 480 - 15th St., which is now
serving as city hall for Burlington. The firm
then moved to Rose Avenue in 1964 at the
corner of Rose and Lincoln. In 1982, McArthur Implement Co. moved to its present
location.
Over the 50 years, McArthur has continued
to expand, providing additional services for
farmers over a wide area. Without question,
Saturday was a very special day for McArthur. He has been affiliated with John Deere
for one-third of the years the company has
been in existence as Deere and Company
celebrated its L50th anniversaryjust last year
. . . The Burlington Record, Jan. 14, 1988.
by Marlyn Hasart
SNELL GRAIN CO.
B'42
J.W. Borders began buying grain in 1910
in the days when horse and wagons were used
to haul the golden berry and employees were
paid one cent per bushel for hauling wheat
from the grain bins and loading
it
coal an automatic fuel and which reduced to
% the cost of coal in a home or business
house. The Iron Fireman is also especially
adapted for schools, churches, and public
buildings.
This business was originally established
about 30 years ago in 1929 and had been
under the present ownership about 10 years.
John J. Esch was the president and manager,
of this local enterprise.
THE BANK OF
BURLINGTON
B'44
into
boxcars for shipping.
Borders was a buyer with the Snell Milling
Co., Clay Center, Ks. for a period of approximately 10 years. The elevator at Stratton was
built in 1912 and later one at Vona and then
one at Flagler.
In about 1926, The Snell Milling
Co.
decided to go out of business and the Snell
Grain Co. of Colorado was organized and
purchased the interests of The Snell Milling
Co., in its Colorado elevators at Stratton,
Vona, Flagler, and Arriba.
Mr. Hillenkamp passed away around 1944,
and at that time Floyd Borders, H.C. Harrison, and J.W.'s son-in-law of Arriba, then
became active owners in the grain firm. The
firm then purchased the two elevators at
Hugo, which had been idle for a few years
time.
At this point, Ugene G. Brown and Richard
Borders became active members of the firm.
In 1954, the concrete elevator at Arriba was
enlarged and a modern concrete elevator was
built at Genoa and the Snell Grain Co. took
over the three small frame elevators at that
time.
Bank of Burlington, 1930's.
Mr. Borders had noted many changes
during his 50 years of active management.
New modern mechanized machinery has
taken the place of the horse and buggy.
OLD LUMBER
COMPANIES IN
BURLINGTON
Bank of Burlington, 1956.
843
The Foster Lumber Company's yards and
sheds cover about a half of a city block in
Burlington. The Stock comprises of lumber,
shingles, roofing, sash, doors, windows, brick,
lime, cement, plaster, sewer pipe, drain tile,
paints, oil, glass and anything necessary to
build a house. The Burlington yard
Bank of Burlington, 1988.
was
The progress of the Burlington community
managed by P.L. Bruner. The main headquarters were maintained in Kansas City,
with yards in Kansas, Eastern Co., Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
and the success of The Bank of Burlington
have moved forward together for 56 years
come December 5, 1987.
Eventful years, through bad times and the
good, have taken place since the fall of 1931
The Esch Lumber Company Inc. was
located on 14th Street, opposite the City
Hall. The stock in addition to lumber for
buildings also carried fence posts and fencing
wire. They had the exclusive agency in Kit
Carson, Lincoln, and Cheyenne counties for
the lron Fireman, the machine that made
when there were no banking facilities in
Burlington. Realizing the need for such a
service, George D. Tubbs, H.W. Gleason and
his father, John E. Gleason, Benjamin B.
Foster, George W. Foster, John M. Foster,
Mrs. Anna Foster Ford, together with local
�businessmen Orin Penny, P.L. Bruner, J.D.
Brown, Ned R. Brown, E.L. Weinandt and
John S. Boggs, organized and opened the
bank at its present location.
General conditions were not encouraging in
the thirties, and the beginning was very
modest, but by careful management and
following of conservative banking principles,
the bank has shown a steady growth. On
opening day, its total assets were approximately $93,000. Thirteen years later it was
$1,500,000. On December 5, 1956, when the
bank celebrated its 25th anniversary, its
assets were $2,800,000 and on its 50th
anniversary they were $22,000,000 and are
presently over $25,000,000.
Following the death of H.W. Gleason in
January, 1983 the bank was sold to Gary
Brooks who became president and Leo Van
Dittie who became chairman of the board.
Mr. Brooks and Leo Van Dittie, along with
his brother Jim. became directors of the
bank, replacing 3 members of the Tubbs
family. The Brooks and Van Dittie families
are well known in Colorado Banking circles.
The efforts to provide a safe and sound
banking service to the people of this territory
have been accomplished by the loyal support
and friendship of the people of our community. This patronage is deeply appreciated by
every officer, director and employee.
From depression years, through cycles of
good times and difficult times, the bank has
kept its steady gain. With the rapid changes
1940, John Ellis, who was then serving as
assistant cashier. was elevated to cashier of
in agriculture, the money needs of both
farmers and businessmen have increased
the bank. He held this position until 1943
when he entered the military service, along
with assistant cashier Bob Montgomery. At
this time, L.L. Reinecker joined the bank as
cashier and in 1949 was named executive vice
immensely and the bank has strived to meet
these needs.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all those
who have made The Bank of Burlington what
it is today, and the officers and personnel
president. George D. Tubbs, Jr., was elected
president following the death of his father in
look to the future with confidence and high
resolve to continue to serve this community
to the best of their abilitv.
1949.
The Bank of Burlington has been in the
same location for 50 years.
It started out in
the building that was the quarters of the
former Stockgrowers Bank. In 1950 the
building was remodeled inside and out and
expanded in size. Its present building is now
considered one of the most modern and
beautiful buildings in Burlington. Consider-
gasoline pump. His was the first pump in
town. His first six week's business was a total
of 50 gallons of kerosene. But Ray, the young
man with a vision and the forward look, had
gotten on the right track. From the single
team and rattling wagon, he progressed. He
added a few barrels to the cream cans. Then
a tank wagon drawn by horses, of which he
now had a dozen or more. Next came a truck
with a tank, a somewhat crude affair minus
a top to the cab, but it served. From the
modest beginning has evolved the widespread business located in Vona since 1925,
with the most modern tank trucks, a well
equipped office, with branch offices in Kirk,
Joes, and Cope. From that a 8-gallon-per
week record he has gone to one-half million
gallons in one year. He now takes the route
to Kirk, Joes, and Cope in 2% hours where
in the horse-drawn days it took 4 days. He
built the tanks used by White Eagle and
Conoco in Seibert. and took the first load of
Kirk and Cope.
Mr. Ray A. Roberts married Leona Bell,
gas to Joes,
daughter of early settler, Stephen Bell. They
have two children,
a son Lloyd and a
by Willard Gross
daughter. Ray is the son of George Roberts
who came, with his wife and two sons, from
Missouri to Colorado in 1908. They homesteaded four miles south of Seibert. Lloyd is
in partnership with his father.
RAY A. ROBERTS AND
by Janice Salmans
SON OIL CO.
able new modern equipment has been added
so that the bank can better serve its custom-
B'45
ers.
The bank is proud of its past and present
employees, most who served for many years.
Leland Reinecker served the bank as execu-
STRATTON HEALTH
CENTER
B'46
tive officer for 38 years. He retired in
January, 1981 and the following June was
awarded a 50 year plaque from the Colorado
Bankers Association
for his 50 years of
service to banking. He continues to serve on
the board of directors, a position he has held
for over 44 yearc.
Willard Gross joined the bank as assistant
cashier in June 1945. was named cashier in
1949, and executive vice president in January
1981, a position which he presently holds. He
also has been a director of the bank for 42
Ray Roberts Oil Co., Seibert location.
years. "Bud" Boyles, became associated with
the bank in 1965 and was elected vice
president and cashier in 1981, a position he
Stratton's health care facilitv
held until his retirement in January, 1986.
Irene Wilcox served as assistant cashier for
nearly 28 years, until her semi-retirement in
January, 1981, and then continued as a parttime employee until March, 1987.
Jerry L. Gross, son of Willard Gross, joined
the bank in June, 1981 as assistant cashier
Doctor Richard D. Ramos, Denver born,
doctor of Chiropractic, came to Stratton in
January 1956. Until this writing, he has
practiced in Stratton continuously for thirtytwo years. He married Lolita Klotzbach, a
Stratton born lady. They had five boys,
and was named vice president and cashier in
January, 1986. Other officers are Connie
Witzel, assistant cashier with 31 years of
service, Carol Zimbelman, assistant cashier,
14 years, and Rick Haynes, assistant vice
president and ag loan officer, about 2 years.
Other faithful employees are Margaret
Smith, 19 years, Margie Mersch, 16 years,
Mary Sue Woodrick, 8 years, and Carol
Lucas, 6 years. Newer employees are Charlene Flock, David Carter, Tara Duerst and
Fae Mehling. John and Gene Penny have
served as directors of the bank for over 25
years.
George
D. Tubbs, Jr. was the bank's
for 34 vears. In
nresident and director
Ray Roberts Oil Co., Vona location.
Back in 1912 there were not many automobiles in Seibert, Colo. People had not begun
to think much about them. "Filling stations"
were hardly known. But a young fellow with
'more imagination than sense', some said, got
the idea that after all, the horseless buggy
might grow. So he decided to go in the
business of furnishing fuel for motors. His
first "equipment" was a team, some milk
cans. and finallv an old Howser "blind"
Richard, Michael, James, Ronald, and Daniel. Dr. Ramos also had two children from a
previous marriage, Randlyn and Donald.
Dr. Ramos started practice in the old
Collins Hotel. Then he bought the old bank
building on Colorado Avenue and practiced
there for 16 years. At present he owns and
operates the Stratton Health Center (pictured) which houses Dr. Cockerham D.D.S., Dr.
Ramos, D.C., and Dr. Warwick, M.D. This
health care facility is rare for a small rural
community.
For thirty years Dr. Ramos was the only
doctor in town and provided much of the
Drimarv care for the communitv. When asked
�by big city colleagues why he would stay in
a small community
where there are no
recreational facilities, he pointed out that
"There are a lot of things Stratton doesn't
have: smog, traffic problems, drugs
schools, and crime on our streets."
in
UNITED FARMERS
MARKETING CORP.N'
LITTLE BIT
by Donna llake
our
THE COLLINS HOTEL
by Dr. Richard D. Ramos
LTZ'S
the ornamental concrete, other landscaping
items will be offered in the future.
B50
It was "the best hotel between Kansas City
and Denver," wrote on local historian. Its
beautiful landscaping, its fountains and its
spacious accommodations attracted famous
world travelers and local cowboys alike.
It was the Collins Hotel, in Stratton,
B'47
Colorado.
The hotel was named after its builder and
first owner, Joe Collins, an early day, Eastern
Colorado "mover and shaker" who learned at
The facilities of United Farmers Marketing Corp.
west of Burlington.
United Farmers Marketing Corporation is
wholly owned and operated by dry bean
growers in eastern Colorado. After several
months of organizational meetings and
searching for finance, UFMC was established
in October L7 ,t978. Through the sale of stock
to bean producers in Yuma and Kit Carson
Liz's Little Bit, near I-70, Stratton
I
counties and a construction loan from the
researching
First National Bank at Burlington, guaran-
convenience stores over the country. The
thought of building a convenience store, with
the selling of gas, was taking shape in my
teed by the Small Business Administration,
enough funds were obtained to start con-
To begin with,
began
by
mind. Then I drew up plans as to what would
be suitable. but the location was another
thing. I contacted our local banker and talked
with others to find property available in the
area near I-70. I found it was not as easy as
I had thought it might be, but the proper
place was found and purchased. Then the
ground work began: upgrading and leveling
done, the gas tanks were put in, followed by
water and sewer lines. Then the concrete was
poured for the foundation and floor. The
building was purchased and it took about a
month to arrive. While the building was being
put up, the work went on measuring for gas
Iines from tanks.to dispenser, getting the
pumps in before the weather got too cold and
bad; the island around the dispensers was
poured with concrete. Then the weather
began to get pretty cold and bad. So we were
delayed in getting to finish all concrete work,
but between snows it did get done in February. Inside work was being done and in the
struction in April of 1979. During that same
year UMFC handles approximately 60,000
cwt. The corporation has grown steadily in
both storage capacity and processing ability
Collins and some of his brothers homesteaded in Colorado. Making good in horses
and cattle, Collins went into the hardware
business, and selling that, he began dealing
in real estate as a specialty.
In 1917, he bought out the Square Deal
Lumber Co., and in its place Joe Collins built
the Collins Hotel. According to Dessie
Reeves-Cassity, "He hired a landscape gar-
dener to landscape the surroundings created
a sunken garden set out beautiful flowers,
kept a professional caretaker and made it the
show place of both Kansas and Colorado."
Nor did he scrimp on the interior; the
linoleum was brought from England. There
was hot and cold water, and all electric lights.
The hotel was big. It had 104 doors with
by Gay Cure
numbers on them, but only 80 were 9x12
bedrooms. The rest were chutes and closets.
The hotel boasted three public bathrooms,
THE LEISURE
GARDEN
B49
and two of the rooms had bathrooms, as well.
The halls were 10 feet wide.
In the attic, space was sold to cowboys who
wanted a spot to roll out their bedrolls. For
75 cents a night, cowboys could rent curtained cubicles, and one retired cattleman, Lloyd
Pugh, recalls "some real parties" in that attic.
When the hotel sold in 1966 the wires which
held the curtains were still there.
In the east wing was a large dining room,
which could seat 72 persons, and a smaller
cafe with 18 stools and two tables. Meals were
cooked on coal stoves. The cooks were
particularly busy packing lunches when the
waiting to be brought down from Denver and
installed. We opened the 26th day of April,
1980. In early June the black top went in,
after a very moist winter. Other restrooms
were added in July. Diesel has been another
product that has been added plus the making
of a rest room back of our lot. Thus you have
by Liz Coulter
would lead to success.
A Wisconsin Native, Collins bought and
sold his first farm - for a profit - at the age
of seventeen. Fifteen years later, in 1906,
and in 1986 - 305,000 cwt were received and
processed, making it the largest single Pinto
Bean facility in the country.
meantime all equipment for the store was
the history of Liz's Little Bit.
a tender age that buying and selling land
survey crew (working on Highway 24) stayed
at the hotel. Loretta (Pelle) Ehlers, a former
waitress and cook in the hotel, said a T-bone
steak dinner sold for 60 cents, in the 1930's,
The Leisure Garden, one of Stratton's
newest
businesses
quarter.
The Leisure Garden was opened in Nov.
1986 by Jim and Donna Hake. Its primary
business
concrete
and the luncheon special usually went for
around 45 cents. A cheap lunch, including
roast beef, potatoes and gravy, vegetable,
coffee and a roll, could be purchased for a
is the retail sales of ornamental
to be used in decorating homes,
yards, and gardens. Items are purchased
precasted and the painting and detail work
is finished at the Leisure Garden. Over two
hundred different items are available with
new ones added periodically. In addition to
Mrs. Ehlers said about 35 drummers
(salesmen) stayed at the hotel each week.
While they all enjoyed the hospitality and the
comparative luxury, at least one salesman
had cause for irritation. Mrs. Ehlers said a
ketchup salesman arrived in the dining room
one day, only to find some other brand of
- in his company's bottles! To
the salesman, and keep him as a
customer, the hotel removed the offending
ketchup
appease
ketchup from the premises.
�ETRATTON FIRE DEPART!@NT
CONsTITUTION
ARTICIJE t.
Tltle and Object.
SECTION l..-Thefe lr horeby croatcd o,n orgonlratlon wbtch rball be
known oE "Stratton Flre D€partmcnt."
SECTION 2.-- The object ol thla
Dopartm€nt ghall be to creat and
malntein I spirlt of frlendshlg and
lraternal loellng b€twe€n ltE m€mbers; to meet and egsemble ln reSiular stated conventions. and tbere devlse wa,ys and m€aDs to lmprov€ the
flre-flghtlng servlce; to combat and
extinguish nres, end at ell tlmes to
do tts utmost in the savlug ol property from destructloD, and the llvee
of persons ondanger€d by flre.
AII,TICIJE 3.
Clagses ol Membershlp.
SECTION 1.- The membershlp of
thls bepartment shall conslsl of
volunteerg clasaed as lollowe, vlz:
"Active",. "Assooiate", "Honorary"
Collins Hotel, the best hotel between Goodland, Kansas and Denver of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Among the famous names who registered
and stayed at the Collins hotel were Babe
Ruth and Jack Dempsey, Paul Harris (founder of the Rotary Club, from Chicago), Paul
Whiteman, Marian Davies and Governor
aud "Llfe" members.
SECTION
2.- Actlve memberg
sball be aselgined to duty with any
flre equlpment by the Chlef ol th€
Flre DeDartmeDt, or by tbe Asststant Chlef ln the abeeuce of tbe
Chtet. They shall be eutltled to
vote ln ConYentlonB, and to hold
olllce,
SECTION 3.- Assoclate member8
shall be those who wlsh to Jol[ the
DepBrtmeut lor th6 general good and
ghall be subject tor th€ payment ol
dues, but shsll not be entltled to
vote In cotrventlons nor to hold ofilce.
SECTION 4.- HoDorary memberrhlp may be attalned only lD recog-
Johnson.
Although there were a number of hotel
managers, Joe Collins owned the hotel until
he died in 1949. He continued to deal in real
estate, however, and is credited with bringing
many new residents to the area from across
the nation.
The hotel was willed to five heirs, upon
Collins' death, and one of them, Frances Van
Ness, bought out the interests of the other
four. She and her sister Rose Huber, operated
the hotel until Mrs. Van Ness died in 1965.
Mrs. Huber and another sister, Isabel Ross,
then sold the hotel to Harley and June
Pottorff in 1966.
The Pottorffs have remodeled the old
hotel, now known as Twin Oaks. The 18,000
square feet of floor space received new
Moon Theatre competes with today's high tech,
remaining one of a few small town theaters.
Stratton Fire Department Constitution, Feb.
calibre movies for the area. Stratton should
be very appreciative of the fact that in this
day of more theaters closing than remaining
to fight the inroads of high technology and
high costs that this small town still has a
quality movie theater.
Stratton Fire Department was organized in
February 4, L924 according to the written
constitution which gave membership in the
Colorado State Firemen's Association. The
carpeting, although the English linoleum was
"still in good shape," and the walls received
more than 100 gallons of new paint. The wide
halls were converted to bathrooms. A portion
is now used as the Stratton Senior Citizens
Center.
Since Collins died, the gardens and fountain have made way for a paved parking lot.
STRATTON FIRE
DEPARTMENT
B52
The dining room and kitchen are no longer
in use. But in a casual glance from across the
street is still looks much as it did, 60 years
ago.
by Terry Blevins
MOON THEATRE
86r
After purchasing the Moon Theatre from
E.J. and Betty Buhr, Melvin and Dorene
Koonn had their first movie showing on June
3, 1977. For two years they commuted from
their Denver home to open the movie each
weekend. They now live in Stratton. Although this is a very trying period in time for
the promoters of movies and theaters because
of cable, satellites, and VCR inroads, the
Koonns staunchly continue showing high
4,
7924.
equipment which consisted of two hose carts
and twelve buckets were stored in the old
town hall. An informal membership for each
volunteer cost $10.00 for life. In 1926 a
chemical truck was acquired.
On December 29, L952, the Stratton Fire
Protection District was formed and board
members were named: Lloyd Pugh, president, and Ernest Pottorff, Lawrence Dasenbrock, G.L. Hatfield, and Joe Droste, the
directors. In 1953 a new 500 gallon Ford
pumper truck was purchased. The purchase
of a 1949 Chewolet pumper truck from the
Burlington Fire Department for 91.,250.00 on
September 15, 1962, by the Stratton Fire
Department provided a gift to give the city.
In 1976 a new 1,000 gallon prtmper truck was
bought. After construction of the new building to house the fire equipment, provide
office space and an area for the am[ulanss
service equipment, the move was made to
that building in 1983, and in 1984 the
department received a 2,000 gallon water
truck.
Present home
of the Stratton Fire
District Headquarters.
Protection
by Ron Wolfrum
�KUKUK
BLACKSMITII AND
MACHINE SHOP
853
Modern equipment, scientific methods and
efficient service were characteristic of the
Kukuk Blacksmith and Machine Shop in
Burlington. The business was first started by
F.W. Kukuk back in 1913, and he operated
it under his own name until 1921, at which
time his brother bought an interest and took
an active part in its operation.
They were prepared to take care of any-
thing in the way of blacksmithing, woodwork,
machine work and acetylene gas welding. In
the welding department they could weld
anything made of metal, including articles
from the size of a teaspoon to a heavy pump
or engine cylinder.
STRATTON DONUT
SHOP
B64
Stetson hats and Florsheim shoes.
This business w{ut owned by Frank E.
Koenig and Orville Swain was the manager.
Originally Lloyds Clothing and Cleaning
Shop, owners were Mac and Clara Lloyd.
They were located in the north half of the
building. Cecil Felzien purchased the cleaning shop and moved it to the Satin Petticoat
location (1987 store). Mabel Davis and Les
Sutton were employed by Mac Lloyd. Overalls were sold at $1.98 a pair.
C.E. McCartney and J.J. McCune pur-
chased the Men's Shop and Les Sutton was
the manager. Employees were Doris Hawth-
orne, Virgie Luecke, and Cleo Gipe. Later
Mabel Davis joined the staff replacing Virgie
Luecke. Levis were $3.98 a pair.
In 1962, Robert E. and Bonnie Baker
purchased 7s interest and Bob became the
manager when Les Sutton moved to KLOE
in Goodland, Ks. Cleo Gipe joined the Navy.
Later David McCune joined the staff and
eight years later moved to Arizona. Levis
were $4.29 and a shirt was $4.00.
In 1965, The Men's Shop purchased the
M.M. Lloyd.
In
1958, Dallas and Dean Stevens bought
the Jack The Cleaners and called the new
In 1975, they
purchased the Felzeins and moved to the new
business the D&D Cleaners.
location
at 260 14th street. In
1987, the
The Stratton Donut Shop opened November 4, 1980. The Stratton Press building was
purchased early in 1980 by the Steve Con-
business has been going for 28 years.
opened the door as a donut shop on Novem-
was located
1986 the
Jim Hake's choose to leave this
business to start their own.
ring.
that had quite a reputation in the
area.
Leonard Beeson who worked there from 1934
to
1948 vividly recalls
the many
sales.
days and
The Burlington Cleaners and Clothiers was
situated on Main Street. This firm operated
a thoroughly modern dry cleaning and pressing plant. They also carried a stock of men's
clothing, furnishings, hats, caps, shoes and
made suits to otder in the latest weaves in
spring and summer woolens.
This firm was established and managed by
In
for a well-organized sale
Cressie Seal was the original initiator of the
business and he and his wife Merna, assisted
by Gladys and George Quinn and Frances
Van Ness in the office, ran the establishment
moved to Tex. and her mother Barb Witzel
replaced her.
1987, the present staff in the Men's Shop
$22.00.
ber 4, 1980.
necessities
Sometimes a miscellaneous sale preceded the
Witzel, and Bob and Bonnie Baker. Levis are
nor $20.00 - $29.00 and shirts are $16.00 and
rad's, Jim Hake's and Dale Courtright's.
With lot's of hard work and planning, we
In
1929,
the Golden Rule Dry
Goods
regular cattle sale. Special horse and mule
sales were common and these sometimes
lasted until 2 a.m. Trucks were small in those
it was the time when machinery
pulled by tractors was taking the place of
horse drawn machinery. Leonard recounted
that his father sold 40 head of horses once at
$f6.00 per/head. Auctioneers through the
years were Claude Irwin and later the Peters
Bill, Roy and Bud. At first Harley
-Greenlee clerked
the sales, but when he was
unavailable Leonard Beeson was called into
service from his work in the yards and did
such a fine job that he became the sale clerk.
In the
mid-40's
Bill
Peters and
Swede
Hornung took over the sale barn and operated it until it closed in the early 1950's. It
seems hard to visualize a large number of
cattle or other animals right in town, but if
the pens on either side of the building grew
too crowded the overflow was taken to the
railroad stock pens and driven back in small
bunches as space allowed.
Today this historic site is a community
storage rental establishment owned and
managed by Joyce and Gene Clark.
Company could be counted as a leader of its
line. This firm was incorporated in 1912 and
was moved to the city in 1919. This business
in a brick building. It
was
managed by Joseph Floyd. They dealt in dry
goods, notions, ladies' ready-to-wear,
millin-
ery, men's and boy's clothing, and furnish-
COUNTRY CRAFTS
AND GIFTS
867
ings, hats, caps, and shoes.
by Irene Courtright
The Eastern Colorado Cleaners was prepared to remove soiled spots and give the
cloth that freshness and newness of new
CLOTHING STORES
IN BURLINGTON
goods. The business was established January
20, 1930, by W.L. Willis, manager and he was
ably assisted by his wife Mrs. Willis.
B56
Koenig's store was modern in point of
equipment and completely stocked with
clothing, men's furnighings, hats, caps and
shoes, in short they were "Outfitters from
Lad to Dad". They carried one of the best
selected stocks of its kind in eastern Colorado. Among the high grade lines featured by
the concern might be mentioned Wilson
Bros. Haberdashery, Hart, Schaffner and
Marx and Kuppenheimer clothes, John B.
a
self storage building.
J.C. Penny Store and doubled the size of the
business and Bob Baker purchased C.E.
McCartney's interest in the business. Later
Lori Witzel joined the staff and married and
are Doris Hawthorne, Mabel Davis, Barb
Stratton Donut Shop: a center of morning and
afternoon gathering in Stratton
"The Barn", Stratton's first sale barn site, now
STILL "TIIE BARN'
856
An interesting Stratton landmark is the
building known today as "The Barn" on the
south side of the post office on Colorado
Avenue. It began in the early 1930's as a sale
barn with an arena and scales, holding pens,
and a snack shop with offices and all the
ro
Countrv Crafts and GifLs at Stratton
�On October 17, 1987, Larry and Rhonda
Shutte opened a new craft store in Stratton
next to the Dischners Grocery called Country
Crafts and Gifts. At the time this book was
published it was one ofthe newest businesses
in town. The Shuttes both enjoyed doing
woodworking and various other crafts and
with the growing interest of crafting in the
surrounding area, they decided that it might
be a good business for Stratton to have again.
REAL ESTATE
OFFICES
B60
The installation of electrical comforts and
The Bently Land Company, Iocated in the
Winegar building, Burlington, was prepared
to furnish interested parties with the most
authentic information on all subjects pertaining to farm land in eastern Colorado, western
Kansas, and Nebraska. The active head of the
concern was Mr. C.B. Bently.
Mr. F.E. Winegar, located on the ground
floor of the Winegar building on North Main
Street, had been engaged in business in this
locality for the past 20 or 25 years, in 1929.
He made a specialty of improved and unimproved farm and ranch lands in this part of
the country. He also wrote insurance and
surety bonds.
necessities and the handling of supplies for
this purpose was the line in which Guthries'
Electric Shop was engaged. It was opened for
business in Burlington on Jan. 1, 1930. They
took care of anything pertaining to electrical
construction or repair work and also carried
a line of electrical appliances. A specialty was
made of house wiring and the installation of
any kind, from the smallest town lot to the
by Rhonda Shutte
Marion, "Emp", Carolyn (Mrs. Justin Williams),
GUTHRIE'S ELECTRIC
SHOP
complete electric
858
light plants in country
homes.
The business was owned bv J.S. Guthrie.
WILLIAMS
PHARMACY
and Lawrence, "Larry", Williams.
859
The rapid development and consequent
increase of real estate transfers. fostered the
need for a well equipped abstract plant. The
Baker Abstract Company was situated on
Main Street. Their records showed in whom
the title to all real estate in Kit Carson county
is vested, and the abstracts of real estate of
Lawrence, "Larry", Williams
Dr. Harry L. Williams purchased the
Flagler Drug Company from a Dr. Charles
Schroyer on November 28, 1906 with a
payment of $50.00 on stock and fixtures when
he and his family became snowbound in
Flagler on their way from Denver to Illinois.
(No record of Dr. Schroyer is available. His
letterhead on the bill of sale lists him as
Physician and Surgeon and Manager of the
Flagler Drug Company.) The family moved
into the building, dividing it into home, store
and Dr.'s office. Jennie raised the boys,
Marion, Justin and Lowell, managed the
store when Dr. was out on calls and nursed
patients.
The first patient was brought into Dr.'s
office one night by his friends. In addition to
being drunk he was more dead than alive
having ridden his horse through newly strung
barbed wire fence. His recovery took three
weeks.
Williams Pharmacy, built in 1915 or 1917, at its
present Flagler Iocation.
Marion, "Emp", graduated from the Denver University School of Pharmacy. He took
over management of the new store, built in
either 1915 or L917, after having served in the
Army. (Marion said the family home and new
store were both built in 1915. However, the
Assessor's Office shows the house built in
1915 and the store in 1917.
In 1969 Marion received a certificate of
recognition signed by Governor Love and
members of the Colorado State Board of
for having been a registered
pharmacist in Colorado for 50 years. His
Pharmacy
The original drugstore purchased by Dr. H.L.
Williams from Dr. Schroyer in 1906.
registration number was 2518 and registration date was May 24, 1919.
Marion's only son, Lawrence
chose not
returned from World War II and-'11411y",
to return to Denver University where he had
been studying Chemical Engineering. Instead he attended Capitol College of Pharmacy, and joined his father in business in
1947. when Larry retired it will be the end of
an era; his only child chose not to carry on the
family tradition.
by Vivienne E. Tfilliams
largest tract of land. They also wrote fire
insurance and surety bonds. The Baker
Abstract company was organized in 1907.
It was managed by E.C. Baker.
Another worth mention in the Real estate
business is Mr. Wm. Wilkinson. Mr. Wilkinson sold Real estate and Insurance in the
two-
story brick Wilkinson building. Later on to
have housed Thomas and Thomas, Attorneys
at Law.
Located on Main Street is the office of The
Carson Abstract Company. This company was organized back in 1916, and was
very ably managed by H.G. Hoskin. He was
one of the most widely known and progressive
men of the community and his name had
Kit
been prominently identified with the growth
and development of the county for 42 years.
(1929)
Another of our real pioneers in the business
world of Burlington is Burt Ragan who
specializes in Insurance and has other busi-
to add to his name. He was also
Special Deputy Tax Collector for Kit Carson
county; bought and sold horses, mules and all
kinds of livestock; took care of rentals; was
a Notary Public, a dealer in Real Estate; and
engaged in farming. He operated one of the
largest general insurance agencies in eastern
Colorado. Among the companies represented
were: Aetna Insurance Co., Home Insurance
Co., Commercial Union Fire Insurance Co.,
ness ventures
Hartford Insurance Co. (writing all lines),
The Franklin Life Ins. Co. Queen Insurance
Co., Colonial Underwriters, Fidelity-Phoenix
Insurance Company, Liverpool, London, and
Globe Ins. Co., and others of more or less
importance.
He had been in the fire insurance business
here for thirty years in 1929, and added Life
ins. a little over a year ago. He also wrote
surety bonds.
�STRATTON EQUITY
COOPERATTVE CO.r*,
In
1914,
fifty
seven interested persons
purchased shares of stock dated December
16, 1914 and the Cooperative was born. It was
named and formed the Stratton Equity
Exchange, now known as the Stratton Equity
Cooperative Co. During the formative years
the company had the usual ups and downs of
a new business with the position of manager
being changed quite frequently. During the
years 1918-22, fle managers were hired.
When the business was organized R.M.
Farquhar was the first manager and started
operating the business with a grain elevator
and attached corrugated metal shed, which
served as
Helen Kerl, bookkeeper, Stratton Equity Exchange, in the 1930's.
the office. The first board of
directors were, O.L. Boone, D.S. Manley, J.J.
Harris, U.S. Clark and Arthur Radspinner.
The manager and four employees operated
the new business in 1914.
In
1934 Dick Rose was hired as manager.
:
t;i
:,:
i.rt?'t:
ttr
Stratton Equity Exchange when Dick Rose
t
was
manager.
4
rl t,
::"..:,:
Lumber yard and Elevator in early days.
During the hard years the board of directors
saw the need for a capable manager with
experience and determination necessary to
pull the business out of financial trouble.
During Rose's long tenure as manager many
improvements were made. First, a 60 ft. scale
was installed. two steel bins were erected with
approximately 36,000 bushel grain storage,
Iater on adding an expansion to it,22'x40'
more steel bins. This gave them storage
capacity of 510,000 bushels.
In 1929 the first service station was added
in 1959 for the cost of$35,000.00. It featured
the latest in equipment to service automobiles, truck and farm machinery. The fertilizer plant was built in 1964. At this time the
Coop had 650 shareholders. In 1968 Dick
Rose retired as manager of the Coop.
Ben Davis was hired as manager on May
1, 1968. During this time the Coop has added
more needed service. The Coop added grain
storage at the Kirk Coop of 1,000,000 bushel
for corn and wheat, and added a new service
station at Kirk, built a new hardware store
with new office spaces and added grain
&.
I
t
t
h
storage at Stratton. A new feedmill was
installed that services the county with feed
being delivered when needed. Transport
trucks were purchased to deliver fuel and
grain. The Coop now has 4,266,000 bushel of
grain storage to serve its members.
The Coop now has 1582 share holders in
1988. The present directors are, Jim M. May,
President; Jack Shafer, Vice President; Ron
Richards, secretary; Charles Clapper and
Dale Conrardy, directors. Bennie C. Davis is
presently serving as manager. The Coop
employs 63 employees to service their members.
Elevator and Feedmills, 1988. Stratton Equity Exchange.
�STRATTON BARBER
SHOP
B62
Otte Collier and wife Birdie Sholes Collier
operated the barber shop and beauty salon in
Stratton about the years 1928-1930 before
moving to Yuma, Colo. to operate a shop
there.
The barber chairs were in the front part of
the building with the beauty shop booths
further to the back.
Short hair styles became popular in the
1920's making heated curling irons the latest
in
hairdressing. Small irons for the small
curls and larger heated irons for longer hair
came along with the waving iron.
Mrs. Collier was a sister to Charles Sholes.
The shop was located in the building where
Ray Jones has his present business on
Colorado Avenue, Stratton's main street.
One of the customs at that time was at the
death of anyone in the community the
Marshall of the town would go down one side
of the street and up the other side stopping
at each business informing them the time the
funeral was to be held. and the merchants
would close their doors for that hour in
respect
ft. building owned by Jack and Maurine
Mauch. Later it became a family corporation,
including John, Ron and Cheryl. In July of
1968, a big fire caused by an electrical short
at night almost destroyed the building. The
remains of merchandise was sold for salvage
to a Denver dealer and the fixtures
replaced
and cleaned. The
were
reopening
happened 6 weeks from the day of the fire.
Loyal customers returned and enabled the
corporation to double the building size to
17,000 sq. ft. in L974. In December of 1981,
the business sold to a life long competitor
Safeway, Inc., who leases the building from
Jack and Maurine, now retiring in Sun City,
Ari.
of the framework and sides to the floor, the
cabinet installation, enclosure of the unit, a
wood sealer coat followed by much sanding
and two coats of varnish. Then water lines
and electrical components plus refrigerator
and stove were added. Insulation and tinning
followed with much crimping. Then at the
finish station, windows, a ventilator, door,
interior lights and clearance lights, curtain
rods and curtains, and table preceded the
precise sealing of all seams with a liquid
sealer. A serial number for identification was
stamped on the unit in the final manufactu-
ring step. A thorough checking of all operative components was made before any unit
left the factory.
by Jack Mauch
This is a partial listing of the persons
known to have worked there during the peak
years: Richard Ellsworth, Virgil Pugh, Weldon Vance, Shorty Vance, Muriel Lindsey,
Oral May, Walt and Leona Meyers, Marvis
COLORADO MOBILE
HOMES
Husler, Mary Flageolle, Loretta Ehlers, Jerry
Shean, Sarah Campbell, Lola Gramoll, Mar-
qrll
Joe Dvorak, Larie (Bauman) Smelker, Doris
(Thyne) Boes, Ab and Dorothy Lucas, and
864
.
Urban, Alvin and Millie Menke, Gladys
tin Bauman, Robert Gerke, Leota Mitchem,
Dean Campbell.
In
1965 Rex Zurcher took over manage-
ment and production was done on order only.
On June 19,1972, Rex Zurcher and Mrs. Lee
for the person that had died. If
anyone came to town they would know why
they couldn't get in the store.
Zurcher disposed
by Stella Sholes Arends
SAVE U MARKET
of all
equipment and
materials at a public dispersal auction.
by Dorothy Lucas
STRATTON REALTY
863
865
Colorado Mobile Home production line.
Palamon (Pal) Hornung owns and manages
the Stratton Realty. A little over two years
ago he studied for his sales license and then
he decided he would go ahead and get his
broker's license. He passed both tests the first
time he was given the test.
Pal's Father, Swede, was also a realtor. His
office was on the opposite side of the street
and on the northeast corner - Batt Realty.
Batt Realty was the former bank in Stratton
and the old safe is still in the building, which
is now a liquor store. (1988).
Pal and Shirley Hornung bought the
Finished pickup camper units ready for delivery,
peak production 1961.
Grocery store on Highway 24 owned and operated
by Jack Mauck.
Lee Ellsworth founded the 1800 square
foot grocery store, called Save U, south of
Hwy. 24, in the late 1940's. It was founded
because
of a
need
for the Bonny Dam
employees, and Hwy. 24, fiaffrc customers.
Lee and his brother, Carrol, built the
building and operated it until they leased it
to Bill Dittmore, who later declared bankruptcy. The White House Market Inc. of
Goodland, Kansas re-opened it and operated
it a short time. In 1953, one of their officers,
Jack Mauch, purchased it from them and
operated it for over 30 years. Then, in the
year 1964, the business moved across the
highway to 111 18th Street in a new 8,000 sq.
building from the Town of Stratton in 1987
for Pal's real estate business and Shirley's
floral business and travel agency.
The building was the former City Hall for
Colorado Mobile Homes was a late 1950's
to early 1970's business in Stratton producing
long and short base pickup camper units and
the Town of Stratton. It still houses the
original Stratton jail. The south side of the
building housed the fire truck and the
maintenance equipment for the Town of
some
Stratton.
pull type mobile units from a site on
First Avenue across the street south of
today's Stratton Equity Coop loading dock.
The business was originated in 1957 by Lee
Ellsworth, Burlington, in association with
"Shorty" Vance. Peak production years were
1960-62 when as many as 26 people worked
on the production line, completing two units
per day. The mobile trailer factor enjoyed a
reputation of having the best constructed
mobile camper unit of that era, boasting top
grade full dimension lumber, glued and
nailed joints, well insulated walls and custom
cabinetry made at the factory.
A production line process started with the
lumber precisely sawed, placed into jigs for
nailing and gluing, following by attachment
Pal and Shirley just had a bathroom, walls,
and a new front window and door put in the
building. They plan on doing few major
alterations from the original look of the
building for historical purposes. Shirley and
Pal enjoy history and one of their family
hobbies has been stopping off at museums
and historical sites wherever they travel.
Pal is using his father's desk and chair in
his office, and Shirley is using the old
Stratton Credit Union roll top desk. The
Credit Union was in the Batt Realty building,
also. Lawrence Torline managed the Credit
Union.
by Shirley Hornung
�tions in the town. The following list of Vona
businesses was originally compiled by J. Carl
Harrison. The names of businessmen are not
necessarily in chronological order. The list
VONA BUSINESSES
B66
covers business from 1889 to 1988.
Auctioneer: J.R. Taylor, Claude Irvin also
worked in the Vona area.
Bank: Vona State. A.V. Jessie - Pres., S.W.
Abbott - V.P., Warren Shamburg - Director,
Marc Waynick
-
Cashier
Delaney, and Leon Snyder. Barber Shops: Guy Gingles,
1923, J.J.
Mr. Melen,
Harry Lambert, Doran Alexander, Jack
Cottrell, Vic Gagnon, Bruce Teetters, Mr.
White Eagle, Ray Roberts in Vona
Bean, and Russell Sawyer.
Blacksmith Shop: Mr. Cooper, CIem Borah, Al Martin.
Bulk Oil Plants: Ray Roberts, Norris
Merriweather, Orval Burd, and Will Odle.
Butcher Shop: Paul Wilson, Nelson, and
Inside Vona State Bank. Marc Waynick, Herk
and Mrs. Waynick
Hill
Dean Dew.
Clothing: Stover Bros., Doles, Mrs. Effie
Helderman, and Bernard Waldrons, Hayes
Clothing Store.
In the years between the inception of Vona
and somewhere in the thirties or forties, Vona
was considered somewhat of a boom town.
During the time called the homestead days,
there were probably a hundred families in the
Vona trade area which was about 6 miles wide
and extending to Yuma county line north and
south to the Cheyenne county line. There
were. at one time, about 35 business institu-
Construction: Glenn Edmunds
Cream Stations: Fred Mohr, Bernice Carlstedt, Bill Hartsook, Fanny Thompson, Mrs.
Foxworthy, Louis Schiedegger, John Kerl,
Mae Chester, and Mr. and Mrs. Eugene
Palmer.
Dairies: E.H. Haynes,
John Kerl's Creamery, Perl and John Kerl
George, Ernest Elsey,
Mr.
Carey, Roy
Mr. Howell, and Mr.
and Mrs. Ray Ford.
Dance Halls: Dr. Hewitt. Bill Harsook. and
Homer Bridge.
Depot: Henry Wallace, Mr. Blakeman, Mr.
Folaom, Mr. Henry Weikel, Mr. Liggett, Mr.
Jeffers, John Hale, Mr. Tracy, E.G. Monroe,
Harry Rice, and Fern Carpenter.
Doctors: Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Leslie, Dr.
Fencedamocker, Dr. Thomas, Dr. Myers, Dr.
V.M. Hewitt.
Dray Line: Walt Bridge, Terry Atkins, Roy
George, Leo Gagnon, Chester Burd, Nels
Iverson, Leonard Dawson, Carl Remmick,
and Homer Bridge.
Drug Stores: Edgar Thompson, S.J. Brown,
Edgar Ancell, Kougers, Art Krier, Steve Neil,
John Cochran, Dr. and Mrs. Hewitt.
Electric Repair Shop: Rex Howell
Elevators: The Vona Equity Cooperative
Assn. - Tuck Anderson, Snell and Farmers:
A check drawn on the Vona State Bank
Elmer Ferris, Floyd Borders, Hal Borders,
Max Deakin, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Ancell,
A.W. Morgan, and Snell Grain: 1931: E.B.
Wilson; J.W. Borders, Joe Doughty, 1964,
Smoot Grain: Leo Gurley managed from
1961-1979; Vona Grain: 1979 Schultes.
Filling Stations: Newt Howell, Adam Elsey, B.H. Williams, Ray Roberts, Loyd
Roberts, Clint Wilhite, C.L. Snyder, Orville
Atkins, Buck Weaver, Clyde Coleman, Dale
Courtright, Bob Baker, Leo Gagnon, Leland
Kibbee, Norris Merriweather, Paul Klassen,
f:'
,:llrl:
";;"
Edna Monroe. Mabel Fuhlendorf Neva Monore taken in the summer of 1930 in Mick Monroe's Model
Ford in front of the Vona State Bank
T
Frank Wilson, Jim Camp, Louis Scheidegger,
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Burian.
Garages: Maxwell; Millard Harrison. Chevrolet: Ezra Harlan, Adam Elsy, B.R. Baker.
Ford: Buck Weaver, George Moyes, Earl
Webb, Mr. Madison, John, Barney, and Lou
Thompson, Louis Scheidegger, Charlie
O'Neil, Bates and Howell, Ralph Meisner,
Leon Blystone, Jim Millerand, Joe Oliver,
Leland Kibbee and Carl Woller, Kemper
Brothers (Jim, Bill, Art, Roy) 1931 - Farmall
Tractor: Pat Murphy; East Garage: Frank
Brugman; Willeys Cars: J.O. Bates, 1933; in
the late 1940's: Jim and Joes Garage and
Body Shop: Jim Miller and Joe Oliver
�purchased some property from Mabel Harlan
and Ottis Hubbell worked for them part time
with Wanda Miller as the bookkeeper; Camps
Service: Jim Camp, Diltz Fix It Shop; Ronnie
Diltz.
Shops: Orval Burd; Hydraulic Fix It Shop
Liquor Store: 1988: Lone Pine Liquors and
VCR Tapes, Frances Camp
by Janice Salmans
VONA BUSINESSES
flr,ro:Ltoyi
Sam Lloyd, ? Lloyd, Bert Kvestad,
Fred Flanagan, Nelson, and Burcar digging pota-
867
Bill Harper,
Roller Skating Rink Homer Bridge.
Second Hand Store: S.P. Townsend, Bob
toes.
in
1909.
Miller, and Zella anci Lester Yonts.
Section House: John Delanev. Archie
Bill Eaton, Walt Proctor, Joe Burian.
Pat Murphey, Herschel Salmans, and Bill Anderson in front of the Vona Drug Store.
Doc Hewitt,
Ferris, Harry Shepard, Clyde Mullis, Allie
Ferris, and John Hendricks.
Section Crew: John and Earl Webb. Archie
Ferris, Ben Borders, Bill Borders, Charles
Howell, Harrison Schultz, Sam Lloyd, Mr.
Elevators in Vona, Colorado
Ledbetter, and Pete Groves.
iis
'{
$
.
utl::r.tri:..
..,t:,,ti.... i
....,.
.-:.t:1.::i'l
Taxi Service: Will Odle.
::f
ut:
l::t,::
rrrla:lr:
Telephone Operators: Roxie Gray (later
Kvestad), De Etta Mohr, Katy and Clara
Boese, Mabel Harlan, Mr. and Mrs. Clvde
Coleman, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Palmer.
Telephone Repairman: Ed Sparks.
Upholstery Repair: Mrs. Schiffner, and
Kathy Thorson.
Well Drilling: Clem Borah, John Puirshon.
Mr. Densmore, and A.V. Hardin.
Windmill Dealer: S.L. Howell.
Woodwork Shop: Mr. W.E. Melling.
Telephone Operator: Charles George.
Vona Inns: Adams Always Inn: Shirley
Adams, Ginger's Place: Ginger Sechrist.
Hill-
Top Inn: Dan Hubbell.
Grocery and General Stores: Red and
White Grocery - 1931 - Fred J. Adams; and
Cary Mercantile
-
1933
- E.H. Carey. Erastus
Johnson, I.D. Fuller, Fred Adams, Newt
Howell, Emmit Carey, Charley Carey (1g11)
W.A. Cottrell, Mr. Mccorkle, Jim and Lee
Erskin, Mark Crocker, Claude and Viv
Brantley, Mr. Frye, Jim Stover, Charles
Foster Lumber Yard
in Vona
Alexander, John Collins, Ollie Bates, Roy
George, Park and Sadie Bonham, Mr. Hayes,
J.J. Gladden, Pat and Merl Ford, Gust and
Helen Herrell, John and Evelyn Hendricks,
Mr. and Mrs. Rayrnond Monroe, Mr. and
Mrs. Bill Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Joe
Zimmershied, Lillian Sechrist, Mr. and Mrs.
�Rex Regnier, J.J. Elliot, Mr. and Mrs. Larry
Estin, and Scotty Elliston.
Hardware Stores: Harlan Haynes, Leon
Snyder, Emmett O'Brien, and Charlie Davis,
and A.L. Hitchcock.
Hotels: Mrs. Becky Stover, Mrs. Laura
Alexander, Mrs. Kunkel, John Webb, Edd
Gagnon, and Joe and Syble Burian, T.S.
SEIBERT EQUITY
COOPERATIVE
ASSOCIATION
erected across the railroad tracks to the north
1986. This increased the total storage
capacity of 2,633,000 bushels.
in
B68
The Seibert Farmers Equity Exchange was
organized August 9, 1915 by a group of
prominent farmers, J.O. Hendricks, W.J.
Stover.
Insurance Agents: Herschel Salmans, Ronald Stone.
Jewelry Store: A.A. King, and Mr. Warren.
John Deere Agency: Fred Adams
Livery Barn: Newt Howell, Jim Cannon,
to G.W. Klockenteger. The amount of origi-
Millard Harrison, Earl Webb, and Mr. Mat-
nal Capital Stock was $5,000.00 divided into
teson.
200 shares of $25.00 each.
Lumber Yard: Z.J. Kiser, Harlan Haynes,
Carl Alexander, Phil Bruner, Gib Anderson,
Oscar Strehlow, John Hendricks, Hamy
Burd, Foster; Paul Rauseur, and Norris
Merriweather, Phil Bruner 1935-37.
Peterson, Thomas J. Jones, James O. Parnell,
and Alva J. Smith. The first stock was issued
The first elevator, with 10,000 bushel
capacity, was purchased from B.E. Roller.
Gus Fuhlendorf, Chauncy Webb, and Homer
The original set of scales was ordinary wagon
scales with a capacity of 8,000 lbs. In 1924,
the capacity of the elevator was raised to
20,000 bushel by remodeling. Later, a warehouse was built and coal bins were added.
Bridge. County Deputy: Herschel Salmans.
Meat Market: John Dennis, Paul, Wilson,
and Mr. Nelson.
Millinery Shop: Laura Alexander, Mrs.
Webb, and Olive Harrison.
hides and feed were handled along with grain.
A cream station was operated for many years.
The company was reorganized and
changed the name to Seibert Equity Cooper-
Marshals: N.E. Sharp, Morris Thompson,
Newspapers: 1889
Will
Rogers, Orville
Rogers (not related), 1908 Vona Enterprise:
Wiley E. Baker, and Scheidegger Bros.
Nursing Home: Blanche Howell
Photographer: W. C. Taylor, and Dale and
Margaret Felix.
Picture Show: J.O. Bates, Fred Flanagan,
and Jim Hurd.
Pool Halls: Harry Lambert, Musselman,
Garnhart, Mr. Martin, Jim Cannon, Guy
Gingles, George Moyes, Jack Cottrell, Joe
Burian, Martin Matteson, Pat Murphy, Mrs.
Hal Borders, and Homer Bridge.
R.R. Pumpman: Mr. Brink, Harry O'Neil,
and Roy Mussleman.
Real Estate: Paul Wilson, S.L. Howell,
E.H. Haynes, and Gus Herrel (Violet Edmunds tells us that Mr. Howell measured the
land by tying a rag on his wagon wheel and
figuring so many wagon wheels per mile.)
Restaurants: August Carlstedt, Ma Haxtun, Mr. J.G. Brookshire, Lena Jensen, Mrs.
Molly Ancell, Lena Alley, Mrs. John Tyron,
Hubert and Rachel Dawson,
Colemans,
Martha Roberts, Hazel Wilhite, Irene Courtright, Fred Harper, Guy Youtsey, Lyle and
Pearl Snyder, Tex Furguson, Isabelle Monroe, Vera Waterman, Frances Camp, and the
Vona High School.
South of Vona
Blacksmiths: Al Tilbury and Alton Hardin.
General Stores: A.S. Baker, and Bill Goff.
North of Vona
Blacksmiths: Frank Boger, and Abe Klassen.
Cream Separator Agency: Ed Sparks.
General Stores: Mr. and Mrs. Brownwood,
Dick Roorda, Fred Loopstra, and Will
Weisshaar.
by Janice Salmans
Produce, chickens, hogs, flour, salt, fruit,
ative Association in 1935.
In 194?, a 60'scale with capacity of 105,000
lbs. was installed. A bulk gas and filling
station was operated from 1947 through 1954.
In the spring of 1950, a 250,000 bushel
capacity concrete elevator was constructed.
In 1957, following several years of drought,
the country was blessed with sudden moisture. Because the wheat had already blown
out, the farmers planted milo. Therefore, a
new grain dryer was installed to accommo-
The Co-op takes prides in the speed in
which grain can be unloaded to enable trucks
to return to the field in record times. The
access to 5 dumps and 2 sets of scales makes
this possible. The record number of bushels
received in one day is 235,081.
During the wheat harvest of 1987, the
oldest set ofscales collapsed and was replaced
by a new 80's scale to weigh the longer semi-
trucks of the future.
The first manager of the Co-op was Ross
Lowe. Other managers in succession have
been, Charley Barber, A.L. Carpenter, E.M.
Short, Henry Daum, Lloyd Murphy, Jack
Allen, Martin Rasmussen, B.D. Hargrove,
Eugene L. Hase, Robert Schmitt, B.D. Har-
grove, John Keener, Bill Stramek, and Eugene L. Hase, who is manager to this time.
Net sales: L927, $244,374; L937, $44,487;
t947, $505,322; 1957, $197,171;
$L,028,342; t977, $2,813,088;
1967,
1987,
$4,858,490.
by Carla Herman
STATE BANK OF
BURLINGTON
B69
date the big milo crop. An office building,
annex, cleaner and more concrete storage
were added increasing capacity to 960,000
bushel by 1960. At this time the 60's scales
were moved to the front of the new office
building.
In 1970, the Co-Op purchased some inventory from Gorton's Hardware and Kliewer's
Hardware of Flagler following the closing of
both businesses. A hardware department was
set up in the basement of the office building.
Later in 1976, a 240'x30' building was built
to provide a new hardware store, a feed
warehouse. and new offices.
Things got very hot down by the railroad
tracks in 1979! A fire broke out in the frame
elevator, the original building acquired by the
Co-op, which was presently being used as a
grain roller. The adjacent warehouse, containing hazardous chemicals, burned also.
Therefore, the Town of Seibert was evacua-
ted for a few hours as a precaution. This
building was replaced by a new feed mill in
1980. In that same year, a warehouse was
attached to the cleaner to store bagged seed.
Also, a warehouse was congtructed south of
the main location to store oil and supplies.
Due to increasing crop production, it was
necessary to add to the concrete elevator.
Four concrete tanks were constructed in
1980. This increased the storage capacity to
1,609,000 bushels. In 1983, a set of 70' scales
with capacity of 120,000 lbs. was installed
parallel to the 60' scales as a backup in case
of break down and to avoid long lines at
harvest.
Because
of good weather conditions and
good farming, crop yields increased. The
board of directors made the decision to build
additional storage. Three steel bins were
The first bank in Burlington in 1887-88.
The first bank in Burlington was called the
State Bank of Burlington. The building was
first located about where Lee's Barber Shop
is now. In 1888 the bank moved to the
building where The Corner Cut, operated by
Dean Sailer, is now located on the corner of
Senter and 14th Street. The bank was later
sold to W.D. Selder who then organized the
Stockgrowers State Bank in about 1901.
The year of establishment is not known but
it must have been late 1886 or 1887.
by Willard Gross
�PEOPLES NATURAL
GAS
they serve and plan to be a part of these
communities in the future.
B70
Plateau Natural Gas Co. operating in
Southwest Kansas and Southeast Colorado
including Lamar, Eads, Limon and small
MONTEZUMA HOTEL
871:
communities around Colorado Springs in
1960 and 1961, arranged to bring natural gas
into the communities east of Limon and
Hugo. Their plan was to supply natural gas
service to these areas and also to serve the
irrigation wells being drilled in east central
Colorado. The experience in southeast Colo-
The lovely dining room in the hotel. 1900 - Minnie
Kuker is girl in photo.
rado in serving the irrigation development
proved to make this investment possible.
The administrative office, at first,
was
operated out of a mobile home until the
present office was completed at 304 14th
Street in Burlington in the fall of 1962.
The first service was, of course, natural gas
service to residential and commercial customers and then to the irrigation wells, as this
industry was developed. The price of natural
gas was very low at the beginning. The
irrigation rate was 370 per 1000 cu. ft. ofgas.
Duane Ply was the
real estate dealer and promoter whose surmise proved correct that the Rock Island
railroad would be coming this way. It is on
Newell's land that Burlington platted in the
year 1888. His hotel was a thriving, vital
establishment a year before that, and well
able to take care of all the business incident
A crowd gathers on the north side of the Hotel as
a salesman extolls the virtue of "Buster Brown"
to the long awaited coming of the rails in
September of '88.
shoes.
The Montezuma was not located in its
present site in those early days. Its first
location was in the block near where Grace
Manor now stands, at 5th and Senter. A
sparse settlement from west of the main part
first manager in the
Burlington area. He was replaced by Olen
Brown in June of 1963. In the early years,
Curtis Moran served in the Stratton area,
Everett Adolf was one of the construction
workers along with Asa Clark and Everett
of
Johnston as construction foreman. The present district manager, Ray Snodgrass was
transferred to the Burlington area in July of
1963 and has served in several management
assignments in the Burlington area in July of
1963 and has served in several management
assignments in this area. He became District
The alley view of the Montezuma where the cow
Manager of the Burlington Area in 1982 when
and "facilities" were placed.
Brown retired.
During the depression, the natural
gas
business was a new business and was just
coming into being. Because of the hard times,
its growth was quite slow. After World War
II, it really came to life with the help of John
L. Lewis and the Unions making the cost of
coal so high.
During the energy crisis the prices really
were increased too fast and the industry
found that the customer would only pay so
much and something had to give. The price
of natural gas never reached the high price
present Burlington had moved
which was Peoples Natural Gas Co.
The Company is now owned by a Corporation called UtiliCorp United Inc. of Kansas
City, however, the headquarters for Peoples
Natural Gas is in Omaha, Nebraska. Their
plan is to serve their customers with good
service in the future.
Our Company, over the years, has participated in many activities in the communities
a
"I
was born
couple
of
story farm building formed the first community center. Freight wagon operators, homesteaders, explorers prospectors - brave travelers all - making up the traffic of this pioneer
period, headquartered there. The main
supply points for this area were Haigler and
Benkelman, Neb., and Julesburg. Nearest
west, Hugo and the Kit Carson County came
into being in the year 1888.
In an interview
in the Montezuma, just a
of this
years before the turn
century," this from Hobart Harrison, retired
Burlington Mercury dealer. His parents, the
late Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Harrison were the
second owners of the hotel buying
before he died, Elmer
Harrison recalled that he charged hay haulers
25 cents per night, but fed traveling men a bit
fancier so he could get 50 cents per room.
Most of the hay haulers slept in the Harrison
livery stable anyway. Boarders who forgot to
wash up with bowl and pitcher in their rooms
could use the kitchen pump. But this often
ran dry as did the town well, a block up the
it Septem-
ber 3, 1897. The builder was R.S. Newell, a
predicted.
Most of the residences of the towns in East
Central Colorado. as well as the business
places have been the customers of the
Company since it began business in 1962.
During the first 10 years of operation, the
Company ran many miles of pipeline to serve
more and more customers. In 1968, Plateau
ran a line into Yuma and Washington
Counties and in 1970 a line from the south
was installed to Cheyenne Wells, thus offering these areas natural gas service. In 1970
our Company was merged with Northern
Natural Gas Co. Distribution Company,
to
crossroads in the eastern section and the two
rt;l,.tt',1
,*i.,:"; 'il
Main Street late 1890's, looking south on right side of street is the Montezuma Hotel.
�the sequel to the hanging! Not long after the
lynching, a Cheyenne Wells woman, taking
her cows to pasture across the railroad tracks
one early morning, alerted the town with
piercing screams. Two ghastly corpses swung
from the same water tower. It is surmised
that some irritated resident has hung a
couple of barking hound dogs.
One of the most public spirited citizens of
early times was the late A.W. Winegar, whose
search for settlers involved elaborate promotion. It was even more intensive in the first
years of the century than is the present Lake
Havasu campaign, or those of other land
promoters who give free dinners and pitches
at local cafes, even offering "no obligation"
plane tickets to prospective buyers. Enlisting
the brand new Pullman cars put on the
smooth, just lain Rock Island tracks, Winegar
and his agents (only one prospect of each
agent) would bring Easterners to Burlington.
The aim was for permanent settlers, not
investors.
'ri::rr::i
].it,.'
;:;:;:1;1;,:::
-":,q,*
l;r:t
The Montezuma Hotel in 1956 which was rebuilt in 1950 after the devastating fire that destroyed it in
1945.
street in the center of a square. After three
years the Harrisons built a home on Eleventh
street which is the present William Peters
home.
There could be little effective law enforce-
ment in those days where the passport was
a six-shooter, backed up by a rifle. The wild
kind of effervescence of "devil may care"
characters had brought them to the frontier
in the first place. No jails nor court rooms
existed. After all, there was not even enough
lumber to put with the sod for settlers'
houses. So it was in the Montezuma in
February of 1888 that
a
murder's victim died.
The story goes that a homesteader named
Franklin Baker, who was proving up on his
Iand about six miles northeast of town, where
the C.H. Bollwinkel farm now is, decided that
he would no longer allow trespassing. So he
put up a "no crossing" sign on his south fence.
Baker, an ex-buffalo hunter, was no relative
of families by that name who later came to
Burlington. According to an account, kept by
C.A. Yersin, late grandfather of Burlington's
Henry Hoskin, this sign could not be seen by
three men in a spring wagon coming from
Haigler. They were astonished when Baker
and his two sons accosted them and an
argument ensued. Baker ordered his wife to
fetch his shotgun and he filled two of the men
with buckshot, a trunk protecting the third.
The wounded ones were T. McConnell and
John Morrison who had homesteads southeast of town and were well liked. Of course
there was no such thing as a hospital, and so
the wounded men were rushed to the Montezuma for care by the early day medic, Dr.
Paul Godsman. However, in two days,
McConnell died and it was not long afterward
that Morrison also died as a result of his
wounds.
This shooting roused the frontier, where
news spread like wildfire. Feelings ran high
even before Elbert County Sheriff Jerry
Barnes could arrive. He and his local deputy,
Frank Mann, consulted the justice of the
peace and Bud Page, who happened to be a
butcher.
It was decided that
a hasty trial
would be held in the butcher shop down the
street from the Montezuma. Then the prisoner, Baker, would be slipped out the back door
of the butcher shop. The idea was to get the
killer to the Union Pacific train at Cheyenne
Wells where he could be sent to Denver for
safe keeping. Enroute there would have to be
a fresh team for extra speed since threats of
lynching were heard all up and down the
board walk in front of the hotel. Not long
after this a scout came with news of Baker's
removal from town and an angry mob did
form in the lobby. Then, hot on the trail of
the sheriff, his deputy and the prisoner, men
took to horseback, carriages and buckboards
to give chase southward.
The second team of horses, no longer fresh
after their share of the 44 mile journey,
galloped into Cheyenne Wells. They were just
ahead of the angry Burlingtonites. Since it
was found the train was an hour late, the
prisoner was hastily locked in the only
available "jail", which was an empty box car
on the siding near the coal chute water tower
used to supply the steam train engines.
While part of the Burlington men argued
with the sheriff, short work of the lock up was
made by others wielding a railroad tie. Soon
the body of Baker was swinging by a rope in
the chilly winter air. There was not a single
tree in those days, so the water tower served
the purpose.
A greenhorn traveler, one Scott Vitatole
from Kansas City, making his first trip to
Colorado, arrived on the UP train that fateful
morning. Later, in the Montezuma he told
the story of now deathly quiet greeted him as
he stepped off at the station. It was evident
that shocked Cheyenne Wells citizens had
hidden after the vengeful Burlingtonites had
departed. Glancing around, the third traveler
found nothing greeted his eyes excepting the
sagging body of the hanged homesteader. He
was so appalled that he frantically grabbed
his two grips and ran down the track after the
departing train in an effort to get back on.
Nels Larsen, another early day resident
who served in the Colorado lesislature told
However, the boom was on, and other
promoters wanted land buyers of any intention. One prospect to one agent, Winegar
believed would prevent the "sidewalk
leeches" from stealing away any potential
resident. For a time the Rock Island would
allow the Pullmans to be set out on a siding
in Burlington so that while trips for land
buying were made roundabout the country,
lodging and board for the visitors could be
supplied.
But it was soon evident that the Montezuma could serve better. Since the Harrisons
wished to sell out, Winegar imported Mrs.
Martha Coakley from Omaha to run the
hotel. The Montezuma was moved to new
Burlington, its present site, renewed with
paint and soon "no vacancy" signs could be
penciled on placards.
Winegar reserved rooms in the hotel for
specialists he had enlisted from Colorado's
agricultural college, whom he implored to
improve the strains of grain grown locally.
The flint corn variety, with two foot stalks
and nubbins only, was only a little worse than
the type of early day wheat. Corn was found
in Peru to cross with that of Eastern Colorado
and wheat test plots were begun. These were
to result in the world records possible in fields
here today.
Winegar's vital ground work, combined
with a concept by Powell, a later Montezuma
owner, of how to pioneer in irrigation from
wells, all saw birth in the halls of Montezuma.
"While campaigning or visiting the country
every governor of Colorado from 1905
through 1944 stayed at our hotel" states
Burlington's Mrs. Pearl Schell, daughter of
Mrs. Coakley. In subsequent years, Mrs.
Schell's husband, the late Henry Schell,
assisted and then took over the Montezuma
operation until August l, 1944, when it was
sold to Earl Powell. Mrs. Schell remembers
when she was a young, impressionable girl,
that the famous Commodore Vanderbilt
made the Montezuma his overnight stop as
he paused enroute to Reno to get one of his
divorces.
When the hotel was moved. Mrs. Schell
remembers, back steps were reinforced for
the considerable traffic necessary for clients
to reach the outdoor privy. It was not until
1909 that the first bathroom drew tourists
from miles and miles away. What an improvement since the days when two horses and a
milk cow were permanent residents - in an
�attached shed in back!
But problems beset quest in those days, as
well as hotel operators. Wainscoting was
fashionable, so in the high style re-do, the
rooms afforded extraordinary comfortable
breeding grounds for bed bugs. These reddish
brown vermin, their color suggestive of the
nightly banquets of human blood, spent
daytimes in the wooden up and down grooves.
With such halcyon food and lodging, these
couch masters became so hale and eupeptic
that "corrosive supplement," mixed with
gasoline had to be dribbled down the wainscot crevices regularly to route the scourge.
A popular pastime for travelers was to
compare the bed bug population of various
hostelries. It is a fact that in Brewster,
Kansas, all legs of beds stood in cans of coal
oil. This was either to prevent the arrival of
lower floor newcomers or to cause a wretched
demise
for any bedbug inadvertently
dropping from a mattress. In Colby, this old
timer remembers, in second story rooms, coils
of rope lay in corners. The ropes were
attached to hefty rocks. Thus fire (or bite
victims) were encouraged to escape by pitching the rock out the window and climbing
down hand over hand. In spite of tall tales
heard frequently, there is no record of any
bed bugs growing to sufficient strength for
this feat.
But many renovations later, the Montezuma was free of multi legged pests and it was
a new third story. No end
of dismay resulted when it was learned that
felt safe to build on
in those days the bugs often were found in
new lumber! So eradication had to begin all
over again up there. With the coming of
modern sanitation, no bed bug had registered
in the Montezuma since before World War I.
Something of a different nature, however
bugged the owner who built on a third story.
The difficult job was done by propping up the
roof, sawing off the eaves and building
underneath. Rains were problems during
construction. The late J.A. Haughey, well
known early day artisan, was in charge of the
work. When taxes were raised to what the
owner considered exorbitant heights because
of the improvement, and no relief granted,
the owner hired the construction crew to take
the third story off again!
Progress brought it back eventually and
then came the only elevator - "lift" - between
Norton and Colorado Springs to delight
travelers and townspeople. Burlington's William Haughey, installed this first Otis elevator in the 1920's, after his father. J.A.
Haughey, engineered the shaft. Bill also
remembers that along about that time another famous visitor, the noted author, Ernest
Thompson Seton, was a guest of the Montezuma.
A northwest wind blew bitterly cold the
night of December 16, 1945. Pheasant season
was still on in Yuma County and those
staying in the Montezuma had to be kept
warm. So the coal furnace clinkers had to be
removed, as stoking was done by hand each
evening. That fateful night Owner Powell sat
late in his office off the lobby, pondering his
dream of beating the drought, and carrying
on his office work until almost two in the
morning. He did not smell smoke coming
from the ignited wooden basement stairs,
it is believed, the clinkers had been
placed too close. But his daughter, now Mrs.
Weidman was alert. Lockingthe hotel money
and all her good clothing, including a brand
where,
new coat,
in a closet which
she never saw
again, she turned in a fire alarm and quickly
proceeded to rouse all the guests. This
included 21 permanent residents.
Horrifyingly soon, tongues of flame came
up to the stairwell, and even though by the
time the outside walls have been covered with
concrete, the disaster was nearly complete.
Roaring into the pre dawn pitch black sky,
the blaze could be seen 25 miles away. Only
Powell's files and business records were
saved, even the register of guests becoming
a cinder. Insurance covered only a fraction of
the loss.
Performing feats which reached the foolhardy at times, Burlington's fire department
rescued people and battled the holocaust for
hours. It was the most spectacular fire since
the school had been destroyed in 1924 and
Gold Bond Hatchery had burned in 1936.
Commended for heroic efforts were Lester
Sherman, Fire Chief; Martin Furuseth, Pat
Andrews, Red Pugh, George Cockrell, Clay
Gould, Bill Hendricks, Jack Chalfant, Ted
Backlund, Luther Mangus, Shirley Standish,
Hank Stevens, Beryl Springer and others.
Further tragedy was averted as the roof
began to smoke on the old square wooden
resident which at that time housed Mountain
States telephone company. This was just
across the alley east. Onlookers got peppered
with window popping out of Stevens cafe just
south, although a25 foot court separated the
two buildings.
Following the fire, after a long time of
staring at the ruins, a corporation was formed
which was able to make the Montezuma block
the great community improvement it has
been for the past twenty-one years. The
rebuilders included C.D. Reed, Harley
Rhoades, Bill Jacobs, Albert Crouse and
Floyd Whitmore. Harold McArthur bought
out the Whitmore interest later. After a year
and a half of building, and an expenditure of
$300,000, the Montezuma was as nearly
fireproof as it could be made. Lower outside
facing was green terra cotta, the concrete
above being painted desert green. Frontage
of 75x100 feet included space for the J.M.
McDonald store, which resident Hotels Company hopes will remain. Besides the lobby,
coffee shop, large kitchen, cocktail lounge on
the main floor, there is a banquet room in the
basement. Fifty rooms, all carpeted, with
bath and phones, plus outside ventilation,
even include a bridal suite.
Following the death of her husband, Mrs.
Crouse took over from the corporation.
Besides McDonalds, for some years the
Federal Crop Insurance office was located in
the hotel offices east of the lounge. Mrs.
Dorothea Hammond operated the first of
several beauty shops that were there. Seismo-
graph crew headquarters, irrigation firms
and other companies have been tenants.
Maybe some octogenarian spirit lingering
through the years, is chuckling in the halls of
Montezuma at the thought of how the
pendulum has swung back again. Nostalgic
and oddly comforting is the thought of bed
and supper all of a price. "Condividual" is a
It could have been coined because
there's still a little of the same lonely living
as back in pre-homestead days of 188?. But
the old ghost surely could appreciate the
1971 word.
modern cure - Resident Hotel.
The English author, Bacon said, "If a man
be gracious to strangers, it shows that he is
a citizen of the world. and his heart is no
island, cut off from other islands. but a
continent that joins them." Well, situated
near mid-continent, our town's oldest hospitality house has been gracious a long time
indeed. Without reservations, it can surely be
said, the best is yet to come! Mr. and Mrs.
Don Downen are the present owners and WB Drug, Inc. and Burlington Book & Music
occupy the ground floor.
by Bonny Gould
PEARL'S GARAGE
AND CAFE
872
On August 16, 1985, a frightful fire destroyed a historic building at the edge of the
town of Flagler. This building was conceived
and built by a man who had farmed 14 or lb
miles north of Flagler, Pearl Lord. His vision
of service stations, cafe, bar and some rooms
was realized in about 1931. The size was great
enough to house a repair facility along with
a service station, cafe and bar. The economy
of this day was very depressed and ali
activities were graduated to fit this uneasy
time. After much debate and assessment,
adobe blocks for the building was selected,
Robert McCurdy agreed to make the adobe
blocks and to lay them into the walls.
Concrete piers were used to support the
massive domed roof at intervals along the
adobe walls. Roof trusses, made by Olaf Olsen
and other builders in the town, were constructed of one inch lumber, laminated for
strength. One thickness of one inch lumber
criss-crossed the trusses for the bridge-work
to cany the load of the roof of one inch
sheeting, roofing paper and tar. This roof
proved to be the buildings demise for it
burned like tinder and of course, collapsed
into the interior, burning everything in the
building.
Under the south end of the building, near
center, was a partial basement, dug by hand
by many members of the community who
showed up to work after doing their farm
chores and other duties in order to make a
dollar or two in spare time. John Shulda told
me of hurrying through the work on the farm
to make a trip to town to help with it. He said
the dirt was removed on a 1929 Chevrolet
Truck which was driven out of the basement
area on a dirt ramp. He said he remembered
so well how hard it was to remove the dirt
ramp when the truck would no longer be used;
the dirt was pitched out of the basement by
hand. He said no one would believe the
massiveness of the footers that were installed
under the building and basement.
Bob McCurty lived eleven miles south, a
little over a half mile east on the correction
Iine, one and one half miles south, one mile
east and about a quarter mile north on what
was later the Harris-Davies ranch. His place
was about a mile northwest of Conrad Stone
who had located in the expanse of buffalo
grass and the cactus, constructed a home and
even a barn of the fabulous adobe blocks
made in the area. I can attest to the warmth
in winter and the coolness in summer. the
roof of the "Connie" Stone house was one
inch sheeting, tar paper and a generous layer
of sod. This sod was always placed on the roof
with the grassy side down to
discourage
�growth of the grass; some persistent prairie
plants, including cactus soon appeared in
areas over the roof.
Pearl Lord eventually contracted with Bob
McCurdy to make the adobe for his building
near Flagler and to lay them into the walls.
This gave Bob an opportunity to make a little
money and provide some work for his neigh-
bors in making the blocks. The process of
making adobe blocks began with a circular
area on the prairie that was gone over with
a disk harrow pulled by a team offour horses.
It was disked over and over until the top layer
of the soil, grass, roots and sometimes cactus
was loosened. A fresno, an earth moving
device of that day, was used to scrape the
Ioosened area into a pile at the center. The
fresno had a four foot blade between two
runners. a metal area where the dirt was
collected, a long handle at the rear which
raised to dump the load of dirt, pulled by four
head of horses. After the pile was formed, the
area previously cleaned was used for the base
of the forms 1X4 inch lumber. nailed and
sawed
by Lyle Stone
In high gear the "T" moved at about five
miles per hour. Bob came to a hill and even
with the advantage of the gearing, the
"T"
wouldn't climb a hill he encountered on the
trip, causing him to push the low pedal. He
spent several hours getting over the hill; he
it moved so slowly one almost needed to
make a line to see any progress!!
After the blocks were made, the task of
said
hauling them
to the building site began.
Wagons with two horse teams were loaded for
the long trip. Two trucks were used, both
1929 vintage. One ofthese trucks belonged to
the Hyde family. Bob and his crew, along with
the various carpenters and builders from
Flagler then ran the concrete pillars, foundations and layed the walls. When the walls and
domed roof were in place the adobe portion
was covered with chicken wire, applied to the
exterior. Although the cost of material for the
building was held in check, the amount was
tremendous because of its size and the
expenditure of labor was momentous but so
very welcome at this time of few jobs and
relatively hard times. Mr. Lord should have
been commended for his foresight and courage.
PEARL'S GARAGE
AND CAFE
having geared teeth on the wheels. Two gears
were installed where the "T" rear wheels had
been and these ran on the gear in the wheel.
Pearl had previously operated an oil
87S
into squares the size of the blocks desired.
took a large number of these forms to
accommodate a day's run of blocks. A mixer
It
which Bob had made from a threshing
machine blower, smaller paddles installed,
driven by a Model T engine was used to mix
the mud. The radiator of the engine was a 30
gallon barrel, fitted with hose connections to
the cooling system. The barrel was then filled
with water. A trap door on the mixer
was
hinged to a handle near the lower portion of
the blower assembly. It opened to allow the
mud which had been whipped within, after
dirt from the pile and water had been added,
to be released. The mud was then moved in
wheel banows to the forms which were filled,
skreeded and given a slick finish with a
trowel. Next day, the forms were removed
from the blocks; sometimes this could be
accomplished on the same day if it was hot
enough to cause the mud to crack away from
them. The forms were carefully lifted and the
blocks left to bake in the sun for a number
of days.
Other area were disked and this operation
continued on for days. After the desired
number of blocks had been made or had
sufficiently baked they were trimmed and
stacked to protect them from rain; this
happened so rarely at this time but when it
did rain, it came in downpours. When the
blocks were raised from their position on the
ground, often clumps ofthe under earth stuck
to them and had to be cleaned off. This
proved to be a man killing job. Bob devised
a trimmer made from a disk of an implement
which he belted to the "T" engine. A trough
or slide was made where the blocks could be
pushed through under the spinning disk.
This proved to be a great device.
Bob moved the equipmentone day to a new
area. He had converted his Model T Ford to
a tractor with a kit called a "pull-Ford". It
consisted of a pair of tractor-like wheels
station at what is now the Tip Top Corner,
the south end of Main Avenue, where he had
learned the ins and outs of the oil business.
He earlier operated a station near where
Arthur Gaines house now stands. He had
experienced a Spring Auction when his farm
equipment had been sold and chose the oil
business when he moved to town. During the
operation ofthese endeavors he had accumulated quite a large amount in his accounts
receivable ledger which came in handy when
the adobe building was erected. Many of
these accounts were settled at this time in the
form of work performed in constructing the
building.
by Lyle Stone
PEARL'S GARAGE
AND CAFE
874
When he was barely old enough to lift a
scoop, Pearl became a miner at mystic,
Appanoose County, Iowa. He did not like
being a miner and left as soon as possible,
setting out west to escape this occupation as
a means of livelihood. He helped in the
construction of the Cog Way Railroad at
Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs. He later
worked for Bob Lukow near Arriba, Henry
Brown
of Flagler area and then
began
farming for himself north of Flagler. In 1905
he married Mina Young. She was only a year
old when her parents arrived at Otis by rail,
the first to come in this manner, to take up
homesteads in the area. Mina was born in
Missouri from where they began the long trip
west.
"Pearls" became an instant success. High-
to the south frontage.
Travelers from the east and west were aware
of Pearl's station as they arrived in town and
with the increase of automobiles and travelers, business was good. First operator of the
way 24 ran close
new cafe was Waddey Butler who may have
come from the Vona area. John and Beula
Bower ran a good cafe that benefited from the
visiting tourists,
as well as the local clientele.
They resided in the living quarters located on
the second floor; several of the waitresses
roomed there also. During the time Johnny
and Beula ran the cafe, the doors were never
locked, the service continued 24 hours a day,
never a shuffle to find a key. The bar was a
success with good business, not without an
occasional problem, Pearl was usually able to
keep order or had those in his employment
who could. During the hours of the big flood
of 1935 the establishment had standing room
only for many days as travelers waited for
washouts to be repaired. Locals engaged in
helping where possible took meals there, one
of the assiduous times in the history of the
building. Operators of the cafe maintained on
hand a large inventory of food and supplies,
not only to reduce the cost of supplies but
because of the slower supply routes of this
day. Many residents of the town called to buy
food when local supplies ran low. The flood
stopped the normal supply
to the local
grocery stores. Gasoline prices challenged
any in town; Pearl shopped for it at various
refineries, taking the best buys. It may have
smelled different but it burned fine in the
cars.
The cafe was operated very successfully by
several operators, one of these operators was
B.K. Moss. The Moss family ran the cafe for
many years, living for a time in the quarters
provided there. They ran a successful business with Mrs. Moss doing the cooking for
halfofthe day and Zenelda the other, a night
and day operation as the business was seldom
closed. I do not know the reason, but I
suppose it was the times, the building
changed hands and became agarage operated
by Millard Petersen who obtained a dealership for Chrysler-Plymouth. When he started
the business he needed a name. chose to
conduct a contest where people of the
community picked names; at the special day
of the naming the lucky contributor would
receive $25.00. Mrs. Moss, who was so very
familiar with this old building, submitted the
winning entry, the M&S Garage. One of the
cars sold went to C.G. Dorsey, a Plymouth;
it returned to the building recently and met
its demise with the building as it burned. Mr.
Petersen operated the business for a number
of years with much success and turned the
operation over to Rhynold and Crystal Fager
who continued the dealership, serving the
customers of the business and selling Chrysler products. Two Plymouth station wagons
were delivered to the writer of this history.
There are many memories and bits of
history this old building could tell; as a young
boy my memories were probably different.
Uncle "Bill" who embarrassed me at times.
called me "Bub" and was so very good to all
of
by Lyle Stone
�I am very sure a volume could be written
of the humorous, sad and important happen-
PEARL'S GARAGE
AND CAFE
us children. He insisted that
ings in this building.
875
I should play
the slot machine that was located in the cafe.
He provided me the quarter I needed; it was
rare I ever had more than a dime to spend
when we ventured into town. I put the
quarter he gave me into the slot and pulled
the handle. You might imagine the thrill I felt
when I hit the jack-pot and quarters rolled
all over the cafe. Uncle Bill insisted I keep all
of them, got a paper sack for me to put them
in; what a happy kid I was that afternoon!
While in high school, several of us used to
hang out at the cafe at times, a nostalgia of
this time of growing up I shall never forget.
Years before, I understand, that one evening
a fight developed here. During his fight Bruce
Bradley suffered a knife wound in the
abdomen; luckily, Flagler had a few very
adept doctors who treated him and saved
him. Wilbur and Norman Haeseker made a
necessary trip to town. Before going home
they decided to visit the cafe. They parked
the old car around back in the dark area.
When they left, they found the spare, which
was mounted outside on the rear of the car,
missing. They returned home to find their
father seriously ill. Dr. Reed checked him
over and sent him to a specialist in Denver
who treated him but he never returned.
Father never knew about the lost spare.
In later years, during the time of the
Chrysler Dealership, many stories appear.
Jerry Amos was serving as a mechanic; this
day he removed the drive line and repacked
the universal joint bearings on a Plymouth.
This is quite a task and requires some finesse.
Others waited until he had tightened the last
bolt on the rear joint, layed two tiny rollers
from another car in the place where Jerry had
reassembled the joints.
This oversight was
pointed out to him. "And some Kill-joy has
to come along and find the little rollers!"
Jerry sputtered. All had a good laugh when
they told him what they had done as he began
to remove the drive line. Millard planned a
special showdate when the newmodels would
be shown, a general clean up was in progress.
Jerry disappeared; Millard searched the area
for him. Jerry was on the west side with paint
brush in hand painting a silhouette of a hand,
to the door with the lettering
"DOOR".
Sylvan Morris was among the crew that
worked for Millard at the M&S Motor
Company. I believe Ken Goin, Pat Burgess
and Virgil Fager, worked here also at this
time. A new Plymouth was sold; Sylvan and
others worked frantically on it to make it
ready for delivery. When it was road tested,
pointing
the speedometer made erratic excursions
over the dial. Millard was informed of the
difficulty. He said, "Finish getting the car
ready. Take the speedometer out and bring
it to my office. I'll fix it and have it ready by
the time you finish the car." When the crew
finished, Sylvan went to the office for the
speedometer, Millard said, "We will deliver
it without the speedometer; a new one will be
here in a day or two." As Sylvan left he noted
a few gears, odometer, pointer, dial and case
strewn over the papers in the wastepaper
basket. In this writer's years of repairing
things, I understand!
It
is unfortunate that
they could not be written at this time.
Perhaps, this short record will be of use to
preserve some of the history of the building.
It has certainly been a land mark for those
who grew up around Flagler. Already I have
experienced its loss as I turned off I-70; for
a fleeting moment
I
thought, "Is this Fla-
gler?"
After Rhynold moved from the building,
Richard Petersen operated an implement
agency in it for a time, dealing also in
automobiles, gasoline and other services. In
time, Richard was able to build a fine new
station
by Lyle Stone
PEARL'S GARAGE
AND CAFE
876
more accessible to I-70 and move into it. It
is then that several others operated various
businesses in the building, woodworking,
cabinetmaking and others. The last business
was that of Mark Amos who turned the area
into a fine machine shop. He was able to do
almost anything needed in the way of fabrication of metals, installed some of the very
latest welding apparatus. Mark was enjoying
a well established and successful business
when a welding accident caused a fire in a
vehicle within the shop. The fire spread so
rapidly that in few minutes the rear area wErs
engulfed in flame. Within minutes the roof
was ignited and when this happened, there
terrible toll.
Written by Lyle Stone and published in
The Flagler News, February 20, 1986.
by Lyle Stone
RED FRONT
GROCERY
877
On Sept. 19th, 1910 W.H. Yersin opened
a combination general store, post office in
Bethune, Colo. W.H. Yersin did business in
Bethune until 1914 when he and his wife. Alta
B. Yersin, purchased the Red Front Market
on main street in Burlington, Colo. From
there the Red Front Market moved in 1968
to another larger location on Burlington's
main street, which was formally occupied by
an implement dealer.
Then in 1976 the Red Front Market moved
again to a new location, east highway 24 in
Burlington, where it still remains today.
by Ken Yersin
BACKLUND
878
was little hope, for the one inch lumber, tar
and tar paper burned like tinder. The Flagler
Fire Department arrived in good time and
water was immediately applied. The fire had
already grown in size; the hope of saving
anything was growing dim.
It
took
some
minutes to tap a fire plug about a block and
a half away, string the hose and couple it.
Backlund Garage on south end of 14th St. 1956.
When this water was applied to the fire
through two lines, a four inch and one inch
and a half tap, along with the water from two
other trucks, a pair oflines on the truck which
arrived from Arriba. the fire was so immense
that all that water hardly dented its furor.
During the fire, the red fire truck
was
stationed between the M&S building and the
LP Gas Company's Gasoline storage tanks.
As the fury of the fire continued, these tanks
became hotter and hotter. Due to the concern
of the fire department for spread of the
inferno to these tanks the red truck played
streams of water upon these tanks to attempt
to keep them cooler. Occasionally the mechanical pop off valves a-top these tanks
released the vapor building within. At a point
when the heat was at its maximum, fear for
the firemen manning the red truck, caused a
change in location of the red truck when it
was moved west and played water through
the air to these tanks. There existed a grave
danger should the tanks blow. Luckily, as the
fire began to abate, the tanks were still intact.
It is very difficult for anyone who serves a
fire department to give up, and losses such
as this leave an emptiness hard to describe.
With all the preparation for such emergencies, there are those that even then take a
T.W. Backlund featuring Case Equipment, 1956.
On Jan. 1, 1920, T.W. Backlund, began
business in Burlington with his brother, Al,
under the firm name of Backlund Co. He
purchased the interest ofhis brother in 1930,
and has been the. sole owner since that time.
The original agencies were the lines merged
into the Oliver Corp. in 1930. He has been the
J.I. Case dealer since 1934, the agent for
several short line implement agencies, and
Goodyear Tires. In 1939, he becane the
agency for Dodge cars and trucks.
During the 46 years, Ted has operated in
three different locations. Originally, the firm
was located in the building now occupied by
�On June 7,I9L5, a group ofwell known and
progressive farmers of the Burlington and
Idalia area came together and formed the
Burlington Equity Exchange. The motivating factor in forming this Co-op was to try
and receive more of the spoils for their
farming efforts. Prior to the June 7th date,
one thousand shares of stock had been sold
for $25.00 per share to raise seed money to get
the Co-op off and running.
The first board of directors were: W.M.
Kreoger, President; C.D. Munter, Secretary;
David Byer, Vice-President; and Directors:
A.W. Winegar, W.A. Walters, G.W. Broadsword and Wm. Byer. It is also thought that
John Lengel was one of the directors. This
group ofpeople purchased the grain elevators
at the north end of Main Street, near the
Rock Island Depot. This was a familiar
landmark until it was torn down several years
ago. About this time, the Burlington Co-op
along with several other Co-ops in Colorado,
Kansas and Nebraska formed the Equity
Union Oil Company which later combined
with Consumers Co-op Association to form
Farmland Industries.
Backlund Machinery Co. This picture was taken in 1920. Note advertisement on the side of the building'
Machinery consists of threshing machines, grain drills, and tractors.
::i:1
,
:,::i'
Sometime after, the new elevator was built
along the railroad in the N.W. corner of town,
the water pipes froze and broke. This flooded
the basement of the office building where
many of the records were kept. As a consequence, all of the old records were destroyed;
therefore, writing the history of the Co-op has
been more or less a process ofgetting bits and
pieces of information from here and there. I
believe everything is accurate but I can't be
100% sure.
The new elevator was built in 1951. In 1953,
due to the Building Contractor's insistence of
using substandard materials, one of the big
concrete silos broke open, spilling wheat
across Railroad Avenue. To solve this problem, the Co-op hired another contractor to
pour sleeves inside the silos at a huge
irril:,:':itl
li:,:,,ll.,iri
expense.
In the early years of the Co-op the annual
meetings were a social event for the farm
people that were it's members. Many of the
founding members and other farmers hauled
their grain to the Co-op from north of town
and the Idalia area. In 1935, the name was
changed to Burlington Equity Co-op Exchange.
A line up of "Hart-Parr" tractors with threshing machines behind lead tractor. Circa 1920. Backlund
Machinery Co.
the Burlington Locker Service. Later
he
moved to the old Hainline garage building (at
the site of the new Safeway store), and six
years ago erected the new building on
Highway 24.
The above was found in the old 1966 paper.
by Janice Salmans
BURLINGTON
EQUITY
COOPERATIVE
EXCHANGE
879
At one of the early annual meetings of the
Burlington Equity Exchange, the wife of the
manager, Mrs. Edith Hedding, read a poem
that ended with this verse:
"Its fun to be a farmer
And get out and till the soil,
But the one who farms the farmer
Is the one who gets the spoil."
by Author unknown
I remember that during the 1930's when I
was a young boy, weekly trips to town on
Saturday were not complete without a stop
at the Co-op for supplies. Supplies ranged
from axle grease to flour in pretty colored
patterned sacks so the women could pick out
the material they wanted and make dresses
out of them.
For a time the Burlington co-op had an
elevator and a branch business in Bethune.
I think this was from about 1956 to 1965. It
was at this time many of the people in the
Settlement, north of Bethune, became members of the Co-op. The managers of the
Bethune branch were in order: Don Vallin,
Ruben Zeigler, Curt Wood and Buster Jenkins. For about ten years, we also had a
fertilizer plant west of town. This plant was
sold to the Stratton Co-Op in 1982 or 1983.
In 1897, we acquired 7a interest in the G.W.
Sugar Factory west of Goodland along with
the Kanarado and Goodland Co-ops. This
facility will be used for extra grain storage.
Many well known farmers of the area have
through the years served on the Co-Op
Board. Space and the fact that I don't know
�Burlington's flour mill.
l,
u,1i
$
&,# Y *
wa"
iai=-r'l'
Present day Burlington Equity Co-op
who they all were doesn't permit me to list
them. I do have a list of the managers which
I will list in order: Rinehart Hedding, W.W.
Lumis, Herb Johnson, Walter Bauder, Fern
Farnsworth, Bruce Channel, Oliver Service,
Elmar Wilson, Otto Weiss, Arvard Burges,
Dale Kelly, Curt Wood, Charles Bush, Joe
Hughes, Don Berggram, Bob Peterson and
supplies for its many members and commu-
Tom Redman.
From this humble beginning in 1915 and
along with the cooperation of the members,
880
employees, management and the community,
the Co-op has grown through thick and thin.
Today it is a major business in the Burlington
area with facilities to store 2 million bushels
of grain, sell feed, fuel and many
other
nity.
by Russ Davis
FLOUR MILL
November 25, 1903. Ten years ago this
Thanksgiving day the Burlington Roller Mill
first started.
On November 8, 1893, J.L. Eaches arrived
in our little town to start the new mill. After
getting all the machinery in shape and
everything ready, the first grist was manufactured on November 26, 1893.
A run oftwo days each week during the first
year was all the trade then demanded: but it
had increased steadily, year by year until in
1901 new machinery was added to meet the
increasing demand and capacity increased
40%.
Opposition arose against its fast increasing
trade, but like the swelling tide against the
sturdy vessel, it had little effect - only to
prove the old saying: "opposition is the life
of trade,"
Renewed and strenuous efforts on the part
of the faithful manager to introduce an
unequaled quality in grades of flour to please
the patrons had now brought the mill to what
it was, running day and night that they might
fill the orders ahead until the last of thc vear.
Have our business men ever though how
much they are indebted to the mill lor the
growth in trade in our town?
When the farmers receive cash for the
produce they bring to the mill, they buy
lumber, hardware, furniture, groceries and
general merchandise, were it not for the mill
the trade would go where they take their
wheat and corn.
We hope that the next ten year's trade will
not only come to the mill from Tri-Milling
Co. of Tenn., for several carloads, but also
from many parts of the U.S. and while we do
give thanks, at this time for other prosperity,
do not let us forget to unite in a hearty good
wish that long may be heard the whistle from
the flour mill in our little town. (signed) A
patron of the mill. Source not known but
contributed by Lucy Russmann.
HOTELS, MOTELS,
CAMPS AND CAFES
B81
:
fQU,rY
l
ir
There is no class of institutions throughout
business concerns
which has so important a bearing upon the
general character of a city as its hotels. These
establishments have an individuality and to
the whole category of
';.;t.,,,,.'
t,'i,,,iilt
':a::,,.:t
Early day photo Burlington Co-op, taken about 1g21
Yarnell Hotel also known as the Hotel West.
�the vast majority of traveling fraternity, a
city is just what its hotels make it. In this
connection special mention should be made
of the New Burlington Hotel.
This hotel was located one block west on
Main Street. It was a substantial three-story
stuccoed building, containing a number of
neatly furnished and comfortable rooms all
of which are provided with running water,
steam heat and other conveniences. Bath
accommodations had also been provided. A
special feature of the house was the dining
room, where they served choice, regular
meals for fifty cents. The daily rate for a room
was $1.00. The hotel was owned by R.C.
Yarnell.
Quick to take advantage of a new idea that
would add to the comfort and convenience of
his guests, and a man of wide experience of
catering to the public was Harry L. Shank,
the proprietor of Shanks Cafe and Rooms.
Shank's Cafe and Rooms were located on
South Main Street. The place was provided
with both tables and a lunch counter, also
Bill Hudler ran the paper until his death
in 1956. Then his son John took over. Born
in Iowa like his father, John attended the
University of Iowa journalism school and
THE BURLINGTON
RECORD
882
Iowan.
In1944, he bought the Record's competing
paper, the Burlington Call, and the two
paper's merged. He lived in Burlington for 62
years until he died in 1981.
The Record moved from its original home
in 1946, and has twice doubled its space; the
first time with the purchase of an adjoining
building, and the second with the construction of a new shop area in 1971.
This year the Record building underwent
facelift as its entire exterior was remodeled.
The Record was a pioneer in roll-fed offset
for weeklies between Kansas City and the
West Coast in 1965. The paper is currently
run on a four-unit News King, along with two
other eastern Colorado papers printed at the
Burlington plant, the Flagler News and the
Wray Gazette.
lr
a
Office of the Burlington Record in 1956.
The Hudler family maintains a commercial
booths. Frigidaire equipment throughout
and every other equipment that was necessary to a first-class establishment of this
printing business besides publishing the
Record.
John Hudler's wife, Maxine, at 73, remains
kind.
the head of the Record accounting department. Her son Rol and his wife Joy are
They also had a number of comfortable
rooms, which were rented at the rate of $.75
a night.
currently co-publishers/editors of the paper,
which has expanded impressively over the
Shank's Cafe and Rooms was also the
years.
headquarters for the Atlantic and Pacific
Stages, Inc. who operated two buses per day.
Sunset Park Camp is located in Sunset
Park, in the western section of Burlington, on
U.S. Highway #40 North and State Highway
#51. It was formerly operated by the city but
was leased by Mr. O.A. Ross. It was situated
on a beautiful elevation and was equipped
with a number of semi-furnished cabins, the
rooms having beds, springs, mattresses,
tables and chairs, and in close proximity to
these cabins is a cook house, shower bath and
toilets.
In connection with this camp is a filling
station where they carry the famous Powerine gasoline and Power-Lube motor oils,
also fancy groceries, cold drinks, cigars,
tobacco, and confectionery.
Although Mr. Ross had only had charge a
short time in 1929, he was not new to the area,
he had lived here for ten years prior.
A publication professing to mention the
resources and business interests of Burlington should contain mention of the East
Side Tourist Camp, located in the eastern
section of the city, on United States Highway
40 North and State Highway 51.
The place contained 15 cabins, 8 of them
with running water, and all partly furnished.
It was originally established around 1925 and
underthe ownership of C.F. Langendorfer for
1929. He built a number of
additional cabins and added the most mod-
a year in
ern conveniences. He also operated a service
station in connection, where he carried
gasoline, motor oils, greases, fancy groceries,
confectionery and campers' supplies.
A man of philosophical mind once said that
he could judge the character of the people by
the restaurants of their city, and if this be
true the people of Burlington have reason to
be proud. One ofthe best equipped and most
sanitary eating houses in eastern Colorado
was Beatty's Cafe, situated on Main Street.
This business was owned and managed by
Mrs. Millie Beatty.
worked as an apprentice printer for the Daily
While the Burlington community
has
tripled in population since 1930, the Record's
subscription list has gtown 51/z times, and its
number of pages has grown eight times.
Rol Hudler, perennially active in civic
affairs, has served as mayor of Burlington for
20 years.
Rol and Joy's oldest son John, 27, is
Owner, John Hudler
in
advertising manager of the Record. Another
son, Adrian, is a student at the University of
Nebraska and works during vacations at the
1956.
As part of the celebration of the 100-year
anniversary of the National Newspaper
Association, Publishers' Auxiliary has contacted newspapers around the country that
have a long history of family ownership.
These are the families that have carried on
the newspaper tradition for four or more
generations or for more than 100 years.
-
reported by David Van Pelt
When A.W. "Bill"
Burlington, Colo.
- Burlington
RepubliHudler purchased the
can and
Kit
Carson County Record
in
family business.
by Maxine lludler
SCHAAL DRILLING
COMPANY
883
1928,
the first thing he did was shorten its name.
The paper became the Burlington Record,
and it remains so 58 years and three generations later.
Hudler was born in Audubon, Iowa, and
entered the printing business at age 20 in the
employ of the Audubon Republican. He later
moved to South Dakota, and with his wife
Martha, ran a homestead and published a
claim paper.
They came to Burlington in 1919 with their
son John. Bill worked briefly for a land
company and then as a printer before
purchasing the Record, which had been in
existence since 1889.
The Record survived the Depression and
the Dust Bowl of the 1930s by consolidating
with two other papers in the
area.
In those days $1 bought a year's subscription to the weekly paper, which consisted of
eight pages, four printed at the home plant
and four of boiler plate printed in Denver by
the old Western Newspaper Union.
Ruben Schaal owner of Schaal Drilling Company.
Ruben Schaal Jr. married Linda McKinney in 1971 after serving two years with the
U.S. Naly and working in various capacities
in both the oil field and water well industries.
In L972 they obtained financing to purchase
the necessary equipment to pioneer what is
now known as Schaal Drilling Company.
They have since constructed and equipped
�over 1000 water wells for farmers and businesses in the Colorado and Kansas area. in
addition to servicing domestic, irrigation, and
municipal wells. Today, Ruben and Linda
continue operating the family business with
the active participation of their two sons,
Warren, born in 1975, and Aaron, born in
1976. Perhaps the following poem written by
Linda commemorating their 10th anniversary in 1982 best expresses what living and
working in Kit Carson County has meant to
the Ruben Schaal Jr. family: There are many
fine professions that a man might choose to
seek, but none of them could offer him a
challenge so unique - for it has been a
pleasure serving this community, providing
top notch service through the drilling industry. - Growing with you farmers, our neighbors and our friends. has shown us more than
anything, where life really begins. - We're
proud to live in Burlington!, We're proud of
what we do! - We say, in all sincerity, we're
proud we work for you!
by Linda Schaal
COLORADO - KANSAS
GRAIN COMPANY
884
the company has elevators in Lamar and
Carlton, Colorado as well as Burlington and
Idalia. The company is licensed and bonded
automobile technicians and consultants. thus
being required to be able to obtain certain
high-tech models.
Corn, wheat, milo and barley are all stored for
both the government and area producers. As
$15,000.00, therefore leasing has become
more popular and will become tomorrow's
automobile business.
in accordance with the State of Colorado
Agricultural Department and the U.S.D.A.
well as elevator storage, Colorado-Kansas
Grain Company has been instrumental in
merchandising grain off area farms offering
is Delmer Zeigler of Bethune,
Incorporated, June of 1982, Colorado-Kansas
Grain Company is wholly owned by William
Pictured, an aerial view of Colorado-Kan-
sas Grain Company, Burlington facility,
taken in the fall of 1987. Built in September,
1985 with storage capacity well over two
million bushel, by Fall, 1987, had increased
their capacity in Kit Carson County over two
fold with the use of contemporary ground
storage. The land, purchased from the City
of Burlington and financed with Industrial
Development Revenue Bonds, is located in
the industrial sub-division of Burlington
along the Kyle Railroad. The City of Burlington built the unit train trackage which
extends beyond the company boundaries.
In August, 1986, Colorado-Kansas Grain
Company purchased g acres of land and
scales at ldalia, Colorado from Great Western
Sugar Company, increasing their total storage capacity to over 8,000,000 bushel.
With headquarters in Lamar, Colorado,
B86
O. Broyles of Lamar, Henry A. "Shay"
Mockelman, Jr. of Cheyenne Wells, William
D. Grasmick, Inc. of Granada, and Larry
Hostetler of Burlington.
by Sandy Harmon
VINCE'S CHEV - OLDS
- cAD, rNC.
885
Sim Hudson Motor Co. became the first
Chewolet dealership in Burlington, Colorado
in 1923. Prior to that, Sim Hudson owned his
first automobile garage at 463 13th St. which
is currently Duerst Machine Works. At that
time, a small portion of the existing building
were the only improvements, that of which
originally was a livery stable. There he had
automobile storage and sold Whippels.
In 1923, Sim moved his business to the
at
L332 Senter Ave. in
Sim was always a great promoter, such as
the Knee-action parade ofthe 1934 Chevrolet
automobiles, introducing their new suspensions. Also the celebration after the Roosevelt
Logo for Colorado-Kansas Grain Company.
CALDWELL'S INC.
Colorado.
Burlington. Petroleum products also became
a large part of his business.
1987.
average automobile today is
by Jana Schreivogel
the farmer additional competitive marketing
for farm stored grains.
Branch manger for the Burlington facility
current location
Pictured, an aerial view of Colorado-Kansas Grain
Company, Burlington facility, taken in the fall of
The
election
Caldwell's Inc. 1988, the store has been operating
since 194?.
',t
k
I
Caldwell's in 1956.
in which Sim and Ed Weinandt
wagered $4,000.00. The money was used to
throw a big party for everyone in the area.
This included free lunch at noon, a free
picture show from noon until midnight, a
parade featuring four bands from around the
area, and two free dances . . one at each
armory.
Eldon Snowbarger was hired by Sim
Hudson in 1948, and later became a dealer
partner with Sim's wife, Hazel,
in
1960
following Sim's death.
The Cadillac and Oldsmobile lines were
added in the early 1960's.
On July 1, 1984, Sim Hudson Motor Co.
was purchased by Vince and Jana Schreivogel
and became Vince's Chev-Olds-Cad, Inc.
Through the years the automobile business
has changed a great deal. Todays business
requires a larger staff with great qualifications because of high technology.
Now, in 1988, our business requires features such as:
Telemarketing
-
telephone communica-
tions directly to the manufacturer without
the use of traveling representatives.
In-house computers
- used in
the
bookkeeping and parts departments and
includes vehicle locator, vehicle ordering,
service bulletins, and warranty claim submis-
sion.
Video Network
-
J.M. Caldwell, owner of Caldwell's Inc.,
made his way through high school by working
nights at the Goodland, Kansas, power plant
in the early 1920's. The knowledge and
experience gained there enabled him to do a
great deal of wiring when the rural areas
began to acquire electricity. In 1928 he was
able to open his own store in Goodland at the
age of 25.
Shortly after World War
II, Dick
Brock
was hired to construct a 1300 sq.
ft. building
at t7L2 Rose Avenue in Burlington and in
it
for business selling applifirst manager was Bill Robinson followed by Wes
1947
opened
ances, butane and propane. The
Heinrich and Gene Wilson.
In the fall of 1954, after serving in the
Korean conflict, Don Caldwell, his wife
Jeanne, and their year old daughter, Debbie,
moved to Burlington and Don took over the
managerial duties. Another daughter, Dawn
Ann, was born in December 1955.
A drive-in cafe west of the original building
was purchased in the 1950's and in 1959
Charlie Sholes built in between and connec-
ted the two buildings, and furniture was
added to the appliance business. Another
addition was then added to the west and the
square footage was increased to just under
10,000.
training and testing of
Ron Wendler has been emploved with
�Caldwell's since 1958.
There have been many changes since the
first store opened sixty years ago, but one
thing that has not changed over the years,
according to Don, is the friendly, caring
people of Burlington and the surrounding
community.
by Don Caldwell
KNAB RADIO
KNAB Radio went on the air on JulY 11,
1967. Thus began a new era for Eastern
Colorado and especially Burlington, Colorado, for now it has it's own local radio
station. Progress has come to this area thanks
to Mr. Al Ross who started this station
as
owner and operator.
The call letters of this station were derived
from the following. The letter K signifies west
of the Mississippi and the letters NAB stand
for the National Board of Broadcasters. The
signal begins at sunrise and ends at sunset for
this 1.000 watt AM station'
In 19?4 Al Ross sold the station to KNAB'
Inc.
In 1980 KNAB FM began it's broadcast
day at 6:00 a.m. to midnight. It first age{ on
March 7, 1980. On April4,L972, Good Friday,
a tremendous ice storm did $26,000 damage
to the lines and buildings. The tower was
blown down due to the collection of four
inches of ice and accompanying winds clocked at 60 miles per hour. KNAB went back on
the air by the use of copper wire strung
between two telephone poles. The signal had
to be adjusted constantly due to the stretching of the copper wire due to the temperature
variations throughout the day. The present
tower is 406 feet high'
Miss Betty Bailly came to Burlington in
to operate the station. In 1984 Betty
Bailly bought out one of the three remaining
196?
stockholders of the station. In September of
198? Betty and Mr. Lockhart purchased the
remaining shares. Ray Lockhart has interests
in KSTC in Sterling, Colorado, and KOGA
in Ogallala, Nebraska.
The format of KNAB programming provides a variety of music and news to maintain
a middle of the road format with an emphasis
on agriculture concerns and news for the
industry of the area.
agribusiness
-KNAB
is an affiliate of the ABC network.
BURLINGTON CENTENNIAL PARADE 1988
�
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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Businesses
Date Created
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1988
Subject
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history
Description
An account of the resource
A history of local businesses within Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
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text
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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083a638f79792f48f279ea0279d16959
PDF Text
Text
treasury. The state's general school and
county tax amounts to only fourteen mills.
Wash.
The church has continued its strong missionary program and Mission Fest is always
a highlight of the church year. Hope Church
still has a strong commitment to the work of
the Lord and this we will pass on to future
generations in the hope that a small bit of this
history will bring them closer to the origins
of their church and the dedication needed to
work together in God's family.
by Mrs. Emil Strobel
BURLINGTON
T253
It is 38 miles from Burlington to Sherman
Center; 35 mi. to cheyenne Wells; 60 mi. to
Haigler, Nebr.; 55 mi. to Wallace, Kan.; 168
mi. to Denver. It is plain to be seen that
Burlington is the only town near the center
A view of l4th Street looking north with the old
Christian Church building (the IOOF Hall) to the
far right. This picture is later because of the water
tower far center.
of this vast tract of tillable land. Elbert
county is in good condition financially, in fact
it is in the best condition of any county in the
state. The county's paper sells at par, the
county is out of debt and has money in the
Every officer in the county, except sheriff is
a Democrat. One thousand people depend
upon Burlington for a trading point. There
will be five times that number before the
"leaves begin to turn" this fall.-May 20, 1887
Colorado with her gold and silver mines,
her coal, her iron, her wood, her stock
interests, and last, but not least, her undeveloped agricultural resources will in a few
years become one of the richest states in the
Union. No place astonished the traveler so
much as Burlington. Only four weeks old and
today almost every branch of business repre-
sented,
but sti[ there is room for
more.
Travelers and land seekers dailey crowd the
shops and eating houses and many others
undergo the painful task of standing up all
night or holding down the soft side of a pine
floor. Land is going fast and in a short time
the area of government land in Elbert county
will be of very small proportions. The
bounteous rainfall we have enjoyed this
spring has virtually made the road to success
a solid stone and the tread of progress more
than sure. Labor and capital move hand in
hand, and their social union the joy of all.
Everybody is satisfied. No one is grumbling,
and east Elbert county's boom will continue.June 3. 1887
The following information was obtained
from copies of the Cheyenne Wells Gazette
as notated below. The paper was issued on
Saturdays. Mail Route Information: June 4,
1887: "A new Post Office has been established at Burlington in Elbert county." State
News. August 6, 1887: "Burlington gets a
carrier with mail but once a week. The
contract has been let to a Mr. Watters of that
place." December 22, 1888: "The mail route
from this place across to Burlington will be
discontinued after Jan. lst." Stage Line
Information: March 24, 1888: "The daily
stage line between Cheyenne Wells and
Burlington is now in operation. The time is
Mayor and Town council, city of Burlington, 1889, L. to R.: E.T. Lemieux, T.G. Price, R.L. Hubbard,
T.J. Jones, Mayor, Robert Clark, D. Kavanaugh, and George W. Talley.
Panarama view looking north and a little west. Far center is the depot with
located just north of Neil's Furniture Store building.
reduced an hour and the driver doubles the
road, making seventy miles in twenty-four
hours." April 7, 1888: "The daily hack to
Burlington is a great convenience to travelers
to the inland queen." May 26, 1888: "Joe
Burger is now driving the Burlington hack."
September 22, 1888: "The Burlington stage
line is reduced to a one-horse concern in a
very delapidated condition." Freighting:
it prominate chimney and railroad boxcars
on track. The house in center would be
�w4.
W.
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1;r
'..l"Yrt
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.,i
Burlington, very early 1900's of 14th Street, notice the windmills and board sidewalks. Photo is taken
looking south with Montezuma Hotel on the left.
January 14, 1888: "Last Wednesday afternoon Jake Pierce, a freighter living 20 miles
north, was on his way to Burlington with a
buffalo calf was shipped to Denver Sunday
by a Burlington farmer."
load of coal. Going down a grade at Wells and
Cave kept by John B. White, in attempting
to set the brake on his wagon, he was thrown
off the side; his left arm catching the wheel
by Janice Salmans
was badly broken near the shoulder. The
fractured member was set by Dr. Crum, and
Pierce departed for his home the following
morning." Note: The Wells and Cave mentioned were in Sec. 28-13-44 of Cheyenne
county. John B. White ran a store there. Prior
to the county divisions in 1889 this would
have been in Elbert county. Citizens: "A live
l4th Street, early
walks.
1900's,
building on left could be where the Burlington Bakery is now with narrow board
�:a,
rr.,it r, ,ri:.l-
1i:::,,, I ,:l'::t::t
. .i:t,:t,
i
One
of Burlington's first hardware stores was
operated by D. Kavanaugh.
lr.:r)i:
The good old day's of a cow in every back yard even on l4the Street. Notice the Courthouse just left of
center in background with newly planted trees around it.
PIONEER LIFE ON
THE PRAIRIE
Later small buildings were erected
and
settlement made just east of the main street
of Burlington, about three-fourths of a mile,
now known as "Old Burlington," but for-
T254
merly called Lowell. 'Ihe first store in this
settlement was owned by Charles Lamb; later
Abe Hendricks started a small store in a
building which he had erected and which was
moved to New Burlington in 1888, and is now
occupied by the Burlington Call printing
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BURLINGTON
The first settlement was mostly a tent city
about one mile west of the present city limits,
and on what is now the John Lueken farm.
*"-,d$
.$rx!
The creamery, notice bare light bulb hanging from
ceiiing.
office.
The first school in Burlington was held in
small vacant building on what is now North
Main Street. The teacher was Miss (Molly)
Daves, who had a homestead adjoining the
town.
The first Postmaster was E.T. Lemieux,
a
''
This picture was taken in 1905-06, shows a complete view of Burlington at that time. The photo was taken from the roof of the schoolhouse facing west. The
street on the left is Senter Street. Do you recognize the lovely old homes? Part 1 see part 2.
tn
:.,r..**.aa--a
Ill
L- ^dr+Y-"{
[-.s
$q
Part 2 Notice the windmills and the small trees. At the extreme right you can see the depot and the only elevator
,Q!.
�appolntect rn May, IUU/. Eugene Worcnester
first editor, printing the "Burlington
Blade" the first newspaper in Burlington.
The Printing shop was in a building located
was the
where the Sim Hudson Garage now stands.
R.S. Newell and associates bought the school
section in which New Burlington is now
located, and which was the expected Rock
Island Depot site at that time. When the
Railroad was built through the County in
1888. all the business houses where moved
from Old Burlington to New Burlington, and
rebuilt along the intersection of Senter
Avenue and Fourteenth Streets, the present
business section. Daniel Kavanaugh was the
#
,.,,$
;j
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,,,'
v
L,'_
c,
;$
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:, q{
first Hardware merchant; T.F. Sutton was
the first Mayor, and the Board of Trustees
were: T.G. Price, H.E. Neal, Daniel Kav-
anaugh, H. Wilson, M.E. Cook (who operated
the first drugstore) and G.W. Talley.
The first physician was Dr. C.A. Gillette,
who rode horseback for many a mile over
blizzard swept prairies to care for the sick and
suffering, and often times bring to the world
another "pioneer" who was to carry on the
work of building a new community.
by Della Gamble Hendricks
BURLINGTON,
T255
T-8, R-44, both tracts of land being in Elbert
County, Colorado. These were both preemp-
tion filings, and after six months residence
both men proved up on their claims, their
final receipts being dated February 23, L887
and February 15, 1887 respectively. Other
parties, who were located on land near what
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rfe
i
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r.*tl:
hardware, Skyland Beauty Shop, Lee's Barber Shop and Marion's.
the tract just west of the golf course, Rachel
E. Van Winkle on the present golf course, Ed.
F. and George Bevelhimer on the half section
across the road to the south, S.M. Mayfield
on the quarter section south of the Court
House, and P.A. Troutfetter on the quarter
north of Mr. Kavanaugh.
In July, 1886 Dan Kavanaugh filed on the
SW % S-31, T-8, R-43 and about the same
time Chas H. Dicks filed on the SE 1A S-34,
--
About 1910 with McCurdy's meat market and the Record Printing Office on left of picture. This is the
block which now holds Zimbelman's, Gracie's, The Prescription Center and Sound Center, Snyder's
in now Burlington were A.L. Teagarden on
TOWN OF
COLORADO
"..'-.
At this time the surveys for the Rock Island
Railroad were still being made and no one
knew just where the new railroad would go.
About September in 1887 the line of the new
railroad was determined and a town was laid
out in the SE % of S-34, T-8, R-43, where the
John Lueken farm is now located. Quite
a
sprang up with a few frame
buildings and many tents. Among those
located in tents was Mavnard E. Cooke who
little city
operated a drug store. This store was later the
moved to Old Burlington, then to the present
site of the Dunn Garage and later to the
Weinandt and Brown building, where it is
still continued. This is probably the oldest
business in the county and during the fifty
years has had only four different managements.
The men in control of the Rock Island
Railroad (or Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
Railroad as it was the known) decided that
a town should be located where Burlington
is at present and purchased a tract of school
Iand from the State and laid out the town.
The town was platted and owned by Mr. R.S.
Newell and C.F. Jilson, Trustee. Mr. Jilson
was trustee for a group of Rock Island
officials and controlled 51 percent ofthe town
site.
Previous to this time the town of Lowell
had been laid out in what we now know as
"Old Burlington" and by a
:rilrrl
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',:,)a?;:.
r:i'],
::li.
fll!:ll
i**"@'
This picture was taken in 1902 of the Burlington, Colorado town band. The large 2 story building in backcentei of picture is the Stockgrowers Bank building. Left to right: 1. F.N. King, 2. Hainline, 4. Harvey
Cluphf, 5 Hubert Buchle, 9. Firm Moore, 13 Harrison, 15, Roy Hills.
compromise
arrangement the settlers on Sec. 34 moved
their business establishments to Lowell,
which was replatted and the name changed
to Burlington. This proved to be a very short
lived affair as the town of New Burlington,
with its depot, drew all the business houses
from Burlington. Among the buildings moved
to the new site were the Montezuma Hotel,
the Ned Brown pump house, Buchanan
Cream Station, Wilson Printing office and
the corner building adjoining, and the Dunn
Cream station.
At first the business houses were arranged
along Senter Avenue and a line of small
buildings occupied by cafes and small stores
fronted the main stem where the Vogt
residence and the telephone office now
stands. For a long time the Block from the
Montezuma south and that across the street
were the principal business locations. The
Ned Brown building was one of the first
pretentious buildings erected and that was
practically the only building on that side of
Main street north of Senter Avenue.
Eight separate plats have gone to make up
the building of Burlington. First was the plat
of Burlington on the present Lueken farm
�lL&l.
::t,
r lt
il'f.a.&
*.1"
that he "was a wolf'and it was his night to
howl. He generally would end up in the city
Bastille repenting at leisure.
During the year 1887 while Lowell, afterwards Burlington was growing up there were
about forty buildings in the town. The
Burlington Blade was the first newspaper
and was owned and operated by the Townsite
Company in the name of Senter and Donelon
and with E.P. Worcester as Editor. The first
issue came out on May 13, 1887 and was
printed at Eustis, Kansas on the press of the
Eustis "Dark Horse".
This paper advertised the town of Lowell
as the "future County Seat of Eastern
Colorado." The Rock Island railroad was
, *tt;s?6r.6c.uo,
Burlington, Colorado, May 19, f 9f 5. The Montezuma Hotel is on the left. The F.L. Aten building on the
right us now occupied by Marion's Shoe and Dress Shop.
of town, which was abandoned and
from Cheyenne Wells and from points on the
was the platting of Burlington as "Lowell".
Wells and later from St. Francis, Kansas.
The big event in the life of the town was,
of course, the completion of the railroad and
I believe that the first regular train went
through sometime in September 1888. Some
of the early merchants were Charles Lamb,
who operated a general store, D. Kavanaugh,
west
consolidated with (Old) Burlington, second
Later this was replatted and Burlington was
consolidated with it.
Cleveland Addition was platted between
the Railroad track and Burlington. New
Burlington was laid out and covers the
present business section of Burlington. First
Addition was laid out on 240 acres to the west
of New Burlington. Brown's Addition runs
for a half mile along the west side of Highway
No. 385 and north of the Railroad. Burlington
Annex was laid out south of the highway.
When the Town was incorporated the quarter
section including the cemetery were included
but were later separated from the corporation.
by H.G. Hoskin
TOWN OF
BURLINGTON,
COLORADO
B. & M railroad. Mail came from Cheyenne
who had a hardware store about where
Snyders hardware is now located, and the
lumber yard, which is now the Herman
Lumber Company, and others whom I will
already on its way and the B., & M. Railroad
was to pass thro'the town on its direct way
from St. Francis to Pueblo.
Surveys had already been made and there
was no question but that Burlington would
be a railroad junction. People coming to the
New Eldorado were advised to take the B. &
M. to Haigler, or the U.P. to Cheyenne Wells
and then come overland. Three hack lines
brought people and supplies to town. The line
to Haigler, operated by G. Dederick,
E.T. Lemieur was appointed the first
Postmaster, receiving his appointment in
May, 1887. I am inclined to believe, that the
first mail came from St. Francis, Kansas or
Haigler by stage.
gone
Among the leading business houses of the
new town were Hubbard and Donelan, Real
Estate, Insurance and Locating: Webb and
Johnston, Real Estate, Insurance and Locating. Thomas Reed, Locator; Neal Brothers
and Teagarden, Loans and Real Estate; Page
through the old wild west days when cowboys
and Leal, Real Estate and Locating. Kirk
enumerate later.
Burlington is too young to have
shot up the town and spent the years'
earnings in a few hilarious days. From the
first it was a very decorous community and
only occasionally did some man get the idea
Hiskey and Company, Real Estate; Frazer
and Cunningham, Livery (Star Livery and
Feed; H. Wilson, Flour and Feed; Barlow
Bros., Banking; A.J. Carpenter, carpenter; D.
T256
Before the railroad was completed goods
and materials were brought to Burlington
First Trades Day in Burlington, June 2 thru the 14.
A gathering seeking shade under the porch of the
Montezuma, early 1900's, note the fabulous hats
the ladies are wearing.
who
made daily trip, taking ten hours; Fry and
Smith made daily trips to Sherman Center,
Kansas (near the present town of Goodland)
taking seven hours, and Bridge and Waters
who made daily trips to Cheyenne Wells.
Trades Day looking south with Aten's Store on the right.
�Kavanaugh, Hardware; Joseph Eck, Liquors,
Northrup Brothers, Groceries;
Charley
Lamb, Groceries; Page and Leal, Burlington
House, A.J. Senter of Colby, Kansas was
President and H.E. Weld of Candy, Kansas
was Secretary of the Townsite Company.
The first Hotel was a two story affair 30 x
ll,ri.,
:,],::]'ll
r..
.:.::1r.,
600 feet, but I have no record of the landlord.
So far as I know, this building was afterwards
moved to Burlington and became the Montezuma Hotel.
On May 17, 1887 the first traveling man
reached the town of Burlington and sold a bill
of goods to Abe Hendricks, who opened a
General Store.
On May 30, 1887, E.F. Bevelhimer, living
west ofthe town, celebrated the first anniversary of his locating in the new country and
thus gives us the date of one of the very first
settlers on the Divide in the neighborhood of
Burlington. Nearly all of Burlington helped
him celebrate this occasion.
Among business men who located within
the next two years we find the following: G.W.
Talley, Livery; S.K. King, Land and Loans;
Bent and Mettev.
by H.G. Hoskin
,:;:..,
*,rx8lr.
.::)aaaa:.rl
l!,ri:
r.r::::i;:-
This is the old livery barn in Burlington which was operated by Elmer Harrison and Uncle Bud Yarnell.
Photo was taken on July 4, 1900.
Lt'*.
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ry% .:rp.
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Forth of July parade in Burlington, early 1900's.
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�1920's, inside the
livery barn, your favorite garage.
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Main Street (14th St.) F.L. Wren, Spot Cash Store on left with Les Gain's Drug Store and Hainline's Barber
Shop. To the right, A.L. Anderson's Garage and the Montezuma Hotel.
TOWN OF
BURLINGTON,
COLORADO
::i!;
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with Mayor T.F. Sutton presiding. The
Trustees were T.G. Price, H.E. Neal, D.
Kavanaugh, M. Wilson, M.E. Cooke and
C.W. Tallev.
in L927, is standing today.
Remember the dances held here?
The Armory built
T257
Their first action was to elect the following
city officers, to wit: T. Ellis Browne, Recorder; S.K. King, Attorney; A. Douthit, Marshal;
I.D. Cary, Treasurer and M.P. Worcester, as
Farm Loans, Burlington Lumber Company; Neal Brothers and Cement, Attorneys;
Northrup and Penfold, Groceries (Change
from Northrup Brothers) I.B. Cary and
Company, Land; Bean, Jeweler; City Drug
Store; Palace Saloon; B.F. Kaiser,
Blacksmith; T.J. Jones, Attorney; Clements
and Edwards, Attorneys.
The State Bank was organized with the
following directors: R.S. Newell, President;
D.S. Harris, Vice President; J.E. Barlow,
Cashier; C.H. Brown; F.K. Brown.
On August 16, 1888 the first Board of
Trustees of Burlington met in regular session
Big snow in 1923, Della Hendricks writes on back
of photo, "I could not visit schools until April."
Magistrate.
Three Ordinances were passed, the first
referring to City officers, their duties, salaries
and bonds; the second relating to animals
running at large and the third as to the
meeting of the Board of Trustees.
At the second meeting held on August 27,
1888, ordinance No.4 relating to misdemeanors and ordinance No. 6 relating to drays,
hackmen, etc, were passed and Ordinances
No. 5 and 7 were laid over. Dog tags were
ordered.
At the third meeting held the next
Ordinances No.
5
and
7
day,
were duly passed. The
first related to saloons and the second to
nuisances. The town marshal, A. Duthit,
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resigned and was allowed his salary of $5.00
which was the first money paid out by the
city. E.P. Worcester of the Burlington Blade
presented a bill for printing in connection
with the organization of the city, in the sum
of $48.45; T.G. Price presented a bill for
$23.80 for services as election judge and for
carrying ballotbox and returns to Kiowa; J.E.
Barlow presented a bill for $42.00 for funds
advanced to the County Judge of Elbert
County at Kiowa, and dl bills were allowed.
On September 11, 188, a saloon license was
granted to C.H. Mattox and on the next day
one was granted to W.T. Campbell. On the
17th of September Trustees Price, Cooke and
Neal were appointed a Committee to see
about a cemetery matters. At the same time
they were instructed to look into the matter
of a calaboose. On the 22nd of September the
Cemetery Committee was authorized to
employ a surveyor to lay out the ten acres in
the Northwest corner of the NE % of Sec. 36,
T-8, R-44, which had been given to the City
by the Townsite Company, to fence the seme
to see to the title.
Armistice Day Parade with the American Legion marching by, 1936.
The first relief expense paid by the City
was on
November 19. 1888 when the Trustees
�Charlie Davis pool hall in Burlington. Davis is
identified as the middle man in the group of three
gathered around the pool table. If taken during
Prohibition days 1918-1936, bottles on right
contained only soft drinks or near beer.
trough to be installed.
The new Board elected in 1890 composed
of C.A. Gilmore, Mayor; D.
Kavanaugh,
Richard Clarke, B.S. Barndollar, M.E.
Cooke, W.W. Paisley and M.S. Murphy as
Burlington City Park in the 1920's, remember the "fountain" in the center of the park?
Trustees.
allowed a bill for $7.00 for board, lodging and
telegrams for two boys who had been on the
the town under the neme of First Addition
On September 9, 1890, 240 acres on the
west side of New Burlington were annexed to
city's hands for three days. At the next
meeting, as the warrant had not been issued,
the City fathers apparently thought better
about the item and instructed the Clerk to
turn the bill over to the County.
A variety of matters came before the Board
of Trustees in the next few months, among
which were the following:
Asking the different fraternal orders about
having a part of the cemetery set aside for
their use. Petitions for a new County, which
Burlington wished to be 30 miles square;
adopting the name Fair View for the Ceme-
tery; setting a price for cemetery lots and
setting aside a Potter's Field. Securing a site
for a calaboose, etc.
At the election in April 1889, a new Board
was elected consisting of D. Kavanaugh, G.W.
Talley, G. Myers, Robert Clarke, LB. Cary
and T.G. Price as Trustees and T.J. Jones ag
Mayor. As this time bids were asked for the
construction of sidewalks and the successful
bidder agreed to build sidewalks for 22 cents
a running foot for sidewalks 2 feet wide and
29 cents for walks 3 feet wide.
At a meeting on September 17, 1889 bids
for city printing were received from the Kit
Carson County Advocate,
Burlington in the early 1930's. Taken from the water tower, notice the newer buildings.
the Burlington
Bommerang and the
by II.G. Hoskin
TOWN OF
BURLINGTON,
COLORADO
T268
Burlington Blade, and the Blade, backed
by the Townsite Company, took the job. Mr.
G.W. Talley presented a bill for services as
Marshall and the clerk shows in his records
that the bill was sent back to Mr. Talley with
a request that it be "itemized".
In April 1890, the Board made arrangem-
ents with the Railroad Company to secure
water from their well and ordered a city horse
View of Burlington from the top of the courthouse. Left the John Guthrie home, Burt Ragan home,
chautauqua tent. 2nd row: John Esch, J. Upton, Grant Mann's barn. 3rd row: E. Hoskins Sr. home, Roscoe
Hotel and the Frank Mann Building.
�to Burlington. A part of this tract had been
homesteaded by Rachel Van Winkle and a
part had been purchased by the Townsite
Company from the State of Colorado. This
Iand was sold at first for $3,000 and by
successive transfers to different parties fi-
nally reached a price of $50,000. This was laid
out in 83 blocks containing approximately
2500 lots and the owners began an intensive
campaign to give away the lots. Advertisements were run in the Police Gazette, and lots
were given to people in every section of the
Union. An additional tract was laid out in the
E Vz of t}:,e E % of Section 36, and was given
away under the same plan.
An Abstract of Title was furnished with
each lot free of all charges but was incorporated in the deed of conveyance to the victim.
All he was asked to do was to have the deed
recorded in the office ofthe County Recorder.
The advertising consisted of letters from
parties who had been given lots and which
they had later sold for as much as $250 per
lot. For a while business was good. Something
over a thousand lots were given away and
each party getting a lot paid the promoter
$5.00 as a recording fee. He then split with
the other promoters. About this time the
Postal Department began to investigate the
matter and the whole thing collapsed.
Along in 1890 and for several years there
after the town adopted a unique method of
killing two birds with one stone. The Rock
Island was asking an annual payment of from
$125 to $150 for water supplied to the town
and the funds to pay the railroad the town
would authorizethe sale ofa warrant for $250
to the highest bidder and the saloon keeper
usually bought it in for 50 cents to 60 cents
on the dollar. Then the town accepted the
warrant at face in payment of the saloon
license fee. This was regularly done up to
1897. Warrants were sold to John Hiller. E.E.
Bevelhimer and Carter Gutshall and others.
At the election held on april 8, 1898, Mrs.
Annie Newell and Mrs. P.B. Godsman were
elecf,ed as Trustees, and Mrs. Jennie Long
was elected by the Board as City Clerk. In
TOWN OF
BURLINGTON,
COLORADO
T259
and several horses were destroyed along with
the barn.
During this year the windmill and water
tanks were removed from the middle of Main
Street. A well was dug and the windmill was
placed over it and the first efforts made to
improve the cemetery. Also at this time, the
Town Council started on an orgy of spending
by raising the Town Clerk's salary to 95.00
per month.
Every indication pointed to the fact that
the town was growing up. Cement sidewalks,
quarantine regulations, ordering all hogs out
of town, taking the windmill and tank out of
Main Street, all pointed to some kind of a new
birth. A new and modern Hotel was projected
to built by a group of citizens and the town
was asked to deed the two lots that had been
obtained from
Mr. Newell to the
Hotel
Cooperation and take stock in payment. A
The depot in the 1940's.
The newly Organized Stock Growers Bank
was named as the meeting place. The Town
Clerk received a tremendous salary of $2.00
per month.
On May 11, 1903, the Town bought 300 feet
of 1 % inch fire hose and a cart and this was
the beginning of the world famous Fire
Department.
In December, 1903 an epidemic of scarlet
fever ravaged the country taking several lives,
and the Mayor of Burlington issued a proclamation forbidding any person who had been
exposed to the fever from entering the town
and appointing a special officer to enforce the
order.
In the spring of 1904, an epidemic of small
pox broke out and raged for several months.
At the 1906 election, George O. Gates was
elected Mayor and during his administration
the first cement sidewalk was laid. Also. the
Town had its first serious fire when the old
Boyles Livery Barn, which was located on the
corner just south of the John Penny home,
was destroyed. Much valuable equipment
call was issued for a special election for
waterworks bonds. Mr. Winegar offered to
trade block 8 to the town for the two lots
owned by the town, and after some argument
the offer was accepted. Waterworks bond was
carried by a decisive vote.
Apparently Burlington was no longer a
train stop for the Rock Island railroad. It had
grown up.
by H.G.Iloskin
NEW BURLINGTON
BUSINESSES
T260
April 1961, activity reached a peak in
Burlington during the past week. In addition
to the new businesses, several new homes are
under construction in every section of the
town.
T.W. Backlund announced this week that
he would open Thursday March 20 at his new
location just east of the V.F.W. Post Home
on Rose Ave. Backlund's formerlv located on
May, for some reason, Mrs. Godsman resig-
ned as trustee and was immediately reelected to the same place by the board.
The Townsite Company deeded the two
lots north of the present Winegar building to
the city as a site for town buildings. These are
the lots later traded to Mr. Winegar for the
city park site. Apparently no election
''
was
held in the years 1899, 1900 and 1901. There
were no meetings of the Board of Trustees
from April 2, 1900 to October 1, 1900.
At the election held in April 2, 1900, Mrs.
Boyles and Etta Rogers were candidates for
a position on the Board of Trustees and the
election resulted in a draw. The two ladies
drew straws for the office and Mrs. Boyles
was the lucky party. The other members of
the Board were J.W. Sparks, Mayor; A.W.
Winegar, A.V. Jessee, J.S. Penfold, J.L.
Eaches and Mrs. Maggie Sparks. W.D. Selder
was elected as Town Treasurer. E.C. Baker
as Town Clerk.
by H.G. Hoskins
Burlington Depot built in the 1890's. The ladies of Burlington would carry their lunches and wait for the
trains to come in so they could visit with the passengers while the train filled with water. This way they
kept up with the news of the world around them.
�Celebrating the end of World War
II in August of 1945.
View taken from top of elevator, many new cars
were damaged in this accident.
14the St., will continue with the Dodge line
of trucks and cars with Case, Farmhand, and
Oliver farm equipment as well as complete
maintenance. The new structure, a Stan-
Steel building, was constructed by Wes
Holmes Const. Co. of Burlington. The parts
department and offices are Iocated in the
south of the building along with the showroom and the shop is located in the rear with
access doors on the east.
King Motor Co., too will move in the near
future from its present location at 502 14the
St. to the building formerly occupied by
Jack's Body Shop at 1700 Rose Ave. "The
move amounts to better service to customers
as we will have a much larger working space,"
Gathering scrap for the war effort. Perry Wilson
and John Esch are on the right.
said V.R. (Bud) King, owner, earlier this
Train derailment near the Burlington Co-op in the
week when questioned about the construc-
1950's.
tion.
On to the front of the large quonset
structure. Charlie Sholes and the Foster
Lumber Co. have begun the erection of a
super structure 70 feet by 36 feet, which will
house the show room and offices. The rear
quonset, where the parts department and
shop will be located is approximately 40 feet
by 80 feet.
King Motor Co. offers Buick and Pontiac
cars and GMC trucks as well as irrigation
motors. The move will enable the firm to keep
the used cars along with the rest of the
business, instead of seperated as in the past.
King reported that the switch in business
address should be completed by May 1.
Construction was begun early Mon. morning, March 27,by a crew from the Burlington
Building and Supply co. at a site just east of
King Motor Co. to house Jack's Body and
Repair Shop. Jack Cheslock, owner and
operator of the shop, reported the building;
36 feet by 80 feet to be finished by May L.
Work also began Mar. 20, on a new office
A "dirty thirties" dust storm is moving in. You are looking north on rnain street. Note the Bank of
Burlington on far right of photo. Exact year is unknown.
building for R.C. Beethe, M.D., who is
presently located in offices at 411 14the
Street. The site of the new office which will
be at the corner of 15the and Lowell, in the
lot just east of the Kit Carson County
Memorial Hospital. Dr. Beethe stated that he
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Burlington Golf course and Prairie Pines Country
Club. Late fall of 1987.
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From the period of time starting about
the 1920's we can see the
development of Burlington move forward
and climaxing during the 1920's. The con1910 through
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struction of the buildings that are remaining
today such as the buildings on the four
corners of 14th and Senter Street and the
Winegar building, the Davis Garage where
Ben Franklin Store is now, the Penny
Burlington's first swimming pool on the corner of Senter and 18th Street built in 1935-37
needed a new office with better lighting and
WPA project
BURLINGTON
HISTORY
newer facilities. The building is being built
by L.C. Kelly and Sons of Denver.
Another new establishment which will be
open to the public soon is the V and L DriveIn Cafe, owned and operated by Virgil Dixon,
and located at the corner of Highways 24 and'
385 in Burlington. The building and the
booths were constructed by the Colorado
Mobile Homes of Stratton, with Dixon doing
the finish work himself. The drive-in will
celebrate its grand opening this Sat. April 1,
with free coffee and doughnuts to adults and
free ice cream cones to the children. The
drive-in will seat 20 people inside, will feature
everything from steaks to sandwiches with
fountain service as well. The establishment
will be open from 6 am. to 10 pm. each day
and the phone number is 271.
by Janice Salmans
as a
T261
sURLINGTON
aleurag lo Colorado
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Welcome to Burlington' 1956'
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building where Vance's Decorating is pres-
ently located and most of the other buildings
up and down "Main Street" as it was called
then were constructed during this period.
What a legacy of that time is left for us.
1917 brought on the threat of the first
World War and the registration lists that
were published were a reminder of the
population that was present in the county
and towns in this area. The rural population
was much higher in proportion to the cities
than it is today proving that if the agriculture
industry prospered the towns prospered too.
That can be proved today.
Fun activities were the annual County
Fair, Chautauquas, community variety shows
and productions, and the movies. Saturday
night band concerts came into being sometime during this period of time as Saturday
was always the day to go to town bringing
people into Burlington to conduct business
and purchase needed items and recreation.
There were two newspapers in town at this
time owned and operated by George Wilkinson and Pat Wilson. They were always taking
on the "Devil's Advocate" with each other
and during this time the activities of the Ku
Klux KIan were taking hold in the area
causing a lot of division in the community
even having political repercussions which
took years to heal.
The coming of Louis Vogt to Burlington
early in this century, brought an era of
culture that Burlington had not had before.
1926 Feb. 9 "Othello"
1927 Feb. 7 "Hamlet"
1928 Feb. 23 "Comedy of Errors"
1929 Feb. 14 "The Merchant of Venice"
1930 Feb. 26 "Macbeth"
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1931 Feb. 19 "Othello" (at Colorado
Springs)
1932 Feb. 10 "As You Like It"
The above plays were well attended by
people all over the county and beyond. Mr.
Vogt built a two-story house east of the
Montezuma hotel and
called "The Midway".
14th Street in 1956 looking north, taken by Willard Gross.
the building
now
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This picture was taken in November 1957. Looking south over the Town of Burlington. Fair grounds are in the lower right corner of the picture. The wide street
with all the cars parked on it is 14th Street (Main Street). Note old water tower at north end of street.
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This picture was taken in October, 1g58. Vantage is looking north with Highway 24 in foreground. 14th Street is in center of photo. Note the K.C.C. Memorial
Hospital and the Armory in middle of picture.
BURLINGTON
HISTORY
The County Commissioners bought the
T262
Carousel in 1928 which proved to very
detrimental to their political careers at the
time and under circumstances bevond their
control. Today proves that there is always a
rainbow after the storm with the counties
Carousel recognized as an Historic Landmark
of the nation. It's location in Burlington has
helped the town as well as the county.
The 30's will always live in the hearts of
those who lived through them with the
f
financial losses from the closing of the Stock
Growers Bank as well and the drought that
set in this area. Even small towns suffer when
there are national disasters. In this area the
loss of revenue from the agriculture sector
made for hard times on "Main Street" too.
With the price of corn going to an all time low
of 25 cents per bushel - and some only
received 10 cents per bushel
- it
was no
wonder that people burned corn instead of
coal.
.
For entertainment many people went out
to the country and hunted rabbits and also
looked for arrow heads and other Indian
artifacts that had been uncovered by the
raging winds removing the soil from the
plains surrounding Burlington. Some people
traded arrowheads for groceries. Politics, of
course, can always provide us with entertain-
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ment and in 1936 a bet was made concerning
the outcome of the 1936 election. As a result
the town and community was given a gteat
celebration
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with a barbeque, parade and
it in this
dance. For more insight read about
section.
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East side of 14th Street with the Winegar building on the right. The Bakery, the Satin Petticote, Midway
Theatre, Willies Flower Shoppe, Sears and the Bank of Burlington at end of block. February 1988.
WPA projects in Burlington consisted of
construction of the curbs and gutters in New
Burlington. The Community Center with the
gym was built and "out houses" were built
�The Abbott House
This is the largest home in Burlington,
Colorado. It was built by the late William
Abbott at a cost of $10,000 in the early 1900's.
Nine apartments with two baths, heated by
a Holland furnace. The house has 2t/z stories
with a basement. A strictly modern home. If
you buy this you are sure of living for life. It
is completely furnished. Beautiful blue grass
Looking south we find W.B. Drug, Mode-o-Day, Homm-Attorney, Coast to Coast, Heinz Office and Supply,
The Family Practice, Vance's Decorating, and Peoples Natural Gas Co. on the east side of the street and
Marion's, Lee's Barber shop and Skyland Beauty Salon, Snyder's Hardware, The Sound Center and The
Prescription Center, Gracie's Crafts, Zimbelman's Jewelry, The Burlington Record and Equitable Savings,
on the west.
and given to the country schools. There were
other small projects too but the best one was
would be used. Everyone felt
a
part ofthe war
effort.
the construction of the swimming pool in
1935-37. This provided the town with lots of
enjoyment for many years until the new pool
was built in the 1960's.
The 1940's found us again preparing for
yard and hundreds of perennial flowers,
shrubs and trees surround the house. A three
apartment garage is adjacent to the house.
Will sell on terms or take smaller house or
clear land for part payment on same. This is
a very desirable apartment house or would
make a wonderful hospital.
This ad was found in 'oHenry's Scrapbook."
We do not know the year but this house is still
standing and now owned by Mrs. Orma
Turner. It is still a very beautiful home.
war and do you remember hearing the sirens
and pulling all the shades so that the town
was all dark? Our imaginations went wild.
Everyone helped with the scrap drives,
gathering newspapers for the paper drives,
Old Historic Building Changes
Hands
Penny Bros., became the owners of the
building, just north of their store, which now
houses the creamery operated by C.J. Buchanan. The purchase was made from Jacobs and
Milburn, who bought the ancient landmark
smashing cans and saving anything that
at a land sale, held by the county. The history
of the building, which is to be raised, to make
roorn for an implement department of their
store, is varied indeed. According to historian, H.G. Hoskin, it was a store operated bv
C.A. Lamb, from 1887-1892. John Hillers
took over the place for a saloon from 18931895. Later, Roscoe made it into a hotel, pool
room, and soft drink parlor; from which
it began to be leased as apartments,
and cream stations. Several operators of
cream stations preceded Mr. Buchanan, who
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The west side of the street showing Ben Franklin, Men's Shop, Orth's, Nunn-Attorney, and The Corner
cut. Februarv 1988.
has been there 3 or 4 years.
This building was one of Burlington's first
buildings that was erected in June, 1887. But
it's passing will likely cause little regret, since
the Penney's will build a modern store
adjoining the brick building now housing
their hardware and implement building.
Old Burlington Business
Dr. H.M. Hayes purchased the two-story
brick building on 14th St., last Saturday, in
which the Burlington Hospital is located. The
building also contained the Burlington Bakery, and the Red and White Grocery Store.
Feb. 10. 1944.
�Reed Motor Co., tractors and
Looking north we find many of the same buildings as seen in the 1940 but fronts are kept up to date and
several new buildings Heritage Savings, are seen along with stop lighLs. We have come of age!
C.D. Reed, owner and operator of Reed Motor Co.
Dave's Welding Shop, owned and operated by Dave
Sielsky.
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The Bank of Burlington with its new exterior and the potted trees give 14the Street a prosperous look.
BURLINGTON
HISTORY
Burlington Construction Co., Guy Ancell, operator.
T263
Going to the movies at the Midway Theater
and munching popcorn from the sack and
watching the newsreels reporting on the war
seemed that most
everyone attended them and remember the
Saturday Afternoon Matinee watching Roy
Rogers movies. Those were the days and the
cost was 12 cents at one time. Remember the
bon-fire celebrating the end of the war?
Tradgedy hit the community with the
disaster striking the Smoky Hill Community
when the tornado destroying homes, schools
and crops. The town of Burlington pitched in
will never be forgotten. It
Sim Hudson Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Cadillac.
Christenberry's Welding and Radiator Shop.
�re
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Marinello Beauty Salon. Dorotha Hemmond,
owner, Located in Montezuma Hotel.
Burlington Telephone Office, located behind Montezuma Hotel.
Guthrie Electric Shop, owned and operated by
John Guthrie. This building was the original
schoolhouse for the Burlington area.
Carter's Produce, owned and operated by Floyd
and Estie Carter. Buyers of cream and farm fresh
eggs.
Hotel West, located on Senter Street was once
thriving hotel and later on, a restaurant.
a
Cowan's Produce, located on Senter Street, buyers
ofcream and eggs. Lowell and Fern Cowan were the
proprietors.
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Local Telephone operators at work. Behind the
desk is Elsie Nass, and operators from left to right
are marie Wood Smith, Peg Roberts, and Bonnie
Warren Shamburg Real Estate, later managed by
son, Bob Shamburg.
Kit
Carson County Abstract Co. Henry Hoskin,
Abstractor. Also the home
Farnsworth Hendricks.
of
Twrell-Hoskin
Insurance.
-'l
Rose's Beauty Salon, operated by Rose patterson.
Ebert Lynn, one ofthe original barbers in the town
of burlington. He also bought animal hides during
the earlier days of the town.
and gathered together and helped clean up
after the storm.
With the dry 1930's behind them the
farmers were experiencing good crops and
with it brought better times for the towns.
Land prices which saw a bottom of $1.50 were
now bring $40, $50, and even $60 per acre.
New homes were constructed and business
could afford to renovate their stores and
build new fronts so that main street really
took on a new look.
Albert Kirshmer built a one-half million
bushel elevator which we thought was huge.
Thomas & Thomas, Attorneys at Law. Thornton
H. Thomas and Richard D. Thomas.
Combine crews filled the town during harvest
through July and we wondered if it was safe
to go out at night with so many people about.
The late 40's saw the building of the Kit
Carson Memorial Hospital in Burlington
which has served the community very well all
these years. This was a great community
effort with farmers donating wheat, clubs
donated money and labor for furnishing the
rooms and lots of labor in the actual building
was donated, a really wonderful coming
together of individuals to provide a needed
�Hendricks Mortuary, Wm. R. Hendricks, County
Coroner.
Chuck's Service, Mobil Service operated by Chuck
J.C. Pennev Co.
Siehr.
resource in the county.
Burlington became the headquarters for
many of the construction personal who were
involved with the building of Bonny Dam.
This influx of people made a housing shortage and the construction of houses on Bonny
Drive remain with us today reminding us of
this time.
The Kit Carson County Courthouse was
renovated and an addition added in 1950 at
the cost of $190,000.00. This was a beautiful
building after the construction was finished
and is serving us well in 1988. The grandstand
at the
fairgrounds was also constructed
during this time and has been used for the
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U.S. Post Office
Neil's Furniture, Neil Willirms owner.
fairs and other activities through the years
with 1988 seeing the area in front of the
grandstand landscaped to compliment Carousel park and provide a very attractive area
for everyone to enjoy.
BURLINGTON
HISTORY
T284
Safeway Store, Don Thompson manager.
Harrison's Ford and Mercury, Hobart Harrison,
Owner.
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Esch Lumber Company, owned and operated by
John Esch.
Tom Ambler Hardware, owned and operated by
Tom and Midge Ambler
Loyd's Cleaners and Clothiers, Mac Loyd, owner.
Office of R.C. Beethe, M.D., Physician and Sur3urlington Locker Service, owned and operated by
lliff
Hoschouer.
Wilbur Larson, manager of J.C. Penney Co. Where
do you go today for a display of hats such as this?
geon.
�''H$t H!
W-B Liquor in the Wilson Building on main street.
Ben Franklin Store, managed by Petty Family.
DeHollander's Shoe Store. G.E. DeHollander,
owner. The Burlington Record, John Hudler.
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Standish Drug Co., John Standish, owner.
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A.B. Morrow, Appliances and Propane Gas.
Knapp's Plumbing, Doren Knapp owner.
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Gnmbles, owned and operated by John and Faye
Dr. H.M. Hayes, Physician and Surgeon.
Brvner.
Wilson's Gift Shop, Bessie Wilson owner.
The most frightening happening was the
return of the dry years to Eastern Colorado.
It brought back fears of the drougth of the
thirties. 1954 was the dryest year ever
recorded in the history of keeping precipitation records. With the drought alway comes
the horrendous winds that whip the soil into
the air and create dust clouds that spawn so
Kelly's Pool Hall.
Williams Cafe, Lon Williams, Mgr. Recreation
Basement was teen gathering place managed by
Shorty Vance.
{*LALVI
t4
%up
from Goodland, Kansas or picking up a
station if the clouds were just right and
,ti.
watching wrestling on Saturday nights? The
changes of social habits brought about with
the coming of television were never contemplated at the time. Remember Jim Gernhart
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Calvin Supply, Asa Calvin, owner.
much emotional havoc and physical discomfort, that they are is never forgotten. Thanks
to more advanced technology and the advent
of irrigation and better farming practices and
regulations this dry period did not leave the
scars of the thirties for most people.
The advent of television coming to town
was really exciting. Remember watching the
screen waiting for something to be broadcast
Hayes Building
conducting and celebrating his own funeral
and then advertising it?
The 1960's rang in a new era with so many
advancements and the new crop of sugar
beets that would create an environment that
brought great expansion of implement dealerships, irrigation equipment and building of
new businesses in Burlington. In 1965 Plateatr Natrrral Gas Oomnanv camc to town and
�constructed pipe lines to serve the town and
rural areas. They built a new office with the
"Blue Flame Room" adjacent the business
area. This was a community room and was
used by the community free of charge for
many years and filled a need that existed for
family gatherings as well as public meetings.
Word was received that our cherished Rock
Island Railroad was taking out bankruptcy
and would be no more. The end of what was
our beginning, became a redity. After much
work and hopes of keeping the rail service
active the end came for the Rock Island.
Later thanks to the hard work of many
businesses in the area, Kyle Railroad was
organized and purchased part of the track
serving this area and once again in the 80's
we see boxcars filled with grain moving on the
rails.
The completion of I-70 was realized after
years of bumper to bumper traffic out here
on the plains. The new high school was built
in south Burlington and the new swimming
pool and Parmer Park became a new source
of enjoyment.
Pralle Electric Shop
Jack's Cleaners, owned and operated by Jack and
Eunice Boyles
King Motor Co., V.R. King owner.
BURLINGTON
HISTORY
Langston's Style Shop, Walter and Hazel Langston. owners.
T286
State Farm Insurance Office, S.T. Jarrett, Agent.
Adolf Shoe Shop, Emmanuel Adolf, owner.
Park's Jewelry and Watch Repair, H.H. Park,
owner.
Dunn Motor Co, A.B. Dunn owner.
gaiiidi. ,..,-:..
Burlington Bakery, Harold and Gladys Clouse,
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Midway Theatre, Neil Beezley, owner.
Lusch Cleaning and Laundry, alongwith Milestone
giving altitude of Burlington
The Middle school was built in 1971 on the
west side of town. The Prairie Pines Country
Club and new gold course made their appear-
ance along with many new homes and a
greatly expanded business community within
the town. New residential areas were being
filled on all sides of Burlington. New buildings were now being constructed on 14the
Street changing the skyline of town making
it have a up and coming look yet still having
some of the old landmarks visible as you
glance down the street.
The 70's saw the peak of agri-business in
Red & White Grocery Store, Earl and Albert Zick,
owners.
Burlington Dress Shop, Pauline Kloeckner, owner.
�65 HAOO263!. 93
263 2A
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607. PAGE It
PICTURS *
grss.
63 tclPanng
Halduare, Appl{a
Red Front Grocery, owned and operated by the
Yergin Fnmily.
Park's Barber Shop, Charlie Park, barber and
owner.
-{f}
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Penny Bros. Hardware, Appliances and Implements.
Bill Yersin, owner and operator of Red Front
Market.
Dr. Glenn S. Flatt, Dentist, Hemmond Bros. Real
Egtate and Insurance, and Harold Boland, Insurance.
Masonic Hall, former building occupied by First
Christian Church.
this area. Land prices were at an all time high
and housing costs climbed as well as interest
rates in the late 70's.
As we look back over this period of 100
years we see a similar pattern that has a habit
of repeating itself but we can never believe
that it will happen again and so in the 1980's
we find that many reversals have visited us
but many new things have come into being
by the foresight of men and women who have
a persistent belief in this community.
The joint effort of town and county
W-B Drug Store.
Duckwall's,
#
'tii'i:r
brought about the Burlington-Kit Carson
County Airport which culminated in a huge
grand opening in the fall of 1984. Much effort
was put in this project as well as in the
courting of the State of Colorado for the
construction of a prison facility in the
community.
The greatest "party" was held when Bur-
J.M. McDonald, Burlington's first Department
Store. Located on the ground floor ofthe Montezu-
D.D. Lahey, M.D., Physician and Surgeon.
ma Hotel.
lington opened all doors and celebrated
"Mike Lounge Day'in 1985. A hometown boy
makes good is indeed reason to have such a
gala occasion for everyone to participate in.
The parade was one of the best in history as
well as the tremendous turn out for the
barbeque at the High School grounds. Truly
a day to remember.
The idea of "Old Town" was conceived and
acted upon and today we see a fabulous
tourist attraction that will hopefully provide
lots of enjoyment for the community as well
as visitors from around the world.
It is hard to write that the stress of the
agriculture industry has greatly effected this
Wj.r:l%
Carper's Cafe, George and Frances Carper owners.
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.
.
Felzien's Cleaners and Clothine. Harold and Cecil
Felzien. owners.
community as well as the farmers and
it but it must be noted
that this areir on the great high plains has
given birth to a populace that is very tough
and persevering and we just don't give up
ranchers surrounding
�very easily and hopefully the fall of land
values and real estate in Burlington has seen
the bottom and is on the upswing again soon.
We have experienced some of the worst
blizzards and hailstorms in history these last
few years and yet we repair our homes and
businesses, try new ideas, reorganize, try new
ventures, and take the challenge of the future
with new hope.
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BURLINGTON
HISTORY
Strobel's Texaco, A.E. Strobel manager.
Sloan's Motel, Everett and Eunice Sloan, owners.
Hi-Lo Motel, J.M. Powers, manager.
Miller's Phillips 66 Service.
RyIe Walters Garage
Fonest Miller, owner
T266
The Rock Shop, owned and operated by Ralph
Binard. Later became W-B Liquor, owned and
operated by Cecil and Harold Felzien.
of Miller's Phillips
66
Service.
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Binard's's Conoco Service, Ralph Binard owner.
Highway Cafe and Service, Thelma and Kenny
Gray, operators.
Stevens Cafe, managed by Mrs. J.V. Landers.
Ellsworth Pontiac, Lee Ellsworth owner'
Stevens Motel, also managed by Mrs. J.V. Landers.
Chat'n Chew Cafe, Freda Schlichenmayer proprietor.
It is my hope that this short overview of
this community will bring back memories to
you and that you will fill in the many blank
spaces that have not been recorded. Time is
always a factor and we do the best with what
we have and hope that you will forgive us for
our failings as we know that there were some
very important events that have not been
recorded because they have not come to mind
or have not been recorded by someone over
the years for our use.
Without ths sqmpilation of newspaper
�clippings, pictures, and other articles and the
of Henry Hoskin, Bonny Gould,
Mable Park, Irene Boger, and many others
who have opened up their picture albums,
keepsakes, and have shared them with us,
this history could never have been accomplished by this writer.
Many happenings that were not mentioned
is this writing may be found in the pictures
accompanying this article. We are grateful to
Willard Gross and the Bank of Burlington for
the record of the town in 1956 that we are
sharing with you. Pictures can say so much
more than words.
writings
V.F.W. Post Home.
Burlington Liquor, Arthur Wittmuss proprietor.
Sinclair Service, Bud Bolin manager.
Dairy Queen, R.V. Johnston, owner.
BURLINGTON
MAYORS
T2B7
Dillon Oil Co.. H.C. Dillon owner.
Busby's Frontier Service
Skelly Service, Junction
Lincoln.
of
Highway 24 and
Hi-Lo Jr. Motel, J.M. Powere, manager.
Lyle Busby, owner of Busby's Frontier Service.
Smith's Service, E.H. Smith owner.
H.G. Hoskin 1912-13
T.G. Price 1914
F.L. Bergen 1916-18
Hank Schell 1919-20
George O. Gates 1921
John S. Boggs to Sept. 1922
F.W. Kukuk from Oct. tg22 to Mav 192b
C.D. Reed 1925
C.E. Roller 1926
O.H. Loomis 1927
Beeson Oil Co.
T.F. Sutton 1888
T.J. Jones 1889
C.A. Gilmore 1890
H.E. Metting 1891
J.W. Sparks 1902-03
Wyatt Boger 1904
William Abbott
1905-06
George O. Gates 1908-10
Burlington Building and Supply, Kenneth Bishop
and Wesley Holmes, owners.
J.M. Swenson 1928
R.E. Hook 1929
Orin P. Penny 1930-31
J.W. Alexander 1932
J.D. Brown 1934
T.W. Backlund 1936
Wm. H. Jacobs 1938
J.M. Chalfant 1942
�Henry Hoskin 1946
R.W. Plummer 1948
Harold McArthur 1950
R.C. Binard 1956
Harold McArthur 1958
Gene Williamson 1960
Harold McArthur 1964
Bill Yersin 1968
Rol Hudler l970-Currently mayor in 1988
and serving the longest term in the history of
Burlington.
Hart-Bartlett Sturdevant Grain Co., Carl Bauder,
Burlington Livestock Sales Co., Ditus Brox. owners
Manager.
and operators.
OUTLYING
BURLINGTON
BUSINESSES
T268
Gassner's Conoco
Bulk Delivery R.I.
Gassner,
owner.
Aerial view of Burlington Basebal Park and Kit
Carson County Fairgrounds.
New Burlington Equite Co-op Elevator, located on
Railroad Ave.
Standard Oil Co., Bill and Russ Wilcox, owners.
Dickineon's Grocery Store, Wm. Dickinson owner.
G.R. Schlosser of Schlosser's Concrete.
Gold Bond Hatchery, C.G. Gould, owner.
Plains Grain Co., Jim Rawson, Mgr.
Skate Bowl, skating rink and bowling alley, owned
and operated by C.G. Gould.
Standard Milling Company built by A.G. Kirschmer.
Old Burlington Equity Co-op Elevator and Feed
Facility at the north end of 14the St.
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The Country Ware House owned and operated by
the Fundingsland farnily. This building was the
original Fost€r Lumber Company building.
Foster Lumber Company near the downtown area.
Gordon Hamit, Mgr.
fi
Baker-Pischke Ford, owned and operated by Bob
Baker and George Pischke.
Kit Carson Motel, located on Highway
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24
CURRENT MAP OF
BURLINGTON
lr.
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IIOLD BURLINGTON
I
MAP
BURLIIiIGTON
Furnished by
6
R. L. WILKINSON
COUNTY ASSESSOR
Kit Carson CountY
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Old Map of Burlington - 1920's
MUNICIPAL POWER
PLANT
T27r
Prior to the year of 1920, the town of
Burlington was served electrically by a
franchise gas and electric company which was
privately owned. Carbide gas was used for
Burlington Light and Power Plant as it was in 1956.
some street lighting and cooking. Electricity
was used for main street lighting and some
residential lighting.
In 1920, the consumer demand for electric-
ity had increased tremendously and
the
privately owned franchise asked the town to
assume control of the operation as it was not
possible for them to keep up with the
demand.
Pete Cha-bers, left and Frank Sulivan stand by boiler for first steam engines in the Burlington Power
Plant. The plant had two Corliss steo- engines to produce electricity installed in 1920.
In January of 1920, the town installed two
Corliss steam engines with coolers. Cost of
the two engines totaled $44,493.
In 1921, the town completed the building
which now houses the generators we use for
stand by purposes only. It was constructed at
a cost of $14,604.92. Two additions have been
added to the building since it was completed.
The steamers purchased in 1920 proved to
be adequate until 1933 when the town council
purchased two Fairbanks Morse diesels at a
anst nf IRAO OOO Onc diasel wns s f.wo cvlinder
�140 horse power and the
other
a
four cylinder,
180 horse power engine.
In 1937 a 6 cylinder Fairbanks Morse was
installed at a cost of $38,900. and in 1947
another Fairbanks Morse unit was purchased
for $82,000. A switch board was purchased for
In October of 1950 another Fairbanks Morse unit was purchased for
$151,500. In March of 1960 a White eight
cylinder was bought for $233,137. The city
$25,000.
purchased an Enterprise 12 cylinder at the
cost of$405,000 with the present switchboard
being purchased at the same time. August of
1969 saw another Enterprise installed at a
total of
$4357,310.
Burlington is one of six towns and cities in
Colorado that own their own electrical facilities in the 1960's. The late 70's brought
changes that resulted in purchasing power
from Public Service of Colorado.
by Les Mclain
BANKS IN
BURLINGTON
This picture was taken around 1912-15. The gentleman is Henry G. Hoskin, father of Henry Y. Hoskin
Kit Carson County Abstract Co. The bank was the Stockgrowers State Bank.
who owns the
T272
One of the first "classie" buildings on Main Street,
Organized in 1901.
Bert Ragan, right, in tellers window. This is the
State Bank Building where the Stock Growers
bank moved into after the Stat€ bank closed. Now
Bank of Burlington.
Stock Growers State Bank Earlv 1900's
Burlington State Bank - organized in 1908
Officers: Frank Mann - President
Wyatt Boger - Vice President
Geo. Gates - Cashier
Bank failed December 1922
Stock Growers State Bank organized by
Winegar and Weare in 1901
W.D. Selder Cashier.
At first a private
Bank. In 1910 named Stock Growers. Warren
Shamburg came from Goodland in 1915, to
be the cashier. Bank failed October 3, 1931.
Bank of Burlington organized by a group
of citizens and Mrs. Tubbs.
The Earliest Banks were:
Bank of Burlington 1887
The Bank was owned by parties from
Illinois. It voluntarily suspended in 1890 and
paid depositors in full.
The Robert Clark Bank was the first Bank
after 1890 and after Robert Clark became ill,
Albert Clark paid depositors in full and
closed the bank. The former Hainline building occupies the site of Clark's Bank. The
First National Bank organized by E.G.
Coombs in 1919, suspended and accounts
transferred to Stock Growers. no losses.
by Editors
The Stock Growers Bank was located in the building on the corner of Senter and 14 Street where The
Corner Cut is now. Standing at the counter is E.C. Baker on the left and W.D. Selder on the right. Others
are unknown.
�WINEGAR BUILDING
T273
Iowa. After Selder sold out, Winegar continued under the name of A.W. Winegar Real
Estate Company. The company was one of
the oldest business firms in town and operated out of the Winegar Building until 1928.
the Fundingsland Real Estate Office, and Dr.
Courtney's office. Later during the 1940's the
The First National Bank of Burlington, run
by Winegar's son-in-law, Edwin S. Combs,
was located in half of the ground floor space
when it opened in 1907, and the Penfold
in the building.
Grocery Store, one of the first grocery stores
in town, occupied the other half.
In 1917, Winegar added on to the rear of
the building for apartments. A second alteration in 1920 resulted in the front portico and
The Courtney (Winegar) building in the 1950's.
The Winegar Building is significant for its
association with A.W. Winegar, one of the
original settlers in Burlington, and a prominent businessman, and as a landmark struc-
ture in Burlington.
Burlington, located on the outermost eastern edge ofthe state was incorporated in 1888
and is the largest town (1985 population:
3116) in Kit Carson County. It is located in
the heart of deep well irrigation, and is a trade
center as sell as a center for agriculture,
enclosed second story porch. No further
alterations occurred on the building, and
except for the replacement of some window
panes with glass brick, the building appears
exactly as it did during the 1920's.
The Real Estate business became poor
during the late 1920's, and in 1928, the
Capital Life Insurance Company was forced
to foreclose on A.W. Winegar. The building
Warren Shamburg,
two local businessmen. Shamburg was the
manager of the Stock Growers State Bank,
founded in 1901 by H.G. Weare, W.D. Selder,
and A.W. Winegar. The bank was the first
business in Burlington and remained a
private bank until 1910.
The Depression was hard on the residents
and businesses in Burlington, as it came at
the same time the farmers were fighting the
economically depressed, Burlington has nev-
effects of the Dust Bowl Era. As was often the
case, businesses closed and banks failed.
er grown into a major city. It's three block
commercial district is dominated by small,
plain, one and two story brick structures.
The Winegar Building occupies a corner
location at the center of town, and is the
largest and one of the oldest structures in the
commercial district. Built in 190 by A.W.
Winegar at the cost of $30,000, the building
is unique with its classical detailing and light
colored brick.
A.W. Winegar was instrumental in the
establishment of Burlington. along with W.d.
Selder and others, he started the First
Emmigration Company in the county for the
purpose ofacquiring land cheaply and selling
to immigrates from kansas, Nebraska and
Dr. Courtney continued to own the build-
ing and operate his doctor's office on the
second floor until in 1970's when he sold it
to Daniel McCraken who in turn sold the
building to Gray Hooper in 1978. In recent
years, the building has served as apartments
for Mexican immigrates. The building is now
vacant and has been vandalized.
by M. Hasart
THE BURLINGTON
SCHOOL SYSTEM
T274
was sold to C.D. Reed and
cattle, medical services, education, and recre-
ation for the eastern plains. While not
VFW held its meetings and activities in the
basement of the building. During the 1950's,
the National Farm Loan Office was housed
The Stock Growers State Bank failed in
1931 and Warren Shamburg was forced to
convey his share of the Winegar Building to
the State Bank commission who was in
charge of the liquidation of the bank. The
Deputy Banking Commissioner turned
around and sold the half interest to C.D. Reed
for $500 in 1932.
During Reed's ownership, Doctor Robinson operated a hospital on the second floor
of the building. Reed sold the building in
1943 to Dr. Roy F. Courtney who had moved
to Burlington at the start of World War II.
At the time, occupants of the
included J.A. Ragan, who ran
a cream
building
station,
Following a meeting to organize a school
district in the newly established area of
eastern Colorado, namely the town of Burlington, school opened on Dec. 26th of 1887.
One of the rooms of the Montezuma Hotel
served the purpose with Mary Davis as the
first teacher. Thirty-five youngsters were
"herded" to school that opening day by their
parents in hopes that it would, to dome
degree, curb the "prairie wild spirit". At least
they would know the children's whereabouts,
and by chance something useful might be
taught during the duration of the term.
Ranging in ages from six to sixteen, most of
them came from the small town, with a few
coming from the homes of settlers around
Burlington.
The school was established under very
trying circumstances. Burlington, located in
the eastern part of the state, was over one
hundred miles from the county seat, which
was then Kiowa, Colorado. There was no
direct rail lines, and the wagon roads were
poor to say the least. Laws at this time did
not provide for the building of schools, the
payment ofsalaries, erpenses, and free books
as later became law and
rule. Nevertheless, the children were present
in numbers, every settler and town resident
providing their full quota, and the children
did need some education.
A small frame building was built in 1890,
measuring about 18x30 feet. Rows of pine
desks, extended in one piece clear across the
room, with a bench built on the front for the
next row of students.
It took a teacher of more than average
ability to manage eight grades of children,
fresh from the prairies, many with cactus in
their shoeless feet. The playground was an
open lot with unlimited amounts of buffalo
grass, laced occasionally with a cactus or two.
Many modes of entertainment originated
from this "lot", such as show and tcll with
your favorite pet prairie dog, someone else
bringing their pet coyote pup, or sometimes
an owl or even an occasional rattlesnake.
Since many of the children rode their native
ponies to school, an occasional pony race
during recess was not uncommon. A wise,
teacher, while not approving, had to look
upon these things with apparent interest, and
await the time when the objection could be
eliminated.
This mode of education sufficed until the
in the same manner
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'.
Main street in the 1920's with the Winegar building at left of picture.
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students were already meeting
in
other
meeting places in the town. The north half of
the school building was erected in 1916, with
another similar half being added in 1919,
under the contractor of the late J.A. Haughey. This addition doubled the capacity of
the building, as well as modernized it to the
tune of $150,000. The building now housed
all 12 grades, Home Economics, as well as a
gymnasium.
After only 2 years of use, in January of
it was destroyed by fire. The books and
1923,
equipment from 3 of the 26 furnished roome
were saved. Many of the townspeople, as well
as the local fire department, answered the
alarme thatwere sounded, helping in any way
possible. Since there was no pumper available, with the low water pressure they were
unable to get water to the top floor, and by
morning the magnificent structure was de-
Burlington School before it burned in 1924.
stroyed.
However, the pioneering spirit of the
community was still alive, and school reopened on January 14, with classes being held in
Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railroad
announced that the Rock Island route would
build their line through Burlington to Colorado Springs and Denver. After much surveying, the route was set to run just north of
the old town of Burlington.
When the county was organized on May
the District Courtroom of the Courthouse,
the Methodist and the Christian churches,
3,1889, an election was held. The issues were
building a courthouse for $5,000 and/or a
schoolhouse for $4,000. Both measures
passed. Free lots had to be given for schools,
churches, as well as a courthouse.
Roff & Roff were the contractors chosen to
build the two-story building our of brick. C.A.
Eatinger, who had filed a homestead southeast of Burlington on the Beaver Creek, was
one of the workmen hired to burn the brick
on the south side of Beaver Creek south and
east ofBurlington. In later years he wrote, "I
feel I have an interest in your school. The
contractor dsqemped without paying his
help."
The first record of a graduation was in
1908, being from the eighth grade.
by Bonnie Witzel
BURLINGTON
SCHOOLS
During the school year 1911-1912 the total
enrollment was 129 students, with 13 eighth
grade graduates. Highschool students numbered 15, but no graduates as yet. The next
year enrollment reached 155 with 7 students
completing the eighth grade and 3 graduating
from highschool. Highschool
enrollment
climbed to 26. 1914-1915 brought a total of
173 students with 30 of them in highschool.
In a period of 5 years the school enrollment
had increased more than 50 percent.
Upon consolidation of districts 16 and 18,
it was determined that a larger facility was
certainly needed, as some of the gradeschool
Co. purchased 4 new schoolbuses to
rural children to school.
transport
By 1930 the enrollment had climbed to 348
student.
During the 1930's the Mabel Parke family
donated a block of real estate to be used as
a football field and for the vocational Agriculture Department. This property was used
until the new highschool was built, and was
known as Walters-Hudson Field.
December 20, L945, brought about the only
serious bus accident in the history of the
school. A 1941 Chevrolet cloth topped bus
with 13 children and a driver rolled south of
T275
The first school b0ilding at Burlington, was later
the Guthrie Electric Shop, located east ofthe Hotel
West.
One of the first four school buses used to transport
the students from rural areag. They were furnished
by C.D. Reed of Reed Motor Company.
the Odd Fellows and American Legion Halls,
The school was rebuilt and opened the
following fall. Enrollment had grown to 400
students, and was taken care ofwith a faculty
of 16 teachers. A new superintendent, N.N.
Stevenson, was hired at a salary of 92600.
September of 1923 introduced Physical
Training into the regular cirriculum with a
regular teacher. All students were required to
take the course.
This same year C.D. Reed of Reed Motor
The first half of the school building was erected in 1916. This facility replaced the 2-story brick building
which was built for $4000.
�tary force behind this construction was the
five ladies on the Library Board whose
determination made a dream come true.
Carolyn King, Pearl Schell, Estella Penny,
Minta Coleman worked
tirelessly on the board for many years.
Bessie Wilson and
The first Burlington Public Library
was
established by the Inter Sese Club in 1921
and was located in the old school building
near the current sight of the Community
Center and Elementary School on 11th Street
and Senter. It was operated there until a fire
burned the school over Christmas vacation in
1923. Most of the books were saved. It reopened in 1924 in a city owned structure once
used as a power house located at 608 l4the
Street near the old train depot which is now
the Radio Room and City Police Department
at the north end of 14th Street.
The remains of the school building, following a late night fire in January of 1923. The completely remodeled
school had only been in use for 2 years at the time.
Burlington on then Highway 51 (now 385),
injuring several of the children. Fortunately
all recovered. The contract for bus transportation was to Sim Hudson Mtr. Co.
The fall of 1960-61, the school was changed
from a Class B school to Class A through state
reorganization. In 1961 the district became
District RE-6J with the final consolidation of
the districts. In 1965 all class A schools
became Class AA.
A special bond election was held in May of
1963 with the proposal of a new grade and
highschool facility of $895,000. Maher-Bonny
Construction of Aurora was the successful
bidder. The highschool was relocated south
of Highway 24, and was put into operation in
January of 1965.
in 1971 the bid for the proposed Middle
School, to be located in west Burlington, went
to Carson-Crider & Speicher of Wray.
Hobart Harrison, through contract with
the Burlington School system, furnished bus
transportation from 1946 until 1971. Follow-
Program.
Our community has indeed been fortunate
in the past, to have had people who were able
to see the possibilities and the capabilities of
children. We have educated future businessmen, farmers, doctors, lawyers, secretaries,
homemakers, and yes, an astronaut. Does this
make any one of them more special than the
rest ofthem? Certainly not, because each has
excelled in their own realm in their own way.
Why? Because our forefathers had a vision,
and they pursued it. Yes, they felt we all
needed an education to face the world.
by Bonnie Witzel
BURLINGTON
PUBLIC LIBRARY
T276
Special Education has been developed to
fill
preceeded by Mrs. H.G. Hoskin serving as
librarian from 1923 until 1945 and Miss
Phyllis DeHollander who served in this
capacity for several years.
Since 1975 the library has improved with
help and ideas from librarians, their assistants, the Library Boards, state and public.
Fannie Hoschouer took over as librarian
after Esther Winfrey retired in 1962 and
served until 1984. Della Yersin was appointed
and approved by the Library Board and City
Council at that time.
Special programs for adults are planned
through out the year. Some of these are
hag
the need, as has the Gifted and Talented
Mrs. Esther Winfrey was the librarian,
as well as money making activities.
grade.
thanks to the dedication of their directors.
1959, Quo Vadis club with president Crystal
Schlosser was in charge of the program and
hostess for the day. Accepting the building
for the town was Mayor Harold McArthur.
several grants, individual and club donations
By 1973 enrollment had reached 1011
students from kindergarten through 12the
Model U.N. teams have entertained and
excelled beyond their greatest expectations,
In 1958 with little help from the City of
Burlington and only a handful of interested
people, the five ladies on the Library board
did everything necessary to secure construction loans for their dream project, "A new
Library". William McKinnley helped draft
the plans for the building with the Burlington
Construction Company actually doing the
work. At a cost of $20,000.00 the new Library
was finished. The furnishings cost $4,700.00
and the time to move in was here.
Dedication of this new facility was April 12,
with thank yous to the City Council, state,
hired.
Through 100 years, the cirriculum
to expand and upgrade books and materials.
The budget has grown through the years
ing negotiations with him, a contract was
drawn and the district purchased 13 buses
and 1 wrecker for $45,000. In 1972 a Bus
Garage was erected adjacent to the High
School, and a transportation director was
changed somewhat. Not only are the 3 R's
still being taught, but a variety of other
classes are being offered. Recess pony races
have changed to athletics, and group singing
has become concert band and choir. Burlington High School has had the honor of
being State Football Champs in 1940, 1945,
1946 and 1947 and then again in 1976; State
Basketball Champs in 1948; and State Wrestling Cha-ps in 1973 and 1974. This channeled lots of energy in right directions, thanks
to the dedicated coaches. Band and Choirs
have performed throughout the state and
have received outstanding ratings, thanks to
dedicated musicians. Drama, speech and
In 1925, the town counsel and the Library
Board agreed to let the city support the
Library through taxation - so a mill or two
was set aside for this purpose which helped
The old Library at the north end of 14th Street.
The l5the day of February marked the
laying of the cornerstone at the new home of
the Burlington Public Library on the corner
of 15the Street and Senter.
Ethel Sloan, president of Zonta Club, was
master of ceremonies and responsible for the
program for this cornerstone ceremony. This
club also provided the contents of the time
capsule that was to be placed inside the
cornerstone that day.
The Zonta Club joined all other service
clubs ofthe area along with private donations
contributing funds towards the construction
of this fine library. The single most contribu-
National Library Weeks, displays, club meetings and book sales.
The section which used to house museum
items has been turned into the childrens
reading room. It now has a weekly story time
and there is a special summer reading
program. Both are very popular and well
attended.
New check out opportunities have been
added. A few of the ones now available are
large print books, music and story tapes, cake
pans, games and cameras. The typewriter and
copy machine are available for public use.
You are all invited to come in to brouse
around. Look at the aquariums and talk with
Dell's bird Dewey. Perhaps you may even
find a book that you would like to check out.
Our gratitude goes out to those who worked
�Burlington Post Office 65 Year* Xgo*
.
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.
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..:,::.:.a:.:;:.,:;r.t-?a:".::.:,at:.::.,
Early Post Office was located in C.A. Lamb's Store.
Ihe first regular train service began in
of 1888.
Sep.
Mail service by trains continued until
the early 50's, when conveyance was changed
EURI"IIICTOI{
to truck and highway contracts. In the early
IIBRARY
1960's, contracting was given to the air lines
0RcANllfD t92l
tRfcTtD
ts59
and Airmail was the mode of transporting
mail 200 miles or more away from major
airports. Mail inside of the 200 mile radius
was by Contract Highway routes.
In April 1887, a Post Office was located in
the OId Burlington cite, (about where Hitchcock's is now located. at the time the site was
*.'..
tl&aa:;:t:,t*
known as Lowell. When the two towns
.
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".,tle;:nr\e' .a,.
7t'f't
1,*ttir
i
l:,!a€:i l;;d6tr
*tz ti:iiL|.::
Zonta Club officers and members, L. to R.: Mabel Park, Zonta speaker from Denver, Mary Vogt, hazel
Hudson, dorothea Hammond, Ella Farwell, Ruth Morrow Billenwillms, Hazel Langston, Davie Powell,
Ethel Sloan and Clara Lovd.
merged the name of Burlington was given to
the new township.) The Honorable Eugene T.
Lemieux was commissioned to serve as the
first Postmaster on April 29, 1887, and he
served until May 15, 1889. The Post Office
was moved to New Burlington in the month
of August.
During the early days Burlington was
supplied and serviced nine other offices,
Bonny, Newton, Norford, Wallett, Yale,
Hale, Hermes, Beliot, and Cole. Only one of
.^:)";,;*;
these towns still exist today. This being Hale,
in which the Post Office closed in 1984. Mail
for those offices was delivered by horseback
and buggy. Carriers of that day were: Frank
Little; Berton Little; Earl James; John
McCracken; Bud Yarnell; H.O. Brown; V.O.
Corkly and Robert Boyles. One of the carriers
is remembered as having an enclosed brggy,
painted white with the wording "U.S.
MALE", painted in red lettering on both
sides.
Joe Boyles remembers sorting mail at the
"Tuttle Post Office" into pigeon holed cases
open on both sides, so that the postal patron
could help themselves.
The location of the new Post Office was in
the l\{orrow Appliance Building, (known
today as 347 l4the St.) In 1890, under the
postmastership of David Carnahan, the Post
Office was again relocated to a cite on the east
side of Main St. (near Carper's Cafe), now
known as 372 14the St.
February 15, 1959, Laying of the cornerstone ceremonies. L. to R.: Carolyn King, Pearl Schell, Estella
Penny, Bessie Wilson, Esther Winfrey and Ethel Sloan.
so hard to establish this
Library that
serves
this community now and in the years to come.
by Carolyn Sloan Hansen and Betty
Nider
BURLINGTON POST
OFFICE
T277
In the beginning of the establishrnent of a
new township in the year of 1887, the first
Burlington Post Office was established under
Postmaster Charles a. Lamb was instrumental in relocating the office in 1894, to 340
14the St. in an old frame hotel, called the
Girard-Ross building, (present day Coast to
Coast). Then in 1897, Postmaster Fred A.
King moved it to the Wilson Gift Shop, now
2430 Lowell Ave.
Annie Newell was the first woman to be
commissioned as Postmaster, to serve in
August 21, 1897, she served until Aug. of
1901. The office was then housed in the
Dunn's Creamery.
the administration of President Grover A.
During the term of Postmaster Charles
Greglow, the office was again moved, to the
old Odd Fellows Hall and remained here until
Cleveland and Postmaster General William
1915.
F. Vilas. Transportation in the early years
Postmaster Rhoda Yersin, accepted and
moved into the first building specifically
built for Postal use in 1917. "Another first for
was by stage coach and wagons, later on it was
transported by the railroad, around 1887.
�women!" The Post Office remained at this
location until 1922, when growth again
necessitated a larger office space.
The contract was awarded to Louis Vogt,
for the construction of a new building to
house the Post Office and it's employees. The
building was erected at 474 t4the St. (Burlington Bakery now), and the office remained
here for 26 years, with Robert L. Wilkenson
as the Postmaster.
Rural Free delivery was established in the
in 1917, during the tenure of Mr.
Wilkenson. The first Rural carriers were:
Hugh B. Morgan, Ed O. Smith, and A.E.
Calvin. Rural delivery has grown from
humble beginnings to 601 families, as indicated by records still available. Today the
rural delivery system has 446 families.
In 1948. the office was moved across the
street to 451 14the St. (Men's Shop) under
the Postmistress Mary E. Vogt. It remained
at this location for 10 years. The Post Office
was elevated to Second Class, Jan. 1, 1948.
The Post Office was relocated in 1958 to its
present location at 1490 Martin Ave. The
building was erected by C.D. Skoles, in 1958
area
and was then leased to the Post Office Dept.
It was dedicated on April 11, 1959, during the
Administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Postmaster General Arthur E.
Summerfield. Dedication address was given
by W.D. Brewer, Regional Operations Director, USPO Dept. Denver, Co. Keys and Flag
were presented to Postmaster Mary E. Vogt.
The Burlington Post Office, under the
administration of Dale E. Pralle, Jan 1, 1969,
was elevated to First Class. Mr. Paralle
served until 1976. Revenue for the year of
1968 was $79,179.26, and grew to $171,406.96
during his tenure. The revenue is a very good
indicator when the growth is such that
it
should trigger a new review of space needed
and this began in 1977. Revenues grew to
fiscal year 85 to $306,858.00. Plans for a new
building which started in 1977 still have not
come to pass. In 1980, Postmaster Melcher,
concluded the crotiminous boundary program which then changed the delivery system
to include all of the State to the Kansas
border, starting from Rd. 41 to Rd. 60. Rural
routes are now traveling 129,048 miles annually. RRl, 142.7 miles, RR 3, 143.0 miles
and RR 4, t40.6 miles, 303 delivery days a
year. City delivery has grown to 1449 deliveries, served by 2 city carriers, present day:
John E. Perry 701 and Clyde Schaal, 702.
During the tenure of Postmaster Albert "Al"
Melcher, from 1977 to 1986, 10 years of effort
have not seen the goals set for this new
facility. In April 1, 1984, the contract and
lease for the old Safeway building, 270 l4the
St., set the remodeling and completion by the
glow, Rhoda Yersin, Robert L. Wilkenson,
Michal Vogt, Mary A. Vogt, Dale Pralle,
Albert Melcher, and Joe Rosengrants. Officers in charge who have served during PM.
vacancies were: Lowell "Bud" Hartwig,
Wayne F. Wilcoxen, Micheal Grossman,
Keith Bowhan, Larry Schweers, and Maria
Dollar.
Employees of the Burlington Post Office
from 1977 through 1988: Retirees: Eugene
Williamson, (Dis) Earl Perry, Shirley Fundingsland, Laurel Alleman, Howard Pickerill
and Cecil Felzien; Promoted: Geraldine L.
Troyer, S.P.O. 1984 and served in that
capacity until 5-01-84, when she wa promoted
to Postmaster Stratton, Co.; Linda Boyd,
promoted to S.P.O. 1984, presently serves in
that position; Kathy Witzel to Postmaster
Bethune, CO. 1985; Terri Billemwillms, to
serve as Officer In Charge, Cheyenne Wells,
Co. April 1986 through Sep. 1986; Transfers:
to Loveland, Co.; Michelle
Estes park, Co. 1983; Sandra
Cathy Minter
Gergen
to
Schmatjen to Colorado Springs, C. 1986; Pam
Morrell, resigned. New Hires 1977 thru 1988:
Cathy Minter, Debra Knapp, Michelle Gergen, Sandra Schmatjen, John Perry, Clyde
Schaal, Terri Billemwillms, Charles Turner,
Alan Billemwillms, Daniel R. Thompson,
Bernie Collette, Linda Boyd, Aaron Nutter,
Steve Chalfant, and Tom Cash.
Present day employees and job titles:
Linda Boyd, S.P.O.; William Stolz, Dist. Clk;
Terri Billemwillms, window clerk;
Charles
Centennial celebration set for May 7, 1988.
a
special
Cancellation for that day, plus running the
Cancellation Burlington, Co. 'A Century of
Pioneers'from Jan. 15, 1988 to June 15, 1988.
Postmaster of Burlington Post Office from
1887-1986 were: The Honorables Eugene T.
Lemieux, Joseph
M. Leal, Robert
L.
Hubbard, David Carnahan, Charles A. Lamb,
Fred W. King, Annie Newell, Charles Gre-
appointed.
December 6, 1908. The constitution and by
laws were presented and adopted and two
new members were added, B.B. Landers and
Albert Real. A committee was appointed to
appear before the city council and ask their
approval of the new organization as the
official fire department for the city. The city
council unanimously approved the action and
took steps toward buying equipment. The
first dance by the department was held in
May and netted the department the sum of
$31.30 which was set aside for the purpose of
aiding the town in buying the needed equipment.
On July 4, 1909, the department took
charge ofthe celebration and pulled offa very
creditable days sports.
The election for the issuance of water
bonds to build the water supply system was
held on april 20, 1908 with the result that the
bonds were voted by 47 to 18 against. In July,
the city council authorized the sale of 97,000
in bonds and the erection of a steel tower and
tank. The top of the tank was to be 100 feet
in the air and the tank was to hold 60.000
gallons of water.
The 7,000 bonds were sold to the Central
Savings Bank of Denver for 97 cents on the
dollar and the contract for the tower tank and
distributing system was given to the Des
Moines Bridge and Iron Company on their
bonds.
Carriers: Larry winslow, RR 1; Cecil Felzein,
Retired, Peter Thompson, RR3; Leonard
Koop, RR 4, Rural Subs. Alan Bellemwillms,
RR 4; Gordon Hamit, retired, Tom Cash, RR
3: and Steve Chalfant, RR 1.
As the town had no fire fighting equipment, the council bought 800 feet of hose at
36 cents per foot and a two wheeled cart for
$80. A hose house was erected in the rear of
the Montezuma hotel and on July 19, 1909,
the hose cart was installed in its new house.
Burlington now had a fire department, hose
Debra Knapp, PTF carrier 701; Bernie
Collette, PTF carrier 702 retired; Rural
bid of $8.800. The town then sold 94,000 more
house, hose cart and everything a
city had
except a fire. We should add that the hose
house cost $41.75.
BURLINGTON'S
VOLUNTEER FIRE
DEPT.
T278
A rather interesting incident happened in
August 1909 when the city council ordered
the city water commissioner, who had charge
of the pumps, tanks and mains, that he flush
both tank and mains as soon as he had
received a new barrel of gasoline. Evidently
the city was out of gas.
As the consumption of water for domestic
purposes was very light in Burlington. There
was very little circulation on the riser pipe,
and in December 1909, the riser pipe froze up
and the city was out of water for several days
while the repairs were being made.
In the spring of 1910, the fire department
was given some new material by the city and
a fire bell was purchased by the city. The old
bell was located on a tower just east of the
present Sim Hudson garage. Two taps on the
Oct. 1987 on the remodeling of the Safeway
The Burlington Post Office will have
the next meeting and a committee was
Turner, PTF window clerk; Gwen Chalfant,
PTF window Dis. clerk; John Perry, city
carrier 701; Clyde Schaal, city carrier 702;
fall of 1985.
After many delays, construction began in
store at 249 14the St. The work is being done
by Rhoades Construction of Castle Rock, Co.
Completion date is set for early in the spring
of 1988. It is to be completed in time for the
H.G. Hoskin are still active after 50 years of
volunteer service. Frank Boldt elected sec. at
bell called the city council together, three
Burlington Fire Department building, 1956.
The organization meeting of the Burlington's fire Department was held November 18, 1908. Those present were:
J.G. Upton, Phil Reichard, Frank Boldt,
Albert Guthrie, Walter Clark, H.G. Hoskin,
O. Rogers, W.H. Yersin, Art Abbott, R.
Wilkinson and Ed Hoskin.
Of these. Albert Guthrie. Ed Hoskin and
taps called the fire department to a meeting
and a continuous ringing meant a fire.
Later the calls for meetings were dropped
and a system of taps that designated the
location
of hydrant nearest the fire
was
adopted and was very successful. This old
bell served for many years and rang continuously on the first Armistice Day. As soon as
one ringer retired, another took his place.
Later the bell was sold to Kanorado and now
serves them. There never was a more hair
raising sound heard in Burlington than the
boom of that old bell in the middle of a dark
�night. At present the fire alarms are sent out
by a siren on the city clerk's office.
The present -1938- equipment consists of
the red Reo truck which carried 800 feet of
hose with ladders, hooks hand extinguishers,
helmets and various types of equipment; the
Ford truck which canies the pumper and
small quantity of hose which can throw water
over any structure in town, and the chemical
speed wagon, which is intended more for
county fires than for other purposes.
For a small city this is a well balanced
equipment, although many of the firemen
feel that a new truck combining the features
of the three now is use would be very fine.
Among the early spectacular fires was the
one at the old Coakley auditorium, which
stood where the new armory now is. Lightning struck the buildingjust over one corner
ofthe stage and ran down inside the building.
At the time a traveling company was putting
on one of their plays and they simply waited
until the firemen put out the fire and then
went on with the play.
Another memorable fire was the old red
brick school house. A janitor had left a bucket
of hot ashes in the hallway and the floor
caught fire from it. While the fire was not
very bad and was easily extinguished, the
firemen pulled the hose cart through an eight
foot drift of snow to get to the school house.
The storm was so bad that walking was
difficult, but to bull the narrow tired hose
cart with 400 feet of hose through the drifts
was real labor.
The three worst fires in Burlington's
history were those at the court house, December 1907; the school house, January 8, L924;
and the OK Barn on the corner north of the
E.C. Baker residence. Several horses were
killed in this fire and it was a heavy loss to
the owners.
The present organization consists of
twenty six active members, with John Guthrie as chief and four honorary members. The
honorary members are E.C. Baker, Arthur
Wilson. W.A. Hudler and G.S. Flatt. These
men pay $3.00 a year dues and are guests at
all the dire
department functions. The
functions are the annual ball on St. Patrick's
Day, the banquet in the winter and the picnic
in the mid summer. More businessmen
tainer out of Denver. The program included
a vocal soloist, a ballroom and acrobatic
dancing duo and a magician.
Later the firemen and guests went to the
firemen's hall, where coffee and doughnuts
were served, equipment inspected, and the
firemen, some of them tragic, some of the
equipment.
On December 16, 1945, The Montezuma
hotel fire kept the firemen busy for several
hours. The hotel was full that night, but all
escaped. One person was unaccounted for,
but later it was found that he had simply gone
comical.
home.
old timers enjoyed fighting fires all
over
again. Many fond memories were recalled by
Give List of Charter Members
Of the original 13 charter members. only
two, E.E. Hoskin and V.O. Coakley, were
there for the 50the anniversary. According to
the firemen's minutes books. the charter
members were J.G. Upton, Paul Reichart,
Albert Guthrie, Frank Boldt, Walter Clark,
H.G. Hoskin, C.G. Wilcox, O. Rogers, W.H.
Yersin, A. Abbott, R.L. Wilkinson (first chief,
Mr. Hoskin and Mr. Coakley.
The department was organized November
8, 1908.
A history of the Burlington volunteer fire
department is also a history of the town, for
the growth of one demands the expansion of
the other. Danger of fire in the early days of
the town necessitated the formation of a
department of combat the flames, usually a
severe fire emphasizing the need for additional members or equipment.
In 1906, before the department was organized, the livery barn located where the
the town has ever had.
The first water supply with which to fight
fires was furnished from two cisterns, one
located on the Standish Drug corner, the
other in front of Carper's cafe. Water was
pumped by hand with two men on either side
of the hand car arrangement. Water was also
carried by bucket brigade.
County Court House Burns in 1906 the
county court house burned, with very few of
the records being saved. Water was carried
from a well. located on the Fred Kiefer
corner.
In 1908, the fire department was organized,
with the motto "we never lose both the house
and the lot." The fire bell was located east of
the Sim Hudson Motor company garage.
The first annual firemen's ball was held
May 4, 1909, and showed a profit of $31.30.
purchase
1957
considered.
department celebrated their 50the anniversary Saturday night, when they gathered at
the high school gym for a banquet and
program. Approximately 100 firemen, their
ladies and guest attended the event, with
special guest being the three top officers of
the state fireman's association, Judge and
Mrs. Neal Horan; Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
Becker, and Ernie Anderson, all of Denver.
Appearing briefly on the program, the state
officers commended the local department for
their fine organization, pointed out some of
the problems of the state group, and outlined
future plans now under coneideration.
Chief Russell McArthur introduced several
of the guest, while Don Chadwick acted as
master of ceremonies and read a history of
the department.
Following the banquet and program, the
firemen and their guests enjoyed several
numbers presented by professional enter-
July 13, 1946, the firemen made the last of
several runs to Shank's Cafe, with a loss
estimated at $7,500.
The rural fire protection district
Fire signals were adopted in L923, and the
of a new fire truck was being
On January 7, L924, the school house
burned to the tune of $150.000. Firemen
thought later they might have saved the
school, if they had had enough water pressure.
The department stated to grow, with the
Other projects which the firemen have
sponsored for year to year are first aid, water
fights and contest, and the annual life they
give to Santa.
by Myra L. Davis
BURLINGTON
FOLLIES 1926
(See photo next
page.) T279
1. H.D. Klinker. with doll
2. E.C. Baker. with doll
3. Whitey Harry Yount
4. Frank Weber
5. Gordon Burr
6. Ralph Boggs
7. Mac McFadden, Charlie Chaplin
8. John Askey, Fauntleroy
9. Bruckner
10. Frank Spahr, Bridesmaid
11. Donald Smith, Bridesmaid
12. George Haywood, Chorus Girl
13. Roy Romberg, Chorus Girl
14. Dr. E.J. Remington
15. Alfred (Pete) Jennings, Baby
16. Richard Floyd, Mammy
17. Director
18.
19. Royden e. Hook, uniformed
20.
21.
22.
23.
Robert L. Wilkinson
Dr. O.M. Cassell
Lester Goins
Grant Stettler
24. Dr. Frank L. Bergen, Father of Bride
25. J.R. Walter
26. Ear. J. McCarty, Bride
27. Pawin Penny, Groom
28. Orin Milburn
purchase of a Ford pumper, and then a White
29. J.M. Heffner
chemical truck.
Pumper Helps Rock Island
The year 1929 was a busy one for the
firemen. The Rock Island had a wreck near
Flagler, and the pumper was sent over for two
or three days. In August of that year the
DeHollander Produce experienced a bad fire,
"Dutch" later giving a banquet for the
firemen in appreciation of their fine work.
The White Eagle oil fire also occurred that
year, with $10,000 damage and loss.
The fire at the old hospital building was the
next important event in the firemen's history,
30. Clyde Guthrie
31. A.W. Winegar
32. William Hendricks
33. Sidney P. godsman, uniformed
34.
35. Dr. Glenn S. Flatt
36. Rev. Benjamin Eitelgorge
37. Ted W. Backlund
38. Henry J. Wagner
39. Edward Hoskin, Jr.
40. Frank Williams. Tom Mix
41. Orville Swaim
42. George Cockrell
43. Mel Beidelman, in kilts
44. George Danforth, Jr.
followed by a response to an alarm sent in
from the town of Vona in 1936.
was
formed in 1952, and what is known as the red
truck was purchased. The new firemen's hall
came soon afterwards.
Perhaps the most outstanding civic improvement made by the firemen, in addition
to their regular responsibilities, was the
installation of street signs for the town.
Plains Equipment Company now stands,
operated by Uncle Billy Boyles, burned, and
was considered by many as the hottest fire
should be honorary members as we feel the
present members get more than their money's worth.
Firemen Observe 50the Anniversary 1907Members of the Burlington Volunteer Fire
In 1942 the department bought another
truck, this time a Chewolet, and the following year a resuscitator was added to the
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21. Hugh Marquis
45.
46.
4?.
48.
49.
22.
Fred Goldsby
Lonnie Sturdivant
John Guthrie
Cecil D. Reed.
BURLINGTON
CORNET BAND CIRCA
L9T2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Helen McCloud
Vince Ruddell
Verda Cook
Nelle Burr
Allice Mae Bogart
6.
7. Dorothy Bergen
8. Macil Roberts
9. Marjorie Abbott
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Lorene Baker
Ila Castle
Amber Hudson
Dolly Barker
Ora Baker
Martha Abbott
18.
19. Russell Brand
20. "Bus" Rhule
T280
Billy Marquis
25. Roy Upton
26. Sm. Boyles
23.
27. Nanny Hoskin
24.
28. Maxine Abbott
�29.
30. Harriet Bassett
31. Puts (Clifford) Rathbun
32. Alin Stevenson
November 14the Burlington Colorado.
"BRING TIN CUPS Starting with a big
FREE LUNCH at noon, then . .
"FREE PICTURE SHOW-From Noon
33. Jimmy Barker
until Midnight, Featuring, 'The Devil is
34.
Sissy'
35.
"FOUR BANDS-Parade at 2:30 P.M. Four
bands-St. Francis, Kansas 55-piece band,
Goodland band, Stratton band and Burlington band
"TWO FREE DANCES-One at the New
Armory, with music by Jerry Petty's orchestra of Denver. One at the Old Armory, with
music by Russ Stone's orchestra, featuring
both old time and modern music.
"Come One, Come All for a Good Time -
36. Bandleader (Abbe)
37. Park Guthrie
38.
39. Frank W. Winegar
40. Luben Guthrie
41. Carl Pearce
42. Jim Upton
43. Jack Rulison
44. Mrs. Reece
a
45. Ed Hoskin
All Free!"
46.
All day long, automobiles streamed in from
farms and surrounding towns both east and
west along Highway North 40, which ran
47.
48. Rev. Brand
49.
50. Frank L. Bergen
51. Shirley Castor
52. Rev. C.A. Yersin and Henry Y. Hoskin
through Burlington.
DJ.
for the occasions, to hordes of hungry rev-
54.
elers.
55. Bro. W.H. Tipton
56. Frank Mann
At noon, Hudson's free lunch was served
in his garage - turned into an impromptu
cafeteria serving hot dogs, specially ordered
The free lunch problem almost got beyond
BURLINGTON DAY
FETE, NOV. 14, 1936
control. While 500 pounds of hot dogs had
been provided by the sponsors, early in the
game it was seen that these were not going to
go around, so every store in town was called
upon to supply lunch meats and an additional
200 pounds was secured and served. An
S.O.S. call was also made to a neighboring
town for more.
Election Bet Payoff Results in
Kit Carson County's Biggest
Party in lfistory
buns and after those gave out, the diners had
to be served with bread.
Estimating the day's crowd at between
5,000 and 6,000, it was also The Burlington
Record which came up with the above figures
T28r
Bizaare election bets. . . and their payoffs
. . have enjoyed a special place in America's
history since our young country's first straw
vote was taken.
And no history of Kit Carson County would
be complete without a detailed description of
what has been dubbed "The Biggest party in
the History of Kit Carson County" .
. . because Sim bet Ed that Roosevelt
would take Kansas from its native son Alf
Landon in the presidential election of'36 .
. . and won.
. . along with anywhere
from 6,000 to
10,000 revelers who made Burlington Day,
Nov. 14, 1936
..
. a date to remember.
It all dated back to the national election of
Nov. 3, 1936, when Burlington automobile
dealer Sim Hudson bet Burlington druggist
E.L. Weinandt that F.D. Roosevelt would
carry Kansas in the national election, despite
the fact that Republican Alf Landon was the
neighboring state's native son.
Reportedly, the bet was for 94,000; and
after the bet was made, the two got their
heads together and agreed the winner, whichever he was, would keep only 9500 for
himself.
The rest would be spent in giving a real
party for the countryside.
"All For Fun and Fun For All at Burlington
Day on Saturday, November 14th" read
headlines in the local newspaper, while a
special robin's egg blue handout (flier flyer)
was emblazoned:
"Sim Hudson and Ed Weinandt will be
. . . BIG FREE DAY. Saturdav.
hosts at a
The Burlington Bakery supplied
6,000
for the lunch. But
'guestimates' varied,
depending on the reporting broadsheet.
Pat Wilson's Burlington Call tended toward the superfluous: 12,000 buns, 3,000 at the
free picture show, etc. But it was The Denuer
Post that waxed eloquent: 10,000 to 12,000
people cheering from the sidelines at the
parade, which lasted an hour and a half (30
minutes, said a local journal).
No matter how long, it was certainly the
parade that was the hit of the day, making
national media . . . including photographs;
and a Universal newsreel camera team was
also
in
Burlington to record the event,
showing it in movie theatres across the
United States to an estimated 50 million
people.
"Parade Caused Many Laughs", The Record recounted, with the following:
"The parade brought out a good laugh as
had been expected. Entries in this included
a car full of 'G-Men' with Sheriff Gates
leading the procession. The color bearer, and
the two sponsors (Hudson and Weinandt) of
the day, each astride a donkey, then followed.
"Represented in the parade were the
Statue of Liberty, Co. I., the Volunteer Fire
Department, Joan of Arc, a number of the
boys about town wearing barels since they
had lost their pants in the election, and a float
on which was carried on of the 'glorified'
privies of the new Deal, with the country
project supervisor demonstrating its use.
"W.P.A. workmen on a truck carrying a
small pile of dirt exemplified the 'speed' of
the W.P.A. Ex-President Hoover, with his
lawn mower cutting the 'grass which had
grown in main street' and carrying a kettle
containing the chicken for every pot'were
well done, and Al Smith, derby and all,'took
a walk.'
"The Burlington pep squad, high school
football team and the B.H.S. state champion
girls' basketball team all took part in the
parade. One of the stunts which made a hit
was the manure spreader which contained a
load of straw and was labeled 'Straw Vote'.
"A group of the younger generation riding
Shetland ponies represented George Washington, cowboys and other characters. One
pair of the tiny folk carried signs in the
parade announcing that they had voted for
the old age pension.
"The four bands also marched in the
parade and again made a decided hit with the
public with their bright colored uniforms,
splendid music and fast-stepping drills.
"The fire department created no little
excitement when the antiquated automobile
they had entered in the parade caught fire
(accidentally, of course) and was badly
damaged by the time the bucket brigade had
finished with it."
Free movies were also part of the day. From
the time the Midway Theatre opened at noon
until late at night, people were in line waiting
their turn to see the show. Manager Hughes
of the Midway estimated the number attending the six shows at 3,000.
In the evening, the dances at the new and
old armories were jammed.
There have many events that have taken
place in Burlington and Kit Carson County.
Without question, Sim Hudson's
"Burlington Day'is either the biggest or right
near the top.
Party lines were not drawn and everyone
extended a full measure of cooperation.
Perhaps no other stunt could have been
pulled that would have gone over with such
a success and gained for Burlington such
nationwide exposure.
"We congratulate Sim and Ed, and appreciate, as do all the citizens of Burlington, their
ideal and untiring endeavor in staging this
successful climax to a one-sided national
election," praised a Burlington broadsheet.
"Republicans have only the satisfaction that
they won out in Kit Carson County."
While both Sim and Ed agreed that the
$4,000 spent was well worth it, no doubt Sim
enjoyed himself just a tad more; after all, he
won the bet.
But the real winners were the celebrating
citizenry of Kit Carson County, where . . in
the year of 1936 . . . nothing could top "Sim
Hudson Day".
by Hazel Hudson
ASTRONAUT JOHN
MICHAEL LOUNGE
COMPLETES SPACE
MISSION ABOARD
..DISCOVERY''
T2a2
The third time was certainly the charm for
the launch of the "Discovery" space shuttle,
following two disappointing delays because of
weather conditions and computer problems.
�somewhat quiet."
Don Clamp, Mike's science instructor at
Burlington High School, said, "It's been
Mike's dream . , . to be an astronaut since
he was in high school." When asked,
"Did you
think Mike would ever become an astronaut?", Clamp responded: "Back then it was
an entirely new field. I think the primary
objective of several people in the educational
and business community was to assist Mike
in getting into the academy."
Mike enrolled at the University of Colorado in Boulder as a freshman. After completing his first year. he was appointed to the
ii:
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i
United States Naval Academy. Upon graduation from the academy, he completed naval
flight officer training at pensacola, Fla., and
took advanced training as radar intercept
officer in the F-4J Phantom; he completed a
nine-month southeast Asia cruise aboard the
USS Enterprise, participating in 99 combat
missions;
\,
.
'&,
'.'
he transferred to Navy
Space
Project Office in Washington for a two-year
tour ag staff project officer; then resigned his
U.S. Navy commission in 1978.
Astronaut Lounge has a bachelor ofscience
degree in physics and mathematics from the
':
)::Y
a master of science
degree in atrogeophysics from the University
Naval Academy and
of Colorado.
Mike has been employed at the Johnson
Space Center since July of 1978. He was lead
t*n
odS,a;
Astronaut John Michael Lounge
Fisher accomplished several missions during
their flight, and set "a new world's record"
with the launching of two satellites, first
double deployment from a space shuttle in
one day.
Lounge's duties were deployment of the
Aussat-l satellite, already released the first
day when a sunshield would not close properly and work had to be completed quickly;
maneuvering the remote manipulator arm;
Mike Lounge Day on reviewing stand, featuring his
family.
Tuesday, Aug. 27,1985 was the culmination
of a hometown boy's dram to become an
astronaut, a goal which John Michael (better
known as Mike) set as a youth and pursued
throughout his career to its accomplishment'
Mike, along with flight commander Joe
pilot Richard Covey, James Van
Engle,
Hoften and fellow mission specialist William
and flight engineer during the ascent and reentry portion of the mission.
Following a perfect "touchdown" on Tuesday, Sept. 3, at Edwards Air Force Base in
California, the mission was heralded as one
of the most ambitious shuttle flights and one
of the most successful.
Mike was born in Denver June 28, 1946, the
first child of Percy and Reta Lounge. The
family moved from Denver to the family farm
north of Flagler in 1949, and moved to
Burlington in 1951. Mike graduated from
Burlington High School in 1964. He was
described by one of his teachers as "being an
excellent student, who was very serious and
engineer for integration of spinstabilized
upper stage payloads into future shuttle
flights and served as member of the Skylab
re-entry flight control team. he was selected
as an astronaut in 1980 and since then has
served as launch support team member at
Kennedy Space Center for the first three
shuttle missions. He has specialized in the
shuttle's computer system.
Mike and his wife, Kitty Haven, have three
children: Shannon, Kenneth and Kathy.
His parents, Reta and Percy, are well
known throughout the entire area. In addition to Mike, they have three living children:
Lana Sue Teman, who resides in Burlington;
Joe Lounge, who has received his doctorate
in education from the University of Northern
Colorado in Greeley; Cindy Lounge of Fort
Collins. Kathy Lounge Erker, their oldest
daughter, died in 1972.
Mike was scheduled for his second space
flight, which has tentatively been postponed
until the summer of 1988, following the tragic
flight of The Challenger cew.
"Dreams Do Come True" was the theme
for Astronaut Mike Lounge Day which was
held in Mike's honor on Oct. 12, 1985. A
parade with an excess of 100 entries was the
largest and best parade in Burlington's
history. Following
a football g'me
with
Sheridan High School, a barbecue was served
to a crowd of approximately 2,000 people. In
the evening Mike presented a slide show in
the gymnasium of his trip into space. The
response was so great that a second showing
had to be added at the last minute.
Mike presented the City of Burlington with
several items which are on display at the Old
Town Museum in Burlington,including a flag
which accompanied him on his space flight.
by Reta Lounge
�guards, along with representatives, Lt. Governor Nancy Dick, and Senator Jim Brandon,
were all greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of
an excess of 5,000 people from the entire area.
A barbecue was served at noon with an air
show following.
The Burlington City Council began working on the new airport approximately 11 years
before when a meeting with the Federal
Aviation Administration was held in the city
hall. At that time, the FAA informed the city
officials they needed a new airport as the old
one was extremely dangerous.
The council then began the long process of
screening firms to prepare a master plan for
a new facility.
On May L2, 1975, council passed a resolution authorizing the acceptance ofa planning
grant from the FAA for the airport master
plan. An agreement with Nelson, Haley,
Patterson and Qurik, Inc., was signed for the
master plan in June of 1975.
The FAA approved land acquisition funds
in 1980 and the ground was purchased in
August of 1981. The city had two separate
grants from the FAA for the land, one for 80
percent participation from the federal government and 20 percent from the city; the
other for 90 percent and 10 percent. Land
acquisition was $178,920 from A.F. Antholz
and $190,613.40 from William Peters. Total
land cost was $369,533.40.
The city then signed an agreement with
Isbill Associates, Inc., ofDenver for engineering for a new airport.
Float featuring Mrs. King, Mikes teacher, and his classmates.
BURLINGTON-KIT
CARSON COUNTY
AIRPORT
Sight preparation was completed by Boyer
Construction for $166,169 in March of 1983,
with the FAA paying for 90 percent of it.
On July 18, 1983, Mountain States Paving
was awarded the contract for the runway at
a cost of $770,504.50. At the same time,
T283
Saturday, October 13, 1984, proved to be
another historical happening and very special
event in the life of Kit Carson County. It was
the day of the grand opening and dedication
of the Burlington-Kit Carson County Airport.
The day dawned gray and cloudy, but by
noon the sun appeared and helped to make
this celebration a huge success. Hot air
balloonists, bands, aircraft displays, color
Taylor Fencing received the contract for
$13,804.20 for fencing around the property
and $68,038 went to Acme Electric for
runway lighting. All of these were on a 90
percent federal grant with the city paying
The old Airport north and west of town in 1950.
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by Bonnie Witzel
'/
., .-
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An airport advisory board was named by
the city to assist with the overall planning of
the structures. John Swick was the chairman
and was assisted by Harold Caroll, Harley
Hahn and Don Downen.
Total expenditures for the city for the
airport are approximatley $400,000. The
county contributed approximately $80,000.
Most of the city's money for the airport was
derived from the sale of the building sites
near the Burlington Middle School.
The airport was opened in July of 1984.
S |'.,
"
iail:r: ..:ri,
only 10 percent.
Herman Construction Co.. Inc. of Burlington was the general contractor for the
fixed base building at the airport and the two
hangars, which house 16 airplanes. Total cost
for the three structures was $314,600, all of
which was paid for by the city as the FAA
does not participate in buildings on airports.
'.2:,
-:
-"'r
Burlington-Kit Carson County Airport at Grand Opening and Dedication,
1985.
�BURLINGTON
METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
T284
either side of the receding culprits. It is
doubtful if the Rock Island Limited ever
made faster time from Burlington, to the
Kansas line at Carlyle. Every time the
officers would shoot. the men would hit their
horses and lean forward for more speed.
When I heard this I told the people I would
take Burlington, if old Goliath himself should
To the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Burlington, Colorado.
Having been informed by your pastor, Rev.
Gray, that you are building a church house,
I feel somewhat reminiscent and would join
you in your laudable enterprise. It takes me
back to the years that flitted by like the
happy birds that came to those plains at
spring time and then sought the southern
climate at the first blast of winter.
It was in the fall of 1887 that myself and
brother-in-law, Edgar Gilmore, left Furnas
County, Nebraska for Elbert County, Colorado. We drove via Haigler, Nebraska and
thence to old Guy, or Jaqua, on the Republican River.
From there we started for a Mr. John
Lewis, whom Mr. Gilmore had known back
east, and who lived near old Carlyle, Colorado. Stopping once in a while to inquire the
distance to Mr. Lewis' home, we were invar-
iably asked the number of his claim. After
having traveled about 20 miles up on the
Jaqua-Burlington road, we came to where
three men were digging a well near the
roadside. We asked them where John Lewis
lived, and the two men above ground, repeated his name over, two or three times apiece
to each other, and then asked the man in the
well if he knew. We heard him say that he did
not know any such person, but he asked the
number of his claim. We told him the NE of
l9-7-42. Then both men above, said, "Oh! He
Iives in that little shack you see about a half
mile yonder. We didn't know who in the
dickens did live there." And he had been
there about one year. When we reached the
little shack, we found that Mr. Lewis had
gone back to lowa, to get him a cook, but had
left Elmer Hicks and Jacob I. Love to settle
down for what proved to be a hard winter.
Here we met the Rev. D.W. Burt, whom we
had met on occasion of a ministerial meeting
a few years before, in the Northwest Kansas
Conference. He wanted us to help him in
special meetings, for he had learned that we
had evangelistic gifts.
We conducted a meeting at Carlyle, and
from there we went to old Logan, near where
Idalia now stands, and conducted a meeting.
After closing this meeting, we stopped at Bro.
Burt's home for a day or two and he said,
"Brother Thomas,
I
wish you would try
Burlington. You are more than welcome to it.
I confess I can not make an impression on
them, but I think with your musical talent,
you may be able to handle these people."
I made inquiry as to the morale of the place,
and was told that conditions had grown so
bad, that the legal officials were not able to
cope with the situation as the county seat was
at old Kiowa, 150 miles to the west. But I was
also told that members of the Masonic order
had determined to not let the foot pads and
scarlet women run their fair little city, and he
proceeded to test like members and they gave
notice for all undesirables to leave within 24
hours. The result was that Frank Walters'
fastest team was not fast enough for them.
Especially when Frank Bevelheimer, deputy
sheriff and an assistant began shooting on
meet me on the outskirts
of the city. I
therefore gave an appointment and on
a
cold,
late winter Sunday morning, I drove from
Carlyle in time to open the house, cut some
wood and start
a fire. This
was the old
Burlington that stood about one half mile
east and a little south of the present site.
There were six persons at the service. Four
women, one man and a boy, Master Frank
Swayzee, constituted the congregation. The
man was noble Joe Leal, assistant postmast-
er, but unfortunately a tubercular. He became a charter member of your church, then
went to Colorado Springs in quest of better
health, and failing in this move, he concluded
to try the old home where friends and loved
ones could give him cheer, but like Rev. Sam
Jones, his spirit traveled faster than the brain
of time, and he went hence.
After meeting the people a few times in a
two weeks' appointment, we announced a
special meeting, which many termed a revival. We used the old Gospel Hymn number
1,2,3, and 4. And I think we had the use of
Abe Hendricks'organ, which the Evangelist
promised to clean, and repair all defects, as
that was a part of his musical life, for the use
of it. The revival was held in an empty store
building that belonged to the Townsite
Company, standing on the west side of Main
Street (This was old Burlington) and only one
building north of it and that was a one room
shack, which was occupied by an atheist
carpenter, for rooming purposes. We had
obtained absolute control of the building, in
which we held our meetings from Mr. A.J.
Senter, the secretary and Judge Newell,
president of the Townsite Company, who
resided back in Kansas. For the first few
nights of our special meetings the young
folks, mostly the young men, would say,
"Let's go down to the Methodist circus." And
they would come filing into the room with
confusion enough to distract one, unless he
were a thorough Westerner. Being seated in
a
back corner, they would assume the air, now
turn on your circus, we are here.
But the only monkey they saw was the little
bald headed preacher, who was used to that
kind of monkeying, and he started in with a
thirty minute song service. We would use
some display songs, Iike, "No, Not One." etc.,
and some times would divide the house into
three divisions. When it came to the division
these young men were in, they would sure
sing, or holler, "No, Not one." We had singing
that would give credit to any community on
God's footstool. It was not long until that
band was broken, and the young men would
sit where they could avail themselves with a
book, and sing with an earnestness that
showed they were not bad fellows after all.
One incident is worth mentioning. There
were a few people in town and they feared we
were going to break up their dances, etc. The
leaders determined to pull off a big dance in
the same building in which we were holding
our meetings. They concluded it was a public
hall, and could be used for all public occa-
sions. The hall which had been used for
public gatherings before that, had just been
changed into the old Montezuma hotel. Our
first occasion after that
change. The merry dancers sent word to
Goodland and Eustis, Kansas, and quite a
number of joy seekers came over from this
occasion. They could not wait for us to fully
conclude our services that night. But bounded into the room in one body and began to
throw our improvised seats (lumber from the
Neil Brothers lumber yard, with nail kegs and
boxes for supports) in every direction. It
made so much noise in that large empty store
room, that we could not hear ourselves sing.
meeting was the
But we had written on the walls, with colored
crayon, these mottoes. On the south wall was:
"What Shall I Do to Be Saved?" and on the
opposite side was the answer, "Believe On the
Lord Jesus Christ." And at the front. where
all the people could see was "Thou, God Seest
Me," and "Give Me Thine Heart." For some
cause the terpsichoreans could not get up
steam. The evangelist requested his workers
not to say one word in criticism, but to go to
their homes and pray God to work the matter
out.
The dancers did not hold one hour. One
lady from Eustis, said she would have given
a quarter section of land if she had stayed at
home. The next night Bro. Ed Neil and I went
to replace the seats. This atheist carpenter
came in, although he had an antipathy for
preachers. If he saw me in time, when about
to meet, he would step to the outside of the
sidewalk and look across the street. And if he
did not see me in time to do that, he would
simply grunt in response to my "Good
morning." But on this occasion, he was quite
friendly and helped to replace the seats, and
gave the use of his tool chest for the support
of the end of two seats. And when all
was
done, he stood in the doorway and addressed
us. He said, "Well, gentlemen, I have been
roving about this world since I was sixteen
years old and have been in all kinds ofsociety.
I have been in the camps where they have a
green light burning in the gambling halls, but
I have never seen anything that would come
up to that affair last night." And he vanished
into his shack. He told a comrade in the
carpenter work, that he had not heard such
good singing since he was a boy at his
mother's knee. Every night he would sit in the
door ofhis shack and listen to the singing, and
then would "turn in" when the minister
would start the sermon,
Another incident of that meeting is with
me yet. We held for about one week and the
interest seemed to be growing all the time,
but some of the attendants would drop off a
night, if it got too serious for them. One of
these was David E. Swayzee, who was connected with the Burlington Blade, which was
edited by Gene Wooster. He was deaf to his
wife's entreaties, and would come only about
every other night. But being a good bass
singer, he could not stay away all together.
And just as all the people began to consider
the matter deeply, this Swayzee received a
letter from his sister in Ohio telling how much
she had been concerned about in the last few
days. There had been no correspondence
between them for years. But she stated that
he had come so vividly before her, and she
wondered if he was not going to live a
Christian life, so that they might meet up
yonder, since the were not likely to meet
again here on earth. This was too much for
David, and he came to the front ranks that
very night.
�At one of our testimony meetings in the
afternoons, Brother H.L. Page, a seeming
very unemotional man, was seen weeping,
and in his testimony he remarked that no one
had ever seen him weep in a church service
before. but he reflected that he had not been
concerned in the condition ofthe lost. before
hearing Bro. Abe Hendricks tell his touching
experience.
Brother Hendricks was a member of the
Baptist church.
At the conclusion of this meeting, we
organized with 36 members, counting probationers and all. We held our first church
social and praise meeting at Sister French's
home. Then came the scramble of moving the
town to its present site. And also Mr. J.F.
Doty, of Beloit, Kansas came to represent the
Rock Island as right of way man. The
Townsite Company and the railroad company concluded to get out a thousand extra
copies of the Blade and the Boomerang, each
week. We were employed to help the eccentric J.F. Murray of the Boomerang, as local
editor. Mr. Doty also requested us to help him
hunt the claim owners, where his company
was interested in the right of way. There was
Mr. Brady who had a preemption about four
miles west of town where the railroad makes
a curve to the south and then back to the
original line. This was to avoid the deep fill.
The company wanted a two hundred feet
right ofway, the standard being one hundred
feet. Brady had been absent from the dining
room at the Montezuma hotel, we saw Mr.
Brady washing in preparation for breakfast,
and as he came toward us I introduced him
to Mr. Doty. Mr. Doty said, "I believe you
have land that our railroad wants
through?"
Thomas, is now at Rennes, France, in the
transportation service.
Our sympathy was deep and sincere for
these brave pioneers, who went to that
evening land with the tinsel fringed hopes of
a conqueror but the different minion of the
isothermal, blighted and wrecked the fond
the Rev. Franklin Fonester Thomas, a
brother-in-law of Mrs. Martha Gilmore
hopes of most of them. We were on the plains
to
at old Floyd when the great blizzard, of
January 12th, 1888, whacked so many lives.
The Misses Etta Shattuck and Minnie Freeman, school teachers in Nebraska, save their
school children, but both of them lost their
feet. The next night after the blizzard, Prof.
C.V. Dilts of Canada, and myself, stayed with
Brother Mayfield, and glad we were to get
into his sod house. Personally, we had many
joyous visits with the Mayfields. And we
could add many incidents and smiles to this
article, but it is already too long.
Wishing your enterprise great success, and
hoping we may be able to visit your country,
we bid you God speed and good-bye.
Fraternally,
F.F. Thomas
Taken from the Kit Carson County Record, July 31, 1919, Burlington, Colorado.
by Rev. F.F. Thomas
BURLINGTON
UNITED METHODIST
CHURCH
T285
to run
"Yis sor," said Brady, "Oi have
a
thune, Claremont, Vona and Avondale. And
the next year, Kingston, Idalia and Friend
were added to the circuit. For the last year
we received $7.50 from the people. And this
was a dressed hog quoted at $3.50, a pair of
shoes $2.00 and $2.00 in cash.
It was our good fortune to help organize Kit
Carson County then; and it is our good
fortune to show the tourists the grave of that
same Kit Carson now. We were also prime
movers in organizing the first county fair, and
Kit Carson County sunday school Association: The first convention of said association
was held in Burlington on the 22nd and 23rd
of June, 1889. Mr. Peter Winner, superintendent of the Trinity M.E. Sunday School, was
with us. On the evening of the last day,
Sunday the 23rd, Dr. C.A. Gillette came into
Burlington from Bethune, and told us we
were once more the proud father of a
bouncing boy. And this same boy, Fred G.
but he felt the call to preach, so he studied
become a preacher, and then began his
career as a circuit rider. Like others, he came
to this country from Nebraska.
The first newspaper in town, the Bur-
lington Blade, notes that Rev. Thomas
preached his first sermon here January 15,
1888. There were six persons a the service
Joe Leal, a tubercular who was assistant
postmaster, 4 women, and a boy; Frank
Swayzee. It is believed that this and other
meetings held during the next two weeks were
to become the
Montezuma Hotel then located in Old Burlington which was somewhat east and south
ofthe present day city. A.J. Senter and Judge
Newell gave Thomas permission for the use
of an empty building belonging to the
Townsite Co. on the west side of the main
street, and a series of revival meetings were
begun on February 16th. For the first few
nights, some of the young men joked about
held at what was later
going to the "Methodist circus", but they
came. Rev. Thomas agreed to clean and
repair all the defects for the use of Abe
Hendricks' organ, and with his fine tenor
voice, he led the hymn singing for 30 minutes
before the preaching and said, "We had
singing that would be a credit to any commu-
nity on God's footstool". On February 25,
1888, the Burlington Methodist Episcopal
Church was organized by the 33 year old
remaining 14 were probationers, possible
youngsters not quite old enough for full
membership. Others believe to have affiliated
Brady.
"Yes, we can give you $40", said Doty.
"All right," said Brady, so quick that Doty
dropped the rubber band from his mouth,
which he had taken from his check book,
because of his surprise at Brady's willingness
took up a circuit consisting of Beloit, Be-
Rev. Thomas had college music education,
and had intended to make music his life work,
preacher with 36 members. Mary Cain Pearce
wrote in her diary that she and her husband
Carman Pearce signed the charter. Joe Leal,
Mary Wilcox and David Swayzee are known
to be among the 22 charter members, and the
'presumption' out west of town."
"Well, we are paying on an average of $35
to the claim," said Doty.
Ond caunt yez give more an thot?" said
to sell.
Doty had determined to give him $100, if
he required it on account ofthe double width
and rainbow shape of the right of way.
After the town was moved, we turned the
work over to Rev. Willis of Wallet and we
Lundy, he was fired with determination and
set forth to bring religion to Burlington.
with the group at that time were
Mrs.
Mr. and Mrs. L. French, Mr. and
Mrs. H. Ed Neal, A.J. Carpenter, and H.L.
Page. The first church social and praise
meeting was held at the home of sister Ettie
French, and Sunday church services were
later conducted at the D.E. Swayzee home.
Swayzee,
Burlington United Methodist Church, 1956.
A history of the Burlington
Methodist
Church from 1888 to 1987.
With the passage of the Homestead Act in
1862, settlers were allowed to claim unoccupied lands by a short residence and payment
of $1.25 an acre. Any citizen over 21 or head
of a family could acquire 160 acres of public
land by filing a claim and "proving up" on it.
The first of these homesteads, which were to
open up the vast western territory for
development, was taken up, a few hardy
individuals pushed on west into Colorado by
1877,but it was not until the building of the
railroad in 1887 from Omaha to Denver that
the attention of the landseekers was called to
the homesteads available here. At that time,
there were in the town; 6 saloons, 4 livery
barns, 2 stores, a print shop, a bank, and 2 or
3 cigar making places and a few houses.
This was a missionary field for the Method-
ist Church, but attempts to
convince the
people of Burlington to mend their ways had
been anything but successful. When word of
the unsavory reputation of the town reached
In April, an advertisement for sealed bids for
the erection of a church appeared in the
Blade. On June 4th, Mary Pearce noted that
the lst Quarterly Conference of the church
was conducted by Elder Merritt of Denver.
After the town was moved to its present
location, the work was turned over to Rev.
Willis, and Rev. Thomas who had a tree claim
at Bethune, took up a circuit of Beloit,
Bethune, Claremont (Stratton), Vona, and
Avondale to which Kingston, Idalia and
Friend were added the next year. That year
he received as his pay, a dressed hog amounting to $3.50, a pair of two dollar shoes and two
dollars in cash. Rev. Thomas also organized
the Kit Carson County Sabbath School
Association which held its first convention in
Burlington the 22nd and 23rd ofJune in 1889
with Mr. Peter Winnie, superintendent of
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Sunday School
in Denver as the speaker.
An election held in 1889 to determine the
county seat resulted in Burlington being
selected by a vote of 451 to 170 over
Claremont. The third marriage to take place
in the county, that of Elmer Castor and Mary
�Mrs. Annie Newell donated some land for
a parsonage, and September of 1899 found
carpenter Buchele at work on it. The Ladies
Aid was organized about the 20th ofFebruary
1900, and shortly thereafter, they had a
supper which brought $36 for the parsonage.
Mrs. Mary Pearce was chosen to be the first
president. The Ladies Aid met in the homes
and sewed or mended whenever they need
help. The highlight of the meetings was trips
to the farm homes of members. Mr. and Mrs.
Carman Pearce, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Guthrie,
Mr. and Mrs. Grant Stetler and others were
farm hosts. On one very happy occasion, Mr.
Peter Guthrie cnme for the ladies. There had
been a deep snow, and he had a big team of
horses hitched to a sled that took them all to
his home for a big turkey dinner. The Aid
gave a cake and ice cream social in the
basement of the Winegar Building to get the
first dishes for the present church. Everyone
was invited and asked to bring what ever
dishes they could donate. Following the
reunion of Methodism in 1939, when Episcopal was dropped from our church name, the
unification program combined the Ladies
Aid, home and foreign missionary societies
Burlington United Methodist Church 1988 celebrating their centennial this year.
E. Rice, was performed by Rev. J.N. Willis.
Grant Stetler brought his bride to his homestead. and Mr. and Mrs. Peter Guthrie and
family came to make their home.
Four lots were on the corner of l1th and
Lowell, were donated by R.S. Newell and C.F.
Jilson as a building site for a church. A trust
bond for $250 to the Church Extension
Society was signed by Trustees S.K. King,
J.E. Leal, Thomas Seaman, and C.C. Gilmore. Enough money was then raised to put
up a 24x40 foot frame building in May and
June, 1889. This was Burlington's first
church and the original Methodist church.
The ladies of the church held a strawberry
and ice cream supper and had a "fish pond"
and "post office" to help pay off the debt.
The first twins in the county, Clyde and
Sarah M. Guthrie were born. Rev. Willis
organized a church Sunday School. The
extreme drought forced many to give up their
homesteads and go back east to make a living.
People would go miles to hear a sermon and
enjoy Sunday School and services were held
at school houses and little churches all over
the country. When there were to be baptisms
at the Landsman Creek or the River, the
whole family would pile in the wagon and
taking a basket dinner they would be off on
a holiday. In 1894, the Burlington-Lansing
Circuit was created. It was a 5-point circuit,
and included Lansing, Browning and Liberty,
all north of the Republican River, and
Plainview, east of Burlington. It took a week
for the minister to complete the circuit. He
usually rode horseback or in a two-wheeled
cart, but the Rev. Mitchell, who bought and
repaired bicycles to sell to the boys, rode the
circuit on a bicycle. During the winter and
spring everyone worried about the preacher
when he was riding the circuit, because
ofthe
treacherous blizzards and swollen streams
that became rushing torrents after the spring
thaws. One Easter, some of the ladies spent
days and nights making lilies, and then hours
decorating the church. On Sunday morning
no one could get to church because of the
tremendous snowdrifts, but the minister's
family looked in the window to see the Easter
decorations.
Our Sunday School records for January
into the Woman's Society for Christian
1895 show that there were three officers, two
teachers and a total of thirteen present with
a collection of six cents. Fred Buchele was reelected superintendent; C.A. Yersin, assistant superintendent; Mertie Case, secretary;
Mrs. C.A. Pearce, treasurer; Mrs. Stella
Wilson, chorister. About 1930, with Mrs.
Fannie Ross in charge, the Cradle Roll was
established and babies whose names were on
the roll were "rocked" in a little service on
Children's Day. Vic Whitmore has been
responsible for the Cradle Roll since 1936.
The Rev. B.H. McCoy stayed with the
Carman Pearce's family and tells of writing
a letter and laying it aside until they had
enough money among them for a stamp. Mr.
Pearce always did the best he could to collect
Service, and Rev. A.W. Lenz chartered the
local W.S.C.S. on September 21, 1949 with
Anna Buol as president and 80 charter
members. Ruth Holland helped to establish
a circle which met in the evening, and Alene
Morgan assisted in the forming of Jeanne
Nave, Brinton, and W.F.C. (Women for
Christ) circles in 1960 and Hoepner in 1961.
Among the many accomplishments of the
W.S.C.S. and its circles are parsonage im-
provements and the furnishing of a complete
set of dishes to be used in serving banquets
to groups of a hundred. W.S.C.S. has become
United Methodist Women.
Through the efforts of Rev. Shea and Rev.
to Burlington on their way to the hills to
make their fortune, and before long, many
came through on their way back in disappointment. Answering roll at the 1897 No-
Potashinsky, Dr. Ammi Bradford Hyde was
secured to deliver the oration for the big
Fourth of July celebration in 1902. For a
quarter of a century, Dr. Hyde had written
notes on Sunday School lessons for the
Pittsburgh Christian Advocate, and his book
the "Story of Methodism" had a circulation
of something over 300,000 copies.
A severe epidemic of scarlet fever struck in
December of 1903 followed by an epidemic of
vember Quarterly Conference were Wm.
smallpox
money for the church and the preacher's
salary, but it was a hard job.
Cripple Creek's boom brought sometimes
as many as twenty "Prairie Schooners" a day
Aten, C.A. Pearce, Grant Stetler, Pastor L.M.
Potashinsky, Presiding Elder B.T. Vincent,
C.A. Peterson and Mary Fleming from
Plainview; Mrs. Greatslinger, Fred Jenkins,
and R. Cassin of Lansing. The Pastor repor-
ted that he had traveled
1,086 miles,
preached 20 times, held 2 funerals, made 130
pastoral visits and organized a Sunday School
at Browning. At one of the homes where he
spent the night, he remarked at dinner that
the coyotes were a bad lot, destroying many
chickens. "Yes", said the little six year old
boy, "but they ain't half as bad on 'em as
preachers." The District Convention of the
W.C.T.U. was held at the church on November 20th, and Mrs. Telford, the state president, filled the pulpit on Sunday morning the
21st. L.D. Browning was elected president of
the Epworth League. The church
made
preparations for a grand Christmas entertainment Christmas Eve with good music,
good speaking, and a surprise for the children
from Santa Claus to remind them that "One
came to bring'Peace on earth, goodwill to
ment.tt
in the spring. Many died. Rev.
Mcleod's daughter, Mary Strawson, tells
how her father would visit whenever a child
was sick, then came home to bathe and
change clothes before joining the family, and
they were spared, but Nellie Thompson, a
little girl from the country who was staying
in their home, took the fever and died. Mrs.
E.C. Baker sat up all night to make a little
white dress for her to be buried in, and came
bringing
it
the next morning along with
a
bouquet of geraniums. In those days, people
who butchered brought the minister fresh
meat, potatoes, and other vegetables, and
they would give Pound Parties with each
person bringing some kind of food and
sometimes a pound
dollars.
of money
-
16 silver
It was about this time that the church
acquired its first organ. The town's fraternal
organizations all met at the old Odd Fellow
hall, where the Record Office is now. The
lodges had all gone together and purchased
a reed organ, and when it was replaced with
a player piano, the organ was taken to the
church. Among the possessions of the late Dr.
�F.L. Bergen, it is now the property of the
Henry Hoskin family. Ruby Aten, Mabel
Boger and others played it for many years at
the little church and later when it was moved
to the new building. A good piano was
eventually purchased and then a magnificent
pipe organ, followed by the Hammond organ
and the fine piano obtained when Dr. Henry
Beatty was pastor, which we still use for our
worship services.
A movement to erect a new church building
was begun during the pastorate of Rev.
Boner. A real estate boom was being enjoyed
and several large contributions were made by
promoters. Substantial nmounts were sub-
scribed on a three year plan, and a lot of
material and labor was donated.
The 1916 "Booster Edition" of the Kit
Carson County Record published by R.L.
Wilkinson stated that, "[t is pleasing to note
there is not a single saloon, dive or gambling
den in operation in our town. The Christian
influence is felt strongly in all circles. What
we are particularly proud of, and for which
we are becoming quite noted, are the moral
and Christian influences of our city. A more
clean minded, a more moral God loving and
God fearing people cannot be found in all
America."
Rev. J.A. Moorman furnished the cornerstone for the building we now occupy, and it
was laid by Bishop Mead in 1917. Everyone
was anxious to see the building completed.
Arthur Wilson writing in the Burlington Call
said, "Of light, pressed brick, the edition will
be a magnificent and stately addition to the
city. Being built at an estimated cost of from
$18,000 to $20,000, its magnitude and gran-
Nelson McCormick of Cedaredge, Colorado,
the Burlington Methodist church
yerus, many appropriate and useful gifts have
around the world and ministers from all over
the world have stepped into our pulpit.
At a special session of the Quarterly
Conference in 1957, the church gave approval
to plans for a new Church School Educational
Unit which was built at a cost of $32,000. A
building committee was appointed with J.V.
Brown, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
as chairman; Kermit Buol, Sunday School
superintendent as Financial chairman; Mrs.
Tom Ambler, Treasurer; Lay Leader, Howard Stewart, John Bryner, Sam Hendricks,
Willard Gross, Walt Bauder, Clark Hammond and the Pastor Paul Holland. Ground
breaking ceremonies the following year with
committee members taking part along with
E.C. Baker, the oldest member of the church;
Nancy McCartney, M.Y.F. president; and Iva
Olson, W.S.C.S. president, were a milestone
in the history of the church, this being the
first addition made in 40 years. On Palm
Sunday, 1959, special services during the
Sunday School hour, when the children each
carried a chair from the old building to the
new, signalled the educational unit's completion. Formal consecration was conducted by
Bishop Glenn R. Phillips and District Super-
been added to the attractiveness of the
church sanctuary and contribute to our
worship experience. We use the Hoskin
family Bible on the altar and lecterns. The
three piece set of oak pulpit furniture was
given by his family in Memory of Peter
Guthrie. To this was added the oak altar set,
consisting of the cross, two candle holders,
and the oak panel reredos given in memory
of Clementina Guthrie by her sons and
daughters, and wrought iron candelabra
dedicated to the memory of Peter N. Guthrie
by the Guthrie family and in memory of Ed
E. Hoskin by his family; and the oak table,
a memorial to little Sandra Rae Tallent by
her friends and relatives, presented by her
parents Mr. and Mrs. Dale Tallent. The
"Last Supper" tapestry was a gift of Mr. and
Mrs. Charlie Hammond.
Like Pearl Morgan, who was married to
Clyde Guthrie by Rev. Moorman at the A.S.
King home on August 3, 1918 and bid her new
husband farewell the following day when he
answered the call to the colors, the women of
the church have kept the vigil at home with
busy hands and prayerful hearts as their men
have fought in two wars for the cause of
freedom. Rev. Harold I. Wollard held the first
Honor Roll Service on February 7, 1943 as a
tribute to World War II servicemen. with the
families of 33 members and constituents as
special guests. For a number of years this
Memorial Service took place on the first
Sunday of February, and an impressive
Service Honor Roll plaque listed the names
deur surprises even those through whose
efforts its construction has been made possible. The people of Burlington honor and
appreciate the efforts of such progressive
of
citizens." The money raising efforts of Rev.
"In answer to President Wilson's request
for the co-operation of all the civil and
W.L. Botkin proved to be quite successful,
making slmost debt free occupancy possible
by 1919. The little churchwas sold, with some
of the material used in the construction of the
Hudson residence. The parsonage was moved
to the corner and with borrowed money paid
off by the Ladies Aid Society, it was enlarged.
In
recent years, other improvements have
to make it a more comfortable
home for our ministerial families, and an
asset to the community.
The treasurer's books for January 1929
show that $2,239.22 was paid for pews and
been made
other fixtures, and from time to time, various
improvements have been made on the church
itself. After extensive repairs and redecoration in 1941, October 12th was celebrated as
a day of re-dedication for the church, with
hundreds in attcndance. Participating in the
different events of the day and evening were
Dr. A.P. Gaines, superintendent of the
Greeley District; E.C. Baker for the Board of
Trustees; Sunday School Superintendents
A.V. Halsted and Iva Olson; Anna Buol for
the Youth Fellowship. Lois Halsted's church
school choir sang and graduation exerciseg
were held along with a pageant, "The Golden
Chord" costumed by Lorene Baker. Special
music was presented by the vested choirs,
Betty Harrison, Ora Baker, Bonnie Gould,
Avalon Guthrie, Nell Hayes, Dr. F.L. Bergen,
Walter Hem6qn6 and Minta Coleman, Elva
Mae Lundy and Jackie Hendricks at the
organ. Following the acceptance of an alabaster altar set to the youth group and the
communion table, gifts from Mr. and Mrs.
ka and our home missions, the influence of
communion was observed. Through the
100 from our church, among them 5
women, who served. Durward Ray Dunn
made the supreme sacrifice for his country in
World War II.
commercial enterprises in the furtherance of
the war". The Epworth League president
asked "co-operation in the study of the most
vital subject,'Co-operation with the Sunday
School' " on a Sunday evening in June 1918
at a big open air meeting on Grant Stetler's
lawn with special music rendered. The
Epworth League's modern counterpart, the
M.W.F. (Methodist Youth Fellowship) conducts business, holds diseussions and gets
together for breakfast meetings. Our own
Joan Harker is sub district president. Kenneth Ancell attended the Youth Convocation
at Purdue University as our delegate in 1959.
Cathy Penny, Norman Reinecker, John
Chapin and John Buol were our representative to the first Washington D.C. - United
Nations Peace Seminar in 1962. For the
Seminar in 1963, the church helped sponsor
Barbara Brown, Joan and Jean Harker.
Miss Anna Adkisson's Sunday School girls
organized a group they called the Sunbeams
in the spring of 1918. They had a Missionary
box, and saved money to buy Bibles printed
in Chinese to be sent to a Methodist Missionary in China. Members of that class were
Gladys Parsons, Oletha Eicher, Henrietta
Lidke, Mary Katherine Duvall, Mary Burks,
Lyla Ragan, Minnie Zick, and. Della Boger. In
1964, our Missionary interest reached an all
time high, with a budget of $3,319. In
financing the building of the church at PotePote in the Congo in 1960-61, and our support
of other projects in Africa, South America,
India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Alas-
reaches
intendent Laird V. Loveland on May
10,
1959.
Four hundred members and friends helped
us observe 50 years of sacrificial and consecrated giving in an impressive and inspiring
manner carried out by Rev. J.T. Coulter on
February 27,1939. Bishop Ralph I. Cushman
and District Superintendent Dr. Charles O.
Thibodeau were with us on April 10th for the
second great occasion in celebration of our
Golden Anniversary. At the invitation of Rev.
Omer Timmons, Bishop Glenn R. Phillips
was with us when we reached the 65th year
of our Christian journey. As vigorous and
hardy as the people who endured the hardships of the prairie, red geraniums bloomed
in glorious profusion paying tribute to our
founders on our 75th anniversary.
The introduction of irrigation to Eastern
Colorado agriculture brought Mexican Nationals to work in the beet fields. Under the
direction of Rev. Ole Aarvold, the church
planned and conducted the first school for
children of migrant workers.
Following the 1968 merger with the Evangelical United Brethren, and the closing of
their Bethune church on Oct. 1, 1970, new
members were welcomed by the congrega-
tion.
Although major improvements were made
on the church building through the years,
costly repairs and necessary renovation determined the decision to remodel, and in June
1971, the last service was held in the old
sanctuary with worship services at the First
Christian Church thereafter until Jan. 1972.
Membership was at an all-time high of more
than 500 when the burning of the mortgage
and re-dedication of the newly-remodeled
building was celebrat€d in January of 1974.
Preserving a piece ofthe past, oak taken from
the old building was made into a communion
table and the original stained-glass windows
remain. The parsonage was sold in 1976, and
a new one purchased. Offices and needed
classroom space were added to the church in
1976, completing the modernization.
by Dorene Buol
�facility, so the building was remodeled and
enlarged, most of which was done by the
THE BURLINGTON
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
members.
Throughout these twenty-one
T286
years,
church services have been held each Sunday
morning and evening with the Lord's Table
offered. Bible Study
is
each Wednesday
evening.
This is a short history of
a
relatively young
church which remains strong because of
many dedicated people who desire to serve
the Lord. While various ministers came to
watch over "His" flock and left, it is because
those that loved the Lord gathered faithfully
in His name, giving unselfishly of their time
and talent, that this church has grown and
remains strong.
Burlington Christian Church.
People came to America
in
1620 to
find
Frank Witzel were the first elders.
Heeding the Great Commission (Matthew
28:,19,20), the congregation voted in August
1964 to send Clinton B. Thomas of Williamsport, Pennsylvania to the mission field.
Clint had previously served in Brazil as a
medical missionary, knew the Portuguese
language and he needs of the people. In
December, the family consisting of Clint, his
wife Phyllis, and their three young sons, Tim,
Ted, and Tom left their dear friends, security
and comforts to serve the Lord in Urucara,
Amazones, Brazil. They continue to labor in
this area today.
Missions have played a major role in the
hearts of the Christian believers, supporting
work in Hong Kong, Germany and New
Guinea. Locally, the congregation has helped
to start new churches in Goodland, Hugo and
Sterling.
The independent Christian churches on
the Eastern Slope of Colorado have a beautiful service camp at Como which is used
throughout the year. Camp is held for
children of all ages, plus marriage enri-
chment, singles retreat, family camp, men's
roundup, women's retreat and college-career
plus weekend skiing for Junior and Senior
High youth groups in the winter.
Burlington Christian Church has actively
supported two christian colleges in the area;
nnmely, Platte Valley Bible College at Scotts-
bluff, Nebraska and Intermountain Bible
College at Grand Junction, Colorado.
Our present church is located at 12th and
Donelan; it was purchased from the Trinity
Lutherans in 1966. (This building was originally located two miles west of Bethune and
south of the Correction Line. The concrete
steps are still there. The Trinity Lutherans
moved the building to its present location in
1944.) The mortgage was burned in 1972. By
1976 the congregation had out-grown this
for occupancy, and on December 5th, the first
Sunday services were held in the building,
with formal dedication held on December
1gth.
Almost a year later (Nov. 1955) the church
withdrew from the Arizona Convention and
the Denver Association and joined the newly
organized Colorado Convention and the
Platte Valley association. The next month
the congregation set aside Robert L. Edmondson and Jim Winfrey as deacons. Later
that month, Rev. Porter resigned (Dec. 14) to
move to California where he accepted a
church.
After being pastorless for two months, the
church called Rev. M.W. Richardson (Feb.
12, 1956). He served until May 7, 1958, when
he resigned to accept a church in Hotchkiss,
FIRST BAPTIST
Colorado.
T287
Rev. Harry Mallette became our pastor
July 2, 1958, and under his leadership, the
church moved forward. He served faithfully
The First Baptist Church of Burlington
until his resignation October 12, 1962, to
become pastor of the Valentine, Nebraska
a
new freedom, the right to worship as they
pleased. This idea travelled with the pioneers
as they headed west and started settling
down, making homes, starting churches and
schools, determined to live by the Holy Bible
with faith and prayers.
In April L964, a group of believers assembled to study the Bible as God's Holy Word,
believing on Jesus as God's only son and sent
to prepare the way. The Burlington Christian
Church was officially organized in May with
thirty charter members and Dale Mason as
Minister. Douglas Hillman, Jack Rutter and
tion for the church loan was made and shortly
thereafter granted.
By December the new building was ready
CHURCH
was founded through the efforts of Rev. and
church.
Mrs. A.H. Harmon. This Southern Baptist
Rev. Jack Porter returned and served a
brief interim - Oct. 21 to Nov. 13. The church
called Rev. Richard Holland on Dec. 5, 1962.
In the spring of 1963 a building committee
was formed and plans were made to erect an
educational wing onto the present structure.
This addition was dedicated on Aug. 22,L965.
On January 5, 1966 the church ordained
Loren Hurst as an active deacon. Richard
Holland resigned the pastorate here, effective Jan. 1, to accept a church in Brighton,
couple, with the financial help of two Oklaho-
ma churches, began gathering Baptists together in the late spring of 1952. A mission
was established and services were held in the
American Legion Hall until a building could
be erected.
A service organizing the mission into a
church was held October 5,1952. The church
was constituted with 13 charter members.
Representatives of the South Baptist Convention and the Arizona Convention took
part in the service. The church chose Rev.
A.H. Harmon to serve as its first pastor and
unanimously voted to join the Southern
Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Association of Colorado. Thus, under the
name "The First Baptist Church", a new
work was launched.
co.
After being pastorless for almost 6 months,
Rev. Don Larkin was called to be our pastor.
He moved on the field in the middle of June,
1967, and served faithfully until he resigned
in the middle of October, 1969, to accept a call
to Hereford, Texas.
On July 16, 1967, the church voted to
The following month workers of the Yuma
mission were accepted into the membership.
In the years that followed, the church started
work at Wray and Cheyenne Wells. The work
at Wray continues as a church, while the work
purchase the present parsonage. On October
9, 1968, the church voted to recognize Milton
Sharp as an active deacon. On October 21,
1969, the church ordained Thomas McCauley
Cheyenne Wells folded. During these
formative years, the church had the financial
support of a Pampa, Texas Baptist Church.
In the spring of 1953 a building fund was
started and Jim Winfrey was elected to serve
After being pastorless again from October
to March, the church called Rev. James Crow
of Meridian, Oklahoma, to be pastor. On
September 8, 1970, the church licensed
Ronnie Beeson into the ministry. February
10, 1971, saw the ordination of three more
deacons - Louis Stout, Don Johnson and Jim
Sharp. James Crow resigned in 1975 to go
back to Oklahoma. Later in 1975 Clyde Allen
was called to be pastor. He served approximately one year.
In February 1977, Aaron Nutter accepted
at
as chairman.
In the fall of 1953 (September 20th), Rev.
Harmon resigned to return to school for
further training. The church was pastorless
for almost
seven months. They elected a
Board of Trustees
-
A.C. Williamson, Jim
Winfrey and Earl Van Tassel, and three
- Ed Winfrey, Roscoe Johnson and
E.T. Straughn.
Finally, on April 11, 1954, Rev. Jack Porter
of Hackett, Arkansas answered the call for
pastor. The next month the church selected
six lots at Cherry and Donelan for the site of
the proposed building; thus setting aside
their action of January 13th, in which they
had selected three lots on 17th and Senter.
At their regular May business meeting, the
deacons
congregation voted to apply for a church loan
through the Home Mission Board. In this
action the church incorporated and two more
trustees were elected - Doyle Robertson and
Clyde Teague. In June, the formal applica-
and Arthur Schmidt as Deacons.
the call and has been serving the church
family since that time. Bob Churchwell, Jim
Jordan, Paul Rhodes, and Ray Rhodes were
ordained as deacons in May 1982 to serve
with Tom McCauley, Art Schmidt and Louis
Stout. Don Johnson and Jim Sharp resigned
from serving as deacons.
�FIRST CHRISTIAN
CHURCH (DISCIPLES
oF cHRrsr)
T288
The Christian Church of Burlington, Colorado was organized on November 22, 1908, by
a small group of Christians led by Brother
Charles A. Yersin. They first met in homes,
then in the local school house, and later in the
Odd Fellows Hall which was the second floor
of the building later occupied by Knapp's
Plumbing Co.
The charter members so far as records
show were: C.A. Yersin, Katherine Yersin,
W.P. Davis, Mrs. W.P. Davis, Nina F.
Norville, Winegar Norville, Mrs. S.P. Shaw,
William Parke, Mrs. William Parke, Pamelia
Brinkley, Cynthia Boyles, Rhoda Yersin
Scofield, Mrs. James W. Sparks, Mr. George
Pflum. Mrs. Edna Pflum.
Mr. Yersin, who had been ordained a
minister of the Christian Church at Liberty,
Missouri in 1875, served without pay the
growing church its beginning until 1917. At
this time Mrs. Yersin's health failed, so they
went to Missouri for the winter. A revival had
been held to increase the membership and
interest. It is presumed a minister was hired
for part of the time up to 1917. The congregation must have been consecrated. faithful and
prayerful. Early members remember that
many prayer meetings were held in the Yersin
yard, and the Aid Society met at the home
which was located 172 blocks east of Bonny
Drive.
The congregation grew to such an extent
that there was need for a church home. To
help with this project Mr. W.W. Brinkley
gave
part of his barn lots, and moved his fence
back. The basement was soon started and
rushed to be finished for use so the Ladies'
Aid would have a place to meet and serve
dinners. And there were many such dinners.
Many land seekers were brought in by the
Winegar Land Company. These men were
taken out to look at land, and brought back
to town to be served delicious home-cooked
his service to the church that the Christian
Women's Board of Missions was organized.
Mrs. Robins was our first president. It was a
strong organization at that time having as
many as fifty or more members. It did not
take the place of the Aid Society because
many women were avid quilters. When Mr.
Anderson left, Mr. Yersin was to keep things
going.
The next minister was Thomas Carey and
his wife who served for one year. They made
a temporary home in the church basement.
They left and again services were carried on
by laymen and Mr. Yersin.
We were able to secure Mr. and Mrs. Ernest
Hageman and family who served for 1925 to
1927. They did a fine work in Burlington with
their talent for music and their leadership
ability. The Christian Women's Board of
Missions and Aid Society were active. Mrs.
Nina Norville Winegar was chosen pianist
and Mr. Hageman led the choir.
Again the Iadies served many dinners to
help raise money for various church activities. A need for a parsonage was felt. After
many discussions the decision was made to
build if conveniently located lots could
providing some
expense money, but there are no available
records to show their accomplishments.
Memory is uncertain for the period from 1917
to
1921.
Rev. A.L. Anderson came in 1921. He and
his family lived in a temporary parsonage at
the south end of Main Street. It was during
September 1940 the army took many young
men for training at Fort Sill. Among those
was Asa Calvin, who served as a captain. Mr.
Green kept folks busy and made many
friends for the struggling church. Then came
discouraging news.
Several years before Main Street had been
paved. The expense of paving was allotted to
each lot along the street. The church group
owned lots on both sides of the street. The
paving expense had been overlooked for some
reason. Interest had accumulated on the debt
until it amounted to quite a sum. A loan was
secured from the Board of Church Extension
in Indianapolis to pay this debt. By serving
dinners, serving at sales, and quilting, and
gifts from outside friends the debt
gradually reduced.
Mr. Bashor, a
was
wheat
farmer, paid the last 9250.00. Again the Little
White Church was out of debt. Mr. Green left
for another field of ministry August 5, 1943.
Lawrence Baird and family came in September 1945. He stayed until May of 1946. In
Mr. W.F. Calvin, Mr.
Somers, and many
others whose names are not available.
Mr. Hageman and family left for other
work so we were without a pastor for several
months. Again laymen and Mr. Yersin
carried on.
In
1947
Mr. J.L. TSmer and family were
called. The leadership ability of these fine
people kept all departments active. Mrs.
Tyner, an ordained minister, kept young folk
and children interested.
Mrs. Tyner conducted a complete church
service for the youngsters in the basement.
This included communion and a sermon.
This service is outstanding in the memory of
those who attended the children's church.
The Tyners left in the Spring of 1936.
The bell was run faithfully as long as it
remained in the "Little White Church."
There is a break in the history here. The
of the Ladies' Aid kept
activities.
from friends, and many hours of labor given
by Mr. Haughey, a contractor, Mr. Hageman,
produce a fair living for everyone. During
that time the Little White Church continued
to point our spirits to higher goals. Credit
must be given to the laymen who continued
to carry on in spite of depressions in finance
as well as in church attendance.
Among these faithful leaders was E.T.
Straughn who always had scripture reading
church continued on; dinners and the work
young people in Christian Endeavor, TriCounty Endeavor and Rallies and other
October 16, 1943 Mr. Franklin Page and
Mrs. Page came to serve the church until
April 1945. Several months passed before Mr.
On December 1, 1910, the Little White
Church building had been completed, and it
wad dedicated.
The tower for the bell was included in the
building plans, but it was some time later that
the bell was purchased, again with money
given by generous people in town. It was the
cherished ambition of Mr. Yersin that a bell
be placed in the church. He loved to ring the
bell each Sunday to call members to worship.
On July 25, 1940, Mr. Lloyd Green and
family came. They worked faithfully with the
be
secured. The lots across the street west of the
church were possible by the very popular and
delicious dinners served by the ladies, by help
For several months there was no minister.
These were times when crops were not too
good. Salaries were very low. Mr. Sutton and
his family came from 1936 to 1938. The fall
of 1938 brought Mr. and Mrs. Coleman who
stayed one year. During his ministry two
young men were ordained to be ministers.
They were Bob Davis and Francis Wheeler.
These were the times when money was not
dinners by the Ladies' Aid. This money
helped with the building expenses.
A little later a mortgage was put on the
building to help finish it, but most of the
money needed came from generous gifts by
people who lived in Burlington at the time.
other work.
plentiful. Crops were planted in faith. Grasshoppers took their share, lack of moisture
reduced the crops' yield, and farmers were
left with the hope that the next year would
and a short message before communion
service which was never omitted. This held
the few faithful together. Another layman
was Asa Calvin who took his turn with the
morning services. Freeman was a faithful
pianist and music director for many years. At
times Mr. Jansen, a farmer minister, filled
the pulpit. Mr. Ralph Bixel came in 1939. He
remained only a few months then went into
Mr. Eugene Palmer and
family came. They worked faithfully with the
young people and in district church rallies. In
September 1947 the Alleys left for other
fields.
Mr. Pontius, an interim minister, came in
October 1947. Each week he drove out from
Denver. In May 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Colglazier
came to Burlington to make their home. Mrs.
Colglazier and Mrs. W.L. Fisher, choir director, added to the services with good song
services and music. Mr. Pontius continued to
serve until July 1949 when Mr. Green was
called back for a second time.
An Easter Cantata was presented to the
largest crowd ever to assemble at any of our
services. The crowd was so large a loud
speaker was put in the basement for the
overflow crowd. This made the congregation
more aware of the need for a larger building.
Finally plans were made to build on lots
September 1946
at 16th and Senter
Streets. The church building was sold to the
Masonic Temple. A temporary meeting place
had to be secured. The armory was rented for
morning services, and the basement of the
parsonage was used.
Services began in the armory on May 6,
1951. Here the morning church services and
adult Sunday School classes met. The Junior
and Primary Sunday School classes, and all
evening services, were held in the parsonage.
This building became the center of all church
already purchased
activities.
The Vacation Bible School for 1951 was
held jointly with the Methodist Church from
May 28 to June 8, 1951. It is reported to have
been a very successful church school. The
following year, while building the new
church, the Vacation School was held at the
parsonage.
Plans for the new church had been accepted and work was soon to begin. On Sunday
afternoon, June 2, 1951, a ground breaking
service was held on the lots at 16th and Senter
Streets. Several assisted in the service. Mr.
E.T. Straughn, Chairman of the Board of
�Trustees, turned the
first spadeful of dirt.
This was a very impressive service.
Records show that Mr. Ray Schlosser used
his equipment to dig trenches for the foundation and the basement. This work was
completed, a some of the foundation base was
poured by September 2, 1951. The laminated
beams were being erected by October 21,
1951.
The walls were put up ready for the
cornerstone by the first ofthe year, 1952. On
January 20,1952, the service for "Laying the
Cornerstone" was held. Mr. E.T. Straughn
gave the invocation, Mr. Lloyd Green, W.L.
Fisher (Chairman of the Building Committee), Asa Calvin (Secretary of the Committee), Lloyd Billington, W.G. Colglazier, Marvin Gilbert (Treasurer), Clark Rutter, Herbert Dillion and G.S. Schlosser participated
in laying the cornerstone.
The parsonage was sold before the new
church was completed, and the house just
east of the church was purchased for the
parsonage.
Mention must be made of the loyalty of the
church choir during our building days. On
March 25, 1952, a cantata, "The First Easter"
was given to a full house. Later a program of
religious songs was given on June 8. A
Christmas cantata was presented December
2, L952. During the building days there were
nineteen members added to the church.
The men of the church were very faithful
in giving of their time to work on the building.
Friends gave both time and money to help
carry on. Each summer the Christian Women's Fellowship, with the help of the men, had
a food stand at the County Fair. All of this
helped to make possible the early completion
of the building by the last of May 1953.
The seats were installed, the organ put in,
and everything ready for the long-anticipated
day when we could begin holding our services
in the new church building. The first service
was held in the new building on May 24, 1953.
June 7, 1953 the church building was
dedicated. At 2:30 p.m. the sanctuary and the
fellowship room were filled with friends and
members to be a part of the Dedicatory
Service. The program consisted in part ofthe
following service. Scripture and prayer by
W.L. Fisher. Greeting by Harold McArthur,
Mayor of Burlington, and by the presidents
of the various clubs. Greetings were brought
by Maurice F. Lyeria, Executive Secretary of
the Christian Churches in Colorado, and Mrs.
Howland, the State Secretary of Christian
Women's Fellowship, and Mr. Rolland Sheafor, Treasurer of the Board of the Church
Extension. The Christian Business Mens'
Club of Burlington brought a message in
song.
The lectern was loving built by William
Haughey and given in memory of his mother
and father. The pulpit wa(rliven in honor of
Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Yersin, and the communion table in honor of Mr. and Mrs. W.F.
Calvin. The sedilia behind the communion
table was given in memory of Mr. and Mrs.
Sommers.
Mr. Green continued to serve the church
until December 15, 1954. He did not leave
without helping to plan for the future.
Mr. John S. George was secured to come.
He preached his first setmon here on December 26, 1954. He was a quiet, consecrated man
who had planned to retire, but gave more
than two years of service in Burlington. He
went back to retirement March 17, 1957.
By this time Mr. F. Edward Carter had
been secured. He arrived in Burlington on
March 22, 1957. His reception in Burlington
was a chilly one, for one of the Christian
Men's Fellowship have found ways to raise
money to apply on the debt, and the Christian Women's Fellowship have been serving
dinners for the Rotary Club, and other
organizations. The debt on the building now,
as of November 1, is $6,131.70, and is being
retired at the rate of $300.00 per month.
A door is opening on a new era. As the tower
of the Little White Church pointed the
thoughts upward, keeping each worshiper
faithful and loyal, so the new church with its
graceful sloping roof framing the cross points
upward - an inspiration and challenge for the
future.
The historical progress ofthis congregation
again hits a highlight when on November 23,
1958, the Church reached its fiftieth year of
existence. The event was commemorated by
a day of services. The first of these services,
sponsored by the C.M.F. was held at 9:00
o'clock, in the first church home, the little
white structure at 14th and Donelan. now the
Masonic Temple. Although the building had
been remodeled, many felt a pang of nostalgia
as they listened to inspired works in the old
setting.
At ten o'clock services were continued in
the U.S. Armory, where we had held our
services from the time we sold our old
building until the Church was finished. The
C.W.F. was in charge of this step of the day's
program, with Mrs. A.R. Bemis of the
Colorado Missionary Society, bringing the
address.
An afternoon service was next on the
ground. G. Everett Figgs spoke on the subject
"The Church Looks Forward." The Fiftieth
Anniversary Celebration culminated with a
dinner in the fellowship room of the new
for a short time until we could locate a regular
pastor. Rev. Elmer Early was hired and came
with his family in June; he served only one
year, due to family illness.
Again we were without a minister. Rev.
Patrick came to Burlington on October 16,
1964 with his wife. Roxie. The Patricks had
three children, two boys and a girl; all now
grown.
By the summer of 1966 it had become very
evident that we were outgrowing our church
for educational purposes. There was much
discussion and study on this subject. The best
solution seemed to be to purchase the Wilcox
house, acrogs the street to the west and Vz
block north. This to be used as a parsonage.
By a
congregational vote
the
necessary
arrangements were made and by December
11, 1966 we dedicated our new improvements.
The congregation now entered another
decade of worship and progress toward the
future, with faith and high plans for the
Church. The old bell rang out each Sunday
letting people know it was time to come to
share God's blessings.
November 10, 1968 the Church reached its
60th year of service to God. A celebration was
held, the program beginning with Bible
School at 9:45 with the dedication of the old
bell on the tower in front of the Church. to
the memory of Lloyd Billington. Special
speaker for the 10:50 service was Dr. Elza
Hawkins from Phillips University, Enid,
Oklahoma. The noon luncheon was followed
by the reading of the history and letters of
greetings from former ministers, members
and friends.
The congregation now goes ahead with the
same dedication and determination as that of
their ancestors and fellow Christian workers
of 60 years ago.
Rev. Patrick left the Church to serve his
Lord in Nebraska in 1970. Now again the
Church, the lighting ofthe birthday cake, and
a service led by the youth of the Church.
Church was left without a leader. During this
The First Christian Church of Burlington
looks forward to continuing its work for our
Lord as it has done in the past happy, yet
sometimes turbulent, years. Rev. Carter was
called to Loveland, Colorado on a Church
building mission. Rev. C. Wendelle Tolle
answered our call and came to direct our
spiritual needs, arriving in the fall of 1959. On
November 6, 1950 we achieved another
important goal. On this day we held a special
meeting for the purpose of burning the
pastor, the Rev. and Mrs. Norvil Underwood.
Under their direction and untiring efforts, 31
members came into the Church. 12 by
baptism and 19 by transfer. The Underwoods
were with the Church for seven months.
Their contributions to the Church were felt
by their visitation, their expertise, program
and management.
In 1970 Rev. George Sanders and wife,
mortgage. We had accomplished this feat by
prayer, hard work and monetary giving on the
part of the whole congregation.
years; however, during their stay these items
were presented as memorials - The cross on
The food booth at the County Fair
has
become a total church program. Profits have
increased each year. This goes a long way in
furthering the work of the Lord.
It was during this time that a situation
developed that was most unfortunate. Influence that came from the outside, contributed to the discontent of several families.
Finally these families of their own volition
left this church and formed another congregation known as the Burlington Christian
Church. It is considered an "independent"
congregation, not affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It is to Rev.
Tolle's credit that he stayed on through most
of this difficult period for the sake of the
church.
In the spring of 1964 Rev. C.W. Tolle left
us to serve another congregation. Rev. Merandia, an interim minister, filled the pulpit
time the Church was served by interim
Barbara, came to gerve the Church. Somehow
interest dropped off during the next two
the communion table was given by the
Christian Men's Fellowship in memory of
Hubert Dillion, who was the first president
of the organization. The United States Flag
was bought during this time. Also, a new
Christian flag was bought from the carddund
monies.
Rev. Sanders resigned inL972. The church
officers decided not to call an interim minister, but to fill the pulpit with local members.
This proved very satisfactory.
Dr. Don Sarton and his wife, Cathy, and
two children were called to serve the Church
in July L972. A reception was held in the
Church Fellowship Hall to welcome the
young minister and his family. Dr. Sarton
brought much enthusiasm and hope to the
whole Church body. He was very interested
in the youth and this group grew accordingly.
One high point during this time was the
Witness Mission Week in March. Out of this
�gpowth was the formation of a Prayer Group.
Twelve young people accepted Jesus and
were baptized. Eight adults transferred their
The Sartons left the Church in November
1976 to accept a Church call in Loveland,
Colorado. The church folk felt a great loss at
membership.
A cloth for the Communion table was given
by the Ted Schnase family as a memorial to
their grandparents. Also, the choir robes were
given by Mrs. Mable Jewell in memory of her
their leaving.
sister, Mrs. Nina Christenson. Both gifts
added much to the worship service.
The Church enjoyed several years of a
debt-free period in which everyone felt the
freedom to relax after the long years of
struggle that began in 1908. We have only to
review the history of the lean times when the
few dedicated Christians put their trust in
God and their great faith in the future which
brought this beautiful structure so far for so
many new members to look at and to say
"This is our Church where we are free to
worship as we please."
A public address system was installed in
the Church sanctuary.
In1973, with the help of the lay members
of the United Methodist Church, a Lay
Witness Mission Week-end, a new spiritfilled awareness of God's presence was experienced by many. This brought about prayer
gloups.
The year 1975 saw the plans for a larger
educational and administration building.
The study and plans committee were: Nina
McCune, Wanda McClelland, Nada Jarnigan, Bessie Windscheffel, John Dobler, Jerry
Brenner, Kent Harrel, Gary Peterson, Duane
Smith. John McClelland and Ex-officio
pastor Don Sarton and John Swick, Chairman. Architect was Johnson, Hobson and
Associates out of Denver; Bob Root, principal
Architect. General contractor was Herman
Construction, Burlington, Colorado. Micky
McCune was chairman of the board.
The beautiful addition to the already
beautiful Church was an outstanding edifice
to honor the Glory of God. It was
dedicated in 1976. The addition provided
more class rooms, a game room for the youth,
much needed Pastors study and Secretary
offices. The kitchen and fellowship hall were
enlarged. The spacious facilities are used by
many organizations in the town.
In 1978 the Church joined with the Colorado Christian Home in celebrating its 75th
Anniversary. The Wee Blew Inn, a preschool, was begun in 2 rooms of the Church
in 1979. Extended sessions began in 1979.
This was a program for the little folks to
attend during regular Church services.
Work on the church was a spring project
in 1979. The pews in the sanctuary were
sanded and refinished. The baptistry and cry
erected
room were cleaned, painted, and repaired as
needed. The roof on the fellowship hall was
repaired.
In 1971 the Government had approved the
building of the low-income housing project in
Burlington. Since a nonprofit organization
had to be secured to sponsor this undertaking, the City Council approached the Church
to do this. After much thought and prayer,
the Church accepted the sponsorship of the
project. The project was started in 1972, with
the approval of the plans. The groundbreaking was in 1973. Completion in 1974. The
housing consisted of three units, each containing 18 apartments; one, two, three and
four bedrooms. Needless to say, this met the
demands of many people. The complex
became known as "The Burlington Manor".
giving it a foundation sound enough to stand
these seventy-five years.
by Mrs. Bill (Bobbie) Fisher,
Ilistorian
Rev. and Mrs. Norvil Underwood came to
serve the Church in the absence of a minister.
They spent many hours visiting to revive
interests that had been overlooked in the
months of building. Their special interests
were the young people.
Rev. and Mrs. Edward Barnes, along with
their four children, came to the Church in
June 1977 from lllinois. They came for an
interview in February to witness the worst
dust storm in the year; so many of the
congregation remarked, "They will not return." But as Rev. Barnes said in his first
sermon, "We have returned." The family was
welcomed with a reception sponsored by the
BETHEL ASSEMBLY
OF GOD CHURCH
T289
The dreams of founding a church in
Burlington actually began in 1965. Having
finished a building program in Castle Rock,
Colorado, Pastor William Behrman felt a
restless stirring in his heart to pioneer a
church in a new field. Believing that God
to remain in Colorado, he
obtained a map and, seeking the leading of
the Lord, was drawn to a small dot called
Burlington. With a small sum of money, a
Membership Committce. The Church now
faced the second phase of paying off the
indebtedness incurred by the building of the
educational unit completed the year before.
Rev. Barnes was interested in the creation
of workshop training programs. Bible studies
wanted him
and many other experiences that helped the
Church grow. He also added much to the
pioneer a new work in Burlington.
dignity and pride of the Church. He was
Sunday School began in the home ofDon and
Llmn Cave on the first Sunday in February,
1967. There were seven people in attendance.
a
man of high ideals as well as spiritual values
as shown in his attitude toward the congregation as well as with the town people. May 12,
1981, was Rev. Barnes last Sunday with the
Church. From that date until the second
week in July the pulpit was filled by local
men. At this time, the Pulpit Committee was
responsible for the speakers.
In Septerrber of 1981 the Pulpit Commit-
tee contacted the Rev. Kelby Cotton in
Kentucky, who showed interest in coming to
Colorado. After much conversation via telephone, a meeting was arranged with Rev.
Cotton and the congregation. The Rev.
Cotton and his wife, Lyn, with their infant
daughter, Emily, arrived in November 1981
to a happy crowd of Christians who were
eagerly awaiting their arrival. Needless to say
the reception given for them was enjoyed by
everyone.
The Cottons brought youth to the church
with many new ideas and much enthusiasm.
It
is apparent that with the love they brought
with them and the loved returned to them,
the Church will go forward in the years ahead.
As the months went by the interest grew, with
many inactive members returning to worship.
The Elders Prayer Circle, held each Sunday
morning at 9 o'clock, became the high point
of inspiration to the leaders of the Church.
In the twelve months the Rev. Cotton was
Pastor, twenty-two people have given their
lives to God either through baptism or
transfer.
In December 1982 the first woman to serve
as elder was given the honor and privilege to
serve her God and Church in this capacity.
Mrs. Bill (Bobbie) Fisher was given this
honor. This step showed a growth in the
Christian attitude toward all people involved
in the work of the whole Church, as well as
love and respect for all persons.
As this era in the life of the Church comes
to a close. the "old bell" on the tall tower
continues
to ring each Sabbath
Morning
calling the folk to worship. With determined
faith, we look forward toward years ofservice
to God with thanks to the little band of brave
Christians, who, in 1908, began this Church,
wife, five children, and
direction
a
strong sense of God's
in his heart, he made
plans to
Under the direction of Pastor Behrman,
Four months later, the Behrmans moved to
Burlington from their former pastorate, and
on June 11, 1967, the first service was held
with Brother and Sister Behrman as pastors.
They came with the promise of one family
and ninety dollars a month.
Services continued in the hospitable atmo-
sphere of the Cave home until July 16, when
Revival services under the Gospel tent were
held at the County Fairgrounds. There were
41 people present that first night while
flashbulbs popped throughout the service as
an inquisitive reporter from the Kansas City
Star gathered news for the Saturday edition
of the paper. Attendance reached nearly 100
in the tent meeting and many were drawn to
the Lord.
Services continued under the Big Top until
the Burlington Elementary School was used,
beginning September 3 with 34 in Sunday
School. Plans to build began immediately
and on October 23, 1967, a 9200 down
payment was made on the present property.
Groundbreaking services were held on March
31, 1968, inaugurating the construction ofthe
church building. The partially completed
church was the site of a July revival in which
heavy rains failed to dampen the revival
spirit as God blessed and people met God
each night. By Christmas of 1968, we were
able to have services in the sanctuary. Having
only bare floors, folding chairs, and plywood
over the windows, we sensed the blessing and
the leading of the Lord. The original sanctuary was dedicated on January L7, L974.
With the pressing need of space for Sunday
School, another educational addition and
office complex was constructed in 1975. In
L978,\yr acres of land on Rose Avenue was
purchased for the eventual construction of a
new worship and educational facility.
Groundbreaking ceremonies at the new site
were held in 1986. The new building will be
ready for occupancy in the spring of 1988.
The church was begun as a home mission.
With its growth, the missionary vision continues. There have been students from Bethel
Assembly of God in Bible College continuously since 1973. There are presently 16
�first services in their own church building,
purchased from Seibert, Colorado and moved
onto a church-formed basement, located on
47 acres of land 5 miles west of Burlington on
F't.24.
The church started a day school in the fall
L977 and ran the school for one year.
Dr. Paul Seanor continued as pastor until
September, 1978. Reverend Eager assumed
of
the position until March, 1979.
:,ji;:.,:ri:ll
tp::ilr1:t:
New facilities under construction in 1988.
In April of 1979, the church requested
sponsorship from the Fellowship of Baptists
for Home Missions. The Dick Stitzel Family,
missionaries under F.B.H.M., began their
ministry on Sunday, August 12th, 1979. It
was also in August that the church voted to
sell their 47 acres, with buildings, and seek
land in the town of Burlington. The land and
buildings were sold to one of the church
deacons, who graciously allowed the church
to continue holding services in the building
until they could relocate in town.
Eight lots on the west edge of Burlington
were bought from the city in the spring of
1980. Ground breaking services were held
May 31, 1981 and construction began in June.
On Sunday, January 2, 1983, the church
entered its new building. On March 5, 1983
at 2:00 P.M., the church gathered to dedicate
their new building to the Lord.
In 1987 the church building was sold and
now houses the Senior Citizens Center. Our
congregation joined with the Church of the
Open Door in Burlington, CO.
BURLINGTON
GOSPEL CHAPEL
T2gl
Pioneering the new church in 1967
involved in the full time ministry plus several
others in Bible Study and lay ministry.
Over twenty years have passed since the
dot on the map marking Burlington became
a reality to Pastor Behrman, but the vision
continues to grow and present a challenge to
share Christ and His love with manv.
by Pastor Behrman
Burlington Gospel Chapel
FAITH BAPTIST
CHURCH
T290
The Burlington Gospel Chapel is located
at 314 - 12th St. in Burlington, CO. It was
built in 1948 and the dedication was held in
the spring of 1949. As the church has no
Colorado to hold classes.
regular pastor, apparently there has been no
history kept. The congregation has varied in
numbers over the years, the largest crowd
being some over 100.
afternoon June 8, 1975,
by Roy Johnson
Early in 1975
a
group of four families began
to hold home Bible studies with Dr. Paul
Seanor traveling weekly from Adam City,
The fellowship was organized Sunday
in the Burlington
Community Center, where afternoon services
has been held. At that meeting the name of
Independent Faith Baptist Church of Burlington was chosen and the young church
elected its first officers. Meetings were later
moved to a small two-room building on Ross
Avenue.
On February 22,1976, the church held its
�LDS CHURCII,
BURLINGTON
Betty Hickman, Virgil and Evelyn Johnson,
Bill Water, Alice Sparks, Marvin and Bernice
T292
Gibson, Sylvia Rails, Charlotte Stosser, Basil
and George Budge, Amanda, Merrill and
Dale Clark, Mrs. M.B. Middleton, Max and
Gloria Wamsley, Mable Letcher, Marion
Cook and family. In August, 1966, the 4Square Building at 17th and Donelan was
rented for $15.00 a month, still a Dependent
Sunday School on Scott City. Bobby Knudsen was in charge. New members moving in
were: Bobby, EdnaLee, Robert, Eric, Edward
and Anita Knudsen; Edward, Janice, Galen,
Bruce, and Sandra Marie Cole; Leslie, Juani-
ta, Lynn, Lester Mark, Lance and Loretta
(Kris) Davis; Lonnie, Tora, Jami Lynn and
Devin Dunn, and Gerold Delehoy. Year 1967
the first missionaries to the area Elders
Smith and Wallberger. New members were:
Jo Clare Mangus; Guy and Maurene Kuttler;
Robert and Judy Watts; Ted, Gwen, James,
Burlington Branch LDS Church from 1972 to 1980
This is the story of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latterday Saints - Burlington
Branch 1960-1988. The Sunday School teachin 1960 were Virgil Johnson and Myrtle
Collins. Members met in the homes of Betty
Hickman and Myrtle Collins and attended
ers
services
in Scott City, Ks. We
were
a
Dependent Sunday School on Scott City, at
this time. Members were, Myrtle Collins,
Reno, and Barbara Killian; Sanford and
Bruce Taylor; Carl and Dean Mullis; Judy
Lance; Ken Burdick. Gwen Killian conducted the 1st. MIA for the young people. In June
1968, the Billington family moved to Burlington, to take over the family farm. The
Knudsens moved to Burlington and rented a
house from Mollie Gross. Year 1969 the
Relief Society held meetings, and year 1970
found the Church still growing, with Brother
and Sister Larsen, missionaries, attending.
During this year, during a dust storm, a car
in which Roberta Uhren of Wichita, Ks. was
riding, ran under a big truck that had jackknifed in the road. She was taken to the
hospital in Goodland, expected to die. Bobby
Knudsen, the presiding Elder, gave her a
blessing, promising that she would live. A
daughter, Barbara Cook, came and took her
mother to Wichita. Barbara and her mother
paid a return visit to the Burlington Branch
in 1977 and thanked Brother Knudsen.
Year 1971 found the Church in the Colorado-New Mexico Mission. In the year 197172, Pat Billington was in charge of Primary
and doing the secretarial job also. Seminary
class was taught by Janice Cole. In June 1972
Bobby Knudsen was released as Presiding
Elder. Several baptisms were performed in
July at Bonny Dam. Sept., 1972, the lst.
Annual Branch Conference was held; we are
now an Independent Branch. The lst presidency is: Richard Chisholm, Pres. Lawrence
Burkey, lst Counsellor. DeWayne Glazier,
2nd Counsellor. Patricia Billington, Relief
Society Pres. Jo Clare Mangus, 1st Counsellor. Cheryl Condit, Sec. Sunday School Supt.
Dewayne Glazier, lst assistant, Bobby Knudsen, Maurene Kuttler, Sec. Supt of YMIA,
Bobby Knudsen. Pres. of YWMIA, Jeanette
Glazier. Primary President, Norma Burkey,
1st Counsellor, Cheryl Condit. Librarian,
Carla Billington. In January 1973, we had a
recorded 106 members in our Branch. In
Sept. Pres. Chisholm moved to Nebraska,
released of the presidency. Lawrence Burkey
is sustained and set apart as the new Branch
President, with DeWayne Glazier and Merrill
Clark as his counsellors. In Oct. the 2nd
Annual Branch Conference was held. In April
14,L974, Robert Lowe is sustained as Sunday
School President. On June 30, Bobby Knudsen was released as Elder's Group Leader;
James Baker was sustained and set apart as
the new Elder's Group Leader. On July 23,
the Primary held a Pioneer gathering at the
Burkey home in honor of the Mormon
Pioneers who reached the Salt Lake Valley
on July 24, L847. Pioneer attire was worn;
pioneer food was served. Stories of early
pioneers were told and songs were sung by the
Primary children. On Sept. 29, the 3rd
Annual Branch Conference was held.
Year 1975 finds a change in the membership again, several families moved out, and
new ones moving in. The 4th Annual Branch
Conference was held the 28 of Sept. We are
now in the Colorado - Denver Mission. We
start fund raising projects for our building
fund. Year 1976, the membership is now 111.
March 17, the Relief Society held its birthday
party at Pat Billington's home. A delicious
Mexican dinner was prepared by the Silvestre Garcia family. May 10, 1976 various
church members went to look at the Ja-ss
house, with the thought of a possible purchase to convert it to a Chapel. Salt Lake did
not approve it. The Relief Society and the
Priesthood had a booth at the Little Britches
Rodeo; they called it "Grandmother's Pan-
try" to help raise money for the building
fund. In August, Maurene Kuttler was sustained as Relief Society Pres., Julia Baxter
and Pat Billington as counsellors, Norma
Burkey as sec. Sept. 8, Charles Seymour
located some land across from the cemetery
in Burlington. Lawrence Burkey talked to the
owner, Les Patterson, regarding the purchase
of it. New families moving in were; Leon
Budd and family, Ivan Cole and family. Leon
Budd will be the assistant Mgr. of the Co-op.
Linda Budd is sustained as the Primary Pres.
Glenda Cole and Bonnie Bryant is the
Grandmother's Pantry at Little Britches, June 12, 19?6
counsellors. Leon Budd is sustained as
Branch Clerk. November 23. the Fifth An-
�Couns. Peggy Norman and Mary Larsen; Sec.
Frances Hamblin; Primary Pres. Cheryle
Lowe; Couns. Judy Ballensky and Sally
Gaily; Sec. Norma Burkey; Sunday School
Pres. Lester Davis; Couns. Adam Burkey;
Sec. Pat Billington. April 13, a change in
meeting schedules is recommended by Salt
Lake to help cut down on travel expense.
Juanita Davis is sustained at Chorister in
Primary; Peggy Norman is sustained as
Nursery Leader in Primary. May and June
finds members working on the sprinkler
systems, digging out the trenches several
times, due to the rain storms filling them up
several times.
July 13, we have a new family, James and
Maxine Matthews and daughters. He is the
new superintendent of the Vona-Seibert
Schools. Oct., 1980 the Branch has 146
members on record. Oct. 5, we get General
Conference piped into our Chapel from Salt
Lake. Oct. 13, we put grass in at the Chapel.
Many hours of service, fund raising projects;
our goal was $28,000.00, for our part. Up to
this time my history was taken from history
written by Norma Burkey. The following
years will be condensed, I have tried to get
as many names as possible, however some will
be left out. Everyone has been important to
the building up of our Lord's Church here in
the Burlington area.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Burlington, occupied in early 1980
The Presidency changed three times, Wes
Ballensky, 1981-82. Don Frankham 1982-85.
James Matthews 1985 to the present time 11988. The Relief Society changed three times,
Cheryl Low 1981-82, Aggie Hamilton 19831986, Juanita David 1986, to the present
time. The Primary Presidents, Sharon
Wyatt, Mary Kaye Baum, (President now).
Patricia Billington is YWMIA President
now.
The Relief Society is the women's organi-
nual Branch Conference was held, the new
presidency, Leon Budd, Pres. Lawrence
sustained as Pres.; Wes Ballensky and Timothy Tucker as Counsellors; Lawrence Burkey
Burkey and Dale Baxter, as counsellors. Dec.
23, the Primary and Sunday School presented a Christmas Program telling of the
birth of Christ. Santa arrived at the party
with sacks of candy for the children. In the
summer of 1977 more families are added to
as Clerk; Mike Marting, Elder's Quorum
Peggy
Music chairman, Cheryl Lowe; Librarian
Norma Burkey and Bunnie Bryant. This is
the Burlington Branch: Hugh and
Norman and children, Michael and Barbara
Marting and children, Irene Owens, Ivo and
Barbara Peterson and daughter, Connie
Pemberton and son, John and Cheryl Lowe
and son. August 1977, three acres were
purchased from Ralph and Lester Peterson.
The title is final this month. It is located on
15th St., west of the Burlington Cemetery.
Pres. Budd pledged March 1, 1978, as the
date to start the new Chapel. In December we
have the Wes Ballensky family move in; he
is the Pharmacist at Pangborns.
June 11, 1978, changes in the Presidency
are Hugh Norman Pres., Lawrence Burkey
and Michael Marting Counsellors, Wes Ballensky, branch Clerk. Jo Clare Mangus, the
Relief Society Pres., Bunnie Bryant and
Peggy Norman as Counsellors. Sept. 3,
President Norman announced that the
Church Presidency in Salt Lake has approv-
ed the Church building plans. Oct. 19,
President Hugh Norman performs the
marriage of Lance Davis and Lori Holm at
the home of Les and Juanita Davis in
Stratton. Oct.22, a new family of 11join our
Branch, Paul and Frances Hamblin.
March 18, 1979, the 8th Annual Branch
Conference was held. Paul Hamblin was
Pres.; Sunday School Pres. John Lowe; lst
Couns. Lester Davis: Sec.. Lori Davis: Pres.
of YM Lance Davis, Pres. of YW Barbara
Marting, Primary Pres. Pat Billington;
Couns., Judy Ballensky; Sec., Norma Burkey;
the 1st conference held at the rented Chapel
at
Donelan and 17th, and 75 members
attended. April 29, Lance Davis is sustained
as Priest's Quorum Advisor. July 1, Lori
Davis is sustained as YWMIA Leader: Adam
Burkey is sustained as 2nd Couns. in Sunday
School. August 4, 1979 that long awaited day:
"Ground Breaking" Ceremony at 1:00 p.m.
Many members and visitors were present.
After the Ground Breaking, we met at the
Burlington Park for punch and cookies.
August 8, MIA met at the Lance Davis home
in Stratton, for a cookout in honor of Susan
Billington and Elitha Pelton.
Sept. 14, 1979 our cookbook is organized
and sent to the publishers with 450 recipes
from the sisters in the Branch. October found
members working on the sprinkler system. In
Nov. and Dec. we have more fund raising
projects. Febr. 1980, the members started to
paint the outside of the new Chapel. March
16, 1980, the Burlington Branch held its 9th
Annual Conference in the New Chapel; 103
members are present. Sustained this day are:
Pres. Paul Hamblin; Couns., Wes Ballensky
and Harold Fillmore; Clerk, Lawrence Burkey; Relief Society Pres. Jo Clare Mangus;
of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latterday Saints. The Mission of the Relief
Society is to help women: 1 - Have faith in
God and build individual testimonies of the
zation
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 - Strength-
en the families of the Church. 3 - Render
compassionate service. 4 - Sustain the priesthood.
The Primary is an organized program of
instruction and activity in the LDS Church
for children between the ages of3 and 12. Its
purpose is to teach children they are children
of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and
that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them.
They are helped to grow in their understanding of the gospel plan and are provided with
opportunities to put these principles into
practice. The Primary colors are red for
Courage, Yellow for service, and Blue for
Truth. Just as these colors are the foundation
from which all others are developed, so are
Primary teachings the foundation on which
children build firm testimonies of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. Children meet weekly on
Sunday for religious instruction from the
Bible, The Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. The children also
worship through music. Some of these songs
are rmong the most beautiful children's songs
in publication today. They are happy songs
with wonderful messages. Primary activity
days are scheduled during a week day,
quarterly. These activities encourage children to interact with each other and have
wholesome fun through involvement in physical, cultural, creative and service events.
Activity days are sometimes held just for the
�children or they are coordinated with other
family activities. One of the most recent
activities was a special Christmas fanily
evening. All the members of the children's
families were invited. The members sat in an
informal semi-circle while the children pre-
sented the Nativity. Each child placed a
figurine upon a display table for all to view,
then explained how the object related to the
birth of the Christ Child. During the presentation all joined in with appropriate scripture
readings and Christmas Carols. A story about
Jolly Old St. Nick tied in symbolic giving of
Santa with the birth of Baby Jesus. Santa
concluded the program by carrying Baby
Jesus to the manger and placing him inside
moved to Burlington to serve St. Paul's and
Immanuel's, located eleven miles N.E. of
Bethune. He conducted two services every
Sunday, one in the morning and another in
the afternoon, alternating each Sunday. This
arrangement lasted the entire time that
Pastor Woelber served the two congregations.
In 1931 a frnme, three bedroom parsonage
built next to the basement church. In the
mid thirties the Great Depression plus four
was
years ofdrought caused many people to leave
the Burlington area. In the 1940's better
while families sang "Silent Night". Santa
crops were being raised and following World
War II with a rising economy, plans for a new
sanctuary were considered.
Pastor Woelber served both congregations
stayed to visit with the children, giving them
1947
treats and make out his Christmas gift list
while Moms and Dads munched on Christmas goodies and punch.
Dec. 20, 1987 - Members met at the Church
for a Christmas caroling party, after returning from caroling, chili and hot chocolate was
enjoyed by all. January 10, our High councilmen and their families came to our Church
Services. This was also Pot Luck Sunday.
(When we have Stake visitors we prepare
dinner for them ag it is a long way to drive
to and from Denver.) All the ladies of the
ReliefSociety prepare hot dishes, salads, and
desserts for the meal. Our membership at the
present time is 59 families
135 people. We
during the
had six families move away
fall
1987.
We
have two new
summer and
of
families moving in this month.
"Self-judgement in any direction is a
hazardous pastime. It is a fact of life that the
direction in which we are moving is more
faithfully for seventeen years and in
accepted a call to Loveland, Colorado.
In February 1947 Rev. L.C. Johnson was
called to serve, and under his leadership the
vision of a new sanctuary became a reality.
The erection of the new church presented
a spirit of cooperation and unity emongst a
group ofpeople that is seldom paralleled. The
decision was made
to build a
modified
Spanish Mission style, one that would be in
harmony with the nature of this territory and
fitting the general pattern of the buildings of
the city of Burlington.
The brick structure was built largely by
members of the congregation. Records reveal
that a total of 1589 man days and
113
evenings were donated.
The church furniture represented a great
deal of work. The altar, pulpit, lectern,
kneeling rail, and pews were all made at the
site. Solid oak was brought in by some men
of the congregation, nanely Leonard Krebs
important than where are." Elder Marvin J.
and Orvel Aeschlimann. The wood was
Ashton.
trucked by farm trucks from the oak forest
FIRST ST. PAUL'S
LUTHERAN CIIURCH
T293
leaving the older one free to be used primarily
as a Christian Education Building. The
building was given the name of The Alpha
House. Through the years a continuation of
improvements was noted.
For sixty years First St. Paul's eontinues
1961-1969; Roy Jorgensen 1969-1972; Keith
Hedstrom L972-1977; Wayne Mesecher 1977-
by Leona (Fanselau) TYiedman
was
laid to build a new church but financial
conditions did not warrant completion, thus,
only a basement structure with a flat roof was
completed.
In 1930 Pastor H.L. Woelber and family
On April 7, 1929 the church, under the
and Esther West in 1944-1949, these women
with their own hands helped to dig the
basement to move the church to its present
location on the corner of Lowell Avenue and
15th Street.
In 1984, Rev. Richard Messer and his
family accepted the call to minister and have
faithfully served our church ever since.
Under his pastorate the church is now
operating in the black and has a strong and
faithful congregation. The Fellowship Hall
was remodeled in 1986 and we currently have
plans to remodel the sanctuary.
Current members are: Rev. Richard and
Elaine Messer; Rev. J.V. and Bessie Walden,
Ida Ernest, Dixie Hasart, Ron and Cindy
Richardson, Faith Hase, Gene and Betty
Kirby and Annabel Taylor.
1986; Mary Wahto 1986.
charge. This organization then became
affiliated with the United Lutheran Church
of America. It was incorporated in 1926, and
the Rev. H.J. Diekhoff was called to serve as
a resident pastor. In the same year plans were
in Burlington.
from debt.
During the pastorate of Flossie Plummer
Johnson L947-L9542 Dennis Mueller 19541956; Donald Flesner 1956-1961; Walter Rath
in
purchased, the foundation was laid Nov.
1927. The church was then located just west
of where it is today.
During the assembly year of 1927 and up
to the fall of 1928 the church was without a
pastor the major part of the time. Sister
Elizabeth Clifford assumed the responsibility of work and regular Sunday Services. Had
it not been for the devote and unending
efforts of this saintly woman, there would
doubtless not be a Church of the Nazarene
held May 9, 1948.
In 1968 a new brick parsonage was built
H.J. Diekhoff 1926-1928: Otto Kloeckner
1928-1930; H.L. Woelber 1930-1947; L.C.
First St. Paul's Lutheran Church
assembly year of June 1927. Plans were made
immediately after organization and pledges
taken to erect a church building, a lot being
972 months to complete
was
It took
motto remains, "May we help you?"
Pastoral Ministry: C. Goede 1925-1926;
organized on June 8, 1925 under the leadership of Rev. G.K. Wienke and Rev. C. Coede
faithfully served the church until the close of
the building and furniture. Dedication
to provide the Burlington community with
the Living Word of God and is a strong
influence in the lives of many people. The
Firet St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
Charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. Carl
Patton, Mrs. Priscilla Linn, Marion Koutz,
Fred Patton, Mrs. Olive Arnett, Mrs. Alice
Ackerman, Mrs. Clara Fender, Mrs. Elizabeth Clifford, Iris Clifford, Miss Patton and
Mrs. Joe Joos.
Rev. Earl Manly was called as pastor and
pastorate of Rev. Oren Maple, was dedicated
to God and in Oct. 1929 the last note on the
property was paid and the church set free
of Arkansas.
by Juanita Davie
The Church of the Nazarene.
CHURCH OF THE
NAZARENE
T2S4
Church pastors: Rev. Earl Manly, Rev. J.E.
Zimmerman, Rev. Arthy Gossett, Sister
Elizabeth Clifford, Rev. Oren Maple, Rev.
J.E. Zimmerman, Rev. Edwin W. Reed, Rev.
Harold Ripper, Rev. J.E. Shamblin, Supply
pastor F.W. Holstein of Stratton, Rev. Harold McKelleps, Rev. A.C. Mize, Rev. Henry
Goode, Rev. R.C. Bentley, Flossie Plummer
and Esther West, Rev. Raymond Cotton,
E. George Greiner, Gene Hudgens,
Donald Hicks, Donald Guy, Henry Schott,
Rev.
On Sept. L2, L926 the Burlington Church
of the Nazarene was organized with 12
charter members, fruits of a revival held by
Rev. C.W. and Florence Davis, District
Superintendent and Evangelist for the Colorado District.
Rev. Floyd Totten, Rev. Garfield Dixon,
Supply pastor Orvel Gibson, Rev. Henry
Schott, Supply pastor Rev. Townsend, Rev.
Kenneth Jagger, Rev. Robert Bauer, Rev.
Cleo Elsberry, Rev. Gerald Bell, Rev. Ray-
�mond Burton, Rev. James P. Bailey, and Rev.
Richard L. Messer.
SAINT CATIIERINE
OF SIENNA
by Dixie Hasart
T296
TRINITY LUTHERAN
CHURCH
T295
Trinity Lutheran Church was organized on
February 11, 1923. Seven families were
St. Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church
represented at this meeting. Prior to this
time, Rev. F.W. Bierwagen of Flagler, Stratton and other points had conducted services
in the homes of some of the members: W.J.
Sellman, near Kanorado, Kansas; H.D.
Klinker, J. Lueken, and Victor Olsen all of
occasionally even baled hay for pews. Sometimes the services were held in the armory.
Some of the early day families in the
congregation were:
Burlington.
Later, services were held at the Odd
Fellows Hall, the basement of the Bank of
Burlington, the basement of First St. Paul's
Lutheran Church (A.L.C.) the Christian
Church and the Nazarene Church of Bur-
lington. An effort to obtain its own house of
worship was initiated by the Rev. Beins and
the members of 1930, but not until 1941 was
a building fund established and the "God's
Acre" plan was adopted to build up the fund.
There was a resolution to build in September
of 1943. However, a church from Southwest
of Burlington was bought and moved into
Burlington at l2th and Donelan and on
November 26,L944 Trinity Lutheran Church
was dedicated to the Glory of God. In 1948
The congregation was privileged to celebrate
its 25th anniversary in that church. The Rev.
F.W. Bierwagen served Trinity in the years
1920-192L. Rev. H.L. Buesing also served as
student pastor during this period. Other
pastors serving the congregation were Rev.
Edmund Weber, Rev. C. Adam, then in 1925
Trinity installed its first pastor, the Rev. W.
Wilk. Those who followed are Rev. H.R.
Beeins, Rev. E.C. Schmidt, Rev. C.E. Kleber,
Rev. Walter Malinsky, Rev. Walter J. Bartling, Rev. Dale Schultz, Rev. Ronald Leach,
Rev. Alfred Schubkegel, Rev. Carl Cunningham, Rev. John Chovan, Rev. Douglas Lenser, Rev. Robert Graul, and Rev. David
Ahlman.
In 1963 The Stewardship Committee began working on plans for a new church since
the congregation was out-growing the one
they had. The property at 7th and Senter was
and
rectory at 18th and Martin, Burlington.
Father Joseph Lane, first pastor at St. Catherine's
in Burlington.
Burlington,
Co.
The first Catholic services held in Burlington were in about 1910. Around that time,
a small group of Catholic families succeeded
in
for a priest from
the Vogts,
Shannons,
Westgarths, Dorings, Binards, Kellys, Daniels, Eschs, Koenigs and Gergens.
In 916, the small congregation, working
with Father Keiffer, who was then pastor of
St. Charles in Stratton, erected the main part
of the frame and stucco church on the corner
of 18th and Martin. Frank Hoffman applied
stucco in 1939. Additions were added at a
later date. The property was donated by A.W.
Winegar. From then on Mass was usually
celebrated once a week in Burlington, unless
the pastor from Stratton was unable to get
here because of the weather or bad roads.
Priests from Stratton who ministered to the
Burlington mission were: Fr. Kieffer, Fr.
Schmidt, Fr. Munich, Fr. Ernest, Fr. Spehar,
and Father Dinan.
The parish continued to grow through the
determined efforts of the Altar and Rosary
Society whose members held various money
making projects to furnish and maintain the
church. A proud day was the purchase of the
first electric organ.
In 1950, on the promise from the archbish-
Colorado
op of a resident pastor, the parish raised
Springs to hold services in Burlington about
once a month. The services were held in
homes. with chairs, wooden benches, and
enough money to build the rectory. Fr. Dinan
supervised the construction. Fr. Joseph Lane
was the first resident Pastor in Burlington.
arranging
'.t
purchased and ground breaking services were
held on May 17, 1964. The cornerstone was
laid on August 2, L964 and a local contractor
was hired to do the building. On November
29, L964 Trinity's new house of worship was
dedicated. On April 5, 1970 a special mortgage burning service was held.
In September 1971 the old parsonage at
10th and Lowell was sold and a new parson-
t:,:;:::;.1;
:'::4,,i::t;)
built at 365 gth St. It was finished in
Mid-August of L972.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Stratton,
Colorado, was the mother church of Trinity
and when they disbanded, the bell from the
tower of that church was given to Trinity. A
stand for it was built on the lawn of Trinity
age was
ir.:.li'l:l',]
'ii:u:arrrli
it was dedicated on Sunday, September
19.1982.
and
.
by Bill Deines
The new church building completed in 19?6.
�He became well known and loved in the
community and was also a source of some
awe, as he owned and flew his own airplane.
Following Fr. Lane were Fr. Slattery, Fr.
Gallagar, Fr. Mclnerney, Fr. Brunning, Fr.
Sobiesczyk, Fr. Wm. Murphy, Fr. Edward
Leonard, and now Fr. John Krenzke, in 1988.
In recent years, when "standing room only"
conditions sometimes resulted in spite of two
services each weekend, it became apparent
that some kind of building project would have
to be undertaken. With Fr. Mclnerney's
encouragement, the parish council, in 1969,
established a parish building fund and held
the first building drive. Regular monthly
members. Lawrence J. Pugh served as the
first Commander.
Military Order of the Cootie Flatlander
Pup Tent 19, Organized March 11, 1950, with
25 Charter members. Lawrence J. Pugh
served as the first Seam Squirrel.
Ladies Auxiliary Veterans of Foreign Wars
William Hogate Post 6491. Organized
December 29,1947 with47 Charter members.
Fern Reynolds served as the first President.
Post home located at 48678 Snead Drive.
Meeting nights for V.F.W. and Auxiliary
members the first and third monday of each
month. Cootie meeting nights the third
Wednesday.
collections were taken for the building fund
and many other fund raising activities were
held by the parish, including the annual
Mardi Gras and the lunch booth at the county
fair.
As the building fund grew, so did the needs
of the
congregation.
After
assessing the
future needs of the parish, the parish council
in 1974 received archdiocesan approval to
purchase a larger property, and began plans
for a combined church and pastor's apartment. A three fourths block of property was
purchased from Pat Andrews on the east side
of Burlington, and Henry DeNicola, an
architect from Denver, was retained to design
the structure. After final approval of the
plans by the council and the Archdiocesan
Building Commission, a contract was signed
with Don Herman of Burlington to begin
construction. Ground breaking ceremonies
were held Sunday, August 31, 1975.
The first Mass in the new church was July
3, 1976, and Archbishop Casey dedicated the
church that year. Instrumental in bringing
the congregation to this proud moment were
the members of the parish council and the
pastor Rev. W. Murphy. The parish council
members during the two years the church was
being built, who donated a tremendous
amount of time and effort to this cause were:
Phil Loos, Pres. of the council, and also
Grand Knight of Burlington Knights of
Columbus Council, Pete Strick, vice-pres. of
the parish council; Darlene Dvorak, recording
sec.;
Mary Korbelik, financial sec.; Duane
Ridder, financial chairman; Ernest Tomes,
parish council organization coordinator; Joan
Tomes, pres. of Altar and Rosary Society;
Kathy Foos, religious education chairman;
and Carl Dvorak, chairman of the parish
stewardship progmm and building fund
chairman.
The mortgage was retired in December
1986. Future plans are to add a wing to be
used for religious education and social activi-
by Gene Kirby
by Mrs. Carl Dvorak
WILLIAM HOGATE
POST 6497
T297
Veterans of Foreign T[ars
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United
States
The Burlington Charter was organized on
March 6, 1946, William Hogate Post 6491.
The post was orsanized with 61 Charter
used as a Museum.
The 80th Annual Convention of the Colorado Federation of Women's Clubs was held
in Burlington,May 5-7,1975. Our project in
1976, was to donate the money to restore the
Carousel, which was Kit Carson's Bicentennial project. We donate yearly to the Colorado Boys Ranch, Care, Penny Art, Minnie
L. Hardin, M.S. Society, Burlington Public
Library, and make tray favors for the local
hospital for the month of December. The
Burlington Women's Club and Inter Sese
Club will host the Pikes Peak District
Convention, Sat., April 16, 1988, in Bur-
lington.
INTER SESE CLUB
by Ina Gay
T298
GREEN VALLEY
EXTENSION CLUB
1914-1988
The InterSese Club was organized in 1914
and joined the State and General Federation
in 1917. The members worked in and with the
Red Cross during the war years of 1917-1g19.
T299
We sponsored the first Christmas tree in
Burlington in 1919 and sacked a few treats.
This has grown through the years and the
club now sacks 1200 sacks of candy for this
annual community project. Fruit baskets are
also delivered to the shut-ins.
In 1921, we sponsored the Burlington
Library and $25.00 is donated yearly for the
purchase of new books and a Memorial Book
is placed on the Memorial shelf for deceased
members. The club helped to beautify the
City Park by planting and caring for the trees
and also helped to beautify the court house
Iawn. The annual Mother's Tea was started
in 1923, with just the members mothers. Now
over 250 invitations are hand delivered to all
the ladies 65 and older within the city limits.
Favors and refreshments are made by club
members and the event is held the last
meeting in April.
In May
40th anniversary in May, 1986. L. to R.: Nola
Mangus, Bernice Eberhart, Naomi Gilbert Walters, Bertha Hines and Alma Davis.
1930, the Inter Sese Club hosted
the seventh annual Pikes Peak Dist. convention. Some of the events we have sponsored
are: an Art Show during National Art Week
in 1935; Placed an electric fountain in the
City Park in 1937; started a
Cemetery
Improvement Association in 1941; Sponsored
a Girl Scout Group and gave books to the
Limon City Library; gave 9808.37 to the Kit
6
Carson Memorial Hospital and articles of
clothing were sent
ties.
Two Heirloom Fairs were sponsored, and
from this came the idea of a Museum in
Burlington. While plans were being drawn
up, the Penny family home was given to be
&*
to the Greek Orphan
Relief in 1947.
Several Memorial trees were planted on
the Hospital grounds and money donated to
a Nurses Scholarship Fund. We entered the
a Better Community" by
sponsoring the Annual Easter Seal Sale and
contest "Build
helped several crippled children receive
Medical attention in 1948-49. During the
World War II years, Inter Sese sent clothing
packages to several families in Germany.
In 1960-62, during the "Lets Share Happi-
ness" we sent boxes of clothing to the Pueblo
State Hospital. A Pioneer Doll Contest was
sponsored in 1964. The 50th Anniversary of
Inter Sese was celebrated in 1964. We raised
funds to purchase an ice maker for the Kit
Carson Memorial Hospital in 1968, amountins to around Sl ^O00-
1987 members, L. to R.; Back row, Kathy Dowd,
Jo Nell Monroe, Bernice Eberhart, Jeanne Gantz.
Front, L. to R.; Lyla Davis Enyart, Naomi Gilbert
Walters, Alma Davis, Mildred Hines and Minnie
Schmidt.
1946-1986
The Green Valley Extension Club
was
organized Jan. 8, 1946 at the Green Valley
School with Naomi Gilbert as President. Nell
Schmidt, Vice Pres. Nola Mangus,
Sec.
Treas. Other members included Rose Korbel-
ik,
Persis Mangus, Bernice and Lena Eberhart, Gladys Demaree, Alma Davis, Esther
Mtrlnh Fla*ho lfi-ao l\t"-+l- pi-^^. Itl^-
�Our county made special "Tote Bage" for
the National Extension Homemakers Meeting held in Estes Park in June of 1986. A
carousel lion was the logo for the tote bag, and
they were rated Outstanding. Lyle Enyart
and Bernice Eberhart attended that National
Meeting.
For our 30 Anniv. we invited former
members. On the 35th, we all went out to
dinner at the Ramada Inn.
In 1986, on our 40 Anniv. we invited some
40 former memberg to a very special party at
the Prairie Pines Country Club. We did sort
Back row, L. to r.; Nyla Loutzenhiser, Florence
Mills, Katherine Diekman and Diana Miller. Front
row. Eileene Morrell and Avis Schritter
ence Duffey, Martha Kaestener, Julia Broad-
sword, Ona Gillespie, and Leatha Sprinkle'
Joining the next year were Lyla Davis, Viola
Brown, Marjorie Jacobs, and Thelma Snelling. Bertha B. Wear was the County Exten-
sion Agent and she was instrumental in
getting the club organized.
The club was active in all of the educational
aspects of home economics, taking advantage
of as many lessons as possible in the area of
homes and families, making that the highest
thought of every homemaker. Green Valley
was also active in the County organization,
members holding many of the county offices.
Every year they entertained another club
or invited guests to a Special Tea in honor of
National Homemakers Week. Among those
festivities were a Mock Wedding, a Negro
Minstrel, A Hobo Party, A Hawaiian Luau,
A School Days Party, An International Tea,
A Linkletter House Party, A Carnival, A May
Pole Brunch, An Old Fashioned Tea, Making
and Wearing Silly Hats, A Trip to Ireland,
and A Silly Style Show.
Money was donated to many worthwhile
causes. and we went all-out for the Cancer
Fund. All but one of the members who have
died. died of cancer. Donations were also
to 4H, Girl Scouts, BoYs Ranch,
Hospital incubator, baby things, Flight For
Life, Grace Manor Rest Home, lap robes,
ladies lounge, East Central Disability Center,
Ft. Lyons, The Carousel, and for a nursing
made
scholarship.
There were baby showers, wedding showers, funeral dinners and House warmings. We
assisted Bertha Wear on a trip to Hawaii in
1965. Each year we prepared a fair booth and
received some Grand Qfiampions, Reserve
Champions, and lots and lots of Blue ribbons.
We made a float for homecoming and also
an entry in the Mike Lounge Parade. A state
bird quilt was made in 1951 and raffled off
at the County Fair. On our 10th Anniversary,
of a replay of the activities during the forty
years. Then we honored the 11 deceased
members with a memorial service. The
entertainment was re-doing some of the fun
times, like the Negro Minstrel, The Mock
Wedding, etc. The record of the 10th Anniv.
was played and was enjoyed by all. Naomi
Gilbert Walters was the only charter member
and she was presented a corsage. Kathy Dowd
was the Colorado Young Homemaker, served
on the State Board, helped at the State
Meeting in Sterling, June 16-19. Naomi
Walters was the District I North Star Award
winner. Lyla Enyart, Kathy Dowd and
Bernice Eberhart attended that State Meet-
the community.
As
it
was
just after World War II,
we
adopted a family in Holland that needed help
due to the war. The Marshal Plan made it
easy for us to pack a barrel with coffee, sugar,
and cocoa, along with clothes and ship it
overseas for less than $5.00. It was a very
enjoyable project for many years. We later
sent just money so they could buy the things
that they needed. Mr. Rhoada, a fellow from
Ireland, very kindly translated the letters for
us.
The Club had numerous projects such as
the School Lunch Progrom, fair booth, 4-H
Club, taking part in all County Council
meetings, serving food at sales, Red Cross
lessons, school eye exams, entertaining at
other clubs, carnivals, and helping the men
with the Gun Club, etc.
Due to so many of the people moving to
town or out of the community, plus several
of the ladies that were left starting working
outside the home, it was necessary to close
out the club in about 1980. It will always be
remembered as a bright spot in the neighbor-
hood for nearly forty years.
by Velma T[alstrom
ing.
Through the 40 years we have had some 46
members enrolled. We still have four of the
ones who joined that first year
- Naomi
Walters, Lyla Enyart, Alma Davis and Bernice Eberhart.
Other members on the roll in 1986 include,
Minnie Schmidt, Mildred Hines, Eileene
Morrell, Avis Schritter, JoNell Monroe,
Kathy Dowd, Esther Wilcox, Irene Kennedy,
Florence Mills, Katherine Diekman, Jeannie
Gantz, Ina Gay, Nyla Loutzenhiser, Diana
Miller and Oea Ann Payne.
In those early years, this club was about the
only social function for most of the homemakers, and it still remains one of the special
get-to-gether times for most of us. We are
proud to be one of the entries in the Kit
Carson County History Book.
Signed,
The Green Valley Gals
by Bernice Eberhart
THE FRIENDSHIP
CIRCLE HOME
DEMONSTRATION
CLUB
BURLINGTON
WOMEN'S CLUB
T30r
This club was organized as the Burlington
Junior Club under the sponsorship of Inter
Sese Club on January 28, 1938, and was
federated the same year. There were nine
charter members, none of whom are still in
the club. However several of the early
members are now finishing 42 to 46 years of
membership. In 1941, the club grew up and
became Burlington Woman's Club. In the
same year we began to organize a junior club
of our own became Quo Vadis Club.
As we look back through the years, we see
them filled with accomplishments, gleaming
with warm ties of friendship and enhanced by
personalities that have striven to make a
great organization, always working for the
betterment of the community, the nation,
and the world. In the forty-eight years of the
the KXXX Radio Station in Colby came out
T300
club's existence many women have come and
gone from our membership, blessing us for a
time with their talents, their helpfulness,
their inspiration, and their love.
Many are the projects undertaken by the
club in a wonderful spirit of fellowship.
During World War II, with a definite goal and
something vitally important to work for, our
Mangus was presented the "Good Neighbor
Award." We have it on a record and we play
it at other Anniv. parties.
We served lunch at farm sales, and had
family picnics. We have an annual Birthday
On February 4, L947, the ladies of the
Smoky Hill Community met at the home of
Bessie Ogle with the County Home Demon-
Federation project of buying a bomber. We
collected hundreds of pounds of silk and
and did a "Hello Neighbor Party." Persis
party,
a
christmas
gift
exchange, made
goodies for widowers of former members, and
helped deliver hot meals to shut-in senior
citizens. Selling Texas Manor Fruit Cakes is
a money making project since 1976. We
collect Pennies for Friendship every meeting.
A One-Act Play was presented by the club
in 1952. It won first place in the county and
then went to State where it won first place
directors award. It was directed by Bernice
Eberhart.
stration Agent, Mrs. Bertha B. Wear, as the
presiding officer until officers were elected.
Elected was Bessie Ogle, President; Jane
Matthews, Vice-President; and Velma Walstrom, Secretary.
The charter members were Lettie Butterfield, Flo Chapin, Irma Collins, Alice Daniels,
Flora Drager, Leona Guffy, Amanda Jansen,
Jane Matthews, Wanda McClelland, Hazel
Morton, Wilma Norton, Bessie Ogle, Ethel
Pearce, Inez Richardson, Ruby Scott, Grace
Sissell, and Velma Walstrom. Each year we
added more members, and some moved from
activities increased. We bought $15'700
worth of defense bonds to help the General
nylon hose to be reused for parachutes,
helped the Girl Scouts collect grease, and
pounded out 11,000 pounds of tin cans so the
tin could be salvaged. Members gave blood,
donated to the War Chest, and also filled and
shipped many kit bags for the soldier. A war
bond auction was sponsored at which the
auction of donated merchandise resulted in
the sale of $65,750 worth of war bonds. We
helped in the collection of used clothing to
ship to war torn countries and helped in the
Red Cross drives. Two destitute English
families were adopted by the club. Packages
�of clothing and food were sent to them for
several years for which we received many
letters of appreciation and thanks.
For several of the early years the club
sponsored the Christmas Seal carnpaign, but
since 1950 our special project has been
sponsoring the annual Heart Fund drive. The
first year we collected $246 while the 1985
total was $2,732.
Burlington Woman's Club has always
supported the town library with our time and
donation of books and money. Several members served on the library board, and volun-
They were the post having the "largest and
the smallest" persons in World War I. They
were Rube Pratt and Jack Magee.
In 1987 they were forced to turn in their
charter because of the death of most of their
membership.
All members have good memories of the
good times they had in the past.
by Henry Hoskin, Final Adjutant.
RETIRED SENIOR
VOLUNTEER
teers conducted a summer children's story
hour.
When
Kit
Carson County Hospital was
built, the club raised $500 for furnishing a
room, then more to tile the room and buy
drapes. In later years we sponsored the Pink
Ladies and held a raffle to raise money for
landscaping the front hospital yard. Our
special project for 1985 was carpeting the
entry, reception room, and offices. Over the
years the club has also donated to many other
worthwhile causes such as polio, cancer, Red
Cross, Easter Seals, Save the Children, and
of gifts and money
have been made to Colorado Boy's Ranch,
and we have helped send a girl to Girls State
others. Contributions
for manyyears. The needy in Burlington have
never been forgotten at Christmas time nor
any time the need was known.
The means to support these numerous
projects has not come easily. With each
member contributing her time, energy, and
ingenuity, we have used many money making
schemes from traveling teas
to food sales,
from rummage sales to auctions and raffles.
The club has joined wholeheartedly in
various community activities - participating
in skit nights and talent shows and construction floats for parades, the last of which was
for Mike Lounge Day in 1985. Over the years
we have also enjoyed many cultural, educational and entertaining programs given by
club members and guest speakers.
This is the story of a cultural influence in
a modern community. We believe that in
concerted action lies strength for any cause
we choose. We are grateful for the privilege
of
serving through Burlington Woman's
PROGRAM
When Betty Goss was co-ordinator in 1973,
the Burlington - Bethune R.S.V.P. was
started. Very few records were kept then,
however the following was found.
Betty Hostetler was hired as director in
July, 1973 and Betty Goss was co-ordinator.
In Aug. 1973 Betty Goss was made the
director and Nelda Hendricks the co-ordinator, Marlyn Bates somehow worked with
Nelda. In 1974, Betty quit and Billi Haynes
was hired as director. The Advisory Council
by-laws were written at that time and better
records were kept. Dorotha Hammond was
hired as co-ordinator. In 1975, Billi Haynes
quit and in June 1975, Ruth Kraxberger (now
Loutzenhiser) was hired as director.
Dorotha Hem6sn6 was co-ordinator till
1985, in May 1985, Linda Rower was hired as
co-ordinator, she served till May 1987, then
Sharon Zeigler was hired and she quit in Oct.
30, 1987 and Nov. 4, 1987, Betty Stoltz was
hired and is the present co-ordinator.
The first council members were Fred
Kiefer, Ida Stone, Theresia Kramer, and
Aldene Beringer. Some members changed,
some quit, others passed away and at present
members are: Carol Kosch, Josephine Strick,
Lenora Young, May Vedsted, and Theresia
Kramer, and the county commissioners are
always on the board.
In
area
Club.
by Sally Bauder and Dorothy
Reinecker
ARTHUR H. EVANS
POST #60
T302
The American Legion
Arthur H. Evans Post #60 of the American
Legion was organized in 1917 in Burlington,
Colorado.
Every year since then they decorated the
graves in the Burlington, Settlement, and
Happy Hollow Cemeteries. They were forced
to abandon the project about 1980 due to the
lack of membership.
For years they were instrumental in American Legion Baseball and all kinds of community activities. For years they were responsible for the Junior-Senior Prom in Burlington,
Colorado.
T303
trying in the Bethune
started met in the Imanuel
19?3, Betty Goss
to get
Lutheran Church basement, however no
interest was shown. she then combined
Burlington and Bethune and started to meet
at the Blue Flame room, when that closed we
met at Trinity Lutheran Church a few times
then changed to the Christian Church. The
S.O.S. Center opened in 1975 and after a year
the R.S.V.P. started to meet in the S.O.S.
Center once a month till 1983 when we
started to meet twice a month so more work
could be done.
At the Blue Flame room small craft articles
were made, Cyril Hoag started glass bottle
crafts, with no success. A trip was made to the
Wheatridge Home of Retarded Children in
Wheatridge, Co., someone had donated quilt
patches to the home, we were asked, would
we sew crib blankets with the patches for
them. That started our sewing projects, the
men made wooden pull toys. No record was
kept as to how many blankets were made, but
two trips were made to take blankets, toys,
and used clothing to the home. After those
patches were used up, two orders of factory
patches were ordered, then people heard that
we were in need of patches and have been
donating all the patches we need.
After sewing crib blankets for several years
we began making lap robes for the hospital,
West Nursing Home, and Grace Manor. We
also sewed bibs for Grace Manor. When those
needs were filled, we began to sew quilts for
the Boys Ranch at LaJunta. We made two
trips taking 12 quilts each time, we also took
homemade cookies on the last trip.
When Linda was co-ordinator, we started
to sew quilts for each client at the Dynamic
Dimension Center, 17 in all. The last quilts
were taken Sept. 22, 1987. Then we sewed 17
chair pads for them, before Sharon Zeigler
quit.
Besides that work we made other crafts for
bazaars, sewed two quilts and hand quilted
them to sell, also tied some quilts to sell and
had bake sales and bazaars, to help buy
materials we needed to finish quilts etc. The
men helped build cupboards for the S.O.S.
Center and helped with crafts. They started
woodworking by making sewing kits; chickens; then roosters; lawn decorations; aggravation game boards (sold these for other
materials needed); they also made a table and
do whatever is needed even repair work of any
kind.
We had people working in school, some
chauffeured people where needed, when
there was no need for the bus, helped at Grace
Manor to feed people and helped when they
went on their trips. We helped with community programs; went with the S.O.S. Band, to
sing; went to Senior Day at the Capitol; to the
State Fair; the Circus in Denver; Ice Capades;
and had picnics at Bonny Dam, at the park,
and had hamburger fries. We served the
wedding reception for Ted and Hazel Back-
lund. We met at the Center and went to
speakouts, the first speakout was at Burlington, an we went to Recognition Days once
a year at Kit Carson and Lincoln county. The
first Recognition Day was held at Flagler
park in 1974, with a hamburger fry. The next
year we had a picnic lunch in Flagler park. In
1976, it was held in the school gym, then in
1977, each county held their separate recognition day; with Kit Carson's being at the
Seibert School. Burlington-Bethune made
the corsages and table decorations. From
1978 on,
it
it
was held in Flagler school, a couple
was in the gym with snacks after
the program. Then they started to serve
lunch paid by R.S.V.P. and then have the
of times
It was well attended.
Burlington-Bethune, with the help of the
program.
county commissioners, were able to get a bus,
Aug. 6, 1987. The last few years we out grew
the center, so started to look for a larger
building, when a good hearted citizenhanded
us a check to buy a nice big building, then we
started to raise money for it. We were able to
move in the basement of our building by Aug.
25, L987, with the R.S.V.P. doing the work,
etc., we are now working towards getting the
upstairs furnished with a kitchen for the
meals.
Beginning Jan. 1988, meals were served
here. The building, now called the McArthur
Senior Center, is located in the northwest
part of Burlington, away from traffic, where
there is plenty of parking space and
also
space for recreation.
The Senior Citizens are happy to have their
building and are thankful to everyone who
helped in obtaining it.
by Theresia Kramer
�Dortha H. Hammond, Ella Farwell, Eileen
Stewart, Ines McArthur, Naomi Gilbert,
COMET REBEKAH
LODGE
T304
Beluah Schahrer, Gladys Clouse, Helen
Kreoger, Ethel Stewart, Lucy Russman,
Many will remember a certain date on May
which Halley's Comet was
expected to fall upon and destroy the earth.
It was at this time Sister Sallie St. Clair.
President of the Rebekah Assembly of Colorado, Sister Ernestine V.G. Boggs, state
secretary and Sister Minnie Cook, a former
Gladys Farnsworth, Doris Hawthorne, Anna
18, 1910, as the day
resident of this county, journeyed to Burlington to institute the local lodge.
Charter members of the lodge were: Gertrude McCloid, Anna Stephenson, Anna F.
Dunn, Etta M. Stetler, Mabel Boger and
Grant Stephenson.
It
was Sisters St. Clair and Boggs who
ruggested the name "Comet" referring to the
calamity which was
to befall all, and
the
Lodge's designated No. 1.23. Thus Comet
Rebekah Lodge No. 123 was instituted with
Anna Stephenson as its First Noble Grand
and Anna Nightengale as Vice Grand. Other
officers installed were: Gertrude McCloid,
P.N.G.; Mabel Boger, Secretary; Ella Stetler,
Treasurer; Mary E. Wilkenson, warden; Inez
M. Chase, conductor; T.P. Hoskin, chaplin;
J.G. Upton RSNG; Mary Williams, LSNG;
Grant Stephenson, RSVP; Myrtle Danforth,
LSVG; M. Bernice Chase, inside guardian;
rnd Lewis B. Cline, outside guardian.
Other members were: Ethel Burr, Gertrude
Upton, Mary Haynes, Parmelia Brinkley,
Grant Stetler, Amos Williams, Louis Chase,
Melvin Winslow, Elida Christenson, Sara M.
Winslow, Clytie Hoskin, Martha Potter,
Wyatt Boger, John Pilling, Edward Hoskin,
Sr. and Mary Winslow.
The Comet Rebekahs withstood the Halley
Comet calamity and is still withstanding
lome 65 years later. The lodges comprising
District No. 13 of the IOOF and Rebekah
Lodges are as follows: Rebekah Lodges,
Burlington, 123, Cheyenne Wells, No.
BURLINGTON
GARDEN CLUB
Louise Holmes, Vivian Kiefer, Emma Mullis,
Grace McNeill, Ruth Bauder, Alma Davis,
44,
invited Nannie Hoskin and,Lizzie Wilkinson
Keifer.
A Poem written by a charter member,
Mabel Boger follows:
On the eighteenth of May, nineteen ten,
A group of women, and also men
Desiring to form a Rebekah Lodge
For the good of mankind, and the Star to
to help draw up plans for a garden club. They
asked Helen Calvin, Pearl Schell, Selma
Laymon, Martha Hudler, Pearl Vallin, Jean
dodge.
fined 100.
The first year a major effort was made to
encourage residents to beautify their yards
and gardens with prizes given at the last of
the season for the best looking gardens in
When Halley's own star was at its summit
For want of a name, decided on "Comet".
The number assigned it was one hundred
twenty-three
In spite of the Hoo-Doo, happy are we!
Institution was had, the deed was done,
In fair Colorado at Burlington.
Local members who have been awarded 50year jewels for their continuous membership
in Comet Rebekah Lodge of Burlington
are:
First to receive the distinction of achieving
the 50-year goal was a charter member,
Mabel Boger, who was honored and awarded
the pin in May of 1960. Mabel served as the
lodge's first secretary in 1910, and was Noble
Grand for two terms in 1912 and 1915, as well
as serving in other offices. She passed away
August 10, 1966.
Anna L. Buel was awarded the second 50year jewel in May 1972. Sister Anna served
as Noble Grand for two terms in L927 and.
1932, as well as other offices including that
of treasurer for 25 years. She also achieved
other honors including one of the highest
awards given by the IOOF and Rebekah
orders, receiving the decoration ofchivalry by
the Patriarchs Militant and LEAPM on Jun
e 6, 1969 at the IOOF Temple in Fort Collins.
Mrs. Buol passed away October 8, 1974.
Sister Ethel Sawyer was also sent a 50-year
jewel in 1972. She was residing in Bird City,
Kan., at the time. She has since passed away.
Pearl Sturdevant received the fourth 50year jewel, which was sent to her in 1973 at
her home in Pasco, Wash. Sister joined the
Iocal lodge on July 16, 1923 when Maye
rests, namely Friendship, Love and
Morgan was Noble Grand. She served in
creme Being, loyalty to your country under
nhose flag we live, and fraternal of your
fellow man, will always be living principles.
Past Noble Grands of Rebekah Lodge No.
[23 are: Anna Stephenson, Mabel Boger, Etta
Stetler, Parmelia Brinkley, Thomasine Hoskin, Mary Haynes, Mabel Boger, Rhoda
Yersin Schofield, Stella Nesmith Penny,
Mary Wilkenson, Myrtle Danforth, Lillie N.
Pilling, Anna L. Bergen, Gertrude Upton,
Mary E. Baker, Etta Stetler, Bernice Chase,
Iessie Gray, Rhoda Yersin Schofield, Maye
0. Morgan, Mary Chase Gassner, Phem
KuKuk, Davie Powell, Pearl Sturdevant,
{,nna Boul, Flora Klooze, Veta Jose, Maude
Jmith, Clytie Hoskin, Anna Bergen, Anna
Boul, Vera Magee Reeves, Dorthy Bergen
)lson, Dorthea Goldsworthy, Clara Bauder
Loyd, Bessie Goodhue, Alice Travis Shanron, Lela Plummer, Myrtle Aumiller, Alvina
llafer, Opal Towers, Mamie Park, Clara Flak,
Pearl Kockenteger Dawson, Ruth Ferseuth,
Pearl Van Dorn Stepens, Mary Evans, Helen
Ragan, Vera Walters, Florence Wigton,
On a February day in 1928, Bessie Wilson
Parnell, Avis Bader Schritter and Vivian
Flagler, No. 1300, Limon, No. 35, and Seibert
No. 128. Odd Fellows Lodges: Burlington No.
[52, Cheyenne Wells No. 153, Flagler No.
135, Limon No. 179, and Seibert No. 37.
The foundations upon which the order
Truth, is
rs solid now as in the early days of its
:onstruction; its principles, belief in a Su-
T305
many offices and was Noble Grand in 1926.
She moved to Boulder in the late 1930's and
later to Washington.
The most recent recipient of the 5O-year
jewel was Sister Phern KuKuk of Loveland.
It was presented to her on June 28,1974, at
a meeting of Grace Rebekahs in Loveland,
which she has attended since leaving Burlington in 1946. She joined Burlington Lodge
in January of t924, serving as Noble Grand
in 1925, as well as other offices. The jewel was
pinned on her by another Comet Rebekah
member who also resides in Loveland now
and attends that lodge.
by Vivian Kiefer
Lomis and Beulah Hamilton to join their
group and the Burlington Garden Club was
formed. The dues were 500 a year and if any
member was absent from a meeting she was
town. The club gave flower seeds to the Camp
Fire Girls and the Girl Scouts to enhance the
competition. To further their efforts in 1931
the club held its first plant exchange which
is still an annual project. In 1934 the club
urged the Burlington City Council to adopt
the gold zinnia as the city flower and after
this was done, gold zinnias were planted
widely in Burlington.
In 1935 The Burlington Garden Club held
its first flower show and the State Garden
Club president, Mrs. Fish, served as the
judge. Also that year the club spent 95.00 on
vases to be used for taking flowers to the
hospital and to those confined at home.
Bessie Wilson and Della Hendricks were
always interested in the world around them,
so they urged the club to undertake a study
of wild flowers. They spent many hours on
field trips while Mr. Woodfin took about 70
pictures for them.
In
1938
the Burlington Garden
CIub
sponsored the "Pioneer Parade and Flower
Show" during the county fair which was then
held in September. In 1951 the county
commissioners asked the club to take charge
of the floraculture booth on a permanent
basis.
In the early days of the club the emphasis
had been on the appearance of the town and
most of the programs had been about flowers
and their culture. This changed during World
War II when Victory Gardens were encouraged and the slogan was "Food for Victory,
Flowers for Morale".
From the beginning the club has had an
abiding interest in birds. Once it sponsored
a contest for the best bird house made by any
boy or girl under 16 years of age. Another
time it sought to protect birds by hanging
bells on pet cats. There is a note that 17 bells
were given out. There were also a few bird
baths in town but interest in them increased
when Mrs. Mead of Denver, wrote that she
had a birth bath mold that she would loan to
the club if it would pay the transportation
costs. To cover these charges each member
was assessed 150 and the club was able to
send for the mold. A large number of bird
baths were made and one of them is presently
on the hospital grounds.
In 1944 the Burlington Garden Club
sponsored the Peconic Garden Club which
had ten charter members. Later on a spot
prepared by the county, The Burlington
Garden Club erected a large fireplace as a
memorial to those who served in the armed
forces. There is a large bronze plaque on it
designating it as the Blue Star Memorial. On
�the site, the Burlington and Peconic clubs
placed picnic tables and benches for the use
of the public.
Another project undertaken by the Burlington club is where Highway 24 comes into
Burlington from the east at what we call the
"Y". The State Highway Department in
cooperation with the Parks and Recreation
Board designed a Wayside Park and recommended plantings for it. The club planted
many trees, shrubs and flowers, particularly
iris.
Probably the largest project for which the
club assumed responsibility was landscaping
the grounds after the Kit Carson County
Memorial Hospital was built. The landscape
plan, as drawn up by the women of the club
received an award from the State Garden
Club Federation in 1955 and won the National Award of Garden Clubs, June 6, 1956.
This was one of two awards presented to any
club west of the Mississippi River. It took five
years to complete the job and in this time the
club planted 46 evergreen trees, 10 deciduous
trees, 117 shrubs, 14 vines and 250 English
privit. Six benches were placed around the
grounds.
When the new Fair Grounds grandstand
built the county commissioners asked the
was
club to suggest a color scheme and so
it
recommended the rainbow of colors that were
used.
Over the years the club has participated in
many parades in conjunction with various
community celebrations the last of which
honored astronaut Mike Lounge in October,
1985. The club entered a float in that parade
and won first place in its class.
Over the past sixty years the club has been
active in many community functions. A total
of 202 women have participated in the club
which presently has 30 active members.
by Marion Janssen
QUO VADrS
FEDERATED
WOMANS CLUB
T306
To dispel the dark shadows ofwar, a social
group known as the Merry Maids of Bur-
lington Club was formed. These young
women were invited to become a Federated
Junior Club. With a membership of eight,
Jubilee Juniors was granted a charter in
March 1941, following admittance to the
Federation at a board meeting in Denver on
January 20, L941. Serving as advisors were
Mrs. Iva Penny and later, Mrs. Ruth Milburn. On June 6, 1946, in a beautiful, formal
candlelight service at the home of Mrs. J.C.
Coleman, Pikes Peak District President,
senior membership was conferred on a membership of nineteen. Quo Vadis, which means
"whiter goest thou", was selected as the new
club name.
Charter members were Alice Pischke
Boyles, Winifred Esch James, Betty Brown
Chalfant, Lois Sandst€dt Bishop, Phyllis
Sandstedt Eberhart, Mary Vailin Sample,
Roma Ross Stanton, and Maxine Wilson
Nixon.
Throughout its existence the club has
initiated and supported many worthwhile
projects for community improvement, social
welfare, and international understanding
including hospital aid, organization of PTA
and Girl Scouts, Christmas Seals, and Red
Cross work. The Howdy Hostess Program
was started in 1956 and continued for some
twenty years. A scholarship was established
in 1960 and a "Dollar for Scholars" benefit
bridge and pinochle party was given. This
became an annual fund raising event for the
scholarship fund through 1964. Various other
money making ideas were later used.
Community Service Projects included preparing March of Dimes envelopes for mailing,
filling sacks for Rotary Club for their annual
Easter Egg Hunt, skits put on by the
members for the Alumni Association, and
preparing floats for various occasions such as
Homecoming, and the Little Britches Rodeo
Parade. In 1949, the club sponsored a room
in the new hospital and the maternity ward
was chosen. A total of $450 was given to
advantages to the community and this club
has left a positive influence on the commu-
nity of Burlington.
by Kathy Lundien
AURORA CHAPTER
#73, ORDER OF THE
EASTERN STAR
T307
complete the room. Each year money was
given to purchase some article needed for the
ward. "Toys for Tots" was start€d in 1963
where a toy was given to any child who was
admitted to the hospital.
In 1968, members began conducting the
door-to-door Arthritis Drive. Each year in
which the club participated in this project
they were recognized by the Arthritis Foundation for collecting the largest amount of
money per club capita in the Tri-state area.
During the club year 1958-59, Crystal Schlosser, who was president, took part in the new
Library Dedication. The honor being hers
because Quo Vadis raised the most money
Aurora chapter of Eastern Star. L. to R.: Front.
Florence Remington, Pat Wilson, Mary Gassner,
Gladys Teselle, Clarence and Vera Magee. Row 2:
Laura Jacobs, Nora Broune, Carolyn King, Anna
Bergen, Peggy Wilson, Lois Halsted and Iva
Penny. Row 3: Dorothy Bergen, Mary Curtiss,
Bessie Guthrie and Alberta Swaim.
toward furnishing the new library. They
raised $94.00 by selling birthday and anniversary calendars.
Money making projects were as follows:
Annual Armistice Day Dance, which in 1945
netted $600 and $300 was donated to the Kit
Carson County Memorial Hospital Fund, the
Mother-Daughter Banquet, Children's Mart,
Traveling Food Basket, White Elephant Sale,
Rummage Sales, Food and Candy Sales.
The ladies did not always work, but did
have a little fun on the nights when they
entertained their husbands. The club had
their first Husband's Party in 1953. Each
year this continued. The early parties were
held on April lst, and in the latter years was
held in February. Another fun project was
having Pixie Pals from 1950-53. Names were
drawn and gifts presented on Birthdays and
Anniversaries.
Some of the club members to achieve high
honors were as follows: Mildred Anderson
served as district treasurer and junior vice
president, Koy Snowbarger served as district
recording secretary, and district president,
Pam Levitt served as district recording
secretary, Dorene Buol tied for second place
in the CFWC Short Story Contest, Marjorie
Robinson won first place in the state on her
story on Geontology, Kathy Lundien served
as district treasurer. Many of the club
members served as district and state chairman of the various departments. In 1976 the
club received a national award on OPERATION IDBNTIFAX (a crime prevention
program).
In May of 1982 this organization, regretfully, came to the conclusion that due to the
many other activities which the members had
there was no longer time for Quo Vadis and
the club disbanded. The many activities
which the club tried to accomplish were
Being desirous of organizing a chapter of
the Order of the Eastern Star, a petition was
circulated by "master masons and wives and
daughters". On a Thursday evening in 190b,
a large number of the petitioners met at the
masonic lodge room and selected the officers
to be recommended for appointment by the
Worthy Grand Patron. Those present suggested names for the Chapter and, after much
discussion, the name "Aurora" was adopted.
That name was suggested by Wm. M. Long,
who it seems had been much impressed by the
brilliant displays of the Aurora Borealis,
which had been visible here that fall. The
awe-inspiring spectacle seemed
name for the new Chapter.
a fitting
On December 29, 1905, Worthy Grand
Patron W.L. Bush was present for the
purpose of instituting Aurora Chapter. The
dispensation was read, to be in force until the
next meeting of Grand Chapter. A full set of
officers was appointed, these chosen in
accord with the wishes of the Chapter. Five
new members were initiated during the first
year. On August 27, 920 was sent to Grand
Chapter with a petition for a charter. However, at the meeting of Grand Chapter the
continuance of the dispensation of Aurora
Chapter was authorized. On September 20,
1907, the Worthy Grand Matron met with the
Chapter and delivered the Charter. That was
a momentous occasion. The work was exem-
plified for the Worthy Grand Matron,
a
practice which has been continued through
the years.
Some of our first regalia was described in
the early minutes of the Chapter. In 1908 a
"carpet" was purchased for $7.50. This carpet
was known as a "floor cloth" and was placed
on the floor of the labrinth for each meeting.
Painted on it were the five stars and their
�emblems
in appropriate
colors. Music has
always been of great importance in our work,
and the Chapter joined with three other
organizations in purchasing an organ. Our
has played an important part in our history
and we hereby pay them tribute!
by Marie lloskin
of the cost was $10.50. In 1926 the
Chapter paid the Rebekah lodge $30.00 on
share
the piano they purchased. Our own piano was
later secured when we started meeting in our
present Chapter room.
It
is interesting to know when various of
our customs were set. In 1929, an "instruction
committee" was appointed. This later became the proficiency committee which became required in 1934. We began supplying
our past matrons and patrons with pins in
1924. At the time this was quite an expenditure, because we had to supply pins for all
pins in
previous matrons and patrons
- 16
all. The dates for elections and installations
have been changed several times, having been
from November to May to September. Chapter dues have ranged from $2.50 to $12'50'
The coin march began in 1921, with the
money first being used to buy flowers for the
sick. We began publishing year books in 1945.
The last tradition to be added was that of
giving 25 year pins which we began in 1951.
During the early years, there were many
trials concerning our meeting hall facilities.
The janitor service was poor, regalia had to
be moved and carried up flights of stairs to
each meeting, and often there was no heat.
Then, beginning in 1947, plans were made by
the Masons for a new Masonic Temple. Our
Chapter pitched in by operating a booth at
the county fair for the next 6 years. In 1951
it was reported that the Masons had bought
the Christian Church and would remodel it
for a Masonic Temple. Then indeed did the
Chapter give liberally of the money they had
earned, for furniture and to help remodel and
furnish the basement. August 25, 1951, the
Grand Officers of Colorado came to Burlington and dedicated our Chapter room.
It
has always been a pleasure to welcome
the Grand Officers to our Chapter and to
entertain them with
a
banquet. Looking back
we find that at a banquet in 1913 two turkeys
cost $2.75 and a pound of coffee cost 300. In
1933 and 34, the banquets cost 500 per plate.
By 1948 the cost had risen to $1.50 and today
the cost is $8.00.
In
1929 an assembly of the Rainbow for
Girls was organized. An afternoon party was
given for prospective girls and their mothers,
to explain the order and encourage the girls.
Burlington Assembly #24 was instituted
January 25, 1930. Our Worthy Matron Vivian
was a Charter member.
In April 1978, shortly before official visit'
new carpet was installed, new drapes purchased, new pedestals and a new altar cloth
were added. Several garage sales and bazaars
were held to raise funds for these projects.
SCOUTING IN
BURLINGTON
T308
The scouting program was started in
Burlington in April, 1940, with the chartering
of Troop 38. The chartering institution was
the Burlington Rotary Club who has continually sponsored the program for the past 48
years. The first Scoutmaster was Lloyd
Green, pastor of the First Christian Church.
Bill Haughey was his assistant and when Rev.
Green Ieft Burlington, Bill became the
Scoutmaster. In 1944 Jerry Penny became
Burlington's first Eagle Scout. Walter Bauder was then drafted as Scoutmaster and he
helped his sons, Don and Warren, earn their
Eagle Badges
in
In June of
1945.
1945 Henry C. Beatty was
appointed pastor of the Methodist Church
and shortly thereafter assumed the duty of
Scoutmaster. Scouting really grew in Burlington during his leadership and 4 of his
Scouts earned their Eagle Badges. They were
Mike Winningham in 1946, Jim Penny 1948,
Bill Flatt 1949, and Dean Wigton in 1950.
During the fifties various men served as
Scoutmaster, they being Bruce Channell,
Dick Thomas, John Bryner, Gene Pinalto,
Elbert Akers, and Percy Lounge. In 1954
Burton Beahm became Burlington's 8th
Eagle Scout.
In the sixties, Scoutmasters were Percy
Lounge, Wert Frerichs, Gary Long, Larry
Schlasis, Frank Meggers, Kenneth Morrison,
J.B. Beecham. and Milton Harrison. In 1964
Roger Beahm received his Eagle and was
joined by Terry Buol in 1965. During the
seventies, Scoutmasters were Kenneth King,
Jim Timmie. Don Cornella, Lonnie Barlow,
Jim Richardson, and Glen Davis with
10
Scouts earning their Eagle Badge. They were
Randy Hertneky 1970, Harry Hertneky 1971,
David Hahn 1973, Kurt Lucas 1975, David
Hertneky 1977, Mike McCulloch 1977, the
McCullock twins, Mark and Mitch in 1978,
J.D. Richardson 1979, and George Hertneky
in 1979. The troop had some excellent
leadership during this period.
In the eighties the Scoutmasters were Glen
Davis, Rick Hiltman, Luis Rodriguez, Dwight
Holmes, and Kevin Schott who is presently
serving as Scoutmaster. During this period 5
Scouts became Eagles, they being Jason
Currier 1981, Greg McCullough 1982, Jeff
Currier 1982, Jay Tatkenhorst 1986, and Jon
we presently use on our Altar was Sister
Cromwell in 1987.
The Burlington Troop has the distinction
of having 2 families with 4 Eagles in each
family, they being the Hertnekys and the
McCullochs. There are also 4 other families
with 2 Eagles, they being the Pennys, Bauders, Beahms, and Curriers. The Burlington
Scout Troop has been very viable in our
Eileen's when she served as Worthy Grand
Matron and was presented to her by our
Rainbow Assembly.
Obviously it is possible to mention only a
few of our members by name in this short
resume of 80 years, but anyone who is now or
ever has been a member of Aurora Chapter,
Christmas sacks. the Chamber of Commerce
Annual Easter Egg Hunt, and various clean
up and paint up projects. They have manned
the grandstand concession stand at Kit
Carson County Fair for about 35 years and
the Little Britches Rodeo since it started.
During the past 80 years we have had
several of our eisters serve as Grand Representatives, Grand Pages, District Instructors
and various other committees. 3 sisters have
served as Grand Officers. Sister Eileen
Wiedman served as Worthy Grand Matron of
the State of Colorado in 1970-71. The Bible
community, helping
with distribution of
The profits from the concession stand
has
enabled many Scouts to go yearly to our Pikes
Peak Council Camp at Camp Alexander.
Other high adventure trips made by the
Scouts over the years was a canoe trip into
Canada in 1955 led by Willard Gross and
Herman Rau. In 1960 another canoe trip led
by Maddie Stubbs and Dr. Ray Beethe, and
in 1965 another group led by Ron Stoner and
Menil Amsbury. In 1970 a float trip down the
Green River into Dinosaur National Park was
led by Harry Hertneky, Weldon Vance, Curt
Penny, and Bob Hendricks, then in L972 a
wilderness trip into the San Juan Mountains
Area led by Jim Timmie, Lewis Carlin, John
Swick, and Bob Hendricks. In 1979 another
float trip led by Merle Worden and Harry
Hertneky, and in 1981 2 groups ofScouts took
the float trip down the Green River, the first
one by Jack Currier, Charles Walstrom, and
Glen Lucas, and the second one by Glen
Davis and Jim Morrison.
The Cub Scout program was started in
1949, one year after the Boy Scout program,
and has been serving the boys of the Burlington Community for 47 years. Again, the
Burlington Rotary Club was the sponsoring
institution ofPack 38. It is not known for sure
who was the first Cubmaster, but it seems
that Parvin Penny and Walter Bauder helped
at that time. In June of 1945, Willard Gross
to Burlington from Colby, Kansas
where he had started their Cub Pack in 1941
moved
and served as its Cubmaster for nearly 4
years. While in Colby he also helped organize
the Cub Pack in Goodland and
Oakley,
Kansas. Immediately upon moving to Burlington he was recruited to be the Cubmaster
of Pack 38, a position he held fot about 2r/z
years. The records are not very complete as
to who served as Cubmaster during the fifties
and sixties. In the fifties Rev. Omer Timmons, Edward Varela, Martin Buol, and Jim
Rawson served as leaders. In l96L Norman
Travis was Cubmaster and in 1962 Dale
Tallent was signed on and in 1963 through
1966 Willard again served 4 years, followed
by Max Hahn. Leaders in the seventies were
Dean Brown, LeRoy Arends, Glen Lucas,
Lonnie Barlow, Hal Williams, and Phil
Woodrick. Then came Pat Gergen in 1981,
1982, and 1983, followed by Obey Barnes in
1984 and 1985. Dale Hansen assumed the
Cubmaster responsibility in 1986 and presently is serving in that capacity. There have
been many dedicated Cubmasters, Webelo
Leaders, Den Mothers, and Committeemen
over the years. Many Cubs and parents have
been involved in the annual Pinewood Derby
and the Blue and Gold dinners and have
supported the Cub program.
Burlington also has had an Explorer Post
from time to time. The records show a Post
in 1966 with Ronald C. Stoner as Advisor.
Sometime after that George Wells and LeRoy
Arends were Advisors to a Post sponsored by
the St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
The Burlington Rotary club has done much
for Scouting over the years. They annually
conduct the finance drive to raise funds for
our Pikes Peak Council. The Council in turn
gives service back to our community in
providing training sessions for our leaders, a
scout camp, literature, and makes sure that
our program is on target and viable in our
community. Each fall the Rotary Club hosts
free picnic at the football field which is used
as a recruiting time to sign up new Tiger
Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts. In the late
a
�forties the Rotary Club, with the help of the
Town of Burlington, completed the "Scout
Kiva" building which previously had been a
cement water storage reservoir beneath the
water tower at the North end of Main Street.
This has been home to the Burlington Troop
for over 40 years. It appears that in the near
future, that the Boy Scouts and the Girl
Scouts will have a new Scout home that will
be built and donated by Harold McArthur.
Probably the one individual who has
promoted and done more for Scouting in
Burlington than anyone else is Willard Gross.
He has been a registered Scouter for nearly
47 years of which 43 years has been in
Burlington. He is known as "Mr. Scouting"
in our area. He has served many years on the
Cub Scout and Boy Scout committees and in
the absence of a Scoutmaster he has assumed
that position to keep the program going. He
is the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award
which is the highest award a Scout Council
may bestow upon a Scouter. He is also a
recipient of the Award of Merit which was
given by the Hi-Plains Scout District. Both
of these awards are given for outstanding
service to Scouting, for work with youth and
participation in church, business, and community activities.
The best known person to come out of
Burlington's Scouting program is Mike
Lounge who was a member of Troop 38 in the
late fifties and early sixties. Mike was very
active in Scouting and later received an
appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He
then joined the NASA program and became
an astronaut. In 1985 he made 12? orbits of
the earth in the "Discovery" Bpacecraft over
an 8 day period and was honored in 1985 by
the City of Burlington with a big parade,
barbeque, football geme and other activities.
Scouting has affected the lives ofhundreds
of boys in Burlington and we feel
it
has
helped them to "Do Their Best" and to "Be
Prepared" for whatever task they undertook.
I have looked at several old charters and
registration papers to locate names and dates
of those who have served. A lot of these
papers are missing and I have done the best
I can with what information I have to fill in
the gaps. I may have missed leaders, but I
assure you it has not been intentional.
by Willard Gross
ROTARY
T309
Rotary was born in the city of Burlington
on the night ofFeb. 23, 1905. Paul Harris and
three of his friends, out of loneliness and the
lack of fellowship between men of varied
professional interests, developed a club. It
was thus that Rotary was founded by men
who recognized the need for fellowship as well
as the need for securing additional business
through contacts with other business men. It
was soon discovered however, that the fellow-
ship derived from their meetings was far
On October 5, 1936, some Burlington
first organizational
businessmen held their
meeting. Nineteen charter members were
a constitution and
bylaws of the Burlington Rotary Club. Those
present and drafted
Charter members were: Ned R. Brown,
Claude Coleman, John J. Esch, Dr. Glen
Flatt, William H. Jacobs, Henry P. Klutz,
Elmer C. Baker, Walter H. King, T.W.
Backlund, Hugh W. Gleason, Carl Hamilton,
Harold Keese, Dr. M.E. Robinson, Louis
Vogt, Harry Shank, Arthur Wilson, T.H.
Thomas, Orin Penny, and C.D. Reed.
From this group, a board of directors were
in turn elected the first
officers of the club. The first board and
officers were: C.D. Reed, President; T.H.
elected and they
Thomas, vice-president; J.C. Coleman, secretary-treasurer; William H. Jacobs, sergeant
of arms; John J. Esch, Henry Klutz,
Dr.
Glenn Flatt, Ned Brown, and Dr. Murray
Robinson the board.
Charter night was held at Shank's Cafe on
Nov. 17, 1936. It was a gala evening and all
members were there with their Anns. Goodland, our sponsor club, had 20 Rotarians with
their wives, Denver 17, Colorado Springs 14,
and Colby 9, along with District Governor
Roy Weaver and Charley Aimes from Pueblo.
Berny Vessey was on hand from the Colorado
Springs Club and he got us offto a flying start
in the singing department. We believe he was
the prime reason why Burlington has always
been known as the "Singing Club".
In 1939-1940, the Aims and Objects com-
mittee recommended to the Club that they
sponsor a Boy Scout Troop in Burlington,
which was approved by the board. In 19411942, Rotarian Glenn Flatt was named
treasurer for the Boy Scout organization. The
usual contribution was made to the community Christmas program and a committee of
Jacobs, Rhoades and Hoskin were named to
assist in this work. The Club also voted to
make a contribution of $1 per member
towards the purchase of an ambulance for
war work.
In 1942-1943, arrangements were approved
for the holding of the annual boy
scout
carnival. During the year the club gave free
movie tickets to the boys being inducted into
the armed service.
In 1943-1944. one of the main efforts of the
year was the securing of a permanent meeting
place for the Boy Scouts, being sponsored by
the group. The board of directors voted to
buy a piano for the club that year. The
following year, since the war seemed to be
drawing closer to an end, the Rotary decided
to sponsor the
hospital as
a
community
project. tn 1945 and 46, much time was given
to sponsoring the hospital for Burlington.
New members were initiated into the club
that year: Rev. Henry Beatty, Harold McArthur, Kermit Buol, Bob Shamburg, Henry
Hoskin, Standish, Winningham, Fisher,
Pugh, Harrison, Bruner Penny, Houschouer,
Ardueser, Fundingsland, Zick and Powell.
Projects for the year were limited by
necessity due to the tremendous effort on the
part of club members to carry to completion
its one main project that of erecting the Kit
more important than the making of sales.
In the Rotary year 1960-61, the Burlington
Club reached its greatest heights up to that
time. The club was honored by having one of
its members for district governor in District
547, Walter King, charter member and 8th
president of the club was recipient of the
Carson County Hospital. The brickwork
rapidly neared completion and the cornerstone was laid in the spring of L947. At last
the hospital was complete and the first
patient was received in June 1948.
In 1951-1952, the Burlington Rotary be-
honor,
c'me a 100% Rotary Foundation Fellowship
Club. The Walking Blood Bank for the new
Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital was
sponsored and funds were raised to buy an
automatic elevator for the hospital. In 19531954, the club sponsored a drive to send lead
pencils to the children in Syria.
The Club had a rather unusual distinction
in 1954-55, in that it had three sets of fathers
and sons: John Buol with sons Kermit and
Martin; Thornton Thomas with son Richard;
and William Hendricks with son Bob. The
Club was responsible for a very successful
father's night with 100 local farmers in
attendance. In 1959-60, the group sponsored
the first all community talent show. New
members for the year 1960-1961 were: Mel
Semmel, Dale Kelly, Dr. Ben Jones, Dr.
Clancy Ross and John Hudler was reinstated.
In 1961-1962, the highlight ofthe year was
the 25th anniversary of the club. 5 members
of the 19 charter members were present.
During the year the club caried out a bicycle
safety program under the direction of Dale
Hanna and Dr. Beethe. A total of 159 bicycles
were inspected and licensed in Burlington. In
the spring, a bicycle rodeo was held with over
100 boys and girls competing for prizes. The
State Highway Patrol helped with the program.
The main feature of the year 1963-64 came
with the appearance of the Air Force Academy Band of 60 pieces. A packed house of
more than 1000 persons heard the concert.
In 1965-1966, the board voted to pay the
expenses for seven boys to attend the Christian Athletes Convention in Estes Park. New
members that year were: Fred Rock, C.W.
Patrick, John Swick, and Brett Bell.
The club assisted in sponsoring the F.C.A.
boys group who attended a state conference,
several exchange students from and to Aus-
tralia and Farmer's Night sponsoring many
farmers of the area.
Rotary sponsored a circus in 1973 which
proved to be well received. Nine new members were taken into the membership. Two
charter members and past presidents, Cece
Reed and Thornton Thomas passed away.
The Boy Scout fund drive was the largest ever
collected, $4,927,in 1976. Two members were
taken in and the club presented a "Variety
and Talent" show which was very successful.
In1976-1977 nine new members joined the
group. 1980 had a very successful Boy Scout
fund drive with $5,338.00 collected and six
new members were taken in. The annual Bell
Bonfils Blood drive was started and has been
an ongoing project through the 80's. The club
has served the annual Pancake Feed at the
Little Britches Rodeo as a fund raising
project. The club gave tribute to Willard
Gross, known as Mr. Scouting in this area and
organized the "Rooster Roundup" a brainstorm of Rod Rawson in 1982-83. Over
$6000.00 was raised by way of the roundup
and has proven to be a great success through
the 1980's.
OLD TOWN
T310
Old Town had its beginning when Edgar
Pratt went to Ernest McArthur to ask him
about moving a barn to Burlington from the
Charley Pizel place which is north of Kanorado, Kansas. They went to the fair grounds to
�
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History of Kit Carson County
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Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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Burlington
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1988
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history
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A history of the Town of Burlington as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County
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text
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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PDF Text
Text
BETHEL SOD SCHOOL
AND COMMUNITY
BUILDING
T400
The first Bethel school house and commu-
nity building was built some time around
1908. This was a one room sod house located
between the Henry Wilson homestead (now
the Ed Herndon home) and the Albert Clint
homestead. This school had ten to twelve
pupils. Some drove a horse and buggy to
school and some walked to school. Elmer and
Jim Howard walked four miles and Merna
and Cecil Coad cnme several miles. The Bert
Wilson children came three miles to school.
Mary and Claude Kelly walked from the
In later years some families got Model T
put
cars. In freezing weather a low bucket was
under the radiator to drain out the water. It
was then taken into the school house and set
beside the stove to keep warm. It was put
back into the radiator when Sunday School
was over. The men usually put the radiator
petcock in their coat pocket - this didn't dare
get lost. At night, if the car lights went out,
a kerosene lantern was wired onto the
radiator cap. We drove home by this light. If
a Model T wouldn't start, folks pushed it
down the slope east of the school house. This
worked pretty good. The Model T had a hand
crank.
Thru the years people moved away from
the Bethel community and in 1950 the school
children were taken by bus into Stratton to
school.
Hamilton place. This place was one half mile
west of the present Vena Scheierman ranch.
R.O. Hoover lived one half mile west of the
Hamilton place. Charlotta and Ruth Hoover
walked two miles to school.
Some of the first Bethel teachers were Shek
McConnell, Ella Rhen, Miss Hopkins, Miss
Troup and Dora Jean Baird Dunkle. The
teachers salaries started at $20.00 a month
and the teacher paid about $5.00 a month to
some neighbor who lived close to the school
for board and room and the lunch they
carried to school. Later salaries increased to
$30.00 a month, then $50.00 and in 1923-24
Loren Smith received $90.00 a month. This
was at West Bethel. Later in 1929 the wage
was $100.00 a month.
Sunday School and church services were
held in the Bethel sod school house. This was
a fine church made up of good people. There
were about 30 to 35 people. Various programs
were held in the sod school house. One nice
summer day a north wall had fallen down but
the people had Sunday School anyway. [t
seemed a strange and sad situation to me. I
was a small child at the time. Christmas
programs were
a highlight in our lives.
Someone would get a tree in Stratton and the
ladies unpacked trim and decorated the tree.
Some of those ornaments were simply beauti-
ful. People didn't have Christmas trees in
their homes. This community tree was "it."
Gifts, including our family gifts, were i,aken
by Vena Scheierman
HAPPY HOLLOW
COMMUNITY
T40l
Some recollections of the families living
around the Happy Hollow school District.
People of the community: Frank and Faye
Parmer lived about 3/t of a mile north with
family, Robert, Maxine (Teel), Ben and Don.
Sanford (Mick) Johnson lived about 1%
miles south with his brother Everett, and his
mother, who was mid-wife for families of the
A sister lived with them for
awhile with her two children, Irene and
community.
Frances Hanrahan.
Another family a little farther south and
west was the Charlie Rogers family who were
Charley, Cora and children, Ancel, Marion,
Elba, [van, and Zella. After they left the
community, they had another daughter Lois
(Breigel). Later on there was Bertha and Roy
Ettleman.
West of Happy Hollow was Mr. Charles
('Dad') Parmer and his wife "Aunt M*y,"
parents of Frank Parmer and Nellie Hender-
son. After "Dad" Parmer's death, Aunt
Mary's son, Bill Nye, and his two sons, Junior
and Stanley, came to live with her. Farther
to this party. Sacks of treats were given to
west along the snme road, lived Mr. and Mrs.
everyone. These contained homemade candy,
big red apples, peanuts and popcorn balls.
Leander Rogers and Elsie and Charlie Jr.
Henry and Ida Wilson and Garfield and
Pauline Wood always made huge batches of
candy. This included fudge, taffy, divinity,
and penuche.
Travel to the community activities
was
made in a horse drawn wagon or sled. We
heated big rocks to put on the wagon floor
with blankets to keep our feet warm. When
the wall fell down on the sod building, the
Sunday School and school were held at West
Bethel (L Yz mile west of the old sod
building). This was a new one room frame
building with
2
cloak rooms where we put our
lunch pails, overshoes and coats.
In
cold
weather we put our lunch buckets beside the
big coal stove. It was at this time the East
Bethel school was also built and those
children living close to it attended school
there. This was located 1 mile south and Vz
mile east of the Clarence Borden place (now
owned
by Wayne Iseman). Some of
the
teachers there were Mr. Sawhill, Mr. Patterson and Roy McCulloch.
(nephew of the Charlie Rogers who lived
southwest). Still farther west along that road
lived Walter and Helen (Miser) Clark and
north of them a little distance was Ellis and
Amy (Smith) Clark, who ran the store and
post office called Morris, Colorado. Their
children were: Verl, Ada, Lucille, Lola,
Bessie, Ethel, and Robert. Farther north
lived Dile and Nellie Henderson, with their
children Bessie (Morrow), Lela (Shumate),
and Faye (Milford), and Neva (Miser). Later,
after the family was grown and Nellie passed
away, Dile married Jennie Barnhart, a near
neighbor.
Northeast of Happy Hollow was Charlie
and Jennie Barnhart with their children:
Everett, Ira, Esther (Rhoades), Leonard,
Wilbur Dean, Pearl, and Marveline. Charlie
was killed in a threshing machine accident,
and his funeral was held in the Happy Hollow
School. Pearl died at the age of 11 or 12 of
cancer, the first known cancer of this commu-
nity.
South of Barnharts place was the family of
Elmer Hoar, whose son George attended the
Happy Hollow school for
a
year or two. Then,
the Hoar family moved away, and Earl and
Clara Smith moved here with their children,
Clarence, Verlin, and Lela. Earl and Nancy
Houghton and children, Hollie, Marie, and
Ivan also lived here. Farther east and north
was the homestead of Estes and Elizabeth
Straughn and family: Burrel, Warren, Robert, Estel (Quick), Mae (Morrow), Mildred
and Margaret. After the Straughns moved
into Burlington, Bert and Josie Smith and
children, Louise (Barnhart), Cora (Albertson), Sylvia (Weaver), and R.B. lived here.
Ed and Elva Bartman and family, Louise,
Wilford, Edna, Grace, Minnie, Edith and
Laurence lived 2Vz miles east of Happy
Hollow. Between the Bartmans and the
school was a place r/z mile south of the road
where Henry and Mable Tieman lived with
their children, Iva (Stevens) and Don. Later
they moved to the Beaver Valley community
and Hank's brother Charlie, and wife Jessie
lived on the place with Vera, Larry and
Norma. Farther south was Gwendolyn and
Bennie Jackson.
South
of the
Bartmans was the Jim
Rhoades homestead, where he and his wife
Myrtle raised their family: Harley, Lester,
Ruben, Clara (James), Walter, and Fern
(Cowan). After Jim's death, as a result of
scarlet fever, and after the family was grown,
Myrtle married Rell Morrow and lived on his
place.
There was a family of Trotters and Murphys who attended the school and lived on
the Roy Johnson Ranch. Harley and Eliah
Benge lived south of the school and their
niece Lucille Eagleburger attended school.
Their two children were Mary Lou (Seeloff)
and son, Sylvus. About 4 miles southwest was
the homestead of Myron Smith and his wife
Ruth. Kenneth attended school for 8 years.
Jeanette Smith (Stahlecker). When she was
in the 1st grade they came home from school
one night to find their mother dead of a heart
attack.
Other families north of the school were:
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Winfrey, Edgar,
Leo,
Nancy and Louiegene, and Collie and Grace
Teel, Emmett, Chester, Hazel, Sylvan and
Darlene. Some students from other dietricts
coming to take advantage ofthe 9th and l0th
grades were: Mabel and Lola Winfrey, Junior
Cody, Roy Lundvall, Doyle, Gene, and
Bonnie Morgan, Leroy and Naida Smith,
Velma Proehl, and Bill Kreoger.
by Edna Bartman Stahlecker
HOLLAND
SETTLEMENT
T402
The Holland Settlement was located 16
miles north of Vona. There were several
young and brave couples from Platte, South
Dakota who came and homesteaded on
claims. This area later became known as the
Elphis Community. They shipped their
belongings, a wagon, horses, and milk cows by
railroad to Vona and then made their way
north to their claims.
At first, they put up tents and dug wells.
By winter they had built shacks for barns.
One half of these barns were used for the
�In time some of them and their descendants
became professionals in education, business,
Christian ministry and mission, engineering,
livestock and the other half for their living
quarters. The next summer sod houses were
built.
Among these families were my parents
Jake and Lena Smit, a maiden sister, Anka
Smit, another sister, Trinity and Jim Brou-
wer, and still later, a brother, Henry Smit
joined them. Their land all bordered, making
the Smit Center Cemetery which still re-
architecture, journalism, music, government
and service industries.
Their ancestors were Swabians (descendants of the ancient Celts and cousins of the
Irish) who lived for centuries in the forests
&,
;l
and highlands of southern Germany. In
contrast to the Hessians and Prussians of
mains. Many other Holland families began to
homestead also. They started the Holland
Church.
In this community they formed the Brownwood School and a Brownwood Store, which
became a center for ball games on Saturdays.
These early pioneers had a very meager
life. There were no fences, no farm land or
equipment. Times did change and it became
a thriving community. Later the large wheat
farmers came in and bought up the farms,
took out the fences and removed the farm
buildings. The Holland Church now stands
south of I-70 in Vona as a machine shop. The
country store became a grainery. All the
homesteaders are now long time gone. There
is no longer a Holland Community.
by Lena Godfrey
SETTLEMENT
COMMUNITY
northern and eastern Germany, the Swabians
and their Bavarian neighbors were independent and "laid-back" in character, not easily
regimented, sure of their own identity and
values but also appreciative of other people
and their culture. These creative. freedom
t'*:S $.
i*,,
r;{.:
Ioving people chafed under the increasing
restrictions and heavy taxation of the feudal
dukes and princes who controlled the lands
and forests. They were often pillaged, plundered and ravaged by invading French
armies, especially during the time of Napoleon.
Stacking wheat in a family affair at the Strobels.
diligent agriculture, growing numbers of
diverse livestock, modest homes and tidy
homesteads, good rural schools and a strong
Christian community centered around the
Immanuel Lutheran and Hope Congrega-
T403
Life on our high plains has always been
rigorous and most early settlers were poor.
Yet by reason of their strong personal
relationship with God, their hard work and
frugality, and their rea.l sense of community
(neighbors helping neighbors), the people of
Friedensfeld (field of peace as the Settlement
tional churches. Most of them spoke English,
Swabian and High German until WW2. Our
forebearers had not accepted "Russification"
in the Old Country, yet they incorporated
many Russian words and terms into their
Swabian dialect, and this linguistic mix made
their oft-repeated legends and stories absolutely fascinating. They knew the Scriptures,
the classic German hymns and American
gospel songs, studying and singing them in
their homes as well as their churches. They
were many-talented farmers, ranchers, buil-
oasis of
ders. craftsmen. blacksmiths. and mechanics.
Part
was
1
first named) developed an
Catherine the Great, a German princess
married to Czar Peter III, became the Czarina
of All the Russias after her husband's death.
Of strong will and character, she developed
her huge empire with political wisdom and
economic genius. In July 1763 she issued an
edict of invitation to immigrants from west-
ern Europe, offering them an array of
inducements to settle and develop the regions
along the Volga River and the vast, untamed
steppes of southern Russia. Thousands of
Germans responded and in only four years
established 104 pioneer colonies along the
Volga. Catherine died in L792 and was
succeeded by Czar Alexander I. A few
German colonies had sprung up near the
Black Sea as early as 1781, but when Alexander issued a new invitation in 1801, thousands of new immigrants from southern
Germany trekked overland with carts and
wagons or floated their families and meager
down the Danube in
"schachteln" (box boats), establishing new
colonies around the Black Sea and in Bessarabia between the rivers Dnjestr and Pruth.
The Schaals and Doblers were among the
founders of Teplitz, the Strobels and others
possessions
of Beresina, and the Hasarts and Weisshaars
help found Lichtenthal.
Many of the Russian Empire's promises to
these immigrants were never fulfilled, and in
time their civil liberties (administration of
their own schools, freedom from conscription
;&
etc.) and religious freedoms began to be taken
from them. The colossal magnets of civil and
religious freedom, of new land to be homesteaded, and of other opportunities awaiting
them in Amerika drew hundreds of thousands of Germans-from-Russia to the United
States from the early 1870's until the outbreak of World War I.
They began to leave inL872. Through 1886
to 1889 many of these people cnme to this
country by ship through the Black Sea, the
Mediterranean Sea and finally crossing the
Atlantic Ocean. Others went across country
to the northern ports boarding ships
and
crossing the north Atlantic. They left most of
their possessions behind along with family
and friends whom many were never to see or
correspond again. Their possessions that
were brought with them were put in bundles
and wooden trunks. These contained clothThe Andrew Baltzer farmstead east of Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1906.
ing, bedding, a few dishes, and a few personal
belongings. The trip took from two to three
weeks and was not an easy trip with many
�becoming ill.
answer to their prayers and hopes. With these
thoughts they left South Dakota and headed
with most arriving at New York City stopping
south and west. We will never know how they
pictured this country they were to live in but
They arrived at different ports of entry
at Ellis Island for
processing including
medical examinations. Others arrived at
they had heard of the small town of Bur-
Baltimore MD, Galveston, TX, and other
ports. Sometimes family members were ill
lington and knew there was land to be taken
up near it.
Burlington was a very young and promising
town as the railroad had just been completed
in 1888 making settlement possible. Bethune
was 7 miles to the west and it was north of
these towns that our immigrants came. The
soil was a sandy loem making it easier to plow
and till. With rainfall being scarce they felt
that this was the better place to settle. One
and temporarily held in isolation and later
joined their families. Because of the language
problem getting on their way west was
difficult. Many railroad agents were trying to
get the immigrants to sign work contracts
with them. The authorities helped these
people get on their way and were placed on
the correct trains sending them to their
really wonders what went through their
destinations.
minds as they struggled to make a living on
by Rev. Herbert Schaal and Marlyn
Hasart
SETTLEMENT
COMMUNITY
L. to R.: Gottlieb Stahlecker, Andrew Knodel, John
Stahlecker, Andrew Bauer, John Zeigler, and
Charlie Brenner in back, shearing sheep with hand
clippers.
T404
Part
2
On October 12, 1889 the following four
families, Christian Baltzer, Dorothea Baltzer,
Friedrich Stutz, and Andreas Bauer departed
from Russia for America. They went to
Scotland South Dakota with the intentions
of settling in Colorado. Other families arriv-
ing to make the trip to Colorado
were
Christian Dobler. Jakob Schaal. Christian
Strobel, August Adolf, Otto Winters, Mattias
Haefner and Mathis Schaal. They are the
known pioneers that were recalled by their
descendants and found in the records. They
left for eastern Colorado in the spring of 1890
by train and wagon. Others who came during
this time were the Schlichenmayers. The
Fanslaus, Bauders, and Jacobers arrived
before 1890 while the Kramers arrived about
1898.
Shocking feed on the Strobel farm.
We can feel the excitement that surrounded these families as they made their way to
their new homes. The Homestead Act was an
this Great American Desert. It was a very
meager and simple lifestyle that was ahead
of them.
Their first efforts were to open up the land
and plant crops and establish homes. These
homes were to be similar to the ones they left
on the steppes of Russia. They were to make
do with the materials present. Some of these
people made "dugouts." A hole was cleared
out of the hillside and they framed the
opening with lumber and had a door. Some
lived in their wagons that first summer. Most
of their homes were constructed of sod and
adobe. Adobe is a mixture of dark clay top
soil, chopped straw and water. They mixed
this up by stomping it with their feet and by
using the family horse. This mixture was
formed by hand to shape the base of the walls
and layer after layer was applied until the
walls were the right height. Some buildings
were made with rock using adobe as mortar.
The roof was covered with wooden planks
and then sod was placed on top to seal out the
weather. Some homes had wooden roofs.
These homes were small consisting of two or
three rooms with most having adobe floors.
As these German speaking settlers came
into the community establishing their homes
near each other they became known as the
"Settlement." We may ask, why did they
cling together in this land? There are several
answers. They had just left the closed
community that was home for many years
and felt comfort by settling closely. They had
all come from the same region and had a
common language, a similar if not a common
religion, and they were strangers in a hostile
land where they needed each other for
support and comfort. Without this help and
support they would have given up. Many had
to seek outside employment so that funds
could be raised so that they could send
passage money to the ones left behind.
'f..
tlt
Sometimes families came over at separate
times with the father and older boys coming
first, because of the sons being taken into the
armies, and the mother with the younger
children coming later. The large family units
were to help each other by providing funds
for transportation for those left in Russia.
It was a difficult time and by pulling
together to share a milk cow, a horse for
plowing, seed to plant, machinery to use and
a start of chickens they were able to survive.
It was known that there was only one gun in
the Settlement to be used by all. Even with
this love and cooperation some had to leave
the group to find employment and then
return and keep up their claim. This was a
The John Stahlecker farmstead (the Norman Meyer place now). The John Stahlecker and John Zeigler
families are pictured.
time ofstruggle and heartache as they sought
to establish a home on the plains.
One of the most difficult adjustments to be
�made was the coping with the climate and
extreme weather conditions of this region.
They had their first experience with severe
blizzards, hail storms, prairie fires (there
were lots of these), droughts, grasshopper
plagues, summer heat, dry air and dirt
storms. There were no streams close by so
water was hauled for months from the
Republican and Landsman rivers. If someone
had a well, many hauled water from there till
they could have their own well dug. The trees
for protection and shelter were absent. The
long hot days of summer with the bright sun
beating down to dry the crops and evaporate
the precious rainfall were factors that even
the strongest found difficult to bear. They
did find comfort in their cool adobe homes.
by Rev. Herbert Schaal and Marlyn
Hasart
SETTLEMENT
COMMUNITY
Part
T405
3
1883 was a dry year and crops were poor.
1894 brought a severe drought with a complete crop failure which caused many families
to leave. Some went to the area surrounding
Denver and some went back to South Dakota
where they had family. Some families were
near starvation when they left.
This year, 1892, more families moved into
the Settlement. They were Johann Wahl,
Martin Stahlecker and Samuel Schmidke
who came from Scotland, South Dakota and
Christian and Andrew Adolf from Russia. In
1895 a blizzard hit the area in the first part
of April. New settlers coming in 1899 were
Christian Gramm, Andreas Weber and John
Steamer tractor and wooden threshing machine bring memories of "good old days."
Zeigler.
In
with 10-12
people dying. There was a Dr. Gillette in
Burlington but he had not been summoned.
1901 diphtheria broke out
Most illnesses and births were attended to by
Mrs. Yale and Mrs. Adolf. In 1889 the Yale
post office was established in the community
at the Yale farm. Families arriving in 1901
were John and Joe Weisshaar, with Gottlob
and Herman Amman coming in 1902.
More families came in 1906 and 1907. They
were the Knodels, Johannes, Andreas, Jakob,
Gottlieb and the widow Knodel, Karl Weiss,
Johannes Weiss, Peter Kodel, Karoline
Schaal and Herman Stolz. The William Adolf
family came in 1908. The mother, Margaret
Adolf, was the community's midwife and
nurse for many years.
In 1909 the first mail route out of Bethune
went north. Mr. Ed Stahlecker was assistant
carrier. There were 20-25 families in the
Settlement by then.
The early 1900's was the time of getting
established, crops were gathered, homes
made permanent and the people were able to
see a permanence coming to the community.
So much of the labor of farming was provided
by man power those early days. The scythe
and threshing rock were first used to harvest
those few acres that were planted. Horses
were all important. Small grains were cut
down by horse drawn headers and put onto
barges with the family manning the pitch
forks loading it neatly in huge stacks. These
were made carefully so that they would shed
the rain and would not settle in the middle
as the crop could rot if water got into the
stack. The main crops were winter wheat and
corn. Later in the season the threshing
machines came to the farms and the wheat
was pitched into the machine and the grain
was caught and weighed in yz bushel measurements so that accurate count could be
maintained. The grain was stored in graineries for use on the farm and some sold for
cash. The straw was blown into huge piles and
was used for feed for the cattle. The community worked together as farming took lots of
man power to accomplish the tasks to be
done. Walking and other physical labor that
was required made for hardy individuals.
Other crops that were raised were oats, barley
and feed for the livestock. They kept animals
that could produce food for the table, mainly
milk cows, sheep and swine providing meat,
milk, wool, lard and soap. Fowls consisted of
chickens for meat and eggs, geese and ducks
for meat and feathers for bedding and corn
shucks and straw were used for mattress
filler.
The Fred Stutz farmetead about 1920, where the Milbert Beringer family now live.
Homemaking was a busy and difficult task.
Water was carried to the house and washing
was done bv hand. Cookine was simple at
first
�as their cooking was done on the earthen
ovens constructed of adobe. They could bake
their bread or simmer their meal in a kettle.
Later cast iron stoves were purchased using
fuel of corn cobs, cow chips, sage brush roots
and anything else that would burn. The table
was simple with long benches along the sides,
most furniture being made by hand. Their
trips to town were few with the father going
in to make all purchases for the family. Many
times the mother and children went to town
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
Story
once a year. Purchases were simple, flour was
60-?0 cents per 50 lbs., sugar, syrup
at
25
cents a pail, salt, coffee and other staples.
The first tractor was purchased in 1917 by
Frank Kramer. Approximately 15 men were
inducted into the service for World War I. We
see changes of transportation and the me-
of farming. The automobile
replaced the horse and buggy. New families
were the Meyers and the Hasarts.
The community was hurt by the events of
1929. Due to the stock market crash and the
closing of banks in Burlington and Bethune,
people suffered some severe losses. The loss
of their life savings left a permanent mark on
the community.
chanization
This farming region suffered through
many trials. One was the drastic drop of farm
commodity prices. In 1931 hogs sold for 7
cents a lb., corn was as low as 10 cents a bu.
and there was the destruction of farm animals
by order of the Department of Agriculture.
To make things harder was the drouth that
This beceme a time of decision and
many families left this area. In 1935 the
came.
churches lost more than 130 members due to
the drouth and resulting dust storms.
by Rev. Herbert Schaal and Marlyn
Hasart
SETTLEMENT
COMMUNITY
Jake Strobel planting potatoes,
their lives in this flood. The next winter was
mild and because conditions were bad great
plagues of grasshoppers came. They migrated
through the sky forming clouds. When they
landed they ate everything in sight covering
whole sides ofbuildings, eating fence posts as
well as everything green in their path.
Farming was a difficult profession at this
time. Horses were used although there were
many tractors in use. The hardships that
these people endured will never be forgotten.
A tremendous change came to the farming
community during the 1940's. The advancing
of modern farm equipment made farming a
little easier. Rubber tires on the tractors
made for greater comfort. The tractors
developed more horsepower so larger implements could be pulled allowing for the
farms to grow in size. The nation was at war
and the demand for foodstuffs was at
premium. This provided the area with
a
a
healthier financial base.
With the arrival of REA to the farming
community many modern changes were
made. Before this time many people had their
own electrical systems which were small and
unable to meet the needs of the times. With
good prices most were able to enjoy a fine
living standard and the farms were prosperous.
T406
Drilling wheat between the corn stalks, courtesy of
Emil Strobel.
Part 4
Some families were to return as conditions
were not easy elsewhere. Due to heavy rains
in eastern Colorado on May 30, 1935 there
was a great flood of the Republican River.
The fields and pastures were bare due to the
drouth and the rain washed the dry fields and
pastures causing permanent dnmage and
change to the Republican River flood plain.
Large numbers of livestock were lost along
with homes and barns. Several people lost
The first irrigation well was drilled in1952
on the John Schritter farm. After this many
wells were drilled which helped stabilize the
agricultural base of the community. The
early 1950's were drouth and dust bowl years
again. Very little wheat or feed was raised
during this period with people leaving the
farms again. Cattle herds were sold off due
to the lack of feed. Irrigation was used to
water crops and produce some feed allowing
for many farmers to hang on. The binder was
being replaced by the baler and newer and
larger tractors were seen on the farms. Self
propelled combines were a great help.
Now in 1988 this community is still making
its way with many of the descendants of those
first pioneers still remaining on the land. The
churches, Immanuel Lutheran and Hope
United Church of Christ, are still active
landmarking the endurance of this community. Although many new families now live in
this community, it is still referred to by many
If those first pioneers
could be with us now they would see that their
drenm of freedom and a home of their own
as the Settlement.
becnme
a reality in the presence of
this
community today.
by Rev. Ilerbert Schaal and Marlyn
Hasart
T407
I
One of the earliest records of information
about "North Smokey" that we found is a
newspaper clipping dating April 8, 1900. "A
pour down of water and thunder and lightning all last night. A bad dust storm struck
us on Tuesday, the 3rd, following by a
continuous three days' rain, said by the
"oldest inhabitant" to be the worst storm of
the kind in this vicinity. It drifted most of the
stock westward, men and ponies have been
busy on the hunt.
The Rogers boys have in a wheat crop and
intend to put in quite an acreage of broomcorn.
Mrs. Green Pearce left Sunday night for
Missouri, called there by the serious illness
of her father.
George Walters has taken a homestead on
Sand Creek and is putting down a well.
A baby cyclone passed through a narrow
strip of country on Monday afternoon, the
2nd. The attention of the Walters and Shaws
was directed by a terrible roaring to a blackas-night funnel-shaped cloud in the southwest. On it came very slowly, picking up all
thistles and sticks in its track, filling the air
as high as one could see. At Mr. Walters' it
picked up chicken coops, carrying them quite
a distance. From there, in its course northeast
to Mr. Shaws', it tore up two posts from every
fence. Mr. Shaw was burning weeds; it took
up a long row he had ready for lighting and
away they went sailing high. Although riding
through the air on thistles might be a rapid
conveyance east, Mrs. Shaw decided to wait
for a safer and surer one and took refuge in
the cafe. We do not know how far the cyclone
extended. We hope one of no great dimension
will visit
us.
Mr. and Mrs. Cluphf spent Sunday on their
son Frank's place.
Meadow larks and robins cheered us with
their presence during the storms.
the meanest kind of snowstorm came on
Tuesday.
G.L. Atwood of Watertown, Conn. was
visiting at Mr. Bassette's last week."
This gives us a bit of insight of life on the
prairies in those early days. Who would have
ever dreamed that in 1941 a tornado of
iminense power would come through this
community.
Until the 1930's life in this community
flourished. There was the usual fluctuation
of population changes and during the 20's
this community prospered as others did in
the county.
The 1930's brought many changes. So
many of the original families were forced to
leave their homes and farms. The circumstances were many as the financial loss of
these people due to the collapse of the Stock
Growers Bank and other banks in the area
caused a terrible loss as there was no money
to pay for food, taxes and other expenses. One
can not quite comprehend how one survives
without the income and cash resources on
which to draw. Upon that tragedy, compounding the trauma of the times, was the drouth
that came upon this area. Unable to raise any
�Burlington. The first Kit Carson county farm
to feel its effect was that of Henry Drager
where the windmill and chicken house were
demolished and machinery scattered to the
four winds. Further to the northeast, the
Chris Stahlecker farm was hit and the house
almost unroofed, the windmill head blown off
and the barn totally wrecked.
The Smokey Hill school building, one-half
Smokey Hill school house after the tornado, 1941. Left stands the remaining teacherage minus roof.
feed for the milk cows and other livestock
these farmers were forced to sell what they
could at prices that saw botto'm. One cannot
comprehend selling livestock at such low
prices unless you have lived through it. The
government came out and destroyed livestock which was a traumatic experience for
so many residents. After the drought came
the hoards of grasshoppers that devoured
acres of growing crops in their paths.
Late thirties brought on the beginning of
better times and with them came new people
back to the land. The community was again
group of close knit people of diverse
backgrounds but with a sense of community
a
ing is the newspaper account of the event.
"The most destructive tornado in
the
history of this section of the country swept
through southeastern Kit Carson County,
Colorado and Sherman County, Kansas.
Farm homes, schools, communications, in
fact, everything in the path of the tornado
was demolished, causing thousands of dollars
of loss in property damage. Miraculously, no
one was killed outright, and the number of
persons injured was small compared with the
size and fury of the storm.
It is believed the tornado was the same
storm which originally formed near Kit
Carson, about 50 miles southwest of here, and
that provided a base for the Smokey Hill
School, social gatherings, and the opening of
homes for entertainment. These activities
provided a base of commitment that has
finally blew itself out north of Goodland. In
the approximately 100 mile course of the
storm it destroyed or damaged numerous
bound these residents even today.
school houses.
Tragedy came
to this
community on
Sunday afternoon, June 8, 1941. The follow-
farm homes and out-buildings and two large
The storm traveled in a northeasterly
course, entering the county directly south of
north ofthe Stahlecker place, was next in line
and the large three-story concrete structure
was crumpled like an egg shell by the force
of the wind. The falling concrete walls piled
upon the roof of the garage which housed the
three school buses, almost flattening one of
these. The other two, although badly damaged, received less ofthe weight ofthe falling
concrete. Two teacherage houses and their
contents were totally destroyed and a third
house unroofed.
North of the Smokey Hill school, the storm
next destroyed the barn at the former Oliver
Olsen place. At the Henry Bassette place the
shingles were stripped from a chicken house
and the chimney was removed from the house
and deposited in the yard in perfect condition. The Harold Harrington place suffered
the loss of all buildings and a car ari well. A
windmill on the Gerald Snelling place was
torn down.
At the Geo. Blomendahl farm the only
thing left standing were the four walls of the
house. A large barn and all outbuildings were
swept clean, as well as the windmill and
practically all ofthe trees. Chas. Kaester lost
a gr€rnary and had a header barge blown
through the porch of the house.
Mrs. Gilford McCullough suffered a broken pelvic bone and possible internal injuries
when she was blown quite a distance from the
by the force of the wind which
destroyed their house and all outbuildings.
At the E.E. Harrington farm a large barn
was destroyed. Some damage was done at the
house
Frank Korbelik place but was slight in
comparison.
Crossing the state line into Kansas the
storm struck the Al Pralle farm about six
miles south of Kanorado, demolishing farm
buildings. On toward Ruleton the storm
swept and here claimed the second school
building as its victim. The $30,000 brick
school building at Ruleton was totally destroyed, as were also four residences, these
being the homes of T.G. Kaufman, Martin
Nelson, W.T. Ingram and Mrs. Laura Kernal.
These houses were occupied at the time of the
storm and although they were slmost destroyed, the several people occupying them
miraculously escaped.
On the highway northeast of Ruleton the
storm picked up a car occupied by Ted
McCall and Robert Sprinkle. The car,
a
Model A roadster, was wrecked to such an
it seemed impossible that the
occupants could survive. Sprinkle was driving and was thro\iln out of the car. McCall
was carried with the machine about a quarter
of a mile and both legs were badly broken. He
is recovering in a Goodland hospital.
The storm went on northeast to the Glen
Curry farm north of Goodland. Barns and
outbuildings at the Feaster, Jack Dawson,
John Shaver and Jnmes Chapp farms north
of Goodland were all badly dnmaged, but
none of the houses were blown down. The
extent that
storm apparently raised directly north of
Several people are looking over the school assessing the damage. Notice the gas pump on left side standing
undamaged.
Goodland and disappeared.
With all the destruction of property it
�seems miraculous that no lives were lost. At
the Chris Staklecker home which lost threefourths ofthe roof, the occupants were in that
part of the house which was spared. At the
Smokey Hill school, Mr. and Mrs. Delbert
Watson lived in the only house that was not
demolished. This house had the roof torn off
only L5 minutes after they had left for
Arapahoe.
The Geo. Blomendahl family were visiting
relatives in Burlington when their place was
swept away. Mrs. Gilford McCullough, although seriously injured, seems on the road
to recovery. At Ruleton the escape of the
dozen occupants in their homes is a miracle.
by Marlyn lfasart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
T408
It is hoped the job can be completed by
noon. However, the Rotary Club suggests
everyone bring a lunch in case it is necessary
to continue work through the day. Wear
comfortable shoes and leather gloves.
Oddities of the Tornado
Torrential rain, four to five inches, fell in
some places, while at nearby farms no rain fell
whatever.
A slab of concrete about 4 x 6 feet was
found lying on a mirror, yet the mirror was
in perfect condition.
Grains of wheat and cane seed were found
imbedded in fence posts after the storm.
At one place a medicine cabinet was left
hanging on one of the walls, in perfect
condition, yet all its contents had been swept
out by the suction.
A small bank, which formerly occupied a
place on a dresser had been removed to a
chair nearby, the bank upright and a dollar
highway 51 (which is now highway 385). It
Hill Consolidated School, where buses picked up the
children. Dragers had four children, Evelyn,
Kenneth, June and Louis. Evelyn and Kenneth went to Smoky Hill School until they
reached l1th grade and then went to Burwas also 5 miles to the Smoky
lington to high school. High school was
discontinued at Smoky Hill in 1951, and then
in 1957 the entire school was consolidated
into Burlington. Henry was on the school
board for a number of years, and they lived
in that original home for 50 years. That has
to be quite a record! They celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary at the Trinity
Lutheran Church in 1978. They built a new
home in Burlington on Fay Street where they
continue to enjoy 12 grandchildren and 6
great grandchildren. They were one of the
families who did not leave when the bad times
came.
by Mrs. Ted Eberhart
bill which it had
contained was removed
through the small slot and was lying on the
floor, still neatly foldeo.
Straw and feed stalks driven into pieces of
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
wood.
A chicken, which was a victim of the storm,
was picked clean.
however.
- He did not survive,
An American flag which hung on a wall of
the Ruleton school house was found lodged
between the top of the wall and the ceiling,
so tightly held that its removal without
tearing was impossible.
Story
pump just a few
of this opportunity. This homestead was 16
miles south and two east of Burlington. It
consisted of 160 acres and a two room adobe
house. Years later, two other homesteaders,
John Murphy and Henry Fansleau built on
to that house.
In 1920 Alice married Vincent Daniel.
Vincent moved to her homestead. They had
And the glass bowl on
Organize Party to llelp Clean Up
Stricken Area
a gas
of a demolished farm home
far removed.
- all other articles
Shingles neatly picked from the top of a
chicken house. Otherwise the building was
shipshape.
The tornado which struck in the Smokey
Hill community on June 8, 1900 caused a very
difficult situation for people whose property
was destroyed. Nearby fields of grain and
fallow were covered with debris. Pieces of
lumber with nails and tin, etc., will be a
serious hazard
to tractor tires and other
hawesting equipment, unless removed before
fields are planted and harvested. Everyone
for whom it will be practical to help
by Marlyn llasart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
T409
the people in Smokey Hill include: Burlington Rotary Club, Boy Scouts, Farm
Bureau, 4-H clubs, home demonstration
clubs, Grange, other groups, individual farmers and merchants. It is requested these
groups and individuals meet at the Smokey
Hill school house at 8:00 a.m. June 13.
Boy Scouts and 4-H club boys are requested to work under their leaders. The Smokey
Hill home demonstration club will provide
drinking water for the crews. Those who can
provide trucks should see Ted Backlund. The
crews will work from the Smokey Hill school
to the Chas. Kaestner farm.
A group of Kanorado, Kansas, people are
planning to start at the Harrington and
McMullough farms Friday morning and work
toward the Kaestner farm.
five children, two of which are deceased.
Elizabeth is married to Jack Cheslock and
they live in Oregon. Richard is married to
Vera Shade. They are retired and live in
Arriba, Colo. Joe is married to Mary Lou
Williams. They are retired and recently
moved to Holyoke, Colorado.
During the early years, they picked up their
mail and bought their groceries at a trading
post called Cole, Colorado. It was located two
miles east of the Millisack place.
is
requested to assist in removing debris from
grain fields and cultivatcd lands.
Organizations and groups who will assist
In 1917, Alice Sullivan came to Colorado
from Harmon, Illinois because of her asthma.
She was a school teacher and needed a home
and a job. Frank Kelly had a homestead and
he wanted to give it up. Alice took advantage
feet southwest of the snme building which
was not broken.
Dishpan still hanging on the kitchen wall
2
Story 3b
Children's merry-go-round immediately
north of the Smokey Hill school house which
was not even scratched.
Cleaning up after the storm.
T4lO
Story 3a
This is sort of a collection of stories of
Hill Community after the severe drouth in the early
thirties. During the drouth, many of the
original families moved away. It was impossible to get contributions from everybody, but
people who lived in the Smoky
this will be a pretty good sampling of the kind
of people from that period.
Henry and Flora Drager moved into a new
farm home in 1928, after they were married.
They had to live in the basement for several
weeks until the painting and varnishing was
completed.
One evening a lot of cars drove in and it was
the neighbors coming to charivari them. They
had brought lunch and spent the evening
getting acquainted. This home was located 5
miles south of the correction line, near
All of the kids went to the Smoky Hill
Schbol on the bus, through the tenth grade.
One teacher taught grades 1 through 4, and
another teacher taught 5 through 8. The 9th
and 10th were generally taught by the
principal.
Every fall after the watermelons were ripe,
the entire school would take their lunches
and go on a full day picnic down by the
Smoky. They would end the day by going to
the Stahlacker ranch (which was 1 mile south
of the school) for a big watermelon feed. This
was a custom much enjoyed for many years.
For entertainment, the kids used to
go
arrow head hunting. They went over on the
Hill," which was 1/z mile east of
Wayne Iseman's home. They would ride their
horses and spend most of the day hunting.
School mates of Mary Lou Daniels were
Helen Burk (Schierman), Joe Pillings and
Lucille Walstrom. Richard's classmates were
"Jones
�Bill and Betty Burk, Laurence Carlson, Jane
Walstrom and Marvin Butterfield.
and Gwen is still teaching third grade in the
by Bernice Eberhart
by Bernice Eberhart
school at Wray, Colorado.
were always a part of the community activi-
ties. They later went to work for Orville
Chapin on the farm and lived in
a
small house
on the place. They had another daughter
Kathy and returned to Goodland and Harvey
went to work on the railroad. Patty and
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
GWEN AND HUBERT
CRANMER
T4l1
Gwen and Hubert Cranmer were married
in St. Francis, Kansas in June of 1946 and
then moved to Smoky Hill to the teachers
apartments. Gwen taught the first four
grades and Hubert was employed by Ted
Eberhart on the farm.
a
Those apartments were rather crude with
dirt basement. They adopted two white cats
to keep the mice out and made the upstairs
as livable as possible. It was war time and
they were unable to buy a cook stove of any
kind, so they cooked with a little two hole oil
burner. Gwen said they must have lived on
love, and she is sure they couldn't do it now.
The term began with 23 children, and
Lonnie and Connie Eberhartwere both in her
room. Gwen was Bernice Eberhart's sister,
and they had a lot of interesting happenings.
The family had always called
it
Gwen
was never to be said at
school. One day Lonnie forgot and what an
embarassing slip that was.
It was really hard times for some families,
and there were times when school lunches
"Skinny," but
would be stolen. Gwen always saw to
they did not go without lunch.
In1947, Cliff and Bertha Hines moved into
more farm land and grass. They settled near
the Smoky and three of their four children
went to Smoky Hill School. When Marvel Lee
was in the eighth grade, they had a bingo
party. The road had recently been graded,
and it started to rain. It got so muddy and so
the ten people in their car were stalled all
night, until some one came by to help them.
You had better believe that it was a long
night, and will not soon be forgotten.
One Sunday Cliff and a friend and their
two sons went out to look for the cattle in the
pasture. They scared up a coyote and the
chase was on. Suddenly they were upon the
bank of the Smoky. They could not stop, so
they just stepped on he gas and flew over the
25 ft. bank and landed in the bottom of the
creek. The fan broke a hole in the radiator,
but otherwise, no damage. It turned out to be
the thrill of their lives.
by Bernice Eberhart
Bob Meyers and Lonnie Eberhart were
both first graders and Bob had been asking
his dad if he could go home and spend the
night with Lonnie. His dad told him that
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
some day when
The Cranmers moved back to Beecher
Island after school was out and took over
Gwen's parents farm. They thoroughly enjoyed their time at Smoky Hill and made a
lot of good friends.
Thev are still on the farm at Beecher Island
by Bernice Eberhart
T4t2
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
the Smoky Hill area because they needed
it that
it was nice weather, he could
go. So, Bob just waited for a nice day and
went. About ten o'clock Shorty Meyers was
out looking for Bob, and finally arrived at the
Ted Eberhart home. He really chewed that
boy out, but since it was a nice day, that is
what he had been waiting for. Bob got to
spend the rest of the night, but was warned
never to do it again. Dwight Wheatly from
Vernon, Colorado taught the upper grades,
and they all seemed to get along remarkably
well.
The community Sunday school was the
highlight of the week, and it brought many
of the parents together in a social gathering.
In the fall of L947 school was going well
when a terrific blizzard rolled in. There was
no way to clear the roads, so the buses could
not pick up the children. Hawey and Jane
Matthews and daughter Patty also lived in
those school apartments. Harvey was a bus
driver and they were the custodians at the
school. There was nothing they could do so
they slept late and then spent the afternoon
and evening playing cards. Harvey would get
up and say, "Oh no, not again!" They ended
up having about three weeks of make-up
which made for a late school term.
Connie Eberhart were going to be best friends
forever, but the move separated them.
T4l3
of
1945 Delbert and Inez
Richardson, and three daughters Carolyn 9,
Marsha 8 and Nadyne 5, moved from a farm
south of Ruleton Kansas to the Smoky Hill
Community. Inez said she thought they had
come to the jumping off place when they
came to the Smoky. There wasn't any bridge,
and the banks seemed awfully high. Two
sons,
spring
Bill and Tony
were born
in
this
community. Delbert was actively involved in
the Gun Club and the whole family participated in all of the other community affairs.
They moved into Burlington in 1951.
by Bernice Eberhart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
E.L. (Shorty) Meyers
E.L. (Shorty) Meyers and Blanche Meyers
moved to the Smoky Hill area in 1945. They
Albert
Kirschmer and lived on the Byers place.
Robert, Joy and Norma were their three
children. Bob started to school with Edna
Bartman as his first teacher. In the fall of
1954 their house burned to the ground and
they moved to the Smith district. In 1955
came from Goodland, KS, to work for
they moved to the teacherage at Smoky
Hill
School where Shorty was custodian and
Blanche cooked. Both of them drove school
buses.
By this time they had three
more
children, Kay, Ron and Debbie.
After the school closed they moved to
Burlington where all of the children live,
except Joy Bowman, who lives in Littleton.
Shorty died in 1977. Blanche has continued
to work in a lot offood services, and lately has
been helping take care of grandchildren.
Delbert and Inez Richardson
In the
T4l6
T4t4
Jane and Harvey Matthews
Jane and Harvey Matthews were married
just before Hawey went to the service. After
Harvey returned they moved into the apartments at Smoky Hill and Harvey drove the
bus, and they were custodians. They had one
daughter Patty. That was in 1946, and they
by Bernice Eberhart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
T416
Helen and Otis Metcalf came to Smoky
Hill to work for Orville Chapin. They came
from the Whatley Vacation Ranch, Breckenridge, Colo., so Dale could go to school. There
was also Carolyn and Dwight in the family.
They moved to Fort Scott Kansas to be close
to his elderly parents in 1952. Otis died in
1960 and Helen worked in the hospital. Dale
and Dwight both work in insurance and
Carolyn lives in Wichita.
by Mrs. Ted Eberhart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
T4t7
Elder
Arnold and Susie Elder moved to the
Smoky Hill Community in 1911. They csme
by wagon driving a herd ofcattle taking them
7 days from Woodston, Kansas. They had 6
living children when they left in 1925. Arnold
�built the house owned by Leland Baney.
They have 2 small children buried in the
and Orville and Flo Chapin.
Burlington Cemetery.
Keith, Willard and Verawent tothe Smoky
Hill School. Lowell, deceased, Vinta and
Oren were the other members of this family.
Keith and Willard were teachers and Keith
Windscheffel, Fromong, and Lindsey fami-
played football with the St. Louis team in the
late 30's. He was inducted into the Kansas
Hall of Fame coaches in 1986. He taught
Others included McClelland,
lies. There were the Bloomendahl, Fanslaus,
Olsons, Bassette, Harrington, Kaestner, and
others, who were residents at the time of the
tornado that swept through the community
in
1941.
by Bernice Eberhart
wood working and coached football in the
Salina, Kansas schools for over 35 years.
Much of his time was spent working with
retarded and disturbed boys, teaching them
SPRING VALLEY
RANCH
woodworking. Both Arnold and Susie are
dead.
by Bernice Eberhart
SMOKEY HILL
COMMUNITY
T418
Lots of people were moving into the
had a gun club, stag parties, took fishing trips
together and the ladies organized the
Friendship Circle Extension Homemakers
Club. One of the projects of the club was to
purchase dishes for the school lunch room
when the hot lunch program was started.
Each mother took a turn at helping the cook
at the school, and it was a big improvement
-
for all concerned.
In May 1954, the Windscheffel home was
burned and they lost everything. The community families rallied around with love and
support, financially, emotionally and spiritually. How wonderful to have such friends!
They moved into one of the apartments at the
Smoky Hill School for 6 months until another
house could be moved onto the farm.
In the back of their minds they had thought
they would probably go back to California or
Oregon, but after the traumatic fire and the
loving support ofthese friends, they decided
to rebuild and stay put. They have never been
sorry for the decision. These people stick
T4l9
The history that we have of our first
"thick and thin"
and
remain to this day a very closely knit group.
Smoky Hill provided many good teachers
during the time that Phyllis and Gary
attended. Their favorites probably were
Gwen Cranmer, Hazel Fromong, Genevieve
Bell and John Robertson. There are many
fond memories of long lasting friendships.
There were other people who resided
within the community. Their stories are
longer and will be found in the Family Story
section (see Family Story Index). These
families were found at the activities of the
school as well as the Home Demonstration
Club, Gun Club, playing cards and all other
activities. These people and the activities
that they participated in were the fiber in
which the community created the bond of
family that made this community so rich in
the relationships that have continued
throughout the years. Some of the families
are the Ted Eberharts, Walstromm, Rainbolt, Baney, the Long, the Bells, Joe and
Goldie Williams, Hazel and LeRoy Morton,
our school district. In 1879, they came from
Boston, Massachusetts seeking a higher
altitude for their health.
They went into the stock raising business
describing the story ofthe country as was told
by Mr. E. McCrillis when they first came
here.
A little north of where the lower set of
buildings on the Spring Valley Ranch are
now, there was a small log house which was
built out of native cotton wood trees by two
brothers by the name of Ricks. These men
were cowboys and were line riding for a large
cattle rancher northeast on the Republican
River.
The McCrillises came up the Republican
River from Wayne, now called St. Francis,
Kansas, which was then a post office and mail
was carried on horse back on up the river to
different ranches.
They came to this log house owned by the
Ricks brothers. They brought their household belongings and settled there, engaged in
the stock-raising business and after the
Government survey had been made in 1881
and 1882, they all took claims on what is now
known as the Spring Valley Ranch along a
creek
with deep water holes and
to raise crops of different grains. Machinery
and general farm equipment being scarce, a
good deal of planting was done with a hoe,
after the ground had been broken. A good
deal of this first land plowing was done with
ox teams. But people were successful and
machinery and work horses were added, until
today it has changed into a good grain
producing country with nice farms and high
grade of livestock.
The first school house was built out of sod
and Mr. E. McCrillis was the first elected
school secretary, an office he held for fifteen
years. Mr. E. McCrillis who was the only one
left in the family, sold his ranch property
settlers in our neighborhood is the McCrillis
family. Mr. E. McCrillis, his brothers and
father came here and settled on what is now
known as the Spring Valley Ranch located in
community in the 1940's, and there were all
kinds of activities being organized. With the
help of Nick Jantzen a community Sunday
school was organized, helping to make the
community into one big family. The fellows
together through
Woods,
which was all in this school district. In 1908
he moved to Denver, Colorado where he died
in about 1922.
There are no historical places of great
importance in this neighborhood, except one
which is one mile east and one half mile south
of our south school house on the east side of
the creek. Here there is a large stone hill and
on top of this hill is a flat place where there
was at one time, a stone monument and a
grave. The grave is said to be an Indian grave.
This monument is now torn down. This hill
was called Indian Monument Hill by the first
settlers. One and a half miles south of the
south school house on the west bank of the
creek is a place where a large size wash out
hole had been formed, the banks being from
ten to twelve feet straight up and down. From
the southeast corner of this wash out, a long
conal wall was laid up out of sod. This place
was used to catch wild horses. Men engaged
in that work used this place to catch wild
horses and it is called Wild Horse Corral.
There is no trail in use at this time in our
neighborhood but at one time there was a
trail running down the Launchman Creek,
used by people picking buffalo bones. This
was called the Bone Pickers Trail.
The first teacher was Mrs. Hellen Slusser.
School warrant number one was drawn on
October 12, 1889
for
$20.00
for the first
month's teaching.
Written by Ruth Goebel in 1924.
by Ruth Bauder
some
running water and natural hay meadows.
On this creek were scattering cottonwood
timber, out of which another house was built,
corrals and horse barns were also built.
The log house that they bought from the
Ricks brothers had one door to the east, two
small holes about ten by twelve hewed
through the logs, one on the south and one
on the west for light. The roof was logs laid
dirt thrown on top. On the
west and north side, the logs have been
close together and
burned, some nearly half way through. It was
told that this was done by Indians. Mr. E.
McCrillis also said that buffalo were plentiful
here at that time.
About 1886, settlers began to come, settling
near the creeks and rivers on account ofwater
and fuel. Their first houses were mostly dug
outs. A square hole dug in the ground about
four feet deep, then with a spade the sod was
cut about ten inches wide and from eighteen
to twenty-two inches long, and two or three
inches thick. These were laid on top of each
other, building a wall to the desired height.
Then ends were laid up out of sod and a roof
put on, in most cases it was made out of
lumber brought in with the first settlers.
Soon after the first settlers came, they tried
SUCKER'S FLAT
T420
The first permanent homesteads in the
area called Sucker's FIat. located about 20
miles north and east of Flagler, were settled
in 1908 by a group who came from Shelby
County, Missouri. In all 23 homesteads were
taken in that area by this group who called
it Shiloh after their Baptist Church in Shelby
County. The name, Sucker's Flat, originated
because the area was flat and inviting to
farmers but water was very hard to come by,
being so deep.
The first ones to come included John Will
(Jack) Lipford, his foster brother and cousin,
Walter Curry, three Barnett brothers - Vic,
Chester, and Marv. A relative of the Barnetts
was living at Rexford, Kansas, and in 1907
had a large crop of grain. He sent word back
to Shelby County asking someone to come to
help harvest and it was these young men who
went out to help him. Apparently while in
western Kansas they became interested in
the idea of homesteading in Colorado, and in
the fall of 1907, before returning to Missouri,
�3'**W
')ry,
:i.
. ,....,:,
- .,
i,t4{9!;r,'ry'*Yc'
'.;*,:,:
.
^.'la'
Shiloh congregation shown in front of J.W. Lipford barn where services were held in the hayloft until Shiloh
Baptist Church was built.
they took the train from Rexford to Seibert.
There they met the land office men who
drove them out to the area where they
decided on their homestead sites before
returning to Missouri.
The next spring the five had their farm
sales early in the year and the men came first
to get houses ready to live in. They first built
a
two-room dugout. Their furniture and
belongings came by immigrant car and they
used tents to cover their furniture, etc.
Blanche (Lipford) Carper remembers that
her parents, the Lipfords, brought only
chickens, purchasing horses and other livestock after they arrived. All lived in the tworoom dugout while they built a 2-room soddy,
first for the Vic Barnetts and then for the
Lipfords and the Currys and then for Chester
and Marv Barnett who were bachelors at the
time. The chickens had to be put in coops at
night or the coyotes would have gotten them.
Jack Lipford's homestead bordered Washington County as did Walter Curry's. They
each had 80 acres of excess land (due to the
correction line) which they farmed as long as
they lived on their places but which they
didn't own.
It
was six months before wells were dug
and
Blanche recalls the women and children
drove teams and wagons 6 miles to bring back
barrels ofwater for both the livestock and the
people. Mail came out on the Cope Road
which was ten miles away.
Other families who came to homestead
from Shelby County included the Bill, Oscar
and Ross Churchwell families; the Ed Hoa-
glund family which included three children;
two Nelson families, Harlan and wife and
their children, Mary, Bruce, Lear and Jim
and the Bedford Nelsons whose children were
My'rtle and Kenneth; the Mason Wilson
family (Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Ed Hoaglund
were sisters); and two bachelor brothers of
the women, Grover and Alex Todd; Ed and
Dick Bragg, bachelor brothers of Mrs. Lena
Lipford; Sarah Weaver, a widow and her four
children, two daughters and two sons, all of
whom filed on homesteads; Jacob Curry and
wife, the father of Walter Curry and uncle
and foster father of Jack Lipford; Luther
(Gurd) Hewitt and wife, Laura, and their
children, Florence, Daisy, Pearl, Alice, one
more daughter and their son, Mac. Mr.
Hewitt was the twin of Mrs. Walter Curry.
Well drilling was a priority, with Burd and
Walter Todd, cousins of Grover and Alex,
having a well drilling outfit.
The first school was built by the homesteaders and was called Ash Grove. The first
term was probably about 1910 with Clair
Williams recalled as the first teacher. Dora
Wolverton was among the early teachers.
Later the Shiloh Central School was built
which had a full basement and two rooms
above. Teachers usually lived in the basement.
Church services were probably held from
the beginning in homes. The Harlan Nelsons
had a 3-room soddy so it was most often used
since there was more space. In the summer,
services were held in the Jack Lipford barn
hayloft. Sometimes the men would move an
organ into the hayloft.
The Shiloh Baptist Church was organized,
probably about 1911, and named for the
home church in Missouri. It was built on a
corner of the Bedford Nelson land with an
adjoining cemetery, also established. It was
built by the men of the community with the
usual work days with 15 or 20 men assembling
to do the work and the
women bringing
basket dinners. A copy ofthe deed dated Dec.
8, 1915, which was recorded in 1916, stated
that the land would revert to the Nelson
family when no longer used as a church and
cemetery. Jacob Curry, who organized and
chartered the church, had been born in
Kentucky on March 4, L84L, and moved to
Missouri in 1872. In 1913. the Jacob Currvs
returned to Missouri.
by Blanche Lipford Carper
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
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Book
Dublin Core
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Title
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Communities
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
History
Description
An account of the resource
A record of the communities in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/412/Country_Schools_1.pdf
d25ff98f58eae46fec12e77b33f3c37c
PDF Text
Text
i
concerned back in the 1880's would offer the
uee of their home until some site could be
found, perhaps an old soddie which a settler
had left after he proved up or where he had
paid the required $1.25 per acre, obtained his
patent and then decided to abandon. Above
all, it is very clear that respect for education
characterized the majority ofthe settlers, and
they made great sacrifices and expended
much effort in establishing some method of
having educational experiences for every
i-,
tJ
5J*'
-" i
Participating in the ride were Buster Jenkins, Dave Corliss, Shorty Hostetler, Betty Corliss, David Reid,
Ernie Cure, George Hubbard.
community's youth and children.
From the beginning furnishings were no
problem. A long plank could be transformed
into a teacher's desk or made into seats for
the students. Or someone's big table would
be donated. The blackboard was black oilcloth tacked across the front of the room. A
potbellied stove threw welcome radiance a
few feet around its circumference on cold
days, or one kept his coat on all day over the
heavy clothing he always wore. Walking
many miles, driving a little cart, or riding a
horse or donkey, sometimes with brothers
and sisters hanging on behind one another,
were that day's transportation methods. A
kind of shed out back for the animals, in
conjunction with a couple of tiny leanto-like
buildings for toiletg off in each corner made
up the school yard. Water was brought from
home in some fashion for few schools had
wells. A common drinking ladle went from
pupil to pupil and few drops were wasted.
lrt*
In the beginning the teacher was someone
with sufficient education to teach, but no
."t
-r!].
$
f-
lr.l;i.,
certificate was required and sometimes the
best educated person in the community was
prevailed upon to take this added responsibility. In some communities this turned out
to be the pastor ofthe church and the pay was
almost non-existent. Book stand pencils and
slates come with the students. Hungry for
companionship and learning, the pupils in
those school rooms transformed them into
hives of activity and much learning took
place. Probably no part offrontier life played
as great a role in the lives of those who went
to early day schools as those few months with
companions each year in a frontier school
house. And it was only a few months .
perhaps six at most.
For that school house was the center of the
community. Its uses were multiple! Church,
Sunday School, voting precinct, dance hall,
funerals, literary programs, basket dinners,
debates, preaching from an itinerant preacher, a place to meet for a rabbit drive or coyote
hunt, and all the ball games were scheduled
here.
Provisions for providing more formal
school settings progressed rapidly and by
t;:
;'t ift;4
1910 the one-room school system was preva-
Ient and teachers with a few months of
Riders following the trail along the Republican River through
Kit
Scouts of Flagler plan to place a marker at the
THE COUNTRY
Crystal Springs site.
by Betty Reimer
Carson County.
SCHOOL
"School" was
a
T138
prime concern and focus of
the early settlers of Kit Carson County.
Stories from families of the earliest settlers
indicate the great lengths to which those
citizens went to provide some way for the
children and young people of this frontier
area to be exposed to education. Those most
normal training were hired with the intent of
instructing the pupils in the essential academic skills of arithmetic, reading, geography, spelling and grammar. This pattern of
education continued for the next forty years
basically, with modifications in offerings,
number of teachers per school and other
changes in individual localities.
A typical day's experience for a student
began with at home chores before school,
followed by the walk or horse-related ride to
school, and a short play period before the
strident "ding-dong" of the 9:00 a.m. bell.
Opening exercises started the school day:
reading by the teacher from a favorite book
or a singing session, plus the Pledge of
�Arregrance ano mayDe a llag rarsrng quletect
everyone down before a short study period.
This was followed by a round of recitations.
When "recitations" began, each class as
called came to the long bench before the
teacher's desk, presented the assignments
they had finished for handing in, asked
questions, talked of problems associated with
new work, and got a new assignment. Simul-
taneously,
in their desks the other pupils
were supposedly studying and preparing for
their turn at the recitation bench. Sometimes
the absorbed teacher was unaware that chaos
producing activity might be underway some-
place in that school room. But the culprits
would be embarrassed when it came their
turn to recite, so things evened out. Eventually, recess time came and fifteen minutes
outside with romping or running and games
like "Black Man," "Dare Base," "Pump-
pump Pull Away" or baseball and a trip to the
"toilet" brought refreshed children back to
have another go at classes until 12 o'clock,
when dinner pails came out of the cloakroom.
Usually a syrup bucket or a fancier Union
Leader tobacco box held each student's lunch
of sandwiches, occasional cake, and maybe
canned fruit or rarely a piece of fried rabbit
or chicken. Trading one's boughten bread
sandwich for
a
sandwich with a favorite
filling
was common. More play during that noon
hour break and it was an hour and a chapter
or two of a special book like "Black Beauty,"
"Girl of the Limberlost," or "Little Shepherd
of Kingdom Come" made the long afternoon,
punctuated by a recess break, endurable until
4:00 p.m. Then students were asked to "put
away your books and pick up the floor."
Whispered last minute talk with a loved
teacher and furtive glances and last words
with one's favorite of the week, with a merry
scattering of "Good-byes" started pupils
home for a night of rest and readiness for
another day of school.
In a school with all eight grades, a teacher
might have thirty or more recitation periods
each day, while trying to keep an eye on the
total school room, so recitations were kept
briefand to the point. Because ofthis heavy
load each day, many teachers put two grades
together for some subjects and one might
study sixth grade arithmetic before he had
fifth and that created problems, some of
which might follow one all his life. Obviously
the teacher could not supervise a reciting
class and the diversionary tactics that might
be going on elsewhere in the room, but there
were benefits as well attached to this method
of instruction. For instance, fascination with
the subject being talked about in an advanced
grade often led to complete absorption in this
topic by someone who didn't seem to be at all
ready to tackle the topic. One teacher taught
Latin to her eighth graders and before long
in that room could converse to a
point in Latin. And the adoration of a
everyone
younger pupil for an older one who could help
with his perplexing subjects at the discretion
ofthe teacher developed into true friendships
that last to this day. Letting a student look
in the "answer book" helped many a distressed teacher get through a student's time of
indecision and trial with a heady problem
when the teacher had no time for interrupting a reciting class. Big ones helping little
ones was a great learning experience of itself.
The few resources to vary the routine and
stimulate interest and motivate
to
new
projects came from a set of encyclopedias
if
there was one, the dlctionary, and the dearly
loved "reading circle" books the teacher got
in a big trunk from the county superintendent who had procured them from the
Colorado State Library. What excitement
ensued when that trunk was opened! Usually
the books could be kept for six weeks and
getting to read as many as one wished often
was most impossible. Drawing and coloring,
ot having art, spelldowns or ciphering
afternoons. . occasionally with a nearby school . . varied the
matches on Friday
routine and gave something to look toward.
Practicing for the periodic programs given for
parents at Thanksgiving and Christmas or
other holidays was an added time of excitement. When the percale curtains which denoted a stage were placed on wires stretched
from side to side across the front of the
schoolroom, hearts beat just a little faster
because a little dialogue or play, a recitation,
a flag drill, some songs, and an exercise with
several students involved would be practiced
a few minutes each day and as perfection
seemed near and the afternoon or evening of
the performance drew close all knew thev
would present a good show.
As the years passed some things changed:
merry-go-rounds, teeter-totters, and slides
appeared in play grounds. The little ones
were sometimes let out early all by themselves at recess and noon times so thev could
have a short time to enjoy these unmtlested
by the pesky big kids. And sometimes, but
rarely, the big kids made life a bit miserable
for a teacher, especially if that teacher had
done something to indicate a "bearcat dispo-
sition." Teachers were known to fail to show
up on Mondays and forever after following
such a hazing. Typical kinds of punishment
from a teacher were a spanking on the bottom
or a knuckle whacking with a big ruler or
having to stay in at recess.
Sometime in these years mothers began a
sort of hot lunch program, taking turns
sending soup in a gallon bucket to be heated
on the stove all morning. One tale is told of
a gallon of bean soup heating away when
suddenly there was a great explosion with
beans going everywhere, even up on the
ceiling where they stuck. A lid on too tight!
What a mess, and no hot soup that day. A
World War II activity was saving all the foil
off of any gum. Tin was needed and the
source was cut off by the war in the Pacific.
Everyone tried to do what was possible to
help a little. Probably one custom that
anyone who attended a country school remembers fondly was being given permission
to dust the erasers by banging them on the
front steps, side of the school house or on the
footscraper near the front door.
For today's students in our modern technically equipped schools who have no idea what
the isolation and stark poverty of that day in
a school room was, one can scarcely paint a
realistic word picture. As the school year
began, some families from the school district,
probably the school board's, gathered to
clean the school house, wash any curtains,
dust the spiderwebs out of the toilets, stash
a little kindling and some coal in the coal
shed, chop any weeds in the yard and clean
up the fence row if there was one around the
school site. Sometimes there would be a new
coat of kalsomine for the inside or the
stovepipe needed repair and some new desks
might have been purchased. From then on
the custodial duties at the school belonged to
the teacher, who stoked the fire at night in
hope it would hold over and keep the building
a bit warm so that getting to school late would
pose no problems to complicate the firebuilding time needed. The chore of sweeping up
with a little sweeping compound was the
usual ending to a teacher's day. The smells
of a typical schoolroom were compounded of
odors of that sweeping compound, heavy,
damp clothing, overshoes that had been in
the barnlot earlier, plus any association with
animals such as the farmyard cattle, dogs and
cats and a skunk encountered on the wav to
school, and the smells of many luncires,
mingled with those of young bodies that had
received no daily shower or bath.
One must remember that there were town
schools which had more to offer in numbers
of teachers and larger buildings with possibly
more materials with which to work. But much
learning evolved in those rustic, rural settings
if and when any student went to high
school in Flagler, Seibert, Vona, Stratton,
Bethune or Burlington, he or she usually did
well in competition with those who were town
folks' kids. And country grade schools sometimes had a few ninth graders, too, who took
examinations at six weeks time with the town
school nearest them so that those students
would be able to attend there without paying
tuition later on. That education for some was
and
a "catch as catch can" affair cannot be
denied. Many of the boys old enough to work
were kept out to pick corn, help with early
spring farming or haying time, and lots of
girls had to stay home to help cook or care for
a new baby or someone who was ill. That
many went to school in a haphazard way is
true, and this led to much irregularity in
organization and sequence of classes. But
they learned . . . did they learn!
This was the pattern ofschool organization
into the mid-1940's. The quality of any given
school was dependent upon the caliber of its
individual teacher, guided to a degree by the
of schools. The
county superintendent faithfully visited each
school at least once each year. The following
were the Kit Carson County Superintendents
county superintendent
of
schools
from 1888 through
1979:
188&1890: D.S. Harris; 1892-1894: J.W.
Augustine; 1894-1896: Wm.
H.
Bennett:
1896-1900: Susie Morgan; 1900-1902: G.H.
Hobart; 1902-1904: John F. Stott; 1904-1908:
Eva Rogers; 1908-1910: Dessie M. Bolt:
1910-1916: Jennie
L.
Tressel;
LSLG-L922:
Jessie C. McGee; L922-1926: Della Hen-
dricks; 1926-1928: Lenore
Johnson:
1928-1932: Della Hendricks; 1932-1984: Ora
Cruickshank; 1934-1940: Laura Payne;
1940-1944: Virginia Welch; 1944-1948: Flor-
ence Wigton; Ig44-1962: Willa Zick:
1962-197 9: Lucy Russmann.
The education act which consolidated all
the schools of Kit Carson County in the very
late 1940's was the end of the individual one
room schools in this part of Colorado. The
problems that had begun for schools during
World War I, stretching through the depression and dirty 1930's, and the teacher shortage during and after World War II, along with
better roads and transportation methods,
created the situation which culminated in
consolidation and the creation ofonly the few
districts in which all the young people of the
county are now educated. The shifting of
district boundaries, the drops in county
population, the courthouse fire which destroyed all school records to that time. the
�moving of more recent records to the State
Archivis at the capital in Denver have made
a
confusing, intertwined skein of information
which is almost beyond unraveling even by
those who lived through the numerous events
involved. That we can have stories of any
kind which are at all factual and accurate is
due entirely to those precious memories of
folk who took the time to write a story of what
they recall of their school experiences. So,
enjoy each story and treasure each picture
because the days ofone room schools gave the
background for the wonderful schools which
now accommodate our young citizens, and all
of those who really remember the one room
school days will soon be gone like the school
itself.
by DorothY C. Smith
1889 ANNUAL
REPORT OF COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENT
OF SCHOOLS
DISTRICT 19, 1888-89
Tr40
The Colorado State Archives which house
the old materials of the Kit Carson County
Superintendent ofSchools has a recording for
District 19, when this was yet Elbert County,
that for the 1888-89 term from October 11,
1888 to March 29, 1889, teacher Julia
Doughty recorded that she had 20 pupils,
ages 5 to 1?. There wereT girls and 13 boys.
Families represented included 3 Leynde, 6
Doughty, 4 Strode, 2 Stark, and one each
from the Swazee, Landon, Stewart, Keeler,
and Robinson families. The teacher's salary
was $35.00 per month, and the expense for
the whole term was her salary, $210.00.
Colorado State Archives
PAGES FROM
TEACHERS DAILY
REGISTER - 1891
Tl41
T139
Superintendent D. S. Hanis, Superintendent of Kit Carson County of Colorado, sent
this report to the State Superintendent of
Public Instruction on 28th day of September,
1889: Census Total: 745; Total pupils: 406;
Total teachers: 43; Average Monthly Salary:
$29.9?; Teachers in District 5: S'L. Chapman,
Jennie Walters, Ira O Stucky, Myrtle Keller;
ll-#
District 16: Venessa D. Diltz; District 17:
Winn Combs and C.H. Frost; District 18:
Molly Doves and Lizzie Carmichal; District
19: Julia Doughty; District 20: Bill Kyle and
Mary Shafer; District 21: John Scott and
Mary Barr; District 22: J.W. Sutton and G.G.
Sutton; District 23: Lottie Rose and Mrs'
t#-/u
[r.'- i't "t';
E.T. Trull; District 24: T.W. Correll and D.W.
Correll; District 25: J.B. McFarland, Miss
A.L. Smith and Fred N. Willis; District 26:
E.E. Hubber: District 27t Lauta A. Gant;
District 28: Maggie Sater and Susie E.
Morgan; District 29r Jennie C. Finlayson,
D.H. Roberts and Henry Hoskins; District 30:
Minnie A. Smith, Hettie Howard, and Hettie
Bedoratha; District 31: Mary R. Bates and
Minnie Mesechre; District 32: Addie Miller;
District 33: V.M. Campbell and Julia
Doughty; District 34: Hattie Howard; District 35: Anna Crafton and Una E. Rhinehart;
District 36: Chas. L. Dickinson and May
Faurote; District 37: Mrs. Kindy and Mrs.
Amy Corliss; District 38: Charles N' Cogswell;
District 39: Clia Miller; District 41: J.C.
Davis; District 42: Mary I. Howard; District
44: Harvey A. Goodin; District 45: Jennie L.
Rice; District 46: Mabel F. Floris; District 47:
Mabel Daskam; District 48: John J. Neal;
District 49: Ida Kane; and District 49: May
M. B. Salaries ranged from $15 to $51.50 per
month and the total expenditures for year
1889: $4,896.63
Schools.
for the Kit Carson County
Microfilm, State Archives
'-- -risa1:;:-.:.'.:f:-r-:--:::r
.$;':r--::;'j .:-::r
#t Ifi GBIDEI SiSOOLS this nesister is to bo tted at the close of
with the District
the
iem with
-- *:: .---.' :.-'
the Principal;
Secrctary.
l
TIIE SUPDRIN'|E\DENT
1a90-
OI1' PUIJLI(I ]]{STRUC1'ION
N
i$en,tp-Sn,
�-> lJ -ir.-r.l-v".l.-4-...E\,, I
Nuusen.
Bxexcsrs Sruonp,
Taxr 8oors,
Sulnaery
.L -.GL-laJ --L'-c1J.lxJ.jJ/A:.
.If V-C\,,
ol
ENnor-rusx:
lup
Grxrnrt
Srertsrtcs.
Menonlnoe.
!l.lc.
t-4
Whole No. ol pupils enrolled during tenn
No. under r6 years eurolled during term .
.
_a--
Algebra.
(ten,reitrl!lli,l
Geouretry
i-'-l-'-i-ii--*-.--r!
' l .*
...l-l
-- f--"ii * -,,--,i
Physiology i--d-l -6--',9,-t[--_-ll
ii- iflf
Philosoohv I}--l-iI
Natural Philosophy
i-- lPhysicai Geography l-Ll
-L',--ZLl;,----i
composition l- l-l..
l,
ijli
No. cases
of corporal punishrnent..
No.
of susbension
suspension
""..,
""..t
No. visits by Co. Supt.
of
Schools
i1
No. visits by parents and others
:*tlT:,':"
l-ll- ll---li
Voc*lMusic|-l-|-ll--ili---||rdoso|emn!7swear.i.ha|thc
Drawing
'
:::---------
it-l-i i-i-li
|
-i-
|
I
-l--t-_*
l=''__i|
_
_
_
lr
---ii--
ii
. i-.-li--
.
:
-*16-,ii
-lltos,,-,a;,huetoth'ebestolf mv
-
,i
Il The sclrool was tausht bv a*-tzA*{&4r ;
il s"l",rort.,
r,*"....//=l'E
ermoulh
ls -'
"n
edsc and belief, and that f
i "
. -.-:
haz
\Vhole arrrount paid to the teacher for the
Ths last month's wages ehould not be paid lhs Tsacher unti! lhis summary is flted out and filed with the Prlncipal or Secretary, a! tho caso may ho.
T1-r n n rrr-n
I l,AUl-11,f(
'''eiS'r
v I tIJL
Eit
I) n tt I
\ynIL
/'h'. ,.1-.
t
F'JR 'fI-IE .I'ENU
l-<
t.
,1['err-t:t.
tuo ol
�twelve blocks, you l(nowl"
I TAUGHT IN A
SODDY
Tt42
I have no quarrel with modern schools,
their breathtaking architecture, their
Twelve city blocks! One mile of snow
shoveled walks. And I thought of my early
pupils trudging through snowdrifts up to
their hips.
In those days Colorado had a well defined
course of study and a definite goal to meet
nel. Their courses which touch upon every
phase of present day living are in line with the
and we met it. We had arithmetic, history,
physiology, civics, geography,language, writing and spelling. There was no choice of
study; like it or not, there was one course for
march ofprogress. I know because I answered
everyone.
shsamlined efficiency, their trained person-
the urgent call for teachers during
the
shortage in WWII.
But sometimes I compare them with the
first school I taught, a lowly soddy, hugging
the prairie in eastern Colorado. I wonder then
if, in the new approach to mass education,
teachers as well as pupils have not grown soft.
Perhaps they've lost, with the personal touch,
some of the initiative, and teamwork as well
as some of the fun of years ago.
It was a golden day in September, 1908. I,
Avis Moyer, stood, bell in hand, in the door
of the Plainview school, 15 miles from the
little town of Flagler. My stiff shirtwaist and
even stiffer pompadoured hair made me look
older, and I hoped, more dignified than my
23 years. The children had been gathering in
the schoolyard. And now it was 9 o'clock and
time to ring the bell. I cried to make it sound
vigorous to hide my inward tremors as twenty
boys and girls, ranging in age from 6 to 16,
filed in and seated themselves at the double
desks. Not on the same side! Heavens no! The
boys, self-conscious in new suit pants orjeans
and dark calico shirts, sat on one side; the
girls, in clean wash dresses, their braids tied
with bright ribbons, giggling and eyeing the
boys, on the other.
Incidentally, those seats that I spoke of
were screwed firmly to the floor. "Learning"
was serious business and there was no
scraping or sliding of chairs as there is today.
We had the quaint notion that a quiet room
was conducive to study. We launched right
into our lessons. Education wasn't something
you took lightly, for the school "year" only
lastcd until Christmas. After that the roads
were almost impassable.
There was no well on the school ground.
recess two of the older girls
volunteered to go to the nearest ranch more
than a mile away to get a pail full. I let them
take my horse and buggy, and every morning
after that a huge jug of water, wrapped in a
blanket to keep it cool or from freezing, as the
case might be, was on the seat beside me as
I drove to school.
The early autumn days had been so warm
and sunny that, tenderfoot that I was, I didn't
realize winter was close at hand until one
morning a raw wind bent the dry grass to the
ground. I went to the adjoining shed to get
fuel for the fire. The shed was filled with coal,
but where was the kindling? One of the boys
waved his arm toward the prairie, "Plenty out
That first
there," he said.
"I don't see any wood," I said puzzled.
"Not wood!" he laughed. "Chips! Buffalo
chips! Cattle chips! We'll gather some for
you!" My squeamishness
in
using chips
I saw how dry and odorless
they were and what a quick hot fire they made
vanished when
in the potbellied
stove.
One day years later I was calling on a friend
in Denver when suddenly she looked at her
watch and said, "Pardon me, but I'll have to
run. It's time to pick up the children. It's
Memory work was important. Years later
I met one of my students on a city street, and
the greetings over, I asked, "Minnie, can you
still recite the names of the states and their
capitols?" She began without a moment's
hesitation: "Maine, Augusta, on the Kennebeck river; New Hampshire, Concord, on the
Merrimack river," and so on down to the last
state and capitol.
"I
can recite Lincoln's
Gettysburg Address and the BilI of Riehts,
and reams of poetry too," she said. Passersbys were looking at us curiously, two grayhaired women, one recitingThe Charge of the
Light Brigade, and the other listening critically. I came back to the present with a start.
For a moment I had been sitting at my desk
in Plainview School and Minnie was still in
pigtails.
Educators today say that children retain
only 5 percent of what they learn in school.
Making allowance for the mellowing of my
memory over the years, I'm still sure my
pupils did much better than that. Perhaps it
was because their minds were not distracted
with radio, movies, funnies and television.
We had no organized P.T.A. at our school,
but that didn't mean that teachers, parents
and children didn't get together. Our little
sod school house was the meeting place for
the entire community. We had box suppers
and spelling bees and all sorts of social gettogethers.
December came all too fast and school was
over for the year. I went back to Kansas but
the following year I returned to Colorado to
teach one more year. Then
I
married
a
homesteader, Henry Simmons, and said
goodby to my soddy schoolhouse.
People used to look at me in amusement
and pity when
I told
them of my early
experiences in teaching. But I say it proudly:
'I taught in a soddy."
by Avis Moyer Simmons
SCHOOL TEACHERS
1913- L9L4
Tt43
Kit Carson County, Colorado
JENNIE L. TRESSEL, County
Superintendent
District
1, Bethune School, F.B. Shumate,
Bethune; District 2, Lowell School, Miss
Nella Kean, Burlington; Emerson School,
A.I. Tyler, Burlington; District 3, Mt. Pleasant School, Miss Annie Evans, Hermes;/
District 4, Miss Mary E. Bogart, Burlington;
District 5, Peconic School, Mrs. Marguerite
Hines, Kanorado, Kans.; District 6, Brammeier School, Miss Erma Pfaffly, Bethune;
District 7. Pious Point School, Miss Ella
Kenn, Df,raf,ton; ulsf,rrc! d, west -raunaven
School, Mrs. M. Shanahan; East Fairhaven,
Mrs. F. L. Perrine, Seibert; District 9, Byers
School, Mrs. Clara Pollitt, Burlington; Holton School, H.E. Hayden, Cole; and Cole
School, J.W. Murphy, Cole; District 10,
North School, Gerald H. Rice,
Flagler;
Midway School M.G. Canada, Flagler; South
School, F.S. Yewell Flagler. District 11,
Gephardt School, Robert S. Gephardt, Kanorado, Kans.; South School, Miss Nellie Miser,
Burlington; District 12, Hunter School, Miss
Opal Chrisman, Kirk; Flageolle School, Mrs.
Mary C. Watmore, Kirk; Boger School,
August Carlstedt, Vona; and Plainview
School, A.G. Thompson, Vona. District 13,
Pond Creek School, Mrs. Eva Johnson,
Kanorado, Kans; District 14, Thompson
School, Mrs. Mary Larkin, Flagler; Hunt-
zinger School, Mrs. Birdie McBride, Flagler;
Grand View School, Miss Virgel LaRue,
Flagler; Heid School, Miss Jennie V. Custine,
Flagler; Dazzling Valley School, Miss Mabelle Jordan, Flagler; Ash Grove School, Miss
Prudence Robinson, Flagler; Fisher School,
Miss Lucy Muck, Flagler; Huntley School,
R.L. Pendleton, Flagler; Eckert School, Will
Inman, Thurman, and Mrs. W.E. Taylor,
Flagler. District 15, Rose School, G.M.
Baxter, Flagler; District 16, Miss Alta Shaeffer, Burlington; District 17, Beaver Valley
School, Miss Esther Anderson Kanorado,
Kans.; District 18, Burlington School, N.J.
Rice and Mrs. M. J. Rice, both of Burlington;
Miss Geraldine B. Case, Miss Katherine A.
Kane and Miss Nellie M. Culver, all of
Burlington; District 19, Karker School, Miss
Abigail Harvey, of Loco; Sunny Slope School,
Miss Frances Hyland, Seibert; Ackerman
School, Miss Iva E. Reynolds, Flagler; Albright School, Miss Pheba Redding, Flagler;
Progressive School, Miss Winnie Anderson,
Flagler; District 20, North School, Miss Pearl
Buchele, Burlington; Midway School, Mrs.
Mayme Kiefer, Burlington; South School,
Miss Clara V. Mills, Burlington; District 21,
Miss Margaret Rafferty, Burlington; District
22, Dobler School, V.V. Vose, Bethune;
District 22, Yale School, Thomas Dillon,
Bethune; District 23, Murphy School, Miss
Blanche Paul, Seibert; District 24, Blue View
School, Miss Lea L. Wellman, Bethune;
District 25, Shaw School, Mrs. Fern White,
Kanorado, Kans.; District 26, Prairie View
School, Miss Virginia Pemberton, Kanorado,
Kans.; District 27, Miss Virginia Pemberton,
Kanorado, Kans.; District 28, Union School,
Miss Gladys Pugh, Stratton; District 29,
Beaverton School, Miss Arline Harrington,
Beaverton; Lone Star School, Miss Dollie
Perkins, Beaverton; Webster School, Miss
Susanne Throop, Stratton; Day School,
Herbert J. Thomas, Stratton; Norton School,
Mrs. Goldie Rich, Bethune; District 30,
Golden Rule School, Miss Violet Munter,
Burlington; District 31, Broadsword School,
Grover Tyler, Burlington/ District 33, Wallet
School, Miss Goldie Anderson, Kanorado,
Kans.; District 34, Stamper School, Miss G.
Vera Dillon, Burlington; District 35, Flagler
School, N.W. Oakes, Mrs. Ethel Langcamp,
Miss Myrtle Nies, and Miss Edna Kivett, all
of Flagler;Texerado School, F.M. Yewell,
Flagler; Sunnyside School, P.A. Lofstead,
Flagler; Sunnyside School, P.A. Lofstead,
Flagler; District 36, Stratton School, W.A.
Hooper, Miss Beulah Bradshaw, and Miss
Helen Murray, all of Stratton; Blakeman
School, Miss Ellen R. Bradshaw, Stratton;
�Spring Creek School, Miss Eva Reeves.
Stratton; Nuttbrook School, Miss Alice Talbot, Stratton; Green Knoll School, Mrs. Tena
Meracle, Stratton; Hansen School, Mrs. Meta
Chandler, Stratton; Smelker School. Mrs.
Verna Austin, Stratton; Ford School, Mrs.
Olive Montgomery, Vona; and Jones School,
S.G. McConnell, Stratton. District 3?. Seibert School, W.I. Conley, Miss Izetta Wrenn,
and Mrs. W.L Conley, all of Seibert; Flint
School, Miss Jessie Magee, Seibert; Mennefee School, Mrs. Mae Cates, Seibert; Rock
Cliff School, A.L. Buller, Vona: Fair Mount
School, E.M. Short, Seibert; District 88,
Pleasant Hill School, Miss Elva C. Smith,
Morris; District 39, Tuttle School, Miss
Mabel Pugh, Stratton; District 40, Mount
Pleasant School, John Husband, Seibert;
Pleasant Valley School, Vivian E. Huff,
Seibert; District 41, Sold Center School, Mrs.
Lizzie Bigelow, Stratton; District 42, Kechter
School, Miss lda Martin, Tuttle; District 48,
Miss Agnes Pugh, Stratton; District 44, O.R.
EIGHTH GRADE
EXAMS AND
DIPLOMA
Van Syoc, Stratton; District 4b, Bassette
School, Miss Myrtle Branen, Kanorado.
Kans.; District 46, Bancroft School, Miss
Grace Waugh, Seibert; District 42. Mrs. Ada
Kepner, Vona; Vona School, Miss Sarah
Richards, and Mrs. Laura Alexander. both of
Vona; Pleasant Valley School, Henry U.
Sc!m!dt, Vona; Lucky Point School, Sidney
Tt44
A major milestone of every early year
country school pupil's learning experiences
was preparing for and taking the prescribed
exercise of "eighth grade exams." Only if one
E. Willis, Vona; Lucky Point School, Sidney
E. Willis, Vona; Pleasant Meadow School.
Floyd B. Allen, Vona; Rosedale School. Mrs.
H.I. Jackson, Vona; and District 48. Miss
Marguerite DeCloud, Hermes.
passed this battery of tests which came to the
county from the office of the Colorado State
Superintendent
Editors
of Public Instruction
made them even more dreadful. Teachers
and pupils alike were fearful. If a pupil failed
and had to repeat a grade, not only was he
"disgraced," but the teacher mighi be sev-
liighth Gratle Examinations for thc St:rtc of
l')ighth Orade Examinations for the State ot
Colorado. IgZl
Cclorado, l9Z3
Prepared by ltARY C. C. BRADFOND,
State $uperintendent of Public lnstruction
jrcnqred by MlnY C, C. 8RADFO3D,
State Superintendent of Pubtic Instruction
TH|II,SDAY, IIARCX 22, .{-, II.
.il
If
J,
!l
5.
IllTHil:Iltl't
}.IIIDAY, IIARCH 23, J). trI.
C
r'i.:h.to B{id or rubt|act cigbts and thiriis, r*
rvhat shall rr-( chanse thern? Write as a decintal
palt o, a rlollar, four cents three and one,half mills.
Tr.ll horv ta llnd the least eomnloll divisor, an<1 finsi
L- C. D. sf 3-4, 5-6, 2-9.
_,the
F r"rrrr I l-I5 tako 4-9;
l'itrd thq riiffer.ence betxreen 8l-? anii ? ?-g.
In. buyirrg a house for 94,500, I pay 12 per eent down.
Wirat aurount do I pay down?
-\.farruer bought 24 head of catile a.t g0.00 per head.
.\Iter lcsing 2 of lhem, he sold the renai&der at
$105.00 p€r head. What per cent of the cost r#a$
his xross proflt?
Our .of g3r
of gl25.00- per. rnonth a ).oung man
^i1c9mc.
put $45.0{.,ir.
the savings bank. }{ow nrueh nioney
. does he ,de$cisit iri a year? This is wbat per ceat
of his ir:e:t,ne?
I n.*a spelling test- fif teen rrords \.v.ere corf€e il1. speiletl.
ftow nlan) wolds rvere in the teFt if the. number
correctly spelled was [0 per cent of th.e entir€ nnrtI'?
rre.
lt.
1
li.
Whut is nreant h) lbo cireurnfprence of a eirel€ ? Bt.
the radius?
Irinil the radius of a cirile wi.th a d ianretcr of I 1
inchrs
Find the - selliug price nf a suit of clothe s bnui,.ht at
wholesale for 924.00 and marked to sell at al adr.ance of 33 1-3 per cent, and then sold at a r:.isccunt
of I0 per cent.
'..'* ('lt'lt's
1O.
1 l)xplain wh1' Governme-.lnsu'er
nt is necessafy.
1.. Whf is e study of Gover.nnrent important to €vert
eilizeu?
.3 Ho.s did American Government come into bFirig?
"t. What is nreant b.'. a "eitizen,,?
5. What ar.e rhe quillificafions for voting lhis State?
ri. Doen the Lhited States own any land in
in your s-tate?
For what tlnpo€e is lt used?
i. What is meant by the ,.short ballot,,?
.-3. May a person wbo is a citizen of the United l3talrs beculll(' a eitizen of anolhpr eountry?
't. \1-ho
i: the congrnssman in your district?
10. Wiro are Unitcd Stat*s Senators frsm your State?
1t. Give argurnente f or. and against municipal ovnere.hip
of waterworks.
"Eighth grade erams"
I.
,r
cltaltr\r.{n
,:
f'rll itr llrr' follo\\,in$ €enrences u.ith lay, laid,.has .nr
have laid:
Did 1ou
tho pieture on tho table?
.:..,.No, ,1
it on the deskThe calperrte
'l ne.\ ha\ e..-..
the ,foundatjolr of a lDonumetrt.
- ... _ nl). ;:_.,
hand on the
booli.
^.,
unoose
ille corr€et forru of thF pronoun in the follow_
itrgr Eentel ces: r
:::
ii* that ii was (her eir she;. '
, ,l(;uess
{who or }vhom} it is.
,
It is --,- -.
: Is it --'---*--'?
ilre differerrce betwtln ari adjective *a .**
*"":.:;,
alll t. an lnterjeetign? eenlloctjon? ,Giv6 exam-
.{.
pteF.
?-
DP
8.
in
Denver was it possible to move on to ninth
grade and high school. That tests were given
in a central location, probably a town school,
ti,;
,
s.
'
ll'
10.
Wiii; a sent(nce with an independenl
'--' clau*e.
A de-.
' P€n-dent one.
:-:: .
,Analyzi
oi diagrarn the followine:
. ... l
he h€aral r-olces that -w"r" .,.o'|.1. coriowful..
-*luddenly,
courplex senteRce anO,Oiaeram sa;reYJite.d
w na t rs a pal agr.a ph ?
Write:r lctter invitir)S a friend to spend Easlcr with
-,-xlu'
Write a letter of aceeptaneri' on above- letter. ,...'
:l
:
PlIysilolocy
:
'
I
1 What is the aliuentary canal?
'J.0f--Igryniatt.t.bonesis'the.skeletonionrposeri?.
_ Which ls the lon.qest?
, --. ' , - ..:'
is
ilre
workof__the
red
corpusele? Thr pblte?
: What
}-hat is a
4.
spratn? . What treatmfni- _.ho"rO"L""iiJEnr
,
5 Explain. how tJphoi,al
f€yer is
ulFeuss rts pt.et-ention. ""nirr.i&.
6, lVhy do boles of sld people break ,rarily &nd heal
with
7. *ut:l difiicuttl
be abundantly srrpprierl i;'ths'
;itT?;,,;r.iorru
.
.
.l
?
8... lvhat are the rallres of the tubes that earyy blrroil to
arid f r.o frorrr lhe heart ?
the effect of tobacco on the bear t of the'
":1
,ouns'
10. -D-_iseuss
\\,{;;";[.;;'ta.r"'arc,,t,ot all. rhe h€6rt?
�Eighth Grade Examinations for the State of
Colorado, 1923
erely criticized or lose a teaching position as
a result. No wonder it was a real accomplishment for all when a pupil received the
beautiful diploma that indicated "You made
it,"
l'r:elrare,tl btr i|I--\fiY C. O. RRADFOIiD,
State SuPet'ir, telrrlerrt of Public Instluctiolr
by Editors
FRIDAY, MARCH 23' A. }I.
IiETTDING
('outlast the foods of yesterday with the foods of
(a)
' today.
ar-rd how may their study help us in geoglaphy?
foods and
ttr)'Give a few exatnples of comrnonly usedare
producdescribe their iourney from where they
ed, to our table.
(a) Why are foods cantled and how?
and methods- o.f
Wtit. a short story on the history
iiri
'"unttittg,
of Foods'"
"Stor)
in
Ctiss"y's
as described
was a great man. Can you name other AmerLiucoln
-icans to whorn that term rightly belongs?
What burdens did Lincoln bear?
Crn vou tuention any speeeh to illustrate Lineoln's
"cuniiing with the Pen?"
liscuss hIs Gettysburg address' On what oceasion rvas
this address made ?
rviote the Village Blacksmjth ? Evarrgeline?
fVno'
Snowbound? A Man Without A Countr-v? The IIerchant of Venice?
Naure trvo books You have read in the Past }'e ar. Dii:cuss one of theur.
Have you f ormed the dietionarY habit? Why ls tltis
habit rrecessarY?
(
Whom do You regard as the two grcal sl Anericant ?
'why.
TelI
o
rl
,1
J.
8.
10.
A(lItI(-flLTtlRE
Arrnrrer' 10'
(Choice of Li-sts)
l.Whatissoil?Howdosoilsoriginate?Whatissoil
good ior? What kinds Plow easily?
good c^rops aud so-rr:e poor?
2. Why d,l .onr. .oil. produce
llorv d o weeds
water ?
save
cultivation
Oou.
ori'
ff
5:
damase crops in ]our vicinitv?
4. *il;tirJ::,ttll...
of seeds? Nanre some seed
germination
tne
Discuss
5.
testing devices'.
6. Does the air earry enough moisture f or ge rmination ?
7. trVhY are rnost leaves flat?
8. What is the effect of continued darkuess on green
plants ?
ffo* ttrav perennial weeds be killecl? What are per9.
ennial
10.
Irfav
weeds?
ioif be fertile anrl ret not
produetive?
classes of horses ?
1. ( a ) What are the f our genet'al
class?
(b) What ur" =o*" of the leading.breeds of each
points between the dairy type
2. Give tne distir:guishing cattle'
and the beef tYPe of
test of nrilk'
3. Describc the Babcockchicken
house' Give a ration for
1. bescriUe a fresh-air
daYs'
eight
first
the
chicks
.voung
the term poultry? What
5. What birds are included infor
meat? What are genbreeds are raised mainly
6.
i
s.
9.
10.
eral Purpose fowls?
How sirould eggs be marketed?
Wtrat are the tivo chief uses of sheep? Describe one
breed of each tYPe.
Give the chief differences between the common breeds
of hbgs.
Describe the bacon tYPe of hogs'' The lard type.
What insects are useful?
PROqRAN/lN4E
Presenled by Students of St. Clrorles Acodemg
Sundog Evening, June 1sf
tr{ojestic Theolre, Slrof lon
.(An fnterrupted Birfhdog Porfg"
cII-\lalaTUlls
...
tlr. IloDF.\ lietirql llcrchxnt -.
Wlllinm-I]ls \eDhes'-.-..-...-..-.
tlorrr-Snelont
StrmIcl-sttclent,.-...--.-Arthrr--student
IlteT*Tbo SeTTTnt
nALPIt I'DLLE
(iEOltGl; KLOCKER
LoLIs KNOCIIEL
- JOSEPII PAUTLEIT
-...... lt-\LPII IVEIIIEL
BERNARD S]IITH
'(Esfher, The Beaufiful Queentt
.{ Rlblictl Plcy in Throe.\cts
CI I,\ II A CTDII S
()S\f.lLD I'-\UTL!IIi
llorde(rl-Tbc I-lrdcr of tle JcNs . .
I'E,\ltL FLIGEOLLE
tlesheFlroster ltotber of Rsther -....- ..-.
J(lsLl'II GILLISPIE
Ilestrl-The liins's ChaDrlruirin ...
ttl TII FL,\GHOLLE
l;sth.r_Tlre l,.rshrn ()ueon
.' IIAnOLI) I'DLLE
.\hrsuerus-KlDg of Pexla
III-il-\\OkIt l'r|l'l,Elt
linzrrr-,\ l\.rsinD SiDger
lIAltY l{L(('Klllt
Koonh-Tha Khg'! Ftloritc
tr.\(iD-\LE\E LUOtsIfLEIt
o zooDr_:r I'crsitril Ladf
tsYnn..E
.-. LuiClltDT
I'ersirn I-trdy
Jiktrsla-l
.-. . (;ltNIJI.l CRO(IKER
Zu4cr-a I,eNiaD trjuccss
I}llItNAllD OlLLlgI'lE
l{rDrun-Tlc l(ing's Cotrnsell)r
Zerosb-Ills Wife.--.-...,,,....-. ' .' JE.{N.\E DELAi..DY
I]REI]I CH.\IIACTERS
ANrTA BEnTn-{ND
lvitch ol uDilor --..-.-..,
.-.-..' C,\LLISTA SCHIFEnL
Itob€cco,.-.-...-,...,
LOlllt,UND l'ENf,-D
.u'rlaDIIDLE\ 1VEINCARDT
Judtth -- -.....-.,,- -.-...-...-,..,IONA I'ENNE
.
-'
.
..
,
.,.,..,
....
,\dtrb
... - IltE\E I)ISCH\rR
llorthn -.-.,-.,-.--..-.--...LDON'\ Ht l't'ERT
Butn ..-.., ...
LIIDIIILLA DYOIiAK
Dleds ...
Rose
lloids Dancers aul -lltetrdaDts
]TL:SIC Bi TIIE IIUPILS {)F THE VUSIC
DEPAIIT]IE\T
�tsill Smith; tJill Mead; GIen schlosser;'l'om
Knapp; John Bloomquist; Bucknell's; Dave
Wright; Frank Kelley; Lee Raines; John
Armstrong; L.B. Armstrong; Clarence Nicherson; Bill Schaal; Charles Perkins; C.B.
Ouluruilu lfluhlir frilynnLx
g'hi.)
,";t,1"4*"/',-.^d//"/.2,./.t"r'
9
Ayers; George Baker; Penfold's; Wedmore's;
Stanley's; A.A. Graves; Vic Mitchell; Alvin
Bacon; Astracks; Okie Carpenter; Daddy
Flanigan (Mrs. Caryenter's Father); Robison's; Frank Daly; O.C. Dunlap; Thomas
Johnstone; Bert Loper; Ed Fanselau; Tom
Taylor; Roy Taylor; Charlie Peterson; Eddie
Peterson; Tom Schlosser; Clarence Schlosser;
Fred Dodd; Roy Dodd; N.S. Rich; Keeverts;
Art Wellman; Holsteins; Ed Beeson; Cliff
Beeson; D.D. Swann; Willis Perkins; Charlie
Perkins; Fred Storrer; A.J. Pfaffley; Charles
Snelling; Herndon;s; G.F. McArthur; Maynard Dunham; Frank Lesher.
People neighbored in those days working
together and exchanging work. Entertainment was not lacking with basket dinners
(now called potluck), ball games, rodeos,
g,rl'i fi *>' liy,r I
_-:,_:
9,** .-t 8 -,t^ra-,
6" t",
ru:U^"".4;/
u-.r*u,
.2, .77;,/-t'* / t-y
r-,'//
4)u2z-,
--tr'
=
e -zz
literary, school programs, oyster suppers,
home made ice cream socials, you were
welcome, just bring a cake, and country
dances. Musicians were: Tom Schlosser, a
good fiddle player; Roy Schlosser on the
ira(!#r;;;/":l-
EICHIH CFADE DIPIOMA A'iI-A-!.DD TO MELVEN hEAWR. OI{ THN 15 th MAY, 19]1.
FRoM ColORtDo P_gBLrC SCHoor,s, I(rT Crnsoll CoUNTY, COIiR-A1O.....
guitar; Harold Perkins added variety at times
with an accordion, rattle bones or mouth
harp; Clarence Snyder was another good old
time fiddler and Frank Whitmore played a
guitar.
An eighth grade diploma
EARLY SCHOOL DAYS
AND SOCIALS
rr45
The Ellsworth School was located twelve
and one half miles south and seven miles west
of Burlington. It was a one room cement
building that was torn down in the '20's and
a one room frame school house was built one
and one half miles south and one mile east of
the Ellsworth School, whichwas one mile east
of Fred Matthies place.
Fairview Grange was organized July
At one time church was held in the old
Norton School house near Charlie Perkins
and for a short while at Midway School house.
Near Ellsworth were the Roystins, Mrs.
Fred Matthies' parents who lived a half mile
north of Matthies. Joe Krolick, a Bohemian
bachelor, lived a half mile west of Matthies.
Some neighbors
in this
Then the Nazarene Church bought a piece of
ground one mile west of the Bethune road on
the correction line and dug a basement where
they held church services. Mrs. Hoover was
the preacher. The Hoover family also lived in
community were:
John Boggs; Sam Allen; Lester Pierson, Sr.;
.-
-^,
,
,l::rr:]li: .':l.f:::,
"The Doby": Columbine School in 1919-20 term'
|.]r.;1.:,ll
":;ii
Nancy Hartzler, teacher. Pupils: Isaphene Dunlap,
,::i{
Whitney in early part of Year.
,'l:,::
Loweil Dunlap, Mildred Whitney and Lloyd
ffi
First Central District 29 was a consolidated
echool n'ith all twelve grades. It was located
on the Correction line. There were two school
'buildings.
There was one room building for
8,
1916. Some of the charter members were:
O.C. Dunlap; Fred Matthies; Bert Loper.
.jt
..
,4&"*
the lower grades and a larger, two plus rooms,
building for the higher grades.
The old sod Norton School, No. 50, Twnsp. 10' Kit
Carson Co. 191? School Board: L.B. Armstrong,
Pres.; O.C. Dunlap, Sec'y.; C.H. Carter, Treas.;
Teacher: Bessie Kelley; PuPils???
Midway School, Dist. 50, Lg26-27 term: Back row, Left to right: Georgia Armstrong, Mildred ScNosser
Isaphene Dunlap, Raymond Schlosser, Lloyd Perkins, Teacher: Thelma Nielson (Armstrong Lowe).
Ho'*"ta Raines,'Verlin Dunlap; Middle rowt Clara Armstrong, Fredrick Schlosser, Helen Mitchell, and
Co Supt, Mrs. Johnson. Front row: Mattie Armstrong, Carl Snelling, Kenneth Schlosser, Everetl
Armstrong, Ray Snelling, Sarah Mitchell, Dorothy Schlosser, Margaret Schlosser, June Schlosser, Inez
Perkins, Minta Keiwer
�the basement. A nice building was later built
over the basement and the church was
dedicated April 29, 1928. Other preachers at
the church were: Cochran; P.C. Norton;
McKellips. The church stood vacant and
unused for some time. Later the building was
bought and moved to Burlington where it still
is used as a church. A cemetery still remains
there, however, most of the deceased were
moved to the Burlington Cemetery. There is
also an older small cemetery about two miles
north of where the church stood. It may have
been the Beloit cemetery.
The "Cracker Box" school house, in the
Fred Matthies district, was another place for
dances, as well as the "Doby" in District 50.
School was only held in the Doby for two
terms; thereafter it was used for many
activities such as basket dinners and quilting
bees, also Fairview Grange met here. This
"Doby," Columbine School, was built and
ready for school in the fall of 1918. It was
located one mile east of the Bethune Road
and two miles south of the Conection line,
and was set back L/2mile in the middle of the
section, and it was only used for two terms.
Bessie Kelly Pilling was the teacher for the
first part of the first term. She resigned due
to being pregnant and Mildred Penfold
finished the term. Pupils the first year were:
Lowell and Isaphene Dunlap; Lloyd and
Mildred Whitney Ferris "Chub" Robison.
The second term, 1919-1920, Nancy Hartzler
was the teacher. She married Ed Fanselau at
the end of school in June. 1920.
Tom Schlossers had moved to Colorado
from Missouri, by train, in the spring of 1919
and bought the M.S. Whitney place, which
was originally the Frank homestead. Franks
built a sod house. Whitneys built an adobe
house and a large adobe barn. The Schlosser
family added new kids to the school: Lucile,
Mildred, Edna and Raymond. Roy did not go
to school in Colorado and June was too young
to go to the 'Doby.'
Whitney's moved to the First Central
District and lived on the place that the
Maynard Dunham;s later lived on. The
Midway School, District 50, was a frame
school house built one mile north of the
correction line on the Bethune road. It was
ready for school in the fall of 1920. The
district hired someone and paid so much a
mile to haul school kids with their own car;
there were no school busses. There was a
north route and a south route. The north
route included: Perkin, Stanley, Armstrong,
Meyer, Wedmore, Penfold, Spratlin, Schaal,
Raines, Keiver, Moss, Wolf, Ellis and Conkey
families. The south route included: Tom
Schlosser, Okie Carpenter, Dunlap, Clarence
Schlosser, Dodd, Snelling and Mitchell.
Back in the early school days, there were
'double'seats and desks, two kids to a desk.
Don't you wonder how any studying got
done? Usually you could choose who was to
share your desk. Each desk had an ink well;
no ball point pens then. A recitation bench
was also part of school. It was up in front by
the teacher's desk. She would call a class to
recite a lesson and that class would go sit on
the bench and review the assigned lesson.
Blackboards were like painted heavy cardboard and what a joy and improvement when
we got slate blackboards.
Before the Midway school was built, the
north route students went to the Norton
school, a sod building on the Bethune road
next to Charley Perkins. Later Prairie Star
of the
Midway, which took some of the students out
of District 50: Helen and Ottis Moss, Elva
Wolf, Janice and Niel Ellis.
Most of the country schools were one room
and heated with a coal burning heating stove.
was built about five miles north
One teacher taught all eight grades. All
country schools had two'out houses,'one for
the boys and one for the girls, plus a coal
house. The teacher boarded with a family
living near the school. Her job included
getting to school early to build
a
fire and have
a warm room when the students arrived.
Usually one of the boys would fill the coal
bucket the evening before. Pupils carried
lunch from home in pails of various sizes and
kinds. The most common was a gallon syrup
pail with a tight fitting lid. A bench at the
back of the school room held lunch buckets
and a water fountain or water bucket.
Friday afternoon was a 'fun' time. After
Iast recess there was a spelling bee or a
geography match or arithmetic (ciphering)
match. Everyone chose up sides to see who
came out ahead. Another activity that was
fun on Friday afternoon was 'dusting the
erasers.' The teacher would ask two of the
students
to take the
blackboard
erasers
outside to pound out all the chalk dust they
could by pounding them against the side of
the school house. Each school day there was
a fifteen minute recess mid forenoon and
after noon. At noon there was 30 minutes to
an hour for lunch. School houses were lighted
with kerosene lamps and/or gasoline lanterns. School programs were held two or three
times a year with the students singing songs
and giving recitations and dialogues and
usually finished off with some adults having
a debate; then a box supper or pie social was
held. The women decorated a box, such as a
shoe box, with crepe paper, making flowers
and frills, the fancier the better, and filled it
with sandwiches, cake, fried chicken or other
goodies. The boxes were then auctioned off
with the money going to the school. The
owner of the box (name inside) ate the lunch
with the buyer. The same thing happened at
the pie social; two people would eat a whole
The county superintendent has visited all
19 schools of the county so far this fall.
The following districts and teachers have
been visited:
but
No. 2, Emerson Mrs. Elizabeth Conner:
No. 3, Columbine, Ona Gillespie; No. 3,
Prairieview, Mrs. Hazel Claussen; No. 4,
Carmichael, Marjorie Guthrie; No. 5, Peconic, Mrs. Velma Ford; No. 11, Green Valley,
Mrs. Mary Krueger; No. 12, Boger, Mrs.
Betty Smith; No. 14, Mt Pleasant, Mrs. Lola
Rillihan; No. 14 White Plains, Mrs. Charlene
Statler; No. 15, Rose, Mrs. Lois Lee Fisher;
No. 178, Beaver Valley, Mrs. Hallie Winfrey;
No. 18, Liberty, Mamie Huntzinger; No. 19
Second Central, Mrs. Opal Joy and Mrs. Julia
Dugan; No. 20, East Fairview, Mrs. Phillis
Havlat; No. 25 Lone Star, Linadell Knapp;
No.26, Prairie View, Mrs. Elsie Palmer; No.
27, Wilsonville, Mrs. Annabel Van Winkle:
No. 28, Union, Mrs. Esther Kingsley; No. 29
First Central, Stasia Walsh; Senior High,
Mrs. C.P. Heinrichs, Junior High, Mrs. Ida
Boecker, Intermediate, Mrs. A. Marguerite
Fox, Primaryi No. 31 Broadsword, Mrs.
Florence Raines; No. 33 Plainview, Alton
Olsen; No. 34, Jewell, Mary Isabelle Heid; No.
36, Nuttbrook, Mrs. Marie Greenwood; No.
38, Happy Hollow, Mrs. Elva Bartman; No.
41, Solid Center, Julia Berri; No. 44, Plainview, Gladys Quinn; No. 46, Progress, Mary
Ward; No. 47, Pleasant Meadow, F.S.
Carrington; No. 49, Idlewild, W.O. Seeley;
No. 50, Midway, Elizabeth Jarrett; No. 51,
Hook, Daisy Hewitt; No. 55, Shiloh, Edith
Gering; No. 55, Smelker, Jennie L. Tressel:
No. 58, Blakeman, Caroline Husenetter; No.
59, Rock Cliff, Mrs. Mary Allen; No. 60,
Green Knoll, Mrs. Bertha Pautler; No. 64,
Plainview, Mrs. Earl Henry; No.65, Midway,
Mrs. Blanche Dove; No. 66, Tip Top, Mrs.
Nan Hunter; No. 68, Pleasant Valley, Mrs.
Grace Clark; No. 70, Victory Heights, Mrs.
Alice Anderson; No. 71, North Flat, Mrs.
Bernice McBlair; No. 72, Prairie View, Mrs.
Ella E. Huntzinger; No. 73, Prairie Gem, A.L.
Sawhill."
Editors
pie!
by Catharine Dunlap and Isaphene
Leher
KIT CARSON COUNTY
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
BEFORE
COUNTRY RURAL
SCHOOL TEACHERS
L942
REORGANIZATION IN
T146
1950
This article taken from the Burlington
Record of November 5, 1942, indicates that
there were ovet 42 rural districts in the Kit
Carson County coverage ofschools. That this
list does not include the schools in Flagler,
Seibert, Vona, Stratton, Bethune or Burlington is meaningful. This listing of rural
teachers of that era is
"Registration
truly historical.
for gas rationing will
be
handled by the superintendents and principals of the town schools in the county.
Registration will last through Thursday,
Friday and Saturday new wee, November 12,
13, 14.
Arthur G. Hetler
at Vona.
is the new
superintendent
(See photo next page.)
Tt47
�Sdool
Kit Carson County
School Districts Before Reorganization
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AFTER MAJOR
REORGANIZATION
Tl48
After the major reorganization of schools
in Kit Carson County in the early 1950's these
were the districts that remained as late as
1957-58: R1, Flagler; R2, Seibert; R3, Vona;
R4, Stratton; R5, Bethune; Cl, Burlington;
C2, Smoky Hill; No. 2, Emerson; No. 11,
Green Valley; Ql7, Beaver Valley;
CZ6,
Prairie View; No. 31, Broad Sword; No. 38,
Happy Hollow; No. 39, Tuttle; 48J, Rizius;
12J, Liberty; 74J, Idalia; and g3J, Newton.
Gradually even the last ofthese were incorporated into the six major town district's areas
and most recently Seibert and Vona formally
became Hi-Plains District R23 in 1984.
Today five school districts serve Kit Carson
County patrons and their children.
Box 13O26, State Archives
ALBRIGHT SCHOOL
Tr49
Albright School was located southeast of
Flagler in the SE corner of Section 22.
Township 9 S, Range 50 W. For convenience
of those of these late years, this location was
in the northwest corner ofan intersectionjust
north of Bill Grimes and Kevin Jarnigan
residences. Built of sod and in the image of
in
Ur{ctr.
1gb0.
many homes
in the early community, it
served not only as a place for education of
children but a community meeting place for
patrons of the early community.
One of the teachers was Mary McCall who
taught at a time when William "Bill" Wickham attended school here. Mettie Shanahan
is remembered as a teacher of this school.
Records show
that Iva Reynolds of
the
Flagler area was teaching in district 19 in the
1913-14 and 1914-15 terms. Since Bill Wickham mentioned Miss Reynolds, a teacher at
Albright, this is no doubt where she taught.
Mrs. William Strode listed Forrest Heck.
Dorris Keller and Miss Ford from Stratton
(Vona?), as teachers.
In
1916,
it
is recorded
"Willie" Wickham transferred to
Central,
a
consolidation
Second
of several small
schools.
In 1914-15, the Strode family children,
living two miles east, attended this school for
a time, no doubt including, Claude, Alta,
Rethal and Gilbert. William "Bill" Sutton
lived a mile south and a little over a half mile
east of Albright in 1916. It would be logical
to assume some of his children attended
school here. He sold in 191? but returned to
the Flagler area in 1918. Living nearby were
other-families including Love, Grove, Hughes
and Christopher, among others.
Early published news items indicate that
hail and rain in i916 damaged the building
to an extent it was considered too expensive
to repair. It is possible some students transferred earlier to Ackerman School. a short
distance south west.
At this time.
some
remaining students were transferred to Second Central of this district.
In later years, sod was broken for farming
and today the area is under extensive cultivation, erasing any trace of Albright. It had
served the purpose for which it was intended
and ensuing years reduced
from which it was made.
it
again to dust
by Lyle W. Stone
ASHVIEW SCHOOL
Tt50
Ashview School was located four miles west
and about five miles north of Stratton. It was
also known as the Fuhlendorf School since
the Fuhlendorfs lived just one half mile west.
This well-established pioneer family was here
when family, the Chandlers, moved here in
1909. The picture taken in the spring of 1910
came from Mrs. Elizabeth Fuhlendorf-Bigelow who at age 97 lives in the Seibert
community. Lizzie was teaching there at the
time, but the picture was taken on Sundav
qd is of young people attending Sunday
School. The little schoolhouse served as thl
center for many other community gatherings.
Marie Greenwood and Mrs. Bigelow knew
who the persons were although some of the
ones at Sunday School went to Hansen school
about four miles south of Ashview.
Mrs. Daisy Young stated that she and Ira's
children, Maxine, Nelson, Ella Mae, and
Wilma, attended this school before thev
moved into Stratton. Howard Reeder recalls
that he and his brothers and sisters. children
of the George Reeders, went to this school.
�--f4l6"'."^.'#4"
"
Sunday School at Ashview School in 1910. Identified in the picture are Selena Husband, Neva
Fuhlendorf, John Benezek, Walter Bridge, Henry
Mohr, George Williamson, John Husband, Marie
Chandler, LiIIie Husband, Homer Bridge, two
Benezek boys, and GIen Bridge.
Pickard, Paul Inman, James
Ashview School in year 1936-3?: Left to right, back rows back to front: Kenneth
Louis Pickard, Alice
Inman,
Frances
Hugley,
Klassen
rrau"
idiin
Waller,
Cailton
ii""a"r, Elmer Reeder,
WoIIer' Wilma
Marv
Reeder,
Edwin
Reeder,
Howard
row:
Front
fr,-"tt, Iytaritta Woller.
iiil;;; J"-".
Young, Doris Inman, Velma Pickard, Martin Woller, EIla Mae Young
West Bethel, 1943-44: Back row: Shirley Scheierman, Melva Googe, Virgil Basinger, Lloyd B
Borden. Front: Eleanor Scheierman, Carolyn
Hernbloom, Donnie Hodge, Clifford Borden, Marian Maricle.
ia-i'i1:.i',.,r,!llt,,
.1:iirii.1r1.
picture:
Last day of School at Ashview in the late 1920's. Edna Doughty recognizes the following in the
on are Edna,
Grandma Rhoda Monroe, Anna and Raymond Monroe, Ott Maag. Sitting in front with hats
Cora
Mabel and Neva Monroe. Fred Woller is on far left end, and LeRoy Fuhlendorf, Raymond Monroe,
and Bill Flynn were among the parents.
Other families having children there were the
Jim Pickards, Don Bowens, Alvin Monroes,
Kendalls, Fred Wollers, and of course the
Fuhlendorf children.
Edith Mae Klassen Hugley remembers
Ashview as a busy, busy school with all the
daily classes as well as extra programs and
entertainment. She expressed how much fun
school was when she was attending'
by Marie Greenwood
BETHEL SCHOOLSTr6l
The first Bethel school was a sod building,
built in
1908, located on road
M, between
roads 34 and 35. (Ofcourse, the roads weren't
numbered or named then, but the spot can
be located today by using these markers.)
Some of the teachers were Dora Jean Baird,
Susanne Troupe, Lillian B. Hopkins, EIla
Rehn, Sheck McConnell, Bert Thomas, Hildred Perry, Tena Rhen Maricle, Edna Campbell, Ray Dorothy.
In 1918 school was discontinued at the sod
schoolhouse and two new frame school
Bethel located
buildings were built
- West
at the corner of Rd. M and Rd 33, and East
West Bethel. 1947-48: Back row: Max Mason,
Clifford Borden, LeRoy Herndon and Altha Borden, teacher. The others: Dean Herndon, Paul
Brown, Bruce Brown, LaneII Mason, Vivian
Brown. Dale Mason, Theo Borden.
�Bethel located between Rd. 36 and 37 on Rd.
N. Sunday School was still held in the sod
building until the wall fell in.
Some of the teachers at West Bethel were
Mrs. Sawhill, Averine Seaman, Edith Beeson,
Loren Smith Whitmore, Leona Smith,
Blanche Dove, Caroline Hussennetter, Win-
nie Hooper, Mae Calvin Kellogg, Altha
Borden, Daisy Hewitt. In 1948 the West
Bethel building was moved to Walter Herndon's pasture on Rd. M between Roads 34
and 35
the road from the original
- across
sod building
location. Some of the East
Bethel teachers were: Mr. Sawhill, Roy
Mc0ullock and Mr. Patterson.
When the country school houses were sold,
after consolidation in the fall of 1950, the
West Bethel building was bought by Herb
Scheierman and moved t/2 mile west of his
home. It was later sold and moved away in
1964.
The early history was told to me by my
mother, Vena Scheierman and my aunts, Vic
Whitmore, Wilora Waite/ and Wilsie Reeder
who were the "Hughes Girls" who grew up in
the Bethel community. My earliest memories
of West Bethel were when I began my
schooling there as a first grader in 1942. The
students that year were myself (Eleanor
Scheierman) grade 1, Shirley Scheierman,
grade 5, Melva Googe, Virgil Basinger, Marion Maricle, Lloyd and Clifford Borden. Our
teacher was Winnie Hooper.
For the 1943-44 school year the teacher was
Mae (Calvin) Kellogg. Students were Don
Hgdge, Carolyn Hernbloom, Eleanor and
Shirley Scheierman, Virgil Basinger, Marion
Maricle, Lloyd and Clifford Borden and
Melva Googe.
At recess and noon we played "Fox and
Googe," "Deer and Dog," or "Annie, Annie,
Over." We'd have track events, play baseball
and drown out ground squirrels with our
drinking water. By the time school was out
for the day, we were sometimes wondering
about the advisability of using all the drinking water to drown out the ground squirrels.
The teacher brought the water with her each
morning, so when it was gone, it was all gone
for that day.
Shirley and I lived closest to the school (13/4 miles). We would walk 3/4 mi. to the
corner and Mr. Hodge would pick us up, or
we would ride our shetland pony. That was
usually a disaster. We had a white flour sack
we carried our lunches in when we rode the
horse so we could hang onto the horse and the
Iunches. One day Marion Maricle put his
lunch
in a white sack and waved it
at
The 1944-45 school year was quite calm,
with only Shirley (7th grade) and I (3rd) and
Elsworth (7th) Pottorff in the school. The
teacher was Winnie Hooper. The bomber
pilots stationed at Lowery Air Force Base
flew over often on their training missions.
Mrs. Hooper always let us go outside and
watch when we heard the planes. Shirley's
and my cousin, Marion Reeder, was one of
those pilots, so we always waved to him and
he would "buzz" the school house.
From this year on I attended school in
Stratton. Some of the children who attended
West Bethel between 1945 and 1950 were:
LeRoy and Dean Herndon, Paul, Vivian,
Bruce and Loren Brown, Max, Dale and
LaNell Mason, Clifford, Theo and Lila
Borden. I'm not sure of the exact years each
family attended, though.
Averine Seaman Henry wrote of her years
as teacher at West Bethel inlg2l-22 that her
pupils were Bernard and James Spratlen;
Vivian, Elvin, Ruth and Clair Wilson: Vena
and Vic Hughes; Charletta and Ruth Hoover;
Jean, Helen and Hugh Deakin; Kenneth
Kalb; and Floyd and Linadell Whitmore. Her
Wood, and Zelia Deakin. Jessie C.M. Gray
was then county superintendent of schools
by Eleanor Herndon and Averine
Henry
membership divided, one-half going to West
Bethel School and the other to South Pious
Point. About 1926 South Pious Point disban-
ded and again came
to Bethel. In
1929,
following a revival meeting by Rev. Pollock,
an Evangelical Church was organized.
by Virgiuia TYilson Foster
BLAKEMAN SCHOOL
DISTRICT 58
The first school in the Bethel community
was a soddy constructed in 1908 and named
the Clift School. It was used for ten years.
The first teacher was Ella Rehn. The first
pupils were Wilsie, Raymond and Wilora
Hughes; Hazel and Leonard Hamilton; Hobert, Hazen and Rasil Hopkins; Winona and
Oris Sloan; Elbert, Merna, and Ezra Coad;
Merle and Daigh Reader; Paul Webster,
Edith Wilson, Imogene Clift, Thomas Wilcoxin and Kyle Walker.
In 1918 the soddy was replaced by a ferame
A solid reminder of the one room echool
days:
Blakemsn old District 58 south of Stratton. Still
there.
school called West Bethel. It was located one
and one half miles west of the sod building,
seven miles south and two and one-half east
of Stratton. The first teacher in the
new
building was Mrs. Sawhill. The first pupils to
attend West Bethel were Ruth and Alton
Mericle, Edna Brown, Helen and Jean Deak-
nn 3/4 of a mile
home and got Mother. The only thing
crippled was my pride. I liked walking to
school; there was so much to see. A short side
a piece of burnt sugar
cake was a real treat.
and the school enrollment was growing.
Those enrolled in the L92l-22 school year
were Vic and Vena Hughes; Vivian, Elvin,
Ruth and Clair Wilson; Floyd and Linadell
Whitmore; Gleeta, Marvin, Melvin and
James Everett Hall; Charlotte and Ruth
Hoover; Kenneth and Walter Kalb; Jean,
Mrs. Kellogg made a keepsake photo and
autograph book for each one ofus. One ofmy
friends wrote in mine: "When you get old and
out of shape, Remember there are gridles
(their spelling) for $2.98."
the first superintendent. The next fall, in
1910, Mrs. Lewis of Selden, Kansas, held
revival meetings and a Baptist Church was
organized with Rev. Ripley as pastor. Services were held in the old soddy until one of
the walls caved in in about 1921. Then the
Tt62
Hoover, Hildred Hopkins, Wilora, Vice and
Vena Hughes.
More people were following the advice of
Horace Greeley to "Go West Young Man"
schoolhouse.
1934
and the ensuing dust storms of 1935, there
were many things for which to be grateful.
In the spring of 1909 a Sunday School was
organized in the old soddy school house with
about 40 members. Mrs. Mattie Hopkins was
BETHEL COMMUNITY
AND SCHOOL
in, Elmer Howard, Charlotte and
Our extra curricular activities included: a
Christmas program, a Valentines party at
District 7d, Mrs. Hussennetter, teacher,
sectional track meet at First Central, track
meet at Vona, spelling contest at Bethune,
and a last day of school picnic at the
the Great Depression, the drought of
T163
our horse, which scared her.
Shirley and I fell off. I told Shirley, "I'm
trip to Ida Wilson;s for
1926 through 1939, a community dinner was
held at the various homes in the community.
Everyone came with well-filled baskets and
big appetites. Although those years covered
school board members were R.O. Hoover, J.C.
Clarabelle,
crippled for life," so she
Beeson, also from First Central,
Each Thanksgiving Day, from the years of
Ruth
Blakeman School in the 1930s: Back row, I to r: Joe
Green, Duane Kindred, BiII Bowker, Leo Kindred,
Gerald Bowker, and teacher. Edith Powers. Front
row: Harry Bowker, Dale Kindred, Earl Schniederwind, Helen Green and Bob Green.
Hugh and Helen Deakin, and Lyle Hooper.
I. Virginia
Wilson Foster, started first
The earliest recollection of the Blakeman
grade in the fall of 1924. Darrell Barrett from
School was the year 1915 when Meta Chand-
the First Central area was the teacher. I
completed the eighth grade in the spring of
1931. During these years the teachers were:
Leona Smith, 2 years; Dale Baker (Wood);
Donald E. Smith; Ethlyn Steele and Edith
Ier, mother of Marie Greenwood, taught
there. The Campbell children and others
were going to school there at this time. I
visited with one of theses early day teachers
who taught at Blakeman School in the year
�Blakeman school in 1948-49: left to right: Jimmy
Thompson, Jerry Lucas, Glenn Lucas, Bernice
Charles Mill's donkey at school: front to back:
Oscar Knodel, Floyd Mills, Amanda Richards,
Leona Hefner, Hilda Ziegler, (all AdoUgirls) Lydia
(Stahlecker) Adolf and Ida Knodel
Dunlap, Gerald Thompson, Gwendolyn Einspahr,
Betty Einspahr, RonalC Einspahr.
::,ti
18
I
d
Irene Neller, teacher, by the adobe school in 1917.
Last Day of School gathering April 29, 1949: Front
row of kids: Glenn Lucas, Gwendolyn Einspahr,
Rasmussen boys, Jimmy Thompson, Cecilia Isenbart, WaIt Isenbart, Jerry Lucas, Leo Isenbart and
Dwight Thompson with 2 boys. In the background:
John Schulte, Orville Rasmussen, Elic Thompson,
down, round and round, over and over.
One teacher taught all eight grades. Few of
the older children got to the 8th grade but
later on most of them did. The teacher was
responsible to keep the school house clean,
and warm, fuel in to burn, help the smaller
children take off wraps and dress again with
overshoes and coats, etc. She supervised the
playground. Most of the teachers boarded at
the different homes, usually close to the
school. They would walk to school some rode
horse back or used a buggy and team. Later
some had their own cars. Transportation for
1930 and 1931, Edith Powers Hasaft. Then
she had to go back to school to renew her
certificate. The year she was gone, Edith
Beeson taught the school. Then Edith Hasart
returned and taught three more years, 1932,
'33 and '34. Erma Gerke also taught this
rchool. In the late 1940's the Lucas boys and
school children was walking; some came
horseback or by horse and buggy. The Miller
family had a donkey and cart. They went
where the donkey wanted to go. Later the
boys rode the donkey back. This was a lot of
entertainment for all the children during
others were attending this school. School was
held there until they consolidated the county
lchools in 1950. Part of the school's frame still
at its original location. The picture
which shows a peach tree brings to mind an
rften told story of a young man who poked
his peach pit under the school house in a
lmall hole after lunch, squashed it with his
boot heel, and after that the rain dripping
lrom the eaves took over and the seed
rprouted. Teachers in later years were Ted
imith and Ella Dunlap.
recess and noon. Poor donkey!
Some of the earlier school children were the
:i;lli:,
.,,t;:l:
rlll:ilti
u-.
.
'--:'.", '.
Adobe school girls: Amanda Adolf Richards, Elsie
Lofing Kramer, and Leona Adolf Hefner. (on the
roof, Floyd Mills)
by Eleanor Herndon
SCHOOL DISTRTCT 24
Tr54
Blue View and Prairie Wylde were schools
n District 24. The Blue View school house
vas built in the very early nineteen hundreds
br in 1902 when the William (Billy) Weber
bmily settled along the Landsman Creek, it
vas already built. It was a frame house
ocated 9 miles north and 2 east of Bethune,
md it soon was moved t/2mile farther south
io as to be more centralized for the pupils as
nore settlers came with more children for
chool. An adobe school house was built in the
with the school subjects which was hard to do.
Some of the subjects taught were reading,
grammar, geography, physics, history, and
arithmetic. A lot of thinking and fast figuring
was done. Penmanship, (the Palmer Method), was one of the main subjects: having to
sit up straight, staying in the line, up and
?, Edith Isenbart, Ruby Rasmussen, ?, Dorothy
Lucas, Bernice Dunlap, Leona Schulte and son,
Emily Thompson and baby, Dwight Thompson,
Cecil Isenbart. In the doorway: Jerry Thompson,
?, ?, Thelma Thompson and Ab Lucas.
rtands
and 20 years old went to school for a couple
of months in a term. Then they had to help
at home with farm work. The smaller children went through all the term of about 6
months. Most of the children were German
so had to learn the English language along
Chris Strobels, Dickmens; Webers, Bauders,
Fanselau, Wahl, Bauers, August Adolfs,
Knodels, Mills, Stahleckers; Schmidke,
Weiss's. Later the Meyers came, Kloeckners,
Ed Stohlechers, and Weisshaars.
Each pupil carried their own lunch and for
years their water, but later the board members got a water cooler with a spigot, some-
thing the children liked, and they took turns
keeping it filled. It was a good improvement
as we had carried water 3Vz miles every
west part of the district about 1910. This was
7 Vz miles north of Bethune and went by the
name "Prairie Wylde."
Each school had their own teacher except
one term when for reasons unknown in 191415 one teacher was hired and held school half
a term in Blue View and half a term in Prairie
Wylde, which was fair to all the pupils to
travel. This was not satisfactory and each
school had their own teacher again after that.
Some of the earlier teachers were Amanda
Stott, Alice Moore, Vera Dillon Harvey
Jensen, Victor Voss, Lea Wellman, May Long
who married Christ Adolf, Irene Neller
Alvina (Brown) Pickerll.
In the early years the older children up to
morning,
if
we didn't spill
it before
we got
there.
To raise money for things used in school,
we had a program, ending with a pie or box
Billy Weber was the community
auctioneer for the suppers; his children say
he enjoyed every program and pie or box
supper immensely. We had spelling bees or
ciphering (here the arithmetic was used) with
different schools on a Friday afternoon. The
teacher and all the children walked from one
school to the other. Some of the games we
played were baseball, jump rope; in winter
we'd go skating if teacher allowed children to
go off the school ground, or skated on snow,
played fox and goose, or games like last
supper.
�couple out. We found plenty of interesting
Items taken from old Seibert Settler
entertainment for recess or noon.
In the spring of 1929 the Blue View school
house was moved again; this time 1/2 mile
newspapers also give some insight into the
activities of the school. Nov. 9. L923 . . .
"Miss Goldie Iverson was hostess to her
pupils and their parents at a Halloween party
north and one west. The adobe was closed.
The district was cut up to where the south
children went to Bethune and the north and
east to the Blue View. Some of District 22
from the north came to this school as this was
closer to some families. Distance makes a
difference when walking is the transportation. In 1955 the district was dissolved and
all were now in the Bethune district with bus
routes and high school for everyone.
by The Stahlecker sisters, Martha
Adolf and Theresia Kramer
BODEN SCHOOL
Tt55
The Boden School was located southwest
ofStratton on a quarter ofland owned by the
Boden family who donated land so a school
could be built in 1908. Some of the early
students attending Boden were Ernie and
E.R. McConnell. Ethel Jones Hazen and
others. The school house was used as a center
for many different gatherings of the community: voting precinct, Sunday School, preaching, debates, literary programs, dances, bask-
et dinners, and to meet for rabbit drives,
coyote hunts and ball games.
by Florence McConnell
THE BOGER SCHOOL
Tl56
The Boger School, in District 12, was a one
room, frame building built
in
1909.
It
was
Boger school in 1944: Edwin Lowrey, Bob McCaf-
frey, Darrell McCaffrey, Kenneth
McCaffrey,
Melvin Lowrey, Jim Camp, Virgil Gagnon, Wayne
McCaffrey, Helen Zimmerschied, Alice Joy, Vera
Camp, and Verdie Gagnon.
first located 12 miles north, 1 west, and 1/2
north of Vona on the property of Frank
Boger. In 1911 it was moved to 12% miles
north of Vona which made its location more
in the center of the community, as it was then.
The first school board members were:
President, Charlie George; Secretary, Bill
Butler; and Treasurer, Frank Boger. This
board served for many years until Butlers
started to school at Vona and George's moved
out of the area and Frank Boger apparently
felt that it was time he should retire from the
board. They were replaced by president, Roy
Johnson; secretary, Flora Boger; and treasurer, Gus Herrel.
The first teacher at the school was Gailon
Lewis. Some of the others who taught there
were: August Carlstedt, Sadie Dulmer, Marie
Klassen, Vern Meyers, Mr. Wagner, Quinten
Vose, Marie Farquar, Lottie Putnam, Helen
Herrel, Goldie Iverson, Cassie McDougal, Bill
Sealey, Alfred Schmidt, Viola Burkardt, Mrs.
McKenzie, Howard Bigelow, Grace Clark,
Mae Carlson, Maurice Wrenn, A.G. Sawhill,
Bettie Smith, Minnie Eaton, Ruth Gulley,
and Betty Smith Shaw.
held at the Finch home, Nov. 2. The evening
was spent in Halloween pranks, making
candy, and roasting weiners until a late hour,
when all departed for their homes declaring
Miss Goldie a royal entertainer."
Nov. 23, 1923 . . . "Miss Goldie Iverson
invited the mothers to visit school Friday
afternoon. The pupils had prepared a fine
program which the mothers enjoyed. Then
the visitors were asked to recite for the pupils.
Mrs. Strode, Mrs. Hubbell, and Mrs. Boger
responded with recitations."
Dec. 21, L923 . . . "The Sunday School and
School are preparing a Christmas program to
be given at the Boger schoolhouse Dec. 23, at
8:00 P.M."
Feb. 1, 1924 . . . "The teacher and pupils
at the Boger school are rejoicing over a fine
new teacher's desk and chair and dictionary.
All purchased by the school board."
Also of interest are a couple of items
concerning neighboring schools. Nov. 23,
1923 . , . "Miss Meta Rassmussen, teacher of
the Progress school, recently received stove
and fixtures required to install the hot lunch
service in school as recommended by educational authorities."
Oct. 19. 1923 . . . "School marms should
be more careful not to entertain company too
late. A young man from Vona became so
drowsy on his way home the other night that
he missed the road, getting in where he was
compelled to wake up the neighbors to get
him out again."
Surnames of some of those known to have
attended the Boger school are: Boger, Butler,
Camp, Carrigan, Dulmer, Flinch, Gagnon,
George, Hartwig, Haynes, Herrel, Hubbell,
Jackson, Jewitt, Johnson, Joy, Lowery, Martin, McCaffery, Naute, Oliver, Seaman, Smit,
Stolz, Strode, and Zimmerschied.
A favorite story, handed down through the
generations, tells of the adventures of John
Boger, son of Frank and Flora. John would
start off to school each day with the rest of
the Boger children but, instead of going to
school, he would hide out in the fence row or
the draw south of the house and play all day
and then rejoin the group on their way home.
He managed to get by with that for some time
before his dad caught him at it and then, "He
didn't try that again!"
The Boger school was also the meeting
place for the Unity Sunday School.
Classes at the Boger School were discontinued in about 1950 and the building was
bought by Gus Schreiner and moved to his
place.
by Joyce Miller
BROADSWORD
SCHOOL DISTRICT 31
Tr57
|oger School about 1909, Gailon Lewis, Teacher
The Claude H. Hall family moved from
Clay County Nebraska, to the farm 13 miles
north of Burlington, known as the "Fairview
Farm." This was in February 1923. There
were four children, Thomas Merlyn, age g;
Goldie Evelyn, age 7; Claude Harold, 5; and
�Inez Maxine, age
2.
Merlyn started at Broadsword School in
March, 1923, as a fifth grader. He was in the
same grade as Carl Kreoger. Goldie staded
at the same time in third grade. Harold
staded school in the first grade, September,
1924, and Inez started school in 1926.
During the school term when Daisy Hewitt
was the teacher, one wintery day during
morning recess, two energetic boys livened up
the recess by throwing a handful of 22 calibre
rifle shells into the old potbelly stove. All
shells responded in short order creating lots
of excitement.
It is recalled that Frank Moose and Mrs.
Story lived in the sod house across from the
school which eventually was the William
Kreoger farm. Frank Moose operated the
sorghum mill and the zillions of flies it
created is unforgettable.
Three and one half miles to the east of our
place lived Mr. and Mrs. Grant Stephenson.
Mrs. Stephenson used to conduct religious
services at the school every Sunday morning.
After her sermon, the congregation would
break up into Sunday School classes accord-
ing to
age.
My father, Claude Hall, was a member of
the school board along with Charlie Miser,
Louis Kreoger, and Charlie Kreoger. I'm not
sure they all served at the same time, but they
were all on the board at one time or another.
by Inez Ilall Emsbach
BROADSWORD
SCHOOL
T168
DISTRICT 31
The
Broadsword School
District
31,
(named for one of the early families who lived
in the community), was a typical one-room
country school, located fourteen miles north
on Highway 51, later Hwy. 385, in the
northwest corner of Louis Kreoger's field.
Presently, the site is across the highway from
the William Kreoger farm, where his daughter, Katherine Lundien, and family now live.
Originally built as a soddy, in the latter
1800's, a wooden structure replaced it in the
early 1900's, eometime before 1915. All labor
was volunteer for the school building as well
as the horse barn and out-house. The outhouse had a divider between the boys'side
and the girls'side. Controversy arose during
the building of the school when one of the
volunteers who was working on it thought the
rafters were not quite high enough. This
controversy came after
the rafters
were
already put up. The volunteer redid them and
this resulted in a very pitched roof and high
ceilings. According to the School Board
records ofJune 1923, the Board decided that
a horse barn was needed for safety of the
children. Transportation to school in the
early days was by riding horses, walking, or
using a buggy or cart. Horses were usually
tied to fence posts or turned loose in the
schoolyard. Finally a barn was built. In the
later years, the auto was a form oftransporta-
tion.
As in other communitiee, this school was
also the social center of the community. This
was where community meetings and gatherings were held, box and pie socials, and the
literary programs, consisting of debates,
skits, etc. At one time this is where Coop
meetings were held with Frank and Ida
Rankins, and in the days of the early
telephones, telephone meetings were held
here.
Clothing for the boys was bib overalls or
knickers. Girls always wore dresses and most
of them wore high top shoes and leg warmers.
Later the boys continued to wear bib overalls
or blue jeans and the girls, dresses.
During the history of this country school,
indoor and outdoor games played were
unchanged. Outdoor games consisted ofAnte
Over, Pump Pump Pull Away, Drop the
Handkerchief, Baseball, Fox and Geese, and
Red Rover. The wooden poles of the swing set
broke in L946-47 and were replaced with very
tall steel pipe set in concrete. The person
swinging was challenged to see if he could go
as high as the "bars" (top of the swing set).
Believe me this was "fun"! Indoor games
consisted of Hide the Thimble, Hangman,
Spell Downs, and Geography Matches.
This school had no well for water, ever.
Consequently, the water needed to be carried
in every day. Either it was up to the teacher
to bring it in or up to the students to carry
it in a bucket on a stick between them. (Three
places were used to obtain water: the Frank
Moose place, which was across the road west;
Pete Broadsword farm which was 3/4 of. a
mile north; and the Louis Kreoger farm which
was L/2 mile southeast of the school. Many
times the water from the well at the Moose
place was no good, so the students had to
choose somewhere else to go. After 1950, the
water was always carried from the William
Kreoger farm (former Moose place). This was
after Kreoger had drilled a new well and had
good water.) Water was put in a crock from
which to dip or use a spigot for drinking. Each
student was required to bring his or her own
drinking cup and hand towel. If warm water
was needed, it was heated on the pot belly
stove, that stood in the center of the room.
Lots of cold air came into the room due to the
fact that there were large windows directly
opposite each other, and there were no storm
windows.
Discipline was done in a variety of ways,
such as standing on one foot on the stage, use
of a razor strap or belt on the posterior region
or staying in at recess. One teacher was
known for throwing an eraser in front of a
student who was daydreaming and not
studying. It was reported that one student
was sent to get a switch and if he didn't come
back with it he would not need to return to
school. The studentdidn'tcome back, butthe
school board eventually let him return to the
house of learning.
Christmas programs were always a traditional part of the school, where parts were
learned, recited, and three act plays were
presented. Nemes were drawn and gifts
exchanged. Treats were given to all the
students and their families. Of course. Slta
made an appearance.
The area where the school was located was
called "Bottle Ridge." Indians fought on the
'Ridge' and school board members had
disagreements here also.
member was arrested
It
was here that one
for disturbing
the
peace. One member wanted to have dances
in the school and the other two didn't.
Basically, he wanted to stir up trouble. After
the arrest when they went to court, the judge
ended the dispute by throwing out the case.
If
adult neighbors had battles or disputes
they would usually end up at the school airing
their problems.
Academically things were somewhat differ-
ent from what they are today. In the early
days, the parents were responsible for their
children's books. When the year's workbooks
were finished for the grade we were in, the
students were advanced to the next grade
level. Usually this occurred about March.
Children usually started school at age six and
were given a primer to learn to read. In 1942,
the famous reading series was Dick and Jane.
Penmanship was a part of the daily routine.
During the last four years of the school's
existence, the most famous place to go to
learn anything for memory was behind the
piano, which was set at an angle in the back
of the room. This was also the place where one
child was sent to go to the restroom, using a
tin can, which normally caught the drip from
the water crock, on the day the drought
broke, 1956. The rest of the students were
asked by thew teacher to take their seats.
This same student was asked to go behind the
piano to learn the words to "America the
Beautiful." This was quite an undertaking
since the student was only a first grader.
It was noted in the minutcs of the School
Board Secretary dating in the early 1920's,
that whenever a vote was taken the names of
the men and how they voted was always listed
first and then the names of the ladies were
Iisted.
Teacher of the Broadsword school were:
Mrs. Nellie Grabb, Clara Shannon, Miss
Bogart, Mrs. Bill Sperry, Maude Crist, Mr.
E.A. Schwenker, Mrs. Antonie Schutte, Miss
Annette Smith, Edith Miser, Eva Shumate,
Miss Hewitt, Maxine Beal, Neva Henderson,
Mrs. Harlin Romberg, Mary Winfrey, Florence Raines, Josie Youtsey, Barbara Kieber,
Helen Young, Helen Kreoger, Alvin Johnson,
Doris (Keeler) Kreoger, Hazel Fromong,
Larry Megel, Mrs. Pearl Johnson, and Mrs.
B. Leo Devlin.
In the fall of 1959, this school was consolidated with the Burlington School District,
thus bringing the era of the country school to
its demise.
School Board members not listed in order:
Louis Kreoger, Carl Kreoger, William (Bill)
Kreoger, Don Scheierman, Bob Parmer, Lucy
Broadsword, Clarence Crist, Charles Miser,
Claude Hall, Clara Fender, Orin Miller,
Everett Winfrey, Ellis Clark, Harrison Clark,
Newel Guffy, and the last three members
before the school consolidated in 1959 were,
Grace McNeill, Doris Kreoger, and Helen
Kreoger.
by Katherine Lundien and Carl
Kreoger
BROADSWORD 31
Tr69
I graduatcd from Burlington High School
in the spring of. L927, having taken courses in
teaching. (I was 19 at the time.) Then I took
a test conducted by the County Superintendent of Schools to become a teacher. I put in
my application for a teaching job at the
Broadsword School and was awarded the
teaching position. The school board consisted
�of
Charles Miser, Charles Kreoger and
Claude Hall.
I received $100.00 per month. Sometimes
there was not enough money in the County
Treasurer's office to pay my wages, and I
would have to wait until more funds were
available. It was in the contract that I do all
my own janitor work, and put on a program
each year followed by a box social to raise
moneyfor playground equipment. The pupils
were very good to help me bring in the cobs
and coal from the shed just east of the school
building, erase blackboards, sweep floors and
various other duties. I had to have the
building warm by 8:30 A.M.
The teachers before me had raised money
for a nice set of three swings, so I used money
I took in for curtain material, (made eight
curtains), a picture of George Washington
and one of Abraham Lincoln, colored crepe
paper for decorating, stencils, and putty for
the windows (which I applied to help keep the
cold wind out.)
I always went out of doors when the
weather was fit, to play with the students. We
played games of various kinds, but baseball
was the favorite by far. The older boys
delighted in getting me to swing, standing up,
with them. They would take me so high I
thought we would go over the top, but luckily
we never did. I'm sure recess time was their
favorite but they seemed to learn neverthe-
cents each and pencils were one cent each.
Much of their work was done at the boards.
As recreation, the children loved to do Spell
Downs or do Arithmetic at the board.
I always soaked corn cobs in kerosene to
help start my fires more easily, then used a
generous amount of cobs to make a good bed
of coals to start the coal.
My uncle had a real sense of humor. I
always put some saying on the blackboard on
Friday evening and one such time I had put
"In union there is strength." He changed the
U to O and made it read "In onion there
is
strength." This caused so much laughter on
Sunday morning when we were all gathered
for Sunday School. Many Sunday evenings
we would gather, young and old alike, and
sing. I played the piano and had quite a lot
Melven Weaver and his daughters, Sallee Lee and
Vee Ann, beside the old pitcher pump at Carmichael School in December, 1950.
of sheet music.
time we cut across the fields, right over the
grades, as they all compared report cards at
fence posts. Later on we rode a horse, and still
later on we got a two-wheel buggy with shaves
for one horse. My dad put Model T Ford front
I
loved teaching, but hated giving out
report card time. Writing this has brought
back many pleasant memories.
by Eva Shumate Graybill
CARMICHAEL
SCHOOL
wheels and tires on it which made it easier
pulling and riding. In the winter Mom would
heat a big rock and wrap it in gunny sacks to
keep our feet warm. We kids fought over who
got to put their feet on the rock! As we got
older, we used horses and kept them in the
barn at school.
When visiting the site of Carmichael
in more recent years I found a
School
T160
less. They were a nice group of children.
cornfield covered the spot where the building
once stood.
We took up school at 9:00 A.M. and
by Melven Weaver
dismissed at 3:30 P.M. when days were short,
but otherwise at 4:00 P.M. The first thing we
did was to pledge allegiance to the American
Flag. If the weather was nice we went outside,
otherwise we stayed inside. This was followed
by 15 minutes of singing, or my reading to
them. One of their favorites was a book called
The Pride of the Prairies, a book about the
massacre at Beecher's Island, fought between
the Indians and the U.S. troops around 1865.
COLE SCHOOL
Tl6r
I had to make every minute count with
eight grades to teach and hear recite. My
youngest pupil was Lavern Hulse in first
grade and my oldest was Julian Kreoger, that
I taught the first year. Julian was given a test
by the County Superintendent of Schools and
passed this to be promoted from the eighth
grade and qualify him for high school.
The first year I boarded with my aunt and
uncle, the Grant Stephensons. I had to ride
horseback three and one half miles. The
second year I boarded with the Louis Kreoger
family and paid each family $20.00 per month
for room and board. During my first year of
teaching I paid Julian Kreoger $2.00 per
month to carry water to the school and the
second, I carried it from Louis Kreoger's
home. Also being caried were my lunch,
papers and books. The pupils all drank from
the same water bucket and each one was to
have his own cup, but generally they used the
first one that was handy. Luckily there was
very little sickness in my school.
The first year I taught, my aunt and uncle,
the Stephensons, organized a non-denomina-
tional Sunday School that proved to be
successful. The attendance was good and
while we were meeting there they purchased
a used piano. This instrument was used in
school as well as Sunday School.
Pupils had double desks and recited at the
front ofthe room on a long bench specifically
designed for that purpose. We had two large
blackboards so that helped save on tablets
and pencils. At that time, tablets were five
CoIe School, Miss Jenny Shaw teacher, year 1916-
t7.
Carmichael School pupils, L92l-22;backrow on far
right: Pearl Weaver; front row, L to R: Melven
Weaver, Zelda Ann Ross, and Harry Weaver. The
four unidentified girls are two sets of sisters: Ellen
and Frances Bey and Stella and Bessie Adkisson,
but Melven can't remember "which is which."
At its first location this country
school,
Carmiehael, District 4, was four miles west
and two miles north of the town of Burlington. A few years later it was moved
directly south, one mile, and placed on a
cement foundation as shown in the 1950
picture, with water just outside the door!
Almost all of the nine children of Jim and
Josie Weaver attended the Carmichael
School. We had to walk three miles one way
to school, winter and summer. In the winter-
During the years 1910 to 1920 the community south of Burlington, Colorado was being
settled. To help the settlers get their mail and
educate the children the Cole School and post
office was started. The location of the sod
school house was fourteen miles south of the
southeast corner of Burlington, on the east
side of the road. Until the last few years there
were still the foundation, two small ?, and the
gate posts standing.
This school was consolidated with the
Smoky Hill School District in the early
1920's. The teacher of that year, Miss Jennie
Shaw, still lives in Kansas. She had come
from Kensley, Kansas to teach. Jennie Tres-
sel was County Superintendent of School
then.
This was all told to me years ago, so hope
it is nearly right. The
school and post office
�}rr;:
,ta'r,ri.
.
''
'
Later a good well was drilled in the school
yard of the second and last building location
for school
i:::"'' t :a::,: :'.:i.:
1:,,,,,;iii,,i
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use.
Grades one through eight were taught at
the Cook School. The regular school day
would begin at 9:00 a.m. with the children
and teacher giving the pledge to the American flag followed by the children singing or
the teacher reading to the group. There was
morning recess for fifteen minutes about
10:30 a.m. If weather permitted, gemes were
played outside. If the weather was too cold
or stormy, indoor games were played. Afternoon recess was fifteen minutes and scheduled around 2:00 p.m.
Outdoor gemes played were Baseball, Ante
Over, Tag, Red Rover, Hide and Go Seek, and
sometimes foot races. In winter Fox and
Geese was a popular game when snow covered
the playground. Some indoor ga-es played
were I Spy, Hide the Thimble, Upset the
Fruit Basket, Old Cat, and Quaker's Meeting.
Friday afternoons, after recess activities
were Cipher Match, Spell Down, or a Geography Quiz at the blackboard. When weather
permitted, the teacher and children would go
for hikes west of the school grounds where
there were interesting rock formations emer-
ging from the ground of small canyons.
During the last three years at the Cook School
the teacher and children would walk to the
river and locate beaver dams.
The school room was heated with a stove
located near the middle of the room that
burned corn cobs, kindling and coal. On cold
mornings the children would move their
desks around the stove and study, also recite
in 1916-17, Back row, L to R; Mary Parsley age 13, Percy Morford 13, Mary Greene 15, Alice
Magnuson 14. Middle Row, L to R; Stella Goodwin 10, Thelma Little 10, John Parsley 10, Isaac Goodwin
11, Myrtle Magnuson 10. Front row, L to R; Adolf Parsley 6, David Magnuson 6, Cline Goodwin 6, Bryan
Goodwin 8, Frank Parsley 7.
Cole School
were both gone when I came to this community from Norton County, Kansas, in 1928.
by Velma Walstrom
COLUMBINE SCHOOL
Tl62
The Columbine School. the first school
house in the Spring Valley Ranch neighborhood, was built of sod. Mr. E. McCrillis was
the first elected school district secretary, an
office held for fifteen years. The first teacher
was Mrs. Helen Slusser. School warrant
number one was drawn on October 12, 1889,
for $20.00 for her first month of teaching.
by Ruth Goebel Bauder
COOK SCHOOL
DISTRICT 86 J
Tr63
The first Cook School, which was District
number 86, was built of sod on the Jim Cook
Ranch which was located south of the South
Fork of the Republican River, and this area
is now covered by the Bonny Reservoir.
School District 86 was originally in Yuma
County in the early 1900's. Later the county
line was redrawn, as a result part of the
original district was in Kit Carson County.
This change made a joint district of School
District 86 thus adding the letter "J" representing "Joint" to the 86, 86J. After this
change the salary of the teacher was paid in
two checks, one check from the Kit Carson
County Treasurer and one from the Yuma
their lessons from where they were seated
near the stove.
Throughout the school year the teacher
would provide parties for the children on
Halloween, Valentine's Day and have an
Easter Egg Hunt at Easter. A program at
Christmas with parents and community
attending was the highlight of the school
year. On the last day of school there would
be a picnic for all to attend.
One year there were several older boys
attending Cook School who convinced the
teacher to let them have a "smoking period!"
County Treasurer.
The coal shed was designated as
Indians and Kit Carson County honored the
great western scout Kit Carson. Both Yuma
the girls got sick and told her
Originally Yuma County and Kit Carson
County were a part of Arapahoe County.
Yuma County was named for the Yuma
Kit
Carson counties were founded in
1889. These two counties and others were
planned so a slice of railroad track would run
through a part of each county. This helped
share in the tax burden for financing schools
and
and help with county expenses.
A former student who attended school in
the sod building recorded the following
events on tape before she passed away.
Several ofthe children walked a long distance
to school. When it was cold and snowy the
children wrapped their feet in gunnysacks to
keep them warm and dry. At recess time they
left the gunnysacks behind and "skated" on
the ice on the frozen river. This was great fun
until one father noticed his children's shoe
soles were wearing thin and requested the
teacher to stop the skating.
In about 1916 the sod building was replaced. A wooden frame building was built and
located about one half mile south of the
original sod building. At first the children
carried water from the original Cook Ranch.
the
"smoking" room. One younger child went to
the coal shed and found part of the students
"rolling their own" using sawdust for tobacco.
This activity did not last very long as one of
parents.
Immediately the school board ca-e to school
to meet with the teacher and there was no
more smoking. It is a wonder they did not
burn the shed down.
In the spring of 1945 there were six
students attending Cook School. These children came from three farm families. In late
March two of the three farms sold and five
of the six students moved away. This was the
Iast year the school building was used. One
students remained. He was one of the two
who had taken the ninth and tenth grades at
Cook. In order for him to finish, he was given
lesson plans for the whole week and the
teacher would check his papers each weekend
and provide new plans for the coming week.
This lasted for six weeks until the term
closed. The reason for the above arrangement
was that the teacher had been asked to teach
high school in Kanorado, Kansas, to finish
out the existing term, teaching typing and
English.
Mrs. Jessie Winfrev boarded teachers as
�well as Mrs. Clemence Buraker. The Winfrey
Ranch was three miles from school and the
Buraker Ranch was a little more than one half
mile from school.
At present the buildings at the Winfrey
Ranch have been removed and an irrigation
sprinkler covers where the ranch buildings
stood. The buildings at the Buraker Ranch
have been removed and the site is now the
Wagon Wheel Qnmp Ground south of Bonny
Reservoir. The buildings at the Cook School
site were sold and moved. The only things
that remain are chunks of concrete over the
pipe of the water well, a few currant bushes
near the pasture fence and a lot of memories.
A complete record of the teachers who
taught at Cook was not available, however
this is a partial listing: Clemence Buraker,
Ruth Fithian, Bernarda Bohrer, Nellie Fox,
Mildred Sperry, Lenora Heckert, Clair Ford,
Wm Nye, Jr., Iris Herndon, and Helen
at this corner. Magnesia rock was
present
about the area, seen by many who remember
this place. Mrs. Ida Gwyn recalled a rock look
of the building and remaining rock in later
In 1987, no evidence is apparent to
mark a site of this old soddie school erected
years.
so many years ago.
Mr. William Strode remembered his teacher through his school years as: Mrs. Florence
Rumming (Miss Lyons), next teacher, Miss
Mina Miller, Julia Doughty, Miss Alice Kelly,
B.F. O'Dell, C.W. Smith and Harvey God-
interviews was obtained by my children when
in
school. Since
the school project
was
discussed, conversation turned to memories
of school. Also contributing was correspondence with a member of the Doughty family,
written memoirs of Adda (Doughty) Brookhart and interviews, generously given by Mrs.
Ida Gwyn. Mr. Duane Loutzenhiser aided
this writer in determining a location along
with other useful information.
by Lyle W. Stone
ding.
some of the students using this school were
William Strode, Mary Elizabeth (Molly) and
Adda Blanche Doughty, Mable Lynde, Archie Lyons (grand son), probably Carl Stark
EAST FAIR HAVEN
T165
and any brothers or sisters. Frank McDonald
may have attended among others. Families
living in the area were Farr, Lyons, Strode,
Lynde (Lind in some records), Doughty,
Editors
Wilson Kreoger.
Some of the families who had children who
attended the Cook School were as follows:
Armknecht, Homm, Buraker, Reinhold,
Winfrey, Rice, Parmer, Payne, Insco, and
Stafford.
by Clemence Buraker, Ilarold
Buraker, Lillian Ebeler, Lola
Winfrey Rhoades, and llelen C.
Kreoger
CRYSTAL SPRINGS
SCHOOL
T164
Crystal Springs school was first located
near the home of Stephen S. Strode in the
Crystal Springs alea, east of Flagler. Classes
began in 1887 in a dug out near the home for
the first few months. After a new soddie was
finished, classes moved to this structure at a
location near the present Duane Loutzenhiser home. A first reference found ofthis school
was during an interview in the 1950s with
William "Bill" Strode. He said the first
school he attended was a dug out and later
soddie. He said his first teacher was
Florence Rumming. Research revealed that
Miss Florence Lyons married Simon Rumming in 1890. I believe the first teacher in this
school was Miss Florence Lyons of a family
Iiving near the old Claude Verhoeff place.
a
Several physical locations have been suggest-
ed for the school following the dug out.
I
believe a most accurate place was west some
distance from the row of pine trees at the
Loutzenhiser place. The name, Crystal
Springs School, is recorded by a statement in
the memoirs of Adda (Doughty) Brookhart:
"My aunt Julia had come from Missouri and
taught a term of school which I attended at
the old Crystal Springs school." A logical
location would be in the northwest corner of
Section 9, Township 95, Range 50W.
On best authority, I believe this school was
built of sod and that in subsequent years,
some magnesia rock might have been laid on
its exterior to protect walls or corners from
elements of weather and damage from livestock. According to Duane Loutzenhiser,
present owner of the site, a magnesia rock
foundation was removed at the corner of the
section west of his place to facilitate farming
there. This is just south of the county road
East Fair Haven School, 1912 Back row, I to r: Jim Berry, Francis Tillum, Lewis Reed, Paul Miller, Mabel
Bushnell, Gladys Chew Front row: Flossie Tillum, Ward Chew, Flossie Benson
Stark and Miller, among others.
An interesting story tells of Molly and
Adda Doughty carrying butter milk to the
railroad crew workers when the Rock Island
track was built, passing near their residence.
EMERSON SCHOOL
Tr66
Rail hands placed coins in
paraffined
wrappers and tossed them to the Doughty
children in return payment. Mrs. Gwyn
remembered a nickname given Adda
Doughty as "Ab-doughty." Mable Lynde was
a "seat partner" of Adda Doughty when they
attended school. Mable became very ill and
died in November 1888. She had typhoid
fever and is the first person listed in records
of the Flagler Cemetery. Others were buried
here before record keeping began.
When District 19 was formed, this school
was located within its boundaries. A theory
exists suggesting when District 19 was
formed, its boundaries were set to include
railroad property to assure a tax base. This
might explain why students, after Flagler
schools were established, attended school at
the consolidated school of Second Central
some distance away. No definite record has
been found to determine how long Crystal
Springs School was in operation or when it
was closed, although certainly it was among
Emerson Consolidated School built in 1926. It
burned in 1935 and was rebuilt on the same place
to the same design.
Before Emerson School was centralized
there were two schools in one district. One
was Lowell School on
Rd 45- BB
and
Emerson School on Rd 47- FF. The new
larger centralized school kept the name
Emerson, probably named after the poet
Ralph Waldo Emerson. It was located on Rd
in the south east corner of
the first in the area.
46-EE
history was obtained from earlier interviews
with Will-and Mamie Strode. One of these
section L6-7-44. The grounds were fenced to
keep range cattle and horses out. However,
when baseball was played at recess or noon,
Much of the information in this short
school
�Emerson were Miss Ruth (Church) Schaal,
Miss Mary (Mahoney) Kruger, Miss Carlotta
Berger, Mr. Jake Jeager, Mr. and Mrs. Harlan
Romberg, Mr. and Mrs. S.L. Lightsey, Mrs.
Luella O'Hare, Mrs. Villot, Mr. Theisson,
Mrs. Youtsey, Mr. Tekel, Mrs. Rosina (Bau-
der) Schaal, Mr. DeRitter, Mrs. Dunlap, and
Miss Virginia Felch was the last teacher at
Emerson in the year 1958. In the fall of 1959
busses from the Burlington district transported all students to Burlington School.
by Ted Schaal
Left
to right: Glen Schaal, Wayne Winston, Teacher
Virginia Felch, Geneva Schaal; 2nd row: Nancy
the kids climbed the school ground fence and
made a baseball diamond in the pasture
outside the school grounds using cow chips
for bases, eliminating the possibility of a ball
being thrown through a window of the school
house.
The school building had two large
class-
rooms go two teachers could teach the first 10
grades usually 1 through 6 in the south room
and 7 through 10 in the north room which also
had an elevated stage. The two classrooms
were divided by folding doors that could be
opened for public school programs, school
elections and Farm Bureau meetings.
The school building had a full basement for
living quarters for the teachers and a separate
room for a coal furnace to heat the building.
Water was supplied by a windmill with a
supply tank in a tall building beside the
windmill which allowed an indoor restroom
on each side of the entry hall and a drinking
fountain in the middle.
Some children came to school with teem
and wagon, some in a buggy drawn by one
horse and some rode horses or burros (donk-
eys) so
mangers
a
large barn was provided with
to keep horses sheltered and fed
during the day.
In the early
30's, thirty-two students
attended one year. In 1935 the school house
caught fire, caused by a deteriorated chimney
behind the furnace and burned to the ground.
While a new identical school building was
being constructed on the basement foundation, school classes were held in the barn.
Some students came from districts that
taught eight grades to finish the 9th and 10th
grade at Emerson. One girl, Joyce Senti, rode
horseback from Spring Valley Ranch, a
distance of 10 miles one way and others were
not much closer.
About 1937 the 9th and 10th grades were
discontinued as some of the older students
finished the 9th through 12th grades in
Burlington. So after that Emerson had one
teacher and taught only from 1st through 8th
FAIRMOUNT SCHOOL
Tl67
Fairmount School was established in 1913
on Section 22, Township 11, Range 49, south
of Seibert, at a place known as the Joe
Trabert place. This information comes from
a paper, Of Land and People, written by
Leon Bloder, formerly of the Rock Cliff area.
didn't
get to finish that term ofschool (1920-
Fairmount School was later consolidated
with Rock Cliff School. The Fairmont School
had a barn for horses and later the school
building was moved to Rock Cliff and was the
small building used for the upper grades.
Selma went to Rock Cliff the next term and
finished there. Rock Cliff had bus barns built
after that.
Sybil Wiem boarded with the Gunderson's
when she taught school at Fairmont in 192021.
by Lyle
tion valuable to those of us today. Mr.
TY.
Stone
Bloder's comments follow:
The school was first located in an old
shanty located in the southeast part of the
section. Earl Short was the tcacher. The
common water dipper, the slate, and also
cowchip fuel were on the way out. In 1914 Ben
Loiler constructed a new school building on
FAIRVIEW SCHOOL
NO.20
T168
the same site, also two 4' x 4' "necessaty
houseg." These were of the "modern" type,
having a basement (although still supplied
with mail order catalogues), and a barn for six
horses. Later teachers were Agie Sawhill,
Alpha Wolfe in 1918-19, and Sibyl Wrenn in
L920-2L.
The school house was in a fenced pasture,
and during the term taught by Agie Sawhill,
the Loiler kid's dog would sometimes come
to school with them. and when cattle came
near, would run them off. One day we heard
rifle shots outside. All noses pressed to the
windows, we saw the rancher who owned the
cattle chasing the dog round and round the
school house getting in a shot every time he
could. Just as the dog rounded the corner
Adobe School 20: Children are from Matthies,
Ellsworth and Armstrong families.
ahead, the dog stopped and scratched on the
door. The oldest boy opened the door and
shouted at the man, just as he got in a final
shot. The dying dog fell into the room. At this
One of the first school buildings in district
20 was an adobe building on the SW corner
underpants, teacher included as he stepped
outside to speak to the man, calmly standing
there with his hand cupped over the muzzle
of the 22 caliber Savage Hi-Power rifle.
Students that attended Fairmount school
through the years included: Ruth and Ruby
Hungerford; Lee, Everett and Leola Cline;
Donald, Leslie and Johnnie Norris; Joseph,
Agnes, Mary and Leon Bloder; Ralph,
house was built on the southwest corner of 1611-44. fifteen miles south and four miles west
of Burlington. This schoolwas known as West
Fairview No. 20: sometimes it was called the
years at West Fairview.
time we were all about scared out of our
District consoli-
Short; Alice Short; Theadore Douglas; Allie
Ferguson; Hollister and Kenneth Reece;
Ivan, Clifford and Merle Noxon; Sterling
district hired Elmer Schaal to haul some of
the pupils in his Jeep Station Wagon to
Burlington where the district paid tuition.
At one time Clara Fender conducted
Dawe; Selma and Gladys Simonson.
School was not held here in 1919-20 as only
Somc of the fnachers who tsusht et
miles west of there so Selma drove a horse and
cart to school until a wheel wore out and she
his
memories of this school, thus saving informa-
dated with Emerson District and that year
some students from Hook attended Emerson,
but in following years the larger combined
Sunday School during the summer and Ben
Parmer had evangelistic meetings for a short
time.
brought a lady from Norway and they were
married in October of 1920 and moved four
Mr. Bloder thoughtfully wrote down
Wilford, Marvel and Burton Loiler; Austin
Valquette; Clara Martin; Ruby Irvin; Robert
grades.
In 1953 the Hook School
Oliver Gundersons. Matt, Selma's brother,
2r).
Emereon School pupils its last year: 1958-59.
Winston, Iva Winston, Linda Smith, Clyde Schaal,
Alene Winston. Front Row: Karan Smith and
Marie Winston
Deeter, E.M. Short, Troy Martin, Albert
Martin, Inez Short, James Deeter, Bessie
Short, Harry Short and Odry Martin.
Selma Simonson Nordquist who went her
first year to Second central in 1917-18, went
to school at Fairmount School in 1919 and
they lived with their Aunt and Uncle, the
two pupils lived in this end of the district.
Mr. Bloder's record included a 1915 program of entertainment. Names not previous-
ly mentioned and located in the
of the NW% 8-11-44, southwest of BurIington.
Sometime
in the 1910's a frame school
'Crackerbox school.'
Some of the families attending West
Fairview were Hicks, Matthies, Hines,
Meyers, Hawthorne, and Boyd.
Florence Wigton taught school several
East Fairview No. 20 was on the southeast
corner of the SE% L4-Ll-44, three miles east
of West Fairview School. Before the
1920's
East Fairview was about a mile west of this
location. Some years school was held in both
schools and some years it was held in just one
of the schools.
Some of the children attending East
Fairview were the Smiths, Pearson, Boyd,
program,
Matthies, Hicks, Abbott, Walstrom, Wind-
(some may have been among the older set),
were: Leaoold Bloder. John Deeter. Reeina
sheffel and Williams.
Fairview consolidated with the Bethune
�School around 1951. The children then rode
a school bus to Bethune where they could
attend all twelve grades.
The school houses were then sold and
t!.
:,t:.
f:..
moved away.
€#ffi
FARRffi"::
f,nlsorslrlcf,ln
rvro.
EEF
.
%"iiz:
,ff
lT .b*t:''3:fr1 !:s?l?Ji::'sl:
early teacher was Miss Stella Strode. Other
teachers of the district in early years were
First Central School in
Haidee Nealley (or Neeley), Emma Liggett,
Mrs. Flo Shunate, Ethel Durbin and M.R.
*.
1912 when Grace Wellman Greenwood was a baby
(in the picture)'
Shanahan.MissLuellaSchwynmayhave1908or1910.Afewyearslater,probably
beenteachingbefore1915.Arecordof19151914,twolargeframeroomswereaddedto
tellsofMiss-EverettarrivingonaSaturdaythenorthofthisbuilding.Anicelookingroof
eveninginFlaglerfromWisconsinandthatandwindowsenhancedthisbuilding.Itwas
shewinbetheteacheratFarrSchoolinthewhitewithdarkbrowntrimandverypretty.
comingterm.Ithadneatstepsandanentranceontheeast.
"fl',:"'31*f"'.11tif;3'rff-?,-"n,'jii#f'Jfl
l3lt'S'fr3t"'f,T:'A'fr5'*fft":lfljt;
mentionedinlastweek'spaperwill!eheldtyping.andbookkeepingclassroom.Two
attheFarrschoolhouseinDist.19.Thanks-typewriterswereusedinthisclassroom.
givingeve.LadiesbringwellfilledbasketsTherewasastoveandinbittercoldweather,
and men don't forget your
purses."
;j:#,:'*t:runji*:ln,1lf:;n
Duncan and Dewey Farr attended as students. Although a careful search has
-:
a
,--r,,, o-L,,,
:_
r-__
___L^-
rr-
ilfi:,?:,11*:"*ff:il,1'.'"?*:,$f;;::il"X'
teachersbroughtormadehotsouptosupplement the chirdren's cord runches. Inlater
years another school house was
built on the
westedgeoftheschoolgrounds.Inl92?Alta
Ellis Wolfe taught the first three grades. She
been
made, other students are not apparent except
that children of the Paulsen family may have
attended here. It is known that in 1915, 'i:'r.": "----'--'
Durr"- Farr was a right guard on the Flagle;
HighSchoolfootballieam.Itisinterestingto*;;.*;..-"-."-..'..--'...--.''..-'''',..'.,.*
backfield on this team. Duncan would have
attended Farr School much earlier.
Records indicate Farr School was still in
operation in 1915, with school beginning this
year, the teacher boarding with the John
Paulsen's.
W.W. Reynolds hauled a load of coal to the
Farr School in the fall of 1915.
It is unlikely Farr School operated much
later than 1915. This is stated because Flagler
schools had improved a gteat deal at this time
and was within a distance where students
could have been transported to the school.
Often, this made little difference if patrons
were unwilling. District 19 had embarked on
an effort to utilize a centralized consolidated
school npmed Second Central at this time.
by Lyle W. Stone
FIRST CENTRAL
SCHOOL
TI.70
First Central was an early day community
school located 12 miles south and 4 miles east
ofStratton, Colorado on the Correction Line'
A long slim frame school house was built in
Pupils at First Central in 1929-3G Back ro*', I to r: Jarnes Grccetooa, Ly'e Xcllogg, Delno Norton, Jennie
L. Tressel, Lowell Dunlap, Walt Ackerson, Warren Hodge, La Denhom. Middle row: Edith Beeson, Albert
GIad, Irene Dunham, Glen Smith, Bessie Whitrnore, Lloyd Prxhe, IlGlEn Mitchell, Elbert Ayres. Front Row:
Violet Norton, Cloyd Storrer, Eva Raleigh, Ralph Greenrood, Dorothy Hodge, Clarence Ieeman, Wanda
Norton, Kenneth Scheierman.
�lived six miles south of Bethune on the
present Leo and Maxine Kindred farm. That
same year, Lola Shaw Pearce Rillihan was
also a teacher there. She loaned her horse
"Sparkplug" (Sparky) to Vena Hughes to
ride the 4-112 miles to and from school each
day. Vena was a junior in high school that
year.
Teachers that your writers can remember
were: Miss Troxel (one of the first); Miss
Johnson, Della Glaze, Chester Glaze, Florence Ellis Glaze, Jesse McNay, Wilsie
Hughes Reeder, Marie Chandler Greenwood
(1921-22), Amy Petefish McConnell, Jack
McConnell, Violet Campbell Barr, Lola Shaw
Pearce Rillihan, Thelma Neilson Armstrong
Lowe, Ida Smith Boecker, Mr. Terry, Mr.
Elder, Oris Bunch, Otis Ross, Mr. Frog, Miss
Bohl, Jennie Tressel, Virginia Felch, Mr.
Hampton, Jackie Hendricks, Mr. Fox, Ruby
Schlotman, Josie Youtsey, Della Hendricks,
Fred Carrington-Conradson/, Lyle Bunch,
Edith Campbell Johnson, Marvel Simpson,
Jesse Roach Ardueser, McCune, Edith Beeson, Margaret Simon, Caroline Husenetter.
Theodore Smith was the first graduate
from First Central (1923). Arlene (Bunch)
Rains was the last graduate (1947). There
were no graduation exercises held for Theodore so he graduated later with the class of
1925. He was enrolled in Greeley Teachers
College at that time. He later taught school
at Smokey Angle. In 1927, Mr. Elder taught
some post-graduate courses, on top of all the
high school classes. Garvin Church attended
the post-graduate courses, one of which was
trigonometry.
At one time there were 100 pupils and five
teachers and four busses at First Central
School. In the years from 1923 to 1947 when
the last class graduated there were 80 graduates on the records. The names of those 80
graduates are listed in the Stratton alumni
listing which one will find in the article titled
"High School Graduates
and
- Stratton
First Central." When the school
was closed
in 1950, all records were taken to Stratton
School District R-4 and incorporated into
that school's records.
Oris Bunch recalls that he attended the
house grades 1, 2 and 3. Later he
taught in it two years then lived in it one year
and taught in the big school. He taught all
Iittle school
eight grades.
There was a Dr. Troxel who lived just east
of First Central on the north side of the
Correction Line. It is thought that he built
that house. Later Frank Whitmore lived
there, also Bill Churchwells and Cage Bunchs
lived there.
Charles and Iva Day
farmstead.
It
built a very
nice
had a huge barn and a very nice
frame home, according to the standards of
that day when many lived in sod homes. Just
above it to the east L/2 mile was the Day
School (built in about 1906). Raymond
Hughes was one who attended there. Giles
and Ada Hunt and son, Wayne, lived on the
Day place after Days left. Later Melvin Wall,
Henry Scheiermans, Bill Berrys and the
Ralph Isemans lived there. At present it
belongs to Clarence and Allie Jean (Beck)
Iseman.
About 1912 or 1914 there was a Beaverton
store where Mrs. Clair Eichenberger now
lives. This is 1/4 mile east of the Art Lowe
place where Paul Lowe now lives. This store
was run by Mrs. McPheeters. She and her
children. Bertha and Jim. lived in the back
rooms of the store. She bought cream and
from the people and hauled this produce
into Stratton. One could buy a new Easter hat
and some summer and fall clothing at this
eggs
store. Later McPheeters left and George
Church ran a store there in 1920. The
Churches either moved in or built a large
frame building close to First Central School
where they continued their grocery business.
About this time people began to buy Model
T cars and a few other models and went to
Stratton more often. so the Church store
closed. They moved into Burlington.
The following are First Central community
people your writers recall. Some may have
lived in the Norton School District just east
of First Central. The Norton School was
about 2 miles north of the Nazarene Church
which was on the Correction Line. Dunlap,
Storrer, Swan, Erickson, Lesher, Herndon,
Pfaffly, Dunham, Huscher, Holstein, Ora
Wellman, Art Wellman, Frank Beeson, Ed
Beeson, Cliff Beeson, Jap York, John
Higgins,
Bill
Bill Whitmore, Frank
Churchwell,
Whitmore,
Art Lowe, McPheeters,
Kellogg, E.R. Smith, Griggs, John N. Williams, Perry Taylor, Dr. Troxel, A.J. Glaze,
Ralph Iseman, A.D. Radspinner, Charlie
Perkins, Willis Perkins, Walter Collins, Clark
Geist, Henry (Red Henry) Wilson, Rex
Barrett, Ayers, Christenson, Fred Norton,
Snelling, Vic Michell, Greenwood, Wink
Hall, Jim Hall, Simms, McArthur, Tom
McMahan, H.D. Greenwood, Lou Beck, Giles
Hunt, Melvin Wall, Herman Baetz, Lawrence
and George Sherrod, Dave Megel, Elmer
Magnuson, Pete Burgraff, Keever, Keeling,
Labonte, Perry, Andrewjeske, Austin, Johnson, Bauman, Tatkenhorst, Sponsel, Kirby,
Windsheffel, Kaufalks (not sure of the
spelling), ISallee, Loobe, Simons, Kiper,
Holder, Stegman, Werner, Cage Bunch,
Church, Swem.
In the 1916 census of First Central school
district it shows it to be a big district (No. 29)
which included Tom Wilcoxin who lived 3
miles south of Highway 24.The school house
was located 12 miles south of Highway 24.
The Wilcoxins lived on what is known now
as the Bert Stramel place, owned by Miltenberger Brothers. Tom Wilcoxin's parents
were Jerry and Miranda McNair.
There were literary programs
often in
- crackers,
the winter we had oyster stew and
as everyone had lots of milk. At times fresh
oysters could be bought at the Stratton Meat
Market. Someone in the community needed,
at times, a load of coal, or a bushel of apples
and other things, so they would get two
gallons of oysters. These were 91.00 per
gallon. Each family gave about 10 cents to
cover the cost of the oysters. The women also
made pies and some popped about two
bushels of popcorn. Most folks raised popcorn in their fields. Debates were popular
entertainment at these progrerms. Homemade icecrenm was often made, also.
An
interesting and funny thing that
happened often at the literary programs or
church services was the "chirping chicken."
If the meeting got dull, a little chicken would
chirp in the back of the room. This chicken
sounded just like a real one who had lost his
Mama and was running around the chicken
house, cold, looking for the Mother Hen. It
was a perfect mimic. It was Irvin "Skinny"
Lesher making the noise. About the time
Frank Lesher, Irvin's father, turned around
and looked to see where Irvin was. the chick
disappeared into the side room. It was a cute
act and happened quite often.
Church and Sunday School were held every
Sunday, with a good youth program on
Sunday evenings. Everyone attended this
and different people led devotions. Rev.
Huscher and Rex Barrett were some of the
speakers. Fred Storrer was a fine Sunday
School teacher. In later years the Evangelical
United Brethren Church of Stratton sent
ministers to preach. Rev. Ness lived near the
First Central School. Later Delbert Paulson
First Central Church and the
Smokey Angle Church into the Stratton
Church. A number of people didn't go into
merged the
Stratton because the distance was too far. so
those families remained unchurched.
In the fall of 1950 First Central and other
country schools were consolidated into one
district and all of the country children were
bussed into Stratton to school. At present
there are no buildings left on the First
Central school grounds. A few years ago there
were cattle and hog pens there, but those, too,
are gone.
First Central had a girls basketball team
which played on an outdoor court. Lola Shaw
and Miss Bohl were two of the coaches. Agnes
Iseman, Gertrude Church, Ruth Church,
Hazel Lesher and Vena Hughes played on
that team at various times.
During the late 1940's the school had a hot
lunch program. Mrs. Heiman was one of the
cooks. Also during that time there were two
particular teachers, one quite heavy and one,
a tall, slender lady. The kids built two "snow
women" to resemble the two ladies. The tall
teacher took thejoke quite well but the heavy
lady didn't think it so humorous, so she took
a bucket of hot water and poured it on the
heavy "snow woman." Consequently, the
"snow woman" turned to ice and outlasted
the slender one by several days.
The Lesher and Storrer boys would give
each other rides in the windmill wheel. One
would climb up the tower and hook his hands
and toes into the wheel and the one on the
ground would turn on the windmill. After a
few spins, he would turn off the mill and they
would exchange places!
During most of the First Central era there
was a community baseball team. In the early
years, about 1912 and 1913, the team was
of George Sherrod, Lawrence
Sherrod, Jack Thomas, Bert Thomas, Bill
Holt (or Houch), Hans Ho5rt, Floyd Cunningham, Lou Dages, Jap York and Enoch
made up
Thomas. Their home baseball diamond was
at the Beaverton Store. In the late 1940's the
team consisted of Shelby Taylor, Darrell
Taylor, Hap Bauman, Leonard, Clark and
Duane Beeson, Don Thompson, Bill Storrer,
Jerome Stegman and LeRoy Herndon. The
1940's team played such community teams as
Homm's Settlement, Bethune, Pottorffs,
Knights of Columbus (Stratton). Their home
diamond was located 2 miles east of the
schoolhouse.
The following people contributed to this
story: Leonard and Agnes Beeson, Vena
Hughes Scheierman, Irene Dunham Kennedy, Maxine Iseman Chandler, Loraine
Iseman Wood, Vel Lowe Pickard, Marie
Chandler Greenwood, Oris Bunch, Wilsie
Hughes Reeder, Grace Wellman Greenwood,
�Elsie Beeson Herndon, LeRoy Herndon, Ivan
Smelker.
by Leonard and Agnes (Iseman)
Beeson
board. All of these early schools were used
both as schools and on Sundays the community gathered there for Sunday School.
Jim McConnell and his cousins along with
others attended this school in 1931. His first
GREEN KNOLL
SCHOOL
teacher was Miss Virginia Felch. She boarded
with the Jack McConnells while teaching at
FLAGEOLLE SCHOOL
T17r
My early school days in Colorado were in
It was 16 miles north,
1 mile west, and 1/z mile north of Vona,
a large adobe building.
Colorado. [t was on the Frank Rehor place.
I went to school there until the fall of 1915
or 1916. Some of the pupils were the Bogers,
John Horace and Bonney; Bill and Mae Ilers;
Evelyn and Pearl Brookshire; John and Alva
Flageolle; Beatrice and Buelah Strode; Lester
Crist; Verdie and Cleo Elsey; the Balangas;
and Orval, Avirene and Bertha Seo-an.
We took our lunches in a pail or paper bag.
The water was brought in . Some of the pupils
had what was called folding cups. They were
tin or aluminum. There was a large stove in
the middle of the room for heat.
For games we enjoyed "kick the can",
"steal sticks", "drop the handkerchief',
"anti-over" and ball gemes. My home was 16
miles north of Vona, 1 mile east and 1 mile
north.
Orval. Bertha and I walked the mile on nice
days. If it was stormy, some older brother
would come for us. Finally my dad, William
Seaman, put a shaft on a spring wagon and
we drove old "Bill" the horse for several
years. It wasn't a nice ride. We sat on boxes
and had a cover over our laps. Later Ernest
Elsey made a catt, put a shaft on it and a
horse was used to pull it. His girls and I went
to school this way until the fall of 1915 or
Grandview.
My first school years were at Grandview
School, and the first teacher I remember was
Amy McConnell. There were only four of us
that first year: Paul Brown, Dean Smith,
Barbara Wilson, and myself. The last year
that Grandview had school, Vivian Brown
joined us. That last year, 1946, Miss Evelyn
Gouge was our teacher. I can remember when
the county superintendent of school came to
visit our school. The first one I recall was Miss
Virginia Felch, formerly my husband Jim's
teacher.
For a few years the building was used for
community events with a group of Young
Farmers and Homemakers meeting once a
month. They enjoyed square dancing, giving
plays, and having box suppers.
Mildred Anderson has told us about
Grandview School. This school was located
twelve miles south and,3l/z or 4 miles west of
Stratton and about the same distance, only
east from Vona. Mildred moved thereinl92T
and the first teacher she remembers was
Mary Martin, now Mary Blodgett who was
postmistress at Joes, Colorado until retire-
T173
Not much is remembered about Green
Knoll school which is located two miles west
and two south of Stratton. but it is one of the
few school buildings remaining at its original
Iocation. The McCormick's older children
went there and one of the teachers that is
remembered is Julia McCormick Lowe. The
building sits on land owned by Dean Wigton.
by Florence McConnell
OLD SCHOOLS IN
DISTRICT NO. 38
Tt74
The Charles Nealleys lived in the SE 1/4
of 35-6043 when their two daughters, Haidee
and Blanche, attended this school.
It
was
located a mile west of the Neallev home. The
tat:',
:i:'1
ment. Another teacher was Miss Virginia
Felch who was the last teacher to teach there.
She had taught there for a long time. Also a
Mr. Fred Carrington taught there.
by Florence McConnell
1916.
For entertainment we had pie and cake
suppers with programs before we ate. There
were Christmas programs and many more
that I can't remember. I do remember at the
Christmas program Santa gave me a piece of
material for a dress. It was a red and white
check.
The only teachers I can remember were
The outside of school house that Haidee and
Blanche Neally attended. Taken in 1904.
Miss Kozard and Mary Watmore.
by Avirene Henry
GRANDVIEW SCHOOL
Tt12
Grandview School was another school
belonging to District 36 in which there were
several schools. Each district had a school
-&;t
.&{'
;:*,:
t,:ti:urn
,&t$
Grandview School in 1946: front row, I to r: Vivian
Brown, Barbara Wilson, Dean Smith, PauI Brown.
Back row: Denise Wilson, Teacher: Evelyn Gouge
1901 school in District 38: Teacher, Miss Eva White. Pupils: (back to front) Haidee Neally, Vinnie Reisch,
Gertrude Reisch, Clyde Knapp, Lucy Knapp, Zuella Knapp, Blanche Neally, Cora Knapp, Jake Knapp,
Oral Reisch
�school house was located in the SE L/4 of 346-43 on the north side of a creek bank. The
rocks for the foundation can be seen very
plainly yet. It does seem like a very odd place
to build a school. I don't know the nane of
the school but it was in District 38. Mrs. John
Nohr and Olive Hill were two teachers for the
Hill School located about 3 miles
NE of this school in the NE L/4 of L4-6-43.
Pleasant
Later Happy Hollow replaced both of these
schools, but all were in District 38.
The teacher in this school was Mise Eva
White. Later she married a man from south
of Kanorado and continued to live here for
a few years. She passed away and is buried
in the Kanorado cemetery. The pupils in this
picture all came from three families: the
Knapps, Reischs and Nealleys, namely back
to front: Haidee Nealley, Vinnie
Reisch,
Gertrude Reisch, Clyde Knapp, Lucy Knapp,
ZuellaKnapp, Blanche Nealley, Cora Knapp,
Jake Knapp and Oral Reisch. As far as I know
Lucy Knapp Russmann is the only one still
living and she was our last County Superintendent of Schools in Kit Carson County.
This picture was taken in 1901.
by Elna M. Johnson
on the farm in the fall ofthe year and so could
not complete their school grades. A Bohe-
mian family moved onto a place about a mile
northwest of the school and two boys attended the school. Then the next year a little blueeyed sister entered the first grade. She could
not speak English, but before the term was
over, she had not only mastered the language
but maintained her grades along with her
classmates.
In those days a good teacher kept a very
strict order. No whispering was
allowed
during the school session, and the children
did not leave their seats without permission.
If one needed the teacher's help, a hand was
raised. A hand with one finger raised was for
a request to
speak to another pupil, two
fingers raised was for permission to get a
drink, and three fingers indicated a need to
leave the room. Someone in that school came
up with a system of sign language using the
fingers to express the different letters of the
alphabet. We became quite adept at sending
Tt?6
When the Chandler family settled on their
homestead northwest of Stratton in March,
1909, there was no school nearby. Soon a
thrifty Danish family named Hansen, with
five children, Carrie, Martin, Nicholas, Margaret and Abbie, homesteaded on a piece of
land adjoining on the north. They erected a
nice frame house, barn, and other buildings.
Then they promoted interest in establishing
a public school. My mother, who had been a
gchoolteacher back East, was making certain
that we children's education was not neglected by teaching us at home. However, our
parents were very much in favor of establishing a school in the community. So were other
families whose children had been attending
school some distance away. Six or seven of the
men hitched their horses to breaking plows
and soon had enough slabe of sod to build a
neat, little sod schoolhoue€. It was located
four milee west and four miles north of
Stratton, and just one mile north of our home.
Mr. Hansen had donated the land so we
named it "The Hansen School." There were
also two outhouses and a small shed for coal.
In the corner of the yard was a lilrc bush,
probably planted and then abandoned by a
discouraged settler in the late eighteen
hundreds.
Mrs. Jerome, who lived one mile south of
from the school. was our first
teachor. She was a good teacher rnd included
singing in our curriculum. Since she owned
and played an organ, she would loan it to the
school when she had a Christmas or LastDay-of-School prog:ram. The school term
lasted only six monthe. Some of the pupils
were Nicholas, Margaret, and Abbie Hanren;
Henry Mohr; Stuart, Fred, Madie Lee, and
Bessie Ray Harvey; Marie, Elsie, Joseph, and
John Chandler; Walter, Blanche, Glen and
Homer Bridge, Esta Gray and en older sieter,
Rosie Vader, and others. Some of the boys
were quite old and nearly grown due to the
fact that thev had to stav at home and work
us and two miles
I
have wondered
first day.
blackboard. We had Big Chief tablets but
one
mostly we wrote on slates, and proud indeed
was the youngster who possessed a double
There were eight grades and we sat in
double seats, two to a seat. On the back of
each seat was a flat projection that served as
a writing desk for the two in the next seat
behind. Between the front desk and the
teacher's desk was a long bench where each
class was routinely called up to recite their
lessons, or they might be sent to the blackboard to perform arithmetic calculations.
Every day we had ten minutes of penmanship
practice, and along toward evening, we often
had a spelling match, where we stood in line,
and a good speller might advance to the head
of the line and earn the "Head Mark" for the
day. Nor were History, Geography, Physiology, Civics or Science ever neglected.
Two pupils were excused each day to a well
down at the bottom of the hill to bring back
a bucket of drinking water. We played many
games at recess and noon, Pump-Pump-Pull-
Away, Darebase, New Orleans, London
Bridge-Is-Falling-Down, Ring Around the
Rosie, Blackman's Buff, Drop the Handkerchief and Baseball. If we were lucky to have
a wet fall, there would be a lagoon down the
creek a short distance to the northwest. When
this would freeze over, we would quickly eat
our lunch at noon, then go skating for the
remainder of the hour-long recess. None of us
had skates, but if we would take a fast run to
the edge of the pond, we could skim across
the ice on the soles of our shoes. Hard on sole
leather! and shoes were not easy to come by
in those days. Also, when it snowed, we
played Fox and Geese and as the snow melted
we beat down tracks until we could follow
them like cow paths. Years later after the
schoolhouse had been leveled and the other
buildings removed, I chanced to drive by the
location one day and could still see traces of
those Fox and Geese paths, like a small scale
copy of the Santa Fe Trail reminding us of
early days. The lilac bush still thrived. A few
years later, all had been plowed under.
About the third year a young lady named
Miss Blodgett came to teach our school. She
was friendly and pretty and we girls admired
her dainty clothes and her blonde hair piled
high in the back and accented with little loops
of black, watered taffeta ribbon. The boys
if
Miss Blodgett taught
school somewhere else the next year, and I
hoped that she set her foot down firmly the
messages to each other, especially when the
teacher had her back turned to write on the
slate.
HANSEN SCHOOL
regarded her, too, but showed their admiration in a different way. They pestered her and
irked her and the more she reacted, the more
tricks they would play. One day she stepped
out of the door a minute and one of them
jumped up and locked the door on her. She
banged the door and screamed. They told her
to say "Please" and "Pretty Please." Finally
she did and they let her in. She looked to
neither right nor left and all the children
appeared to be studying intently. The boys
now had the upper hand and after that our
school was a riot. Although we felt sorry for
her, we girls sometimes got into the act. It was
so much fun and we sort of wanted to go along
with the boys. She looked so sad so we talked
it over, and before school was out, Margaret,
Blanche, and I went together and told her
how sorry we were and that we loved her. Of
course she did not get her contract back, and
We had many successful teachers and the
I remember the best was Miss Alice
Talbott. After I graduated from the eighth
grade, my mother, Mrs. Meta Chandler,
taught one or two years before we moved to
town.
Miss Jennie L. Tressel who was the County
Superintendent of Schools, each year visited
all the schools in the county, driving a tenm
ofhorses hitched to a buggy. She was the one
who signed my eighth grade diploma. When
she came to visit our school it was a great
event and we all tried to be very polite and
on our best behavior.
by Marie E. Greenwood
HAPPY HOLLOW
Tt76
Edna Bartman Stahlecker sent this information about Happy Hollow School District
38. Who was teacher and in which year and
any marriages are indicated. Some of the
teachers at Happy Hollow School District 38
were Elva Smith Bartman: 1916 Miss Edna
Swanson, who later manied Edgar King;
1921 Marie Klassen; 1922 Miss Sperry; 1924
Mr. and Miss Johnson. a brother and sister:
1925 Thema Opal Muirhead; 1925-26 Loyal
Brown, high school and grade 8; 1926 Dorothy Bowers, who later married Max Litell;
1927 Elizabeth Eastin; L928 Zella Fowler,
elementary, Iris Sweigart high school; 1929
Edith Miser who married Rayond Wells; 1930
Dorthea Schmidt, elementary and Mr. Leslie
Cates, high school '29 and '30; 1931 Hallie
Miser who married Everett Winfrey;
1931
Frank Kurtz grades 8,9, l0; 1932-39, Mr. and
Mrs. C.B. Ford; 1940 Claude Cheny and 1941
Melvin Sall.
Sunday School was also held at Happy
Hollow School for many years. Some years
there were literary programs held there.
Students attending Happy Hollow were
Straughn, Rhoades, Barnharts, Smiths, Timmans, Bartmans, Hanrahan, Tieman, Parmer, Rogers, Bagleburger, Benge, Trotters,
Murphys, Proehle, Winfrey, Cody, Lundvall,
Jackson, Clarks, and Henderson.
by Edna Bartman Stahlecker
�HOOK SCHOOL
own children. Many residents here remember
Tt77
Little HiSh Plains School
Temple of Learning
years later
1906 it was a soddy
- two
a good sturdy adobe. It was a country school,
used for almost half a hundred years.
In
For homesteaders' youngsters and next
generations, it was a happy, worthy place.
There eight grades of classes went on in a
room 20 by 28 feet, and a short time after its
opening there were also three high school
students taught there.
Now only small traces remain of this school
which closed its door 25 years ago, and which
a Burlington artist, Ralph Binard, knew well
for his boyhood learning there. He painted a
striking version of a thunder storm over the
little high plains building which stood ten
miles north. one east and a half back north
again from town. It is very likely typical ofthe
hundred of little schools which dotted the
country sides in a surprising number.
Although the Kit Carson County court
in 1908, destroying all records,
including those of the many schools, it is
house burned
remembered that a homesteader, W.B. Hook
built the first building located on his land
when the centur5r was young. After the sod
structure collapsed, the help of neighbors to
the west were enlisted one summer. Settlemen of the Weisshaar and
ment builders
Doder farnilies- knew well how to lay the
them: Roydon of Colorado Springs, the late
Elmer and Delvin and a daughter Bernice,
now Mrs. Ephram Watkins of Longmont.
Elmer's only daughter, Letha, now Mrs'
Lloyd Churchill of South Sioux City, Nebraska, has kept in touch with friends here. In
1909, Dwight and Theo, sons of James Hook
who for a brief time tried homesteading, and
Borton Hook were also listed in the school
census. James was a brother of W.B. Hook.
In an interview in the Springs recently,
Royden mentioned that his brother Elmer
passed away in Sioux City in the 1940's and
his brother Delvin died three years ago.
Delvin's wife, Gladys Ivy Hook, now of Sand
Point, Idaho, taught the school during the
l92l-22 term.
In the year 1908 there were 53 carried on
the roll, according to records of a former
teacher of the school, Mrs. Lucy Russman,
county superintendent of schools. Mrs. Russ'
man, who taught 20 years, besides three at
Hook, had a special fondness for this little
post, as she rode horseback four miles each
way through sunny, snowy or windy days of
1912, 1913 and 1914. She pointed out that
probably during 1908, although there were
the large number carried on the roll, that did
not mean that there were that many children
going there at one time. Their names were in
the book for purposes of state aid to schools.
Until a child of a district reached 21, even if
he or she dropped out to get married in those
days the name could be kept on the roll.
"My father walked into this
country,"
been
stated Mrs. Russman. He was James Knapp,
one of the first homesteaders, coming from
Illinois. The family had come to McDonald,
Kansas, and joined him here as he established
a homesite. He dug a well on his land north
of Burlington with a hand shovel. Later he
dug many wells with a horse drawn auger for
other settlers, among whom were the W.B.
Hooks, Mrs. Russman believed. Her father
Pueblo to work
took other long walks
- to
in the steel mills part time.
Others who joined the Binards in classes
simultaneous to the years of World War I, he
remembered as five children of the Bud
now Evelyn Flick of ldalia, was once a
student of thig institution, known as District
No. 2. Bethune District 1, is thought to have
their children, Ellard and Marie. The Charlie
Normans enrolled their daughter Naomi, son
Paul and an adopted daughter, Corine Be-
- last of which spring winds
adobe blocks, the
blew down.
Many early day settlers caused school
houses to be erected on their pastures, and
there were no deeds, so the land on which the
buildings stood reverted to the owners or
buyers eventually. The Ora Likes, who csme
in the 1930's
buying the W.B. Hook acree through a
here from Atwood, Kansas
Burlington real estate man, Ed Finegan, are
still living in the Hook house. This is a
remarkably well preserved adobe, having
built in 1910. Surrounded by farm land,
the winds still blow across the pasture where
Ralph's painting shows the flag was raised
each day. A daughter of Mr. and Mre. Like,
preceded the Hook school by a short time.
"The Binards made up quite a few of the
roll call," stated Binard, who began in the
second grade there. His parents, the
William
Binards, came from South Dakota in 1916'
For a little while he remembered 35 pupils
were enrolled one year. Hie brothers and
sister scholars were Joe, Don, Marie, Rosalie,
Andrew and Agnes. His cousins, children of
the Henry Binards, were KaY, Art, Bill,
Bernard,Madeline, Clara and Doris' The
other Binard kids were either too young or
too old for school at that time. None are now
living in this vicinity. Ralph was well known
for not only his Hub Service at the south end
of Main Street, the Greyhound bus stop, but
for his hobbies of astronomy, travel and those
of his former rock and coin shoP.
Having been proving up for a year since
staking out his homestead in 1905, W.B.
Hook gave the acre of land for the construction of the soddy school, as he and his wife
were anxioug about the education of their
Williams: Margie, Vera, Wendell, Charles
and the twins Ila and Lila; Roy, Harold and
Alpha Hess; the Charles "Pat" Doerings sent
dard. The L.L. Pennisons sent their boy
George. There was a Carl and Earl Ashley, a
Josephine Smith, Evelyn and Iva Steel. He
remembers Marie Beard, Genevieve Shannon, Robert Shannon, Nora and Erma Frost,
the latter Mrs. Perry Robertson of Burlington.
County Clerk, Iva Gross of Burlington and
her sister Elsie Proehl, daughters of the late
John and Mrs. Margie Knapp, began their
Hook school attendance in the third grade,
moving in 1936 from Emerson school, located
just west, on the day Emerson school burned
down.
"We moved just in time," smiled lva,
adding that Emerson was built back and
survived a couple of years longer than Hook,
which closed its doors in 1949 when Burlington's RE-6J was formed. For by then the
high plains rural population was diminished,
and what pupils remained on farms were
bussed to town schools.
Both Raymond and Richard Gramm of
Hook school studenta
Burlington wet"
"-ottgAnderson.
as was a Mrs. Bertha
Mrs. Mabel Munter-Hines of Kanorado
not only went to District 2 for eight years, but
after some high school and two weeks of
"Normal" institute, she headed up her old
school in 1919 and 1920 as a valued and
beloved teacher. Her education was more
than was required then, as an orientation in
August at Normal was sufficient to teach.
Mabels' parents, the Charles Munters,
came out from Iowa, buying land just across
the section from the Hook holdings and thus
she and her brother Frank had only a short
way to walk for a part of each year, although
a five mile jaunt the rest of some terms when
an experiment was tried.
An early version ofsplit sessions took place
with school being held at another building
during parts of the term, in order to alternate
the distances children had to travel. This
experiment
of having one school open in
spring, another in fall, prevailed until there
was a population change in the area, Mrs.
Hines remembered.
There were two sisters, daughtcrs of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Neally, who lived at the
town of Wallet, north of Peconic and now
only a memory, who had to go a long way
when school took place in the west side.
These were Blanche James and Haidee
Weeden. "Wallet was the name of my
grandparents," stated Don Winter of Burlington's First National Bank. "They founded the town, operating the Post Office."
Mrs. Hines recalled that those were the
days when jolly and helpful early day teachers always boarded and roomed at
their place.
Her favorites were Jessie Matson, Myrtle
Brannon and Gladys Ivy.
"The kids who were further away rode
horses to school and then turned them loose
themselves. That meant
walking home in the evening, but there was
no rush then," Ralph reminisced, also recollecting that there was a shed that existed for
some years for the convenience of those who
drove, just as a white clapboard front was
added to the school in later years.
One of the county's first "mobile" homes
nestled next to the school house for the years
of L942 through 1945. A teacher, Daisy
Hewitt, moved in a small one-room dwelling
to go home by
for herself, taking it with her when
her
teaching days were finished there.
Teaching the years from 1922 through
1924. Ella Schutte came back for the L925-26
term. Estella Hudson was instructor for three
terms. Pupils agreed that one of the better
school marms was the late Nellie KeenGrabb, who taught in very early days as a
homesteader, coming there from a school
further north, known as the Broadsword
School, then retiring for a time to raise a
family and spending the years 1935 until 1940
at Hook district again. In the '40's, teachers
were Cora Boyd, Phyllis Coakley, Miss
Hewitt mentioned above, Phyllis Abbott
Seelhoff, Ella Rehn Dunlap and Ethel Mines
Winfrey. The roll book was closed for the last
time following the 1947-48 terms. Tuttle,
Smoky Hill, Rock Cliff, Second Central,
many other little institutions
Emerson
gave way-to the changing times, as have
almost all rural schools in America.
Twenty-two teachers guided the educational aims at Hook from 1913 on, and
although there is only memory rather than
court house records, there were several more
�the five years before 1913. The sod house
teacher was Miss Myrtle Churchill. Then
csme the Widow Roper who took up a
homestead, taught school, which included
her sons Vernon and Harry, while proving up
on her land nearby.
The teacher capable of conducting the
classes for the three high school students was
Mrs. Bertha Anderson.
Black as the brooding storm, laced with
hail, appears in Ralph Binard's nostalgic
painting, no former student interviewed ever
nurtured first class men and women. It
guided for good and enriched lives for a great
part of our century.
IDLEWILD SCHOOL
DISTRICT 49
by Bonnie Gould
Tr79
HUNTZINGER
SCHOOL
recalled any disaster such as flood, fire,
Tl78
confining blizzard,, cyclone, snake bite or bad
injury ever occurring to mar the tranquil
days. The earnest perusal of McGuffey's
Reader, spelling and ciphering matches, went
on under the long stove pipe that stretched
across the room from the heating stove.
Several remembered that there was one time
during the dust bowl years that everyone had
to stay until eight o'clock in the evening,
before the dirt cleared away enough to permit
going outside.
Each pupil carried water along with lunch.
Likely as not there would be a piece of tender
fried jack rabbit. No tularemia disease had
then spoiled that fine meat.
Cow chips were gathered to kindle the fire
and the small glistening black mountain that
was the coal pile had in later times a basket
of corn cobs nearby for a quicker fire.
The old version of the open school was not
so different from the new fangled partition-
less idea now. First graders learned from
eighth graders if they could not be kept busy,
so that there was no time to listen to other
lesson recitals. Discipline was minimal, as the
big difference between then and now seems
to have been the feeling of all being one big
happy family. It could be nostalgia that
glosses over drawbacks, but many former
rural learners truly believe they lived then
during the "good old days."
Of course W.B. Hook school had only 560
square feet. Compare this to Burlington's
middle school which has 46,820 square feet.
Almost 84 times larger
does it serve 84
times as well?
-
We voted, with scarcely a whimper, to pick
up the $989,300 tab for the aforesaid beautiful new three grader. The mind boggles a bit
at the change in times: in
1906, roofing
lumber sold for only a few dollars a thousand
board feet and adobe was dirt cheap. Taxes
on a quarter of grassland in the area in 1905
ran $1.65. In 1912 Mrs. Russman'salary was
a monthly $35, but a year or two later, since
she promised to hold school all holidays, even
Thanksgiving, 20 days each month, her raise
came up to $50, $450 per year.
With never a switchblade, with loco weed
fearfully avoided by kids and horses alike,
with only paths on the buffalo grass to
disturb the ecology and a whole lot of hard
to learn history yet to come, the halycon days
Idlewild School in 1928.
The first Idlewild School was located about
two and one half miles northwest of Stratton
near the Edgar Ancell home, but it needed to
be located more to the center of the district.
In 1914 it was moved about two and a half
miles to the northwest near the Talbot home.
Huntzinger School, 1911 Dora Butler, teacher,
back row right.
The Huntzinger School was a one room sod
school located near
Hell Creek north of
of the school's
Flagler. The exact date
opening is unknown. T.J. Huntzinger and his
wife Elsie and their five children moved to
that area from their homestead near Thurman by April, 1900. Mr. Huntzinger was
instrumental in building the school because
he wanted a school nearby to educate his
children. One former student, Viola Williams
of Salida, Colorado states that her father, L.
Boyd Williams filed on his homestead in the
spring of 1907 and chose his location to be
near a school. By those reasons, we know that
it was built after 1900 and before 1907. It was
known as District No. 14 and because so
many children attended the school, an addition was soon built onto the east side to make
it one Iong room. Some early teachers were
a Miss Brown'Mettie Love; Dora Butler who
to be used as a residence. It is now the home
of Dale and Irene Courtright.
by Helen Kerl
KECHTER SCHOOL
Tl80
causing some arguments. Students played
ball, ante-over, and occasionally ice skated on
a small pond near the school when it would
freeze.
The school served the following families:
leenager.
essential feeling ofthat little adobe ofthe
plains, standing lonely but staunchly against
lhe elements of storm and burning sun, all the
while a bulwark against ignorance.
Looking back, the hundreds of lucky ones
who trudged to it can view it as a symbol of
personal, effective and loving education that
When the consolidation was done with
Stratton district, the building was sold and
moved into Stratton where it was renovated
lunches to school in the familiar gallon syrup
pails. Occasionally these pails got mixed up,
Jenks Brewers, Charley Brewers, Baileys,
McKissicks, John Veiths, Ball family,
Baldwins and probably many others.
In his painting, the artist caught forever
were Byrnes, Bakers, Reillys, Collins, Kennedy, Steinberger and Thomasons.
the lower grades. Students carried their
"delinquent" had not yet been combined. In
fact, nobody was ever conscious of being a
bhe
accompanying picture was taken. Some of the
families represented among the students
later married Jake Wolverton. AII eight
T.J. Huntzingers, Boyd Williams, Fishers,
The words "juvenile" and
Bertha Byrne Pautler, and June Scofield.
Bertha Byrne was the teacher when the
grades were taught. Many of the boys could
only attend when the farm work was finished
and each time they returned to school they
just picked up where they finished before
until they were able to complete that grade.
That made for some good sized students in
of the little country school truly seem far
removed.
Later a new building was built.
Some ofthe teachers known to have taught
there were Alice Talbot Reilly, Elizabeth
Zittle, Myrtle Bradshaw McConnell, Gray
Spurlin, Elsie Chandler, Theodore Smith,
by Agnes Otteman
The Kechter School in 1923.
In 1911 the men in our community made
adobe bricks and erected a small one room
schoolhouse. The school was located 16 miles
north and 5 east of Vona in District 42 and
was commonly referred
to as the Kechter
School.
The students, numbering as many as 40 in
in a seat. Water was
carried from the Dircks' place L/4 mile away.
Two trips were made a day by two pupils
some years, sat three
going together. Long before school
was
dismissed for the day, the water bucket was
�empty. Many children went through all eight
r:l*
grades in the old "dobie," including my sister
and brother, Velma and Nolan.
lr,,l,l.'l
Miss Bessie Wilder was the first teacher.
Other early teachers were Grace VanWinkle,
Ida Martin, and Wilma Ford. All were local
girls, daughters of homesteaders. Miss Wilder and Miss Van Winkle had homesteads of
their own.
It was not until L922 that a new larger
frame building was built just across the road
south of the old one. Migs Estel Straughn of
Kanorado was the first teacher in the new
building. Members of thq board of directors
were: Erastus Godfrey, Ch'arley Andrews, and
Jacob Kechter. Some of the other teachers in
the early years were Marie Klassen, Marvel
Simpson and Ruby Carlstedt.
Some of the family names of the pupils in
Dist. 42 in the early years were: Ackley,
Atwood, Arthur, Atterbury, Andrews, Bolin,
Calkins, Calhoun, Dircks, Hagen, Hamilton,
Gulley, Godfrey, Woods, Wilkinson, Wasson,
Phillips, Kechter, Keelery, and others.
"Literary" was a part of every school. I
believe it was held once a month. People came
from other districts to attend as well. Some
of the adults gave readings and sang songs.
The kids put on plays, spoke pieces, and sang
songs.
We also had pie suppers now and then. I
remember the time that I stumbled while
fighting with some other kids back stage and
ran my elbow into a chocolate pie under a
fancy wrapping. I was glad that the owner of
that pie never knew who did it! Each of the
ladies usually took an extra pie and the extras
were sold after the others at a cheaper price.
A certain man usually bought all the extra
pies so once my dad coaxed my mother into
making a pie filled with cotton as a joke on
him. The man did buy the pie and second
only to Dad's glee was that of my cousin's,
Jakie Dircks. He never ceased to tease his
Aunt Bertha about her cotton pie.
by Opal Roger
KECHTER SCHOOL
TrSl
District 42 was organized and a sod building erected in 1911. The school was located
17 miles north and 3 miles west of Stratton,
Colorado. The Kechter school was named
after Jacob Kechter, William Kechter's father. Jacob Kechter was one of the original
school board members and the school house
was located 1 mile north of his house.
Following is a list of teachers taken from
the records in the Colorado State Archives:
1912-13: Grace VanWinkle: 1913-14: Bessie
Wilder; 1914-15: Wilma Pagett; 1915-16: Ida
Martin; 1916-18: Grace VanWinkle; 1918-19:
Wilma F. Ford; 1919-20: Grace VanWinkle;
1920-2L Marie L. Wood (four months) and
Amon B. Calhoun (four months); l92l-22
Marvel Simpson; 1922-23: Estel Straughn;
L923-27: Marie Klassen: L927-28: S.W. Sawhill;
1928-29: Lola Jean Pound; 1929-30: Ted
Smith; 1930-31: Omar Guy Ansell; 1931-35:
Ruby Carlstedt; 1935-36: Mary Rush; 193638: Glen A. Smith; 1938-39: Claude C.
Chaney. (Added 9th and 10th grades this
year). 1939-41: GIen A. Smith and Betty
Taylor; L94L-43: Betty Taylor; 1943-44:
Louella O'Hara; 1944-45: Helen Heinrichs:
Kechter School, District 42 in 1928-29. Top row, I to r: John Stewart, Lloyd Wilkerson, Fred Godfrey, Neva
Stewart, Maude Clair, Sadie Clair, Lola Jean Pound, teacher; and Mabel Godfrey; Middle row: Arlene
Wilkerson, Edna Paine, Mary Hoyda, Irene Stewart, Catherine Hoyda, Alma Liming, Thelma Wilkerson,
Vera Godfrey; Bottom row: Dale Davis, Robert Liming, John Hoyda, Dale Godfrey
1945-48: Blanche Dove; 1948-49: Linanel
Davis; 1949-50: Avrine Henry and 1950:
KELLOGG SCHOOL
Tl82
closed the school.
As a former student of Disttict 42,I became
very interested in the facts discovered while
researching the records. For example, in
1912, due to a very severe winter, they were
only able to hold five months of school. The
fuel bill for the year was $19.70 and the total
school year expenses were $262.33, including
the teacher's salary. The teachers'salaries
ranged from $40.00 per month in 1912 to
$1,665.00 per year
in
1950. The school board
members' names were not recorded but they
were also a vital part of our education and
deserve credit for their involvement.
My memories are of one teacher, teaching
eight grades, with 42 students. She, or he, had
to come early to build the fire in the coal
furnace. Some of the teachers even lived in
the basement ofthe school house. Besides our
classes, the teachers had to prepare the
programs that we gave for our parents and
friends. We would also have pie and/or box
suppers that would be auctioned off to raise
money to buy our playground equipment.
I failed to state above that a new frame
school was built in 1922 or 1923; and when the
school closed the children were bused to Kirk
and Joes schools. In 1965, the school house
was moved to Kirk and attached to the Kirk
School and used for a lunch room; and when
the Liberty School was built between Kirk
and Joes, the Kirk Lions Club made the
Kechter School building into a meeting room
and community center.
I, Alma Van De Weghe, understand that it
is now owned by a private individual and is
to be moved, again. I hope as you read over
the history, it will bring back memories to you
as
it
has to me.
by Alma Van De Weghe
Kellogg School was located just over the
line in
Cheyenne County, southwest of
Seibert. Many of Kellogg's students lived in
and became well known in Kit Carson
County. One was Mrs. Phil Mullen. The
Mullen family is well known for musical
ability and performed often throughout Kit
Carson County. Also in this record are
members of the Bloder family who came early
and lived in Kit Carson County for many
Mr. Leon Bloder, who thoughtfully
years.
recorded many of his memories in a paper he
entitled, "Of Land and People," is the sole
source for information of this school. Because
Mr. Bloder was concerned and recorded his
information, we
€ue able to be aware of this
early school.
On a 1912-13 record Mr. Bloder saved for
many years, the following information is
written: "Kellogg School, District 1, 1912-13,
Aveta Lichtenhan, teacher. Pupils: Perry
Eash, Mary Bloder, Rose Bloder, Arthur
Eash, Agnes Bloder, Hazel Kellogg, Joseph
Bloder, Lottie Kellogg (Mrs. Phil Mullen),
John Fredrick, Barbaraan Eash, Ladie Fred-
rick, Mayme Fredrick, Moses, Katie and
Malinda Swartzentruber. School officers
were L.J. Roden, Pres., Cyrus Platner, Sec.
and D.D. Hayward, Treas.
Kellogg School was the first school Mr.
Bloder remembered. He said it was located
at the old Alfred camp. In trying to define this
location, a best effort seems to be one mile
south and one mile west of the Sig Olson
place. Another for those knowledgeable ofthe
area would be at "Big Springs."
Information was taken from records written by Leon Bloder, formerly of Seibert,
Colorado. Rock Cliff area.
by Lyle W. Stone
�LIBERTY SCHOOL
T183
oped the habit ofturning and biting Zoe when
she mounted, Homer held the bridle. Then
the pony learned to kick Zoe when
she
mounted so Agnes held the bridle and Homer
raised the pony's front foot. The pony was so
determined that she even tried to stand on
2 feet ta kick at the rider. Another outstanding transportation method during the 193637 school year was the Model T Ford that the
Sidney Huntzingers fixed for their children,
Homer and Agnes. It had been a four door
and they removed the back seat and put on
a
box. Homer, who was in the 8th grade at the
time, was the driver. On the way to school
Liberty School, 1931 Back row, left to right: Ruby
Huntzinger, Teacher Orpha Howard, Mildred
Kyle, Albert Huntzinger. Middle Row: Homer
Huntzinger, Agnes Huntzinger, Evelyn Kyle, Irene
Armistead, Phillip Armistead. Front row: Poy
Petersen, Don Lightle, Cecil Petersen, Floyd
Jensen
Liberty School, District 18, was built in
1919. It was located 11 miles north and 2
miles east of Flagler. It was one of many white
frame schools in Kit Carson County. It was
under the jurisdiction of the Kit Carson
County Superintendent of Schools. This
superintendent signed the eighth grade di-
plomas and on rare occallions brought a nurse
to help with some health testing. The superintendent also had responsibility for some of
the curriculum. The district was in the hands
of a 3 member school board and of course at
that time the board always consisted of men.
Some of the teachers have been Opal Wise,
Vivian Roberts, Frank Hyser, Orpha Howard, Lola Peatse, Margaret Page, Laura Mae
Malbaff, Marnie Kyle, Doris Copley and the
final teacher, Bonnie Armitstead. This list is
no doubt incomplete.
Softball was the usual recreation interspersed with ante-over, kick the can, run sheep
run and hide and seek. Hide and seek was a
real challenge when the many dry thistles
piled on the fence were used as hiding places.
Fox and geese was popular after a snow. Ball
games were played between schools but more
exciting than softball were the ciphering and
spelling matches between schools. Nearby
Victory Heights was always a good rival,
especially during the school years of 1934-35
and 1935-36 since sisters Margaret Page at
Liberty and Betty Page at Victory Heights
were the teachers. Liberty always came out
the winners because no matter what happened in the lower grades, Liberty always had
their ace-in-the-hole lrene Armitstead ready
to go and she was unbeatable when in the
upper elementary grades.
During the dirty thirties the many dust
storms necessitated keeping the students at
school until a parent could make their way to
the school to take the children home. At this
time. handkerchiefs were moistened with
their drinking water and placed over their
faces. Most of the students walked to school
but in the later 30's other modes of transpor-
tation were noticeable. The school grounds
Floyd, Ruth and Gene Jensen were picked up
and then lrene, Phillip, Bonnie, Elizabeth
and Charlene Armitstead were added after
they had walked across the prairie to meet
them. Ten students riding on a Model T Ford
driven by an 8th grader! To keep the radiator
from freezing it was drained upon arrival at
school and then refilled when going home.
Floyd and Phillip "earned" their rides by
being responsible for this task.
Liberty not only functioned as a school but
also as a community center. During the dirty
thirties when no one had any money, there
still was a place to go every two weeks and it
was free! That was Literary Night at Liberty.
On those nights the people in the community
were as involved as the school. This gave the
school children a chance to perform before a
crowd but also to watch their parents perform
and perform they did. They not only held
ciphering and spelling matches but also gave
plays. One play called for Sidney Huntzinger
to saw off his brother lvan's leg. With Sidney
on top of him and a large carpenter's saw in
hand, Ivan giving out with the proper amount
ofscreaming, you could actually hear the saw
actually the leg bone
sawing through bone
- caused
a lot of crowd
of a cow. This certainly
reaction! The school was also used for Sunday
School and worship services which consisted
mostly of hymn singing, usually the favorite
one of anyone who could play the piano.
Occasionally an itinerant preacher arrived,
who usually had more zeal than knowledge.
Through the years the school served the
following families: T.J. Huntzinger, Boyd
Williams, Walter Zion, Lew Harker, Sidney
Huntzinger, Loyal Kyle, Jake Wolverton,
Charlie Baldwin, Brewer family, lvan Gwyn,
John Williams, Charlie Armitstead, Cline
Jones, and Don Loutzenhisers and probably
many others. The school closed at the end of
1945-46 school year. In 1949 the district
consolidated with the Flagler School. After
the district consolidated, the school house
was sold and moved to 625 Quandary Avenue
in Flagler and was converted to a home by
Glen Stone. The Lark Laue family presently
(1987) make their home there.
by Agnes Otteman
Mullen children, Roy, Guy, Charles and
Phillip may have been old enough to shoulder
duties of the ranch or could have attended
this school. Howard, Lester, Harold and
Grace probably attended. Lena and Lloyd
arrived later. Beula Frisbie, who taught at
Mt. Pearl in later years and her sister, Avis
were probably too young to attend Loco.
Regretfully, I have no knowledge of older
children.
This early location, Loco, is recorded to
have had a postmaster, Charles Davis, who
was appointed in 1903. After this is a local
record of Mr. Frisbie in 1906-07. In 1911, Mr.
Marion Short, son of J.S. Short of the
Texerado area, operated a store and post
office bearing this name. It is possible Mr.
Short built a store at the last location ofloco.
Mr. Short homesteaded land where Loco was
finally located. A new frame school building
was built here, in the southwest quarter of
Section 32, Township 11 S, Range 50 W,
about midway on the east side. This place is
about a half mile north of the Cheyenne
County line and near the Wild Horse road
south of Flagler. Sometime in 1913-14,
Marion Short sold out to Alvin B. Radebaugh, who was appointed postmaster on
February 4, Lgt4. A store continued to
operate in Loco, this assumed because it is
said to have been a popular place for Texans
to congregate who had migrated to this area.
Later many of these people returned to
Texas, according to records. Loco post office
was closed on May 31, L922.
At Loco's last location. children of
A.B.
Radebaugh, Fern, Paul and Allen, attended.
Children of the Kinzer, Lanier, Buttons, and
Barton families were mentioned with no
definite record. In the 20s, children of the
Loco School were transferred to Second
Central, a consolidated school in District 19.
by Lyle W. Stone
..UNKNOWN'
(McALLISTER?)
scHooL
Tr85
Tr84
Among the many small early schools of the
area, there exists a record of a school located
at the northeast corner of Section 20, Township 11, Range 51. AL922 atlas pinpoints this
Loco School was first located south of
miles southwest of where Texerado is located,
LOCO SCHOOL
contained a barn so horse and buggy was used
as well as horses were ridden. In the mid-
Flagler in the southeast corner of Section 22,
Township 11 S, Range 50 W. In or shortly
had 5 miles to come and rode a Welsh pony.
This pony was a bit mean to say the least.
Homer Huntzinger and his sist€r, Agnes, also
were riding horses. Since Zoe's pony devel-
Colorado to make preparations for a school
in his area since no school existed there. The
school was built at a place designated already
as Loco, Colorado where a store and post
thirties one student, Zoe Jones (Goodwin)
office was located in the James "Jim"Frisbie
home. No doubt, labor in constructing the
soddie school was shared by neighbors in the
area. Florence Mullen was the first teacher
and was reported to be a good one and
especially strict with her brothers and sisters.
No record found describes the fixtures or
general appearance of the school. It was no
doubt very similar to others scattered about
the area. Certainly, Mullen children attended
this school and children of the Frisbie family,
among others living in the vicinity. Among
after 1906, Clark Mullen rode to
Hugo,
place. This site is slightly less than three
about 3-% miles due west of the old Jim
Kountz place. It is very tempting to believe
this may have been the McAllister school,
mentioned in an April, L9L7 Flagler News
edition. This item says that Minnie Short
(Texerado area) attended the Easter program at McAllister school. A distance from
�
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Text
the Short residence in the Texerado area
would have been 3 or 4 miles or a little over
2 miles cross country to this school. This
would be a reasonable trip.
An only other unknown location is for a
school mentioned in the Flagler Neros in
1916, saying "Dan Grim, with the assistance
of several men, tenms and saddle horses,
removed the roof of the old Plainview school
house last week." The location in question
would have been about 8 miles from the Grim
home (this home was about 3 miles south of
Second Central, some distance away from the
site in question). This is a considerable
distance
at this time, but not unreal for
moving a roof.
Robert Wesley McAllister
at one time
owned section 34 in the southwest edge of Kit
Carson County, about 3 miles from the school
in a southeast direction. In searching Lincoln
County records, where Mr. McAllister is
recorded, it was learned he owned land some
15 miles east of Hugo. This would place him
very near the county line. A statement in the
Lincoln County record, by George T. Vassios
says he started to school when he was 4 years
old in order to have enough pupils, along with
the McAllister children, to hire a teacher. His
father was Tom Vassios who homesteaded on
Section 24, Township 11, Range 52, on the
county line, about 2 miles west of the school
site in question in Lincoln County.
It is sad that records are so dim and that
we have waited so long to document some of
the history of our country. Legends die with
the generations. There comes a time when
information. such as for these schools in
question, is forever lost.
If this school is indeed the McAllister
school, a small amount of information can be
found. Robert Wesley McAllister became a
lawyer and after an illness, came to Colorado
in 1910, homesteading about 15 miles east of
Hugo. A two-room sod house was built and
after school was out in Nebraska, Mrs.
McAllister, Emma and two small daughters,
Marjorie and Alfarata, moved to the home-
st€ad. Emma began teaching in the fall. She
had performed this duty as a profession,
in her lifetime. Mr. McAllister, called Wesley by most, served on the
school board and often gave legal advice to
his neighbors. A new daughter, Gail, arrived
late in 1915.
Of their school, Sunday school was held at
teaching 45 years
the schoolhouse and in summer there would
be picnics. The school had a Christmas
program each year, with decorated tree and
a visit from Santa passing out gifts to dl
children. If there was snow on the ground, a
big sled would be filled with straw and hot
bricks put down in the straw, keeping
children warm to enjoy a beautiful ride to the
program.
In 1921, the land was sold and the family
moved to Greeley, Colorado. In the late '20s,
the land was repossessed and the family
returned. Emma taught at Boyero, where
Gail attended. Alfarata taught at Kawal.
Marjorie taught at Oak Creek. In 1937, Mr.
and Mrs. McAllister moved to Estes Park.
Alfarata began teaching at Arriba where she
met Max Hutchins; they were later married.
This is not a great deal of information,
however it may be a beginning to work with
and locate more about this school. An effort
should be made to learn more about the other
school, Plainview. I feel the latter may have
been
a Cheyenne County school. For this
record, Tom Vassios lived very near the
county line, in Lincoln County, as did the
McAllister family. It is possible another
school existed nearby in Lincoln County
bearing this name, McAllister. If so, it has not
been located. Searching to clear up this
record will continue.
by Lyle W. Stone
MIDWAY SCHOOL
Tt86
Midway School was last located at the
northwest corner of Section 8, Township 10
S, Range 51 S. This property belonged to Earl
Brown of Flagler. In its last location, Midway
was often called Beeler's school. This school
was located in District 10 which was about
two miles wide and twenty two miles long,
adjacent on the west side to Flagler school
district 35. There is evidence the school
building had been moved at least once to this
location. In an interview with Oliver Blanken
and Natalie Kueker, it became apparent the
early school nnmed Midway was probably
closed near 1914. An exact location of
Midway of this period is not known; however,
it was located in District 10. At this time,
Marvin Beeler, living some distance south,
attended a school west of the present Allen
Petersen place, where Blanken children went
to school. This school was finally determined
to have been called Robb School. Natalie
(Blanken) Kueker told of Marvin Beeler
riding a mule to school. "Tollie" remembered
how he teased her and other girls in school.
He had previously attended the older
Midway school. Although no record
Ford. On May 1, 1918, Hubert Beeler was
elected secretary of District 10 for a term of
three years.
In 1926 several families with children lived
in the Midway area. Among these were M.R.
Beeler, Elbert Chilson, George H. Evans,
William Strode, Nels Smith, Ernest S. Graham and Clarence W. Johnson.
An August, 1929 record states that "Miss
Dorris Weller is a teacher at Midway school
this year, teaching the 1929-30 term." In
May, 1930, Mrs. Nels (Anna) Smith was reelected treasurer of the district. Miss Norine
McCullum started school at Midway in
March, 1930. In 1933 it was recorded that
Miss Lord would teach the '33-34 term and
that she had taught two terms, 1931-32 and
1932-33. Research reveals this teacher to be
Miss Alice Lord. Also about this time, Jay
Strode was helping Mr. Hayes make blocks
for construction of a barn on the Midway
school grounds for teacher's car and for
horses ridden and driven to school by most
students.
No record was found, dating the closing of
this school. We know it was still in operation
in 1933-34. Since modes of transportation
had improved, it is possible students were
transported to Flagler schools in later years.
by Lyle W. Stone
MURPHY SCHOOL
T187
was
found. one must assume the school was closed
and later opened at a new location.
A May, 1915, record reveals that overtures
were made to District 10 by the Flagler
district 35 for consolidation of the two
Districts when the new high school was being
planned at Flagler. A vote was taken among
patrons and the proposal was turned down.
Apparently, consolidation was not accomplished, for in 1951 over $400.00 from District
10 was turned over to the new consolidated
District R-1.
The last location of Midway School was six
miles south and four west of Flagler, Colorado. One must assume a student population
warranted a school in the area. Transportation for taking students to Flagler at this time
was not easily accomplished. a similar prob-
lem is recorded for students of Texerado,
even in later years. The Strode family
attended school at Midway, having moved to
the old Leeper ranch about two miles east of
the school. This may have been about the
time the school was again revived. Rethal
Strode may have attended Midway, along
with Gilbert, Elnora, Jay, Clayton, Stanley
and Fay. Certainly, members of the Beeler
family attended school here including Lucille. Some recollections of the school mention the n'me as Beeler school. The Chilson
family lived nearby and children of this
family also attended school at Midway.
It
is
unfortunate that names of students and some
of the teachers of this time are not included.
Speaking of a time, about 1917 and later,
Mrs. Wm. Strode mentioned, in an interview
of the 1950's that teachers at their school
were Forrest Heck, Dorris Weller and Miss
1923-24 lunchtime by the lagoon west of the
Murphy schoolhouse. L to R: Frances Burcar, Doris
Harris, Grace Faass. Naomi Dalgetty, Freda
Harris, Edith Mae Klassen, Roy Harris, Paul and
Dick Klassen, Vincent Dalgetty, Carl Schauffler,
Clarence, Elgie and Archie Wasson.
District 23
The first Murphy School was a soddy,
about one-half mile west of our home, north
of Vana. Paul and Dick walked with Rover
their very good dog. Sybil Wren was the
teacher. Soon the school was moved to the
center of the district. It was in a little frame
building, a blackboard in front and a heating
stove in the back by the door. We used coal
and chips for fuel. My brothers Paul and Dick
would drive the buggy or a wagon with horses
sometimes not too tame, and we would have
a very scary runaway. There was a barn for
the horses to stay in during the daytime. Each
horse had its own stall. Ifthe horses ran away,
then we would have to walk the three and
one-half miles home.
In the year 1923 -L924, Emma Klassen, my
father's sister, taught. I was in the first grade.
�The other pupils who attended that year
were: Roy Harris, Clarence Wasson, Deitrich
Klassen, Dorothy Heindricks, Vincent Dalgetty, Elgie Wasson, Arline Peterson, Paul
Klassen, Robert Heindricks, Archie Wasson,
Freda Harris, Naomi Dalgetty, Doris Harris,
Grace Faass, Carl Schauffler, Frances Burcar. The school board members were Anton
Burcar, President; Bert Dalgetty, Secretary;
Frank Jones, Treasurer. The next year Fanny
Boren taught.
The next summer a new schoolhouse was
built. It was a large building. It had a hall
where we kept the coats and overshoes and
lunch pails. We had a Iong row of hooks for
our own tin drinking cups. The water was
hauled by the bus driver, in a large can with
a tight lid. It was then poured into the
drinking fountain; we pressed a button and
the water ran into our cups. This was very
important as a sanitation measure. The
schoolroom was large with a long row of
transom windows on the east side. On the
south side another long row of windows, with
curtains; this made the room warm, light and
bright. Under the school was a lovely basement, with a furnace and a coal bin, also a room
where the teacher could live ifthey so desired.
The two outdoor toilets were north of the
schoolhouse, one for boys and one for girls.
There was also a big yellow clay pile of dirt
in which the children made tunnels and
played with play cars. In the playground west
of the building was a basketball court, and
there was a merry-go-round south of the
building. The baseball diamond was south of
the building in the pasture outside of the
yard. The barn was removed for now we all
rode to school in buses. All the school supplies
were furnished by the district, such as books,
the morning, the sun shining, we saw wagons
coming over the snow banks; how thankful!
by Edith M. Hugley
school.
T188
t@,
@::"\,":'
Some
of the
teachers who taught in
Murphy were: Minnie Fingado, Zelma
Arrington, Lindy Cates, Grace Smith, Helen
Deakin, Cecil Rawley Gates, Alvina Becker
Esarey, and Dazy and Clay Frankfather.
Some of the families who attended Murphy
School were: Cornelius Klassen (all nine of us
graduated from the eighth grade at Murphy
School), Otto Hanis family, Anton Burcar,
Wincell Burcar, Frank Jones, Glen Jones,
Fosha Gorton, Clyde Miller, William McCormick, William Hartsook, Burt Dalgetty, Jim
Sesler, Wilfred Wasson, Hubbells, Grahmms,
Willis, Schauffler, Whitman, Sparks, Charlie
Boren, and others.
One winter day a very bad blizzard came
up in the middle part of the day. Zelma
Arrington was teaching, and Otto Harris and
Loyd Smith were bus drivers. We had to
spend the night in the school; Mr. Arrington
kept the boys upstairs, while the girls slept
in the teacher's apartment in the basement.
This was a terrible anxious time for our
parents, for the school had no telephone. In
T190
i.];::rlir:
:::::'
Oriska School in 1924-25
by Catherine DunlaP
NUTBROOK SCHOOL
T189
in 1924-25: A Schultz
boy, Lloyd Parks, another Schultz boy, Paul
Fulton, Mae Fisher, Pauline Fulton, Maurice
Students at Oriska School
tw
,liN
ir,
&r*
..
'';
&'
programs, basket-dinners, parties and other
would take turns and furnish hot soup.
:':..xi.,.
ORISKA SCHOOL
Catherine Dunlap, Burlington, sent this early shot
of the sod Norton Schoolhouse District 39 near
Bethune.
under the blue, blue sky. The community
loved the school, and there were many
fun things. The spell downs were fun on
Friday afternoon. In winter the parents
by Florence McConnell
NORTON SCHOOL
DISTRICT #39
etc. The teacher would get library books from
Burlington, the county seat.
On the south side of the schoolhouse were
three big cement steps (they are still there),
and the flag pole. We were all so proud to put
the flag up and watch it wave in the breeze,
and Miss Lavina Stevens.
In the winter time when there was snow.
the favorite game was Fox and Geese during
recess or sliding on an ice pond close to the
Nutbrook School in L947-48: front row, I to r:
Hoagland girls and Myrna Wilson. Second row:
Barbara Wilson, Hoagland boy, Ivan Schaal,
Sandra Stewart; Third row: Denise Wilson, Edna
Lewis; Fourth row: Bob Griffith and Dan Schaal
The first Nutbrook School was a soddy. In
the 1920's a frnme school was built a mile
north of where the first school was located.
teachers that early
students remember were Marie Greenwood,
Some
of the first
Seeley, Fred Carrington and Ted Gulley.
One of the events that the children looked
forward to was when all the schools gathered
at First Central School and had a track meet.
Bill
The winners of each event went on to the
county track meet held at Vona, Colorado.
Christmas programs, box suppers and spell
downs were held each year.
The last year that school was held was
1950. The schools were then consolidated and
the children were bused to Stratton, Colo.
There was also a nice barn on the school
grounds to tie the children's horses in while
they attended school. There were also two
outhouses.
Some of the teachers in the last years were
Evelyn Gouge, Lee Carpenter, Ethel Stewart,
Fulton, Lucille Fulton, Barney Davis and Bernard
Fulton.
The Oriska School was located 16 miles
south and 2lz miles west of Stratton. Ivan
Smelker states that it was built by the same
carpenter who built the Smelker School and
the two schools were identical in plans. We
did not find anyone who could recall the
names of many of the teachers who taught at
Oriska. Marie Greenwood did teach one term,
1924-25. Mrs. Lucille Schreiner is quite sure
that her mother, Byrelle Swem, taught one or
two years after her husband died during the
1918 flu epidemic and she had remarried a
man by the name of Rich. Mrs. Schreiner
thinks that her brother and sisters Mary
Alice, Lunette, and Burdette Swem, and
Jesse Rich probably attended school there.
Carl Harrison taught a number of years and
his two sons, Bob and Guy, attended at that
time. Families who had children in school
during 1924-25 when Marie Greenwood was
the teacher were the Schultz, Parks, Fulton,
Fisher, Davis, Hawthorne, Hoot and Teels. A
romance could have sprouted there since
Bruce Davis later married Amanda Fisher.
Carl Harrison relates the following incident that occurred in the winter of 1926 when
he was the teacher and his son, Bob, was in
the first grade. One forenoon a
raging
blizzard suddenly whipped in and Carl
decided at noon to take the children home.
A short distance from the schoolhouse, his car
got stuck in a snowdrift and he and the
children returned to the schoolhouse where
they stayed all night. They had plenty of fuel
for the stove so could keep warm, but only
�had about three sandwiches left over from the
dinner pails for food. The next morning, Mr.
Teel came on horseback looking for them. He
and Hide and Seek. On stormy days
tied his horse to the doorknob and came
inside. The blizzard had subsided so they
decided to start home. The horse, meanwhile,
had broken loose from the doorknob. and
headed for home. They bundled up and
trudged the two miles through the snow to
the Teel home, the men carrying little Bob
making the one who wanted it bid more.
Sometimes it was several dollars. The monev
was used for school purposes.
In later years some families moved away.
More moved in. Some of the families were
on an "anm-saddle" between them. Mrs. Teel
cooked a big breakfast for them. Then Carl
borrowed a horse from Mr. Teel and he and
son, Bob, rode horseback the four miles to the
Harrison home. Carl's wife, Winnie, at home
alone
we
played Upset the Fruit Basket.
For entertainment there were programs on
certain days. Sometimes after the progroms
there would be a pie supper or box supper.
In the boxes were goodies they sold to the
bidders. Sometimes a guy had a girlfriend
and wanted to buy their box or pie. There
were always men who kept bidding higher
Meyers; Havens, Homer and Wilkinson.
with little son, Guy, was greatly
Some ofthe teachers who taught in the school
relieved to see them.
were Ida Reynolds, Helen Klassen, Ora
Cruickshank, Fern Moffat, Julia Wanzuk.
by Marie E. Greenwood
Forest Draper, Zelm Bridge, Ruth Nikkel,
Reva Sawhill, Grace Clark and Avirene
Seaman Henry. I taught the last term in the
school just before it consolidated into Kirk.
PIONEER SCHOOL #L2
Tt9r
by Avirene Henry
I
attended Pioneer School in District No.
in Kit Carson County. The name was later
changed to Seaman School. Members of the
school board were Chas. George, President;
Chas. Vanderkooi, Secretary; and N. Brownwood, Treasurer. The school was located 16
miles north, I east and % mile north of Vona.
It was built in early 1915 or 1916 of cement.
The men of the neighborhood did most of the
work with help from a carpenter. It had three
windows on both the north and south sides
with a coal shed on the west. It was located
just south of my father's homestead on my
Grandmother McHenry's homestead.
The first two teachers were Ida Reynolds
of Flagler and Helen Klassen of Kirk. The
12
first year pupils were
Florence See-an,
Walden (Bob) Finley, Mary Finley, Avirene
The Pioneer School.
Seaman, John Weststeyn, Cleo Elsey, Susie
PLAINVIEW PUBLIC
SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 64
Crist, Sarah Crist, Floyd Finley, Leroy
Calkins, Virdie Elsey, Faye Crist, Frances
Finley, Ray Brindle, Ardith Horton, Vern
Brindle, Vergil Horton and several Atwood
Tr92
boys. One was named Ed.
The children brought their lunches except
Seaman's. They were close enough to go home
for lunch. Water was carried from
the
Senman house.
The gnmes we played at school were Ring
around the Rosey, Antie over, Drop the
Handkerchief, Crack the Whip, Pull Away
Plainview School in 1930-31: Margaret Blanchard,
Dorothy, Pauline, and Harold Hubbell. Wavne
Weakland, and Wayne Peterson. Fern Summers
was the teacher.
.,.]
'$1E:,',1
;, i ":':::'
A Plainview School Halloween Party in the war
years, 1943-44: Anna BeIIe Jackson (Keith), Mary
Jackson (McCaffrey), Jerry Summers (Weis-
schaar), Everett Yonts, Betty Jackson (Monroe),
Paul Jackson, Virgene Jackson (Morburg), and
Keith
F:
',1
.
r",",r
Plainview School, District No. 64,
was
t7,,
located north of Vona, Colorado. In 1921 Miss
iti!:r,
Florence Seaman was the teacher and was
paid a salary of $75 a month. School board
officers were G.M. Ott, President; R.R. Scott,
Secretary; Wm. Laughner, Treasurer.
Pioneer School 1916-17. Standing L. to R.: Bob Finley, John Weststeyn, next two unknown, Florence
Leroy Calking, Susie Crist, Floyd Horton, Mary Finley, Boy Atwood, Orville Seaman, Ardith
Horton, Virdie Elsey, Sarah Crist, Cleo Elsey, Avirene Seo-an, Dave Seaman, Bertha Seaman, Ed Atwood,
Boy Atwood, Floyd Finley. Seated; Francis Finley, Faye Crist, Boy Atwood. Orville and Dave Seaman were
visiting school when picture was taken.
S,eaman,
YonLs.
Pupils were Melvin and Kitty Haynes;
Verna Sparks; Rudolph and Johnnie Fredrich; Earl and Glen Wyllys; Madeline and
�f
$l$.1$r:r$l{{$
School Year 1945-46 at Plainview School: Back
row: Paul Jackson, Keith Yonts, Virgene Jackson,
Betty Jackson. Front row: Everett Yonts, Mise
Jennie L. Tressell, teacher and Mary Jackeon.
Pleasant Valley School, District #40 about 1912. Standing; Lula Wescott, Hazel Wilson, Earl Wescott, Mrs.
Rush, teacher, Wilber Hougland, Ralph Miller, Bert Wilson, Lula Miller and Orpha Jensen. Seated; Goldie
Jensen, Allie Hougland, Hettie Lipford, ? Hougland, Oliver Jensen, Johnny Wescott and Leslie Jensen.
Plainview School's last year: Back row: Mary
Jackson and Ardis Henningson, teacher. Front
row: visitor Duane Henningson and Anna Belle
Jackson.
Lucille Ott; Lester and Violet Butler, Russell,
Charles and Leonard Scott; Rena and Lus-
ture and Iola Hartwig; Milo and Ora Lammery; and Raymond Bosley.
InLg24Miss Avirene Seaman was teaching
with school board officers G.M. Ott, President: Mrs. G.M. Ott, Secretary; and C.C.
Wyllys, Treasurer.
Pupils were Rudolph and John Fredrich;
Lucille and Madeline Ott; Earl, Glen and
Lester Wyllys; Mary and Nan Flanagan.
by Avirene llenry
being held, box suppers, pie socials, Christmas programs and other activities.
Sometime in the 1920's the district was
divided. One school, known as North Flat
District 11, was located one mile south of the
old school. Pleasant Valley, District No. 40,
was placed in the Hell Creek area southeast
of the North Flat School.
Some of the teachers at Pleasant Valley
were Izetta Wren, Johnny Husband, Mrs.
Rush, Miss Lucy Muck, and Edith Gering.
Dora Wolverton taught many years at North
Flat School.
After the school was divided, Mrs. Rush
and her daughter fixed up the old school
house and lived there.
by Orpha Goodrich
PLEASANT VALLEY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO. 68
PLEASANT VALLEY
SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO.40
Tl93
The Pleasant Valley school was a one room
school made of adobe blocks and located 15
miles north and three miles west of Seibert.
The early spttlers in the community built the
building around 1911-1912 as at this time
there was need of a school. It was built by
Mason Wilson, Tom Jensen, Ed Hougland,
J.C. Miller, Ace Harmon, Mr. Wescott, the
Barnett brothers and Don Miller. Later the
Edwardg brothers, the Quintin fanily, the
Ridgways, Ollie James, and Alex and Grover
Todd were in the district.
The school brought their drinking water
from a nearby home occupied by the Mason
Wileons, later the Ollie James home, now
owned by Walter Timm. There were outside
toilets and a coal house. Many of the teachers
lived in a portion of the school house, going
to their home on Friday evenings. The school
was the center of entertainment, literaries
Tl94
In the summer of 1919, the old soddY
Pleasant Valley School in District No. 47 was
razed. A new bigger cement block school
house was built on a hill 1/4 mile west of the
soddy.
In
1921,
the School District
was
changed to Pleasant Valley District No. 68.
Now the name should appropriately have
been changed to Pleasant Hill, but that was
not to be; there already was a Pleasant Hill
School in the county.
A.M. Boese again volunteered about four
acres of his land for this new school house'
The new school house was still built on the
same quarter as the old soddy, SW 1/4 33-948.
You know, our parents were very wise,
when they aranged the school yard. The
school was built at about the center by the
west side. The coal shed was at the center of
the north side. The "Her Outhouse" was in
the extreme northwest corner, and the "His
Outhouse" in the extreme northeast corner,
and the barn for the horses and burros on the
east side. Some of the children drove a buggy
hitched to burros.
Henry U. Schmidt, who had taught for
some years in the old soddy, was the teacher
the first year in 1919-1920. In the spring of
1920, after his wife and newborn son passed
away, Henry U. Schmidt with the younger
children left for Oklahoma. His son Alfred
Schmidt, a student at Bethel College, finished teaching our school that year.
Often in the early years, up to forty pupils
attended Pleasant Valley. Many years during
the twenties, we had enough boys to have two
teams for playing baseball. It was the
Babe Ruth era. My, how us boys hit homeruns, stole bases and threw those wicked
full
curves! Milking cows and doing chores was all
but forgotten.
This Pleasant Valley community was very
musical. The teachers put on some very
interesting progrtms for Christmas, pie
socials, and the last day of school events'
Often there was standing room only.
Among teachers in the old soddy, were
Emma Liggett, the first teacher in 1908,
followed by Henry U. Schmidt, Amber
Palmer. Lee Buller and Mariam Schroeder.
In the new cement block school house after
Henry Schmidt, the teachers were Mrs. Ned
Clark, who lived where Fay Knapp now lives,
Alfred Schmidt, Mrs. Hill from Vona, Mrs.
Wheeler from Seibert and Mrs. Vivian Myers
from Seibert. After the twenties, in the
thirties and fortieg some of the teachers were:
Jennie Tressel, who at one time was the
County Superintendent; Florence Wigton,
who also was our County Superintendent at
one time: Carl Harrison, Rose Pickard,
Alvina Becker (Esarey), Imogene Burd, Mrs.
Earl Bigelow, Ms. Sigurd Olsen from north
of Kit Carson and Lavina Stephens from
Stratton.
Many of the farmers had to abandon their
farms in the depression years of the thirties.
The number of pupils declined. It became
impractical to have school in these old
country schools. Transportation
becnme
available. The better education provided by
more materials and better facilities made
consolidation with the town schools a necessary duty. Butmany timeswe think aboutthe
intimate events and true country style of our
old country schools and it brings back fond
memories.
Old Pleasant Valley School District No.68
was closed in 1948 as it was consolidated with
Vona School District R-3.
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to paint it in 1930. The teacher had to keep
it clean during the school year as well as start
the fires in the morning.
There were four little rooms on the west
side of the building. At the south was the
closet for coal, brooms, etc. Next to it was the
coat room for the boys. North ofthe entry hall
was the coat room for the girls and a little
room north of that for the extra books
- our
library.
The children who attended Prairie Star in
1920 were: Roy C. Bassette, Earl F. Bassette,
Glen W. Bassette, Mary E. Bassette, Mabel
E. Bassette, Russel Carlson, Leo Dunham,
Ines Dunhnrn, Irene Dunham, Earl Paul and
Julia Paul.
Those who came in 1921 were: the five
Bassette children, Russel Carlson, the three
Dunham children, the two Paul children, and
Melvin, Clarence, and Nellie Snelling.
By 1924 there were some different pupils:
Wayne Brennan, Raymond Brennan, Roland
Hernbloom, Elmore Hernbloom, Gordon
Pleasant Valley School, District No. 68 in 1919-20. Teacher Henry U. Schmidt in extreme left. In the picture
are 6 children of Andrew B. Becker, 4 Abe M. Boese, 1 Ben Boese, 3 John Boese, 4 William Brantly, 4
Henry Burkholder, 3 Steve Card, 1 Hasbrook, 2 Martin Nelson, 5 Henry Schmidt, 1 Tanner, and 3 John
Wanick.
Hernbloom, Violet Hernbloom, Luella Hernbloom, Anchor A. Larsen, Starlet F. Larsen,
John Wilson Moss, Helen Irene Moss, Freida
Speakes, and Elva Wolfe from Alma, Nebraska.
to pick up the children. Wayne Glaze was our
driver for a year or so and Ernest McArthur
helped take the children to school in later
years.
Pleasant Valley School, south of Vona
Today the tall abandoned old cement block
school house "Pleasant Valley" still stands as
a sentinel to guard the reading, writing and
arithmetic taught at this memorable country
school.
by Wilbert A. Becker
PRAIRIE STAR
SCHOOL - DISTRICT
#45
T195
The white frame country school
house
known as Prairie Star was built in 1920. It was
located five miles south of Bethune.
Sometimes the school with all eight grades
had its ups and downs. The attendance was
spotty because when spring and fall work was
at hand some of the children obviously had
to stay home and help with it. For several
years, the children had to get there the best
way they could. Some had to walk quite a
distance. Some rode horseback and some of
the time my brothers and I rode in a buggy.
I remember one boy came part of the time on
a donkey. We had a small shed to put our
horses in during the day. One evening when
we got home the stars were shining. We had
had to walk the three and one-half miles
home. We lived a mile east and two and onehalf miles north of the school. After several
years the District hired someone with a car
Our country school had some advantages.
We recited lessons aloud and when we had
our next lessons studied, we could learn from
the older ones as they recited. We learned
how to play with older and younger children
than we were.
Frequently we had "spell-downs" which
ended when the lone champion was still
standing. My twin brother, Elvin Ernest,
took either first or second place in the County
"spell-down" at Burlington one year.
Pupils brought their lunches with them in
a lunch pail and we all ate together in the
school room except on nice days when we
went outdoors. We carried our drinking water
from a cement covered cistern on the Jake
Wolf place. At first, we had a bucket and
dipper, then later we got a water container
with a spigot.
We put on some very interesting programs
for special occasions with plays, recitations,
readings, and singing. We had an old pump
organ to sing by. Then in 1927 the school
bought a piano and sold the organ to my
father for three dollars. That is what I learned
to play on until 1930 when my father bought
me a piano.
At times our parents were invited to the
school to enjoy a box supper or a pie social.
The highest bidder got to eat with the one
who had brought the pie or box.
For entertainment, we students had
a
teeter-totter and merry-go-round. We loved
to play anti-over and several other wellknown games. Our special game in the winter
when there was enough snow was fox and
geese. There was lots of room to play in the
section of land just north of the school house.
Two of our County Superintendents were
Della Hendricks and Virginia Felch. That
was Ern interesting time when the County
Superintendent came to visit our school. The
teacher always warned us to be on our best
behavior that day.
The school building was kept up in good
shape. I remember my father and I were hired
The year 1925 brought the same students
as the previous year except Freida Speakes
did not return.
Eighteen students came to Prairie Star in
1926: Raymond Brennan, Lela Brennan,
Celia Brennan, Cora Conkey from Duncan,
Oklahoma, and the Ernest twins from Oshkosh, Nebraska
Elvin and Eleanor Ernest.
Six Hernbloom -children were in school that
year: Luella, Violet, Gladys, Roland, Elmore,
and Gordon. Grant Hills, John and Helen
Moss, and Marie and Agnes Ottens, and Elva
Wolfe returned that year.
lnl927 the girls far outnumbered the boys:
Raymond Brennan, Elvin Ernest, my next
younger brother Stanford Ernest, Neil Ellis
and John Wilson Moss. The girls were: Lela
Brennan, Eleanor Ernest, Helen Moss, Marie
Ottens, Agnes Ottens, Helen Ottens, and
Elva Wolfe.
The picture was changed in 1928. The boys
were: Dana, Howard and Gerald Buckles:
Lyle Conkey; Elvin and Stanford Ernest;
Charles and Robert Evans; Dale, Dean, and
Dennis Humrick; James, Ralph, Delbert, and
Glen and Hollis Rowley. The girls
were:
Eleanor Ernest; Ruthie Giddley; Cora Conkey; Marie, Agnes and Helen Ottens; LaRee
Retherford; Eva Rowley; and Elva Wolfe.
There were twenty-three pupils in 1929.
The boys were: Lyle and Melvin Conkey;
Elvin and Stanford Ernest; Robert, Charles
and James Evans; Dale, Dean, and Dennis
Humrick; James, Ralph, Delbert, Glen, and
Hollis Rowley. The girls were: Eleanor Ernest; Ruthie Giddley; Marie, Agnes, Helen
and Celia Ottens; Eva Rowley; and Elva
Wolfe.
In
1930 the boys were:
Elvin, Stanford, and
Paul Ernes! Robert, Charles, and James
Evans; James, Ralph, Delbert, Glen and
Hollis Rowley; and Edward Houser from
Monette, Kansas. The girls were: Eleanor
Ernest; Marie, Agnes, Helen, and Celia
Ottens; Eva Rowley, Elva Wolfe, and Marie
Houser.
I still have my Report Cards from Prairie
Star Grades four through eight so I have a
record of the teachers for those years.
Teacher 1926-1927: Edrie Terry; t927-L928:
Dorothy Smith; 1928-1929: Alta Wolfe; 1929-
�1930: Jessie Ardueser: and 1930-1931: Florence Glaze.
There was a bus in 1942 when my youngest
of miles. The school district was controlled by
dents that I remember were Jessie C. MaGee
Gray, Della Hendricks and Zella Payne.
There were probably others during that time
brother, Leland Ernest, went to Prairie Star.
The two other students besides Leland were
three board members under what was called
a "Gentlemen's Agreement". The board
members were chosen from different sections
of the district. Some of the names of schools
was Dessie Cassity.
Fairview, Dazzling Valley and Prairie View.
I will mention some of the pupils that went
to one of the three schools, and their families:
Miles and Ted Ellis, Lloyd Huntley, a Larsen
school, which was located one and a half miles
boy, Earnest and Frank Green, the Hans
Wilma, Oneta,
Wendel family
- Harry,
and Mildred, the Bob
Hank, Russel, Lela
Ruby and Marvin Buckholtz. The teacher
In 1946 Betty (Schaal) Reimer was the
teacher. The students drove to school that
year in their own cars. That year the students
were: Leland Ernest; Lavana, Bonnie, Will,
John, and Gerald Johnson; Bob Young; and
Richard Robinson.
The Prairie Star school closed in mid-year
1947.It has served its purpose. The District
was included in the Bethune School District
and the building was later moved to Bethune
and used as a teacherage.
I wish I had a list of more of the students
and teachers for other years. There
was
Leona and Helen Blanchenship; Joe, Elsie,
Curtis, and Phyllis Woods; Leo, Mabel,
Wilda and Les King; and Orville and Rosalee
Pannell.
Other families in our District were: Everett
Alleman, Art and Fern Casson, Billie Lamb,
Helen Ruhs, Rome Warner, and others.
Many families have come and gone from the
Prairie Star School District. My parents,
Harry and Ida Ernest, are in their 90's in 1986
and are living in Burlington.
by Eleanor (Ernest) Varce
Pleasant,
Prairie View was the school our family
attended. It was known as the "Huntly"
south of the old Huntly place on the Thurman Road. Where the school was located was
the "Proaps" place. School was held there in
191? and 1918. Then the district built a new
school, which was one mile north and one half
mile west of the first school. This school
house was built of sod. Local labor was
donated and a one room school house was
constructed.
The larger district began to break up into
local schools with the board members in the
local areas. After a short time in the sod
school, the smaller district decided to build
a frame building one half mile east and one
half mile north of the sod building. It was
built on the corner of my dad's farm. Even
though the name of the school was Prairie
View, it was known as the "Walker" school.
The district had a well drilled and also built
a barn to shelter the horses used for transportation of the children.
Some of the teachers who taught in one of
the last three schools I mentioned, the
Huntly school, Sod school and the Walker
school were: Leona Lee Quigley, Ethel
Langcamp, Jenny Costine (later Serena),
Irene Potter, Lola Shaw Rillahan, Dave
PRAIRIE VIEW
SCHOOL
in the district #14 were Mt.
Williams, Grace Clark, Ella Robb Huntzing-
er, Alice Roberts Fruhling, Pearl
T196
My folks, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Walker, moved
from Arkansas to Colorado in the fall of 1917
and built a house and barns on their farm
about 10 miles north of Flagler. At the time
we moved I was 8 years old. There were
several small schools north of Flagler that
were all in District #14, covering a wide area
Robb,
Blanche Byers, Ruby Dorsey, Lorena Hohen-
stein, June Kyle and Doris Moore. There
were probably a few more that taught there
that I do not remember.
In those days we had a County Superinten-
dent of Schools who came from Burlington
occasionally to visit each small school. We
really had to be good while she was visiting
they had superintendents, but they finally
did away with that office.
Beeman children, Roy, and Marie; Bert Souls
daughters, Alberta and Maxine; the Floyd
Fager children, Harvey, Florence, Virgil,
Harold, Alvin, Hazel and Shirley; the Oliver
Orth children, Phyllis, Vernon and Delmer;
the John Walker children, Mary, Edith,
Ernest, Helen and Elsie; the Ed Walker
family, Roy, Lorene, Ima, Clarence and
Elbert; Max and Curran Driskill; the Gerald
Eachus children, Buckley, Dixie, Barbara,
Orvin and Betty; Parker Weatherly's boys,
Duane, Floyd, Lloyd, and James; the Carroll
Elricks' children, Scotty, Raymond and
James; Earl Kent Walker, son of the Clarence
Walkers'. My parents boarded some of the
teachers.
I
remember Ethel Langcamp and
Blanche Byers stayed with us. After my
brother Clarence and wife Shirley moved to
the Walker farm in 1939, Ella Robb Huntzinger boarded with them. The school house
was the center of activities for the community. They had Sunday School, programs, box
suppers and literaries there.
About 1949 the Prairie View school consolidated with the Flagler school. The school
building was moved into Flagler on north
Main Street (708 Maine Ave.). It was used as
a teacherage for years, then sold to Sam Short
of Roy, Utah. He and wife Lucille and
children Ruth Elaine and Sammy J. moved
into the old schoolhouse in the late sixties.
Now our country schools are just a memory,
but they contributed much to the commu-
nity.
by Roy F. Walker
or we got punished. Some of the superinten-
SCHOOL DIST. 22
Tr97
Prairie View - German School,
later Schaal School
Prairie View, District No. 22 School was
probably the first school built in the settle-
Alvin Fager, Dixie Eachus (child a visitor), Hazel
Prairie View School children: Back row
- Betty Eachus,
Fager, Buck Eachus, Dorothy Johnson, Barbara Eachus, Duane Weatherly. Front Row: Irvin Eachus, (a
visitor), Lloyd weatherly, shirley Fager, Jim and Floyd weatherly, and Earl Kent walker.
Moving day for district 22 schoolhouse. It was
moved 1% miles west of original location in 1919.
Pulled with a Hart Paar and Jacob Strobel's
Wallace tractors.
�l:lllilll
a::4.:')a:'
one year and all pupils attended the Schaal
school. Also for 2 years the first grades ofhigh
school were taught. When it closed the pupils
were bused by car to Prairie View School
it was dissolved and taken
Bethune district in 1955.
until
into the
One year a third school was opened for the
Germans and the north district scholars. but
that did not
seem profitable and the pupils
came back to Prairie View again.
The school term was about 6 months a vear,
School was from
9 to 4 o'clock with
fS
minutes recesses and one hour noon. In
winter school houses were crowded, up to
thirty pupils in one school. The older pupils
would go until they were 18 or 20 years old.
Most of the pupils had to learn the English
ffi
language and the 3 R's. As mostly everyone
talked German, some teachers would punish
pupils for talking German at school, but all
talked it at home so it went on in the school
yard too.
Some of the early scholars I remember were
the Schaal's children of Matt Sr., John, Sam
and Carolina, the Strobels, Doblers, McClen-
#
't4
4
Prairie View school house, pupils and families, about 1g12.
ment when the Germans settled in Colorado
from 1890 on. This was a frame school built
by Chris (Grandpa) Dobler who was a
carpenter by trade. The size ofthe school was
about 20X30 ft. It was built just east of Hope
Church 11 north and 1 east ofBethune, across
the road. This being a frame building, it was
moved several times to be closer to the pupils.
The first move was in the 1920's, one and
one fourth miles west on the hill east of the
Frank Kramer farm. In 1929 or 1930 it was
moved one fourth mile east and one mile
north where it stayed until it was torn down
and replaced by a cement block building in
1949 and is
still there, but the district
dissolved
1955 and cut into the Bethune
District.
In
in
1907 an adobe school house was
was
built in
the eastern part of the district. It was called
the German school at Yale and later the
Schaal school as Sam Schaal bought the old
Yale place which was across the road from the
school 11 north and 3 east ofBethune. In 1910
the school board members were Jacob Weidmaur, President; Sherman Yale, Secretary,
and Sam Schaal, Treasurer.
This school was closed in1942 or 1943 but
before it closed the Prairie View closed for
togs, Pete Knondels, and Kramers, a little
later the John Knodel's, John Weiss's. William Adolfs, Stahleckers, and Weisshaars.
Some of the German and later Schaal school
scholars were the Weisshaar's since it was
closer, the Schlichenmayers and Warners,
later also Schaals. Knodels, Adolfs, Bauers,
and Jacobers.
Having a school full of big guys and gals,
a teacher had to have discipline and most did.
If need be, they would take them down. sit
on them and spank; even a small lady teacher
would. The parents would back up the
teachers. The saying was "If you get a
spanking at school you'll get it twice as hard
at home" and the parents would.
Pupils were not compelled to go to school
so all older children had to help gather in the
crops and in spring, help at home again, and
only get 2 or 3 months of school a year, so
most only got to the third or fourth grade.
Later more were able to graduate from the
eighth grade. All eight grades were taught by
one teacher.
The early requirements for a teacher were
8th grade diploma and pass the teacher's
examination. The first salaries were $30.00 or
$35.00 a month and that included, teaching,
janitor work, having the school house warm
when the children came, etc. The older bovs
would fill the coal bucket before going home.
Most of the teachers boarded with families
close to the school; transportation was walking, horse and buggie or horseback. Each
school also had a barn of horses for the day;
however, Vera Dillon and brother Tom.
Victor Voss and Quinton Voss had farms B
and 5 miles off. They came horseback. Some
of the other teachers, I
remember were
Katherine, Helen and Mary Klassen from
Kirk, Gladys Sherman, Fern Russel, Mary
Everet. Some later ones were Mable Guv.
Lela Pottorff, Minnie Eaton, Daisy Heweit.
Some
of the Schaal School teachers
were
Bessie Dingham, Jake Yeager, Daisy Hewett
The German school also known as the Schaal school, about 1910. Teacher is Bessie Dingman. Pauline
Weisshaar Schlichenmayer on left by blackboard, Mary Weisshaar Adolf and Margaret Weisshaar
Stahlecker by blackboard. Anna Weisshaar Adolf standing by desk. The boys are William Weisshaar,
Warden Warner with Jake and William (BiIl) Schlichenmaver in back bench.
and Mr. Keys.
For heating there was a big belly heater in
the middle of the school, heating the side
close by, and the other side froze on cold
mornings. Two seated desks were lined up on
both sides of the building, some times from
the front to the back, the lower ones in front,
the larger to the back. There was a recitation
bench in front of the teacher's desk. where
.
�at the time. This building is still in use as a
community center for 4-H clubs. It is located
12 miles north of Bethune.
I remember my first day at school. Dad
took us, my cousin Arleen Grammand me, to
school with the team and wagon. We were so
anxious to go but, oh, so scared. Arlene
I could because
my older brothers and sister taught me. We
all spoke German at home but we were not
allowed to speak German at school.
We always had a big crowd at our Christmas program. Some people had to stand
outside and look through the windows.
The activities that I remember were spelling bees; Valentine's Day brought great fun
with making and exchanging valentines.
Halloween came with the older kids making
a "spook house" in the coal shed. I was too
frightened to go and look. Music festivals at
Stratton were attended sometimes.
We played games such as "Steal Sticks",
"Farmer in the Dell", "Last Couple Out",
"Annie Over", and "Hide and Seek". Winter
time brought "Fox and Geese" to play in the
snow. Softball and track meets were held with
couldn't speak English but
Grace Smith and students. 1922-23, Schaal school.
to recite their lessons
out loud, while the rest studied their assignments. This went on all day long: reading,
writing, arithmetic, language, physics, geography, history were some of the studies we
had. To start the school we would read from
the Bible or a story.
Friday afternoon after recess often was
spell down or ciphering. Some afternoons our
school would go to another school for spell
down or ciphering. Prairie View also played
basketball with Bethune several years. Some
games we played were shinny, baseball, Greg
Wolf, drop the handkerchief, and more. Most
of the teachers would play along or at least
go out and watch.
Everyone brought their own lunch and
water was brought to the school and put in
each class took turns
PRAIRTE VIEW #22
T198
"Blue View", Tuttle, Union, and
Schaal
schools. In the fall we also made play houses
out of thistles.
The Later Years
Our family, the Gramms, all attended
Prairie View school and my older brothers
and sister remember Miss Elva Richards
(now Powell) and a Mr. Jake Yeager as
teachers. Other teachers from 1938 on were
Mrs. Olsen from Burlington, Miss Marian
Turner of Ogden, Utah, Daisey Hewett, Mrs.
Mabel Guy, and Mrs. Husenetter of Stratton.
We had grades 1 - 8 in our one roomed
school house until 1955 when grades 1 - 6
were taught. The new schoolhouse was built
in 1955. Mrs. Minnie Eaton was the teacher
We had outdoor toilets with the ever
present Sears and Roebuck catalogue. The
horse barn had stalls to tie up the horses. I
also rode a bicycle and walked to school.
Our day began with the "Pledge of Allegience to the Flag" and singing (our music
class). We had22 - 25 students and our desks
seated two pupils. To heat the room was a big
"pot-bellied" stove. At first we used a water
bucket with dipper, then a round crock jar
with a push button spigot, and Iater we each
had our own cup.
Punishment was, if the boy was naughty,
he had to sit with a girl and visa-versa; what
humiliation.
a cooler.
Children would have programs at least for
Christmas and usually another one or two for
their families and friends, giving plays,
recitations, singing. If there was a need for
something for the school, there would be a pie
or box supper which would have all kinds of
goodies in it. Girls bring the eats and boys buy
their box or pie, then eat it together. Should
a certain boy and girl be sweet on each other,
that boy might have to pay a big price for it,
if he wanted to eat with the girl.
Before the district dissolved. the ones that
went to high school met the school bus at the
A.W. Adolf farm, or had to go on their own
to
school. Some boarded
in town; some
families moved to town in order to be closer
to high school.
When the district was dissolved in 1955,
and pupils went to Bethune School, buses
came to get the children from their home;
now there were very few that did not graduate
from high school anymore . . . a big change
from the early years.
by William Kramer
A family gathering at Prairie View school. Front row, younger children, L. to R.: Irene Kramer, Norman
Kramer, Edie Kramer, Max Kramer, Ernest Adolf, Lorena Kraner, Vernon Schlichenmayer, Esther Adolf,
Buddy (Rudolf) Schlichenmayer, Ralph Adolf in white cap, Esther Gramm, Harold Adolf, Elmer Dobler,
Stanley and Russell Davis. Middle Row - L. to R.: Theresa Kramer, Martha Adolf, Frieda Schlichenmayer,
Rosser Davis, John Adolf, Elmer Schlichenmayer, Edmund Gramm. Back Row, L. to R.: Mary Kramer,
Katie Davis, Lydia Gramm, Lydia Adolf, Lena Schlichenmayer, Pauline Knodel, holding Loyd, Lena
Dobler, Margaret Adolf, William Adolf, Mr. Lamb, John Dobler.
�We went up front to the "recitation bench"
for our individual class time. One time, to
punish one of the boys, the teacher sent him
out to get a paddle and he brought in a board
with nails in it.
When the dirt storms came, we hung wet
sheets on windows and got the lanterns out.
It was a frightening experience for us. We
couldn't leave unless someone came and got
teacher), Velma Rice and a tall lady who
taught the last year the school was open,
whose name could not be recalled.
using Charley Jackson's barn to stable horses
ridden to school. He added that the first
money he ever earned was from Charley, who
paid him a quarter to drive a team hitched
to a wagon. Charley rode in the back and
"blow outs" or "sand hills" on the Bill
Kramer place.
to shorten the distance. The road near the
For our end of school picnics we went to the
by Esther Corliss
scHool- #32
Tr99
There was a school 972 south and 5 miles
west of Burlington known as the Ritzdorf
School and later as School #32. The school
building was made of adobe. Skunks had
made their home under the building and
some days the smell was so bad that it was
impossible to hold school. Later they cemented over the adobe to keep the skunks out.
Some of the families attending this school
were the Carlsons Warners, Meyers, and
McCormicks.
This information given by Emma (McCor-
mick) Mullis.
by Shirley Matthies
school was very populated with farmsteads in
early days, very different from today. Along
this road was the Heck family, across the road
from the Heck family was the Widenheimer
family. East of the school was the Schwyn
family. Tollie remembered that Marvin
Beeler often rode a mule to school and she
said he always teased girls at school, especially her! Schwyn children (girls, Luella and
Lydia), living nearby, attended at Flagler,
probably because they were located just over
the line in district 35.
In 1915, when Flagler built a new high
school, a request to consolidate District 10
with Flagler District 35 was voted down by
patrons ofthe district. It is interesting to note
that in 1951, when all schools consolidated to
form District R-1, more than 9400.00 was
added to R-L funds from District 10. Mr. D.F.
Blanken and many of his neighbors were not
fully convinced that a better education could
be had in town. In 1915, even though a
consolidation was not accomplished, most
children who had attended Robb School
transfened to Flagler.
ROBB SCHOOL
T200
Robb School was located in the northwest
corner
of the northeast L/4 of Section
Robb School closed in 1915. Other schools
continued to operate in the district, perhaps
some time later. One of these was Midway,
which may have reopened later some distance
southwest
of
Flagler. Some information
5.
Township 9 S, Range 51 W. This location is
found suggests that one of the school houses
was moved to a new location in the district.
6 miles due west of Flagler, Colorado on the
south side of the old highway. It is located on
a 1/2 section line. An early description ofit's
location would be across the road south of an
old barn on a place Charles Jackson owned
and may have farmed. In 1987, a description
of it's location would be about 1/4 mile, more
or less, west of the Allen Petersen home on
District
the south side of the road. This school was
located in district 10. Mr. D.F. Blanken and
Mr. Beeler were two known school board
'members.
Some
of the families utilizing this early
school were Robb, Blanken, Weidenheimer,
Heck, Jackson and possibly, Schmidt. I am
told the Johnston family used the school.
Some known students of the school were
Oliver Blanken, Natalie (Kueker) Blanken,
Forrest and Creighton Heck, J.T. Robb
miles wide and 22 miles long,
bordering the west side of Kit Carson County.
10 was 2
Its northern border was south of the Hohenstein place. Its southern border was at the
county line. A 1922 atlas shows a school
location in this southwest corner area. A
theory exists that the name of this school was
McAllister. If this is true, McAllister,
Midway and Robb were the three early
schools in District 10.
A word about the name recorded for this
school. At first, no known name could be
recalled. Much effort was expended to try to
determine the name used in those early days.
In a 1915 issue of the Flagler Nerus, an item
was found which told of the beginning of
school that year. "It is estimated that there
will be an increase in enrollment of last year,
of about fifty, in all departments. The Robb
school, in Dist. No. 10, west of Flagler, has
arranged for the entire school to take work
children, Weidenheimer children. Johnston
children and children of Harry Schmid (or
Schmidt) could have attended at one time.
Children of Charles Jackson did not use this
school, all attending at Flagler. Mr. Jackson
lived farther north. The Jackson home was
west and a little south of the present Ralph
Conrad place. His property near the school
record, a name in use at this early time was
learned. It is interesting to note that the
district did not consolidate with Flagler,
however, children of Robb School began, in
1915, to attend school in Flagler.
was vacated and still had improvements on
it. Marvin Beeler attended about 1914 when
by Lyle W. Stone
another school in the district farther south,
recalled as Midway, was closed.
Known teachers at this school were Arthur
Robb (Natalie "Tollie" Kueker's last teach-
er), Gerald Rice (Oliver Blanken's first
T20l
Oliver Blanken remembered students
broadcast seed from the tail-gate. Oliver said
when they went to town, they often cut across
Charley Jackson's place, north of the school,
us,
ROCK CLIFF SCHOOL
in Flagler this year." In finding this
1915
Rock Cliff School
Rock Cliff school was located on the south
edge and about midway of Section 34,
Township 10 S, Range 49 W. This location is
due south of Seibert, Colorado on the correction line. Rock Cliff was a consolidation or
upgrade of education in the district. Smaller
schools in the area transferred to the new
school. Two of these schools may have been
Martin and Fairmount schools. The buildings ofthis school were offrame construction,
consisting of two school houses accommoda-
ting grades 1 through 9. Two outhouses and
a large barn were located on the school
grounds. The barn served as shelter for horses
used by students riding or driving buggies
and wagons to school. This barn was even-
tually used to house three model T Ford
buses until 1925 when bodies of the buses
were placed on Model A Ford chassis and
used in the Seibert school system. Two
teachers were employed at the school in the
beginning. A well on the premises provided
drinking water for the students and animals.
Known teachers at Rock Cliff were Agie
Sawhill, Opal Conarty Murphy, Maurice
Wrenn, Minnie Fingado, Wilma Lettman,
Marie Benson, Lucy Schack, Dacy Frankfather, Roy Howell, Evelyn Allen, Norma
Jean Murphy Moore, Minnie Eaton and
Rogene Boren, who was teacher in 1949-50,
the last year school was held at Rock Cliff.
1915-16 news items tell of funerals, debates, sports events and other activities ofthe
community. One recorded debate names
patrons of Rock Cliff and Second Central
areas. Subject was: "Resolved, that it is better
for the country to have free range than a herd
law." Speakers on the affirmative were C.
Reece, W. Dowse and F. Van Wanning, while
those having charge ofthe negative side ofthe
question were Orrin Hendricks, S. Westover
and Walter Conarty. Judges were John Davis,
Charley Pettis and Will Stone. Judges'
decision was three for the negative, thus
making the unanimous opinion of the judges
that we should have a herd law. The debate
in February, 1916. In the terms
taught by Opal (Conarty) Murphy and
Maurice Wrenn, an extensive program in
sports was apparent when the students of
Rock Cliff school walked away with much
more than their share of ribbons at a track
meet in Burlington.
Some of the families living in the Rock Cliff
area were: Quigley, Murphy, Stone, Short,
occurred
Livingston, Martin, Dix, Christie, Mayberry,
Matthews, Hendricks, Sawhill, Pelser, arnong
many others.
Students were numerous and manv were
�from previously mentioned families. A few
stories remain, such as the time Troy
Murphy, who started school in 1927, attempted to wind a barbed wire into the fur of a
rabbit in an air vent under the school. He was
so intent, he didn't appear when class took
up, resulting in punishment for his deed.
"Billie" Stone, son of W.F. Stone, remembered a yearning kids of this time had for
fruit. He said he once traded a beautifully
browned drumstick his mother had fried for
the core of an apple! "Billie", how did you
know any apple would be left?" "Oh, I
watched him and stopped him before he ate
it all!" Viva
(Livingston) Boger and Billie
reminisced about a time the Quigley family
hauled in some apples. Billie said they put
them in a hole in the ground packed in straw.
He said, "When I looked down into that hole
and saw those apples, I thought I'd died and
gone to Heaven!" They talked of the hard
times then, and when
it was 1928-29 that they started using cars for
far as I know this was always
District 59. I don't know what happened to
buses. As
the small school house, but the larger one was
moved to the Jolly Ranch south and east of
the Phil Mullen place in Cheyenne county
and made into a machine shed.
Rock Cliff was a constant ally of Second
Central school, participating in spelling
matches, sports events and entertainment. In
1987.
little remains but a scar on the earth to
mark a location of this school. Rock Cliff
district was consolidated with Seibert school
after a push for consolidation abounded in
the late '40s; this was accomplished about or
before 1950.
A book could be written about Rock Cliff
School. These few items will record only a
very small portion of events occurring there
and of people who lived them.
by Lyle
I heard Billie tell of
TY.
ROSE SCHOOL
Mettie Rose Love, daughter of the George
Rose's, was probably the first teacher. Other
early teachers were Mrs. Lena Smith, Mettie's sister, and Miss Mary Beecher. George
Baxter was an early teacher and the only man
in the school's history. He homesteaded 2 miles north of the school.
In 1908, the teacher was Miss Chick,
students were Jim and Opal Gwyn, Hazel and
Orlo Searcy. Others may have attended. In
1912 and after, Claude, Alta, Rethal and
teacher
Gilbert Strode and others attended Rose
school. The William Strode family lived on
the Rose homestead at this time.
Remembered families at this time were
Strode, Gwyn and Smith. Teachers through
years following were Lois Fisher, Mrs.
Phoebe Cooper (1924), Mrs. Ben Sawhill,
Lola Shaw (Rillihan), Alice Roberts (Fruh-
Iing) and Mrs. Bledsoe. Known students of
T202
1939 were Agnes, Margie, Albert Gwyn and
Immogene Harrison. Mrs. Laura Mae Malbafftaught from January, 1942 and finished
this term. Agnes and Margie Gwyn, Immogene Hanison, Joan Fisher and Jim Statler
were students. Mrs. Malbaff taught the 19423 term. Of this time, she remembered preparing hot lunches on an oil stove in the entrance
area, sometimes even baking biscuits. As with
grease,
brought by one family to school for lunch, I
had to agree. Most of us who live in eastern
Colorado, have felt the crunch of hard times
but always there were the good times.
Vera Livingston Gattshall says, "I remember that busses for Rock Cliffwere purchased
for the year 1922. My father, Earl Livingston,
school.
Stone
pancakes in layers, stacked in a 5 gallon lard
pail, each garnished with bacon
and may have had a hand in building this
and Odbert Martin were two of the bus
drivers. T.J. Short was on the board. There
were 14 beginners in 1922 when I was a
beginner: Billy Stone, Ernest Christie, Jesse
many teachers of our area, bad storms were
remembered well. Times of staying at school
until parents came to take children home,
required ingenuity of teachers to quell alarm
Pelser, Leroy Newton, Winnie Douglas,
Lucille Noxon, Olga Gunderson, Dorothy
and create entertainment. Orpha Goodrich
has vivid memories of the two-foot snow fall
Turner, and maybe Ruby Mitchel and others
whose names I don't remember. Many had
moved by the next year though."
Twila Gorton well recalls the blizzard of
1926-27 school year. "Odbert Martin, the bus
driver, got to school and took us to Fingado's
to stay. Odbert left us at Quigleys' while he
and Francis Fingado went to Mayberry's to
call what parents he could; lots of them didn't
have telephones back then. When they got
back, we started on to Fingado's. I remember
Francis got out and walked, holding onto the
fender of the bus to help Odbert keep on the
road. We 10 students and Odbert spent the
night at Fingado's. We had potato soup for
supper and played games until about midnight when they found a place for all of us to
go to bed. It was clear the next day, but Dad
came for us with a sled and the snow was knee
deep on the horses. In 1929 we had a May Day
blizzard and didn't go to school, but the next
day we got to school about 10 o'clock. That
was the year I took County Exams for eighth
grade, and we didn't have much time to take
the exams. The snowy winter of 1924-25, Opal
in November of 1946 when she was able to get
to town safely but no school was held at Rose
for about a month. Her students included
children of Perry Vernons, Benny Thorsens,
Bill Anslingers, and Andrew Selenkes.
Conarty, the teacher, was staying at T.J.
Shorts and I remember Dad fixed the sled so
Opal could drive it to school and Viva and I
could ride with her."
Viva Livingston Boger said, "I don't know
when the school house was built but T.J.
Short moved to Seibert in 1913 and their
daughter Alice was 12 years old and went to
Rock Cliff."
Twila Gorton remembers a crack in the
ceiling that her mother said was there when
Alice Short went to school and the children
weren't allowed to jump for fear the plaster
would fall down. It was still there in the
1940's. (A long time to never jump in that
room!) Twila said, "When Maurice Wrenn
taught he used his own car as a bus. I think
so
Other teachers whose nnmes could be
recalled included Marjorie Miner Allison,
Rose school, October 10, 1913. George Baxter
teacher, Strode, Searcy, Smith and Gwyn children
are the students.
Rose School was one of the first schools in
the area, built in 1886-7 by Mr. George Rose
and his neighbors. Location ofthe school was
the southwest corner
Section 24,
Township 8 S, Range 50 W. The Republican
River crosses a county road less than a mile
in
of
south of the school, hampering teachers and
students on their way to school in times of
high water. First construction of the building
was of magnesia rock, abundant in the area.
These were carefully laid into walls. Covering
a one room structure was a roof of wooden
construction, no doubt first covered with sod.
In later years, concrete was poured on outer
walls. A conventional roof and other improvements were made. A wooden entrance was
added to the south side about L922.I am told
the wooden entrance displayed a painted
identification: Rose School, established 1886.
The Bradford family and others lived nearby
Alice Ligget, Edith St. Clair, Nellegene Mort
Ashton, Margie Schiferl, and Elaine Mason
Miller, the last teacher before school closed
in early 1950's when all were consolidated
and moved into Flagler and Seibert districts.
The school served as a community center
during the 50 years of its existence. Buck
Fisher recalls the dances held there, and the
literary meetings. Sunday School was also
held for many years. Ida Gwyn recalls seeing
her first "Christmas tree", a cottonwood
wrapped in green paper, at the Rose School
when she was about 6 years old and the family
went there for a program.
Each fall, special attention was given to
policing the school grounds for invariably,
one or two rattle snakes were found, Prairie
dog colonies and magnesia cliffs jutting out
on the south bank of the Republican made
an ideal setting for these critters.
Malbaff remembered
so very
it
Mrs.
well, help given
her by Ida Gwyn when roads, storms, etc.
made her late to school. Mrs. Malbaff said
Mrs. Gwyn seemed very experienced in
driving two very large horses hitched to
a
Iumber wagon used to bring her children to
school. In the event Laura Mae was late, Mrs.
Gwyn expertly taught school until she arrived.
One of the special treats of the pupils was
when Claude Ervin would stop after checking
his cattle nearby and play baseball with the
�kids. And sometimes those recesses would
last all afternoon!
SECOND CENTRAL
SCHOOL
by Jean Mudd
ROSEDALE SCITOOL
#47
T203
T206
Second Central School was located in the
southeast corner of Section 21, Township
10S, Range 50W, nine miles south and 4 east
of
Flagler, Colorado. This school was
a
consolidation of other small schools in DisSecond Central about 1917
consider consolidation and construction. In
the spring of 1915, patrons ofthe district were
still not content with consolidation. Early
1915
rain and hail damaged two of the soddie
school buildings. The school board had
promised to build a new building in the west
end of the district. They compromised by
building a two room centralized frame building on land purchased from Henry "Hank"
Galer.
Since consolidation was unpopular with
it is possible much effort
some of the patrons,
was expended in designing, selecting best
material and providing best teaching mate-
rial. Nearly full length blackboards
were
placed on north and south walls of two rooms,
separated by a divider offolding doors. This
Rosedale School, 1915, 18 miles south of Vona (The Charley Duncan Caravan)
trict
19. These were Ackerman, Albright,
Sunny Slope (south ofFlagler) and Loco. The
new school was built of best materials and
design
to
allow unparalleled lighting of
classrooms for this time and a unique design
to assure beauty of the building. A central
heating system using coal was eventually
added. In 1914 meetings were called to
made it convenient to accommodate the
community at meetings and school programs.
Oiled pine floors were laid and additional
windows high on the north wall, augmented
Iighting from five large windows on the east
and west side. Two cloak rooms were provided on either side of a south, central entrance.
Located here was a crockery water container
on a wooden shelf. No details were left
lacking in the trim and finish of the building.
Above the transom fitted door at the entrance was placed a round wooden sign with
Rosedale School in 1917 when Marie Farquahar
was teacher. Top row, I to r: Charles and Wilma
Lettman, Elmer Rose, Mary Hinds; Middle row:
Joe Hinds, Don McAuley, Lee Calhoun, Charles
Goff; Front row: Josie Hinds, Evelyn Duncan,
Orville Duncan, Freeman Goff.
by Don McAuley
SAND CREEK
scHool, -
1898
T204
by Velma Hines
Sand Creek School about 1898: Pupils at this Seibert school were: Front row, I to r: Ruth Rogers, Sammie
Rogers, Mirian Blake, Mable Blake, Ethel Blake, Bessie Kistler, Cordia Hendricks (Hines), Herbert Bandy.
Center row: Berl Lee, Leona Bell, Clara Blake, Audrey Blake, Jim Kistler, Rollie Rose, Roy Hendricks,
Clarence Bandy, Jesse Bandy. Back row: Mildred Blake, Elda Blake, Roy Rogers, Grover Blake, Harry
Rose, Ralph Rogers, Milton Rose, Mottie Rose, Maude Rogers. Rear back: J.S. Scheib, teacher.
�In September, 1917, 55 students were
enrolled at Second Central according to
Adam Phiester, Secty. Professor and Mrs.
W.I. Coley were hired to teach this year, and
classes were held for students up to the 10th
grade. No record was found ofother teachers
this year. In 1917-18, teachers paid by the
district were: W.I. Conley, Mary O. Harmon,
Helen Potter and Phoebe Cooper. This year
well casing was purchased; however, later in
time, water was still being hauled to school.
In 1917 the elegant new school building
sported a bronze plaque below the round
black and white Second Central sign. This
plaque read: "State Of Colorado, Standard
'*.*-:*
Second Central
in
and a matter of record. Many drivers of
1930
animals used for this purpose. Drinking water
school buses and school board members can
be recorded and remembered.
In the 1918-19 term, teachers were Mrs.
was brought
Phoebe Cooper, Helen Potter and Mary O.
in a 5 gallon cream can by
someone living nearby. Walter
"Mike"
Co-
narty remembered doing this task. On most
Sundays, church and then Sunday school was
held. The school board members were W.H.
Conarty, President, Adam Phiester, Secretary and C.J. Far, Treasurer.
At a Standardization Day meeting at the
Second Central teachers, Viola Short Pursley,
and Mrs. Stella Boote.
School, Superior Class."
It would seem the heart of a school, beyond
its physical structure, must lie in the greatness of teachers and students. Second Central was blessed with an abundance of both.
very special teachers and many outstanding
students. A list of students would be numerous and difficult to assemble. Many of the
teachers through the years remain in memory
left
the words, Second Central School, District
19. On a contrasting black background, it was
very impressive.
First students at the new school are
believed to be: Opal Conarty, Lela Galer,
Gladys Ploper, ? Carlson, Aljy Stinton, Vern
Joy, Elmer Joy, Glen Stinton, Irma Conarty,
Helen Potter, Howard Westover, Walter
"Mike" Conarty, Tom Conarty, Eva Ploper
and Solomon "Sollie" Stone. Teachers for the
1915-16 term were Misses Francis and Ruth
Hyland. Warrants were also issued to Miss
Estelle Wille. Other schools were still in
operation and it is difficult to determine
where Miss Wille taught. Warrants reflect
much work on the school house during
school in 1915. Second Central received a
score ofseventy-five, which pleased the board
very much. This satisfaction was expressed
by the secretary of the school board, Adam
Phiester. At a parent-teachers meeting held
April 21, 1916, the score of seventy-five was
raised by the county committee to eightytwo. Headlines at this time read, "Second
Central Scores Highest in County." Reasons
for raising the score were attributed to
lighting and ventilation of the building, care
of grounds, certificates, salaries of teachers
and efforts of the Misses Hyland and their
students.
In August, 1916, the school board asked for
bids to dig a basement under the Second
Central School building for additional classroom space. Solomon Stone was awarded the
contract. A basement was dug and concrete
walls were poured while classes were in
session. Eight windows were built below
ground level with appropriate covers to keep
out elements of weather. Blackboards were
placed on three walls in the west half of the
basement area. The east half was used as a
furnace room; a coal bin was located in an
additional section of basement on the southeast side. A partition separated the two
rooms. Mr. Sam Valquette installed a large
coal furnace with appropriate piping to
provide central heat in October, 1916. A large
water jacket around the furnace provided
needed humidity in classrooms. The new
basement classroom was used for the 9th and
10th grades.
Transportation of students to school was a
Miss Ora Cruickshank taught at Second
Central in 1916-17, along with W.I. Conley
and his wife, Pearl. In May, 1917, 8th grade
graduates were Irene Wickham, Irma Conarty, Flossie Kinzer, Charles Conley and
horseback, buggy and wagon or cart. A barn
was located on the school ground to house
Sollie Stone. Mrs. Hayworth served as minister at the school where church was held on
most Sundays.
September, October and December in 1915.
family obligation and students came by
Harmon. No bus drivers were recalled.
probably because it was before such a service
was provided. Board members of this time
were W.H. Conarty, President, Adam Phiest-
er, Secretary and S.W. Sloan, Treasurer.
L920-L92L school term was taught by A.O.
Tudor and Mrs. Phoebe Cooper. Only two
teachers were listed this year. Bus drivers
were numerous, Harry Eaton, Conrad Stone,
Joe Short (short route), E.I. Vawter, M.I.
Ploper (short route) and A.A. Frager (short
route). Board members were O.L. Vawter,
F.J. Van Wanning and V.F. Shrode.
In L92l-22, Mrs. Phoebe Cooper, J.H.
Jaeger and Mrs. Helen Westover were teachers. Routes were driven by G.F. Baxter, A.B.
Radenbaugh, E.I. Vawter with short routes
driven by W.R. Stewart and N.C. Wheeler.
Board members this term were Ora L.
Vawter, President, V.F. Shrode, Secretary,
W.Y. Grove was Treasurer.
The L922-23 term was taught by John F.
Matthews, Mrs. J.F. Matthews and Thelma
Wright. Bus drivers this year were C.E.
Reavis, E.I. Vawter and Odbert Martin.
1923-24 school term was taught by Murvale
H. Moore and Mrs. M.H. Moore. Drivers were
Ora Dunivan, Fred Lange and E.I. Vawter.
Board members were Wm. H. Wickham,
President, V.F. Shrode, Secretary and B.H.
Short, Treasurer.
ln 1924-25, J.F. Matthews and Mrs. J.F.
Matthews taught the school, C.E. Reavis and
H.J. Shrode were bus drivers and the school
board remained the same as last term.
1925-26 term was taught by A.W. Dix, Mrs.
A.W. Dix and Zella Stone. Bus drivers were
Clem Nixon, Fred Christopher and Harry
Eaton. Board members were Wm. M. Wickham, President, Fred Griffeth, Secretary and
B.H. Short was Treasurer.
ln 1926-27, Mr. A.W. Dix and his wife
taught the school, Harry Eaton and W.F.
Lana drove the routes. "Bill" Lana operated
two regular buses this year. Board members
were Mr. Wm. M. Wickham, President, J.L.
Short, Secretary and B.H. Short, Treasurer.
The 1927-28 term was taught by Dolora
Tiller, Elizabeth and Awilda Nixon. Drivers
of school routes were Mrs. Rose Wickham.
�Bill Wickham, James H. Reade, Mr. Wm.
Wickham drove a route in a touring car. Mr.
Wickhem bought two new Chevrolet buses
this year. Board members were Mr. Wm.
Wickhem, President, J.L. Short, Secretary
and B.H. Short, Treasurer. In December this
year, Elizabeth Nixon and her sister, Awilda
became ill of diptheria. Alwilda survived but
Elizabeth died. Clyde Roberts finished teaching the term in Elizabeth's place.
Mr. C.A. Finley and his wife along with
Alwilda Nixon taught the 1928-29 term. Mrs.
Rose Wickham, W.H. Fogg, Ray E. Curtis
and Mary Joy drove school routes. Mrs.
George Blanken drove a short route. Board
members this term were Ellis McConnell,
President, B.H. Short, Secretary and J.H.
Short. Treasurer.
In the 1929-30 term. teachers were Mr. and
Mrs. Bon V. Davis and Miss Ida Reynolds.
Bus drivers were Mary E. Joy and Vern Joy.
Board members were Effie Eaton, President,
J.L. Short, Secretary and B.H. Short, Treasurer.
1930-31 school year was taught by the same
teachers as last term, Chas. R. Smith was
elected to the board as Treasurer. Bus drivers
this year were Vern Joy, Mrs. Rose Wickham
and Mary E. Joy.
The 1931-32 term was taught by E. Ellis
and Wynona D. Graham. Also teaching was
Ida Reynolds. Drivers were Willard Eaton,
Everett Joy and Wm. Wickham. Fred Martin
and Wm. Driskill drove short routes. Board
members were Effie Eaton, President, J.L.
Short, Secretary and Chas. R. Smith, Treasurer.
1932-33 teachers were E. Ellis Graham.
Mrs. E.E. Graham and Irene Graham. School
Amy Nichols and only one teacher was
employed this year, as there were only 16
unusual accomplishments which must also
students in school. Ted Wickham and Elmer
Joy drove school buses.
In the L942-43 term, Opal Joy taught 1st,
2nd, 9th and 10th grades. Julia Dugan
(Wanczyk) taught the other grades, finishing
the term started by a teacher who is unknown. Bus drivers this year were Birney
Short, Harlan Rogers and Sollie Stone. There
were 25 students enrolled in school.
Teachers for the 1943-44 school year were
Mrs. Roy Cook and Julia Dugan. School bus
drivers were Orley Conarty and Jack Held,
who took over the route when Birney Short
left for military service. B.K. Moss was
elected to the school board.
In L944-45, Peggy Warrington taught the
first semester with Mrs. Viola Pursley finishing the term, along with Miss Mona Snow.
School bus drivers are believed to be Orley
Conarty and Jack Heid.
In the 1946-47 term, Wayne E. Gouge and
wife, Dixie Bell Gouge (Sawhill) were teachers. Drivers this term were not found. The
school board members were Fred Martin,
President, Maurine Wold, Secretary and
Cleo Radebaugh, Treasurer.
The term, L947-48 was taught by Julia
Dugan and Mrs. Sig (Evelyn) Olsen. The
1948-49 term was taught by Julia Dugan and
Orpha Goodrich. Julia Dugan taught the last
year school was held at Second Central in the
1949-50 term, thus ending
a long list of
teachers of the school.
Among many outstanding accomplishments of the Second Central Community was
the spiritual background instilled throughout
the years in its graduates. The community
was seldom without church and Sunday
school through the years. A number of very
Roberta Wrenn. Bus drivers this year were
Cliff communities gave of their time
V.F. Shrode, Harry J. Shrode and H.W.
Robinson. Board members remained the
same as last term.
In 1934-35, Mr. and Mrs. K.K. Parsons
continued to teach along with Janet Mitchell.
School bus drivers were Mr. Wm. Wickham,
Carson County and was
schools
bus drivers this term were H.W. Robinson,
O.W. Boston and V.F. Shrode. Board members remained the same as last term.
Teachers for the 1933-34 term were Mr.
K.K. Parsons, Mrs, Marion Parsons and
of Kit
record of board and drivers was found.
L94L-42 school term was taught by Miss
special people in Second Central and Rock
and
effort to provide this very special training. I
remember no professed denomination,
though both Baptist and Congregational
ministers presided in church at times, but
rather a basic study of the Bible and its
presented there. These were only a few ofthe
include dedication of many very special
teachers who brought out the best in their
students.
Along with joys and exhilarations of school
were times of sadness when World War I
came, taking young men from the community
in 1917-18. Farewell parties were often held
at the school when local boys left to go to war.
While they were gone, they were remembered
in church on Sunday and missed throughout
the week. Letters arrived in the community,
sent from many places. These were read and
reread by friends and neighbors. Soon the
war was over and great joy was celebrated
when boys returned. A thread of sadness
remained for, sadly, some never came home.
A lingering tug of heartbreak for some
students remains when they tell of the time
Elizabeth Nixon, a much loved young teacher, died of diphtheria in 1927 . One can sense,
today, a hurt so great it remains after sixty
years. Both Nixon teachers were ill. At first,
the disease was thought to be a light form,
however, only Alwilda survived. Dr. H.L.
Williams, health officer, ordered the school
closed and fumigated. A quarantine was
placed on the patients. No regular funeral
was held because fear of the disease \pas so
great.
A
memorial was held on Sunday,
January 1, at the school house at 2:00. Rev.
Dexheimer of Seibert conducted the service.
It was a painful time in the community,
especially for students at the school.
In 1936 a very active 4H club movement
was apparent in Second Central community
with many young people taking part. January
22, James Vawter gave a talk on KOA radio,
telling what 4H meant to him. Many of the
local students took livestock to the stock
show in Pueblo where Georgia Vawter showed a calf she had won the previous year. Dale
Eaton, Robert Shrode, James and Georgia
Vawter served as a judging team at the fair.
R.O. Woodfin, county agent, took an active
interest in activities of 4H in the community.
Many will remember yet today the moving
pictures he brought to Second Central,
running them with the aid of a small light
Short, Secretary and Conrad L. Stone, Trea-
teaching with a general expectation of elders
for good conduct of youngsters in the community. I believe this background, given to many
young members of the community, followed
surer.
them throughout their lives.
coyotes. They ran their Model A Ford into a
bank in the bottom of a valley and this "head
on" caused very serious injuries. School had
just ended and buses were arriving when news
reached the school of their accident about 3
D.F. James and Elmer Joy. School board
members were Effie Eaton, President, J.L.
1935-36 teachers remained the same as last
term. Wm. Wickham, Elmer Joy and V.F.
Shrode drove school buses. Board members
were J.F. Martin, President, J.L. Short,
Secretary and Conrad L. Stone, Treasurer.
The 1936-37 school term was taught by Mr.
and Mrs. Harlan G. Romberg and Opal
Murphy (Joy). Bus drivers were Virgil Short,
Elmer Joy and Ora L. Vawter. Board members remained the same as last term.
The 1937-38 term was taught by Mrs.
Grace Hill and Miss Viola Short. Van
Goodwin was elected on the school board.
In the 1938-39 term, teachers were Mrs.
Stella Boote and Miss Viola Short. It is not
certain who bus drivers were or school board
this year.
In 1939-40 school year, J. Carl Harrison
and Mrs. Bledsoe were teachers. Harley
Short, Elmer Joy and Conrad L. Stone were
bus drivers.
It is not clear who the school
board members were this term.
The 1940-41 school term was taught by J.
Carl Harrison and June (Short) Conarty. No
number of firsts in the Second
Central community. It is said to be the first
school to have school buses, the first to
purchase a community radio where many
gathered to marvel at a new medium, the first
school to have church and Sunday school as
a regular event on Sundays, and the first
school to attain a state rating of superior
There were
a
class.
Outstanding events at Second Central with
periodic presentations by members of the
community occurred at the beginning in
1915, with an event called a Lyceum, where
recitations, short plays, musical numbers and
short addresses were given. Very special
community debates were held at this time.
Outstanding accomplishments in musical
presentations were apparent in L922 during
the time Mr. John Matthews taught. Long
remembered stage plays were presented and
enjoyed in 1934, 35 and 36, when K.K.
the acting abilities of
many community members. One of these
Parsons enhanced
special community plays toured many
plant in the school yard.
In 1936 two brothers. Wes and Jess Pelser
met with a serious accident while hunting
miles south of the school. Mr. Ora Vawter
took his big Studebaker, used to haul his
school route, and drove Wes and Jess to the
hospital. There were moments of deep concern among the students at school.
In 1939, 4H club activities were yet a vital
part of the younger community with showing
of Iivestock at the Kit Carson County Fair
among other projects. Bunnie (Short) Elliott
and others won a trip to the state fair at
Pueblo with their special exhibits. This year
many Second Central people rode horses,
drove wagons and impersonated Indians at
the "Indian Massacre" presentation at Seibert. In April, 1939, Harold "Bud" Short and
Lyle Stone represented Second Central
School at a meeting of the Young Citizens
League in Denver. Bud presented a scrap
book on soil conservation practices prepared
at the school and Lyle gave a talk on soil
�conservation. These presentations were given
to a large gathering of county school superintendents of the state.
In the early 1940s, World War II took
young men away to perform a task not
covered in the curriculum of the school. New
drivers hauled students when old ones answered their call. Stars were placed in
windows of homes for those whose sons had
gone to war. This was a time of shortages felt
by everyone. There was even a shortage of
teachers to be dealt with. War bonds and
stamps were continually sold. Scrap iron and
other salvageable items were collected to help
win the war. The local LSC (Ladies Social
Circle) club made packages to send to boys
of the community, as
it
had done before.
seemed so very long, and some were lost,
It
but
eventually the war was over. There was
rejoicing when boys came home, as there had
been years before in World War I.
District 19 faced a reduction in the number
of students; this began in the'30s when many
had to move away. Some build up of population occurred in better years ofthe 1940s but
a farming trend to Iarger acreages for each
operator decreased the school population
even more. In 1950 an active state initiated
the drive for consolidation which forced most
schools to join in larger districts. Second
Central, District 19. merged with Flagler to
become part of School District R-1, ending
activities since 1915.
In September, 1951, the school house was
sold to James Vawter for $1001.00. Most
school houses wee sold at this time by the
Flagler School District R-1. Part of District
19 was consolidated with the Seibert School
district, a larger share went to Flagler. In 1951
$1041.51 was transferred from District 19
funds to the new consolidated district.
Second Central School was noted for
providing exceptional training for students.
This had been a goal for 35 years of its
existence. A tally of students receiving their
grade and part of their high school training
here has been impossible to make. Certainly
there were many. It is amazing to find so
many people still living in the area who
attended this school at one time or another.
Opal (Conarty) Joy began as a student at
Second Central in 1915 and served as a very
special teacher in the school for a number of
SMELKER SCHOOL
T206
The Smelker School, located thirteen miles
south and two and one-half miles west of
Stratton, was built in 1917 in the southwest
corner of the section. It took the place of an
old sod or adobe schoolhouse a mile south.
Just across the road intersection to the west
lived the Charley Smelker family and north
of them across the road lived the Minor
Warren family. The Smelker family, Myrtle,
Victor, George, Leon, Wesley, Theodore,
Ivan, and Dean, all attended school there. So
did the Warren family, Myrtle, Wilma, and
Bud. When Wilma married George Smelker
and lived in the Warren home, their children,
Vivian, Verla, Velma, Lola, Franklin, Myrna,
Twila, Una, and Arva Kay, also attended
school there. Other children attending were
James, Noble. and Audrev Struthers. Law-
rence, Duane, and Jerry Megel, Ugene and
Lois Carpenter, the Segal Proctor twins, Fay
and Fern, the Walter Proctor children, Lois,
Doris, Willard, Ivalee, GIen, Irma June, and
Helen, the Harry Greenwood children, Laura, Thelma, and Allen, Kenneth Hoot, the
McCormick children, Joe, Julia, and Rosemary, the Houghton girls, Irene and Marjorie, the Leon Smelker girls, Carol and Elaine,
the Iseman children, Clarence, Loraine,
Agnes, John, and Wayne, and many others.
I am indebted to Ivan Smelker for much of
my information and to Orris Bunch, whose
mother was Myrtle Smelker. Orris says that
when his mother finished the eighth grade,
to further her education, she took the eighth
grade a second time, then taught one year in
the soddy school, before the new school was
built.
Other teachers in the school, not necessarchronological order, were Beatrice
Brady; Mrs. Hoescher; Joseph Chandler,
ily in
rs
l{'*,f
tL"
tux
Smelker School 1930-31 when Esther Davis Beattie was the teacher: back row, I to r: Dean Smelker, Willard
Proctor, Ivan Smelker, Doris Proctor, Faye Proctor, Eloise Proctor, Fern Proctor. Front row: Noble
Struthers, Audrey Struthers, Vivian Smelker.
years near the end of its existence. Julia
Dugan first attended Second Central school
in 1921 as a student and served as a teacher
during those Iast years including a last one in
1950.
Plans were being made in 1984 to restore
and move the Second Central School building
to Flagler. In 1987 a new wood shingle roof
was put in place for preservation. A funding
problem delays actual moving of the old
building but interest in such a venture is
prevalent in the community. A need exists for
old
treasures. An age old fact remains, that it is
a place to store many artifacts and
far too distant from the west end of Kit
Carson County to its county seat. What a
problem this must have been for west patrons
of the county in those years so long ago! For
this reason, a depository ofhistorical artifacts
at Flagler remains a much needed developrnent.
by Lyle W. Stone
Smelker School: back row,
I to r: Kenneth Hoot, LoIa
Smelker, Jennie L. Tressel, teacher, Thelma
Greenwood, and Allen Greenwood. Front row: Twila Smelker, Franklin Smelker, Mvrna Smelker. Howard
Gilmore and Lawrence Megel.
�Julia Felch; Beulah Mott, Marie Greenwood:
Esther Davis-Beattie under whom Ivan
Smelker, Lois, Doris, Faye and Fern Proctor
all graduated from the eighth grade; Nina
Blomquist; Rose Henry; Mrs. Huebner; Ora
Cruickshank; Violet Campbell-Barr; Leona
Sharp-Schaal; Jennie L. Tressel under whom
Thelma Greenwood graduated from the
eighth grade in 1941; Bill Seely; Florence
Wigton; Orris Bunch, Vivian Smelker; Dorothy Smelker and others.
There was a building north of the schoolhouse that housed the coal shed, and two
toilets, one on each side. To the northeast was
a little barn to shelter the horses that the
children often rode to school.
The teacher or children carried water each
day from the Smelker well, then dumped it
in a large stone jar with a faucet.
home via buggies, spring wagons, horseback,
or cars.
by Marie E. Greenwood
of Allegiance, and often
a three story modern concrete structure.
SMOKY HILL SCHOOL
T207
the children.
Every year, at least two programs, Christmas and "Last Day ofSchool" were prepared,
with much drilling and practicing by the
school, to which the parents and public were
invited. Every pupil participated, probably in
three or four numbers,
two or three songs
by the school, "Recitation"
by each
one
separately, special numbers by groups, and a
play or two.
Sometimes
in the spring of the year,
put into service at the time school
opened, which was the term of Lg2l-22.
Four teachers and a custodian comprised
the staff with ten grades being taught. The
custodian also drove one of the busses and
kept all busses in repair during the school
term.
Three ofthe one room school houses which
Smoky Hill teacherages and buses.
a full day round trip plus loading
Smoky Hill School after the June 8, 1941 tornado.
In
1920 a group
of patrons from several
school districts had the courage and fortitude
to organize the consolidation of small districts into one large district. The new district
was approximately twelve miles square. The
boundary lines were, the Kit Carson County
line on the south, and Highway 385 (formally
51) on the west. The north boundary was six
miles north of the correction line which was
also six miles south of Burlington. The east
line was near the Kansas border.
The new school building was central in the
district which was twelve miles south and five
miles east of Burlington. The school received
prcnrc.
The schoolhouse was the center of the
community and was utilized for many com-
munity events,
school elections,
- dances,
money-making projects
for the school such as
box suppers, pie suppers, oyster suppers,
voting precincts, Sunday School and church,
basket dinners, gathering place for rabbit
drives, coyote hunts and ball games. Often,
sometime during the fall of the yeat, a
Literary would be organized by the people in
the community. Officers were elected and the
event was held at a regular time, probably
once a month. The program was presented by
local talent
music, poems recited, plays.
a Debate
conducted in true parlimentarian order with
three men on the Pro side and three men on
lhe Con side, and judges to determine the
winning side, all conducted with much fun
rnd hilarity. After the program the ladies
lerved refreshments. Then all departed for
were moved to the school grounds were
remodeled and used for dwellings for the
teachers and their families.
In the fall of the year a train car of coal was
purchased and placed on a siding on Rock
Island Railroad in Burlington. Some patrons
made a little extra money by hauling coal to
the school with teams and wagons. This was
another school would be invited to compete
in a baseball geme, and near the end ofschool,
they. might go to some grove of trees for a
Usually the- last number was
generator for electricity. Fire drills were held
occasionally using the third floor fire escape.
A four vehicle garage was also attached to
were
sang the "Star
younger child who was having a problem. On
Fridays, the last one hour and one-half after
recess was devoted to something special like
a spelling match, a geography race, crafts, or
a story read. Bible stories were a favorite with
It
was steam-heated with a pressure water
system that allowed indoor plumbing and a
the building, and four Model T Ford busses
Spangled Banner." The children then congregated in the schoolhouse for 15 minutes of
"Opening Exercises" which might consist of
some rousing singing around the old organ or
a stimulating story read by the teacher.
Since there were twenty or more pupils
with classes from first to eighth grades, there
was a great hustle and bustle of studying and
reciting, with the teacher hurrying to help
different pupils whose hands were raised.
Often the older children, their lessons completed, would be allowed to help some
tion effort were Lester Beveridge, Harry
Coleman, and Ellen Zuelke. The building was
Every morning, unless the weather was
inclement, at nine o'clock, the children
gathered around the flagpole out in front for
the school opening ceremony. One pupil was
given the honor of hoisting the Flag, while the
others saluted. Then all repeated the Pledge
its name from the Smoky Hill River which
was one mile south of the school site. A few
of the people responsible for the consolida-
Smoky Hill School, L92l-22, a three story building.
and
unloading the coal with a scoop shovel. The
coal was shoveled into an underground
bunker at the school which was to be used in
the furnace during the winter.
The year of 1928 one hundred thirtv five
students attended Smoky Hill which was the
highest enrollment recorded.
Area track meets, basketball games (outdoor courts), spelling and oratorical contests
were a small part of extra school activities. In
general the school was a form of a community
center. The auditorium located on the
basement level had
a
stage which was used for
all types of programs. Several large school
programs were presented each year with the
one at Christmas being the students'favorite.
The annual visit of Santa Claus distributing
goodies to the pupils was always looked
forward to. Non-denominational church services, Sunday School, parties, basket dinners
and dances were some of the additional
activities held.
One winter a snow storm escalated into a
severe blizzard during the day, and the bus
�SMOKY HILL SCHOOL
MEMORIES
T208
Vernon Jantzen told of his years at Smoky
Hill
School this way: my recollection of
Smoky Hill School starts the first week of
March, 1946, as I enrolled in the eighth grade.
The eighth graders shared the west room on
the second floor with 5th, 6th and 7th
graders. Our teacher was Mr. Levi Lengel. My
older sister said he looked like a farmer from
the dustbowl of Oklahoma. He was a gruff
individual and did not seem suited to thejob.
Since I was a city boy from Fresno, California,
the school certainly had some lasting impressions for me.
I remember Dale Eberhart to be our best
athlete. Our favorite and only recreation was
softball. We could count on Dale to hit the
ball the farthest, and with great agility and
speed he was able to round the bases and be
home safe before the rest of us could recover.
Jerry, his younger brother, was almost
Smoky Hill School as rebuilt after the 1941 tornado, only two stories'
was fear
teaching the ten grades the remaining years
that classes ere held. The school suffered with
the general economy as a large percent of the
people were unable to pay their taxes.
For several years a spring epidemic of
scarlet fever went through the school. One
patron theorized that the germs were in the
text books from year to year and a decision
was made to put the books in the hot sun and
fresh air for several days during the summer.
Believe it or not this appeared to be the end
of the annual illness.
I attended school ten years at Smoky Hill
from its beginning in 1921 and graduated in
1931 in a class of seven. In the same year four
International truck chassis were purchased.
The old bus bodies were too short so were
lengthened and remodeled to fit the chassis.
In the late 30's crops were being raised in
eastern Colorado. New families moved to the
area and a new era for Smoky Hill began.
In June, 1941 a tornado struck the school
classes ceased at Smoky
the job of
house which resulted in heavy damage.
Extensive repair was made which included
taking off the top floor and a new roof style
used. Contractor Harley Conger undertook
the remodeling job. The garage part and
busses were destroyed as were two of the
teachers'dwellings. A three family apartment
building was constructed for housing of
teachers following the tornado.
In 1945 a prairie fire started in Cheyenne
County and with a strong southwest wind
swept northeast at record speed. The bridge
across the Smokv Hill River burned and there
river bed which had thistles in
as
if Dale and Jerry were on the
same
team, they always batted and the rest of us
of the fire reaching the school
grounds. Apparently there was a wind change
or sheer providence as the fire followed the
drivers could not deliver the students to their
homes. We spent two days and two nights at
the school. The third day toward evening we
were taken home by horse drawn wagons by
some of the parents living nearest to the
school. Some parents came for their children.
Imagine the agony the parents went through
not knowing if their children were stranded
in a bus or their whereabouts.
The only telephone line in the area was
between Smoky Hill and Burlington. People
made emergency calls from the school.
During the depression and drouth of the
1930's many families moved away and the
declined enrollment no longer warranted four
teachers. Two teachers took
good, so
it
and went
east sparing the school house.
New families brought new life and enthusiasm with them. A gun club was organized
in 1948, Sunday School in 1946, 4-H Club in
1950, and Friendship Circle Home Demonstration Club in 1947. In 1949 a school hot
lunch program was started with mothers
taking turns in helping cook the noon lunch.
In 1957 following the consolidation of all
county rural schools into six districts, namely
the town schools, Smoky Hill became a part
of Burlington RE-6J. The following
year
Hill.
For a time the building was used as
a
community center. Later it housed Mexican
families that came to the area to work in the
sugar beet fields. The building soon deteriorated and was no longer in use. In January,
1981, the remainder of the building burned
and following sixty years of service a special
land mark became stark concrete walls.
A few of the teachers whose names are
remembered were Mr. Frost, Mr. Rhodes,
W.I. and Pearl Conley (W.I. Conley was from
Indiana and attended school with Orville &
Wilbur Wright, the founders of aviation), Ora
Cruickshank who later became county superintendent, Helen Holloway, Leonard Ziemann, Dacy Frankfather, Ada Bey, Gordon
Guffey, Fay (Alexander) Bryner, May (Rose)
Hume, Edna (Bartman) Stahlecker, Hazel
Fromong and Josie Youtsey.
Others who helped compile the Smoky Hill
story were Velma (McCalmon) Walstrom and
Bernice Eberhart. Velma moved to the area
in 1928 and graduated from Smoky Hill in
1930. The McCalmon family came from
Norton, Kansas. Ted and Bernice moved to
the Smoky Hill area in 1939 from St. Francis,
Kansas. At this writing both ladies live in
Burlington.
by Leona (Fanselau) Wiedman
chased the balls.
Willard (Juny) Butterfield was the quickest and easiest to make friends with. He was
forever teasing whenever an opportunity was
given. Later, in May, my brother Francis
arrived from California with my mom and
sisters and he joined our eighth grade class.
Now we eighth graders were six in number.
At times we were too much for Mr. Lengel.
On occasion he became very angry with us
and one time took off his big, wide belt and
threatened to use it. That was pretty effective!
The next year, for whatever reason, transportation was not offered to some of us in the
outlying areas to go to Burlington High
School. So, Harold Walstrom, Francis and I
spent the 9th grade at Smoky Hill. Mr. Lengel
did not return. I don't remember who the
teacher was, but he drove a very old car,
which we jokingly teased him as being a 1921
Franklin. He was a curly red-haired young
fellow about 20 years old with an excellent
sense of humor and we liked him very much.
He taught algebra to us three 9th graders and
really struggled to get us to understand "X,
Y and 2". Our classroom included 5th
through 9th graders and some that I remember especially include Kenny Drager who was
forever teasing and chasing the girls. Shirley
Chapin was forever the most studious and
everybody liked her. Bertie Reeves was the
one who caught the brunt of most of Kenny's
teasing.
Perhaps the most outstanding event of the
year was the school play in the spring ofL947.
We rehearsed daily and prepared for the
Smoky Hill Community highlight of the year.
The play took place in the lower front room
which had a small stage and could seat
perhaps 40 or so people. The night ofthe play
the room was packed with anticipating
friends and parents. As the curtain was
pulled back, I came onto the stage and said
my opening line which gave the cue for my
brother Francis to enter from the other side.
Francis came out and was to say something
to me. He said the first two words and burst
out laughing. So the whole play continued on
with all the characters saying their lines while
Francis giggled. Needless to say, Francis was
�not without support as the audience joined
in the emusement with laughter throughout
the play. It was the talk of the community for
a long, long time.
Ruth Gulley, Eva Vanatta, Evelyn Atkins,
and Vivian Whitmarsh,
Garold Paintin's frrst grade teacher was
Murfin. Besides teaching them to read,
write and do arithmetic, he also pulled their
Jess
Another highlight was on the last Sunday
of the school year. Parents, students and
friends gathered together at the school and
had a big potluck diner. After dinner ever-
ybodyjoinedtogetherforagameof. . none
other than softball.
by Bernice Eberhart
SOLID CENTER
SCHOOL
T209
The Solid Center School, District number
41, was located in the northeast corner of
section 21 T 7 R 47 of Kit Carson County. The
first records on file of this district began in
19U. This was a sod structure. In about 1928
a new wood structure school building was
erected and the little soddie was used for a
barn. The Republican River flooded in 1935
and filled the new school basement with
water. The little sod building was washed
first
loose teeth. Some of his
first classmates
were Glen Edmunds, Robert Garner and Jim
Spurlin. George Paintin would ride his horse
past the school to check cattle. From the
commotion inside the school building, he
wasn't sure if school was in session or if it was
recess time. The students liked this teacher.
Wilda and Doris went on to graduate from
the Stratton High School. Ivan married one
of the teachers, Evelyn Atkins.
With consolidation of schools in 1950. this
school building was moved into Stratton and
converted into a home for Mr. and Mrs.
William Thyne who lived there for many
years. Ethel Wears is the present resident.
by Jean Paintin
SPRINGWELL,
DISTRTCT #43
T210
away,
All the George Paintin children attended
this school beginning with Eva in 1916 and
ending with Doris in 1945. Their transportation for the mile across the pasture was on a
trusted pony or on foot. Their lunches were
carried in half gallon syrup buckets that had
wire handles.
Other families having children
in
this
school thru the years were Joe Garner, Frank
Connaway, Fred Carpenter, William Thyne,
Joseph Anthofer, Maynard Edmunds, Dave
Sealock, Nick Stoffel, Dale and Russel Spurlin, and Alvin Kitten. Most of thege parents Springwell School, constructed of sod bricks, the
book their turn serving on the school board.
building material of the plains.
Some of the teachers were Bill Seeley, Dale
Baker Wood, Jess Murfin, Gladys Quinn,
School opened in District #43 at Springwell school in October of 1911 with Miss
Nellie Keene of Iowa as first teacher. In a
short while she received word that her
brother in Iowa had passed away. She left by
train, F.L. Beattie taking her to the train. She
decided not to return as her salary was only
$35 per month. However, she did return later
and married Henry Grabbe and they lived
north of Burlington.
A homesteader's wife, Maude Turner,
taught for a few weeks until Mabel Pugh
(Guy) finished the eighth grade; then she
finished the term.
The first schoolhouse was an abandoned
homesteader's soddie. By 1917 or 1918 a
building 30 feet by 40 feet was erected nine
miles north and one and one half miles east
of Stratton and named Springwell. The
building was painted white. When consolidation took place the building was sold and only
the foundation remains.
The first pupils were Mettie, Alfred,
Minnie and Elmer Jones. Other families:
Richard and Arthur Jones; Richard and
James Osborne; Henry Hadden; Raymond
Debban; Eva, Clifford and Charlie Bohl, and
Blanche Beattie (Dove).
Later after squabbles and several elections,
a district was formed to the north
- Covote
Ridge, changed to Sunnyside. Solid
Center
was to the west of Springwell.
by Blanche Dove
SUNNY SIDE SCIIOOL
T2rl
Sunny Side School was located southeast
ofFlagler in the southwest corner ofthe south
east quarter of section 12, Township 10 S,
Range 51 W. In 1987 this location would be
about 1/4 mile north and about 1/2 mile west
of the present James "Jim" Richie residence.
Sunny Side was built of sod, much like some
of the surrounding homes. Benches and a
teacher's desk were home made. It is probable
this was another school where the teacher
arrived early to shoo out the varmints and
snakes in order that classes could be held.
Small similar schools appeared about the
country side in the early 1900s, serving
patrons nearby who had homesteaded in the
area. Sunny Side school was located in
District 35. When operations ceased a number of years after it was built, students were
transferred to Texerado and Flagler schools.
Although the heading "Sunny Side" appeared in earlyFlagler News items, little could be
found to add to a record of this early school.
Living in the area about this time were
West, Moss, Lana, Sloan, among other
families. Research has not uncovered students that could be named. It is felt the school
did not
operate long
until it was more
economical to utilize Texerado and Flagler
schools. At this point, no specific teachers
have been found.
Until recent years, bits ofplaster, wood and
iron pinpointed the location of the school.
The area had been under cultivation for some
iolid Center pupils about 1929: From Gladys Paintin standing with her back to the group: Eugene Paintin
n front of Leona Paintin, then clockwise: Edna Sealock, Juanita Sealock, Wanda Garner, Magdlene Stoffel,
van Paintin, Mabel Garner, Ruth Sealock, Leo Stoffel and Leona Stoffel complete the circle.
time. In the 1980s, this debris was picked up
to clean up the area and little can be found
to locate the exact site of the school todav.
Sunny Side fell by the way of consolidation,
�like many others. This was probably due to
better methods of transportation of student.
by Lyle W. Stone
SUNNY SLOPE
SCHOOL
to perform recitations and other presenta-
facility in 1915. Some of the other schools
held back for a while. Loco was the last to
attend here. In 1916, A.B. Radebaugh moved
the coal shed to Loco near his residence.
In 1987, evidence of this school still exists
provided better lighting.
Water was brought to school in a cream
can. Families took turns performing this
in the untouched grassland ofthis school site.
A ridge of earth outlines walls of the soddie
crockery container. Each student had his or
her own cup or used paper cups folded from
a piece of paper. A pot bellied stove occupied
a central area ofthe room. Benches were used
by students facing the teacher. Opal (Conarty) Joy remembered some of the bitter
caved in. Also remaining are memories of an
tions. In comparison with other sod schools,
it would appear Sunny Slope was a higher
grade building than many others. Walls were
thicker than most; a large number of windows
duty. Water was stored in a convenient
T2t2
building. A depression in the earth today
marks a location of its hand dug well, now
outstanding school and of hardy, dedicated
patrons and teachers.
by Lyle W. Stone
cold days when the teacher allowed these
benches to be moved nearer and around the
most welcome warm stove in the center of the
TEXERADO SCHOOL
T2t3
room.
A first teacher at Sunny Slope is believed
to be Mettie (Love) Shanahan. In these early
times, at least three schools were operating
in District 19. Names of some teachers in
District 19 for 1909-10, 1910-11 and others
are known with no school designation. In
1909-10, teachers were Haidee Nealle, Emma
Liggett, Mrs. FIo Shunate and Miss Ida
Hayes. In 1910-11, teachers were Emma
Sunny Slope School after abandonment.
Sunny Slope School was located southeast
of Flagler near the northwest corner
of
section 26, Township 10 S, Range 50 W. This
location was a mile east of the site of the
consolidated school, Second Central. Sunny
Slope was built on the south side of the road
a few hundred yards east of an intersection
at this location. The school was established
by Walter Conarty, Frank "Mac" Franklin
and their neighbors about 1910. Sunny Slope
School was constructed of sod, much like
others in the area except for its hip roof. This
roof was also covered with sod. Most soddies
sported a curved or peaked roof, which was
probably used to save scarce and expensive
materials. On top of this unusual roof was a
cast iron bell, used to call the students to
class. A raised floor was located at one end
for the teacher's desk and a place for students
Liggett, Ethel Durbin and Mettie R. Shanahan. A record does exist, believed to be about
1914, listing the teacher as Mrs. Mettie
Shanahan. Students this year were Bill
Petersen, Aljy Stinton, Frank Matzke, Stella
Petersen, Nettie Petersen, Marie McMulkin,
Opal Conarty, Irma Conarty, Flossie Kinzer,
Glenn Stinton and Sylvia McMulkin.
A well was eventually hand dug near the
school building to provide drinking water for
students and for animals serving as transportation to school. Two outdoor toilets and a
coal shed were located on the school grounds'
A spoked, rotating wheel separated the kids
from the cows at the entrance to the school!
Students of Sunny Slope were transferred
to Second Central after the new two room
school was built. Records indicate Sunny
Slope was the first school to utilize the new
Texerado School, located in the northeast
corner of Section 10, Township 11S, Range
51 W, was established by James S. Short and
his neighbors and built in 1911 in the
northeast corner of Mr. Short's homestead.
Lumber for the school was hauled to the site
by team and wagon. Being a frame structure,
Texerado was quite unusual in a day of many
soddies. The usual pot-bellied stove heated
the room. Drinking water was hauled to
school each day by the Short children or other
families who took turns bringing
it.
This
school was especially noted for its community
events including musical presentations and
other activities of this time. The teacher
spent a lot of time practicing the children on
their plays, songs and recitations, so the
children did really well. In common between
surrounding schools and Texerado were
basket dinners, spelling bees, public meetings
and sports competition, especially base and
softball.
The earliest teachers roomed at the Short
home, and later at various residences in the
community. Lena Short Weatherly particularly remembers Mr. Lofstead, Addie Alexan-
der, Murvale Moore, Marjorie Yewell, Aljy
Stinton and Bertha Strohmeyer. Other
known teachers were Agnes Gwyn, Bertha
Hyde, Mrs. Feeback, Don C. Smith, EIizabeth Nixon, Opal Conarty Murphy, Bernadine Reavis and Tressie Vassios. Families
with children in school included
Short,
Stanger, Newby, Rhule, Burris, Laurent,
Birchfield, Vinsonhaler, Borquin, Davenport, Stone, Alexander, Vassios, Kountz,
Newsom, Rowland, Ebert and Overmiller.
Early records show that problems were
encountered in District 35 in transporting the
students of Texerado to Flagler, a considerable distance, so economics made this school
continue. Texerado
is important in
the
heritage of this area and much could be added
to its history. Plans exist to
relocate the
building in Flagler and to restore it as a one
room country school. The building, although
relocated in a different spot, remains in
reasonably good condition.
by Lena Ylteatherly and Lyle Stone
Sunny Slope School in 1911-12. Note the bell!
�TIP TOP SCHOOL
T2t4
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Old sod schoolhouse in background with new frnme
building moved in about 1901
Tuttle. CO.
-
,'
A few boys and girls, and just a very few,
were going to school in this county before the
schools were recorded. This first school. that
was later to become District 39 and known as
the Tuttle School, was held in a deserted sod
house, not
built for a schoolhouse. Stone's
History of Colorado lists it as an unrecorded
school before 1886, but the date of the first
term cannot be stated and the location is
vague but was in the vicinity of the Tuttle
Tip Top
S_chool' 1930-31 year when
Ted Smith was teacher. His pupils were Della Clark, Leroy Dunivent,
Corrine,-Helen, Twyla and Louise Knapp, Leonard and Lorraine Schlichenmayer, Elna, Lyla, bhester and
Marvin Jemes. Genevieve Shannon, teacher at Lone Star and her three pupils, Wayne and Harold Boland
and an unknown girl are in this picture, too.
Clara Olson, Mrs. Sell, Mrs. Wolf, Claude
Cheney, Gene Hale, Jack McDill, Tom
w*e
- :"*
::
.t..
Tucker, Harlan Romberg, and Elsie Johnson.
In an effort to keep the country schools,
Tip Top consolidated with others in 1951 as
Beaver-Valley. The new school house was
built in 1953, but was closed in 1968 when
children began going by bus to Burlington.
by Elna M. Johnson
Iip Top School with a farm in the background; and
;he attached coal shed visible.
Tip Top School District #66 was a small
)ne room frame school house located in the
JE corner of the
NE 1/4
LL-7 -43 on the James
Knapp Ranch. The closest home was Jake
ichlichenmayers and students carried the
lrinking water from there to school, usually
lvery day. A coal burning heater in the center
rf the building provided heat and a kerosene
amp was the only light. A coal shed was
rttached to the back of the school house.
TUTTLE SCHOOL
T2t5
There were no schools authorized or organized by the State of Colorado in this county
previous to 1886, but during the next three
years, 1886-1889, thirty-one were organized
in Elbert County which at that time included
this county and parts or all of several other
counties.
Some of the teachers were: Grace Connett.
lenevieve Shannon, Leliah Henderson. Fred
,humate, Alice Moorehead, Elsie Rogers,
,usie Bogart, Ted Smith, Kathleen Clark,
Hugo. As she was returning to her homestead
in the spring of 1887, she was thrown from her
horse and killed. James T. Gilmore was the
next teacher. The desks and benches were
homemade and they used the books that had
been brought from Nebraska and Missouri.
Griff Davis who lived about six miles from
this school attended it in 1887.
In
1889 when the young Davis boys needed
to go to school, they were told that schools
were too far from home for them to attend.
An arrangement was made then for
the
teacher to teach two months in an old sod
house and then to come up and teach two
months in an old frame house that was nearer
the Davis home. This old house was owned
by a saloon keeper at Benkelman, Nebraska,
and was located on the SE y4 24-6-46. Glass
and Ed Davis and Dave Daniels were the
pupils. The teacher and the boys all had
chairs and they sat around an old poker table
that the owner, Frank Rich, sent over from
Benkelman. Mr. Rich was hardly ever there
as he spent most of his time operating the
saloon. After Mr. Gilmore taught these boys
for two months, he went northeast to some
early date, listed by Stone's Colorado History
is District 26 atCarlyle,located two and onehalf miles west of the stateline and south of
where the railroad went through. This school
remained active until consolidation took
place in the 1950's.
ode a pony to school, some as far as six miles.
)ne teacher taught all 8 grades and in 1980il the ninth grade was added. Teachers lived
o that the older children could help their
rarents with the farm work.
The first teacher at this sod house was
Celia Miller and she had a homestead at
other location and taught two more months
of school to other pupils.
The only other unrecorded school at this
The Christmas program, an occasional
trogram followed by a pie supper or box
,ocial, and a picnic on the last day of school
vere the only activities. Games played were
raseball, anteover, last couple out, kick the
an and when it snowed fox and geese. The
'arlier pupils and teachers either walked or
r'ith families of the District. Lunches were
arried usually in a half-gallon pail. School
rours were 9-4 and the term lasted 8 months
Ranch.
by KCC Cattlemen's Association
School children at Tuttle school about the middle
1940's. Back row, L to R; Lois Corliss, Miss Ana
Gillespie (teacher), Merna Wood, Doris Corliss.
Middle row; Leroy Belt. Front row; Eileen Wait-
man, twins Arlene and Arthur Waitman, Bill
Wood, Phillis Waitman.
�Arlene Waitman; Dale Crist.
Some students rode horses, drove horses
with carts and walked to school. Others were
brought by their parents in cars.
From what we can gather from information
available Tuttle school was the first established school in the county and the last
country school to consolidate in 1955.
by Betty Guy
uNroN DrsrRrcT #28
T2t7
Union school was organized sometime
before 1906. The Roy Jones and Osborne
families came to Colorado and parked their
wagons in the school yard the summer of 1906
according to Mettie Jones Sisson. They
camped there with the Osborns taking a
claim just east of the school and the Jones
family taking up a partial of land just 3 miles
northwest of the school.
New frame school building, Tuttle, Colorado, completed in 1903. Pictured are the schoolboard, the children
and their teacher, Ethel Burr, and some parents.
TUTTLE SCHOOLT216
The last year of school at North Tuttle
school was the year of 1934-35. GIen Smith
was the teacher and pupils were from the
families of Rosser Davis, Earl Messinger and
Sherman Corliss.
The summer of 1935 the South Tuttle
school was moved from the southeast corner
of the Hightower place to the southwest
corner of the east half of section 18. Maxine
Messinger-Radcliff taught the term of 193636. The school was District #39.
Teachers through the years were: Miss
Wilson, Avis Page, Dorothy Yoast, Barbara
Hitchings, Georgia Taylor-Clair, Mr.
Baldwin, Betty Corliss-Guy, Beatrice
McKay, Hazel Kennedy, Mrs. Heinrichs,
Louis Heinrichs, Willard With, Jack Smith
and Ona Gillespie. Mrs. Lucy Russman was
the teacher for the last term of 1949-50.
The district was divided in 1960 and
consolidated into Bethune, Stratton and
Liberty, in Yuma County. The last school
board consisted of Sherman Corliss, Harvey
Wood and Mervin Corliss.
Families represented during the years from
1934-50 were the families of Earl Messinger,
Rosser Davis. Sherman Corliss, Orville Hutton, Harvey Wood, Phil Waitman, Clair
Whipple, John Cooper, Ernest McArthur,
Cecil Crist and Russman.
Students were Clifford and Norma Jean
Messinger; Betty, Lowell, Lyal, Mervin,
Albert, Doris, Lois, Mary, and David Corliss;
Marguerite Hutton; Russell and Stanley
Davis; Lois Adolf-Wood, Bud, Merna, Bill,
Bob and Audry Wood; Harry Covey; Phillip'
Phillis, and Elaine Waitman; Clifford and
Mavis Whipple; Gilbert Cooper; Kenneth,
Elaine, Mary and Betty McArthur, Art and
Some of the early families living in the area
were the Amman, Evans, Gaddy, and Zeiglers. Students and teachers hauled water
during the entire life of the school. Most of
the time it was from the well on the nearest
homestead east of the school.
The school was the typical sod or adobe at
first and then a frame structure was built.
This was a one room building with a coat
room where the belongings of the students
were kept along with their lunch pails. In the
winter those lunches were frozen by noon and
no doubt many were froze before arriving at
school. One student remembers that his pony
got in the coat room and ate someones lunch
before dinner. There was a barn for the
horses, a coal shed, and the "outdoor facilities". Play ground equipment consisted of 4
teeter-toters made by Bill Zeigler and the flag
pole. Games played outside at noon and
recess were the mainstay of their recreation.
Teachers in the 1920's were Gladys Mace
and Mr. Jake Veager. Students attending
during that era were Anna, Lena, Otto, Bill,
Fred, Richard, Esther, Alma and Emma
Zeigle4 Wayne Gaessner who drowned in the
1935 flood; Minnie and Stanley Johnson;
Ernest Stolz; Osborne children; Martha
Lohr; Albert and Russell Glad; Reinhart,
Mae and AIma Adolf; Clara, Otto, Emma,
Gotthielf, Bertha, Johnny, and Anna Stahlecker; Hulda, Emil, Robert, Herbert, and
Amanda Stahlecker: Paul and Frank Stolz;
and others that we have not remembered.
During the 1930's and 40's these children
attended; Marvin and Donald Schaal;
Blanche, Esther, Hank and Bud Stolz; Reuben, Leona, Ella, Gladys, and Narita Zeigler;
Ken, Mina, and Bonita Stolz; John and
Elizabeth Graham; Darlene, Delphine, and
Denice Veribest; Scott Fox; Clarence, Alfred,
and Mildred Schritter; Christina Knodel;
Arnold, Viola, Alvin and Calvin Strobel;
Vernon, Phil, Ralph and Diane Stolz; Ernie,
Darlene, Donnie Tnigle4 Don and Harold
Churches; Jim and Virginia Hasart; Milbert
Beringer; Clarene, Margie, George, Willard,
Iva, Ivan and Jean Stahlecker; Leo Stahlecker; and others that haven't been remembered.
Alma Newberry was one of the teachers
Tuttle School, 1930-31 term: Back row, I to r: John and Jess Clair, Loretta Bretthauer, Willis and Fern
Stump, Hazelkennedy, teacher. Front row: Theodore Bretthauer, Dale Bretthauer, Marie and Rose Mary
Hitchcock.
during the thirties and forties. There were
many others as they had a hard time finding
teachers especially in the 40's because of the
shortage of teachers caused by the war effort.
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Chatnpltn & McDoweu,
phultppsburs, KBnt,
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€luln rn leu days to
TVAIIL
& soNs
'QHN
Yolc, Colo.
rulrgP, on Logtmiru Creek.
Union School 1940's; L. to R. standing; Viola Strobel, Gladys Zeigler, Virginia Hasart, Scott Fox, Ernie
Zeigler and Arnold Strobel. Sitting: Narita, Zeigler, Darlene Zeigler, Margie Stahlecker, Dennise Veribest,
Mildred Schritter, Alvin Strobel and Alfred Schritter. Next row; Delphine Veribest, Leo Stahlecker,
Darlene Veribest, Phillip Stolz, Willard Stahlecker. Seated on ground; Don Churches, Calvin Strobel, Ivan
Stahlecker, Vernon Stolz, and Harold Churches.
CY
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cllrls stshleckel'r
Burllngton, Colo.
raDge.
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Oolo.
W. S. )Ie:el,
Eeibert, Colc.
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OlaremoDi, Colo.
southwest of lletbulte
CONRAD GEPIIAITDT.
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Renge, south-ea8t of Burllngton, Colo
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J. W. lvEltB,
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Yotlt. Colo.
Rangc il rrrlles sor,th ot V,rna.
llillrsrck
sells tbose stvlish Service
atrle hats 1ou are lookrng for.
Look
ai
0amplreli's drierl and
bnying
and
Mills for
coru,
canucd frrrits before
gave lnon8v.
Burlingtou Roller
corn
chop. ill f:
rl
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prices.
Union School 1930's. L. to R. on horses; John and Elizabeth Graham, Bud Stolz, Ernie Zeigler, Henry Stolz,
Jirn and Virginia Hasart; On fence; Dennise Veribest, Don Schaal, Ben and Ken Stolz, and Arnold Strobel.
Much can be said about the closeness of the
sountry school and the friends that were
made during this time have endured for a
iifetime.
In 1950 Union was consolidated into the
Bethune and Stratton school svstems.
by Anna Strobel
rrlr, right
Notice of Application to Lease
Stute Lands.
I
�WIBEL SCHOOL
,wb
T2r8
A picture to Agnes (Dollie) Keller Hatterman from
her teacher Ella Robb Huntzinger at Christmas
1945: left to right: Dollie Keller, Vern Miller,
Maggie Keller, ?. Front row: Zenelda Keller, Jim
Miller, Mary KeIIer, and Lee Miller.
Wibel School, 1915, Teacher Edith Huntzinger on right,
Wibel School was
a one
room sod house one
mile east and 8 miles north of Flagler. It
served the families of Sypherd, Wibel and
Gwyn. Little can be found about it except for
the picture.
be in one corner or the other and a large world
globe with a plant arrangement on a stand in
the other corner. The chimney opening was
in the center ofthe north wall and during the
winters there was a large upright heating
stove.
by Agnes Otteman
Location: The school was located L/2 mile
west, 11 3/4 miles north of Flagler on the west
side of the Thurman Arickaree road. The
HUNTLEY SCHOOL
legal description was the northeast corner of
the northeast L/4 of Section 3 Township
7
T219
Range 5L,3/4 mile south of Frank Harwoods.
New location: John Shulda first bought the
The Huntley School was a little soddie
building and school was held here until the
construction of the Prairie View School in
school building to move and add on to his
present house, but things didn't work out, so
or 23, then abandoned. Frank Harwood
remembers going home from Flagler and
getting caught in a severe rain and hail storm
with his dad and a team of horses at this
school. To protect themselves they held the
reins of the horses through the window of the
school until the storm was over.
LOCATION: The school was located 1/2
mile west,7 miles north of Flagler on the west
side of the Thurman Arickaree road. The
legal description was the southeast corner of
the southeast l/4 of Section 27 Township 7
Range 51 I/2 mile south of Huntley house.
Mrs. Stella Strode Fisher taught here in
1903-04 and Mrs. Landcamp taught here
before she became Postmistress in Flagler.
L922
it to Bill Girvin for $1100.00. Bill
moved it to its present location 3/4 mile east
of Flagler on the cemetery road to his home
he sold
to build a chicken house and later a milk
By Victory Heights School in 1946: left to right:
barn.
Teachers: Mary Young, Miss Howe, Pearl
Robb. Art Robb, Lola Rillahan 1927 - 22 23, Maxine Carpenter, Mrs. Serenna, Lucile
Thompson, and Azel Dorsey among others.
Students were from the families of Charles
Art
Miller's boy, Lee; and the Charlie Keller girls,
Mary, Agnes (Dollie) and Zenelda, and the teacher,
Agnes Williams Short.
Kyle, Frank Harwood, Frank Michal, Carol
Elrick, Cecil Charles, Ed Carlson, Row
Gustin, Tom Kraft, Sam Harwood, Charles
Holden, the Moodies, Iva Johnson, as well as
many others.
by Norman Michal
by Norman Michal
VICTORY IIEIGHTS
FAIRVIEW SCHOOL
T220
There was once one little soddie which was
so small that it was torn down and another
soddie built before the frame school was
built
which was about 24 feet by 34 feet with a
shingled roof. The door was to the east from
an enclosed porch built on the south and
there was a little lean-to built on the north
end for coal. There were three windows on a
side with the blackboards on the north. The
teacher's desk would be in the center of the
north end, while a rack of world maps would
SCHOOL
T22l
This was a one room school built caddycornered across from the soddie school
known as the Wibel School inL927 and on the
corner l/2 mile north of the Charlie and
It was bought by
Hammer Shaw in 1949 and moved to Flagler
Tonnie Keller farm site.
and again used as a school for the seventh and
eighth grade classes since the High School at
the end of Main street had burned in
1950.
Classes were held there for two years and the
graduating classes
of
1956 and 1957 were
Victory Heights school, March 31, 1944, taken by
Ella Huntzinger. L. to R.: Mary, Agnes (Dollie)
Keller, Vern Miller, Maggie Keller, Mary Lou
Miller, Lee Miller, Jim Miller, Zenelda Keller.
They dressed up to celebrate "tacky day" which
was held every spring.
those two classes. The school was then made
into a nice home which was bought by Buck
DeFreeze and today is the home of Wayne
Kuntz at 329 Ouray Ave. The original
location of the Victory Heights School was
the northwest corner of the NW 1/4 of
Section 30 Township 7 Range 50 in School
�Dist.
70.
Teachers: Margie Willson, Lucy Huntly,
Irene Philbom from Minnesota, Lois Fisher,
Lora Mae Malbaff 1936-37, Betty Page
Robinson 1938-40, Evelyn Kyle Taylor 194041, June Conardy Short 1941-42, Frank
Young I94L-42,Mrs. Alice Anderson L942-43,
Mrs. Steve Munger L943-44, Mrs. Ella Robb
Huntzinger L944-45, Mrs. Nel Whiteman
L945-46, Agnes Williams Short L946-47.
Students: Dale, Faye and Cora Courtright.
Jake, Barbars, Fred, Peter, Martha, Kather-
ine Heinrich. Virginia, Harold, Alice, Edwin
Kyles, Albert and Paul Andres, Clemmons,
Kenneth Codry, Charles Holden, Frank
Michals, Carol Elricks, Carl Sparks and
others.
Classes was held here through
grades,
by Norman Michal
DAZZELING VALLEY
SCHOOL
and Norma Moore. Rose, Vern, Lee, Jim
Miller. Don Moss. JoAnn Fisher and her
Father Buck Fisher. June Courtright. Nellie
Courtright. Bob, George, Neil, Roger and
Ruth of the Ivan Gwenn family. Regina,
Viola, Maggie, Agnes (Dollie), Mary and
Zenelda of Charlie Kellers. The Wolfs.
Todds. Brookovers. Wid Courtrights. Cammeron. and Hawkins.
Ida Reynolds Stone was also a teacher in
1928.
by Norman Michal
WHITE PLAINS
scHooL
T222
the gth
T223
This school is located t/2 mile west of
Flagler, 10 miles north, 2 miles west then 1
mile north; L/4 mile east of the present
Wilbur Haeseker farm. It was then located on
the corner west of Clyde Elricks and on his
land. The first building was a small soddie
which deteriorated away until a new soddie
was built. The second soddie was onlv used
for two years until a frame building was built
in 1923. Irv Rambat bought this building and
moved it to 1 mile east of Anton, Colo. where
he made it into a house for his son Verdis
Rambat and his new wife. This farm is on the
north side of Highway 36.
Teachers: Peggy Splain, Yetta Burger,
Miss Byers, Rachel Harwood Kyle, JoAnn
Lobmeyer Pelle and Elbert Andry.
Students: Children of Elbert Andrev.
Clyde Elrick, Frank Michals, Vincent Ostrowski, Charles Holden, Charles Kyle, Sam
Harwood, Andrewjeski, Norman Haeseker,
Latrlue, Robb, MaHaffie. Tom Krafts and
others.
Huntzinger Gering through the War years
and others. Ruby Dorsey Hollenbaugh 1941.
Ora Cruickshank.
There were two rooms
in the
school
separating the grade schoolers from the high
schoolers. In some years there were two
teachers
high school and grade school. At
one time -there were 30 grade schoolers and
20 high schoolers in one year. Also when the
migration of settlers was at its highest there
were 23 new families from Kansas and
Missouri settling in the Shiloh community.
Students: Blanch Lippford Carper, Roll
Duncan, Art, Emily and Alice Niles, Archie
Harman, Clyde Harman, Bernice Harman
McBlair, Mary and Lear Nelson, Clint Jones
kids Marie, Dale and Lee. E.T. Loutzenhiser
kids Clair, Everett, Rex, Millard, Vera, Irene
and Lila. Velma Colier Taggaft 1922 and her
daughter Phelma and son Larry. Wrights.
Merl, Lila, and Maxine Jenkins. Margarie,
Juenita and Loren Portner. Frank and Hazel
Harwood. John Shaw. Porebasco kids. Charlie Back kids
Ralph, Bill and Tom. The
- Edwards
Jenkin kids. The
kids. Paul Moore.
Bud Todd. Billie Wilson. Helen Sproul. The
Codreys.
The Borings
Norman, Bill,
- The Ed Gerings
Tracie, Kenneth and Mona.
Ernest, Paul, Louis and Marie. Margarie
-Beck Scott. Art Robb in 1920, Lester, Delmar
and Dale. Bill Beck. Ruth Simmons Gustin.
Albert and Ruby Huntzinger. Art Riches
Merl, Mabel, Vera and Raymond. Cecil
Merl Dean, Josephine and Irene.
Mildred -Moore. Schiers. The Prest Kids
Robert, Sam, Larry, Dennis and Beatrice.
Charles
Roglands. Ollie James. Elmer Kings daughter
and
Ruth. Florence Smock. Bill. Jessie
Evelyn Simmons. The Lester Loutzenhisers
by Norman Michal
and the children of Mary Nelson Loutzenhiser were Loretta, Willard, Maryetta and
Dorthy. The Don Loutzenhiser kids
SHILOH SCHOOL
Darlene, Duane and Edith Jo. The Edward
Allachers
Willard and Florence.
-
T224
by Norman Michal
The Shiloh School was Iocated 1 mile east
of the northeast corner of Flagler, 8 miles
White Plains school, District 14. L. to R. back row:
Hazel Harwood, Louise Potter, Eulah Eckert.
Charlene Holden, Carl Sparks and Frank Harwood. Middle row: Gladys Andre, Marion Potter,
Kate Andre, and Robert Andre. Front row: Edna
Andre, Marjorie Clemens, Helen Michal, Mae
Andre, ? Clemens, RoyClemensand GeorgeAndre.
This School was located L/2 mile west of
Flagler then 14 miles north and 2 1/2 miles
west across the road from Vincent Ostrowski's farm and on Frank Michal's land. There
was first a soddie there before the frame
building was built in 1922 or 1923. The legal
description of its location at that time was the
northwest corner of the NW 1/4 of Section 29
Township 6 Range 51. School Dist. 14. The
building was bought by the Flagler School
District and moved to Flagler. It was made
into a home for the superintendent and today
is the home of David Edwards at 708 Main
Ave.
Teachers: Anna Liza Brown, Mrs. Loulla
Deiterick, Art Robb, Clyde Roberts, Mrs.
Dale Wiant, Rachel Harwood Kyle, Peggie
Splain, Charleen Holden and Nina White,
Alice Roberts Fruhling Liggett and possibly
others.
Students: The community families of the
Potters, Eckerts, Dines, Ostrowskis, Charles
north,
1 mile east, 6 miles north, 1 mile east.
1 1/2 miles north on the east side of the road
(ust north of E.T. Loutzenhiser or LeRoy
Loutzenhiser). This is 18 1/2 miles from
Flagler and today it is still at this location.
It has been referred to as the Sucker Flat
School but it is only in the Sucker Flat
community out in the Loutzenhiser country.
Most of the time there were two school
teachers teaching and often one or the other
would live in the basement. At one time there
were as many as 50 students attending in one
year. At one time there would be as many as
20 - 25 horses of the kids in the school barn
throughout the day. It was Iocated 1/2 mile
south and across the road from the old Ash
Grove School and the legal description was
near the southwest corner of the northwest
1/4 of Section 16 Township 6 Range 50. The
school district was known as Dist. 55. You
could attend High School here up to your
senior year but not including the senior year.
Students attending from outside the District
would have to pay tuition to go to school here.
The Shiloh School was built in 1915.
Teachers: Algie Sinton 1922,Mr. Parsons,
Art Robb, Alice Whittiker Fhruling, Frank
Day, Mr. Romburg 1937, Beatrice Pickenpaw
1937-38, Mrs. Hill 1936-37, Leah Davis
Portner 1934, Margie Beck Scott and Edith
MOUNT PLEASANT
SCHOOL
T225
This school was located L/2 mile west of
Flagler and 17 miles north then L/2 west (1/4
west
of Cecil Charles). There was first
a
soddie before the frame building was built in
either 1922 or 23. The legal description was
the southwest corner of the SE 1/4 of Section
3 Township 6 Range 51. School Dist. 14. The
Mount Pleasant School was sold to the
Seibert R.L.D.S. Church and moved to
Seibert where they held church until thev
built again and sold the school building. From
here it was moved west of Burlington about
three miles and is located on the south side
of old highway 24 on a high foundation.
Teachers: Mrs. Blanch Carper for two
years. Margie Minner, Clyde Roberts, Crystal
Stevens for two years, Rachel Hatch, Mrs.
Ella Rob Huntzinger, Lola Rillahan for two
years, Betty Pelle Loadmeyer, LaJean Cayton, Irene Charles Travis, Charleen Holden
and once Neil Bromley and possibly others.
Students: Frank Harwood and a daughter
Coreena, Azel Dorsey, The Frank Michal
family, Cecil Charles family, Laten Harwood
family, Donna Lee McCullah, Statlers.
�Thompsons, Phipps, Buckles, the families of
Vincent Ostrowski, Ed Carlson, Eaches,
Parker, Charles Kyle, Lee Smith, George
Codery, Carl and Clod Cuthbertson, Estel
Rose Baker and Marlin, MaHaffies, Cathlet,
Lonnie and Carl Elrick, Burches and others,
Bddie Stewart, Rosalee Moss Loutzenhiser,
Helen and Burl Miller.
bY Norman Michal
PLEASANT VALLEY
SCHOOL
T226
This school was located in the Sucker Flats
community and 1 mile east of Flagler, 8 miles
north. I mile east, 8 miles north, 6 miles east
and then 1 mile south. 1 mile south of The
North Flat School. Built in 1923 or
James
- was held only a few years until
1924 school
it burned in 1931.. The legal description was
the northeast corner of the NE 1/4 of Section
19 Township 6 Range 449. Teachers were
paid $75.00 per month.
The Teachers were Dora Buttler Wolverton for several years. Irene Heisten Bancroft
1930 - 1931, and Bernice Harman McBlair in
1931 at which time the school was burned.
Marion,
Students: The Tom Jensens
Leon, Aletha and one other -girl. Clyde
Harman. Dale Jones and his sister Marie
Vernie, Alma and
Jones Smith. Jensens
-
Lesa.
This was a very early day school and a
soddie located l/2 mile west of Flagler 13
miles north and then about 3/4 mile east. If
a person was looking there today at the site
you could see nothing at all that would
resemble a school site. The location is 1/2
mile north and L/2 mile east of the Frank
Harwood farmsite. In talking with Frank
Harwood, he says that he and his sister
Rachel Harwood Kyle were the only students
he could ever remember there and could not
even remember the teacher or her name.
The legal description would be the south-
west corner of the SE 1/4 of Section
Township 6 Range
26
51.
by Norman Michal
ASHGROVE SCHOOL
T227
This school was in the Sucker FIat country
it was 1 mile east, 8 north,
1 east, 8 north and 1 mile east on the south
side of the road. It was a soddie building built
in 1910. A picture ofthis school building can
be found elsewhere in this history book. The
legal description of the location was the
northeast corner ofthe NE 1/4 of Section 17
and from Flagler
Township 6 Range 50.
TEACHERS: Clair Williams 1909
-
1910.
1912. Dora Buttler
Wolverton 1911-1912 was hired to take the
place of Dazzie Hewett after a horse ran away
-
SCHOOL
T229
The Brandenburg school was located from
the northeast corner of Flagler; 1 mile east,
8 miles north, 3 miles east and 1/4th mile
south on the east side of the road' It was a
soddie school and was only used for a couple
ofyears. It was built in 1912 and the teacher
was Jennie Custine Sereno. Mrs' Sereno was
the lady who later had the triplet girls 9 miles
Gwynn went there to school for 1 year and her
sister Marguerite for 3 Years.
The soddie school building was no longer
safe so school was held in the LaRee farm
house for a short time until agreements were
made to have the kids schooled at the Weibel
soddie School in 1914' Those attending
Weibel School at that time was Ida and
Marguerite Fisher and Emit Chase with
Jennie Custine Sereno teaching.
The LaRee farm was locatedl/2 mile north
and I 1/4 mile west of the Brandenburg
School. The Brandenburg School legal location was the southwest corner just north of
Art Brandenburg's farm and the NW /4 of
Section 27 TownshiP 7 Range 50.
The first teacher was Jennie Custine in
1912. Miss Muck taught in 1913, and Jennie
Custine before she was married Sereno in
1914.
winter.
to live in
the school because
of the
severe
by Norman Michal
STUDENTS: Blanch Lipford Carper and
Flo Gering.
by Norman Michal
now belongs to The Church of Christ where
they held church for several years. The
present location is at 425 Pawnee Ave. in
Flagler. The legal description of the Prairie
Gem school location was the northeast corner
of the NE 1/4 of Section 26 Township 7 Range
50 District 14.
Teachers: Idra Phipps, Orpha Goodrich,
Virginia Harold, Miss Minnie Petty, LaVerna Reed, Mrs. Dora Wolverton several
years, Ben Sawhill, Gorden, Lola James 1932,
Betty, LaVell. The Burr girls. Harris JonesLeRoy, Phyllis, Don and Erma. Kenneth
Inmans-Stan and Louis. Clarence Burgess.
Floyd Reed.
by Norman Michal
PRAIRIE VIEW OR
WALKER SCHOOL
T231
School had been held here in one soddie
and then another soddie building prior to the
construction of a frame building in 1922 or
1923. The school was located l/2mile west of
Flagler, ? miles north, 1 mile west and then
3/4 mile north on the east side of the section
line. This was known as the Walker and
Huntley communities. It is not clear as to
where the school was moved but some seem
to think it is here in Flagler. The legal
description was the northwest corner of
Section 27 Township 7 Range 5L in District
14 until that community withdrew to come
to the Flagler District in about 1940.
Teachers: Dola Belden, Mrs. Olie Swenn
Olsen, Mrs. Ella Robb Huntzinger, Mrs. John
Codery, Mamie Kyle Huntzinger, Lola Shaw
Rillahan 1921, Ruby Dorsey Hullenbaugh
1936, June Kyle Schidler and others.
Students: The families of Roy Walker,
Floyd Fager, Cecil Bogat, Andrewjeski,
Meyers, Eddie Stewart, Pasley, Robbison,
George Bull, Frank Jorden, Park Weatherly,
Eatches, Beeman, Chapla and others.
bY Norman Michal
her sister Hattie. Ruth and May King. Velma
Churchwell. Dewie Landeau' Glenn Gomer.
Ralph Clapp Funeral Home. The property
Roger, LaVetta. Copleys-Louis, David, Doris,
several years. Later teachers were Winfield
Keneese, Dora Buttler Wolverton again and
Nina Anderson.
Colier Taggart. Theadore, Ethel' Byron,
Blanch and Mable Gourd. Bruce Nelson.
Ethelyn Curry. Russel, Tom and Florence
church and at one time was the Chapel ofthe
mie and Orville. Louis Reids-David, Orlin,
her buggie and upset and broke her arm.
Dazzie Hewitt returned to teach 1912-1913.
Miss Prudence Robbinson Bragg taught
During the War years (1942 - 1945)
mattresses were made from Government
supplied material in this school. The school
building was bought by Hamer Shaw and
moved to Flagler where it was made into a
Students: The Brandenburgs-Mertle, Jim-
BRANDENBURG
It was in 1914 during the winter that the
teacher Jennie and Ida and Marguerite had
*ith
apparently ofan over heated and unattended
heating coal stove. It was rebuilt and school
was held there until consolidation into the
Flagler District in 1949.
Mrs. Thompson and others.
north and 1/2 west of Flagler. Ida Fisher
bY Norman Michal
Dazzie Hewitt 1911
DOLAN SCHOOL T228
PRAIRIE GEM
SCHOOL
T230
The Prairie Gem School was located 1 mile
east of the northeast corner of Flagler, 8 miles
north and then 5 miles east on the south side
of the road. This is what is known as the Jones
and Burgess communities. The first frame
building was built about 1924 and school was
held there only two years before it burned
IIOENSTEIN - BEHEN
SCHOOL
T232
This school was located 3 1/2 miles west of
the north edge of Flagler, 3 miles north and
then 1/2 mile east. It was very small with only
a few kids attending. Erwin Hoenstein remembers some older boys once stuffing him
�down a prairie dog hole there when he visited
before he was old enough to attend school.
They were unable to get him out and had to
go for help to get him out. The school was
located about 3/4 mile east of the Hoensteins
and was later moved to just across the road
east of their house and Erwin used it for a ice
house as it was only 14 feet wide and 14 feet
long inside.
Teachers: Unknown.
Students: Olivar Perrish, a fellow whose
first name was Guss and the Behen kids.
Possibly a few others.
The legal description was the southeast
corner of Section 17 Township 8 Range 51.
by Norman Michal
NORTH FLAT OR
JAMES SCHOOL
T233
This school was located at the eastern edge
of what is known as Sucker Flats 1 mile east
of Flagler, 8 miles north I mile east, 8 miles
north and 6 miles east on the south side of
the road andjust east ofwhat was known then
as the Ollie Ja-es and now the Walt Timm
Farms. The legal description is the northeast
corner of the NE 1/4 of Section 18 Township
6 Range 49. The school was first an "adobe
block" building and at that time was known
as the "James School", then later when the
frame structure was built the school was then
known as "North Flat School." The adobe
building was built in 1911-1912 by Kelley
Hembrie, Mr. Hogland and Olie James.
TEACHERS:lzetta. Wren 1911-19t 2. Jonnie Husband. Mrs. Harold Jenkins. Mrs.
Edith Huntzinger Gering. Irene Heisten
Bancroft L92l-1922. Madeline Ott Becker
1930-1931.
Dela Hendricks
193r-1932
(boarded at the Jensens). Dorothy Schmidt
(lived in the school). Julia Wanczyk Dugan
1935-1936. Irene Heisten Bancroft 19371938-1939. Francis Vandermeir 1939-f940.
Bernice Harman McBlair 1940-1941. Reta
James Lounge 1944-L945. Neva Back McCaffery (the last year school was held here).
STUDENTS: Hattie Lipford. Jasper Wolf.
Hoglands
Allie, Wilbur. Ruby Loutzenhis-
er. Nellie- Sears. Ace Harmans
- Clyde,
Archie and Burnice. Kenneth Weise.
Alex
Todds daughter Bula. Grover Todds
-
Robert and Owen.
STUDENTS: Tom Jensens
Oliver,
Leslie, Goldie and Vernie. The Quintins
Emily, Todd, Merl, Matilda, Jonn and Sam.
J.C. Millers
Ord, Norman, George, and
Burl. Ord Millers
Thelma and Lorance.
-Johnie,
Billie Weskins
Clode and
- James Elzie,
Jim. Frickies. Ollie
Lola, Reta and
Bill. Burt Scotts daughter -Kathleen Graffis.
Neva Back McCaffery. Ed Allachers
Willard and Florence. Segal Grimes Beckie, Bill and Bob. Archie Harmans Patricia, Beverly and Barbara. Richard
Forbes Srs. son Richard Jr.
It
is interesting to note that the
very first car or automobile to come to the
NOTE:
northwestern corner of
Kit
Carson County
was owned by a Mr. Lee who lived about 16
1/2 miles north of Seibert, Colorado and on
the west side of the Cope road in 1913. He
would hire out to take those who had made
a claim on a piece of land to Hugo, Colorado
where they would have to register their claim
or "Prove IJp" as it was known then, with
witnesses, on that land. Now this Mr. Lee
lived within 3 miles of Mr. Ollie James who
was the grandfather of the Astronaut Michael
"Mike" Lounge who flew on the Discovery in
August of 1985 and is scheduled to fly again
in August 1988 on the Discovery. See the
story of Michael "Mike" Lounge as a astronaut elsewhere in this history book.
by Norman Michal
McBRIDE OR FISHER
SCHOOL
T234
The McBride School was first held in a
farm building 14 feet by 14 feet square on the
farm of the McBrides. Now this is a different
Mc Bride than the Dr. Mc Brides
who
doctored in Flagler during the 1950s. It was
located from the northeast corner of Flagler
1 mile east, 4 miles north, 1 mile east, 1 mile
north, 1 mile east then north 1 mile and about
1/8 mile northwest off out in the prairie on
the land now owned by Buck Fisher. School
was held here only a couple of years but one
year a small boy had an appendix attack and
died and was buried nearby. The
house
Harrington school 1940 in the Mangus buggy, L.
Mangus, Ruth Harrington, Jack
Mangus, Vernetta Korbelik, Dale Mangus, Ona
Jean Mangus, Ina Lea Mangus and Lyle Shook in
front.
to R.: Leslie
burned to the ground so the school building
was moved east across the road west of LeRoy
Jones present farm site. Mrs. Mc Bride
taught l year and Miss Muck I year while the
school was at the Mc Bride farm. While at the
new school site near Jones the Dillon kids
Tom, Opal and Hazel; the Bonhams
Russel, Margaret, and Loretta; the Fishers
-
Ida, Marguerite and Buck; E.M. Copleys
Neoma and Betty, all attended.
The TEACHERS were Mrs. Vernon Simpson at one time and then Mrs. Purrish in
1920. The echool was moved again I mile west
to Buck Fishers and the Fisher homestead
and used as a grainery before being burned
to destroy it. The first location was in the
south center of the SE L/4 of Section 32
Township 7 Range 50 and the second location
was the southeast corner of the NE 1/4 of
Section 26 Township 7 Range 50. From the
northeast corner of Flagler 1 mile east, 4 miles
north, 1 mile east, 1 mile north, 2 miles east,
2 miles north, 1 mile east and l/2 mile south
on the west side of the road.
by Norman Michal
GREEN VALLEY
DISTRICT #TL
T235
Prior to the construction ofthe new "Green
Valley" school house in 1941, there were
classes held in two other schoolhouses in the
Green Valley community in the 1930's. One
was located in the SW corner of Section 269-42. Teachers in that school included: Ora
Cruickshank, Christine Manley and Genevieve Shannon. Students known to have been
enrolled there were: Marjorie and Erma
Schmidt; Ona Jean, Ina Lee, Garth (Jack),
Dale, and Leslie Ray (Bob) Mangus; Lyle
Shook; Vernetta Ann Korbelik: and Elna
Fairy princess, Vernetta Korbelik; Erma Schmidt;
Doll, Ina Lea Mangus; Ona Jean Mangus; Soldier,
Lyle Shook; Phyllis Shook; Back row; Miss Shannon and Ruth Harrington, 1940-41.
Ruth Harrington.
The other schoolhouse was located in
NW % of Section 29-9-42. Enrollment there
was: Marjorie Schmidt, Beata and Duane
Schaai Erma Schmidt and Vernetta Korbelik. The teachers there were: Marie Ann Esch.
Marjorie Guthrie and Lily Mae Behl. Eighth
grade graduates in the school were Marjorie,
Beata and Duane.
On June 16, 1941, these two schoolhouses
were sold. Charles Kaestner bought one for
$8?.50 and Walter Gillespie bought the other
one for $65.00. Adolph Korbelik paid 952.00
for the coal shed.
A new schoolhouse was built in District
#11 in 1941. It was later titled the "Green
Valley School". It is located in Section 28-942, a nice roomy building with a full basement. The community attended the new school
dedication along with the graduation of the
first 8th grade graduate, Elna Ruth
Harrington, on May 2, L942. Mrs. Josie
Youtsey was the teacher. First school board
members were: Adolph Korbelik, Ralph
Schmidt and Miles Kiper. Adolph served as
board member until the school consolidated
with RE-6J, some 15 years later and then on
�center of many fond memories, hard work
and togetherness of the community.
by Rose Korbelik
ALL I EVER REALLY
NEED TO KNOW I
LEARNED IN
KINDERGARTEN
T236
At the 1987 Colorado Governor's Conference on Aging, Governor Roy Romer quoted
an article which appeared in the Konsas City
bib overalls to tall girl; Danny Gilbert, Ralph and Rod Heskett, David Rollo, Shirley
- dark
Harrington. Front row; Kenneth and Clair Heskett, Ona Jean and Ina Lea Mangus, Erma
Heskett, Ruth
Schmidt, and Vernetta Korbelik.
Back row
& Mrs.
Shook, and
Mr. & Mrs. Marvin
Gilbert. The two families who are still in the
Green Valley community are Mr. & Mrs.
Adolph Korbelik, the last of the "old time"
residents since 1931. (Their children: Vernetta, Harvey and Patricia were raised here
Green Valley School
built in
to
lhe RE-6J Board for two more terms. Last
students to attend Green Valley School were:
Donald Gilbert and Patricia Korbelik (both
3th grade graduates) and Glenda, Nolan and
Teddy Davis. Edith Whiteman was the
beacher.
Names of parents who are no longer in the
Green Valley school area, but have had
children enrolled in this school: Mr. & Mrs.
Tom Warren, Mr. & Mrs. George Blomenclahl, Mr. & Mrs. Ray Mangus, Mr. & Mrs.
Ralph Schmidt, Mr. & Mrs. Burdette Miller,
Mr. & Mrs. Marion Harrington, Mr. & Mrs.
Wayne Davis, Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Haskett, Mr.
& Mrs. Herbert Gaines, Mr. & Mrs. Carl
Denton, Mr. & Mrs. Jack Hines, Mr. & Mrs.
Chambers, Mr. & Mrs. Bisbee, Mr. & Mrs.
Gene Davis, Mr. & Mrs. Showalter, Mr. &
Mrs. Dale Gilbert. Mr. & Mrs. Winston, Mr.
hit
people. Put things back where you found
them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take
things that aren't yours. Say you're sorry
when you hurt somebody. Wash your hand
before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and colc
milk are good for you. Live a balanced life.
whose son, Rodney, attended Green Valley
every day some. Take a nap every afternoon.
School.
When you got out into the world, watch for
quired its own piano
R. Donald Gilbert and Patricia Korbelik, graduates, Glenda Davis and Edith Whiteman, teacher.
Front; Yvette Miller, Teddy and Nolan Davis.
the things I
learned: Share everything, play fair, don't
Learn some and think some and draw and
paint and sing and dance and play and work
and surprised the children during their
Christmas program. When the school ac-
3th grade graduation at Green Valley School; L.
nursery school. These are
and all attended School District #11 through
the 8th grade), and Mr. & Mrs. Rynal Amack,
Teachers in the district 1941, Mrs. Josie
Youtsey, 1942, Mrs. Mary Krueger, 1943,
Mrs. Lois Blomendahl, l944,Lil Olsen, 1946,
Mrs. Haulsy, t947, Mrs. Hazel Fromong,
1949, Darrell Mann, 1950, Mrs. Sally Bauder,
1951, Lily Mae Behl, 1952, Mrs. Ruby
Conarty, 1954, Edith Whiteman.
The school was appreciated by everyone
and served well as a community center for
club meetings, parties, etc. During Mrs.
Bauder's term, on December 22, 1950, one of
the most exciting times in the kids'memories
was when Santa Claus, himself, came by
airplane, landed in the pasture by the school
1941.
Times written by Robert Faugham. We print
it here to remind us all: "Most of what I really
need to know about, how to live, and what to
do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate
school mountain but there in the sandbox at
it added to the fun of
school programs and parties. Rose Korbelik
played the piano for many such functions.
Green Valley school got its familiar name
when the first 4-H Club in the area was
organized in 1944 and was named Green
Valley 4-H. Harold Schmidt was the first 4H Leader. Charter members of the club were:
David Bogart, Russell Davis, Stanley Davis,
Dale Eberhart, Jerry Eberhart, Marlin (Moe)
Eberhart and Vernetta Ann Korbelik. Long
term serving leaders were Lyla Davis Enyart,
25 years and Adolph Korbelik, 17 years.
Green Valley Home Demonstration Club
also held their meetings there for many years.
Green Valley Home Demonstration Club was
organized in January, 1946, and is still active.
Farm Bureau meetings and meetings resulting in community progress, such as, installing the telephone lines in 1948 and REA
electric lines in the early 1950's. These were
community projects, organized and physically accomplished by the families of the
community. Many other business and social
activities made Green Valley school the
traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be
aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in
the plastic cup. The roots go down and the
plant goes up and nobody really knows how
or why, but we are all like that. Gold fish and
hamsters and white mice and even the little
they all die. So do
seed in the plastic cup
we. And remember the -book about Dick and
Jane and the first word you learned, the
biggest word of all LOOK. Everything you
need to know is in there somewhere. The
Golden Rule and love the basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and sane living. Think
what a better world it would be if we all
had cookies and milk
the whole world
- afternoon and then lay
about 3 o'clock every
down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had
a basic policy in our nation and other nations
to always put things back where we found
them and cleaned up our own messes. And it
is still true, no matter how old you are, when
you go out into the world, it is best to hold
hands and stick together."
by Editors
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE
THEN
T237
An incident recounted by Charlotte Godsman, an early day teacher in the Seibert area
and later prominent in Denver schools,
vividly recounts how times have changed, "A
couple of the boys, still wishing to show their
to school quite
casually from nine to ten o'clock A.M.,
without excuses, perhaps whistling a little in
the hall before entering the school room. I
independence, would come
�insisted on excuses for both tardiness and
absences, but they determined to win out.
(soNG) - *scHOOL
DAYS"
A
tslk with their father showed me that he
could not make his son mind. I fortified
myself with a good riding whip. The next day,
Friday, they took the afternoon off. I had told
them I would punish them if they came again
without excuses. Sure enough, the boys
returned Monday morning without excuses.
I brought out the whip and asked them to
stand; one did. I whipped him, then turned
and whipped the other boy as he sat there in
his seat. After a few etrokes of the whip, I
stopped to ask him if he had matches in his
pocket, and if so to please remove them. He
looked amazed, smiled queerly, put his
fingers in his vest pocket and drew out some
half burned, smoking matches! The room was
as
still
as
still. I had seen a little smoke curling
upward from his vest pocket and knew that
the whip's lash had ignited the matches. The
pupils were now amused, but
I
calmly
finished the punishment and proceeded with
the program. I never had any more trouble
with those boys. Years after one of them told
me that whipping him was the best thing that
ever happened to him as he had never had to
mind before. I never used corporal punishment if it could be avoided. But, those days,
if a teacher showed that she was afraid to
whip, she was lost and no discipline could be
maintained. Times have changed much since
1g96!"
to the school house and wait out the storm or
the arrival of possible help.
T239
T238
THE RURAL
As a beginner first I canre, into the spacious hall of fame.
Great was the atre that filLed nry nrind, next for childhoocr left behincl .
soon came teacher stern and tall saying don't stancl there in the hall.
You should be working at your lessons nor,r, then r began my,jreat career
in P.V.S. , in P.V.S.
trr'ith teacher true and schoolmate dear, we,ll sing three cheers for our
dear old P.V.S.
to cLass now with me, and the results of labor see;
Reading, arithmetic, grammer, too; history,.Seography ever new.
Here we may learn to lvrite and drar.r, r,.'ork with a irarnmer and a saro.
And to be kind to everyone fie meet, but if vre do not nalk just right,
or turn our head or v"'ink an eye, then to the teacher r^)e must go and be:
to renrain in our dear old p.V.S.
Come
CHORUS: Oh P.V.S. days how dear to me, so free fron
care, so full of glee.
Our tuneful hearts in song we raise, our troubles
leave for future davs.
Song
school house. I carried plenty ofcoal in from
the coal house to last the rest of the day and
SCHOOL AND A BAD
BLIZZAB'D
SCHOOL
Your days are numbered, few remain
That point the way you l<new
To let the mind and spirit grow,
As bone and ntuscle grew.
The children learned and lived as one
In grades from one through eight;
lf they absorbed what each should learn
Lhat mattered age or rate?
But who has seen a one-room school
llith nrud roads to the door?
On winter mornings, snow was deep
But walking or riding a horse was the score.
l{ithin there were the screw-down seats,
The oily floor and broonr,
Pot-bellied stove, and pile of coal
To heat the crowded roonr,
The blackboards scant, the waEer pail,
No telephone fo boast-But there was space to
fly a kite
Or slope on which to coast.
Nostalgia haur,ts the one-room schooL,
No marker tells its rrorth;
Among those passinl through the door
L:ere great ones of the earth.
Author
unknown
Poem
T240
The blizzard that we experienced on March
1977, reminded my wife and I of an
experience that we had in a storm fifty years
ago: she, as a mother, a rancher, a country
IL,
school teachers' wife during a real old time
blizzard; I, as a country school teacher and
school bus driver. My bus was a 1918 Model
T Ford, quite a car at that time. It had a top
that could be put up and side curtains that
could be put in place in stormy weather.
On this memorable day in March L9ZE, I
had my oldest son Bobbie, a six year old
beginner and three of Collie Teel's children,
Sylvan, Chest€r and Hazel, whom I bused to
school at the Old Pleasant Meadow school
where I taught that winter. This school house
was located twelve miles south of Vona.
Colorado to the correction line then 1 mile
west. The weather being very threatening
that morning, no more of the fifteen pupils
that usually attended my school showed. As
the morning wore on the storm intensified to
the extent that by noon
I
decided that
I
should dismiss school and head for home with
my four pupils. We ate our lunches before
starting as each child always carried his own
lunch bucket with his noonday meal. I put the
side curtains on and bundled my four pupils
into the Model T with robes and quilts that
I always carried.
by Eleanor Varce
lined the four
SCHOOL DAYS
by Editors
THE RURAL SCHOOL
I
children up in a row, covered them completely with the quilts from the car, and led them
through that raging blizzatd, back to the
The Model T started alright but before we
had traveled % mile the blizzard had intensified to the extent that the blowing snow
whipped up under the hood wetting the
motor and the electrical wires and the motor
died. The only thing to do then was walk back
possibly the night. We moved four long
benches into a square around the pot bellied
stove. We sang songs and played games to
pass the time as studying was out of the
question. As the dark of night approached
and no help came for us, I lighted the coal oil
lamp that hung in a bracket on the wall.
If I remember right, we had three sandwiches left in our five lunch pails which the
children let me divide as even as possible
among the five of us which we made do for
supper. I kept a good fire all night and let the
children sleep on the benches with what
quilts and covers were available.
On our home ranch six miles away, my wife
Winifred was at home with our five year old
preschooler, Guy, who had an earache all
night. She also had to milk and feed the cows,
feed calves, horses, chickens and hogs as best
she could in a blizzard with the womy of not
knowing why I and our six year old Bobbie
didn't come home, wondering where we were,
maybe stranded on a prairie road where there
were few if any fences to follow, no graded
roads and of, course, no telephones.
Meanwhile, the four children and I spent
a reasonably comfortable night, sleeping part
time at least on the floor or the benches near
the heating stove. Not long after daylight the
next morning, we saw a man ride into the
school yard on a horse. It was Mr. Teel. the
father of the Teel children. He had worried
all night about us so started out at daylight
trying to find his way to the school house, just
two miles from his home. He was aimlesslv
drifting in the storm. He had accidentallv
seen the school house that he was about to
pass. Mr. Teel was surely relieved to find us
safe and fairly comfortable except that we
had nothing for breakfast.
By 8:00 a.m. the storm seemed to be
slackening some and we decided to try
walking the two miles to the Teel home.
Thl
�horse that Mr. Teel had tied to the door knob
had rubbed his bridle off and was gone.
Before we had traveled
a half mile I
realized that little Bob wouldn't be able to
walk very far in all the snow, so I carried him
on my back piggyback for some distance.
Then Mr. Teel and I made a saddle of our
hands between us and carried him most ofthe
rest of the trip. Another mother was much
relieved to see us come walking in, safe but
tired, cold and hungry.
Little Bob's cheeks showed white spots
indicating that his cheeks were somewhat
frozen. Mrs. Teel gave us a good hot breakfast
after which I borrowed a horse of Mr. Teel's,
took little Bob on with me and rode the rest
of the four miles home, ariving about 11:00
a.m. much to the relief of my wife who had
done an excellent job of choring and caring
for a sick boy and all the time worrying as to
what the fate of the school children and me
might have been.
This is just one of the harrowing experiences that my wife Winnie and I went
through during my twenty years as a country
school teacher in Kit Carson County, Colorado. Written by Carl Harrison.
bY J. Carl Harrison
****{€*******:lc**
Flagler News, Oct. 13, 1927: "Prairie Gem
School House Dedicated Sunday"' "A large
crowd gathered at the new Prairie Gem
schoot building last Sunday morning. Sun'
day
School was held as usual,
after which
a
bounteous basket dinner was serued in the
basernent. The meeting was called' to order
about two o'cloch and the following program
was rendered: Seueral songs by the audience,
followed by a beautiful song by Mrs. Schekel,
accompanied by Mrs. Harry Cates of Seibert.
C.I. Bonham, as president of the school
board, extended a hearty welcome, in a few
well chosen words. Miss Reba Edwards, the
teacher, followed with remarks of congratu'
lations to patrons and friends of the districtSidney P. God,srnan of Burlington deliuered
the main address, which was uery inspiring.
He spoke on 'Americanism, CommunitY
Interests and Difficulties and our Wonder-
ful Educational Aduantages.' His talk
was
thoroughly enjoyed by all that were present.
Prairie Gem school is located about 15 miles
northeast of Flagler, and, has always taken
an actiue interest in educational matters
and cornmunity betterment, and is justly
proud of the new building just completed.
The patrons of this school are uery loyal to
the school as there is not a child in the
district being hept at home to work! All are
in school and the district has a 100 percent
high school enrollment. Seuen pupils from
this district are attending high school in
Seibert and Flagler. The school house is
24x40 feet with full basement and is
equipped with a hot air furnace.
1931-2, Laura Mae Malbaff taught at
Sunny Dale School, staying with Grandma
and Grandpa Plum. Two teachers were
employed at this school; the other was Mary
Furlong. They roomed at the Plums for
per month. Later, the board and. room
was lowered to $15.00 when word by grapeuine hinted they might consider mouing into
$25.00
the school house. The time was the year
Phillip was born. Mary Furlong and another
teacher were driuing here from Iowa to teach
at this school. They had a car accident and
the other teocher was killed. Laura Mae took
the job because of this. Loren and Mable
Plum liued here and prouided transportation from home to school. Often in cold
weather Loren wouLd build a fire under the
Mod.el T to get it started. If he failed, he
hitched up a team and took them in a sleigh.
In good weather, the teachers would walk; it
was about three miles. Teachers' salary at
this tirne was $75.00 per m.onth. Laura Mae's
first uisit to Flagler was to a debate here with
her tearn from Englewood, Colorado. They
stayed ouernight at the Lauington home and
she neuer dreamed then that one day she
would liue in Flagler.
Ash Groue School: Flagler News, 1916.
"New School District." "A new school district has been organized in the Shiloh
country. A meeting wos held at the Ash
Groue School house last Monday when it was
d.ecided to elect officers and forrn an organi-
zation. The new d.istrict wiII
be composed
of
a territory about fiue miles square and will
haue nearly twenty scholars.
George And,re was elected president, Bed-
ford Nelson, secretary, and Delbert Todd,
treasurer. The officers will hold until the
regular school election next May.
A special election will be held in the near
future for the purpose of uoting bonds for a
new school building. It is now planned to
build a two-room school house with
a
basement. County Superintendent Miss
Tressel was present at the meeting and gaue
aduice as to the conduct of the new d'istrict.
We are sure pleased to see the great interest
rnanifest in school matters in rural school
districts. With the new church, new school
house and other improuernents, the Sucker
Flats country is coming right to the
Harry DeLos
in
1903
Ross taught his
front'"
first school
of
in the Chase District north
Burlington.
Edna Browning Rose-Priest attended the
1887-1888 and taught at
Hoyt School about
Hoyt later.
Mettie W. Rose-Shannahan-Loue was
born Nou. 7, 1883, in the old home in
Madison County, Iowa. She was less than
four years old when her family came to
Colorado. She was a good student and
becarne a teacher in Kit Carson County
rnany years. She made the best auerage in
the Teacher's Exam.ination of any one else
euer taking it.
�
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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Title
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Country Schools
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
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history
Description
An account of the resource
Record of the Country Schools in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
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text
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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928934c534abb4d80a58fe631cefdca4
PDF Text
Text
see if the barn could be put there to
compliment the Carousel.
After some consideration they decided that
the fairgrounds was too small for the barn.
Ernest knew that Harold McArthur
was
going to erect a steel building on some ground
that he owned just south of Rose Avenue in
Burlington so they talked to Harold about it
and of course the first thing that came up was
that Harold did not have enough ground to
house both his building and the barn.
At this time they went to see the barn.
Ernest McArthur and Edgar Pratt were sold
on having it moved to Burlington. Douglas
Hillman owned the barn and had offered to
give it to the city or the county if they would
move it.
Edgar and Ernest then went to the city and
found that there would be some ground there
for the barn. Rol Hudler, the mayor, did not
think that Harold McArthur would cooperate
enough to move the building to the barn site,
council in Burlington. The work by Ernest
McArthur was primary to the conception of
"OId Town".
on eastern Colorado history, a lot of informa-
tion and pictures will be available to the
viewer.
Other buildings in the Old Town complex
Henry Hoskin said that this is the way that
he remembers how the idea was born regardIess of whatever anyone else says. Signed
Henry Hoskin, board member.
area as follows: The original Bethune depot;
a law office constructed to show a wonderful
old Wooten desk and leatherbound
law
books; a combination bank and land office;
a barber shop; an old cream station fully
equipped; a wonderful old general store; a
blacksmith shop; a large two-story barn
where melodramas are held during the
summer months; There is an old farm house;
a vintage school house; a two-room sod house;
Old Town was built to offer the residents
in this part of the country a look back at their
heritage. With that in mind, the following
buildings were either moved to the Old Town
location at 480 South 14th Street or they were
built as close to 'the way it was' as possible.
The main Museum building is known
as
a L92l Methodist Episcopal Church from
Armel, Colorado; a little frame building full
of dolls, a large two-story house built in the
early 1900's which is furnished with items
dating back to the late 1800's; a drugstore; a
"The McArthur Building". This building
It
is a
mixture of furniture, paintings, equipment
and many, many other items. In this building
houses most of the unusual antiques.
you will also find the gift shop. In this
building you will find a replica of Burlington
as it was when it became a town (Incorpora-
saloon; a leather shop; a woodworking shop;
a printing office and a research room. There
is a brick town square, a wooden windmill and
outhouses. You will also find many old-style
ted) in the year 1888. Since Old Town is based
street lights and boardwalks. The Old Town
Board has endeavored to keep these buildings as realistic as possible.
Old Town is a community project that was
put together to tell the story about Bur-
It is the
hope of all involved that this facility will
provide jobs as well as promote interest in
researching our heritage. We also hope this
lington and the surrounding area.
\
'l
-A'
r
look into the past will bring back fond
memories to the older folks and a realization
of 'how far we have come'to the young people.
1
1.
I
l
by Elaine Taylor
d,*."'*d^
..^..".
TOWN OF FLAGLER
TSll
Like many other settlements along the
Rock Island Railroad Line, a town's location
was determined by the railroad. About every
eleven miles, more or less, there was a need
to
replenish water
in
boilers
of
thirsty
steamers of that day. Little regard for wishes
of early settlers or small existing villages was
given by railroad men. This
Old Town, 198?, before completion of first phases of construction.
but of course Harold was all for it so at this
time the city offered to purchase the ground
from Kenneth Yersin to place the barn on
and Harold offered to put his steel building
on the site.
They both told Ernest that if he would see
that the building was moved they would
cooperate. Ernest McArthur contacted the
mover from Colby, Kansas and arrangements
were made to have the barn moved right
is
certainly
evident in the location of the town of Flagler.
;
j i ..*iuio
.&
ia.
14t'
'l
"
il':.illl;
away,
Ernest McArthur was informed that there
was a church at Armel that would be donated
so Ernest had the church moved to the site.
Harold McArthur volunteered to move a
small schoolhouse from Cope and Russell
McArthur volunteered to erect a blacksmith
shop on the site.
At this time the city received word that the
State of Colorado would build a tourist
information center along I-70 at Burlington.
The idea of building an "Old Town" similar
to the one at Minden, Nebraska was being
born and could be a tourist attraction for
ELrrlinrrtnn
'fhio
irlao
aqmo frnm
thp
nifw
a
The oldest building and store in Flagler, built in 1890-92, owned by W.H. Lavington. Prior to this his store
was housed
in a "tent".
�of the Rock Island depot and of a new town
in the community.
While these acts were transpiring, very few
noticed a Mr. McGonigal from Colby, Kansas
who was very busy a short distance away. He
arranged for land and quietly platted a town
site about a mile west of Mr. Robinson; this
was recorded to have been done in 188? bv
one old timer. There is
little doubt
some
beneficial knowledge had taken him to this
spot beyond the rail head.
The rail head reached Bowser, a good
reason for celebration and they did celebrate!
Mr. Strode probably found little reason for
this as the trackage continued west with no
stop near Crystal Springs. Next day, Mr.
Robinson wasn't celebrating either as work
progressed on west a mile or so and the crew
began digging a well which always accompanies a depot. Strangely, the site of well digging
was right beside the land and town site Mr.
McGonigal had platted! An only structure in
the area was a corral, built by the Pubsley
brothers, living near Hugo, who ran cattle in
the area.
School building
in
1893, upper right.
As the rail head moved westward, progress
was closely watched by a few early locals who
were hoping
for
some prosperity
in
its
coming. There was, no doubt, considerable
disappointment when the track missed Hoyt
by several miles and a new town site named
Seibert was established. This occurred about
August, 1888.
Farther west along a supposed path for the
railway was a perfect place to obtain water,
an excellent site for a town, near Crystal
Springs and quite near the Republican River.
Stephen S. Strode had settled there in 1887
and in anticipation of coming trackage, he
and a few neighbors platted a town site.
Streets were laid out as Chicago, Rock Island,
Colorado and Railway going east-west.
North-south streets were designated as
Front, First, Second and so on. Hopes were
high and at this time, Mr. Strode registered
a bid for Crystal Springs to become the
county seat ofan expected formation ofa new
county. Moves were being made to divide
Elbert County into several smaller counties
in the territory.
About this time, Bennet Robinson came to
the area flrd samped at the Strode place
while he constructed a residence a couple
miles west. When he had finished. he established at this location a general store. In
honor of a prized dog named Bowser, which
disappeared, he named his site,
"Bowser." (referred to by many as
"Bowserville"). Mr. Robinson received an
had
appointment as postmaster at Bowser before
July, 1888. With an established store and
post-office, hopefully along right of way, he
felt there would be no doubt
as
to the location
One of the earliest church services held in
the neighborhood was conducted by C.W.
Smith on July 25th, 1888. Mr. Smith stated
it was held in a shack or saloon building, on
flat bottom land, about 40 rods northwest of
the railroad bridge at the Republican River.
The saloon was for convenience of railroad
workers there.
At a small meeting of railway officials, a
name was given the new depot location. They
decided to call it Malowe, to honor a railroad
attorney, Mr. M.A. Lowell (spelled Mallowin
some records).
by Lyle W. Stone
* * * * *{€ {c rf rlr * * {€ {€ * :l€
The Weekly Register
No territory on earth can surpass Eastern
Colorado for soil climate and prosperity.
Crystal Springs is the least advertised
place for its size and age of any place in
Colorado. Our numerous springs of pure
water is inexhaustible quantities are famous
all over the east and when immigrants once
reached Elbert County, they are not content
until they see Crystal Springs. An abundance
of water is appreciated in Colorado and a
place so finely favored is certain to fill up in
the course of a very short time.
Preaching services were held at the S.S.
Strode residence last Wednesday evening.
Quite a number were present and were well
pleased with the service.
The track of the Chicago, Kansas and
Nebraska is within sixty miles of us and
coming at a rate of two miles and one furlong
per day. If the track layers continue at this
gait, they will reach us by the first of August.
Mr. M.A. Lowe, President (?) of the
Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska and Mr. W.F.
Parker, Chiefengineer ofthe railroad, passed
through here last week enroute to Colorado
Springs. The party stopped here and had
their photos taken and continued their
Flagler, looking north toward railroad; Lavington Dry Goods, Williams Drug Store, Rock Island Hotel and
water tank visible.
overland trip to the Springs, inspecting the
work between here and there.
The Weekly Register of Crystal Springs,
Elbert County, Colorado, July 4th, 1888.
by Arch Cunningham
�t
II
l,
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T3r2
In a matter of days, activity began in the
settlement. First reported structures
were the railroad section house and water
tiny
tank. Soon, soddie walls began to appear and
other structures began, almost frantically, to
take shape. A town well was hand dug
northeast of the present municipal maintenance shop. A windlass was used to wind out
water for locals and their livestock from the
well. Mr. W.H. Lavington and John W.
in partnership, a large
In this tent they operated the
settlement's first general store. A fall chill
Augustine erected
horse tent.
arrived and tents used by railroad gangs gave
little protcction from chilly nights. These
tents would be little protection from winter's
bitter cold. This may be the reason for frantic
building in the beginning of settlement
history.
It is possible some distaste for the nnme
given the settlement existed among its
Smith Evans Land Company and the I.O.O.F. Hall' built in 1906.
residents. After all, railroad men had named
it. An opportunity to change this appeared
with a reported visit to the rail head of an
investor interested in checking on progtess of
the railroad. His name was Henry Flagler and
reports of his empire in Florida preceded
him. A city had been named to honor him. He
had just built a fine hotel, the "Ponce De
Leon" and he proposed to build a rail line
down through the keys. He had performed
miracles in transforming part of Florida into
a garden spot.
To commemoratc his visit, a plan to
rename the settlement and afford him a
proper welcome was devised. A new name,
Flagler, was acceptable; a very new hotel,
hastily erected by Mr. Keegan, was renamed
"Ponce De Leon," with an appropriate sign
affixed to be visible from the depot. An
additiond sign was painted and placed near
the section - house to asgure recognition of
the hotel's name. A gala celebration was
January 20, 1909, "spring Fever" on Main St. Third from left is Frank Gibson' Kneeling with fishing pole
i. C"tt i.t"tron. Bila Lavirigton in white blouse near "Colby Flour" seat and Bill Heiserman with long fishing
pole and straw hat.
-1
planned.
A 1918 Progress Edition of The Flagler
News and The Flagler Progress newspapers
record the events of this visit. It was stated
Mr. Flagler was quietly pleased with the
honors bestowed upon him. (His character
did not generally allow him to enjoy celebrations of this sort). Some time later, a banquet
was given by Mr. Flagler for people of the
area. It was held in Colorado Springs and
records tell of nearly 1000 attending. There
exists a question of accuracy of this account
by one who has researched the life of Henry
Flagler. Since the presented data was published in 1918 and should have been prepared
with first hand accounts, the story has been
presented as described.
Postal record date more accurately
a
change in location of the post - office. The
Bowser record has mitten on one of its pages,
"Changed sit€ and name to Flagler by order
of the Postmaster General, October 13, 1888.
Date of communication November 6, 1888."
This record marked the end of the existence
of a post-office in Bowser. A very early postoffice within the new town was located across
the street north of the present Otteman
building. (situated in the house once occu-
A quiet day in Flagler, 1908, "a one-cow town!"
pied by Mrs. Nora Wright, later used as a
parsonage). From here the post-office was
moved to the John White store building and
later to a more permanent location just north
�*
{c rlc
* * rf€ *
{€
**
**
*
*
rf€
FLAGLER EARLY
POSTMASTERS
At Bowser - Bennett Robinson
The Bowser Post Office was moved to the
town called Malowe, Jan. 19, 188g
-
1st
Flagler Postmaster Jelsche Olthoff - to Apr.
30, 1889; May 1, 1889 - 2nd Flagler Postmaster Joseph S. Whitney - to Nov. 30, 1889; Dec.
1, 1889 - 3rd Flagler Postmaster W. H.
The Hotel Watters.
Lavington - to ?
The first Congregational minister was Rev.
M. H. Meade. The first instrument filed in
the County Clerk and Records office was the
bond of County Clerk and Recorder, Edward
R. McCrillig. The first warranty deed filed
was a deed from J. B. McGonigal to the
trustees of the Congregational Church in
Flagler. The trustees were: W. Brown, John
W. Hunt and W. Landen.
Rev. Meade's residence was presumably in
Seibert. The first marriage license was issued
to
Owen S. Small and Zippora Bryant.
Marriage rite performed by Rev. M. R.
Meade of Seibert.
,1.**{€{€**********
Depot, Pump House and Water Tank, first buildings built in the new town of Flagler, Sept. 1988.
of the present Williams Pharmacy Store. (it
is possible other locations may have existed).
A move much later was made to its present
location.
Under the name, Flagler, the small community began to grow. Mr. Wm. Schuler
established a store where later the Flagler
Hotel would be built. He served as postmaster, according to his recollection, following Mr.
Lavington. A first frame home was built by
Mr. Henry Brown. In 1889 Mr. Lavington
built a new frame house about two blocks
north and one west.
by Lyle W. Stone
�****rl€tl€*********
On Thursday, George O. Gates purchased
the F.E. Barnett abstract business books.
This set of books is said to be the most
complete accord of lands in Kit Carson
County either of land tracts or city lots. Mr.
Gates is one of the best qualified in this line
Smith
- Bernard,
of work as he serued with credit for four years
as county recorder and was deputy recorder
1908-1914.
for two
years, and possesses a thorough
Kit Carson County titLes.
hnowledge of
The First Congregational minister
Reu. M.H. Meade. The
was
first instrument filed
in the County Clerk and Records office was
the bond of County Clerk and Recorder,
Edward R. McCrillig. The first warranty
deed filed was a deed frorn J.B. McGonigaL
to the trustees of the Congregational Church
in Flagler. The trustees were: W. Brown,
John W. Hunt and W. Landen.
Reu. Meade's residence was presumabLy in
Seibert. The first matiage license was
issued to Owen S. Small and Zippora
Bryant. Marriage rite perforrned by Reu.
M.R. Meade of Seibert.
*tf *t*{€***tlc**{c**
*fut
The Flagler Hotel built 1910-11, later was the Flagler Hospital run by Dr. McBride and Dr. John Straub.
Today is the city hall and library.
_)
r\,
'it 'l
�.
..
.
.:.):::..:
down in 1901. Mr. Robinson moved his store
from Bowser to Flagler but later sold out and
't::alii
.
..
moved away.
It is evident much activitv
occurred in the town of Flagler at this time.
In 1895 the first class to graduate in Kit
Carson County under a recognized .orl.r" oi
study was the eighth grade at Flagler. Thev
were taught under the direction of Mrs.
tt'
Charlotte (Rose) Godsman. She later serveJ
at Burlington as principal to establish this
course-of study there. This same year Leon
.'
E. Lavington finished his first schotl year; he
was the first child born in the town of irtagier.
It is generg-lly accepted among ,".""r."h*
that Freda Huntley (Robb) wasihe first child
born in the Flagler neighborhood. She was a
daughter fo Mr. and Mrs. George W. Huntley,
very early homesteaders. A sbddie, located
about a block west of the Odd-fellows HaI on
the main avenue, served as the first school.
-,
A first
.,::;,::.tl,l;
.:
An elevator shot showing Flagler in the early days.
recorded teacher was Miss Mary
Crofteri. School was then held in a buildini
constructed for a Congregational Churcf,
until a grade school building was completed
about 1893. Mr. J.W. Augustine wtro naJ
been in.partnership with Mr. Lavington was
one of the early school teachers, latei becom_
ing Kit Carson County Superintendent of
Schools. Mr. C.W. Smith seried the commu_
as a minister and also was an early school
teacher.
The first doctor recorded in the new village
nity
was Dr. P.B. Godsman and may not haie
lived here permanently. A first doctor remembered by one old timer was Dr. Allen.
s,aying he was the first to stay here. Dr.
Godsman was present at an investigation of
the first murder in Kit Carson Couity, that
of Mr. Harry Hatch. Mr. Hatch livedabout
three miles west of Flagler. Dr. O.S. Neff
arrived early, a relative of Mrs. William
(Mamie Neff) Strode. He arrived at the Neff
homestead from Chicago. He was suffering
from TB and came for health ,"".orr.]
Apparently, the climate was beneficial to
hip. A.Dr. Schroyer, physician and surgeon,
sold his building and stock to Or.
C'W' Smith built this beautiful hotel in 1893. Mr. Fry later made his home and ran
the hotel as well
the Republican paper,
"The Flagler Advance".
as
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T313
Charles Bernard opened a hardware store
where the present First National Bank is
located. This store was later sold to Henrv W.
Brown. Earl Brown, his son, operated this
store in later years at a location across the
street north, where his father had built in
later years. A lumber yard was established bv
George Cornell located north ofa unique new
home. He hauled his first supplies from Hugo
where the family also operated a lumberyar-cl.
This lumber was hauled by tenm and wagon.
Mr. Cornell built a residence which is nowlhe
lr_orye o{ John Herzog and family. Colby
Hefnew built the Cottage Hotel. Across thl
street southwest of the Cornell lumber yard
-and
was a livery barn and corrals owned
operated by Mr. J.A. Mahlsteh. (in the area
f*,;'.-'-'
of the present
bird seed packaging plant). Mr.
Keegan operated his "Ponce De Lion" hotel
rlong wiht a very active livery stable. Records
fell us this hotel was located where the 100F
building was later erected. The hotel burned
First Flagler Day in 1914.
fr.
L.
Williams who arrived later, almost by acci_
dent, in the little hamlet. Dr. Williams was
impressed with the community in about 190g
when he observed it during an unplanned
stop over in Flagler.
�x
Langcamp, Ann-a-Lavington,
Money-making project for christian Endeavor society; Left to right --pthe-t
i. S"iln U"a."r*ood, Mr.. gilagett, Mrs. Young (thoBarber's wife), Mrs. Jennie Williams, Mrs. Heiney'
The "Weekly Register" published an issue
at Crystal Springs on July 4, 1888. The next
igsue was pubhsned at Malowe; no records
tell us of its demise. Arch Cunningham was
the publisher. A first publication after this
was a small religous paper, "The Messenger
of Love," published at a homestead south-
west of Flagler by C.W. Smith. Mr. Smith was
by Mr. Lavington and David
S*"yr"" to begin publishing a new newspaper, "The Flagler Advance," in October,
iagr. U.. C.W. Smith then built a house in
persuaded-
Flagler, publishing
the Advance in
the
basement. He later sold the house to J.J. Fry'
Mr. Smith said
it
was an unique time in
all county publishing went outside
history
of Builington with no paper located there.
as
by Lyle W. Stone
pill,l,i
RnNT
Early day Flagler restaurant.
�The Flagler Drayman.
ress," a first permanent newspaper in 1908.
"The Flagler News" was established in l91B
by Edward Krutchen.
A large number of homesteaders and
settlers arrived in the late 1800s and earlv
1900s. The National Bank was established in
1908, the oldest banking institution in Kit
Carson County. W.H. Lavington bought a
frame building on main street to house his
Dry Goods and Grocery store near the
k$i
-
*.,,'
present location of the Stop and Shop
Grocery. This store had been owned bv M.F.
Roberts, established in 1900 and sold to Mr.
Lavington in 1902. Dr. H.L. Williams established his office and drug store across the
street south of the Lavington store where
Don Jones now operates his dairy. W.H.
Lavington built a grain elevator. Real estate
offices appeared, one operated by C.M.
Smith. Mr. Smith and Mr. Bernard operated
real estate office together for a time, located
jlryt north of the present Municipal Building.
The Flagler Hotel was built by W.H. Lavington and W.L. Price and operated by H.B.
a
Blanken. This hotel was complete with a
dining hall and kitchen. This building is the
present Municipal Building. Just south of the
Flagler Hotel was located the Straub building, a lumber and hardware outlet. South of
the Straub building, an early 100F Hall was
erected where the Ponce De Leon hotel had
burned. This was the site of an improved
building in later years.
An April 26, 1915 edition of the Flagler
News announces that the next issue will be
;
Otis Messick & Son and Bob Kelley.
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T3l4
published by William A. Borland of Brush.
Colo. Mr. Borland had visited previously and
had looked at several newspapers in the area.
He was impressed by the activity, wide main
ff fr f /{/4'
The advance "died of starvation" in 1894.
Charles E. Gibson, a homesteader living
south of town, started "The Flagler Prog-
*.'
FaIl Festival in Flagler, 1914.
center ie Livery Stable where homesteaders kept
;heir horses when coming to seek a homestead site.
In
�**'T
K,ffi
*{STE
->'
*
Caravan
Hotpl.
'i
**,1
','
of
motorcycles
in front of the
Flagler
Lavington's float in the parade.
Looking north on Main Street in the Fall of 1910-11.
using materials for a garage. Seal Hall was the
center of local plays, movies and community
events. The Watters Hotel was the scene of
local elections and a good place to eat a meal.
The growing town of Flagler was without
recorded official government for some time.
A Flagler Commercial Club existed and
was
instrumental in promoting the idea of incorporation. At one of their meetings, it was
pointed out that side walks, electric plants,
water systems, etc., were better handled by
a municipal organization. It seems town
affairs and financing for needed improv-
The Farmers State Bank built in 1912-14 and
Reed's Cash Store & Grocery.
street and general pride in the community he
found here. The Simpson Clothing Store
opened February 20, 1915 in the old pool hall
south of Dr. H.L. Williams Drug Store.
Gromer Brothers opened a new lumber yard
in 1915; bad weather hampered its winter
construction.
At a school election in
May,
1915, plans were discussed for a bond issue
to build a new high school in Flagler which
was soon built. In October, Dr. F.M. Thomas
of Macon, Mo. Iocated in Flagler. He began
a practice of Osteopathy at the residence of
G.W. Johnston. J.C. Straub sold his lumber
yard to Gromer Brothers and E.S. Johnson
Lumber Company, saying three years were
too many for the town. He then bought the
ements was accomplished with a poll tax
imposed by agreement of its citizens. This
continued for some time after incorporation
of the town.
by Lyle W. Stone
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T315
In early 1916 petitions were circulated to
of residents of Flagler on
the matter of incorporating. An official
petition was submitted to H.L. Haynes,
Judge of the County Court. The court
assess the feeling
approved the action and appointed a commit-
Seal and Seal Hardware stock. E.A. Malbaff
broke ground for a new blacksmith shop
across the road from the Lemar livery barn.
The building was 24 x 50 feet and built of
concrete blocks. Mr. Malbaff was operating
a shop near or
where Lyle Plumb later
operated a shoe shop, (Jim Toney Shop).
In early 1915, Dr. H.L. Williams began
construction of a new concrete and brick
building south of the post office. The post
office was then located just south of the W.E.
Hall, (Ottomans) brick store where H.C.
Carper operated his barber shop in later
years. Dr. Williams sold his old store to the
Beatrice Creamery Company and Wm.
Knies, local manager. It is possible Dr.
Williams bought the post office building later
First black Angus cattle in this area owned by the
Lucore's of Arriba, shown at the Flagler Fall
Festival in 1914.
Frank Gibson, first car owner in Flagler.
tee to cause publication and notice of an
election in the matter. On October 17, 1916,
an election was held at the Watters Hotel,
with
116 votes cast, 107
tion and
9
in favor ofincorpora-
against. A Certificate oflncorpora-
tion from the State of Colorado is dated
November 22, 1916.
The incorporation committee, H.B. Blanken, W.H. Lavington, E.T. Epperson, D.D.
Buck and Elaine Briggs called for an election
to be held December 12, 1916 to elect one
mayor and six trustees. On that date, Leon
E. Lavington was elected mayor, A.J. Lockwood, J.H. Seal, H.B. Blanken, W.W.
Reynolds, I.N. Moberly and J.W. White were
elected trustees.
Since that time long ago, mayors serving
the town of Flagler are listed, along with date
of oath and some other information.
Leon E. Lavington - Dec. 1916; Leon E.
Lavington - March 1918; W.R. Heiserman April 1920; Dr. H.L. Williams - (chose not to
qualify) - April 1922; R.M. Farquhar (retained office) - April 1922; Dr. H.L.
Williams - April 1923;P.T. Bonham - April
1925; Dr. H.L. Williams - April 1927; M.P.
Williams - April 1929; Robert S. Bryan April 1930.
George P. Gibbs - April 1932, Second Term
- April 1934;Will Kliewer - April 1936; J. A.
Fruhling - April 1938, Second Term - April
1940, Third Term - April 1942, Fourth Term
- April 1944; T. Guard - April 1946; Dan
Schlagle - April 1948; Leon E. Lavington, Jr.
Term - April 1952;
- April 1950, Second
Robert Snell - (resigned Jan 1955) - April
1954; Ira Ferrier - (Appointed) - Jan 1955;
�., l,.Si!s
Civil War veterans, 1906.
Fall Festival parade.
F. A. Ottoman - April
Goodwin
1956; Russell R.
- April 1958; H. C. Carper - April
1960; David Rowden - April 1962, Second
Term - April 1964; F. A. Ottoman - April
1966; Lyle W. Stone - April 1968, Second
Term - April 1970; Richard Peterson - April
1972; Rynold Fager - April 1974; Richard D.
Stevens - April 1976, Second Term - (Resigned Sept 1979) - April 1978; Donald L. Jones
a first effort to change to electric lighting
occurred in a local garage; plans to furnish
power to business places on main street were
considered. In 1916 the wooden water tank
The men in the Modern woodman organization.
(Appointed) - Sept 1979; Robert L. Eikerman - (four year term) - April 1980; Steven
E. Goering - April 1984.
-
by Lyle IV. Stone
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T316
On June 8, 1916, the first senior class
graduated from Flagler High School. In 1916
The Royal Neighbors ladies 1. Ive Reynolds; 2.
Marry Girvin; 3. Mrs. Monor; 4. Millie Gibbs;
Sarah White; 6. Jennie Williams; 7. ElIa Lavington;
8. Loura Davison.
Early day citizens of the Flagler area: L. to R.:
Mr.Rich; Mr. Boyd; Mr. Quinn; Mr. Mottinger.
belonging to the Rock Island Railroad was
replaced with a new steel one located farther
north of the tracks. A park was promised by
the railroad at the time. (I wonder if it ever
developed?). The Flagler Telephone Com-
pany had lines in operation both north and
south of Flagler in 1917. Ida Howland
operated
a Millinery
Shop, probably just
south of the building now occupied by Terry's
(Cafe). W.R. Heiserman operated a Mortuary; a "motor hearse" was part of the
equipment. Dr. F.M. Thomas practiced as an
Osteopath. Gromer Brothers operated a
lumber yard. J.W. White was proprieter of a
Barber shop: "Bring in your laundry Mondays and your hair and whiskers an5rtime."
S.A. D. Culbertson bought the Watters Bros
Meat Market. Princess Theatre was operated
by M.R. Gromer and was showing silent
movies. E.A. Malbaff had installed a new disk
rolling machine. In January, 191?, Dr. E.W.
Reid came to Flagler; he was expected to
practice in the Straub building, just south of
the Hotel Flagler. Stock was being sold in The
Flagler Oil and Gas Company, who were
drilling for oil nearby. In 1917 a petition to
create a new county, to be named Flagler, was
circulated and presented to the state legislature. Reason given was a distance of 50 to 60
Afternoon, 1913 or 1914, Fourth of July celebration, man in black suit is Dr. Neff.
miles
to the county
seat. This
defeated in the next session.
bill
was
�A progress edition of the Flagler Progress
in
and Flagler News was published
In
December
the two
early
newspapers
merged to become The Flagler News, owned
and published by William Borland. Newspaper items in 1917 and 18 include the effects
1918.
of World War I on the community. August,
1917, Dr. M.C. Traw, DDS passed the
examinations for the dental reserve corps,
subject to call by his country. He had been
practicing in the community for some time.
In January, 1918, a publication of members
of a home guard appeared, listing prominent
members of the community. Arlie Wilson
bought the W.E. Hall building
in
1918.
During this year a flu epidemic was rampant
in the community; business places were
visited only by necessity and public meetings
were banned at times. Many died of what was
often termed "Spanish Influenza."
In 1919 casing arrived for the new oil well;
some time later, the hole was pronounce dry.
A soda fountain with all the "fizzes" wag
installed by H.H. Kliewer at Dr. Williams
pharmacy. Supt. C.H. Allen continued his
work at Flagler High School in 1919 and the
Flagler News installed a new modern Li-
notype. This year the Flagler Fire Depart-
Early day baseball team.
mentwas organized. Jesse Yocum was elected
first fire chief. The Flagler Hotel changed
management: P.P. Stromeyer to Gus Mayot.
In April, Wm. I. Sutton purchased stock and
fixtures of Pedergon's Cafe. H.G. Grey barber
shop changed management
to its
original
proprietor, John W. White. One Barber Shop
was located just south of the Straub building,
north of the 100F Hall. An election was held
on September 23, 1919 to decide whether or
not Flagler would have a water works. Before
the end of this year, work on the system had
commenced. A decision to install an electric
light plant occurred in 1919. Bids for the
power house were received in November.
The'20s were busy years in the community
with Flagler becoming a business hub of the
area. In December, 1921, electric power from
the Flagler plant was turned into a heavy line
serving the town of Seibert. These were years
of many people and most towns did well in
Kit Carson County. In L927 a few of the
business places were The Flagler Lumber
This colt, named "Liberty" was donated by H.C.
Jones to the Red Cross of Flagler and was raffled
off on April 13, 1918.
\
Yard operated by John R. Miller, Palace
Meat Market and Grocery
-
gs
Chas. Jackson,
J.A. White Hardware, Flagler Garage
Wright and Fruhling, Leon E.
-
by Lyle W. Stone
Bert and Agnes Soule.
After a big snow.
TOWN OF FLAGLER
Lavington
T3r7
Hardware Co.
- (Fords), The Flagler
- G.H. Rice, First National
- W.H. Lavington, Sanitary Barber
Shop - E.W. Conarty, The Farmers Union,
W.L. O'Brian DDS, Shaw Mortuary - Hamer
Shaw, B.L. Miller Dray and Transfer, Nels
Jorgensen (International Harvestor - Atwater Kent), Leroy E. Cuckow (auto parts,
wagons - equipment) and The Flagler Mercantile Co. - H. B. Blanken.
Bank
In 1928, some ofthe business places, a few
may have been active earlier were Flagler
Cash Store - C.E. Reavis, Flagler Cleaners O.A. Groves, Red and White Food Co. - Bob
Bryan, Royal Theatre, Jackson's Store Chas. Jackson, Home Market (in Jackson's
store)
The fire was started by a coal heater in the depot,
winter of 1931.
All ready and no place to go?
1923.
-
Noah Wold.
The shock of a national financial upset in
late 1920s is apparent in local history when
�ads for autos and equipment begged for a
change in the system where loans and charge
sales could again be used. In 1929 people of
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T318
Flagler turned down a bid from Rocky
Mountain Utilities for purchase of the light
plant. This was accomplished at a vote of the
people
in
August. Sam Combs bought
a
barber shop from E.W. Conarty. Nels Jorgen-
sen was selling Desotos and then Crystler
cars. Chas. Jackson called his store the
Golden Rule Cash Store. Arthur Robb was
operating Flagler Variety Store. Some other
business places were White Eagle Service
Station - Delbert Todd, Fred Mosher Grain
- Jay Roberts, Flagler Filling Station - Pearl
Lord, S.E. Teeter (cream, poultry and eggs),
Leech Hardware, Guthrie's Shoe Store, Farmers Union - G.M. Baxter, Flagler Bakery Joseph Werner, Hollywood Cream Station C.B. Dean, Williams Pharmacy - H.L. Williams, Earl Browns (stil in business from
long ago), and others. Walter Conarty, Kit
Carson County sheriff from this area, was
faced with the Orville Lindberg murder near
Burlington. Mrs. Straub received a recommendation for postmaster. The Royal Theater of Flagler was making plans for new
Train wreck, not identified.
Train wreck near Flagler in the early
1930's.
Minar. The 1936 business places include
Shaw Mortuary, Palacy Cafe - May and Jay
Roberts, Martin Shoe Shop, Carpers Barber
and Beauty Parlor - H.C. Carper
Olivette
-
movies with sound!
In April, 1930, Sam Sprague was repairing
the Rock Island Hotel. Clarence Wright
began building the Wright Building, (Grand
Theater). In August, O.M. Olsen bought the
Rock Island Hotel. After
a
question of
showing movies on Sunday was resolved, the
Grand Theater opened. T. Guard bought the
Flagler News about 1933. Pearl Lord opened
a large adobe building along Highway 24 in
March, 1934. It was expected to house a
restautant, garage, filling station and rooms
for rent. The
1930s were the dusty and dry
years; many left the area. Dr. O'Brian moved
away to Las Animas and Dr. Austin of that
place came
to
Flagler, leaving again in
October for Eagle, Colorado. Survival became
a problem in the area. It did rain but these
usually cnme in torrents and run off due to
dusty conditions caused unforgettable floods,
all records in 1935. Many
travelers were stranded in Flagler at this
time; supplies for the town were terminated
in both directions. Lives were lost along the
Republican River. Marion Williams operated
Williams Pharmacy and children of this time
will remember when he traded an ice creem
cone for an egg on special days! Mrs. Gibbs
one breaking
Fall of 1944 train wreck which happened in a terrible fog.
operated a small candy store on the west eide
of main avenue, visited often by the children
with their weekly allowance of a nickel. C.M.
Smith was serving as Kit Carson County
in Burlington. Flagler Hospital was
opened in the remodeled Flagler Hotel
building by Dr. W. L. McBride of Seibert.
Judge
A few other 1930s businees places were Law
Land Office - W.H. Law, The Palace Barber
Shop
-
;-1.:**"";,. Y.
Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Embree (later
Campbell). Oliver Blanken was selling Willys
- Overland, Willys - Knight and Whippet
cars in the early 30s, Diets Funeral Home,
Andre Home Mortuary, G.W. Klokenteger,
Atty. In 1933 Ruby's Market appeared - W.E.
Ruby, Tony's Shoe and Harness Repair Shop
- Jim Tony, Gladden's Garage - A.K. Gladden, The Flagler Truck Line - Herron Bros,
Deluxe Cleaners - M.E. Harris and Square
Deal Garage - Geo.
by Lyle W. Stone
By the water tower.
�and in the fall of 1951, a celebration
was
planned, centering around an air show. Near
the beginning of the celebration, a plane
craehed into a crowd of spectators. Twenty
were killed and that many injured; most were
local. There was never a complete recovery
from the shock of this event. Later this same
year, the Flagler High School building burned. Very soon a fine new twelve grade school
was constructed under the direction of Wm.
McKinley after a vote on a bond issue, a
tussle over bonding, and a drive for necessary
local funds. Lyle's TV & Radio Service was
established in 1951 by Lyle and Laura Stone;
they purchased T. Guard's refrigeration and
electrical business later. In 1956 Flagler
installed a modern sewer system with an
associated disposal plant. On May 15, 1953,
Flagler Hospital closed due to increasing
operating costs and ever increasing regulations. Dr. Straub continued to maintain his
medical office in the building for a time and
then accepted a location, Plains Medical
Center in Limon, to continue his practice.
Plans were developed for a medical center
Train derailment.
and later a hospital for the community. A
The Republican river bridge on highway 24 east of
Flagler after the flood of 1935.
medical center was built. Though a permanent doctor was not found. the center was
seldom without medical use.
In 1964 a strenuoug effort to create indus-
Ellis, Bus's Service Station, Dr. C.W. Zink,
DDS, Bryan's Red and White, T.H. Hill
try in the town of Flagler met with
(Conoco Products), Dr. W.L. McBride, MD,
Moffett's Dry Goods Store, Nels Jorgensen
ed met failure, a bird seed packaging plant
remained, spearheaded by Wayne Fagerlund
with help of other local citizens. This bit of
industry remains and is a welcome addition
(International Harvestor, refrigeration, radio) and Pearl's Garage, Cafe and Rooms (all
under one roof). Certainly, there were others.
The 1940's held an improvement in weather and with it the second world war. All towns
felt losses of young men and their absence
from the communities. Dances were accompanied by sale of war stamps and bonds.
Scrap drives to produce more iron and
needed staples were held. Rationing of tires,
gasoline and most commodities became a way
of life. Dr. Zink, who had operated a dental
office in the community, closed his office to
leave for the service. A few cars were sold to
very lucky people by Fruhling Motor Company and Lavington Motor Company. It was
not unusual to see burnpers of 2 x 6 wood
instead
of a normal bumper.
some
success. Although most of the projects start-
to the business of the town. This plant
has
been in.
by Lyle W. Stone
TOWN OF FLAGLER
T319
operation for over twenty years. Natural
gas was added to the utilities of the town. Hal
Borland, son of Wm. Borland, publisher of
the Flagler News, wrote many books through
the 50s to 70s. He became a distinguished
Drilling for oil south of Flagler.
author and in 1970 honored his home town
with "Country Editor's Boy." A memorial
room exists in the Municipal Hall in his
honor.
In this short paper, only a very small
portion of the business places and other
entities of the town are listed, space will not
allow mention of all things. Certainly, a book
could be written about the many facets and
endeavors making up the town of Flagler.
Businesses of 1987 are many, including
The First National Bank, L.P. Gas Service,
Ottomans Cash Store and Locker Plant.
Creighton Agency, Inc, The Office Recrea-
tion Center, Flagler Video USA, Williams
Pharmacy, Conoco Bulk Plant, M & S
Texaco, Dorsch Grain Company, Flagler
Aerial Spraying, D & M Steiger, Flagler Farm
Equipment, Coast To Coast, Moss Corner,
Flagler Farmers Co-op, Airport Restaurant,
Lyle's TV & Radio Service, Flagler Equity
Co-op, Colorado Bird Seed Packaging, Colorado Tax Center, R-K Hedging Service, The
Mane Event, Randy's Auto Body Shop,
Smith Service, Stop and Shop Super Market,
Daves Barber Shop, Ron Pottorff Insurance,
Terry's (cafe), Don's Dairy, High Plains
Wholesale, Lark's Welding, Tip Top Service,
Witts Family Store, Rowe Motors, Shideler
Electric, Ethel's Beauty Shop, Koch - Opera-
tions, Inc, Mac Tools, Agtec Inc, Green
Horizons, J & J Parts and Repair, American
Legion Club, Don's Liquor, The Flagler
News, Fager Sales, Thad-Russ Ceramics,
Joels Design Painting, John Shulda Electric,
V & L Locks Service, Corky's Sales and
Jorgensen
Implement Company delivered an occasional
International tractor and other needed items.
The M&S Garage opened about 1943, so
named in a "naming" contest won by Lillian
Lord, by Millard and Sylvia Petersen. Flagler
installed a 5 HP fire siren near the Malbaff
Garage in November, L947. Curtis Clark
established a cement block factory. After the
war was over, Dr. John C. Straub returned
from service and began a practice at the
Flagler Hospital. The hospital gained national recognition for its outstanding care
and special medical family teem. Just one of
many memorable feats at the hospital was
saving the life of Ernest Verhoeff, who had
been injured internally by a bucking horse,
with a new drug called Penicillin. In 1948,
The Flagler News was published by a new
editor and owners, Clyde and Ruth Coulter.
T. Guard retired from the paper and continued in a Refrigeration and Electrical business. Nelson Stake bought and began operating the Flagler Airport. A Rural Fire Protec-
tion District, using Flagler firemen,
was
established in 1948-9.
The 1950's held tragedies in store for the
town of Flagler. Economy was near a normal
Plowing sod with 2 four bottom plows, Roy Bryant equipment.
�l,ir'
* "-:
Threshing bundles of wheat.
Service, The Mile Saver Shopper (shopping
service publication), Soil Conservation Ser-
vice, Bogart Well Service, Fashion Corner
and Winfrey & County CPA's. Sincere hope
is that none have been missed. This long list
of business endeavors is included with the
thought that in another 100 years, it will be
very interesting.
Remembering the restless vitality and
undying hopefulness ofthose earliest inhabitants of Flagler who tired so very hard to
make a worthy town of their settlement, it is
not unlikely they would smile on the place
Flagler has become. Generally, it is a very
clean town with a neat business section, many
trees and parks. There is yet a stigma among
inhabitants of Flagler which seems evident in
all years from the beginning, to better their
community. Often, the impossible has been
accomplished at great odds, to create, organize and establish. The latest accomplishment, a new golf course is an example of this
community effort. Yes, I believe those special
people of the past would smile if they could
walk the streets of Flagler today.
Very soon, on or before October, 1988, the
Town of Flagler will have crossed a milestone:
100 years since steel rails tied this place
firmly to the rest of the country. It should be
a time for celebration and for great hope for
Flagler's future. This same stigma must have
been felt by earliest residents and those who
followed, to make it a great place. We of today
must continue this same courage and effort
to preserve and make it even better.
by Lyle T[. Stone
They just get big in this part of the countryl
�FLAGLER
T320
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"€-
�FLAGLER
CONGREGATIONAL
CHURCH
T32r
including the pulpit, lecturn, and altar still
in use in the present church was completed
in 1953, and in this same year plans for a new
Sunday School building were made and these
plans were fulfilled in the present education
building in 1954.
Rev. Don Meek followed Rev. Matheny in
1958, serving until June of 1961. During these
years there was a noted growth in church
membership and attendance, and increased
activity of the youth gtoups. In 1960, it was
voted to build a new church building, and in
Feb. 1961, the church voted in favor of the
union of the Congregational Christian
Church and The Evangelical and Reformed
Church to form the United Church of Christ.
In July 1961, it was decided to raise funds
for the proposed building, which was completed within a few months and dedicated
with appropriate ceremonies on Nov.
12,
1961. In May 1962, Rev. Ernest Maedche was
First Congregational Church at Flagler from 1915
until 1961 when the new church was built.
On December 13, 1888, the Flagler Congregational Church warl organized by Reverend
D.H. Minnich, a circuit rider from Arikaree,
who also served as pastor to five other
churches in the area. The charter members
were: Rev. Minnich, H.W. Brown, William
Hunt, E.M. Lyon, Florence Lyon, Mr. Hatch
and Mrs. Hanna Strode.
Within the year, plans were made to build
a church which was completed a few years
later with the assistance of a $300 laon from
the Congregational State Committee. The
new church was one of the first buildings in
the pioneer Flagler settlement, and wag at the
present location of what is known as the late
C.M. Smith home at Fifth and Loveland. The
building was also occupied by the school
when
it
was moved from a soddy
to
the
called to the Flagler Church, serving until
June 1966.
In Nov. 1966, Rev Leslie R. Poeschel was
called to minister and served until the fall of
1972. The Rev. Frank McCall of the Arriba
First Congregational served as interim pastor
until Nov. L, L973, when Rev. Harvey K.
Griffith was called by the congregation.
Rev. Griffith in co-operation with Rev.
McCall in 1976, formed a Parish Planning
Committee composed of the officers of the
Arriba and Flagler churches for the purpose
of forming a yoked ministry. This yoked field
was voted into being in June 1976 when Rev
Griffith was called by the Arriba Congrega-
First
Congregational Church,
until
1903. and under
1912. In 1912, Reverend George Gibbs was
called to minister to the church. At this time.
plans were being made for a new church
building. In 1913, a site was selected and on
Oct, 4,1914, the new church was dedicated,
a building which was to serve the congregation until Nov. 12. 1961.
The house which is the present parsonage
was purchased by the church to serve as the
minister's home in 1928.
Reverend Phillip Pennington served the
Flagler church from 1950 to 1954. During his
ministry, the Youth Fellowship was revived,
a church nursery instituted, a new chancel,
two
CATHOLIC CHURCH
T322
were
united in marriage in the second building,
and the Rev. Harvey Griffith and Bernita
Challis were united in marriage in the new
church building in Nov. 1976 with the
Conference minister Rev. George Otto, presiding in a Thanksgiving Day Celebration that
included
his leadership the church membership increased to fifty-four.
Rev. E.H. Blodgett ministered to the
church from 1905 to 1910, followed for one
year by Rev. Hopkins, 1910 to 1911, and the
Rev. E.P. Owens for one year from 1911 to
ST. MARY'S
Council until the present time.
Two ministers were ordained in the Flagler
persons.
and served the church
May, 1955; G.H. Underhill, Jun., 1961 - May,
1962; F.M. McCall, Nov., 1972 - Oct., 1973;
Carla Gilbert, Jun., 1972 - Oct., 1987; Natelli,
Nick, Oct., 1987.
ly under the guidance ofthe Parish Executive
by Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Smith in about 1915
Christmas Day, 1892, uniting Edley T.
Epperson and Nina M. Miller in marriage.
Rev. C.W. Smith followed Reverend Tuttle
1966; Poeschel, Nov. 1, 1966 - Nov. 1,t972;
Griffith, Nov. 1, 1973 - Jun. 1, 1986.
Interims: Lester Sperberg, Oct., 1954 -
tion to serve as their pastor, thereby establishing the hoked ministery, with 238 members and 94 students. It has operated smooth-
church building. The building was purchased
and remodeled for a home.
Rev. Tuttle occupied the pulpit form 1892
to 1896, and during his ministry the first
wedding was performed in the church on
16, 1905; Blodgett, Jun 4, 1905 - May 16,
1910; Hopkins, May 16, 1910 - Mar 1, 1911;
Owens, Jun 1, 1911 - Jun. ,l,L9l2; Gibbs, Jul.
L, 191.2 - Arg., 1, 1915; Marquardt, Dec. 1,
19f5 - Dec. 1, 1917; Moore, Aug. 1, 1919 Aug, 1925; Schwab, Nov., 1925 - May, 1928;
Gibbs, May 1928 - Aug. 1929; Leach, Aug.,
1929 - Aug., 1932; Read, Jun., 1932 - Sept.
1932; Gibbs, Sept. 1932 - Dec. 1943; Allingham, Jan 15, 1935 - Jun., 1937; Thomas,
Jun., 1937 - Mar., 1942; Bryant, Sep. 7, 1942
- Aug. 1944; Macon, Jul., 8, Lg44 - Jul 1948;
Hahn, Sep. 5, 1948 - Sep. 15, 1949; Pennington, Jan. 1, 1950 - Oct. 1, 1954; Matheny,
May 1, 1955 - Jun., 1958; Meek, Jun., 1948
- Jun., 1961; Maedche, May, 1962 - Jun.,
a
dinner serving for over
200
From 1976 through 1978 the Board of
Trustees worked on a renovation program in
the church buildings and the pars.onage, with
some painting, carpeting, new windows for
the sanctuary, and with a new kitchen,
bathroom and study, along with tree removal
and landscaping. at the parsonage.
The Ladies Aid Society has supported the
renovation and general program of the
church with both their time and funds, which
were raised when they have an annual
summer long Bargain Shop on Main Street.
It must be told also that the effective work
of the boards and committees of the church
has continued to keep the congregation active
in the ministry that serves well both its
membership and the Flagler Community.
A breezeway, joining the Education building and the church was completed in the early
1980's to make one complete building, a
100th anniversary celebration is planned for
the fall of 1988.
Ministers of First Congregational Church,
Flagler, Colo. are: Minnich, Dec. 13, 1888 Dec. 31, 1891; Jones, Jan. 1, 1892 - Mar. 1,
1892; Tuttle, Mar. 1, 1892 - Aug. 1, 1896;
Smith, Aug. 1, 1896 - Jun. 1, 1903; Edgar, Jul,
1903 - Oct. 1, 1903; Faner, Oct., 1903 - May
St. Mary's Catholic Church, Flagler.
I presume the first known Catholics in the
Flagler area were the Michale Quinn family
who arrived to work on the railroad on March
28, 1888. Other families arriving later in the
area were the Andrewjeskys who came in
1907 and the Ostrowskis who arrived in 1909.
Other names remembered were Miciejeski,
Greek, Bakuski, Jasjievic, Gregel and the
Krafts. Once a year a Polish priest from
Denver would come out to the area to offer
Mass in one of the homes and to baptize the
new babies born that year. Some of these
families only lived in the community for three
years or less.
In
1930 the Charles Keller family arrived,
to be followed later by Chappla, Chivilicek,
Naus, Selenke, Horning, Clark, Heinrick,
Lueb, Grant, Eder, Paul Wimmer, Vince
Wimmer, McCormick, Lowe, Hubbard, Kelly
and Ford families. These Catholics as well as
the previous Catholics now traveled to Strat-
ton or Hugo to attend Sunday
Masses,
weather permitting.
In 1947 Father Edward Dinan and Father
Charles Salmon from the Stratton Church
saw the need for a church in Flagler and
offered to take turns coming to Flagler to say
Mass. Their first Mass was in a back room of
the Case Implement Building on Main Street
owned by Vern Naus. (This is now Randy's
�Body Shop). Plans were soon made for
a
church building and Father Dinan appointed
Charles Keller, Andrew Selenke, and Vern
Naus to purchase a school building from
Idalia and have it moved to Flagler and
remodeled into a church. These three men
donated $500.00 each and other families
quickly added to the building fund. Record
show the 3O by 22 ft. school house was
purchased for $1,750.00 and the 4 lots on 8th
St. for $750.00. George Hubbard and Charles
Keller went to Brighton for church pewe. On
October 26, 1947, the first Mass was offered
in Flagler's St. Mary's Catholic Church.
Records show the following: first baptisms:
Karen Janette Eder, April 11, 1948 and Rose
Ellen Grant, April 22, 1948; first marriage:
Jack McKay and Myrtle Dine, Sept. 5, 1959;
first funerals: Georege Oscar Epperson, Feb.
26, 1951 and Margaret (Maggie) Epperson,
Dec. 24, 1956. Other baptisms, marriages,
first communions, the confirmations and
funerals were
in St. Charles
Church at
Stratton.
The first meeting of the Altar & Rosary
Society was October 6, 1949 in the home of
Maggie Epperson. President was Kathryn
Hubbard and sec./treas. was Maymie Lueb.
On July 2, L959, Limon's Catholic Church
building was purchased as they were building
a new church. This building was moved to the
former George Epperson property which had
been willed to the church in 1956 by Maggie
Epperson. On Oct. 25, 1959, we had our first
Mass in our new location. The Epperson
house was converted to our Parish House.
Father Dinan was still our priest.
Helen McCormick has been our organist
most all of these years. We are grateful to
Virginia Eder who has put together with
pictures a beautiful and complete history
book of the church. It lists families, priests,
sacraments, funerals and other special
events. We now have over 25 families in our
church. Father Jerry Kelleher who is also the
priest for Hugo and Limon is our priest. Our
lecturers are Gayla Jones and Shelly Wieser.
Kelly Wieser and Jesse Bezdek, are our altar
boys. Eucharistic Ministers are Ron Wieser,
Tom Arensdorf, Pat Ford, Don Jones, Ray
''.f
:..r:*.Y)
t
I
ffi;* :;m
Flagler Baptist Church as
it
now stands with the original structure and the new addition.
in town before the church was
constructed. Meetings were held in Seal's
buildings
Hall (Wickham Hardware Building), the
house
that C.M. Smith lived in and,
some-
a dollar to join. From the nine women who
started the society, three circles were later
formed and still meet regularly. In the fall of
1947, the Women's Mission Society began
time later, a school house was moved into
town north of the present Baptist Church.
giving a banquet for all the Flagler High
Services continued there under the pastorate
of Rev. Hill. On June 30, 1918 the Flagler
Baptist Church was organized, with the Rev.
W.F. Henry as pastor and fourteen members.
This is still being continued.
Charter members were: Mr. and Mrs. J.H.
Reade, Mr. and Mrs. R.S. Bryan, Mr. and
Mrs. C.W. Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. H.
Pangborn, Mrs. Amelia Miller, Mrs. Alma
Williams, Mrs. Amelia Alexander, Mrs. Ella
Stone, Mrs. Eunice Hughes and Mrs. Ethel
School graduates and eighth grade graduates.
In 1948, girls guild was started and remained active until 1980.
by Renee Loutzebhiser
TIIURMAN CHURCH
T324
Stutzman.
The following summer, lots were secured
"Thurman's Church of circa 1915, built to
place ofworship until the upper structure was
completed the later part of December 1927.
Dedication services were held January 29,
1928. The approximate cost was $8000.00.
replace one burned in a prairie fire, stands in
spite ofa devastating tornado which killed 11
people nearby in the early 1920's."
Adam's book does not state this north of
Flagler denomination, but old timers here
remember it was Mennonite. They bring to
building were Fred Probasco, John Collier,
came along one summer Sunday as all the
E.B. Walker and R.S. Bryan. The pastor at
that time was Rev. William Peterson.
The First Thanksgiving service was held in
the church in 1928 with a bountiful basket
dinner. The first wedding held in the sanctuary was that of Rhynold Fager and Crystal
Hale on March 6, 1938.
In the spring of 1939, Mr. W.H. Lavington
gave a house to the church for use as its
parsonage. This house is now the home of the
Glenn Saffers'. Also, about this time, Mrs.
congregation had gathered at the home ofthe
minister, Rev. Kuhn, for a basket dinner. The
menfolk had gone about 100 feet from the
house to the garage to admire the preacher's
new fliwer. The women and some children
were in the house cleaning up after the dinner
when out of the blue the cyclone swept down
from the southwest, missing the garage, but
lifting up the house with all its occupants and
slamming it down some distance away.
Many were injured, the eleven losing their
T323
John Hale painted the scene behind the
baptistry in the sanctuary.
lives. The minister's wife and also his two
About the year 1911, Grace Chapel Car was
moved onto a siding just west of the Flagler
Depot. The Rev. and Mrs. A.C. Lintzenger
were in charge in this car which, also, had
living quarters for the minister and his
family. The car seated forty to fifty people.
It was from the interest in evangelism of
people who attended services in the Chapel
Car. that a decision was made to establish a
Baptist Church in Flagler.
Places of worship were held in different
During the years, the church had its growth
Hinman and Mary Ann Wimmer. Debbie
Ford is our church treasurer. Altar and
Rosary Society officers are Clara Hinman,
Helen Keller and Virginia Eder. Lynda Jones
is in charge of our religious education program. The teachers are Jeanne Wieser, Karn
Arensdorf, Char Smith and Ceceila Blackwell.
by Clara Hinman
FLAGLER BAPTIST
CHURCH
and the basement was constructed at an
approximate cost of $4000.00. This was the
The main workmen on the new church
strengthened by the addition of members
from what had been the Shiloh Baptist
Church and the Twin Lakes Church, later
known as the Zion Baptist Church. This
church was in the midst of the dust bowl area
in the mid 30's and had a hard struggle to
maintain itself.
At the February 2L, t92l meeting of the
church, it was voted to organize a missionary
society with weekly dues of fifteen cents and
mind the tragic story of how the tornado
daughters were among the victims. One of the
daughters was holding a baby which was
uninjured. The windmill and all outbuildings
were strewn along the flat countryside, which
was populated
by the pastor's
chickens
running naked since the wind blast had taken
off their feathers.
At the mass funeral, the caskets stood
outside the church and the bodies are in the
little cemetery where the church used to
stand before it was moved to the present site
near the Thurman Post Office.
�Flagler,
in Flagler, and is a faithfully - attending
member of the church.
The highest enrollment of the Zion Christian day school was forty seven, in 1931-32.
In the 1940's dwindling resources forced
Flagler and Aniba to operate a joint parochial school. The 1943-44 school year was
held in Arriba. with 1944-45 and 1945-46
back in Flagler. Paster William A. Steil was
a teacher during the last term. Through the
years of its existence Zion's Christian day
school proved a great blessing, being instrumental in the molding of not a few fine
churchmen and churchwomen.
Zion was received into membership in the
Lutheran Church
Missouri Synod at the
first convention of- the Colorado District of
the synod in Colorado Springs on June 8-14,
t921. Lay delegate to that convention was
Diedrich Blancken; pastoral delegate was F.
Bernard Bierwagen, who also represented
Immanuel. Arriba.
Zion had been a member congregation of
the Missouri Synod ever since. In the period
from 1925 to 1944 the congregation requested
twenty-four communicants. Voting members
were: Henry B. Blancken, D.F. Blancken,
William Hohenstein, Henry Schwynn, John
Krause, Henry Rabe, Martin Mueller, Ed
and received subsidy from the Colorado
District from time to time. By the grace of
God experienced in good crops in L944,Zion
was able to return the last check from the
district Mission Board, and has remained
l.K
According to Mrs. M.!). !'erguson of Burlington, formerly Faye Zook - Pangborn,
mother of Burlington pharmacist, William
Pangborn, Thurman first had a church before
the turn of the century. Its Amish congregation sat for services with no singing nor music
of any kind with a division down the center
on one side, women on the other. Born
-in men
the area, she was baptized in this white
frame meetinghouse which was later consu-
med in the devastating fire. The wind fanned blaze swept over the hill for the
northeast in about the year 1914, narrowly
the Pangborn and Zook farms.
Tongues of flames flared skyward for miles,
Zion Lutheran School in the 1920's, Mr. Daberkow,
teacher.
missing
fed by the "go
-
back" bushy grass, with
scarcely a homesteader left in the area to get
barrels of water and gunny sacks on a wagon
to fight the fire. Go - back grass resulted
when land was given up after sod had been
broken and hard
pressed settlers fled
elsewhere to make a living.
-
1894, by Missionary Klettke of Burlington.
The first congregation was formed in February, 1909 northeast of Arriba, during the time
of missionary Heinrich Schmidt, son-in-law
of Mr. and Mrs. Diedrich P. Blancken.
Soon, plans began toward beginning
a
congregation at Flagler. Under the guidance
of the pastor at Arriba, H. Stegemann, this
goal was realized with the organization of the
Evangelical Lutheran Zion Congregation of
on April 10, 1911. There were
approximately twenty-eight souls and
ZION LUTHERAN
CHURCH
T326
Scholote, Henry Weidenhammer and Herman Blancken.
Zion's first church building was a schoolhouse, purchased and moved in from northeast of Flagler. This building stood at the
southwest corner of Pawnee and Seventh.
Only a few services were held in it, as Zion,
in 1917, was able to buy a building of the Iowa
Lutheran Synod, on the main street of
Flagler, acrogs from the present church. It
doubled as a facility for the Christian day
school, and served well until the new church
building was dedicated in 1962.
An interesting note in the early history of
Zion wae the seating arrangement for worship
services. As was the custom in many German
- Lutheran congregations, the men sat on one
side of the room and the women on the other.
The Christian day school children sat in their
school desks, which for Sunday worship were
The old church and parsonage.
pushed together towards the front of the
room. This practice lasted into the early
1930's.
Another interesting historical note regards
the role of the German language in Zion's
history. In the early years, worship and
instruction were in German. Through the
Zion Lutheran Church Flagler, built in 1962.
The history of Flagler's Zion congregation
arose out of the dedication and hard work
of
German Lutheran families who settled in the
Arriba - Flagler area in the 1890's, and of the
early missionaries who ministered among
them. The first Lutheran services were held
in the home of Henry B. Blancken, in May,
years it gradually gave way more and more
to English, with German services discontinued for good in 1942.
A Christian day school was an important
part of Zion's history for twenty-five years.
The first parochial school was begun in 1913
by Pastor H. Stegemann. It had an enrollment of two, and was taught by the pastor.
Sometime in the years following this school
disintegrated, and so Pastor F.B. Bierwagen
started it anew in 1921. It boasted six pupils
at its opening. Pastor Bierwagen taught for
the fust four years. He was succeeded by
student Eugene Kuechle in 1925-26, and
student A.G. Schneewind in L926-27. ln 1927
Ernst Daberkow, a graduate of Concordia
Teachers College of Seward, Nebraska, came
as teacher, and served through the end ofthe
L944-45 school term. Mr. Daberkow also
served as Sunday school superintendent and
teacher, and as organist, during his professional service at Zion. He currentlv still lives
self-supporting ever since. Through the years
she has, in fact, been able to increasingly
support the work of the church at large,
through district and synod.
In 1961 Zion closed out its first halfcentury
and began the next with a celebration of its
50th anniversary on Cantata Sunday, April
10, under the theme "What God Hath
Wrought." Services were held morning and
afternoon at Flagler High School, with more
than 400 in attendance at each. Guest
preachers for the occasion were first resident
pastor F.B. Bierwagen, and Dr. John W.
Behnken, president of the Lutheran Church
Missouri Synod.
- On
Sunday, September 24, ground was
broken for a new church building on lots
across the street to the east. Construction
began in October. Architect was John Y.
Brown, Jr., of Lamar; the contractor W.C.
Davis, also of Lamar. Serving on the building
committee was Alvin Kasten, chairman;
David Michal, Wilbur Haeseker, Walter
Timm and LaVern Einspahr.
February 25, 1962 broughtthe laying ofthe
cornerstonel and the new facility was dedicated on May 27. Total building costs were
$78,008.89. The old building was put up for
sale by auction. It is now a residence on
Navajo Avenue.
On November 25, Zion hosted a special
community memorial service for assassinated
President John F. Kennedy.
A high point was reached at the end of
1971, with the paying off of the debt on the
church building. The mortgage was burned
with proper ceremony in a special afternoon
service of thanksgiving and praise on June 4.
In 1975 a significant change was made in
Zion's constitution. with Article VI amended
to read "male voting members to be eighteen
years of age," rather than twenty-one.
In January of 1978 the congregation decided to trade the parsonage for the Dave
Morris home, a large brick ranch style house,
which then became the parsonage. The
difference in price was approximately
$38,500. The original parsonal still stands
across the street as the Dave Morris home.
�As
it
turned out, this home required
considerable expense and time in repairs, and
in August of 1980 it was sold for $85,000' In
November it was decided to build a new
parsonage. Lots were purchased at 315
Pawnee Avenue. and a Boise Bradford II
home was chosen. It was completed the
following May at a cost of $71,440.50, and is
the present parsonage.
Also in August 1980 another amendment
was made to Article VI of the constitution,
"Right of Suffrage," to allow all members
eighteen years and older to vote and hold
office, with women excluded from holding
only the offices of president and elders,
according to the requirements of the LuMissouri Synod.
theran Church
A significant- decision was made in the
autumn of 1983, increasing frequency of
1943-1945: William A. Steil - 1945'L947;
Gustav G. Kreft - 1948-1950; Leslie L.
-
Ludwig
-
1950-1955; Gilbert Busarow
1957: Franklin L.W. Hoffmann, Jr. - 19571964; Pete D. Pedersen - 1964-1971; John B.
Luttman - 1971-1975; Paul Westerlund 1976-L977; Robert C. Rowland II - 19781980; Mark Yates - 1980-1981; and James M.
Elmshauser
Lutheran practice following the Reformation
in the 16th century.
Beginning in November 1984 the congregation began use of the new worship book, the
Lutheran Book of Worship on Sundays, in
alternation with the old worship book, The
Lutheran Hynnal. Use of the two books
continues on an alternating basis, offering the
best of two worlds for those who come to
worship.
Through the years, Zion has been served by
seventeen pastors (listed below). Fourteen of
them have been shared with Immanuel
Lutheran Church ofArriba, Colorado, reflecting the close ties that have existed with that
congregation since their common origins.
During much of Zion's history, the two
churches have had a dual parish arrangement, sharing a pastor, an arrangement
continuing very successfully at the present.
Among other things the two churches share
are special worship services, junior high
confirmation class, and an annual Rally Day
celebration in the fall.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 21, and22,
-
1982-.
Teachers Who Served in the
Christian Day School
1913; F.B. Bierl92l-L925; Eugen Kuechle
H. Stegemann (pastor) d
wagen (pastor)
(student)
(student)
L927-L945;
1946.
celebration of the sacrament of Holy Communion from the first Sunday of each month
to the first, third, and fifth Sundays, and
major festival days. This brought Zion's
worship practice closer to the historic practice of the whole Christian Church, and to
- 1955-
-
-
L925-L926.; A.G. Schneewind
L926-1927;
Ernst Dakerkow
William A. Steil (pastor)
-
-
1945-
bv Jim Elmshauser
LSC CLUB HISTORY
T326
Ladies Social Circle, LSC, is best recorded
and remembered in quoting an item appearing in an August 12, 1965 item in the Flagler
News, celebrating the 50th anniversary of
this club. This item gives a welcome record
of it's founding and of many of the persons
who lived in a vast area south of Flagler.
Although it's beginning was in the Albright
neighborhood, it popularity spread through-
out school district 19 and
communities
surrounding it. None of us, who lived in this
community will forget wonderful pot luck
meals we had, nor the enjoyment of these
occasions when this club met at different
homes in the community. Information included in this 50th anniversary follow as
copied from the Flagler News.
"The first record found ofthe Ladies Social
Circle was dated February 25, 1915. This
meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Sam
Sloan. "It was voted to limit the club to 20
members and Mrs. Adam Pfiester was taken
in
as
a member," were contents of first
minutes.
On April 15, 1915, the club met with Mrs.
Melvina Brisbin. It was voted to put the club
money in the bank on a certificate bearing 4
percent interest. Mrs. McDonald became a
new member. At the next meeting in May,
each member contributed to make up the cost
of funeral flowers for one of their group, Mrs.
Wickham, who was the daughter of Mrs.
Brisbin. Irene Wickham, who is now Mrs.
AIjy Stinton and Mrs. Wilson were voted in
as new members. Mrs. Ackerman as appointed to buy flowers for sick members of the
"Albright" community and Mrs. Strong for
the "Sunny Side" area. It was voted to open
membership to more ladies and to raise dues
to 25 cents per year to be held in the treasury
for an emergency fund. The dues remained
at this figure until 1954.
It is possible that the group had organized
in August, 1914, held at the home of Mrs.
Sexton. Those elected were Mrs. Tom Lewin
as president, Mrs. Ackerman as vice president, Mrs. Art Strong (sister of Flo Baxter),
secretary and Mrs. J.B. West as treasurer.
The roll that year included Mrs. Albert
Ackerman, Mrs. Melvina Brisbin (Bill Wickham's grandmother), Mrs. O.C. Cristopher,
(Mrs. Sutton's mother), Mrs. Fred Cristopher (son of O.C.), Mrs. W. Davenport, Mrs.
Claude Ervin, Mrs. Will Grove, Mrs. Anna
Holson, Mrs. Hemerick, Mrs. Clyde McDonald, Mrs. E.S. McDonald, Mrs. Adaline A.
Newby, Mrs. Adam Pfiester, Mrs. Emma
Reade, Mrs. E. Reiger, Mrs. Richmond, Mrs.
Sexton, Mrs. Sam Sloan, Mrs. Robert Stinton, Mrs. Sol Stone, Mrs. Art Strong, Mrs.
Emma Sutton, Mrs. Schmidt, Mrs. B. F.
Smith, Mrs. Emma Verhoeff, Mrs. Frank
Wilson, Mrs. J.B. West, Mrs. Clarence West,
Mrs. Susie Wickhe'n and Irene Wickham.
It was about this time, black and white
marbles were purchased for casting votes for
new members, that members suggested and
the president requested the secretary to keep
and read minutes of all meetings, that work
1986, Zion celebrated with greatjoy seventy-
five years of God's grace in Word
and
sacrament, under the theme "Rejoice in the
Lord Always!" Former pastors Paul
H.
Scheer and John B. Luttman preached to
large crowds in the Sunday morning and
afternoon services, and Holy Communion
was celebrated in the morning.
As the congregation reached its three-
quarter century mark,
it
numbered
134
-4:
,l
t,]
baptized members and 97 communing (con-
firmed) members.
Officers as 1988 begins are: LaVern Einspahr, president; Dovi Beal, secretary; Agnes
Otteman, treasurer; Opal Einspahr, financial
secretary. Serving on the board of elders are
David Edwards, Mark Otteman and Jerry
Guy. Trustees are Laurel Niemann, Connie
Stone and Keith Einspahr. Sunday school
superintendent is Debra Stone.
To God alone be all the glorY!
r.l11l:i,lir,.
Pastors
Have Served Zion,
1911 - 1988
TYho
Stegemann - 1911-1913; F. Bernard
Bierwagen - 1914-1927; Paul H. Scheer -
H.
1928-1934; Norman Heimsoth - 1935; Herman C. Loesel - 1936-1942; Herman H. Heine
Ladies Social Circle, 1940: Front row: Bess Short, Bess Jones, Gertrude Storrs, Sue Zebaugh, Ruth Short,
MArtha Price, Ina Conarty. Middle row: Lorris Wickhnm, Irene Jones, Minta Goodwin, Minnie Blanken,
Elizabeth Verhoeff Wood, Donna Verhoeff Irwin, Diana McCart, Carrie Baldwin, Zola Short. Back row:
Florence Newton. Minerva Stone, Ida Rowland, Ethel McConnell, Ella Radebaugh.
�done for the hostess was quite often sewing
Canie Baldwin, Zola Short,
carpet rags, making aprons, making "waists"
for boys in the family and dresses for girls,
gowns and skirts or making quilt tops. "It is
to be understood that members bring work
of their own to meetings, then when our
hostess'work is finished, or ifshe should have
nothing for us to do, we need not be thinking
of the old proverb of Satan and the idle
hands." At each meeting, members enjoyed
Newton, Minerva Stone, Ida Rowland, Ethel
McConnel and Ella Radebaugh.
A great deal of history of the community
south ofFlagler is contained in the carefully
written record of L.S.C. history. Thankfully,
names and dates were included in some cases.
It is commendable such a record was written.
News Items found in early Flagler News
editions give some clue to persons residing in
musical selections by one of the group such
as Edith Ervin at the piano or Mrs. Strong
the community, concerning LSC meetings
and activities. Leading dates are of Flagler
with instrumental music.
November 2, 1916, L.S.C. met at the home
of Mrs. Anna Rose Wickham. Ladies from
Flagler attended in the interest of the
W.C.T.U. hoping to institute a new chapter.
Present were Mrs. W.H. Lavington, Mrs.
H.L. Williams (Marion Williams'mother),
Mrs. Heiserman, Mrs. Langcamp, Mrs. Traw,
Mrs. Anderson (Winnie Walker's mother),
Mrs. Mullen, Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Price and
children, Mrs. Reece, Mrs. Frank Miner and
Rev. Marquardt.
The climax of a wolf hunt interrupted one
meeting when the men folks brought in two
wolves.
Some thought was given to changing the
club to a Red Cross Chapter but was later
abandoned and the club remained the same.
The club sponsored bake sales, bazaals,
oyster suppers, and in 1919, Mrs. Sprague
from Burlington taught a class in nursing at
the meetings. Enrolled were Ina, Irma and
Opal Conarty, Effie Eaton, Roxie Grove,
Florence Newton, Mable McDonald, Sue
Pfiester, Rose and Zelia Stone, Jennie Sex-
ton, Etta Smith, Maggie Stinton, Flora
Strode, Susie Zebaugh and Daisy Vawter.
Their final examination was March 17, L921.
Attendance at meetings dwindled because
of the influenza epidemic. Mrs. Ploper, a
member and her daughter, Gladys were taken
by the disease and the L.S.C. mended and
made clothing for the family. This type
service was done for the Wickham family
when both Susie and Mrs. Anna Rose Wickhn- died, for the Hamilton family, Leo Gant
and Frank Matzke families and others.
Mrs. Alexander demonstrated culling
for increased egg production; a
chickens
demonstration also was given in hat making
and in making dress forms.
There were wedding and stork showers.
When a member moved away, they held a
surprise party for her and her family, presenting her with a gift. In later years, if a
member moved outside the boundary lines,
returned to the community, then moved away
again, she was not presented with another
gift, there were other difficulties as usual with
by-laws.
When Mr. and Mrs. Sexton celebrated
their golden wedding anniversary the club
had a surprise party and presented them with
a $5.00 gold piece.
During the early'20's, the members embroidered their names on quilt blocks, one for
eachmember. Theypieced and quilted a quilt
for each member. Mrs. Robert Stinton still
has hers."
A picture accompanied the above article,
taken in 1948. It included the following
members of that time: Bess Short, Bess
Jones, Gertrude Storrs, Sue Zebaugh, Ruth
Short, Rose Stone, Martha Price, Ina Conarty, Loris Wickham, Irene Jones, Minta
Goodwin, Minnie Blanken, Elizabeth Ver-
hoeff, Donna Verhoeff, Diana Mc Cart,
Florence
News issues.
March 1916. Mesdams. J.H. Reade. Adam
Phiester, W.Y. Grove, W.I. Sutton and
daughters, Guy McDonald and son and Mrs.
John Thompson were among those attending
the Social Circle at Mrs. McDonalds in
Flagler. Mrs. Fred Matz was voted in as a
member.
A News item dated Feb. 9, 1925, "L.S.C.
Club Notes" is interesting. "Mrs. Sol Stone
was hostess to the LSC Club Thursday. The
club's first meeting since November 20th.
Fourteen members and three visitors were
present. The time was spent socially. Mrs.
Cary was made a member of the club. The
next meeting will be with Mrs. W.F. Stone,
Feb. 19th. The entertaining program was
especially enjoyable at the last meeting.
Little Edith Fogg spoke several pieces and
to the Wheeler place, Chet and
Maurine Wold moved to the old W.H.
Lavington ranch. Zenelda and Maurine joined LSC. Zenelda remembered drawing
names for "peanut sisters," a method of gift
giving to one another through the year,
keeping names secret. Names of members
were place inside peanut shells and these
peanuts were drawn from a container.
moved
Through the year at special occasions, gifts
were exchanged using the name found inside
the peanut shell. Mrs. Joe McCart was
Zenelda's peanut sister and she remembered
giving her a beautiful pair of hand made
pillow cases. Zenelda said at Christmas time
they sent money to service boys in WWII. She
said, "Van Goodwin's had the most boys in
service, a total of five."
As years passed, membership dwindled.
This closely matched attendance at many
country schools. Although an actual ending
of LSC is not known by this writer, it is
possible meetings continued on after the
consolidation moves of the early 1950s.
Certainly, memories of these very special
club meetings, often the climax of entertainment for some in the community, will never
be forgotten. In those days of short funds,
dust storms and dry weather, it was no doubt
the only anticipated enjoyment of the time.
by Lyle W. Stone
her mother, Mrs. Fogg's rendering of "The
Madman" held the audience in awe at the
anticipation
of the awful
tragedy
to
be
enacted, when it turned out he was only going
to shave himself. Members are kindly requested to either bring to next meeting or sent to
the secretary, the finished quilt blocks for
Mrs. Sexton. Mrs. D. R. Zebaugh, Secretary.
March, 1925, the LSC Club met with Mrs.
George Vike. Thirteen members were present. A delicious dinner was served at noon.
Three new members were taken in. Next
meeting will be held a the home of Mrs. Wm
Wickham on April 2nd.
April, 1925. "The LSC was delightfully
entertained at the home of Mrs. Walter
Palmer Thursday, Fourteen members were
present. Mrs. Ellsworth read a selection. The
next meeting will be with Mrs. Mahoney June
4th when mesdames Gaines, Griffith and
Lana will be on the progr4m.
June, 1925, "Mrs. Mahoney was hostess at
LSC Club Thursday. Thirteen members
responded to roll call. Two guests were
present. A good social time was enjoyed by
all. Mrs. Lana read on household hints and
jokes. Mrs. Gaines propounded a riddle. Opal
Conarty gave a humorous recitation. Next
meeting will be with Mrs. B.H. Short, June
t8th. Mesdames McDonald, F. Newton, R.
Newton and Pettis will be speakers of the
day."
June, 1925, "Mrs. B.H. Short was hostess
to the LSC Club Thursday with
eighteen
members and five visitors present. A good
social time was enjoyed while tying a comfort
for the hostess. The next meeting will be with
Mrs. Joe Short Thursday, July 2. The
program was good and consisted of a song
entitled, "Always Picking On Me," sung by
Mrs. Fogg.
Recitations: "The Blacksmiths' Story," by
Mrs. Pettis and "St. Peter At The Gate," by
Mrs. Floyd NewCon. A chorus of girls sang
"Colorado" and "Catry Me Back To Old
Virginny." Mesdames, Pheister, Reavis and
Short have charge of the next meeting.
In the early 1940's, Jack and Zenelda Heid
FLAGLER AND
ARRIBA - FLAGLER
SCHOOL
T327
Just less than a block south and a few feet
ofthe present new school building is the
site of the first school house in the Flagler
community. It was a "soddie" built as a place
to provide an education for children of the
new settlement. School was taught in this
building by a young teacher, Miss Crofteri,
daughter of one of the homesteaders in the
area. From sod to steel, brick and concrete is
a period now nearing 100 years. In fact, in the
fall of this year, 1988, this centennial milestone will have been crossed.
east
One
of the first buildings in the
new
settlement was a church at the corner of 5th
and Loveland streets, later belonging to C.M.
Smith. This building was built about 1890 for
use as a Congregational Church. The school
was moved from the soddie to the new church
building where it remained until 1893, when
a frame grade school building was finished.
By this time, eight grades were taught and the
first eighth grade class was graduated in 1895.
A recognized course of study had been
introduced in the school by Mrs. Charlotte
(Rose) Godsman, making that class the first
eighth grade class to graduate in Kit Carson
County under such a requirement. Mrs.
Godsman was then hired as principal in the
Burlington school to establish this course of
study there.
The community grew and high
school
necessary to
utilize another building, this being one on
Main Street last used by Charles Jackson for
grades were added, making
it
a grocery store, (previously a mortuary). In
1915, much effort was expended in trying to
consolidate districts; apparently these were
�partially successful, and paved the way for a
bonding election to allow building a new
school building at the north end of Main
Avenue. All this occurred in 1915 and this
year, a new brick building was constructed.
One architect for the building was H.L.
Manning of Denver. In early 1916 the entire
school of twelve grades was moved into what
was considered the finest school building in
this part of the state. In May of 1916 Flagler
school graduated its first high school seniors.
The process of growth had not stopped,
however, and by 1920 the new building was
becoming overcrowded. In 1921 twenty seniors were graduated, a larger class than any
graduated after L942. By 1926 the situation
Most every one would wish to return to
former conditions, but it is a reality of our
time. It is possible the pendulum could swing,
as it has so many times in history and
conditions will change. Our school is now
known as Arriba-Flagler School.
Our school is now at a point in time when
years of work in education of students has
nearly reached a sum of 100 years in the
Flagler community and very near this milestone in the Arriba community. It should be
a time for some celebration, a time for looking
at history and recording it, and a time to look
ahead, hopeful of the future.
The August Klute farm northeast of Flagler.
by Lyle W. Stone
of overcrowding demanded a remedy. Very
reluctantly, the school officials re-acquired
the old 1893 frame building and installed the
lower four grades there. Since then, depression and war prevented any changes in that
stop-gap arrangement.
During the war-time half of the 1940s
FLAGLER FARMS
T328
it
became apparent Flagler schools would have
to provide a new building for the lower six
grades and that a new gym would have to be
built. Shortly after the end of the war, a new
and larger school district was organized
through consolidation mandated by the state.
Construction materials again became available, and the district approved a $2235,000.00
bond issue to finance the long overdue
,
'rf
.18
The old Crystal Springs Ranch east of Flagler.
improvements. Meanwhile the Flagler American Legion built a new gymnasium which it
leased to the school.
Strangely, the long struggle
to build a
school adequate for needs of the community
was not destined to end. In 1950, [tigation
was commenced which questioned the validity of the law which the new Flagler school
district was organized. This made it impossible to sell bonds previously voted. The final
blow came in October of 1951 when the old
brick building was gutted by fire.
Unable to raise money by means of a bond
issue and without a single adequate classroom, people of the community loaned the
school district funds necessary to construct
the present twelve-grade building. In the
meantime, the school conducted classes in
the American Legion building and in a church
basement. In the fall of 1952 Flagler school
was once again in adequate quarters. The
Flagler School Annex was erected in 1964-65.
Since that time an indoor swimming pool
has been added, enhancing swimming abilities of students of the area. A remodeling
program hinged on conservation of fuel,
involving changing windows, adding insulation and carpeting floors has been successful,
A
dwindling number
of
students
W.R. Heiserman Ranch near Flagler.
Hard times and dust bowls days, 1929-30, to
survive many used cow chips for fuel.
HAL BORLAND
1915-16.
was
apparent in the 1970s and 80s. This loss of
students is caused in part by a swing in
agriculture to larger acreage and bigger
equipment per operator, reducing the number of families who can live on the land in the
district. This phenomena might be traced
also to lower prices, but greater surplusses,
rather a controversial situation. In the 1970s
and '80s, a reduction of school students
became so acute, since state funds are based
on this number, additional consolidations
were necessary.
In the fall of 1984 consolidation of Arriba
schools and Flagler schools was made to
increase the number of students attending
one school. This move is the result of
economic conditions of our country. It is sad
to experience losses of community facilities.
T329
Farmstead of Henry Kleiwer northeast of Flagler,
H.E. Rice homestead west of Flasler.
Hal Borland was born May 4, 1900, at
Sterling, Nebr., the only son of Will A. and
Sarah Borland, and moved with his parents
in 1910 to a homestead about thirty miles
south ofBrush, Colorado. In 1915, his father
bought one of the two small newspapers in
Flagler, The Flagler Neus and the family
moved here. From then on, Hal became
involved in the printing business and in
writing but he had gone through a year of
college before he acknowledged that writing
was his primary interest.
After completing Flagler High School with
the class of 1918, he enrolled in the University
of Colorado at Boulder. That fall he covered
a CU football game for the Denver Post for
the regular sports writer from the school and
continued covering sports events and writing
for the university paper for the two years he
attended.
He then returned to Flagler for a year
where he assisted his parents with The
Flagler Nen,s and was correspondent for the
Denver newspapers in eastern Colorado in
the summer of 1921, he left for New York City
and Columbia University in a Model T Ford.
He enrolled as a special student at Columbia,
�meanwhile working in various news reporting
jobs in New York. He worked as a telegraph
editor for the United Press, as a reporter for
the Brooklyn Standard Union and as an
assistant editor at King Features in their
syndicated weekly magazine.
In 1923, he was graduated from Columbia,
and submitted a group of Indian stories to
Doubleday, which were accepted. His first
book called "Rocky Mountain Tipi Tales"
published early in 1947. After completing
the book, Hal "Barnstormed" around the
country for awhile, working various lengths
was
of time in a variety of cities, receiving writing
and editorial experience. Among the places
he worked were: Salt Lake City, Utah; Wells
and Carson City, Nevada; Fresno and San
Diego, Calif; El Paso and Marshall, Texas;
Atlanta, Georgia and Asheville, North Carolina, before returning to New York where he
received some public relations experience.
During his visit to Colorado, he learned the
Stratton Press was for sale and bought it "on
a shoestring", thinking he could work four
days a week publishing the paper and have
three days for writing. However, he soon
learned he spent seven days a week on the
paper and found no time for writing. So he
sold it in the spring of 1926 and moved east
with his fanily, settling in Philadelphia
where he worked on papers in that city. It was
during this period of time, that he began
selling fiction. He sold his first short story in
a slick paper magazine to the Ladies Home
Journalin 1927 and was able to continue with
his writing. His two juvenile novels, "Valor"
and "Wapiti Pete" were published along with
others.
In 1937, he was offered a job on the Neu
York Times magazine and accepted it working as a reporter which he enjoyed. During
World War II, he had opportunities for
writing experiences, some he termed painful
and some exhilarating.
In 1943, he resigned from the New York
Times in order to devote his time entirely to
writing. His first wife, whom he married in
1923 in New York. died in 1944 and he
maried in Denver in 1945 to Barbara Ross
Dodge, herself a writer and editor.
Hal passed away in Salisbury, Conn. Feb.
22, L978. There is a Hall Borland Memorial
Room in the Community Library, of the
Town Hall in Flagler, Colorado. First editions
of his books, awards, honors, and personal
mementoes have been donated by Mrs.
Barbara Borland. The Hal Borland Memorial
Room was prepared by the Memorial Committee: Alex Creighton, chairman; with the
generous support of friends wishing to honor
the memory of Hal Borland.
FLAGLER AIR
DISASTER
T330
20 Dead; 30 injured in worst air show
accident in U.S. History
Crash brings
horror to peaceful Flagler as- stunt plane hits
crowd at show; 20 dead, 17 hurt
small town
- are a few
stunned by air show tragedy. These
of the headlines that appeared in the different papers around the area. On September
15, 1951, what started out to be a gay harvest
festival ended in a very tragic event. The
sudden spectacular crash brought a tragic
climax to what the Flagler Lions Club had
planned as an afternoon of fun.
William J. Barker, a Denver Post reporter
SEIBERT
T331
witnessed the sudden, tragic finale to the first
air show ever to be staged in Flagler. At 2:40
p.m. by Barker's calculations just as Ruble
set his glider down and just before Nelson
Stake, manager of the field was to take off in
a dive bombing exhibition, Jones buzzed in.
He was forty minutes late for a briefing for
pilots participating in the show. The briefing
was to cover plans and safety procedure. He
said Jones flew in from the south low over the
crowd at a 45 degree angle trailing smoke
from the plane's sky-writing generator. The
plane was not more than 200 feet off the
ground and upside down. He started to roll
over and up . The plane went straight for the
mass of shocked human beings standing or
sprawling on the field or on their automobile
hoods and tops since there were no grandstands. The plane shattered as it hit the
First band in Seibert
-
1890!
ground and tore a swath in the crowd.
According to Tom Creighton of Flagler the
plane cut across three rows ofparked cars. He
said it looked to him like the wheel assembly
of the plane hit the first row, the engine the
second row, and the tail assembly the third
row of cars. The plane, a silver and blue Pimm
Tardin Trainer, was completely demolished
along with about eight cars.
The tremendous force of the impact hurled
some of the victims into the air and smashed
some against the cars and the ground. Some
of the victims were decapitated by the force
and the crash area was litered with limbs,
blood and flesh. The town's only ambulance
was on stand-by duty, but the plane crashed
into the ambulance and put it out commission. In the cab of the ambulance was Mrs.
Verna Clapp, 30, and Sandra Clapp, 3 years
old. Both of them narrowly escaped death.
An early day Seibert Establishment!
THs Setsenr
sEEEE.colo .
Srrta BlNx"".""
/-2.:-€'
l"3!n
U"
The following list includes those twenty
*3'?o--
accident victims: Mrs. Cleve Heid - Flagler;
Mrs. Charles Keller and daughter, Zenelda,
and son, John - Flagler; Mrs. Ray Thompson
- Flagler; Mrs. John Hall - Flagler; Gordon
McEathron and sister Bebe - Arriba: James
Brandenburg and son - Flagler; Illa Mae
Harwood - Flagler; William Hughes - Flagler; Harford Asher - Flagler; Virginia Moss
- Flagler; Jean Elizabeth Yocum - Flagler;
Mardell Simonis - Flagler; Caroline Selenke
- Flagler; Connie Jean Vogel - Flagler; Marlis
Stahlecker - Seibert; Lt. Norman Jones -
pilot of Denver. Eleven victims were still
hospitalized by the next Sunday night and all
recovered.
The pilot, Norman Jones, violated two
rules of the agreement between the CAA and
the show's sponsors. The rules were against
flying under 500 feet and the other against
stunting near the spectators.
Although the crash was termed an accident, the Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington blamed the crash on the pilot's "utter
Tom Manion's home and garage built in 1915.
-::..
- .-.,:.,,,,,.,,, i . r.',. . .
disregard" for safety. The report put out by
the CAB called Lieutenant Jones maneuver
"improperly executed". It said the pilot's
recent experience was in bombers and he had
no record of small aircraft flying for
"considerable time". It also said he did not
have military permission to
fly the plane.
This tragic air accident, which took the
lives of several friends and relatives. will
never the forgotten.
Another garage in Seibert in the 1915-20 period.
�
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63f3e3b7cb57d4bb7cab1cffa1cd952d
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
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Book
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Flagler
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
history
Description
An account of the resource
A record of the history of the Town of Flagler as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
-
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dfd02cb896237e06d48793d036ae4c94
PDF Text
Text
IJ
tL-i
lt
the county history, we were
^,^P:o-oiting
able
to secure manv stories
;;";;;;;
that were writren and- compil"d
"rd bt-ii:C
fl
Delta Hendricks, Bessie
id;;.
H.Y. Hoskin, Bonnv C""fa
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We chose to publisl ihese
stories
ual segments for vorrr reading as individ_
IIo_._k!1,
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You will notice that some of
""r"*;.
these
refer to
""
their own ,.current" framework
of ti;;.'
In ptacing these stories
.hr;;;ld;;f;,
,"
pt".iig -#"r.
categorically, so that suDJect
"f matter is more
meaningful. It is impossibl,
;';;;";;';
compl.ete.d history as time,
events and human
capabilities prevent it. Ir is
;;; ffi;;#
you will find. some new uits
i"r""'Il"ii.li
atong with what has already "i
b"";;;bil#:
We. are gratefully inalui"J'
-;"ii;;.;
compiling una putri.it;;"il,.
I:-1kin..Ig'
bo.oks, ..Memories"
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. taken the liberty
have
and
find in your tocal
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Louisiana purchase lg03
Colorado from 1540 to 1g6l
protection from Indians,
communications
ELBERT - KIT
were poor, and suppl.
**
CARSON COUNTY
T2
*":
really about l.gb9 when the first
_.*lr.
.
whrte,
settlers
came to what was then
uounty, Colorado.
Elb;;;
The great .o_."tt"al,JJtj
-n-oJ
had brought hundreds to Auraria,
1ush"
Lrenver-
of increasing numbers of
__T,: to
,..Ting
the area prompted tt
ry:y"
oI
stage, pony€xpress, ind freighiiil;;.-"'^
"a".-igr"ii#
r ne maln Smokev Hill
or Butterfield
Ml.#;,;;ffi;
from
I|_11r".**t was St. Joseph,
r,rancrsco
routed via Kansas
Station (near Limon), on to Denver.ti, f,"1"
r"prd growth of the territory
brought
^rl_1 many problems. Settlers
aDout
were withiut
Map ol
ti{i.
.tt.i"ij""T#::f il:
begin attempts to push rhe
area.
Jl,ffi jJ; Jj
Iniia;
f;;;'il;
assignment of Iand (from south
of the
^.TLir
pig
Sandy
Creek to north'of
no.means meant the
Ill::lby
::::j: tr
grounds.
t-h-e"ffi;;.;
r"ai*. *"rfr
giving up rheir buffalo
l;;;il;
1864, a band ofArapahoes,
led bv
L;hief.
^,Il/1n.,
Roman_ Nose
ttunning Creek.
murderJ;l;iil ;i
.In November, 1g64, Colonel Chivineton
with a detachment of men
i;;;F;;
-";;t"i
.i-p e,"p
li"o' til
lioif, I
"i
"T".," 400_500 llri* # :;;,
reservation).
Some
i";i;;
women,
Lyon and completelv
r
and children
Ju;;#i"; ffi :, f; ijiffil"ri
Arapahoes; White Antelope
y"ii;;"w;i;
emong th;
i.rt Larson County.
and
Ccl:rri.i
c
Nebraska and Kansas Territory
1gb4
Chief Black Kettle of the
lt ll."^_a_!:""nnes.
escaped. The massacr",
l;nelenle:
kno*r
tl? Sa,nd. Creek Affair, *". l;;;J;'b;;;;il;
",
g,t,l:T.d discussion in the
of CJ;.;;;
rlrstorv.
Following this Col. Chivington
was sev_
pages
.t.pl1*"nded and ruli"";- ;f hf;f;i;;
"tilt
Naturally,
the Indians were infuriatJ
a-s
a result of such treatment.
Th"fi-"c* ;;;
open attacks
ers,
on the settlers, f";_;;;-;;;;1
freighters. Many attempt.
-and were
treaties
to
no avaii.
t. _"f,"
G";;i"S#ff;;
;;';;T;
was. prevailed upon to
make
lndians. He consented.
by Janice Salmans
Railroad map
-
1gg?-1ggg. Note Muskoka,
a railroad switch.
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Map showing Elbert CountY
ORIGINAL COUNTY
ORGANIZATION
T3
The present site of Kit Carson was first
incorporated into the United States, in the
u""r i803. This small area was a part of the
iast Louisiana Purchase which consisted of
all the ground drained by the Mississippi
River. T'his piece of land was purchased by
the United States govetnment from France'
The small area known as Kit Carson County
was located in the mid-western section of the
furchase at approximately 39 30 longitude
and 103 30 latitude.
As the land was broken up into territories,
the boundaries were changed, and this area
became part of the Missouri Territory' The
MissouriTerritory existed from 1819 to 1821'
when it become an unorganized U.S' Territorv and then from 1854 to 1859 Colorado was
part of the Kansas TerritorY'
In a three day convention in Oct. of 1859'
a constitution was drawn up for the Jefferson
Territory. The territorial boundaries took in
all of prlsent Colo. and large strips of -Utah
and Wyo. Quick action was taken to ratify the
territoiial constitution, and only two weeks
later, the constitution was ratified by popular
vote. R.W. Steele was elected Governor in
Colorado counties as they appeared at the time of Statehood
z
,,--.(fr;
.aT
g
,tu!i
/'
"'-.i'r
--"f,
1885
n
Ju;,
1.,"1,.
-
1876
�The first mentior
oiS'io."do is now made.
As counties were formed, this was first
situated in Arapahoe County. Denver was the
county seat of this very large county. In lg?b,
the western part of Douglas County, the
northern part of Arapahoe County, the
C-heyenne Reservations, and part of norihern
Herfano County were incorporated to form
Elbert County. 'Ihe area was not as large as
Arapahoe County was previously and the
county seat was at Kiowa.
by Janice Salmans
MORTON COUNTY
T4
"Formation of Kit Carson County (first
called Morton County)." The followine ex_
cerpts were taken from issues of the
Cheyenne Wells Gazette as notated. Febru_
ary 16, 1889: "We will give a premium to the
residents of towns, 12 and 18 that would
rather be in Morton County than in
Cheyenne." (Note townships
ld and 18 of
present day Cheyenne County were in Elbert
County prior to the new county formations
in 1889.)
Iebruary 16, 1889: ,,It was only through
selfish motives that the projectors of tf,e
Morton County bill included towns 12 and 13.
and not for the benefit of the settlers in the
two towns."
"The Blade of Feb. 8, says: .The people of
Morton County will not consent to tef ttrat
portion of their territory go at present at
least, as there is a great amount of taxable
railroad land in the two towns.'
"February 16, 1889, Bur lington Blade said:
"The Cheyenne chiefs are bold, but their raid
fo-r the purpose of securing territory from
Morton County will fail."
February 16, 1889 Cheyenne Wells Ga-
ne cnargeq ruu pounds ot potatoes and a
gallon of whiskey.
During the Post Civil War era, from 1gZ0
to 1885, large herds of cattle were driven from
Texas through this area and delivered to the
miners near Denver. There were also herds
as
to the
west.
Before the 1880's, two ranches settled in
the Republican River valley. They were
known as the McCrillis and the Bar T
Ranches. They were both horse ranches and
ranged their stock from the Republican to the
Arkansas Rivers. The balance of county land
was dry divide land on which water couli onlv
be obtained by dug wells, some of over 100 fi.
in depth.
This land was not all settled until the
construction of the Rock Island Railroad in
1887 and attention of landseekers was called
to the homesteads. The Homestead era of
1886 to 1906 brought flocks ofsettlers in and
each filed on 160 acres. There are still todav
marks of habitation on almost every quarte"r
section of land. The United States hada land
office in Hugo, Colorado, and every settler
made ttre trip to file his claim. Laier, laws
were changed to allow the planting of a
timber claim. A timber claim was the pLnting
of ten (10) acres of trees. A few sisns of thes!
still remain but many have long since van_
to
includl
Cheyenne County territory, and passed.
Burlington is the temporary county seat.
After the bill passed, the name of the countv
was changed
to Kit Carson."
KIT CARSON COUNTY
BEGINNINGS
,n
for , ,W -
Entry No .. -d
-
111.h.? , is in this office,
and will be deliveted to you {rpon ssender of
the Registels Duplicate Certificate.
Where the Register's Grti{icarc
is
the Certi{katq and also showing ownenhip
ofthe traitqlor a' portion thacof, embr,aced in.the
patcnt, and
that the affidavit is ma& for
.,;;o iol
o.
Il*;e,T!?r .?6ir,
if
i'-,
-
fn reply lo y6r;1, l,ett*r sf tire ??d,,1ns.vant :.ou s,!s lniore*i
thari your noflc* ?r&s sgnt No :hs $slbsrt ssttler
fo, sdvsrtlaanent
.rnd ohould ba corLp).eieittilsre aE your proof r*
set for thc a6il',Of
tals month.Yorr irsd beit€r e;;,]1 :rnil s's rf ths .fdv*rij.ec$lent has
b93n sun the proper tfune,you carn o$nre &n;, rrialrs
t:ie;:{uof :-nd tf t&
pub)'1cat1"on brrg aot b$dn ntrde trie prooi rr11].
h;v* to bs
t1'l'1 the :{i.dvertifro,*ent hes bere conEiietorr.rf you h3.ys not'U*pen,i.;c
payed:
.
From 1859 to 1870 was a gold rush era. A
time when Gold Miners rushed to the Rocky
Mountains. The area that was to become Kit
Carson County was first settled in the T0's
when a_ cowboy named Joe Miskelly located
a small .ranch at Crystal Springs. Crystal
Spnngs rs a branch of the Republican River
and is about 3 miles east of Flagler. Joe
traded at the Robidoux Store in F6rt Wal-
the
ptrpose of obtaining ths pat€ot.
fo.r ihF adverllearlenrl
T5
lost,
aflidavit must be made {or the tract
embraccd in each entty 6y the pieseot
bona fide
owner of the land, accosnting for the loss
oI
separ3t€
UNITED STATFS LAND OFFICE
Mgdi:q:
was amended so as not
Patent
, (?""t qi'
DEoARTfv1HNT OF THE INTERIOR
county is justly entitled to the strip in
will be determined bv the
bill
,r
by Janice Salmans
3iile1 i1.l.1r'rrk,
Legislature."
, .-February 23, 1889: "The Morton County
t"iStl, iltrr. i:;r;,
:lr r
!l
ished.
thiefs"
controversy,
UNI'€D ATATES LAND OFFIC€.
driven to the Indians in Montana territorv.
some were pastured here, and still otheis
driven to the east to railroad terminals as well
zette: "We wish to inform the Blade that
there has been no effort whatever bv the
to secure any territory from M-orton
County. Our bill. The question as to which
ylrAn
Jrou had b*tter &ttenii to sans,r f111 ,rrttell
thep:,perfs1irtiv,tpN]rlg*jvel|tgen:$n'i.'
F'c*l*ctlutrr,
,,
�_ Be it enacted the General Assembly of the
State of Colorado:
Section I. That the county of Kit Carson
PICTURES
T6
{.{o
\Er
-J*t'
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."'j' * ttre
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bnrr
+{+82"*n
lflolgito.
'fr:"r!,rP
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a
t
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a
c
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f
lnt
8o4en
,4ot
_._---._za[fev
,p
ar(w
lu
t:"'*no.n
'.'g g.rt Fo
ftkPsnwwo'
A*reo
aa
;:ltJliliti:oute
7fr{rLX
tf Urh*rvi*iyiiladrre
l7oaufuSifu - +a, Yt!f rr'c' t.r q/ca tD
illo
* F,'
T7
(S.8.48) An Act
, To Establish The County Of Kit
Carson,
And The County Seat Thereof; providin* Foi
'Lhe Appointment
Of The precinct And
County Officers;Fixing The Terms
OiC*J
third Mo"d"yi;
6;;t;;:
\
Elbert Qounty wherein the case of
occurred in the tenitory embraced in the
""ti*
new
c_ounty of Kit Carson, or wherein the defen_
dant or defendants reside therei", .fr"fil",
as soon as the officers of said Kit Carson
County shall have been appoin;"J;e
qualified, transferred by the clerks,
tt
order of the judges thereof, to ttre cJurtgoi
"po" "
the seme jurisdiction in the said county.
Section VI. All county records and other
county pr-oqglty, heretofore belonging to the
county of Elbert, shall be ana ,6miin tt
prgperty of said county of Elbert.
"
Section VII. The county commissioners of
the
said Kit Carson County shAf caure ;
transcript to be made of all the records of ali
property situated in the county of Kit Carson
as provided by la1 and such iranscript strJi
be entered, upon the records of said countv.
and when so entered, shall be d"u;;J;;A
held to be good and legal records.Section VIII. The present indebtedness
and funds of Elbert County statt Ue appoi_
tioned between the county of Elbert ;-d-th"
county of Kit Carson, in proportion to the
ration which is now incfuaed within the
boundaries of Kit Carson County, t;;r-;
the ta-xable property of Elbert
Trail traced by
is hereby established, with the legal capacity
anq runcttons of other counties in the State.
And the boundaries are as follows,B"si""i";
at the north-east corner of Elbert Cointvi6
the west along the north line of said Elb";
lounty to the west line of range fifty.L""
(51), west of the sixth principa"l *"iiai*;
thence south on said west line of fifty;;
(51) to-the townships 11 and 12 south;
t[";;;
east along said township line to where it
intersects the state line of Kansas; thence
north on the east boundary line oi Elbert
Co^unt1,to_the place of the beginning.- ---Section II. All county and piecinciofficers
b;""t; ;;
snown by assegsment rolls for the year lggg.
. Section IX. The boards of courrty co--i._
sioners of said counties of Elberi a"a Xit
Cglso.n shall have fult power ana a"tf,oiitv
to
acljust and settle
.,
was traced in the 1840's bv one of the group of 10
stat€ Historians.
KIT CARSON COUNTY
9guqty Court, commencing on the--firJ
Monday in January, April, J"iv, *a'O"t"U"i,
respectively; one term of the District Court
Section V. All suits, civil and
pe-nding in District and County
"ii-i"J,
""*
C;;i.;i
"+ *-
,t' '{
t. .t!'6sn^y",,r'
lto ?
Kit Carso""C"r"tvi""a
is hereby established at burlingto;, *t
it
shall remain until changed a"c6rai"e;ii*
"r"
and until such time all iourts of ,u"J"JrfrJi
be held there and the county offices ,"-uin
there.
S,ection IV. There shall be held annuallv in
said county of Kit Carso" fou" ter-* oiitr"
commencin_g on the
,.w)9
f0o
t;:
to
be le_gal officers of
the Governor shall appoint,u"f, oit"r-ofii_
cers as may be necessary to carry on the
government of the said county, or until their
s-uccessors.aredulv electgd and qualified
by
law. Uounty officers shall be elecled in said
county at the next general election.
Section III. The county seat ofsaid county
+
Nebr,
therr respectrve ottrces lor f,ne f,erms wnrcn
lhey ar9 elected, and are hereby au"U""Jio
all matters of
revenue
proper to be done on account ofthe formation
of saidcounty of Kit Carson, a"a to apporiion
the indebtedness of said county
El[;J:;;
specified in section vii ofthis aci, "f
and for such
purpose the said commissioners shall meet
at
Kiowa, in said Elbert County, upo" t* aavt
notice in writing being given bv tfr" .o--i._
sioners of the other county, at any other time
after the officers of Kit C-arson Co""ty .t
have been duly appointed and qualifi"ll, ;;;
"tt
a-majority of the United Board of Commis_
sioners
of said counties shall be
"
legal
qqoJym- t9 adjust said revenue and apporti-on
said indebtedness. In case there .t iufa
be a quorum present at such meetint, oi-in
"oi
ca.e said commissioners fail to agree"on the
""pp*Uo"_
adjustment of the revenu" a"a
ment thereof, and the apportionmerrt of tn"
indebtedness, and the bbard of county com_
missioners of the county of Elbert
-"V *"G
sucn adJustment of revenue and apportion-
�order and decision the county of Kit C-arson'
of any person aggrieved, may appeal allowed
from'the board of county commissioners-to
the District Court, and upon such appeal a
change of revenue may be taken, upon goott
by either party to such proceed-
the county was awarded to the "Colorado
S-i"n. dazzette". Bids for transcribing
i""o.d'. from Elbert County to Kit Carson
County was awarded to Edwin McCrillis'
giar tot county printing was awarded to the
'Burlincton Blade' which was also chosen as
""t.""ttto*
ings.
the offi-cial paper for the county'"
lishing the fees of the county' preclncl ano
assessor was ordered
"-itr"i"offi."t.,
a countY of the third
be
--section
io
'section X. That, for the purpose of estabsaid county of
Kit Carson shall
class'
XI. fn" county of Kit Carson is
hereby attached to the Tenth Senatorial
District, and for representative purposes
shaii be attached to the county of Elbert, and
.ftJi U" attached to the Fourth Judicial
District for all judicial purposes'
Section XII. In the opinion of the General
Assembly and emergency exists; ^therefore
this act shall take effect and be in force from
and after its Passage.
Approved APril 11' 1889'
bY Janice Salmans
THE COUNTY
T8
Carson county was organized in 1889'
from a portion of the eastern end of Elbert
Couttty. The county is rectangular in-outline
*a it-OO miles from east to west and 36 miles
from north to south.
ihe first county officers were appointed by
Kit
the Governor of Colo., Job A' CooPer,
throueh the influence of the Populist paper
publis'hed by J.F' Murray, in Burlington'
ii*o.t
all the appointees were people in the
Co.l. atea, which rightfully infuriated the
towns in the western part of the county-'
The first'as--sessment was made, and the
to place the valuation
of land from $1.50 per acre for pasture,land
g11.00,
an acie for cultivated
land'
'American'horses were assessed at $30'00 per
head and'half-breeds'assessed from $8'00 to
head. The abstract of assessments
$13.00 per
t""a" 'o" September 5, 1889, shows - the
items: 246.560.731100 acres of lancl
following""t
u.fo.a
."itto"a
$eZ,gZO.O0;
60 11/10 miles of
$508,323.58; Improvements on land
$9,535.00; on public lands $24,050'00; town
$58,745.00; public .utilities
Amount of Capital emploYed in
anJ city' lots
gSf,SSO.-00;
manufacture $5,500.00; 1,904 Horses
gia,ioz.oo; 217 Mules $?,909.00; 2,239 Cattle
izs,goa.ooi 5 Sheep $8.00; 548 SYTU
$f,dAz.Oo; 5? Musical instruments $940'00;
i8i Clocks and watches $914'00; 743
Carriages and vehicles $?,886'00'
Witfr the introduction of the horseless
carriage the people of the county expressed
a desiie for good roads. Six scrapers were
to be distributed, to the different
road districts' The road fund was $43'11,
;;h;"i fund $48.00, ordinarv countv fund
ordered
were: Judge, John Rose; Clerl(, James,rnesu;
Tres. M.R-. McCauley; Assessor, A'N' Corliss;
Sheriff, Jos. Smith; Supt. of Schools, II'E'
Carmicheal Surveyor, Wm. Hollowell; Coroner, M.E. Cook; Commissioners, Jeremiah
Lee, R.G. Campbell and Alfred Wallett' In
f89b. to serve in 1900-1901: James T' Jones,
Burt Ragan, J.W. Penfold, L.J' Neff, B'D'
Rogers, G.H. Hobart, (there was no coroner
elelted after M.E. Cook left until Dr' Blumberg was elected in 1904), C.L. Chase, N'H'
Fuller, and W.G. Hargis.
Elected in 1902, Judge, T.G' Price; Clerk,
Wyatt Boger; Tres.' W.P. Flaming; Assesso-r,
Shet-a.t Yale; Surveyor, Wm' M. Hollowell;
Supt. of Schools, John F. Stott; Comm', E'T'
Epperson, C.G. Burr and W.H. Hargis' There
**. tto election in 1903. Officers held over
until after the 1904 election. 1904: Walter
Gliaster, Geo. O. Gates, Fred Flexar, James
Knapp, Wm. Smith, Wm. Hollowell, Etta
noee.s, lst Dist. - Conrad Gephart, 3rd Dist'
- C.W- Huntley, 2nd Dist. - G'G' Burr was
elected, Coroner, Dr. A.M. Blumberg'
1906. elected commissioners for the lst
and 3rd Districts were Huntley and Gephart'
In
IIOMESTEAD
PUBLICATION
Tlo
$594.00.
by Janice Salmane
dtrm*eir
ar
it{. ntrrm.
RELINOUISHMENT.
COUNTY ELECTIONST9
,/ tr,,4 -t r-,;t /" x 4/"*t *Le .A
t^a\
,/,--'
;, -a a a. /"/L-t-a-tt
-.,/
Most of the appointed officers were det'eata few montis later in the Nov' election'
"d
E.G. Davis and D.S' Harris were the exceptions. Burlington was designated as the
county seat.
l;,,,iL'V
First Commissioners District, Burlington;
.
2 rik
r,fr.
'4t-,t.
.:,....-:.-....,..........,...,..,-....-.,I".
Second Commissioners District, Stratton;
Third Commissioners District, Flagler'
Appointments were: April 1889: Co' Judg-e'
p".f!-fittg; Co. Clerk and Recordet, E'y'
M.Ctittit;'bo. Treasurer, H'F': N99]; .C-9'
l..e.to., n.a,. Vanderpool; Co' Sheriff, A'N'
Wilcox; Co. Sup't of Schools, D'S' Harris;.Co'
Surveyor, Wm. Hollowell; Co' Commission-
ers, Elias G. Davis, L.B. Deckjr, Jacob
Brammeier. Elected: Nov' 1889: Co' Judge'
F.g.
Coat-*;
Co. Clerk and Recorder, Dan
t<auaoarlgtt; Co. Treasurer, George B.e3tiCo'
e..u.tot,-O.9. McDonald; Co' Sheriff, Sam
S"ia"h*;
Co. Sup't of Schools, D'S' Harris;
Co.- Co*-i.sioneis,
Davis; D.C. Walton.
E.W' Morgan; E'G'
One commissioner was elected in
and two in the next election'
election
-
one
Thu tt"* officials were given new offices in
the west rooms of the Bank of Burlington'
*tti.tt *". erected by the Townsite Co' in
iA8S, tttu first building on the present site of
Burlington, as there was no court house yet'
The county commissioners held their first
meeting in May, 1889 and the records show
the foll-owing business transacted:
"Official bonds of all county officers were
approved. The seal ofKit Carson was approvfn" Hquor fee was fixed at $300'00 per
Relinquishment form from a general land office'
Disbursement of county funds, 1889-1896'
Elected Nov., 1891: Judge, P'B' Godsman;
Clerk, R.B. Campbell; Treasurer, John uor-
ti.t, 1i.."..ot, C.W. Milleson; Sheriff, Mike
Supt. of Schools, J'W'-Aug-u*ine;
ftieeins;
-Co"rimi=sioners,
D.C. Walton, C'R' McCabe'
n* Jones- Elected 1893: Wm' H' Long'
"tta
Ci. f"t.itt, B.F. Kaiser, J'S' Casey, Sam
Porter, Wm. Burnett, E.E' Brown, !'i'G'
-O"ui.,'and
;;";
W.H. Lavington' The commiselected in 1895 wJre: E'G' Davis, E'E'
The following is a copy of a homestead
entry publication:
Notice of Publication
Department of the Interior; U'S' Land
Office, Hugo, Colorado, October 23, l9L2 -N'
Notice i-s hereby given that Harvey
Jensen of Bethune Colorado, who on May 27,
190? made Homestead Entry ?125 Serial No'
052?9 for W%NE%, SE%NE% Section 11,
�;;;;;d;;
;;-d;;;;fi
hi; ."
"",tr,"i
quarter section under the Homestead
law.
This gave many of the settlers three quarter
sections or 480 acres. A large part of the
people who proved up on their claims borrow-
ed the money on their farms from loan
companies who were making loans of gl00 to
$500 on quarter sections. They, then, left and
turned the farms over to the lenders. Practically all of these loan companies failed in 1898
and 1894. The first rush of settlers began to
quiet, when an extreme drought drove out all
Homestead Entry dated May 22, 1899, signed by
President William McKinley for Charley J. Farr.
but the hardiest and left the countv thinlv
settled. Small ranchers were running-from bb
to 100 head of cattle on ranches from three
to seven miles apart. To the old timers, this
seems to have been the most prosperous and
successful era in the history of the county as
everyone was fairly well to do and debts were
small. This situation continued until about
1905, when a second rush ofland buyers from
Iowa, Eastern Kansas and Eastern Nebraska
began to buy up all the lands which were
being placed on the market at low prices.
From this time on land prices began to rise,
with occasional periods of recession, until at
the height of the land boom, 987.50 an acre
was paid for Kit Carson County lands. Wheat
SW%NW% Sec. 12, Twp. 8, S-R45 west of
the 6th Principle Meridian, and on July 14,
1908 made additional Homestead Entry No.
98471 for SW%NW7a Sec. 12. E1/zNWVt
Sec. 11, SW% SEtl Sec. 2, Twp 8S-R 45 west
of the 6th Principle Meridian has filed Notice
of Intention to make final five and three year
proof, to establish the claim of land above
described before the County Judge in and for
the Kit Carson County, Colorado at Bur-
lington, Colorado on December 3, 1912.
Claimant names as witnesses: George
Powers, Hans P. Jensen, C.E. Mills, all of
Bethune, Colorado. P.O. Hedlund, Register
Late comers also purchased a relinquishment from a homesteader, which gave them
the privilege of finishing the terms of the
homestead. Perhaps the relinquishment was
filed with the land office and a new homestead entry made.
crops were good and every available acre that
could be planted was plowed up and seeded.
Tractor machinery was introduced and as
large acreages could be easily handled, it
seemed that there was no
limit that could
be
taken from the fields. Large schools, and
other public improvements were saddled on
the communities and valuations were raised
all over the county and when drought and
by Henry Y. Hoskin
wind erosion struck, and the wheat crops
PRE.EMPTION
failed to come in, farmers found themselves
unable to meet the high taxes. The land boom
Trl
had ruined the countv.
The Pre-emption law allowed a settler to
live on the land six months then "prove up"
Timbe-Critlc
Cedificate
APPL'CAT|0N
.t / )'I
Na
l.
1.
,1 . .
I ... ..
by Jan Salmans
THg UNITIID STATES OF A}IERICA,
1.
,
ilo all to mhon thsr
gr.6rn15
' 8811i.fmg Tkft las lr.n &psikal ir th ourlxur rArr orrrrcli uf lh uilitr{r srar* x (irrr!:ri or rn, tr0jMm .t lrt L.s &oc
- --1. L '.
sha-b\ ,, .,rpr,. rr,..,. ja,,.l.u,r ,.*
.\,
,;,,*.;;:,.,
;.;;;;
{r(lrn. liia,ril ,un.14.$ia."Toen*lragtlheOrow..hoi
Tim.@ronlhclilqeiernprqirLes.,,itorlrln,rzt'-1
,
t.;,
.
r' ili r]rrodi tjr.r
lotl
itr 3firct
or
ir.:iid
IUIOU ga, Ttdl ir.r. ij. rl.rtr€-
,^;;1,;:;-V!::,
r,,jrn.
{ir.!rd rt uf ritj\ehlr, LrxD ofncE rt [. iLnrrr.,r
!.rnr.il,! 0f Unitcd g!a!e3 ur. u*
"l''*' :l "-":l:"1"*'*l
!* ,*rr*o"q
"^u
it .
}:,';""i1]-.T
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,rlroru*t ,.
,
,, ,,,,
hnrcut..dllr'Nr.r!,tlEs,nrIrotft.ardrhseliftt.c!r\r0r,Ln!,orrllt,!eb.r.0rt";;.,"",,
!S*d.
GtvENrrn.rsytirn.dlh.tr.'r,\r'^sd'rcr.r.tt.cl.:.-...:::.,...,t",.ri)*v,r,ndt,,.,hrh.t;;!f.urrrd,eftnil{F,l
tri..ru!dfed,.,--7r,.1-. ,'rt
,retdS.Jrt+hbMdlt.lliilSrNl*ilja.!.tr"l"a*t,tlitx!<:...
]hr'D|!!'1,o\1.l.'..'.-.],..,{/0,'.a'i.'-,.a,
,.,-..,6"4-.L
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,u.
j,, p,...Jt-
/
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,y''/,'^.
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t
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-. ... '",.):",,.
;.1t.
"_-,.-,,
"
Tree Culture Claim Certificate for William P. Davis signed by President Theodore Roosevelt on the
Thirtieth day of Decernber
1901.
were
homestead guides. For a fee they would show
where a homestead could be located. I will
quote from parts of the pamphlet.
"Citizenship: When an entry of any kind
is to be made, evidence of citizenship will be
required. If the applicant is native born, his
own affidavit of that will be sufficient. But
if he is not born in the United States. in
addition to his own affidavit, he must furnish
a copy of his declaration of intention to
become a citizen or his certificate of full
citizenship.
Land can be purchased at Public sale or
under the Timber and Stone Land Act.
entered with script of any kind, or final proof
can be made on a pre-emption or homestead
can be commuted by an alien who
has
declared his intention to become a citizen:
but he must have taken out his full citizenship papers before he can make final proof on
a homestead or desert land entry."
"Reservoirs and Ditches: Under the act of
March 31, 1891, any person or company could
locate a reservoir or ditches on public lands
for the purpose of irrigation and could obtain
a right to the snme, and 50 feet each side
thereof that could not be disturbed by any
person afterwards."
there were vacant public lands within three
miles of such city or town, an entry of 160
acres or less, could be made for park,
cemetery or other public purposes."
"Timber Claims: A person living on and
improving a homestead or p.e-empiion, may
cut so much timber as is necessary to make
his improvements. If there is more timber on
ements, he may sell the surplus."
,
To ha\,. arC io hojd n( sil ber 4i tud,
i;.{',*."'..jtit.
The following was taken from a pamphlet
from Daniel Witter and Co.. who
land cleared in good faith for cultivation,
than is necessary to make such improv-
(iri.'rtu$
,,, ,a -
is
unknown,
"Incorporated Cities and Towns: Where
shrll (omr, (6rcc.lin!:
.t
r!16r&rg
Typical home on the prairie. The family
"Unsurveyed Lands: Such lands could be
secured by settlement under the pre-emption
or the homestead law, by entry under the
desert lands act, or by location with some
high priced land script. Settlers on unsurveyed lands must file on such or enter the
tract within three months after plat of the
survey had been filed in the land office."
"Expired Entries: Homestead entries
would expire by limitation in seven years
after date of entry. As a rule, soon after an
entry expired the claimant was notified to
show cause why it shouldn't be cancelled, and
if he failed to respond, it would be reported
to the general land office, for cancellation and
in due time be cancelled."
�ryrdfJ darlE Drlrurr Lry Juslrce oI reace J.I
The first homesteaders were: Henry P.
Oats, Lots L,3,4,5, and 6 of Sec. L-6-44,
McCrillis, puncher; Warren J. Adams, Lot 2
of Sec. l-6-44, McCrillis, puncher; Edwin
McCrillis. SW% lL-6-44, Feb. 13, 1884;
Nathanial McCrillis, part of Sec. 33-6-44,
Oct.25,1884; James M. Wyman, Lot 3 of Sec.
2-6-45,Bar T puncher; Mellan G. Jordan, SE
SE 3-6-45, and NW SW 3-6-45, Bar T,
puncher; John A. Brent, Jan. 3, 1882; Woodard, land in 23-6-46, Aprll 22, 1883, Tuttle
Ranch; Riley land in Sec. 33-6-46, Jan. 16,
1882,
Tuttle Ranch.
The first to file on a homestead within the
present limits of Kit Carson Co. were: 1. Jo
in
3-9-50, Mar. 21, 1885'
Crystal Springs,2. William Matthias,3. Dick
Moore, 4. Simmon Rumming, Homestead
No. 15, Penelope Burr (Gordon Burr's mother,) on the Rep. river near Tuttle.
Vona was settled by Perl King and E.H.
Haynes, then came the Howell's, Ferris' and
Miskelly, Iand
the Linford families.
N. of Stratton were the E.G. Davis, Pugh,
and W.A. Richards families.
The Tuttle Ranch, established about 1876,
by Dr. Tuttle of Denver, was sold to J. Austin.
Dr. Tuttle was a surgeon in the confederate
Army. He never lived on the ranch. J. Austin
sold the upper ranch to J.J. Pugh'
The lower ranch - 6 mi. down the Rep. river
Harry Cox of Colo. Springs, whose
mother though blind operated a hotel in Colo.
Spgs. The blind Mrs. Cox when visiting the
ranch gave it the sobriquet of 'Rock Haven'.
She "saw" the ranch through feeling the side
of the bluff with her fingers, - the rocky ledge
of the bluff on the N. suggesting Rock Haven
to her sensitive hands.
Each week in the early '90's there were
was sold to
items published
in the Burlington
papers
about the visitors and events at Rock Haven
and another column from Tuttle P.O.
J.W. Austin's daughter married Burt Ragan, who at that time and over a period of
years was foreman for the Sherrer owned Bar
T (-T) Ranch.
In 1879 E.W. McCrillis obtained what
is
known as Spring Valley Ranch, from the fur
trappers (Reecks Bros.)' The fur trappers
owned "squatters" rights to that area. They
had built a cozy log cabin, burned down by
Indians in 1878. and rebuilt'
FIRSTS OF THE
COUNTY
Keller.
May 27, 1889
.
Elmer Castor and MarY
- Wellis, Burlington M.E.
E. Rice by Rev. J.N.
Church
June 5, 1889
Casper
F. Fetters and
- by Justice of Peace J.F.
Jerusha Ann Fetters
Fetters
Charles W. Bennett and
Aug. 19, 1889
- by
Rev. J.N. Wellis
Carrie B. Kimball
Paul B. Godsman and
Sept. 4, 1889
- Rev. Mead.
Charlotte Rose by
Anderson J. Pugh and
Sept. 25, 1889
Marie E. Shumanand
Sept. 26, 1889
- Edward W. Cain
Belle V. Kyle.
Long and Etta
Dec. 22, 1889
- William
Van Horn.
by Janice Salmane
Answer from the Dept. of the Interior, Dec. 9, 1916.
iiI
i rl,:,,
,if'rlll
FINAL HOMESTEAD
PROCESS
T14
t tn-o.Ilr- l..,nt,
rOel io lf,
[f'',,,crl- \;
)
(
"
*'J^
15 ,-'-,"q
'!. 1', t\ \r,,r- \,*4 , ,- o,1t S'*l
rr
I
I
y. . \ t ,!-,cr-,.-^ i,s lf-c lJf r.al 4
,{ i ..f i-lr9 * l/ -56
.' i^.\ "'lf.{r,-\ o'^ '';'\yn')'l -17/3
'" .' .-o : r'f o. a I ')'b t' / . '! 1''-.r-
,Jo J,,.
a. .frr &
,'-l ,* ,-oLtt.l c,r-,,-d {a La...r.r.-. i
\ -r1.,,-,
'\- o\!, t,, t
^
'do
t
)Y o" ,\^.rr,,r (r-,-. r.{ .,n,1 rtn!
'i-rr. -.rr.irtr ,-, u .-., t ]'^ o (( ,url'["*l;,
' ,,,' , 1 .io d^--*rAo Oa;^rVo^zt,
i *-[,{^J ?O,.tn-oJl 'S"q io**,
'r; .r !,t.,,* ln ,t{r-,"ao Y VX. C. C tn^Y,
'\-I .nlto^ 0,,{n. \*w,-.-"-:'.t 4
.(.yyr.,c'^tt\,'\'lrl. 1r b1^,.
,rrr,'l*
, \
.' ..i,i',.r.
',ii:l.."l .i
.a..a- .
,:r.l:rr'i":.:;Illlli
Notice of hearing of final proof of homestead.
'E$*!l'1*','*:-'
' b4
R
lie EI PT
"! $,a:iit:rT4rl
*,'"",., d&r'
'
.uu^@,
4 :drA
[":M,e;d'z'.a-q.
Correspondence to apply for a land claim.
T13
by Flo McConnell
First child born, Mabel Parks at Walter,
1885.
First boy born, Leon Lavington at Flagler,
1888.
First doctor in county was Dr. Hoyt, 1886.
First town in the county was Burlington,
1886.
First school was in Burlington, December
26, 1886.
First country school was located south of
Burlington 3 miles.
First marriages recorded at the Court
House
Mav 16. 1889
-
Owen W. Small and
Final three year homestead proof, Dec. 28, 1916.
�@l1r
l,{nilel $lntrr uf Anrpriru,
O! rll h !ilpn rt.@ ,nfult{
,h hd oil- il
The ballot case for the county seat election
,hdll ilu,., 6rdh,
Hu8o, Colorado,
Ith.l l!, 11.rk
.".,h rest hdf of .j6ciio! t*6Dty_four
in
Toinshll orolon so!rh of tanfle fifty v.st of ibe Sixth kinoipai
|:eridie,
:olor,:Co, cort ,iDin,j three hDdred ttr6nty !cres,
170 votes.
The Burlington Boornerang was selected
as-the-official paper May 2, lggg; Assessed
valuation
of the county in iSSg was
.;,,
'
;.. ,;;.;,
;
;;
:;.-.:;,,1.
ti 1j"i:li,tl. 'lt:. :. .,:ilr,
l
:;
T16
:iytNItt{
:;,:,,",):,:
;;, ; "") . ",,; .,,) ;,1, o,_ . .
r' ,l./1 '2,, .)
-J:!/ti.Ji.'t.,r.,
,,.,,,,,..,.",,,",.,...:ril,i,l
,,
",
"..:
o,.
"":",,,,
all of the important records, either'in lhe
"oj
deed for Ethel M. Clark signed by president
Woodrow Wilson, June 6. 1g1?.
Tf b
the old settlers.
In.the County Sheriffs office and that of
the Assessor but little if anything r", ."*a.
Fortunately the tax booke for ttr-e year 1SOZ
were not in the Assessor's office.
In the County Commissioners'room little
of anything was saved. County Recorder,
Q9o.-G.- Gates, fortunately had Lort, if
vault or in the large safe, and while the sJe
is warped with the intense heat, it is hoped
that the records will be .""ur"d. Thu lu;;;
court room upstairs with all its contents wis
doomed to destruction, not a thing could be
land
VOTING ON THE NEW
COUNTY SEAT
being adjoining the County Judges
i;
fare4 far worse as the Clerli Wyatl noger
"fd;,wa;
"private
unable to enter his office to save the
be. hard to duplicate. The valuable County
School records were almost entirely
med and the early history of the schools
"orrarr"_
in
this county will largely exist in the minds of
COURT HOUSE
BURNS
iroodro{ ]!tsoh
of his big safe. The office of the District Courl
and court records unless the safe snouta
prove resistant to the fearful heat. Mr. Boger
lost sonre valuable private records wtrich iiil
,""^ii"lJl:;iJiirl::;:::r"J:"fl1;,,ti;t"1ill::.:1ll::,:lt';t,i;l;.:1.,,,:.1t;til.,lti::;l:::t.,1
' ::'
demon fire and black pall of smoke stifled
and strangled the rescuers to such an exteni
that they were compelled to leave the room
but not until Mr. Price cooly locked the doors
and Burlington received 18.
county seat was located in Burlington
.byThe
election: Burlington 4b1 votes; Claredoni
$440,482.00.
j.;:,,, ,i 1,..;;;l; ,i:;:. " , ,...,,.,, ,, ,t.
three men were in the office passing out such
movables as was possible to get ouI until ihe
in Precinct 12, (Beloit) in Kit Carson Cou"ty,
Nov. 5, 1889: Claremont received f2 votes
Kit Car.son County Court
_ Built in 190g,
'lne orrgrnal structure was House
destroyed by fire.
saved. A handsome piano which naa U"en i"
use in that room for public gatherings was
destroyed. The court house was a frnme
building and was built by subscription,Ee
Rock Island Railroad Leing one of ' ;h;
heaviest contributors, .o-e 6ight""n y;;
ago.
In fifty minutes the flames that lit up the
surrounding country with lurid light; had
destroyed this ancient landmark. Fortuna_
tely,,the building was insured for about two_
thirds of its value. From such .ecords as we
could get,
it is learned that there
was in the
neiglborhood of $2,500.00, insurance on the
Duudrng and contents.
There was little doubt that the structure
could have been saved with its contents ifthe
city had possessed even a moderate sized
water system.
Original Kit Carson County Court Houee burned
Two men were arrested Sunday night
Dec. 23, 1907.
"The voters of Kit Carson County are to
decide on November 5, 1889, whether thev
will locate the permanent county seat ai
Burlington or to remove it to Chr;mont."
If the county seat was to be moved the
county would have to cover the cost of moving
the records, and furniture which would cosl
flom 9200 to $300 at the least. Then the first
thing to be done would be to build or rent
offices for the next two vears.
Claremont claimed it had $2,000 in securities deposited with the Columbia Banking
9o.pqry for the purpose of building
house for the use of the countv.
" "ouri
Burlington submitted
house erect_
"o.rri
ed on Block 44 consisting " of
40Xb0 ft. in size
with22 ft. posts, seven finished offices on the
to be occupied by the county
o{{c9r9, a large 36Xx40 ft. court ,oo-, t*l
adjoining jury rooms, (4'X16') on the second
floor. Said building was to be constructed at
a cost of $4,500 and deeded to the countv at
a cost of One Dollar ($1.00). The deed was
deposited inescrow, with the county commis_
sioners, to be placed on record after the
lower floor
election.
Rebuilding of the courthouse after the fire. Boger
house and barn in background.
On Saturday night shortly after seven
of fire, fire, was
o'clock, the startling cry
heard and echoed from street to street and
house to house; soon the bell of the Montezu_
qa HoteJ began to clang, arousing the whole
city to the knowledge that a disistrous fire
was in progress. Great throngs of people
began to rush to the scene of tf,e conilagra_
tion and the word was passed the cotinty
court house was on fire,
Those persons who had been at the fire at
its incipiency stated that the blaze appeared
to be located under the floor of the office
occupied by County Judge Glaister. How the
fire could have start€d in that part of the
building is a mystery as the Judge left town
Saturday night for his place of business at
Seibert and so far as known no one had been
at.the office during the day. The writer (of
th1.
lytp"per
article, a Burlington paper,
dated Friday, Dec. 2g, 1g0Z) arrived on'the
scene
just as the fire came bursting out
t!ryugh, the window of the Judge's piivate
office. County Treasurer price with i*o o.
as
suspicious characters and placed in ttrelait as
there is little doubt that the fire was of an
incendiary character.
Our County Commissioners should at once
arrange to build a Court House commensu_
rate with the present condition ofthis countv.
It should be built ofbrick not to cost less tha'n
sixty thousand dollars. The population and
wealth which has been and is pouring into
this county will fairly justify the-expeniiture
tor
a
commodious and up to date court house
that will be a credit to our county and our
city.
by Janice Salmans
NEW COURT HOUSE
1950
Tt7
Carson County has a new court house!
_,Kit
lnls, oI course, rs not a startling announce_
ment at this time when the new building has
been in use for some months. In factl the
move from the old to the new building has
�and Harley Rhoades of Burlington. Abstracts
of assessment since then show a building fund
levy of 1.0 mill was made in 1945, 1.5 mills in
L945,47 and 48, 2.0 mills in 1949 and 50 and
1.874
mills in
1951.
The architect, Chas. A. Kellogg of Denver
was instructed to begin work on building
plans early in 1949, and construction got
under way the following summer. The com-
missioners served as general contractors and
took bids on such work as electrical, plumb-
ing and heating, cement, and installing the
elevator. Wm. McKinley of Burlington
served as supervisor and Elmer Kerl of Vona
served as foleman. The final cost exceeded
the original figure due to the increase in cost
of the steel strike which occurred after the
construction had begun' The total cost of the
new court house has been broken down by the
commissioners: Wages, $?9,631.13; Materials
and freight, $78,606.12; Architect's fee,
$3,835.00; Electrical contract' $6'689'48;
Plumbing and heating contract, $11'787'88;
Elevator contract, $9,850'00; with the total
cost being $190'399.61.
Kit
Officials and employees carried on their
work many times under very trying condi-
entrance'
Carson County's Court House, above photo shows east
tions.
been so gradual during the past three yerrs'
that it has almost escaped formal notice' The
new cornerstone reads that the building was
reconstructed in 1950, but construction was
not completed until the spring of 1952'
The new building is a four story structure,
finished
in Carnegie marble veneer' It
is
situated in the center ofthe block, two blocks
west of Main Street in Burlington' It's total
cost of $190,000.00 has all been paid by small
mill levies during the past several years' In
fact. since there is about $10,000 remaining
in tire building fund, no further levy will
be
necessary.
Commissioners Reuben Anderson, (Burlington)'
Ernest McArthur (Stratton) and Earl Boren
(Seibert).
The idea of establishing a "building fund"
which would be built up for several years to
finance the conversion of the new building
came from the commissioners in office in
1945. They were the late George Baxter of
Flagler; the late Tom Kennedy of Stratton
A public meeting room is a feature of the
building. It is Iocated on the first floor and
is available for all types of public meetings'
Also on the first floor are the offices of the
County Superintendent and the Assessor, the
welfare office, and the furnace room. Formerly it was necessary to house the welfare
office in another building.
On the second floor are the offices of the
County Clerk, the County Treasurer' the
County Commissioners and the County
Aeent. Law enforcement and judicial offices
ar-e grouped on the third floor. These are
offic-es of the Sheriff and the County Judge,
the jury room and the District Clerk's office.
On tite fourth floor are the county jail and
modern, complete living quarters for the
iailer. There is also additional storage space
on the fourth floor. Formerly the jail was
housed in a separate building on the court
house grounds.
Sam Travis, CountY Treasurer, 1956
County Treasurer's office.
�T cattle. When we set the old
chuck wagon down and the remuda of
recovered Bar
mustangs were settled to grazing nearby, the
boys had to fan out and work for miles around
bringing the cattle in.
When the Rock Island Railroad was built
we tried pretty hard to keep our cattle north
of it but we still had round ups, but smaller
ones.
Then, when the homesteaders started
in 1866, we had to keep them even
coming
closer and watch them better. We also started
to put up hay for winter feed for the first time
and by 1898 we had cut down cattle numbers
so much that we only had 2,500 left. Then a
little later we fenced in what we claimed as
our ranch and we kept this grass to grow over
District Court room; adjoining are Judge's chambers and jury room.
COUNTY SHERIFFS
T18
there were instances that a buffalo cow mated
to one of the Bar T bulls it was known. and
while this would probably have been born
A listing of the County Sheriffs as known:
1884-1888, A.N. Wilcox; 1889-1890, Sam
Beidelman; 1891-1899, unknown; 1899-1900,
B.D. Roger; 11901-1902, Frank Fleming;
1903-1908, James Knapp; 1909-1917, un-
known; 1917-1918, E.E. Hoskin; 1919-1923,
R. Lee Worley; 1923-1928, John G. Davis;
Walt H. Conarty;
1931-1932,
19371947, Ray W. Plummer;1947-L955, Oliver C.
Dunlap; 1955-1963, E.B. Ormsbee, (1st 4 year
term); 1963-1967, Ed Mills; 1967-1971, Jack
Heid; 1971-1984, George R. Hubbard; 1984
1929-1930,
Hugh Baker; 1933-1936, C.C. Gates;
-
Sharon Heinz.
and would have lived
it
would have been
a
hybrid like the mule and would not have
reproduced. In a few years the buffalo
entirely disappeared for there were those that
would try so hard to get one.
For years we had to go to Benkelman,
Nebraska, for supplies and a four horse team
made this trip late in the fall for we did not
like to have to go during the winter if we could
get by without it.
We had to have round ups too, for it just
had to be done to collect our cattle. We went
as far south as the Arkansas River and still
the summer and would put out cattle inside
this fence during the winter, and we just had
1,000 cattle left. We fed them hay during the
winter too in this pasture.
Then the homesteaders started coming on
our property and filing claims and we started
having trouble with them. There was a Mr.
Munsinger who was locating most of them
and he would come right in and lay out a
claim.
My father had filed on a homestead also
that lay just south of the old Fleer place. Mr.
Minsinger located a homesteader on this land
and started to put a fence around it. There
was trouble and Mr. Munsinger shot and
killed our ranch foreman, Mr. Allen.
Cattle were not worth very much. In 1912
we just got $3.50 for good steers. Shortly afte'
1880 we had taken out water rights on the
river. The old Tuttle Ranch, 12 miles up the
river, was our closest neighbor. Then later on
there was the Pugh, Davis and Pugh ranches
and a Harry Cox bought part of the Tuttle
Spread, and Burt Ragan took a homestead
close to our ranch house but he was working
for us. Bill Mace took a homestead just north
of Mr. Ragan.
ll
t6'/67a
THE BAR T STORY
T19
\n 1872, my father, Jacob Scherrer, and
Tom Ireland teamed up to form the Republican Cattle Company and the ranch carried
the name of the Bar T. This nnme came about
as a result of the brand they used which was
a bar over a letter "T", put on the left hip.
Indians were seen often and while they had
just recently been hostile there were no
incidents of a serious nature. There were
plenty of guns and ammunition at the ranch
but there was never an attack. The Indians
etole some things but nothing was done about
it. They also stole a cow or steer once in
awhile and it was thought these were eaten
and, as cattle were cheap and the ranch had
lots of them, it would have been foolish to
have made an incident of such a small thing
as losing a few cattle. To my knowledge there
was never a band of cattle or horses driven
away. If there was it would have been just
small groups. It was better to get along with
the Indians if you could.
Buffalo were here yet, too, in 1872 but not
in numbers that hindered with cattle raising.
They were scattered in small bunches and on
the few occasions that a cow became mated
to a buffalo bull, the cow died in calving. If
n7
t.l
J++,^., t u4t r+n /Iv./fl.lJ,ltllnill.ltl.tn0tl//
edfr"^-r
L vdr "-4flttlttl,lt\lfttJ
Al
u^/L'N'lliftf-fN
&3
A
&rt{.ta
$' 7 c, nnnll
&,6a j 71ry
1
,/
*TTii
I
j
t.
'3(
rii
lr
rl
I
Record taken from Burt Ragan's account ledger, accounting of cattle delivered to O.P. Hughes.
HT
rc,-t
�ri?
le
&o bA/. ,r_"2
utq"a*,
%),!,t rl, ,,4,^zV,,
l^bu
ur,.,'9,1 l, |
fuu Nql t, ,, to&iullt*'at
',
/,fi't
4w{n
out under the stars on ground that
he was later to own. He got a job on the Bar
he camped
T Ranch working for the Republican Cattle
Co. His job was to help fix fences, haul
supplies or any other job that happened to
''f'E:, )l
come along. He went on many a long cattle
drive and round up. He helped in the driving
ti
of the Texas Cattle that the Republican
Cattle Co. had shipped as far as Lamar. He
also saw buffalo at different times.
After working there for five years, he
became the manager. He was for making
more pay, so he started to put together a
small herd of cattle for himself. He also took
a homestead close by and proved up on it
while working at the Bar T.
In those early days as a cowboy he did not
have many clothes nor did he need many. A
couple of pair of pants, two shirts, boots, a
good hat and a blanket was about all he
ar
,4It.l
..r,,t,
.:i
\*r 'u
{./.,
L' ,t.,
"i
"t
,,eA
),,J
r'.ri
L
({
'c,u
cqc'-
.'Ed
7
possessed. But they had good times in those
days anyway. Dancing was the main amusement. There always seemed to be a good fiddler
':41t'r. I
lna ,
U-z€
*1
,:,ttft'r,
/tt
t0
:)i.t
'..
or two at the Bar T. Whenever they could, a
good crowd would gather for a night of
'
enjoyment.
He would never forget the big round ups.
The dust was terrible and they were bothered
so much with flies and sand gnats. The last
big round up on the range in this part of the
il,
8,6
b,0
,
aa
country was in 1888.
Fred Bauder $20 per month, 1899
water. It swallowed them up. There were lots
of rattlesnakes and coyotes, but the prairie
dogs came in greater numbers after the
settlers came in.
J.G. Scherrer Denver, Colorado April 26,
In 1911 the Kit Carson Land Company was
med and they moved in lots of people
;ween the river and Burlington and anothplace that they settled in numbers was
of rn on what they called the Idalia
These people on the Idalia Flats had
ir success with wheat. We were bottled up.
1957
Burt Ragan was born on March 31, 1868,
at Lancaster, Iowa. He came west to western
Kansas sin 1885. The next year he decided to
come to Colorado, so he walked. He was then
eighteen years old. His first night in Colorado
big cattle days were over. We had lost lots
them in a blizzard in 1905 when thev
rifted over the river bank after it was filled
with snow and they perished in the snow and
Burt was well acquainted with Dr. Tuttle,
who owned the Tuttle Ranch, and who was
formerly a surgeon in the Confederate Army
and was then living at Littleton, Colorado. He
also knew the rancher and cattleman George
Benkelman, Sr., who had cattle all up and
down the Republican River. He later founded
the Colorado Packing Company in Denver.
He also knew Ed McCrillis who later built the
"Sears" Hotel in Denver. He also knew Ed
McCrillis who later became the Cattle Brand
Inspector of Colorado. McCrillis at that time
was connected with the Spring Valley Ranch.
by Myra L. Davis
t3
/1-t-<.LA-L
|
Q
'6
r;-
)t
y',t-
'i
,
g
r0 E'^/A-
J./u''ar.\-/htl
m
At
t
(,,
I W
Eu
I
1'
tt'1
/
D
t\o
I
I
Expenses for moving cattle
tt tt
pf^"11*'
,t q.nt ar:w1,.
,, *oa-ctD ^"^r.A
r-(p+1 /7o1'^
/ ,r
'1,/
Kit
Cargon County Memorial Hospital, 1950s.
�Orderlies: Emergency Medical Trainees:
Scott Beethe, Rnmon Cortinas, Glen Grotegeers and JFmes Timme and John Wilson.
CRT. Ward clerks: Dorendo Harrel. Melanie
9eelhoof and Marjorie Sloan. Dietary: Wave
McNeill, Pauline Hayden, Leola Isom, Sandra Webb, Loraine Wood and Hilda Zeigler.
I,,aboratory: and X-Ray: James Jordan,
ASCP; Joanne Jones and Bruce
Gross.
Central supply: Ardith Gulden, LpN; Iona
McBlfresh and Martha Carter. Housekeeping: Anita Sandoval, Esther Perez, Marla
Trevino and Maxine White. Consulting
Pharmacist: Linda Hayden. Respiratory
Therapy: Carl Curtis, AART.
Five personnel serving on the staff for 2b
years were honored at a service and presented
a brick from the original hospitaf with the
words engraved on them "For 2b years of
Community Service, 1948-1gZB."
PIONEER LIFE ON
THE PRAIRIE
T cowboys ready to start-roundup, carnping on the weet side of 14th St. at the north end. L. to R.;
Mac Bevier, Frank Mann, unknown, chris stahlecker, b unknown, Burt Ragan, Fred Bauder.
B_ar
KIT CARSON COUNTY
MEMORIAL
HOSPITAL
T20
The Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital
opened its doors on June 23, L948. Construc-
tion on the facility was start€d Feb. 1947,
with W.M. McKinley (Supt. of Schools),
accepting the responsibility of the general
contractor. The project was sponsored by the
Burlington Rotary Club. The hospital
was
built with funds received only from contributions and donations.
Allotment of federal funds were held up by
delays, red tape and tough breaks. Eventually
the hospital board decided to build with only
local funds. Donations cnme in as cash, from
a few dollars to several hundred. from
donated labor, from a "lO-acre wheat club"
(which farmers organized and contributed all
proceeds from 10 acres oftheir crop, with the
rest being piled on the ground at the site of
the now occupied Medical Clinic.).
On hand with "the first load of bricks" so
to speak, was J.S. (Steve) Rockwell, who
resigned his position as county treasurer to
ffrsume responsibilities as hospital adminis-
trator.
Rockwell and the board accumulated a
surplus of approximately 9150,000 during his
first 20 years to help with the construction of
the new wing of the hospital, which had open
house festivities Sunday, April 21, 1968.
Guy Ancell was contractor for the new
south wing project, which he operated on a
cost-plus basis, which saved the county an
estimated $50,000. This increased the 32 bed
hospital to 45 beds. In addition all facilities
were improved or new ones added. The staff
of 44 persons represented one of the larger
payrolls in the county. Cost of the new wing
and improved facilities was about $350,000.
Landscaping of the original grounds was a
project of the Burlington Garden Club with
the committee of Mrs. W.W. McKinley and
Mrs. Arthur Wilson heading the effort.
Another help team of the hospital has been
the Hospital Auxiliary, composed of commu-
nity volunteers, who met each first Mondav
of the month to mend, and sew various
garments and hospital supplies. Anna Buol
was a charter member and first president of
the auxiliary which began with seven members: Mrs. J.C. Coleman, Vice-Pres.; Mrs.
C.D. Reed, Sec.-Treas; Mrs. John Revert,
Mrs. Lyle James, Mrs. Alice Travis, Shannon
and Alice Adams, Superintendent of Nurses.
A remodeling project of the original part of
the hospital was completed for occupancy in
Aug. of 1972, bringing the capacity of the
hospital to 51. This included two beds for
intensive and cardiac care; five for maternity
patients; L0 in the skilled nursing facility and
34 medical surgical beds.
Rockwell resigned as administrator in
1967, at which time he assumed responsibili-
ties as purchasing agent and maintenance
supt. He then joined administrator Robert H.
Robb as assistant administrator. Robb joined
the staff Sept., 1970, after having retired
as
an Army major after 20 years of service. The
board members were: Harold McArthur,
chairman; Leo Kindsvater, vice chairman;
Russ Wilcox, Sec.; and members; Dale Har-
grove, Seibert; Louis Pickard, Vona; Max
Toland, Stratton; and David Rowland, Flagler. Personnel consisted of 70 persons.
Administration: Robb, Administrator, Rockwell, Agent, Assnt. Adminis. Business office:
Thelma Mayhan, Thelma Rockwell, Virginia
Williams, Bernice Rudnick and Theresa
Knapp. Medical records: Eileen Stewart, Art;
and Patricia Stewart. Nursing Staff: registered nurses: Dorothy Crow, director; Iva
Crist, Doris Crouse, Debbie Cure, Ruth
Haugey, Patricia Herrmann, Dorothea
Homm, Dora Knapp, Carol McCulloch, Virginia Peterson, Nancy Roark, Hazel Stahlecker and Sara Veselik.
L.P.N.'s: Alice Cichanski, Mildred Hines,
Norma Lindholm nd Helen Schaal. Nurses
Aides: Louise Barnhart, Bessie Boyd, Dixie
Burrows, Mildred Copley, Beverly Critch-
field, Jean Haines, Karol Haines, Faith Hase,
Joyce Knodel, Kathy Kramer, Mabel McAr-
thur, Cass Minter, Vera Perkins, Betty
Smith, Debbie Smith, Mardean Stewart,
Elva Mae Wall, Leah Woods, Grace Wooley
and Eunice Twomey.
T2r
Where we now live encircled with all the
embellishments of modern civilized life. our
intrepid forbears knew a far different type of
existence. Those who blazed the trails
through Eastern Colorado, endured untold
hardships and privations as great as those
suffered in colonizing America. Yet many of
their graves are on the plains, unmarked, and
the deeds of their daring unsung.
_
.
Kit Carson County, the
crossroads of many
historic trails, has not one marker or monument to perpetuate the memory of those
whose courage and fortitude led to the
settlement of this County and helped to make
this a beautiful gateway to the beauty and
grandeur of the Rockies.
To answer the question of who passed this
way first, we would pay tribute to the Indian
tribes who chased the buffalo and antelope
over the plains and left the relics of their
tribal lives on most every hilltop in this
County. The dust storms of 1934-198b uncovered the campfire sites of these early inhabitants. Trained eyes may read the secrets of
broken pottery and fragmentary implements;
experienced hands may piece together the
story of their tribal lives and customs; history
written not in formal documents, but in the
result of their occupation. Their trails have
been almost obliterated by white man, and
their burial grounds despoiled by the curious
settlers. The bold Cheyennes, their allies, the
Arapahoes, and the more hostile Kiowas. all
have left traces of their nomadic life on the
plains. Today we enjoy visiting the bared
camp sites and find pleasurable avocation in
the study of the different types of tools, and
the tribe each type represents. Stone needles,
grinding stones, knives, spear heads and
arrow heads in abundance are to be found.
Old Indian Cemetery:
Eleven miles north and four west. on the
bluffs of the Landsman Creek is an old Indian
burial place (sec. 33-6-44). Here is an old
Indian cemetery, a pyramid of stones, several
feet in height, marked graves of some chieftain or warriors. This marking was despoiled,
unknowingly of course, by an early homes-
teader looking for stone to build a dwelling
house on his homestead. The house, now long
�vacant, stands as a protest to the desecration
of the ancient cemeterY.
An Old Legend:
After the battle of Beecher Island, survivors
tell
us that the Indians gathered up their
dead and withdrew, going in a southwesterly
direction. In a direct line of their travel are
very high bluffs on the Republican River,
which would be their nearest watering place,
and where live springs keep the water flowing
at all times.
On one ofthese high elevations is a circular
layer of stones which is supposed to mark the
tomb of the great Cheyenne warrior, Roman
Nose, killed in the battle of Beecher lsland.
The site corresponds to the tribal burial
customs of the Cheyenne Indians. Changes in
the river's course and the great floods have
uncovered several skeletons from the lower
bluffs where the waters have cut away what
seems to have been a cave sealed in the long
ago.
The Mystery Grave:
The former old "Tuttle Ranch" on the
Republican river and Landsman Creek holds
the site of what has been a legendary treasure
hunt. As this land wag crossed by the old
Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Trail, many
interesting stories are told of events transpiring along this trail. One is told by L.N. Corliss
oi St. Atbans, Vermont. "A miner who
traveled this route was dying in Chicago and
tried to give directions to a point on Lands-
man Creek. The directions were: "Go to
Landsman, follow to a spring, southeast from
the spring you will find a mound. In that
He died leaving the
mound you will find
-"
rest ofthe story untold. Hundreds visited the
cave expecting to find a miner's cache of gold,
but only a few Indian trinkets were revealed.
The Corliss family still own the old ranch,
and the younger generation has often sear-
ched for the "miner's gold", but without
success, although some small Indian relics
were uncovered. Several graves have been
found and opened, but the secret lies buried.
Cowboys who rode the plains with the
"KP", the "Bar-T" and the "77" cattle herds
tell us of many interesting incidents of the
early trails and the trading posts set up
enroute. At least two of these were in Kit
Carson County, and another was located just
over the line in Yuma County, near what is
now the Newton school; another on the
Arthur Pugh ranch, and a third one north of
Kipling, a railway siding, and on the south
side of the Republican River. This trail was
still visible in 1908 when an "old timer" called
my attcntion to it. The trail was also visible
on the south bank of the Republican river
where it crossed U.S. Highway No. 244. This
trail was pointed out to me by one who
freighted from Denver with an ox-team
before the advent of the Rock Island Rail-
road. This trail is near the old Indian caves
and in the region where a wagon train of one
hundred white people were attacked by the
Indians. The story of this battle was published in "The Seibert Settler", a county
newspaper. The writer was from Topeka,
Kansas and was visiting relation living near
the battle ground.
There is another old trail in the vicinity of
Seibert that I traveled for many miles from
1908 to 1910 when living on a homestead
located on this trail. The Kit Carson Trail
leads from Bent's Fort on the Arkansas River
,o trsramie Fort in Wyoming, and passed the
west side of Seibert and on to the Arickaree
Creek near Cope. I saw the trail over most of
this territory, but today it is most obliterated
by plough shares.
These early trails did not stay within the
scope of boundaries ofpresent highways, but
varied over considerable terrain as circumstances necessitated, sometimes to avoid low
marshy ground in wet weather, sometimes, if
guided by scouts, to avoid hostile Indian
tribes when they were on hunting trips over
the plains. Occasionally there would be a
variance of several miles between the trail
and various detours, but Kit Carson Trail
through this county is very direct. The
Smoky Hill Trail followed the South Fork of
the Smoky Hill river as far as Big Springs
where the Kit Carson Trail crosses it, but old
settlers on the North Fork of Smoky Hill river
show us a distinct trail along the south bluff
of Smoky Hill river just south of the First
Central School, and it appears again further
west until it was obliterated by cultivated
fields. The trail led onward in the direction
of the "KP Ranch". In road grading in the
southwest part of the County, workers have
uncovered skeletons along this route.
Wild Horse Corral
Many western Kansas pioneers chased wild
horses over this atea, according to the history
of many pioneers in the late 1870's. One of
their traps for catching horses was Wild
Horse Corral on the Landsman or Launchman, for Dutch Jake was not distinct in the
pronunciation of his home's name' These
wild horse hunters also found refuge in the
dugouts in the bluff. One early day trapper
in Colby told of being caught in several
blizzards. one in Colorado. While following a
stream, he saw vapor rising from the bank at
the water's edge, and investigating, he and a
companion found a beaver's nesting place
large enough for them to crawl in to keep snug
and warm.
Early Trapper's Residence
The Spring Valley Ranch is the site of the
Reeks Brothers' log cabin home, which was
burned by the Indians
in
1878,
but
was
rebuilt in 1879. These men were trappers and
their home was open to some of the older
roving cowboys, such as Jimmie Gray, early
foreman on the Bar T Ranch before the feuds
with homesteaders. In his declining years,
Jimmy often spent his winters at the Reeks'
cabin. Jimmy was still riding at the age of 82.
The Reeks soon after rebuilding, sold their
camp site to Edward McCrillis, who had a
ranch on the Republican River. The Reeks
brothers settled near Beecher Island and
later went to Elizabeth and are buried there.
Their camp site is now known as "Spring
Valley Ranch".
The first man known to have his home in
the Burlington locality was known as "Dutch
Jake" (his surname is Harbison)' a German
trapper who had a camp on the creek which
crossed U.S. Highway No. 24 just west of
Bethune and joins the Republican River just
east of State Highway No. 51, about twenty
mile north of Burlington. He lived in one of
the six or seven dugouts in the bluffs of "Wild
Horse Canyon, Sec. 4-7-44. Other dugouts or
caves were used by buffalo hunters, then later
by bone haulers. These bluffs or caves are on
the Landsman Creek, designated by U.S.
Survey as the proper name. This creek origin
dates back to the days of "Dutch Jake" who,
it is said, purchased his supplies and shipped
his pelts from the old "Benkelman Ranch" on
the Republican River, and not far from
Colorado-Kansas line. When he would visit
the ranch "Old man Benkelman" would greet
him with - "Wie ghets Landsman". The word
in the sense of
farmer, hayseed or backwoodsman. The
"Landsman" being used
cowboy soon began calling the creek on which
he lived the "Landsman".
Early Cattle Ranches:
At a time when this State was full of wild
adventure, a few of the more daring men with
some capital assumed the risk of establishing
cattle ranches where water comes to the
surface and forms living springs. Three such
ranches were established in the present
territory of Kit Carson County.
Tuttle Ranch (TT-)
This ranch was owned by Dr. Tuttle of
first
building was comprised of one large room
built of sod with walls three feet thick to
Denver and located as early as 1876. The
protect the inmates from Indian attacks.
Many turbulent times were encountered
during the years intervening between the
establishing of the early ranches and the
coming of the settlers in 1886. On Hell Creek
north of Seibert was the scene of an Indian
attack on cowboys, in which two cowboys
were killed and their bodies interred near the
old Kit Carson Trail. Erosion revealed the
victims of this tragedy in later years, and they
were reinterred on higher ground.
The bunkhouses, which were the living
quarters of the cowhands, were the scenes of
unsavory episodes that were always common
in the early days of the West. On Tuttle
Ranch reposes the earthly remains of at least
one cowboy killed in a bunkhouse brawl, the
result of cheating at cards.
Scherrer Ranch (-T) (T)
The Bar T Ranch is better known to us, as
our present State Senator, Burt Ragan, was
a former foreman on this ranch' Like all early
day ranches, it went through many phases of
western history. We are told that attacks on
homesteaders, in order to discourage them,
were frequent. After crops were destroyed by
the range cattle, ranchers often retaliated by
butchering beeves; quarrels and shootings
occurred, and sometimes one or two persons
were killed. Such was life on the Republican
River in the vicinity of homesteader Munsinger's home and the Bar T Ranch. Munsinger did not scare, so when he was warned
by the Foreman Allen and a cowboy, the
former was killed and the heel shot off the
cowboy's boot as he scurried for his horse.
Later Munsinger was killed by another
homesteader who claimed self defense. Nothing was done about either case as there were
sympathizers for both parties concerned.
Later L.R. Baker shot and killed a prospective homesteader who was coming over the
trail from Haigler, Nebraska to Burlington,
and as the trail crossed the homestead rights
of Baker, he objected to the trespassing.
Baker was arested and hurried to the nearest
in order
Cheyenne Wells
railway station
- violence. Relays-of
to prevent mob
horses
were arranged along the route and the trip
was made with the greatest speed in order to
catch the next train. But upon arrival at
Cheyenne Wells, a grim and armed crowd of
men took Baker from the Sheriff and hanged
him to the water tower. As the train pulled
into the station, a few minutes late, the place
was deserted, not a human being in sight. A
lone passenger, alighting from the train, both
hands filled with luggage, looked askance at
the deserted village. Scott Vititow, coming to
�visit his brother Tom at the latter's horse
ranch, was disappointed that no one wag
there to greet him, but his disappointment
changed to terror as he saw the gruesome
sight at the water tower. The train
was
receding in the distance. Impossible to catch
it an-d hop aboard, he wanted to get away, but
how? At last a sombrero emerged over the top
of a barrel, then a face, and a voice asked.
"Lookin' for somebody?" Scott then explained who he was and that he had written
his brother Tom to meet him. Residents of
the West knew that ranchers out on round-up
received mail belatedly, so Scott was loaned
a horse to ride to his brother's ranch where
he had a full week alone to meditate on the
scene of his arrival before his brother rode in
from round-up.
In the same village of Cheyenne Wells was
enacted another drama which again made the
populace gasp in horror. In the graying dawn
of early morning a drifting breeze stirred two
indistinct forms suspended from the arm of
the water tower that had served as a gibbet
in eking out justice to L.R. Baker for
the
murder of McConnell. An earlyrisingwoman,
emerging from her home to look after her
cows, gave a sudden gasp, then with frenzied
screams brought the scantily clad citizens to
their windows and doorways, where their
gaze was directed by the gesticulating and
pain stricken woman to the lengthy forms
dangling by ropes from the erstwhile gibbet.
After the first shock was dispelled, citizens
hurried to learn who were the victims of the
latest tragedy. They found two well known
villains who, by their many forays on the
scant larders
of the
citizens, had made
themselves obnoxious to the entire village
two long, lank greyhounds. A vast sigh -of
relief was wafted on the early morning breeze.
Ho5rt was a prosperous village established
by Dr, Hoyt, who was also a surveyor, trail
blazer and locator. By turning up sod along
the route, he marked the trail which the
emigrants were to follow to this land of
opportunity. Hoyt had a hardware store, two
groceries, a drygoods store operated by the
I,eellutchens fanily, and a hotel, opeiated
by Mrs. Wivinis, mother of Mrs. Bertie
Tucker, who is well remembered as a charming resident of Seibert. A little sod school
house was built, and Mrs. E.P. Trull was the
first teacher. Mrs. Paul B. Godsman. who was
the second teacher in this school, was for
many years later Principal of the Montclair
school in Denver.
When I came to Colorado
shown a
in
1908,
I was
trail about one and one half miles
northwest of Seibert, and which was called
the "Santa Fe Trail", or the trail from St.
Joseph, Mo., to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I
asked Mrs. Priest about this trail. and she
stated that local residents knew it as the
"Santa Fe Trail" and that it was used by the
emigrant wagons and freighters. This trail
passed along the south bank of the Republican River and on via Hugo to New Mexico.
Among the emigrants of 1886-1882 were
Lee Hutchens and family from Harrison
County, Mo., who were among the most
prominent pioneers of the later town of
Seibert. Mrs. Priest also mentioned Charles
and William Blake, brothers, who were early
settlers, and freighted with an ox team from
the town of Hoyt. She doubted if Charles
Blake, who operates a small store in Seibert,
would give any information about pioneer
days and doings, as he had refused to talk on
the subject to her or to others who were
compiling historical data. However, I like
adventure, so asked Mrs. Millisack to drive
to the Blake store, but to keep the engine
running for a quick exit in case f was to meet
a reception that had been accorded others
who had met with the ',old timer's" disap-
proval. Although I have known Mr. Blake fbr
many years, he would not acknowledge
acquaintance nor give any information whatever.
I tried in various ways to get some
to recall events, but had to be
gratified with a smile when I spoke of a
certain event of the old times. Finally, Mr.
Blake curtly arose and left the storeroom bv
response
a back door, so after visiting a few moment-s
with customers, we left Seibert.
_ With my companions, we journeyed to the
Collins House in Stratton, where we were
graciously received by our good friend, Mrs.
John J. Pugh, (Mrs. Jane E. pugh) who
interestingly told us about the old Tuttle
ranch, their home. I further inquired about
the Indian burial ground. Mrs. Pugh told that
she had seen skeletons of Indians, one of a
chief, evidenced by the articles included in
his grave, and also the remains of a Civil War
soldier, recognized by his uniform. A musket
of Civil War days was uncovered in the field.
Mrs. Pugh mentioned "six Mile point" as a
part of the Tuttle ranch, a site that was
as I had passed there often in
visiting schools while County Superintenfamiliar to me,
dent. Six Mile Point is the region I recognized
the supposed resting place of Roman Nose,
the Cheyenne warrior.
Mrs. Pugh is a lady of charm and culture.
as
and has a very alert mind and retentive
memory. Her daughter, Leona, was born on
the "Divide" on December 22, L886, at that
time part of Arapahoe County, now the south
edge of Yuma County. Leona was the first
child born in this vicinity. After making final
proof on their pre-emption claim, they
homesteaded within the present boundary
line of Kit Carson County, and have been
among the county's most prominent citizens.
{llliam_nicnards (brother of Mrs. pugh)
and Elias G. Davis were also pioneers in
tlat
territory and prominent in the early days on
the plains. Mr. Davis and Mr. Pugh came
west together, lived and worked for manv
years together, and both passed to the Great
Beyond within a period of three months. Ed
Davis, a son of E,G. Davis, possesses an
heirloom mattress brought from Illinois by an
early settler.
The Great Blizzard, of 1886
The blizzard of January 2nd to 6th, 1g96,
is still referred to as "The Great Blizzard..,,
And well it may be, for in no storm of record
was the loss of human life so great, or of
livestock so general. Nothing comparable to
it has been experienced in the history ofthe
west except the storm of March 26 and 27th.
1931, the year of the "Towner Tragedy."
On Saturday, January 2nd, 18g6;the first
snow gtorm of the season made its appear-
ance, and continued for about twentv-four
hours. Some four or five inches of snow fell.
and drifted badly in the accompanying heavy
wind. The weather settled somewhat on
Monday, and remained pleasant until Wed-
nesday night, when another storm more
raging than the first, began to blow. This
storm was general over most of the West and
great suffering was endured. Railway trains
were stalled and many tragedies occurred.
Four people were frozen to death in
Thomas County, one in Sheridan Countv.
and four in Greeley County, all in Kansasi
also seven met death in Wichita, two in Scoti
and four in Sherman County, Kansas. At
least one died in the storm in Kit Carson
County.
Fred Boyd, aged twenty, and Jocab Koen_
ingheim, a_ge twenty two, left Gandy, Kansas,
in a one horse sleigh to go to Voltaire, a
distance of six miles. Returning in the
evening, they were overtaken by the storm.
They stopped at a house of a Mrs. Douglas,
not far from Gandy, and were urged to turn
the horse loose and stay overnight. But they
refused to do this, and after obtaining a
lantern, proceeded on their way. They w"ere
lost in the storm and their bodies found later.
The horse was found frozen in a upright
position where he had broken through ihe ice
in a creek. The other two men wlre from
Voltaire, a man named Kerns and a bov
named Harper, about fourteen years of age.
Kerns was from Missouri, and the boy frJm
Atwood, Kansas. Three others, who left
Voltaire t_he dqy before New year's to go to
Colby had not been heard from, and (at"that
time) fears were entertained that they too
were lost. They were Bert Hendricks. Monte
Brashear and John Vandeveer. (Sherman
County Herald). These three men were safe.
but had a gruelling experience. Bert Hendricks, my uncle, now deceased, described his
experiences in this storm to me some years
ago.
James Priest of Seibert told of a man who
was found frozen to death under his wagon
in the vicinity of Hoyt.
Bert Hendricks and O.H. Hendricks were
early locators in the town of Siebert. Colorado. The grove oftrees north ofSeibert were
planted by O.H. Hendricks.
by Della Gamble Hendricks
BEECHER ISLAND
BATTLE
T22
There had been a raid on a freighter's train
about 13 miles east of Ft. Walale, Kansas.
The Battle of Beechers Island ensued. Col.
George A. Forsyth led his troops ofb0 scouts
in pursuit of the Indians. They saw no signs
until they arrived at the Arickaree or Middle
Fork of the Republican river. At this point of
the river and valley there is an island-. It was
here that the Indians in countless numbers
rushed at the troops. Col. Forsyth ordered his
troops to take refuge. Chief Roman Nose of
the Cheyenne, in war paint and headdress
and riding his large spotted horse, led his men
in wave after wave of furious charges.
The Chief and his Medicine man were
finally killed. Toward evening Lieutenant
Beecher received his fatal wound. After dark.
two scouts: Jack Stilwell and pierre Trudeau.
v_olunteered to try to get through to Ft.
Wallace. They dressed in Indian clothing to
avoid being intercepted by the Indians.
When the soldier's food supply becpme
exhausted, they cut steaks from their dead
horses, and ate without salt. It is said. after
nine days the meat became putrid, so they
put gun powder on it and ate it.
The evening of the third day came with no
word of the two scouts. Two more offered to
�but could not make it through the lines and
ieturned to the island. The morning of the
ninth day the Indians made a charge, then
*itnat"*. Evidently the Indian lookouts had
spotted the U.S. Cavalrymen-from Ft' Wallace. The two scouts, at risk ofbeing captured
and scalped, had been successful' Scout
Klt
Janice Salmans
Vona, Colorado
eo
Car son'
183
s Trail
4
To Sainl Franc-1s
KANSA
S
trudeau'returned with the Cavalry, but
Stilwell was unable to on account of having
stepped barefooted on a cacti on the trek to
Ft. Wallace.
Upon arriving at the scene of the battle,
thosl in need of 'medical attention were
Hal- e
immediately taken care of. Food was prepared and heartily enjoyed amid exultations
at their deliverance.
A monument was erected in memory of the
heroes killed during battle. It was a fitting
marker, placed there in 1898, but was later
destroyed by the flood of 1935' The main
of the river was completely changed
"tt""""t
by the turbulent waters, thus the-stone
marking their final resting place and the site
of the Eattle is forever lost to posterity'
old Tuttle
by Janice Salmans
Str atton
OCCURRENCES WE
. Lilt]e
HAVE HEARD BUT
NOT READ ABOUT T23
Rin
--Kit
s
carson
1834
PosL
Kit
Carson
Co.lorado
cnrinac
One pioneer said there is one grave-on the
prairie ior every two miles of space and began
io enumerate ltto*n burial sites as West of
Smokv Hill school, south of Peconic, on the
prairie northwest of Burlington, -where a
covered wagon was seen standing for some-
time and a rider who after watching a short
time to see if someone was in need of
assistance, rode over to ask if they were-in
need of help. He found an open grave and a
woman trying to pull a stiffened body of a
man from-the wagon for burial. This story is
said to have been in one of the Burlington
Papers in mid Pioneer Years.
Four miles west and three miles south of
Burlington is the grave of one of the earliest
pioneeis, Frank Aldrich, whose brother Heniy's name is prominent in the earliest paper
-- The Blade. The brothers had adjoining
homesteads, when Frank died and was buried
on the line between the southwest
and
southeast quarter of Sec. t8-9-44'
by Myra L. David
KIT CARSON
Christopher
"Kit"
T24
Catson was one of the
createst olthe "Mountain Men" and was one
6f tn" most romantic figures in
Western
American History.
Kit Carson County, Colorado has the honor
of being na-ed after him.
In 1925 the county commissioners were
able to purchase a fine old oil Painting of Kit
Carsoni the noted scout and pioneer for
whom the county had been named' It was
in the Court House.
olaced
'
Kit
Carson was born December 24, 1809'
in
Madison County, Kentucky (Daniel Boone's
rf
z4oo
to Missouri with
his
par"ttts when he was one year old. At 15 he
was apprenticed to a saddler to learn to make
saddlis, harnegses and moccasins for the
county). He moved
mountain men.
At 16, he heard tales of the west and
became restless and ran away. He joined a
wagon train bound for Santa Fe' There he
Ieained to speak Spanish and trapped in the
mountains and learned all the trails'
In 1835, at the age of 26, he manied an
Arapahoe Indian girl, named Prairie Flower
(or Singing Grass) and they lived at. Fort
ilent. Shelied in the fall of 1838 and
was
buried in the same robes that she was married
in, at Big Timbers about 20 miles from Fort
Bent. Tiey had one child, a girl -naq'ed
Adeline. Aiter her mother's death, Kit Carson took the child to St. Louis, Missouri, to
his relatives where she lived and received her
education. She later married an army officer,
a lieutenant.
Kit Carson became the best known of the
trappers, and was a good Indian fighter' He
tu". itt" chief Indian scout and was a good
friend of most of the Indians. He moved
around a lot as he was never happy settled
down in one place.
In 1843, he married again, a 15 year old
Mexican girl, Senora Josepha Jarimilla, in
the church at Taos, New Mexico. They had
seven children, four boys and three girls. He
had a ranch home in New Mexico where his
wife and children stayed when he was away'
It was one of the most comfortable homes
around there.
In 1853 he was appointed as a Government
Indian Agent for the Ute, Apache and Pueblo
tribes and held that post until 1861' He
organized a regiment when the Civil War
br-oke out. He fought his cavalry in battles
and skirmishes in New Mexico during the
war.
Kit
and Mrs. Carson came to Boggsville
iustbefore Christmas in 1867 in awagon from
Taos. New Mexico. Kit Carson had just come
back from Washington, D.C., on business
with the government. Here they lived in a
large house that his brother in law had
built
for him. His health was failing so that he was
able to do very little work. He was suffering
from an old injurY.
On April 1t, 1868, Mrs. Carson died in
childbirih. And on May 23, 1868, Kit Carson
died in the government hospital at Fort Lyon'
Both were buried near Boggsville, but later
�the bodies were removed and were taken to
Taos, New Mexico, for permanent burial.
His brother in law took care of the children
and saw them raised. Some of the children
followed their fatherrs sanmpl€
in
their
marriages, down to the fourth generation, by
being married in the same church at Taos.In November, 1858, Ed Baldwin of Anchorage, Alaska, a great great grandson of Kit
Carson, visited in Burlington for a short time.
He was interested in the county as it has been
named for his pioneer predecessor and was
seeking information of a historical nature.
Taken from "The Life of
Kit Carson".
,&
,dli
wf
b.
'&:.',.'
by Myra L. Davis
RAILROAD
INFORMATION
-&*.
i
T26
1927
train wreck east of Vona, lifting train
cars.
The following items were extracted from
F
.ru: g{ the Cheyenne Wells Gazette
listed. The
asl
newspaper was issued on
days.
Union Pacific - November 12. 1gg7
"Burlington citizens are elated over
prospects of securing the Colby branch of thr
Union Pacific to their town in a short time
Burlington is a good town and in a
country, and we congratulate them on thei
prospects."
November 19, 1882, "Burlington
early in the week forwarded a
petition contai
containing the names of
of all
business men and many farmers int
in
prosperous locality to the general
agent of the Union Pacific, asking that ihr
night trains be stopped at Cheyenne Wells
We trust that the work will bear fruit.
Union Pacific should look to the Burli
'1||'
trade."
Rock Island - January 28, 1888, ,,A
Island surveyor went through town
last-en route to Burlington to join a party
road locators."
February 18, 1888, "The country north
us
&{*ll:,f&}
between Burlington and
the
Kanr
Pacific railroads is full of railroad surve
It seems certain that two of the
routes will make a strong fight for teriitory,
viz: the Union Pacific and the Rock Island.
The building of even one of these li
through the section this coming summer will
be a great blessing to that portion of eastern
Colorado. Burlington is on one or two survevs
$
and is assured of one of them before the
*
natural trading point of this country at
summer is ended. As Cheyenne Wells is the
present, no small share of Burlington's boom
will fall to our lot for a season. We are pleased
that the towns above will catch theii roads.
i,
. 11. '.
f']],r
'.
,,&11&....,'
,t,:.
11:,tf
'
The old Milk Train of the Rock Island R.R.
.. .Ap_ri! 14, 1888, From the State News
"At Kit
'r1,-1'
,,f ':, ';'
't,t r'
- boom
the atmosphere with an eighiy ton
each."
:41",
'.':,':.
knowing there is room for all in this greai
country, and would like to see them all _
Hoyt, Floyd, Beloit and Burlington
shake
'
report:
Carson another outfit of graders
made their appearance on Thursday last with
a trainload of mules, horses and tools. Thev
are going to work on the grade of the RocL
Island railroad forty miles north of that town.
Graders are at work all along the line from the
state line to Colorado Springs."
�Mav 5. 1888, "Work on the Rock Island
grade
is being pushed at a splendid -rate'
burlington fofuJ expect to
see
the headlight
aqtp:,
about the lst of November"'
',,/;'L{)a
May 12, 1888, From the State News report:
"The Rock Island railroad promises to reach
Burlington by the 15th of JulY."
June 2, 1888, From the State News report:
"The construction of the Rock Island
,;.:.ta::
'itJ.ttt)il,::
{rit.
::.:1:t4'
we-
$l,i|:At
stward is making excellent progress and in a
few days the road will be completed as far as
It is now estimated
reach Colorado Springs
Burlinston, this state.
that t[e line
i'ill
sometime in November, but probably too late
for the fall traffic. Grading outfits are
scattered all along the line of the new route'
and the earthwork is advancing at a satisfactory pace."
iune 30. 1888, "The Rock Island will reach
Burlington about JulY 25th."
.lutv Zt, 1888, "The Rock Island reached
Burlinglon last Thursday night."
February 16, 1888, "The Burlington merchants are complaining because freight rates
pay 35 cents per hundred in trade for
freight from here, than_ gay the extra
-cents
in cash to the Rock Island."
?
BUILDING THE ROCK
ISLAND RAILROAD.,U
Before the coming
of che railroad, the
of fences and
was entirely free
l
herds of cattle roamed
at will.
one thing that gave the greatest
mpetus to the settlement of government
ands in eastern Colorado and western Kan-
Laying of the railroad line, 188?-88,
Kit
Carson County'
the announcement that the Chicago'
Kansas and Nebraska railroad would extend
their main line, which had already reached
sas was
Fairbury, Neb., on through Kansas and
Colorado to Colorado SPrings.
In 1938, B.M. Barndollar recalled the
buitding of the Rock Island and brought to
the following original account:
tight
""There
had been a series of dry years in
central and north-western Kansas starting in
1880, and the thousands of settlers who
rushed in there were discouraged. Many had
been impoverished to the point of want'
Their horses and dairy cattle were none too
good, and their wagons and farm implements
r:t:'tll!,:rl:
were only such as could be salvaged after
severe dry years on lands in other places.
All that was needed by these settlers to
induce them
to
move
into Colorado
was
assurance that a railroad would be built
through the section where they could get'free
land'."
In those days there was' in the west an
army of men, who for years had done nothing
but railroad labor; building the great transcontinental lines that were threading their
way west of the Mississippi and Miqsouri
rivers. They were a sturdy lot of men, happy
in hard work and hardships and only responsive to the laws and rules which they had set
up for their own government, and by which
tfiey [ved. They were pretty much -alik--e,
mostly from Irish parentage, free from faaily
responsibilities and when it came to drinking
- whatever was to be had - the record has
never been equalled'
"First came the graders and their thousands of mules who moved the dirt by grader
method. It sometimes required several weeks
or months to complete the cuts and fill on a
single stretch of right-of-way. Today a single
slsAm shovel would do it in a short time."
"The mule-skinners lived in bunk wagons'
and had a big mess tent where plenty of good
food was served. It was just too bad if a grade
contractor happened to draw a poor cook, or
if he tried to cut the quality or quantity of the
chuck he served. The best skinners would
it meant
disaster for the snmp; for only experienced
men had the ability to take care of the
animals and keep them in shape from sunup
'til dark. Yes, and it took plenty of grain and
hay that had to be hauled great distances by
wagon."
"Barndollar, when 13 years old, was a water
leave in droves if this happened, and
(foreman) with foot on rail'
Section crew working west of Vona, 1896. Roy Leaper
boy for the Kerrigan outfit. It was his duty
to have a plentiful supply of clean water
handy where the workers could get it quickly
without interrupting the never ending train
of scrapers that was passing. Water for all
purposes had to be hauled in tank wagons, in
.oroe .".". about 20 miles. And talk about
�there was serious drinking to be done in a wet
state where one could stand at a bar and call
for his choice. To the last man they headed
for one of the various saloons that were
prepared and waiting. By l0 o'clock practi_
cally every one of those boys were howling.
roaring, fi-ghting, pie-eyed stiff, singinl,
swearing drunk. These two-fisted rail-roa-d
builders had been in ,dry' Kansas and
Colorado was'wet'."
"The peace officer was one-armed Jerrv
Barnes. The only thing he could do and dii
do was to go to every house and advise
everyone he met to stay in their homes and
off the street."
Lrnes ond Projects in €oster,, Colo.
saloons were wreckg,
but by
some
p.e-_
arrangement the liquor kept flowing. Stores
remained closed and no women or children
rt?
lt.onSr..lin9 & 7
tlorrl*en ./
"By daylight many were laid out and the
streets resembled a battleground. The flimsv
were to be seen."
"After the first few days the money ran out
and the reetaurants started to do a little
i
|
business and things assumed a more orderlv
trend. But it was 2 weeks before the railroai
gathered enough men to finish and B weeks
before the rails were completed to Burlington."
The railroad continued for many years to
bring service to the farming and business
communities along it's rails.
_ On-October 10, 1962, the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific Railroad Comp-any
110 years old.
i-t:''
-lst!b-ail!r!s
was
It was on October 10, 1852, that the first
train chugged over the newly laid b7-pound
ri-
---f
I
I
iron rails, between Chicago and Joliet, Ill. a
distance of 40 miles. This was the first fiocket
train of the Rock Island lines.
The first Rocket was made up of six new
yellow coaches and was pulled by a tiny
American-type Q-a-\ wood burning, steam
locomotive. Eighty five years later the railroad introduced the first of its diesel-powered fleet of Rocket strenmliners.
Significant technological advancements
have
made, by the Rock Island during
_b-een
ilg 110 years of operation. A long list o?
"firsts" can rightfully be claimed by the
company tlrrough the years. Among the more
notable is the first use of microwavJin its vast
communications network; introduction of
swearing at those poor mules by their drivers,
why those animals knew every word in the
oath vocabulary with all the variations."
"But a good 'skinner' always looked out for
his team and it was a disgrace to allow an
animal to develop a sore shoulder or any
other ailment that was within the power of
the driver to prevent."
"When the grade was finished, crrne the
bridge gang, who built temporary bridges so
that the steel gang would not be delayed.
Remember that all this material had to be
hauled by wagon trains from the nearest
point of the line, which at that time was
Colby, Kan."
"But the sensational event came after the
tie and steel gang headed west out of
Goodland. A train load of flat cars, each
weighted down with steel and ties, with the
engine on the rear, acting as a pusher. As the
steel and ties were passed or rolled forward
to the head of the train, the rail lavers
grabbed the ties and laid them in posiiion.
While others picked 'Jerrys' nailed the
spikes. The spike men were the pride of the
gang for they never missed a stroke. It was
claimed that from the time the train left
Goodland until it crossed the state line at
what is new Kanarado, the steel train was
never allowed to stop. The cars were passing
over the newly laid rails practically as soon
as they touched the ties. The rail from
Goodland to Kanarado was laid in an all-time
record."
"When the last rail was in place across the
state line, every man on the steel gang
dropped his tools and quit the job. The
railroad rules were if a man quit or was fired,
!e would immediately get his pay check.
Otherwise there would be a delay in getting
all the pay that was coming."
"Word had leaked out to the paymaster
department ofwhat was going to happen and
pay checks to that hour were soon given to
each man. None were left but the engineer
who had to take his engine back to Goodland
without a fireman."
"The tieup happened about noon and bv
evening a strange, determined a"my com-menced arriving on foot. By 9 o'clock that
summer evening, (1888), all had got into
town. There was no time taken out to eat:
especially adapted electronic computers in its
automated yards at Silvis, Ill. and at Armour-
dale, Kans., as well as its administrative
functions.
Says R. Ellis Johnson, president: ,,In 1962
we are convinced that the ll0 year old
youngster is capable of accommodating on its
own system, and through its multi_int€r_
change arrangements with other railroads.
the transportation needs of all its customers.
"We are proud of our high-speed Rocket
freights, piggyback hotshots and our fleet of
Rocket passenger trains. Our railroad is
imbued with a progressive spirit and it is our
proud boast that no finer employees can be
found anywhere."
Then in 1964, a newspaper article states:
"Rock Island Post-Mortems, by Willard
Haselbush, Denver Post Businels Editor.
The 11 year financial illness of the Rock
Island Railroad has ended in death for the
carrier serving 13 states of America's heartland over 7,500 miles of track.
Spokesmen for major railroads, includine
the Denver and Rio Grande Western. havi
advanced various proposals to dispose of the
estate. Most suggested the best way would be
L
I
|
�for the ICC to let competing railroads whose
trackage duplicates that of the Rock Island
in about 80% of the territory involved, take
over for the Railroad."
The railroad was virtually unused or little
used for about the next 20 years or so, and
finally went into complete bankruptcy. -The
Kyle Railroad company took over in about
1985-36 and the rails are now used to
transport wheat, and other farm products
from our countY.
on the Republican ticket in the 1920's after
serving as County Treasurer for 3 years. He
served for 2 - 2 year terms and ran for the
third term and was defeated by the influence
of the Ku-Klux-Klan which was active
throughout the State during that period of
time.
In 1934 Bert Ragan of Burlington ran for
the office of State Senator and was elected
from this area. He served one term.
Louis Vogt,
a
Democrat, served in the State
Legislature. Louis was from Burlington
bY Janice Salmans
STATE LEGISLATORS
T27
where he practiced law and also was a great
thespian in the community staging many
Shakespearian plays in the 1920's.
William H. Yersin was elected to the
Colorado House of Representatives in 1948
EARLY LAWYERS
T29
T.G. Price was an early day lawyer whose
name was Treverious Glorianus Price. He
had a brother called Realto Executo Price
and two sisters, whose names were reportedly, When In and .In The. (When in the course
of events, the start of the constitution and In
the, the first two words of the Bible). He was
here at the start of Burlington, and erected
the building where Mel Mullin had his TV
shop. He homesteaded neat town, but later
moved to town and practiced law. He was
very prominent in the history of Burlington'
P.B. Godsman, who first settled at Hoyt,
had a law office just east of Rasmusgen's
barber shop. He moved to Denver, where he
died. He had a son, Sidney P. Godsman, who
also practiced law in Burlington and later in
Denver.
He dways kePt in touch with
Burlington, and owned property here. He was
also a doctor as well as an attorney.
Louis Vogt, or "Louie", was a prominent
lawyer who erected the Midway Theatre and
had a large house on the corner of 13th and
Senter Streets. Louie was the father of Mike
Vogt, local resident. He was elected to the
1935. State Senator
B0th General Assembly of the Colorado State Senate, Denver, Colorado January
Ragan from Kit Carson County stands third from left, front row'
Christopher Buchannan of Burlington
elected State
w-as
Representative before the
Burt
and served three terms. He was minority
leader of the House during his last two terms.
1920's.
John Boggs ran for State Representative
.. ir.:,.:.,,. ;1.'.: .,.',-.,:;.,, -:
",,':, :,.,,',, : .;.. . .
,', a .'.. -, r. .:.,:,.,, ...,,\.t,,,
..r-.ri,,.,,,,.,'.-..,. I, r':.,..
MAIL CONTRACTS
AWARDED
T28
2/8/L902 - The following Star Route Mail
contracts have been awarded by the post
office department for the period from July 1,
1902 to June 30, 1906 for Kit Carson county.
The contract prices per annum range from
five to forty per cent higher than heretofore
paid. The route, names of contractors, and
iates per annum are as follows: From Cope
to Seibert, Peter C. Dill $500; from Hale to
Landsman, David S. Custer, $299; from
Haigler to Idalia, George F. Conrad $740;
From Henderson to U.P. railroad station,
John Anderson $150; from Kirk to Tuttle,
Frank A. Cline $159.99; from Littleton to
Lamb, Stanley Dudley $300; from Thurman
to Arickaree, James W. Clement $208; from
Watkins to Salem, P. Peterson $200; from
Ashland to Lnmborn, F.H. Odell $130; from
Burlington to Burlington, E.E. Harrison,
$400; from Claremont to Tuttle, Archie
Dargrove, $450; from Flagler to Thurman,
Edw. F. Miller $600.
rVilliam H. Yersin.
State Legislature, (as a Democrat) and was
prominent in state politics. He was a Thespian of the first order and was the instigator
of many Shakespearean plays that were
produced in Burlington. These plays were
put on with the help of local residents. His
plays received state renown and were always
well attended. Louis was a real dramatician
in the court room also and won many trials
by his dramatic abilitY.
A.P. Tone Wilson, who came much later
was a real sharp lawyer and somewhat of a
prankster. I can remember that when I was
a boy almost every farm with a For Sale sign
Tone
on it had the name "For Sale by
- A.P.
Wilson. Jr.". He built the building just north
of the First National Bank where Percy
Lounge had his shop.
Mr. Newbury was a lawyer who settled on
the river north east of Stratton near the Pugh
Place. His homestead is now the Harvey
Wood place. Newbury moved to town and
never practiced law in Burlington. He had
been a brilliant lawyer, but had a nervous
breakdown, and never recovered' He lived in
a dirt hovel just north of the Railroad station.
bY HenrY Y.
Iloskins
EARLY DAY WATER
SYSTEM
T30
Most places in the early days did not have
water piped in to the house. I suppose that
the towns people started in the 20's and the
farm people a little later.
We had a cistern in the yard which was
cemented and which had a PumP with
buckets that picked up the water and dumped it out when turned. The buckets were
about 6 inches wide and 2 inches deep.
Most places in the country had a windmill
with a well house. In the well house was a
barrel into which the water from the well was
pumped. It flowed through the barrel and
probably into another barrel from which it
�HINTS REGARDING
THE 1916
BURLINGTON
DISTRICT
T311
I
I
q-
'.*t&&
+*:-'
Bert and Roxie Kvestad drilling a water well on their farm in 1928. Frank Dinsmore is the well driller'
flowed into
a
stock tank. One barrel was used
for the house. A bucketful at a time. It was
always a cool place to stop to get a drink from
a dipper which hung there.
Latir everyone had a supply tank through
which the water ran before being used, this
way a person could store up quite a bit of
waier. Everything ran good until a real cold
day when the well house froze up. Tlre
Seilman family had a supply tank in the
basement of their house and always had
warm water for the cattle. This was a big item.
Of course, all the water systems gave way to
the submersible pump which is connected to
a 50 gal., tank for storage. The air pressure
keeps the water running.
Each pasture had to have a windmill to
furnish water for the cattle. Usually there was
a tank near the mitl which had to be checked
every day or so to see that there was water in
it. Most windmills were Aermotors by make
and every farmer had to have a knowledge of
how to fix them. Not everyone would climb
a windmill. Each motor haC to have oil in it
and that was a yearly job to climb up and fill
it with oil.
When a well stoPPed PumPing it was
usually because there were worn out leathers.
This meant that the pipe would have to be
pulled up. A large block and tackle anchored
in the tower was used, there were well tools
'to facilitate separating the pipe and sucker
rod. A large block with a "dog" on it was used
to keep the pipe from falling back into the
hole. When the cylinder came up it would be
taken apart and new leathers put back in and
then replaced and reconnected.
It was also a practice to use a small one
cylinder stationary engine and a pump jqck
to get water when the wind did not blow. This
was attached to a sucker rod and the jack was
driven by belt. There are those who know
much more about this than I but I have
written it as far as my knowledge goes'
It seems that through the ages, when the
need becomes great enough, some genius with
foresight and vision meets the need in spite
of all criticisms and all other obstacles. So
is that pump irrigation came into
it
being.
Viewed from the air, the picture of this flat
land, formerly a vast prairie of buffalo grass
for miles and miles now turns into a panorama of growing corn, milo, or maize, even
wheat. while down the furrows like silver
ribbons runs the purest of nature's life giving
water.
Pioneer in this field was Mr. E.L. Powell
of Burlington. As far back as 1938, Mr. Powell
began to advocate pump irrigation. In 1948'
E.L. (Earl), and his brother Floyd G. Powell,
put in their first irrigation well. This proved
curiosity and people drove from miles
around to see the sight. Kenny Wilcox drilled
the first well.
Finally in about 1955, there were about 100
irrigation pumps in the county' Mr. Powell
alone had about four wells.
And what is this pump irrigation? Without
going into technical detail, it seems that
under this prairie is a water bearing formation called the Ogallala formation. A drill is
put down through this formation to the
Fierro shale or floor. The pump is installed,
powered by an L-P gas or diesel engine and
lhe pu-p brings the life giving water. The
farmer then directs the flow of water to the
crops. Some wells were pumping 860 gal. to
1,035 gal. of water Per minute'
to be
a
Among those trying out the irrigation were:
Jack Chalfant, Loutzenhiser Bros., Sydney V.
Huntzinger, Dr. R.C' Beethe, C.D. Reed'
Floyd Whitmore, Lloyd Pugh and others.
Looking east at the Colorado-Kansas line, 1916.
Crops Raised
Wheat is one of the principal crops and
produces on an average of at Ieast twenty
bushels to the acre in general.
Oats and barley do exceptionally well,
yielding from thirty to sixty bushels to the
acre.
Kaffir corn, milo maize and different kinds
of cane EIre grown more or less in all parts of
this country, but do best in our soil.
Alfalfa does exceptionally well, both on
upland and in the valley lands. A season and
three cuttings will generally average five tons
per acre.
Watermelons and cantaloupes do well, and
our product has a fine flavor and is much in
demand.
Mail Service
Rural routes are in existence everywhere
and the towns are so close together that most
every farmer is served in this way.
Telephone lines connect every town and
rural lines are beginning to run into the
country fast.
The Dairy Business
The dairy business is gradually assuming
larger
proportions.
The cream checks to our farmers amounf
I
Two types of irrigation were being used;
ditch and sprinkler. In 1957, the crop Sugar
Beet was introduced into the county, and
growing was made possible because of the
irrigation. The growth of sugar beets from a
test plot in 1956 grew to 13,000 acres in 1965.
Mr. Fowell passed away in 1958, but he lived
to a goodly sum each year.
Come and Settle In This CountrY.
Man, beast and field all do well in this
country. What more can You ask?
Come you also and live among us.
We want and need more farmers, morc
business enterprises and more industrier
the irrigation.
support them.
Many have succeeded here and few havt
failed.
What mining and stock raising meant t(
the prosperity of the state in the early da5
Colorado, the continued development of thr
agricultural resources of the state means t<
the prosperity of the state todaY.
Where a section of the barren prairie lan<
in the old days would not suppod fifty hea<
of cattle, often now you will see when visitinl
our country a rich, productive farm.
long enough to see his dream come true with
According to the office of the county agent'
Bob Croissant, as ofApril 30, 1965 the official
number of irrigation wells was 506.
by Henry Y. Iloskin
here, and we have the right country
t<
The same land used for cattle wortl
perhaps no more than $1,500 will todaj
produce 15,000 bushels ofwheat valued at {
ieast $1 per bushel. This is good evidence
th{
through our agricultural development, prad
ticed early to
a greater extent'
greate
�prosperity than we have yet experienced is
yet to come to eastern Colorado.
Come to Eastern Colorado
Hints regarding the 1916 Burlington District July 1916
Those who were here before you have
prospered with worse conditions to meet and
overcome than you will have should you
decide to settle here.
When you come you cannot help but
by Myra Davis
prosper also.
, And so in turn will the man that comes
trfter you.
No one is leaving here, but the town and
country is gaining in wealth and population
yearly. Interest yourself in the country and
take advantage of the opportunities we have
to offer.
Territory tributary to Rock Island lines in
Eastern Colorado offers a splendid field to
the dry farmer. The days of brilliant sunshine, the crisp dry air, and the invigorating
atmosphere bring a healthful contentment
that makes the farmer in Eastern Colorado
take a keener joy in his work and in his living.
In eastern Colorado the homeseeker is
offered opportunities for substantial returns
for agriculture, under ideal climatic conditions. The years have worked a revolution in
farming the plains under light rainfall, soil,
wind movements, length of growing season,
crop varieties and tillage methods before he
sets his stakes in a new communitv.
The system of agriculture that brings
permanent success
in Eastern Colorado is
,based on livestock. Under this heading dairy
fiarming furnishes the most dependable and
constant source of revenue. Winter wheat
and Mexican beans are the two cash crops.
Corn,
with kafir
sorghum, Sudan grass,
alfalfa and sweet clover furnish ample forage
and grain for feeding and the farmer here, as
in
other localities, must make his first
business provisions for his table out of the
farm garden, poultry flock and pigs, which
can be done as easily and economically
as
regions of greater rainfall.
In Eastern Colorado good dairy cows will
feturn $50 to 975 each, every year, and you
pan grow every pound of feed they need. The
lreat markets of Denver, Colorado Springs,
pnd Pueblo, with the nearby mining districts,
pan use everything raised and strong prices
[revail from strong competition with Eastern
parkets at Omaha, St. Joseph and Kalsas
Ditv.
I
Eastern Colorado has every condition
lavorable for making money with poultry.
lhe dry climate is particularly favorable for
;urkeys. Every four or five years the rainfall
s just right for seeding wheat and you can
'aise a crop of wheat that will sell for as much
rs the land on which it is raised is worth.
With vast areas of tillable land ready for
he plow ranging in price from g7 to 915 per
.cre, every acre capable of producing somehing needed to sustain life, Eastern Coloado presents an open door to health wealth
nd contentment in return for intelligent
ffort, packed by experience and moderate
leans.
We want successful farmers, for the more
,rccessful you become the more we benefit.
'here's lots of land, lots of opportunity. We
ave a well organized Commercial Club that
ready and glad to give impartial informaon and advice about the country. Write us
rlly just what you want
- Write today.
from The Booster Edition
was present at the great land sale held here
some weeks ago and his opinion in his home
will be given more credence than
anything appearing in a home paper here.
The sale was without a doubt the greatest
paper
of its kind ever attempted
outside of the government drawing and the
men who engineered the feat certainly deserve credit for their enterprise.
Below we quote what the editor Howard
says: "At Burlington, Colorado last week.
C.M. Guenther sold nearly a quarter million
dollars worth of land in one day, in his
capacity as trustee. It was a sure bargain day
for buyers. The extreme hot weather frightundertaking
THE GREAT LAND
SALE
T32
On Tuesday, June twenty-first, 1910, the
people from the Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa,
Illinois and many other states began to arrive
and on Tuesday night, a room and bed
brought high class rates, cots and quilts were
brought into use and almost every sleeping
and eating accommodation were fully utilized. A number of people were compelled to
sleep in automobiles or on the ground.
On Wednesday morning, the crowds were
augmented
by
hundreds
of
excursionists,
brought in over the great Rock Island system
and the streets of Burlington resembled one
of the greatest fourth of July celebrations
ever seen in our city. A coronet band made
the air ring with melody; the hot screeching
of the automobiles here and there along the
streets was a terror to pedestrians; while the
hoarse bark ofspeakerJin the white city were
heard; where every kind of attraction was
present to interest the visitors and lure the
filthy lecre. Tainted money was in demand
and found many patrons. The darkies quaint
songs in harmony with stringed instruments.
The expert ttapeze performers, the smooth
juggler of various fine arts, was out in force
to amuse and instruct the people. Upon
Wednesday and Thursday morning, more
than sixty automobiles loaded with people
drove over the country, viewing the best
laying land on earth. Hundreds and hundreds
of miles was made by the automobilist and
only words of praise was heard for our
beautiful landscape. Unfortunately for the
promoters of this great land sale, June month
in Kit Carson county had experienced the
same wretched drought which had prevailed
in South Dakota, western Iowa, portions of
Nebraska, Kansas and other states. The
small grain crops, which had made great
ened many
of the timid. More than
acre but the weather conditions cut lhe
average down to $9.00 per acre. It is a
beautiful country in Eastern Colo., much of
the land lies as level as the Platte Valley. The
altitude is too high for a sure corn crop, record
reads that every man in the country has been
maklng big money if he has been farming
intelligently. Many of the farmers have grown
as high as 40 bushels of wheat per acre, and
all other small grains in proportion. About
the only grass is buffalo and grama grass. It
fit for hay, but it is a great producer of
is not
butter fat with the result that the cream
industry is now one of the most profitable.
Henry Grotelueschen, of the Platte countrv
secured a half section at the Burl. sale. Thi
Denver papers contained descriptions of the
big sale. The feature which they said was
most noteable was the remarkable physical
endurance of trustee Guenther, whose task
would have sent an average man to the
hospital or to the grave. He began the sale in
the auditorium at nine o'clock in the morning, talking 16 hours with only brief intermis-
sions
for dinner and
- July 1, 1910.
supper. Burlington
Records
promise during May for an abundant harvest,
had been affected. But in a lesser manner, the
crops of other states, had been stricken with
the unusual dry spell in June. Although
conditions were against the sale of lands at
this time, we are informed that not a single
piece of land was offered for sale out of 240
farms but what there was someone present in
the auditorium that made a fairlv reasonable
bid for the property. The highest bid for a
farm ofraw land was thirteen dollars per acre,
and this bid would probably have doubled
had the usual weather conditions prevailed.
The promoters, Messrs McKillip and Swallow were every inch gentlemen of the highest
type and the great land sale was carried out
from start to finish in a honest and up to date
business way that denotes the highest skill in
selling vast land acreages.
Land Buyer's Bargain - Kit Carson
The following is from the Columbus,
County Record
Nebraska Telegram and is reproduced for the
express purpose ofgiving our readers an idea
of what people from a distance think of
conditions in Eastern Colorado.
Editor Howard of the Columbus Telegram
a
thousand reservations for berths on a special
train were cancelled when the hot winds
began to blow over all the Missouri valley,
with the result that the sale attendance was
less than 500, where as, three thousand had
been expected. It was a real bargain day in
the land business. Two weeks before the date
of the sale, it had been estimated that the
average price ofthe land would be 912.00 per
by Myra Davis
AGRICULTURE
T33
Part
1
In researching for information for this
section on agriculture, I came across the
following editorials from the ',Blade". We
must remember that these "editorials" were
really promotions to bring people to this area
and many ca-e seeking their fortune and a
clance of obtaining land of their own. Many
of these people were not skilled "farmers" but
were ordinary people with a dream and lots
of hope and courage that resulted in many
failures and several success stories. What is
amazing, that there are still descendants
living here today of those hardy and skilled
farmers, ranchers, and businessmen who
persevered the many hardships of surviving
those early years.
"Editorial": No place astonishes the trav-
�,'lr:':'
ilit;ari
l
llli:llr:ia:
i.:it:
il
r::l;lrii:
:
:.::llir,
irlal:,
lir:.''
tii::t.
i;
iilr
,. '
.r::.,,]'l'
...
irti
::rlil:
lir.
t
.1.:
lt:ir
-iI
-,..
.r,:1i:1i
,1
r:i,r,,,r{
rt:itrl.
i
fellowship of threshing crews, meals served to a dozen or
The grand age of farming, late 1930's and early 40's gaw the threshing machines still being used. The
forgotten.
gone
not
but
more men are
eler so much as Burlington. Only four weeks
old and today almost every branch of business is represented, but still there is room for
more. Travelers and land seekers crowd the
hotels and eating houses and many have to
undergo the painful task of standing up all
night or holding down the soft side of a pine
floor. Land is going fast and in a short time
the area government land in this county will
be of small proportions' The bounteous
rainfall we have enjoyed this spring has
virtually made the road to success on solid
with despairing
and
in
peace,
come to Colorado.
If you are in search of health, wealth or
happiness come to Colorado and come soon
for before many months roll around every
quarter section will have a house uponit and
the hills that are barren will be filled with
people, homes and livestock.
interesting advertisements were the onesl
produced by A.W. Winegar who was a bigl
promoter in this countY.
A picture was taken in about 1910. Location is Main Street in Burlington. The large
two-story building on the right is the Winegar
building located on the corner of 14th Street
and Martin, north of the present Bank of
Burlington. Mr. Winegar was a real estate
agent and he placed large ads in the Omaha,
Nebraska papers and chartered special trains
prospective buyers from eastern
to bring
AGRICULTURE
and their social union make everybody
out of your life and the bouyancy of your
youth leaving your limb, if you are looking
into the future
away the remaining days of life
stone and the treach of progress more than
sure. Labor and capital move hand in hand
satisfied. No one is grumbling and east Elbert
June 3' 1887.
County's boom will continue
it is not
"Editorial": In coming to Colorado,
going out of the world but coming among,a
ilass of intelligent and industrious people
and a country well settled. There is plenty of
room for more and these vast alluvial prairies
will produce enough of the necessities of life
15, 1887'
to supply the state
- JulY
to Colorado! - If you
"Editorial": Welcome
are growing old with the fire and energy dying
gaze
longing for a quiet home where you can pass
T34
Nebraska to Burlington for the purpose of
purchasing land in Kit Carson County. He
would take them out to the country to look
at the land and these Model T Fords were
for transportation. Notice the large
"HEADQUARTERS" sign in front of the
Winegar building. A real land run in the
used
Patt 2
It
is interesting to note that in 1890 the
population of the county was 2,472. By this
number, we see that manY PeoPle were
coming west to take up homesteads' As the
towns we e established along the railroad, the
land agents set up office and began their big
promotions by way of handbills and advertisements in newspapers in the east' The most
Burlington area.
Many people living today recall that these
advertisements and schemes brought their,
parents to this county. Many land companies
bought up relinquishments from people whol
did not finish proving up their homesteadl
agreement for a very cheap price. They inl
turn sold these farms later making goodl
monev on the transactions. In an advertisem-
�ent, in a 1920 paper, we find that the Bentley
Land Co. was offering loans to purchase both
improved and unimproved land and would
also buy mortgages at a very reasonable
discount.
The real story of what agriculture was like
in those early years comes from the stories of
those who came here and made their homes
here on the high plains. In the 1890's, one
farmer planted 20 acres of wheat and his
neighbors laughed at him for planting that
many acres. He had to cut that wheat with
a sc5rthe, then gather it up and bring it in and
use a threshing rock to thresh the grain from
the chaff, all hand labor. The straw was used
for cattle feed and many times was sold to the
cattle ranches after bad storms for g1 a load
or the farmer would let them run cattle on the
stack so that they would have use of the
manure for fertilizer that spring. One record
breaking winter, the cattle returned to the
straw stacks and ate all remaining feed along
with the dried manure. Such were the good
old days.
"Promotion" of agriculture in Kit Carson Countv
$EMI-AI{I{UAI
$tncftmenT
$TAT[II[[IIT WJn
ool,wm'm will
d,,&, e br gad t' ina
ol ou mer, his r q'n'E e qryd
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ToTba ll@onbL Eolrd ol Couur,y ooFml}
rloloil ot lI'll CarDn Co. ' O.lor.do.
!o youi goDombl€
ttrie
ETE
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s lba
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dipnar is a' swbscriber
il
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ol
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t, trr&!gb!f,
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ru*q oltbvdt ot Bullalton,
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Doc. 3r, 190r,
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(;rtfl€, let! lrip. tso$es lett iboulder.
!.,I,,,, r,oNc, .! LU.
.
--".-wrr.r<rnLlaremoDt, Colo.
RaBgo. cE
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8&uo. ecrb ot 8€ibEo,
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:ty a&rBnu D q q ,los.
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C.!t16, ioft tif,, nango,
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bahN
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E S'A
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Itare,
Efiwat". --Ctortbei3t
�These Model T Fords were used for the transportation of prospective purchasere of land in
County.
AGRICULTURE
Kit
Carson
"Branding time" in the 1920's.
T36
t!t.,
.':.]:
Cattle ranching
t
in the early
Ready for work.
1920's. North of
Siebert.
Real life "cowboy" Jess on Mack.
.,,..
.
.,t.tlft
L,,
Cattle struck by lightning - the cattle belonged to a George Kiefer. Location is in Section 32, township
Kit Carson County. Date: Approximately 1915-1920.
9, Range 44,
Herd bull with passenger
- note wood tank.
"Spectators" waiting for the fun to begin.
�Part
3
The face of the earth seems to glow with
health and beauty, and the people that live
in this wonderful country go around congratulating each other due to the rise ofthe land
and trying to analyze theirjoy. Even the dogs
are so overcome with gladness that they catch
hydrophobia and go into fits and die over it.
There isn't a man idle who wants wor$. The
banners of prosperity wave from every hill
and the lean, hungry skeleton of starvation
has gone on a tour to the cities of the east.
Here the farmers pump water for their stock
with windmills and do their plowing sitting
on a spring seat with a box of cigars on one
side and a bottle ofDenver beer on the other,
while in the east they carry water from the
nearest creek and walk behind a plow until
they have no distinct idea whether they are
shoving the plow or the horses are pulling it.
The man who can't thrive, prosper and grow
rich in Colorado would starve in a bakery. -
AGRICULTURE
r*"ll
T36
"Afternoon break" while ehocking corn.
Part 4
Breaking sod with "Horse power".
"Editorial" March 29, 1888: Eastern Colorado is the place for the poor man, for the
farmer, for the mechanic, for the merchant,
August, 1887.
"Editorial" November
1987: People living
in the eastern states have no concept of our
superior advantages, the vastness of our
fertile prairies and our rapid improvements,
unless they can see for themselves. To tell the
truth of our products and our rapid settlements, seems incredible to them as their
experience was so different in the early days
of Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. Here
whole
counties almost as large as New England
states, settle up in a year or so with families
on nearly every quarter section while with
them their settlements were confined along
the streams in order that they might pasture
stock for years upon the commons.
The pioneer of Ohio and Indiana was
considered a rustler if he opened a five or ten
acre farm the first year and cared for hie
family, but here there is less work opening
160 acres, each acre of which will more than
remunerate one for the labor bestowed with
a sod crop of corn, cane of miller, besides
obtaining the title to 160 acres of choice land.
If we speak of raising potatoes, cabbage or
any vegetable product on sod with our
irrigation they wonder if that is true or
whether it isn't a scheme of the newspaper-
*'i::":--
Threshing with a handmade "threshing rock". Strobel farm.
,men to "catch a few suckers", while here on
fexhibition are potatoes that weigh from two
fto three pounds raised in this county. But just
llet a man come out from the east, (if he dare
venture) look around and see for himself the
energy of our people. The improvement of
our lands and new towns all clean and nice,
oftimes with waterworks, elegant hotels,
churches, school houses, with a genial, intelligent class ofpeople as you will find anywhere,
and he begins to look around as Rip Van
Winkle, to see if he hasn't been asleep for
twenty years in the sleepy hollows of some of
lhe eastern states. About one more year the
people back east who contemplate coming
rest will realize they have slept upon their
rars, if they wish government land east of the
Rockies, in the localities for corn and wheat.
Binding oats.
�Harvesting flax in the early 1900's. East of Burlington.
for the laboring man, for the dispeptic and
consumptive rich man, and for the balance of
A country of beautiful rolling
prairie, black loam soil of surprising depth
and durability, fine water in abundance, fresh
and pure air that strikes at the consumptive
germ and vanquishes it like an August sun
does of the principal product of the Frigid
Zone, with markets for the abundant surplus
of agricultural products almost at the door,
with cheap fuel and home manufactured
creation.
farming implements, magical towns and
One must remember, that to live here
that some source of income was
needed in order to start their farm. Many
men left for months at a time and went to
Denver to work in the smelters and railroad
yards; others worked in the truck garden
farms along the front range and lived in tents
with their families during the growing season
and returning in the fall with food supplies
meant
to last them through the winter. It was tough
going for everyone.
burroughs that might be called cities teaming
with life, activity, business and substantial
growth, railroads building in every direction
and a class of energetic settlers who seem
determined to improve the advantages nature has bestowed upon the country.
With all the above grandios language in
these "editorials" one wonders what people
really thought when they arrived and found
these barren plains with no trees, few sources
"Great looking horses" Bert Kvaestad.
AGRICULTURE
T37
of water and the new railroad that
was
1888. They forgot to
inform the public that water wells had to be
dug to the depth of 150 feet or more and many
were hand dug, no easy job. Some wells were
crossing this county
in
dug along the railroad by the railroad companies so that the steam engines could fill at
regular intervals along the track. They were
instructed not to give the settlers water but
the local foreman or their wives would not
agree to this as they knew that water must be
shared
if
a populace was to be obtained.
The "mortgage lifters"
Strobel farm - ready to go to the field and plant
wheat, "Beauty" carries wheat and water pail.
Part 5
In 1908, Mr. A.N. Corliss was given a Sugar
Beet Growers Contract signed by a Mr. M.K.
Dunbar. The sugar company was planning on
making the Republican River valley into a
viable sugar producing area similar to the
Platte River valley north and east of here.
Breaking sod on the "High plains" with a steamer
Plans were to build a sugar beet processing
plant at St. Francis, Kansas. He signed a 5
year agreement with 50 acres to be planted
the first year increasing to 100 acres. This
project never came into fruition.
According to one early homesteader it took
several years before many acres were broken
for farm use. It took lots ofhard work to plow
up the sod and at first it was walking behind
a hand plow with one or two horses pulling
the plow. Lots of shoe leather was worn away
during this process. Montgomery Ward had
work shoes with the guarantee that if they
wore out within 6 months time you would
receive a new pair free. Many homesteaders
received their free shoes.
From one story we find that in 1907, Bb
acres were broke; 1908 he farmed 45 acres;
1909 he farmed 80; 1910 he farmed 90 and in
1911 he farmed 95 acres. That probably was
a very normal average for most farms. They
planted feed cane for animals, wheat, barley,
�.;:, l,;r;a
Work horses used on the Berrv homestead from 1918 to 1925.
millet and corn. Many experimented with
on the homesteads because of the water
new crops such as flax and beans.
shortages. Gardens came first and even those
were difficult to keep growing in hot weather.
It
took a lot of their acreage just to feed
livestock as a milk cow or more plus pigs,
chickens and the necessary horses had to be
provided for. Living was very simple and if
you had a chance to work out and receive
some cash you took advantage of this when
possible. Many worked for the large cattle
ranches in the summer. Some took butter and
eggs to town to trade for groceries and
perhaps to sell directly to someone who lived
in town. Of course, many in town had their
AGRICULTURE
Horace and Joyce loading the pickup with wheat.
T38
own cow and chickens even up into the 1940's
or whenever the town ordinances prohibited
animals from being kept within the city
limits. Life was more of a struggle for
existence than one of making a living.
.*" ,.i,,"ffi
Water was very hard to come by at first as
most early wells were hand dug or if you lived
by a creek water was hauled in barrels with
the horses. No wonder every drop of it was
used before any was discarded. The first
Hauling to town, the last job.
order of business was shelter and a water well.
,It is noted that very few trees were planted
I
I
Loading the truck, Horace and Gus Schreiner, July
4th.
tr
Part 6
r '1'1"1"t,
dd
.:t,.,,,
rl,;
Marketing cream and eggs kept many farm
families alive by providing cash for groceries
and clothes from the period between 1910
and 1950. The creem separator really helped
this method of providing income to these
farm families. The cream separator
was
patented in the late 1890's and it was several
years before they were purchased and came
into common usage. Before that cream was
skimmed off with the ladle, a very slow and
sometimes smelly process. Chickens were the
mainstay of everyone. They were raised for
fresh meat, eggs, and even feathers were used.
A hog or a cow was butchered only in the
so that it would not spoil and could be
processed without refrigeration. Most meat
was cooked up and sealed in fat or cured and
winter
Chow time" - note field of corn in background. John Berry feeding pigs 1926. Model T truck which Mr.
lerry purchased from the Lavington Motor Co. in Flagler.
smoked
for
preservation. The advent of
�Heading wheat 1920's.
Threshing in the 1930's and 40's. Boger family.
canning equipment especially the pressure
cooker, was a blessing. In 1920, under the
guidance of Miss Amelia Alexander the All
Star Canning Club won fame and recognition
from all over the country for winning the
State Fair championship at Pueblo with-their
canning demonstration. The girls, Vivien
Worley, Elaine Hendricks and Bertha Boger
competed with well trained teams from all
over the state. Miss Hendricks and Miss
Boger won a trip to Europe to help teach the
women how to preserve food as the families
were trying to reorganize their lives from the
devastation of World War I.
Tarming during the 1920's required much
labor and the families within the local
neighborhoods helped each other by exchanging machinery and labor. The days of the
threshing crews that went all over the countrv
rue now a thing of the past. We hope rhat the
pictures included in this agriculture section
will bring back memories of that period of
time. The large crews of men gathering to
work and then the immense task of feeding
these men took the efforts of everyone, evei
children who kept the water jugs filled to
shooing the flies out of the house with waving
dish towels.
The men working with the horses or the
new huge tractors will be remembered as the
giants of those days. One can hardly believe
that they were capable of all the physical
work that they endured. The attachment of
man and beast is recorded in the relationship
the farmer had with his favorite team oi
horses. So many hours were spent in joint
effort to provide for the necessities ofhfe.
Maybe they all survived because both man
and animal had to rest at midday providing
a refreshing period of time for all.
T39
7
The 1920's were prosperous and times were
booming and land values were climbing.
Farms were growing in size and equipmerit
and machinery were larger so the manbn the
farm would see a future full of hope and
possible financial improvement.
It
is interesting to note that in the records
of the
Extension Office we found that
extension work began in late 19lb with the
organization of districts or communities for
the betterment of crop, Iivestock and poultrv
production along with the formation of So".
and Girls clubs. These boys and girls cluLs
were the forerunner of the 4-H Clubs of
today. There were Boys Corn Clubs, Girls
AGRICULTURE
Part
Rumley "Oil Pull" tractor with Carl Schaal, 1920's.
Sewing Clubs, Boys Bean Clubs, and Canning
Clubs. Other activities for the adults werE
sped improvement projects, pit silo project,
livestock_ improvement, farm
-"rr"g"rrr"rri
and rural organization in the variou's com_
munities. Many interesting activities came
from these efforts such as the drive to poison
t-!e jack rabbits because of the damage they
did to the growing crops. Recipes for"rabbii
sausage, rabbit loaf, fried and creamed
rabbit, baked and dried rabbit, chili con
carne, chop suey and rabbit mincemeat were ii
listed.
The need to improve corn seed varieties
and livestock by introducing pure bred stock
for cattle and hog production were started.
Families were encouraged
to plant wind_
breaks around the farmsiead using trees, lilac
bushes and flags for beauty. Farmirs feli that
they needed help in marketing and record
keeping. Plans were obtainJd b make
"iceless" refrigerators available to farm fami_
lies. Grasshopper control was very important
in the 1930's. By the 1940's the fbcus was on
crops, s_oils, pest, forestry, poultry, dairy,
husb-andry, ag economy, .rntritiorr,
development, clothing, home management,
"hiid
and a motron picture projector was purchased
plus a generator to provide electricitv at
community meetings. During the 1g40's, an
the war effort and many ol
the same projects. In the 1950's we find
information on irrigation introduced and ir
e_mnhasis was on
Combining wheat in the 1940's with pull combine.
1960 we see the program very similar to whal
we have today.
In 1935, Farm Census statistics were nol
very favorable for
Kit
Carson Countv br
figures released by the Department of Com
I
I
I
�Lindberg Here
It was the custom in the early years to hold
the fair in October, and often the cold, snow,
rain, or sleet would darnpen the
:.
euents.
However, one fall the weather was ideal, and
prior to his history-rnaking trip to Paris in
1927, Charles Lindberg took up passengers
here t'or three days during the fair. He stayed
at the Montezurla Hotel, unheralded, unhnown except as just another barnstormer
pilot to get paEsengers at $10 per ride.
{,
iitd'*&',"-
Diseases of Old
"The Grippe" -A uirus disease - Inf luenza
Sore throat - Swelling of glands
"Quinsy"
Mr. Hull's threshing outfit north of Burlington'
-
Feuer
-
Painful rhumatism of lower
"Lumbago"
back
- affecting Siatic nerue
"Consumtion"
-
Tuburculosis
-
awoy of the body
Inflamation of nasal
"Catarrh"
wasting
passages
"Dropsy" - Edema - collection of water
in the feet and legs
"Flux" Diarrhea - wdttery flow from the
-
bowell
"Rheumatism" - Inflamation of muscle,
joints, or fibrous tissue
"Gout" Inflamation of joints - excess uric
acid in the blood
[Jncontrollable tremor of body
"Palsy"
part
-
- Chorea - a neruous
disorder - spasmatic tnouen"Lent and in'
coordination
Stroke of the neruous system
"Epilepsy"
"St. Vitus's Dance"
-
Schaal threshing wheat in the Settlement' Notice steam tractor'
merce. Bureau of the Census. They tell a
rathetic story of farming in eastern Colorado'
]uoting the report in 1934 we find land,
]18,000 acres from which no crops were
rarvested due to failure (drought).
Mitchel and Ada Christie with babv Virginia
"Sod House Collection."
-
�many people are hurt in the end and manv
farms are sold. On the other hand this opens
the door for someone to purchase land at a
value that may be profitable in time. The
ca-pital required for acquiring and operating
a farm is huge making one wonder if the ris[
is worth
it but there is such a love affair
between the farmer and the land we know
that there will always be someone willing to
take the risk.
The 1920's were difficult times on the
farms due to the war effort and the unavailability of farm machinery and repairs. If you
had not purchased any new equipment piior
to the war it was almost impossible to do so
until after 1945. There were good growing
conditions during the 40's; along with the
-. t:'
plentiful rain came lots of hail which
is
typical of this country. 1945 saw the greatest
grain crop in many years.
Kit Carson County became the wheat and
barley center of the middle west. Two davs
after the harvest began the elevators at
Stratton were overflowing with wheat run-
Boger's corn sheller north of Vona.
AGRICULTURE
ning as high as 55 bushels an acre and winter
barley to more than 95 bushels an acre. The
following article taken from the Rockv
Part 8
T40
For purposes of comparison using figures
from 1929
corn acreage was reduced
oats threshed, g5%; rye
69%;bafley 90%; andhay 6Vo. The value of
farms, lands and buildings for 193b, is given
as a base,
8t%; wheat 75%;
at
in
it
$8,261,026, while
1930
was
$14,396,018. Horses and colts for lgBE,g,725,
while in 1930 it was 12,157. Mule and mule
colts shrunk from 1,317 in 1930 to 52b in 193b.
Cattle on January 1st. 1935 number ed.42,282,
in 1930. Hogs slumped from
in 1930 to 8.518 in 1935.
The report statcs that wheat suffered
severely in both acreage and yield. In 1929
wheat was threshed from 99,71G acres and
against 25,5L9
26,723
Wheat in the spring, towing sprinkler to irrigate
the corn.
produced 700,721bushels. In 1984 wheat was
threshed from 25,167 acres with a yield of
93,156 bushels. The loss in farms and livestock in the state is about the same ratio. The
value of hogs and pigs dropped from 462,801
to 248,770:. and wheat threshed from
17,332,160 to 6,169,685 bushels.
This gives us a picture of the economic loss
that was absorbed during this period of time
Mountain News gives a very good account oi
the county's bumper crop: "With the rich
prairies soil yielding better than for many
years past, the only sour note in the harvest
picture is an inability to obtain railroad cars
to move the heavy crops to the Kansas City
market." "The lack of cars for shipping
purposes can become very serious if rain
comes," Mr. Woodfin said. "The weather is
ideal for the harvest, but if it rains there will
be losses in the wheat piles on the ground."
"A few years ago people were calling this a
dust bowl area", Mayor Zurcher said. "I wish
everyone in Colorado could see this harvest.
you have to see it to believe it." Many grain
storage facilities were constructed after this.
Many of us today remember those years
and after the war was over and machinery was
manufactured again farmers purchased new
tractors that were larger and wheat was still
king ofthis area. Livestock production began
to modernize with emphasis on larger animals finally coming popular and farm storage for grain has been built on most farms.
resulting of people leaving the land in large
numbers. Some left never to return but manv
did come back and again ventured into
farming and ranching.
To give us some indication of the ups and
downs in this county the following list gives
July, wheat harvest, 1980.
AGRICULTURE
T4r
the population of Kit Carson County through
the years.
Year: 1890
2,472;1900
1,580; 1910
7,483; 1920 - 8,915; 1930 - 9,725; tg40 7,512; L950 - 8,600; 1960 - 6,952; 19?0 7,100; 1988 - 7,668
- with today from the 1g70's
In comparison
to date, 1988 we find that in the mid ?0's drv
land farm ground was selling for g8b - $12b
per acre; Irrigated land $356 per acre and
pasture land was selling for 940 - $b0 per acre.
The 80's saw dry land selling for g2T8 - $400
per acre; irrigated land 9800 - $1200 per acre
and pasture land brings $100 - $120 per acre.
In
1988 land prices are down due
to
the
recession of the early 80' in agriculture with
dry land bringing $225 - 9275 per acre;
1986, Gleaner
L2 combine, Hasart farm.
Irrigated land 9325 - $500 per acre and
pasture land bringing $70 - $100 per acre. It
reminds us of the old rule that what goes up
must also come down but the sad part is that
Finishing up, waiting for the last loads of corn
�made their place in this area and other crops
such as truck garden vegetables have been
tried. What the future brings in this area can
not be imagined as of now but there will
always be something new to be tried.
Feed grains have made a large impact on
the economy allowing the formation of large
cattle feeding operations in the county. This
has really been a boon for the cattle raised
here providing a local market that has been
very good and stable. The feedlots in this area
would not have been possible without the
water systems of today using electricity
which powers the ever present submersible
pumps that bring us the gallons of water
needed for domestic and livestock needs. Can
you imagine windmills providing this im-
mense source of water?
The 50's had the setting aside of land out
of production called the "Soil Bank" and
in the 80's we see the problem of
overproduction being dealt with by the
"Congervation Reserve Program". The longer we live the more we see things return to
the same cycles of over production or scarcity. The sugar beet industry has come and
gone and many farmsteads are long gone from
the peak population years ofthe 20's. The day
of farm houses on nearly every quarter of
today
a thing of the past. The mechanization offarms and ranches has brought about
changes that our great grandfathers wouldn't
ground are
Corn harvest 198?.
have believed.
Livestock statistics for Kit Carson County;
19?5 cattle on feed, 29,000; all cattle and
calves, 137,000. 1981, cattle on feed,37,000;
all cattle and calves, 116,000; and cows and
heifers that have calved, 34,000. 1986, cattle
on feed,40,000; All cattle and calves, 113,000
and cows and heifers that have calved, 27,500.
These figures include 1,000 to 1,300 milk
cows and were obtained from the Kit Carson
County Extension Office.
Statistics on winter wheat, dry beans and
corn for grain for Kit Carson County are as
follows. 1980 winter wheat show 332,000 acres
harvested totaling 10,733,000 bushels; 1983
winter wheat harvested shows 368,000 acres
with 15,164,000 bushels produced; 1985 the
peak year for production shows 385,000 acres
planted with 17,595,000 bushels harvested
and in 1986 310,000 acres were harvested with
Corn in August.
lCedar Rose Dairy, owned and operated by Tom
I Dobler northwest of Burlington.
10,841,000 bushels produced.
In 1980 7,000 acres of drY beans were
harvested with total production on 119,000
l*.
hundred wt. and in 1885 11,000 acres were
harvested with 205,500 hundred wt.
Corn for grain, 57,000 acres were harvested
producing 5,669,000 bushels of corn in 1980.
In
1982, 62,500 acres harvested with
7,890,000 bushels produced; 1984, 41'000
Spring is lsnbing time on the Dean and Bonnie
Witzel farm, FebruarY 1988.
just got on your feet financially and had-
a
good start in the cattle business and then the
Irrigating corn with gated PiPe'
Part 9
The return of the dust storms and dry years
luring the 1950's forced many farmers to
,hink about drilling irrigation wells and the
lry years forced the rancher and farmer who
lwned cattle to sell their herds at low prices
rnd then buy back at high prices. This cycle
vas always devastating as it seemed that you
bottom fell out. By putting down an irriga-
tion well you were assured ofraising feed and
grain for your livestock enterprise. Many
farmers did drill wells and the age of
irrigation on the high plains began.
Iirigation made a large impact on th9
agriculture industry in this county. The old
stand by crops of corn, milo and wheat now
had the potential of producing much larger
yields and new crops were introduced such as
sugar beets which became a huge source of
revenue for many years. Pinto beans have
acres harvested with 5,916,000 bushels and in
1986,48,000 acres produces 7,056,000 bushels
of corn. These figures do not include corn
silage figures. The corn silage figures are;
1980, 10,500 acres harvested at 184,000 tons
and 1985, 4,100 acres harvested 97,000 tons
of silage. This gives us a good comparison of
acres planted in the 1930's and the 1980's.
What a story they tel.'
With the new markets for grain such as
corn sweeteners and ethanol for fuel and
other products being researched and tried we
hope to see a healthy future for our grain
production. Wheat has always been the
mainstay for this area due to the climatic
conditions.
�Agriculture
AGRICULTURE
T42
in this agriculture history
4,710 feet; Stratton: 6b4, 4,AL4 feet;
Vona: 120, 4,504 feet.
The Kit Carson County Extension Service
_1_95,
are
many pictures showing the changes in farm_
rng practices and equipment over the years
and it is hoped that you will be able to paint
your own picture of your life and timeJwith
these photo essays. Pictures have a wav of
saying more than words can ever do ,o it is
with this thought that brings the close of this
section of our Kit Carson County,s agricul_
ture historv.
the County
Altitude of Towns in
. _B^ethune: 152,4,257 feet; Burlington: B,2gb,
4,.L65 feet; Flagler: 574, 4,575 feet; SeiLerti
Part lO
Included
1988 Population and
has provided a wealth of informatior,
services to this county that has been irreola_
"rri
cible. The following are listed in order fhat
they were serving in this countv. 1915. Agent
RN. Flint; 1918 H.O Strange; 1919 Adelia
Alexander, Ass't agent; fSS4 bick Wooan"
with S.H. Stolte Ass't and Logan Morton
Ass't in 1938; 1944 Bertha WJar came as
Home Agent with Nellie patterson Assit:
1947. Albert Brown, Agent; 1952, Don
uhactwlck Agent with Ass't Agents Vernon
Howard
I"r."9
Berl Stedwell
Enos, WarreriMauch, anJ
in the late b0's. R.L. Croissani
came in 1961 with Ass't Agent Leon Stanton;
1966 Norma Pankratz, Home Agent with C;j
scracca and Bill Bennett as Ass't Agents;
1969 Darrel Schafer, Agent and .I. froee.
Wolfskill Ass't Agent; R.L. Croissant, &;;;
until 1979 when Larry Henry came. Noima
Pankratz left in 1980 and Bonnie Sherman,
Carol Fitzsimmons, Carol pfaffly we.eHome
Agents; 1987 Colleen Simon, Home ege"U
l^e11v D. Brewer, Jr. came as Ass't Ag"ifiri
1981.
w
AI,FnfD
f
YTTILLET
Wellet, polo.
8aoge, no:ttte&t oi Bur.tiagtoD..
.['rect lYallett,
f...
{ w ou rtshr, htp. lVallett, i;olo.
'L
R&nge near 1y&nett, Colo.
W4L
w, II. LavINOtoN.
tDd halt crop Range, gculb Fdik n€Dubllcsl
'ln laltcar';
Ftaelei. Colo.
ilw
Is
rt,IdANSIILAU,
Da:rge,
GSV/
C.
Llght htp, cyer
slrloin.
-
Lostmen\Cr€6k.
3, WELIJMAN,
Renge, 8. E, otOlareppelr
Cfaremont. DAl0,
or,
C'
S
-J_(-
JL
Known a,s illl
_ &ryo
John Buol feedlot, 1982. North of Burlington.
E. MCORILLIA,
Budlu gtonr
double-wrench breDd.
Re;ngs, Iaadsmba.
>t<
LCA
Left side.
Co!e.
U, A, I'}MB.
rnge,
vtclnlty ot BUrllDgtoo,
Burliagtdn. ColO.
--J, 0. McNAItir
llf
Klrt, uolo.
Alro
ti$gte. z miles oast ot Klrk.
li3btDr*; rod braDd on l€tt std€.
c H H
A.
R
(rEoReEEEr{DRrOKE.
BurllngtoD, Colo.
Range, gand Oreek.
ADdreas Adotl,
yale,
Oohb.
r&ng€, rreor Tele.
Mrs. M. A. B€vler,
EurIafton, Colo.
rgffiEESEE
eU.btDd| oa Ettildo.
fisrchornaW.
range, eourh srid
5 Star Feedlot owned and o^perated by the Cure Family and feedlot
in background is operated by the
Hornung family northeast of Stratton.
loutbw€rtb(,goDen,
�
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/417/History_Part_2.pdf
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PDF Text
Text
Cutting silage with
a
Field Queen on the Cure farm'
Livingston Simmentals, 1987.
IRRIGATION BEGINS
T43
:lriiija.:'r:
Feb. 29, 1940. Work will start immediately
on the construction of the first major irrigation dam project to be undertaken in eastern
Kit Carson County. C.H. Parke, who owns
'
From field to silage pile, Hasart farm, 1987'
land along the Beaver Creekjust east oftown,
has taken the necessary steps and made
proper filings as to water and ditch rights and
ihe-engineering has progressed to-a point
where ionstruction
will be started at
any
time.
The dam will be of earthen construction,
a center core being constructed of clay and
the fills both front and back of earth and the
front rip rapped with rock, wire and posts'
The blui prints call for an excavation 10 ft.
deep into which the base of the clay core will
be sunk and this core will be built to the
Baling hay, Hasart farm.
Cutting cane for silage, 1986.
height of the dam which is to be 25 ft. above
the bed of the stream. The base of the dam,
when finished, will be 141 ft. through, with
a crest of 14 ft. In length, the dam will be 515
ft. and will be of sufficient height to allow use
of a natural sPillwaY.
The dam is to be located on what is known
as the Ryan place, about 1 mi. east and 1
south of burl, on the NW% 8-9-43. Ditches
will carry the water to the Parke place.
There has been much talk of well irrigation
and some contracts for drilling test wells in
Carson County. These and Mr' Parkes'
dam project will be watched closely by
interested parties as their success would
mean a new era for Kit Carson County.
Kit
Irrigation activity began in the early 1950's
with the drilling of wells throughout the
county. As of July 1, 1957, there were Pome
tlS wlils in the area with more wells being
drilled and put into production. The depth
of the wells range from 200 to 325 feet, and
capacities are generally 1000 to 1600 gallons
pei minute, with some wells having a capacity
of *ot" than 2000 gallons. Most of the wells
are pumped by electric motors, Diesel, Propani, and Natural gas engines, and the cost
of pumping is not as great as one would
expict. the excellent soil structure, its de-pth
and water retention capabilities go hand in
hand with economical pumping of the
amounts of water required for crop produc-
acking silage, Cure farm 1980's.
tion.
The local soil is a silt loam which is very
�easily handled. Seed bed preparation is
readily accomplished by a limited number of
operations because of the excellent soil
structure. The soil ranges in depth from b to
40 feet before any formation such as sand,
gravel or shale is encountered. At present,
there seems to be no drainage problem.
As of July, 1964, it was estimated there
were about 730 irrigation wells on 415 farms
in the tri-county area, with 400 of these wells
located in Kit Carson County. The wells
deliver water to about 107,000 acres of highly
fertile land. Since the report was
made,
additional wells have been drilled.
Irrigation methods used are open ditch
with siphon tubes, gated pipe and sprinkler
systems.
In
1988 approximately 1150 wells have
been drilled and put into operation providing
the county with the base of grain and feed
production for the livestock industrv.
Supplies are more than adequate to suppiy
the cattle feedlots within the county at the
present time.
During the 1970's and early 1980's the farm
economy was booming caused by inflated
prices and increased land values. This came
to a halt and severe declines in land prices
prompted the recession for the agriculture
community that has severely effected all
businesses and communities within the
county at the present time.
The agri-business sector is restructuring its
business practices and lowering its base debt
load to position itself in a better financial
frame.
Two questions pose to be dealt with in the
future and they are the declining water levels
in the
Ogallala aquifer and
the cost of
pumping the wells in relation to the price of
the commodities produced.
If the figure amounts to more than what thev
would receive in soil bank pa5rments, plus the
50 pct. penalty for non-compliance, they will
harvest and thereby break contract with the
government.
What soil bank payments will mean to the
eastern counties is shown by figures compiled
by Warren Myers, program specialist in the
Denver offices of the Federal Agriculture
Stabilization and Conservation Agency.
The County which will reap the largest
benefit is Kit Carson, for which 94,2b4,268 is
ear-marked.
The money will be paid out at county level
from ASC offices in the form of certificates
which are negotiable as sight drafts.
Before payments are made, however, it is
incumbent upon the county ASC committees
to determine if the farmers are in compliance
with the soil bank law.
The payment program, Meyers has estimated, may run into August.
Although it was not the intent of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture to put the soil
bank _program into effect for the 19b6 crop
year, because the law was passed too late tb
affect a lot of basic crops, political pressures
were such that the progrem was inaugurated
then.
As a result, Colorado farmers last year were
allowed to put some of their wheat acreage
into the soil bank, even though the land hid
been planted and lacked promise of any crop
because of the drought.
The acreage reserve payments in the state
in 1956 amounted to approximately
$4,472,000. Average rate of payment was g6
an acre. The national average on wheat for
the 1957 crop year is expected to be g20.04
an acre.
Whether there will be an acreage reserve
section in the soil bank in 1958 still is a matter
of
conjecture. Members of both political
parties have condemned it as a failure in what
is,was designed to do
SOIL BANK
T44
In the year of 1956 on June 28, the Soil
Bank Act was passed. The bill went into
effect in Kit Carson County retroactively for
the 1956 crop year. The bill is still in effect
far as any contracts which are not terminated are concerned. However, as of March 1960
no new land could be placed under contract.
The general program was designed to take a
as
certain nmount ofcropland out ofproduction
ofcrops, putting it to a conservation use. This
was used in order to help reduce the surplus
of crops which was plagueing our agriculture
economy at the time.
Uncle Sam's treasury on about June 10 will
start pumping $22,217,736 into the agricultural economy of Colorado
all of it
- almost
into the eastern plains counties
long-smitten
by drought.
This bonanza will be paymentto more than
8,000 farmers who placed a total of 1,318,826
of the alloted wheat acres into the
acreage reserve of the soil bank.
Average payment per acre so
-
reduce surpluses by
taking land out of production
Last year it cost 9200 million, and still U.S.
farm production set new records. Estimated
cost this year is more than $700 million. The
Lg57
-
1gg4
146
Eldon Shive starts first beet irrigation on the Ben
Rudy farm just east of Burlington.
f
House has refused to appropriate gb00
million for the bank's operation in 1958.
For 1957 wheat acreage alone the govern-
in the
commercial growing states to take a total of
L2,784,968 acres out of production in return
for an aggregate of9230,975,4?b in payments.
Economists estimated that this should
have reduced wheat production by 20 pct.
But now the high yields in prospect indiiate
another bumper, surplus-producing crop.
ment signed up 233,453 farmers
Thinning beets with a mechanical beet thinner.
19b?
put into
idleness is expected to be 916.80.
Total amount paid to Colorado farmers,
however, may be somewhat reduced. Some
landowners planted wheat on their soil bank
land. Under law, that wheat may neither be
grazed nor harvested.
Some of these farmers will estimate the
wheat yield and multiply it by market price.
THE RISE AND FALL
OF THE SUGAR BEET
INDUSTRY IN
EASTERN KIT
CARSON COUNTY
Loading beets into the railroad cars.
�TIIE GREAT STONE
FACE CAPER
T46
Mt. Rushmore you say? Miss Bonny
Gaunt, now Mrs. C.G. Gould of Burlington,
posed with the wives of a camera crew from
the Alexander Film Studios, Colorado
Springs. The carvings were done about 1923,
by Philip Smith of Ttentynine
Palms,
California and the late Clyde Roberts, both
residents of Flagler at the time. Edmund L.
Smith, Flagler businessman related that as a
younger brother of Philip he didn't get in on
the fun. The site of Buffalo Creek is six miles
north and three miles east of Flagler on the
Weston Fisher ranch. Between erosion and
target practice not a great deal is left of The
Great Stone Faces.
After a lapse of many years,
3/L/L935
Stone Face," has again
Seibert's "Great
sprung into the limelight. This time through
a newspaper story, written by Mrs. M.H.
Brown, formerly of Seibert, the mysterious
The first beets in the new area were plantcd by Gene Penny (center) on April 26, and on August 16 Earl
iowe1 (inset) could be proud of beeti displayed at the fair. Mr. Powell, left and Carl Luft right of Gene
Penny.
Ben Rudy, Melvin Sall, Conarty Bros., O.E.
Powell, Wayne Barber, Earl Powell, and C.D.
Reed.
From that humble beginning in 1957 the
industry grew slowly but steadily each year
with more acres and new growers added each
year. In the early 60's, when the Cuban sugar
import quota was cancelled, because of
Stone Face, where a cameraman "shot" more
than 200 feet of scenes, those who accompan-
early 70's 50,000 acres were being grown here;
visiting the relic. These films will likely be
shown at some theater in Eastern Colorado,
but it is not yet known.
probably 25,000 actes was the most Kit
Carson County produced. Up until the new
sugar factory at Goodland was put into
production in 1968 all the beets grown here
were shipped by rail to the Great Western
factories
Kit
Carson County, 1960's.
at Brighton, Loveland, and
for processing. Even
after the new factory was built, nearly half of
the crop was shipped west for processing.
By the late ?0's, after the Hunt Brothers
had gained control of the Great Western
Longmont, Colorado
Sugar Company and also because oflow sugar
prices, the industry started a slow but steady
decline. The crop of 1984 were the last beets
planted in the county. The Great Western
Sugar Company took out bankruptcy in 1984
and the growers who planted beets that year
did not get paid fully for their crop' The
West€rn Sugar Company who purchased the
northern factories from the Great Western
Bankruptcy Trustee chose not to buy the
Peconic Station
in
1966,
piling beets.
The birth of the Sugar Beet industry here
in Kit Carson County came in the spring of
1957. This was due largely to the efforts of
Mr. Earl Powell who had also pioneered deep
well irrigation here in our area. He, along with
several other influential people of the area,
no-ely C.D. Reed and Jack Hines of the
county ASCS committee, were able to get a
300 acre Beet allotment for the county for
new growers. The first growers to grow beets
for the Great Western Sugar Co. in 1957 were
Gene Penny, Fred Plautz, Leonard Pieper,
E.K. Edwards, Western representative of
Universal Films, wired a friend at the Seibert
Settler office, that he would be here to make
news reels of the freak. He would need some
person thoroughly familiar with the location
of the cliffs where the sphynx-like object is
situated. M.N. Rasmussen is such a person
and his help was enlisted. On Saturday, Mr.
and Mrs. Edwards, Mr. Rasmussen, his
daughter, Miss Rose, Miss Bonny Gaunt and
a Siebert Settler reporter visited The Great
Castro, sugar beet acreage controls were
lifted and the industry grew by leaps and
bounds here in earltern Kit Carson County
and in nearby western Kansas as well. By the
Beet field in
stone attracted attention.
factory
at
Goodland. Consequently this
factory was sold to the Two State Equity CoOp to be used as a grain storage terminal for
the Goodland, Kanarado and Burlington Co-
op's.
by Russ Davis
ied him taking the part of "sightseers,"
The excitement caused by
the
"rediscovery" of this unusual example of
stone carving recalls a bit of history. In
August, 1923, the Seibert Settler carved a
column and a half of a story devoted to the
Great Stone Face. M.D. Haynes, now deputy
postmaster, had visited the spot and made
pictures. At that time, old-timers claimed
that the Great Stone Face had antedated
their earliest recollections. Others claimed
that the work was more recent, some even
claimed to have done the work a few months
previous to the appearance ofthe article. But
although there has, indeed, been some cement work done by way of repair and preservation quite recently, at that time it nevertheless was pretty well established that the work
had an early historic origin.
The Great Stone Face does not measure up
quite to the gigantic measurements attributed to it in the Denver newspaper story, but
it is nevertheless of no mean proportions.
About nine feet in height, it is caryed on the
solid face of a huge boulder which must weigh
close to 100 tons. The work is more or less
rough, but modeling and expression show a
degree of skill not to have been expected
among the early cowboys or hunters to whom
the work is credited by some. That it is of
Indian Origin seems doubtful, too, and the
Indian usually expressed his artistic urge in
line drawings. The profile, however, is distinctly Indian. Exactly who was the creator
of this image will likely always remain a
�Saturday afternoon from Denver for a visit
with his mother, Mrs. Myrta Christopher'
Thev returned to Denver on Monday'
V.S. FitzPatrick, well known former editor
of the Seibert Newspaper, is now an instructor in the United States Air Corps' He
attended a Denver school for several months
recently, having first learned flying in 1919'
He sold his newspaper in Craig last summer'
John Chalfant is stationed at Camp Bennins. near Farragut, Idaho. He is in the
meJhanical branch of the service and likes it
.it
*'
T{
very much.
iee Bruner is locat€d with the aviation
III' This is
not far from St. Louis.
A letter to Mr. and Mrs. John Buol from
W.A. Robertson, Colonel of Army Air Forces,
brings the news that Kermit Buol has been
cadet detachment at Scott Field,
seleJted by the classification board for training as a navigator. He stresses the importance
oi thit woik and sends congratulations'
t,
Kermit, who is now at Santa Ana, California
will be transferred soon to a west coast school
for intensive training.
Harry and Vernon-Dalke have volunteered
for U.S. service and reported at Fort Logan,
.':
{
\
'r*&'la,'.
&':g
'
The Great Stone Face
.,tif
of Alexander Films' Colorado
Bonnie Gaunt Gould with the wives of the film crew
Creek 6 miles north
Uv prtifrip Snilrt ana Clyde Roberts' Buffalo
Faceg were ."rr"a""r"""i-G-zil
Springs.
and 3 miles west of Flager'
mvsterv. as he would likely find few believers
if he should present his claim to distinction'
OUR SOLDIER BOYS
ARMY TIISTORY T47
Bud Boyles is stationed at San Diego'
California.
Word from Mrs. Steve Stransky states that
her husband has enlisted and is stationed at
the Great Lakes Training station,-
near
These three day passes sure help in seeing
the country. Gas rationing is going to put a
o.t hitch hiking, at which I am gettilg
"ti-o
Jong pretty good. Ye Old Pal, Tb John B'
Aurner
Pvt. Ralph Brunemeier of Rice, California'
** horr" last week on furlough' He returned
Mo"d"v. He
is in a tank division, being in the
service since last month.
Mrs. H.B. Morgan writes from San Diego
ttrai ttreir son, Lee B' Morgan, is in the U'S'
service in Hawaii. He likes it there and says
pineapple juice, tropical fruits and
ihev
""jov
coconuts.
W;. Bowker has been in the hosPital
practically ever gince his induction in the
Colorado November lst.
Leigh Short, son of Judge E.V. Short' has
been tlransferred from Buckley Field' Denver
to St. Petersburg, Florida. He left for there
Saturday.
A letter from Harold Pearce to his parents
came this week. It brings the news that he is
stationed in Honolulu and is in training in a
motion picture school. Harold was operator
at the Mid*"y theater here before
being
inducted into the armY.
Word from Harold W. Thomason of Stratmedical
battalion in Camp Edwards, Mass', but s-ays
tt" ioet.t't know what kind of work he will do
as yet.
Mt. and Mrs. A.F. Romberg received word
last week from their son Donald telling that
he had been commissioned Ensign in the
ton states that he is with the
Naval SupPlY CorPs on August 26r lt
reported for Lctive duty at the Naval Air
Station, Alameda, Calif. In November he will
be sent to the Harvard Graduate School of
Business Administration in Boston, Mass',
for advanced study. Donald is a graduate of
the University of Colorado and has been in
the offices of the Naval Net Depot at
Tiburon, Calif., since his enlistment last
dtti."go. Mrs. Stransky is the former Maxine
Lynn.
This office is in receipt of the following
from John Aurner:
The army and I are getting along just fine'
armv.
i""n., ato-.alled just plain Corpor"l:-I -1in Holly-
"--fi""t.
sargeant.
and Mrs. Bernard Litty arrived
Wells, Texas, visited here Sunday at the J'W'
Larsen and Mrs. R.C. Yarnell homes' Lieut'
and friends. He left on Tuesday tor ! t'
Leonatd Wood, Mo. Mrs. Litty will remain
nephew of Mrs. Yarnell.
Have finaliy made Tech. First Grade, Corp'
having a swell time with the stars
*ooa."t have been a personal guest of Jagkie
Coop"t, Kay Kayseiand Gene Autry'-H-ave
Hattie McDaniels, Wallace
-Lti".tv Colona,
S""ty, iana Turner, Goldie Cantor, Bob
H6;,'Dorothy Lamour, tt"94v L^amar and
a few others' I have attended the urouman s
Ctti"".u theatre, Lockheed aircraft, Douglas
uii..uft, and the shipyards of Los A"qul"t'
N"*l riU on seeing ihe naval yards of San
Diego.
-i"t"*
Larry Tieman in L.A' Iast week' He
is the only persott from Burlilgton I've seen
g to March Field' I have been
.it
"o*it
""
itrfo.-"d thit I might be placed in charge of
all broadcasts from the field' I am now
*otfi"e on a four panel mixer for the field'
When completed it will not be necessary to
have NBC, CBS, or Mutual to bring their
eouipment'to the field for the pickup' I work
i;t thil now, but their men have charge and
I only helP.
- N"*t
has been received that Pvt' Frank E'
Norton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Norton, has
sraduated from an intensive course in aviaiion toechanics at Sheppard Field, Texas,
and is now eligible to become crew chief on
bo-b"t and win a rating as corporal or
Saturday for a few days visit with relatives
visit'
for a longer
here
---Capt.
-Calvin
has been transferred
A.E'
from Indiantown Gap, Pa., to Virginia'
Dr. Gene Aten is stationed at the Naval
Ttainine Station at Athol, Idaho' He is
Lieutenint Commander' His wife and daugh-
t". *u in Spokane,
Washington, which-is
atout 50 to 6b miles from Athol' Gene is the
son of F.L. Aten of Denver and spent his early
boyhood days in Burlngton. Mrs' Atencame
down from Denver Saturday anct hao Just
a late picture of her son in uniform'
received
-
Virgil Brown, who is stationed at
Deveis, Mass., was home recently
tugn
o1
-Ft'
-fyrvisited his parents, Mr' and Mrs'
""a
H.O.
- Brown.
Sgt. R.S. Christopher and wife came down
December.
Lieut. Leslie Palmer and wife of Mineral
F"m".
is a grandson of the Larsens and a
Louis Vogt returned Sunday night from
Denver. He-has enlisted in the navy and will
enroll at Marquettc University in Milwaukee'
which oPens SePtember 16th'
Verlin Kingsbury came home Friday on
furlough. He is in the U.S' Navy and must
..poti"t San Francisco by September 17th'
Wins Commission
Second Lieut. John W. Todd came down
from Denver Monday for a short visit with his
oarents. Mr. and Mrs. Delbert Todd' He had
iust completed his training in the Artillery
bffi..t iandidate School at Ft. Sill, Okla''
and received his commission as Second
iieutenant. He has been assigned to It'
Lewis, Washington and will leave for that
�place soon. Vernon Dunn went to Colorado
Springs Monday, then on to Denver, where
he enlisted in the U.S. Marines. He leit there
at nine o'clock Wednesday night for San
Diego, Calif., where he wil Le iritraining for
six or eight weeks. He will try to get intJthe
marine air school.
Burlington friends have heard from Dr.
M.E. Robinson. Capt. Robinson left Denver
'I'uesday morning for Ft.
Meade, Md. He is
a member of Base Hospital No. 29 of the U.S.
Armv.
First Lieut. John C. Straub, also a member
of Base_ Hospital No. 29, left Tuesday for the
same destination. Dr. Straub is a former
Flagler boy.
Lee B. Morgan, son of Mr. and Mrs. H.B.
Morgan, former Burlington boy is in the U.S.
Army. He is stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Pvt. Earl McKinney and a friend, pvt. pete
__
Hunter, crme down from Camp Carson,
Colorado Springs, Friday night and spent the
weekend
with Mrs. McKinney and
parents Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Wilkinson.
her
Alvin Barber who recently enlisted
is
stationed at Shepard Field, Texas.
Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Schell received a card
from Pvt. Clyde Melton. He is in the Armv
Air Service and is stationed at Saint peters_
burg, Fla. He says he will be there fo" . i",
weeks.
George McNeill, who was home on fur_
lough, returned to camp in Missouri.
Glenn Weaver, who is stationed at phoe_
nix, Ariz., came in on the Rockett Wednes_
*"v. U",lg: a lb day furlough. He is looking
nne and llkes the Armv.
by Myra L. Davis
FRANKLIN BAKER
MURDER CASE
T48
State News: Franklin Baker, the murderer
of two ranchmen near Burlington, was taken
from the sheriff at Cheyenne Welis by a mob
of infuriated men and hanged.
Town and Country News: Judge Spere has
gone to the county seat to make a rlport of
the recent coroner case to the County Clerk.
Rectus in Curia. A Murderer Hanged by
Popular Justice.
Last Saturday afternoon, as two voune
men from Iowa were driving toward Burl
Iington from Wano in company with a
liveryman, and as they wer" p"rrirrj tne
shanty of Franklin H. Baker five "Uimiles
northeast of Burlington, they came upon a
man with wagon and team stopped in front
of a house and the man see-id to be in
conversation with Baker and his wife. Nearbv
the house ran a ravine or draw and the liverv
tenm had started down the inclevity whei
Baker hollered to the parties, ..Hold on.,;As
the driver was checking his horses and
loo_king back to see what
*as wanted, he saw
Baker's wife hand Ba-ker a gu.,'."yirrg,
"Here's the gun, shoot the s- b--." ,titfrii
the driver put whip to his horses and Baker
threw the gun up and fired when the buggy
was not over two rods from him. The gun liid
been loaded with buck-shot and ptaled saJ
havoc at that close range with the occupants
of the vehicle. E.B. McConnel's bacf
was
mangled
with seventeen balls, while
his
the depot with a notary's seal held above his
head with his manacled t
,""av lo L."i"
""a, ti. fir""t-ioi
whoever__attempted to bar
liberty. Hardly had he gained tt e ai. f"fore
companion, John C. Morrison, received three
shots-in the back, they piercing vital parts.
The driver escaping uninjured,-whipped up
nrs rcam and drove to a farm house a half mile
away, where the injured men were cared for
until taken to Burlington later in the evening.
It
*"r, -"ri_
with Baker
has been learned that the
tioned as in conversation
and wife
at the time the shooting was done had been
halted by them and ordered to go back on his
way and turn around the claim the road ran
through. Baker had become incensed at the
travel across his claim and had built breast
works of sod at his place overlooking the
traveled highway with the intention to" tratt
or shoot any and all who passed on the road.
There is no breaking and of course no .-".
o_n th9 land, nor any sign to give warrrine
;i
the_ closing
of the road. It was pure
and
undefiled. deviltry, brutish hate of people at
rarge, and a satanic hunger for a bloody row
prompting the low born friend.
. Arrest followed, the prisoners were guar_
ded out of reach of the citizens of gurli"";on.
and a preliminary trial called for attemit to
kill while the mutilated boys *rr" ininn
between life and death, and o" IUo"a"i
morning Deputy Sheriff Jerry Barnes. bv I
strategic move, got his prisoner into a buesv
and st611ed for Cheyenne Wells at a lightriii!
speed, covering the ground to the firit relai
of horse, seven miles in twenty minutes.
When Burlington people caught on to the
move., which they were not long in doing, the
popular cry was, ,,Guns, horsei and teims!"
and soon two hundred men and every horse
in town was in hot pursuit of tne sheriff. fhe
he
was_
thrown, held and ,oo"
dragged across railroad tracks
*". l"i"i
o"". .i"J"i"E
ground and pretty roughly tranatea
wtrite
lusuy calling on the ,.Jerry" who himself was
being hustled over the ground Uy fr"f?l
dozen able bodied maskJrs.
"
The closing scene of the great tragedy was
enacted about midway of tle t.essei work ol
the west approach of the coal chute. Under
a span ofthis was gathered a group ofmufflJ
merr; and they in charge of the prisoner, Ji
unknown, were irresistibly drawn
toJ*d
them. A rope ending in a noose was danslins
trom over a cross tie in the tressel; under iI
the-murderer was dragged and told d;r";.
As-he was a pretender of a religion which tre
defiled, he was not amiss at thiJand;ilh til;
stereotyped form of prayer meetings began
with: "Oh, Lord, we are glad that ie a"J i"
the condition that we are. Forgive tfrese men:
they know not what they do. C"unt
-" " fitii"
more time that I may explain to these
men."
At that a voice from the crowd reminded
him that- he had given the boys
ti-" io
pray, and the rope was tightened"o
about his
neck, and the inanimate form fr.r"g
less and was left alone while his sorll -oiiorr_
;;;;;
its maker.and will probably give *u.f, io
exprarn. I'hree murders and other attempts
to kill are recorded against him on this edth
alone.
A coroner's
chase lasted for the thirty-five miles inter_
jury was summoned Tuesdav
morning by C.I. Spere, Justice of the peace.
the body cut down, an inquest held and the
remains buried near town.
hopes weakened.
that the deceased met his death from
vening between the two towns, the pursuine
party losing members as horses winded ani
Qeputy Barnes arrived here about one
o'clock on Monday and an hour later the
advance guard of the pursuers came.
, Fate, coincidence, or as some people will
have. it, in the-light
of subsequent ."""t.,
the west bound
providence had delayed
passenger nearly two hours for the first time
in months, else we would have closed this bv
saying.that the p-risoner was safely lodged in
Arapahoe's jail. But the delay allowed"num_
bers- of the- rescuing party to get in and
precluded-the possibility of reriroving the
prisoner from the depot, where he- was
guarded, to the coach in safetv.
From two o'clock in the iternoon until
twelve that night, Deputy Sheriff Barnes and
his deputy, Charles Lynde, guarded the
prisoner at_the depot and resolitely bluffed
ott a crowd of near fifty men from any and
every attempt to relieve them oftheir charge.
Guns were numerous and flourished silenil"
now and t!en, and attempts were made by I
free use of the pen's weapons to overpolier
the guards and return the prisoner d Bu;_
lington.
The sheriff parlayed the crowd by a clever
rrree to telegraph to the governor for legal
advice, seeking to gain time for the arrivJoi
Sheriff Harper and reinforcements, and
ryaking promises to bide the word, knowins
that his assistance would come in ihe irrte.l
val. The ruse worked well and held peace for
several hours, but at twelve o'cloct a sand
storm caml up and the crowd gathered
determination. At a time least
tt
de_puties were nabbed by bystande..'"rrd
"*p"It"a, "
taken away, the excited prisonir rushed from
_
The verdict of the jury was to the effect
hanei;
at the hands of parties unknown laboiini
-"
un1t9r_qn epidemic of transitory f."rrv.
Bird
McConnell,
one
whose
life
waslken
-
by the murderer's bullets, was one ;i;h;;;
whole-souled boys whom everybody
and was glad to call a friend. it" *"."d-i*d
to t"u"
been married on the first of May to .
lady
in
Kansas and had
Vo"n*
.orir" *".i-ti
establish his home before going back for his
bride. Before his death he made'a wiil leavine
all his property to his affianced. Hi, i;h;;
arrived from Iowa Tuesday morning to
{o1 the remains. He was a membei of "aie
the
I.O.O.F., and the members of the order in
these parts did all possible to care foi friwounded and dead.
John C. Morrison was a stranger in this
section and was making his firlt visit io
Colorado. He had no .eLtirres
-a UuJ
former_ acquaintance at Burlington,
"""
b; ;;;
none the less tenderly cared for.
Above three items from Cheyenne Wells
Gazette, April 21, 188g.
Monday'sDenuer Republican had a photo_
graph of and an interview with Mrs. Harriet
Baker regarding the murder committed-lv
her husband near Burlington on the lbth of
April. The reporter's emotions got
him and he represents the acc'essory
"*"y,ith
io tfre
murder as an innocent, intelligent and religious, motherly country *o-io, and gives
her statemenLs credence. Nothing could be
wider of the truth than the accoirnt olthe
affair given, and any attempt to manufacture
sympathy for the woman will hardlv be
a-ppreciated by those who have heard her
threats, oaths, and cold blooded
ments to kill any and all who attempted
"""o""""_
to
�cross the land as well as they who were
instrumental in the gudden death of her
husband. Great allowances will always be
made for a female criminal, but the Republican's young man rather overdid the matter'
Cheyinne Wells Gazette, May 5' 1888'
A sensation was created Sunday by the
discovery that the body of Franklin H' Baker,
ttanged by a mob at this point on the 16th.of
lprit. had been taken from the grave' An
invesiisation showed that the corpse had
histily dragged from the buried coffin
through an opening probably kickcd in the
foot eid, dragged in the muddy soilfor-a few
feet and ihrown into a vehicle which had been
in waiting. From the signs, the body snatchers were-not particular in their care of the
remains and ii could not have been friends
ofthe deceased. It can safely be set down that
some medical student has been taking lectures on strangulation with Burlington's
murderer for a subject.
State News: A sensation has been created
at Cheyenne Wells over the discovery that
the remains of F.H. Baker, hanged there by
a mob two weeks ago, had been stolen from
the grave. A hole had been kicked in the
coffi"n, the body dragged out and carried
been
away, possibly
for the education of
the
coming generation of sawbones.
Abo*vJ
two items ftom Cheyenne WeIIs
Gazette, MaY 12, 1888.
A Graphic Account of An Early Necktie
Party. Tire following article, taken-from the
Burlington Coll of last week, we feel sure-will
be of interest to all of the Neus readers'
There are many people here now who are
familiar with faCts as set forth, but the
vounger generation scarcely rcalize the tranritioti ttt"t has taken place in Eastern Colorado.
Mr. R.A. McConnell, special representative of the New York Mutual Life Insurance
Company in San Diego, California, and
W{'
McC'onnill, president of the California Mutual Finance Corporation of Los Angeles,
Calif., passed through Burlington on Monday
morning.
These gentlemen were
in Burlington
on
i888, *h"tt their brother, who had
been shot by Franklin H. Baker, died at the
Montezuma Hotel. Mr. McConnell, Silas
Fonts, Dave Spear and Wheeler had made
pre-emption filings ott four corners where
sectioni 22-23-26 and 27, in 9-45 come
April
16,
iogether. Each one had built a sod house and
th"ey had dug a well in the middle of the road
crossing for their
joint
use.
After- filing on his land and building his
house, Mr. McConnell had returned to Iowa
to close up some business affairs and on his
way back came by train to St. Francis, Kans'
Thi mail for Burlington was at that time
broueht bv horse conveyance from St' Fran-
cis
;rd
young McConnell, with John C'
Morrison, another homesteader, arranged for
Dassase with the mail carrier.
' Siimiles north
and two miles east of
Burlington, Franklin H. Baker had pre-empted thJnorth half of the north half of section
4, township 8, range 43, which ls-just-north
taken by Mrs' Martha
oi ttt" t-d
homestead. Mr. Baker had been
Coakley as a"tt"rwards
case he had slashed a butcher across the
abdomen with a knife' In both cases he was
acquitted on the grounds of self defense' He
had brought several parties from Holdre-ge
and that vicinity to this part of Colorado,
locating them on tree claims and pre-emptions. His practice was to take the train from
Holdrege to Wray and from there drive across
the country. One party located by him
included B.F. Kaiser, afterwards county
treasurer of Kit Carson County, W.S. Ready
of Stratton and Ed Hoskin.
The traveled road from St. Francis to
Burlington led across one corner of Baker's
land, and he had ordered travelers to go
around the corner. The mail carrier, either
not knowing about this or not caring, drove
across the corner on this Saturday, and Baker
fired a shotgun loaded with buckshot into the
party in the spring wagon. A trunk in the back
t-tte wagon protected the mail carrier'
Morrison received some wounds that were
not deemed serious but from which he died
some three years later. McConnell, however,
died from his wounds on the following
of
Monday.
When they reached Burlington, Jerry
Barnes, deputy sheriff for Elbert County,
accompanied by Frank Mann, drove out and
arrested Baker. He was brought to town and
kept in the old Bon Ton restaurant; and wh91
it was seen that McConnell was bound to die
and that his friends were evidently making
arrangements to take their revenge on Baker,
Barnel sent Mann on the road to Cheyenne
Wells to make arrangements for relays of
horges to be ready in case of hurried flight'
After the death of Mc0onnell, arrangements
were made for the preliminary hearing before
Justice of the Peace Page; but before the time
of the hearing, Barnes decided that he better
put Baker in a safer place and left behind a
iast team for Cheyenne Wells. Cheyenne
Wells was reached in record time, but the
train they expected to take was ten minutes
late; and before
it
arrived, the 4elggation
trial at Holdrege, Neb. on two different
occasions, once ?or assault with a gun and
once for assault with intent to kill. In the last
ous dust clouds had claimed the land. A
dwindling economy' short grass, drought and
hot weather, forerunner of the "dirt days,"
had caused an exodus of many brave people
in earlier years. This left vast acres of
srassland untended south of the correction
l-ine and southwest of Second Central School.
In this day, a term for this vast expanse of
vacant land was "Free Range." Little farms
and ranches were left in limbo as hardy
people left to find a better place to live' Some
ieft-on foot with their few belongings on their
back.
No matter how the incident is viewed, basis
for the trouble was greed. This unhealthy
trait of men, has not subsided and is, no
doubt, a single sickening source of man's
problems today. For some, this incident was
probably an indoctrination of how to use the
iaw to further one's financial condition.
Local livestock ranchers were aware of an
abundance of grassy acreage and ran their
herds in the area. Most were amicable, and
in reality did no harm to anyone except,
still living nearby. 11 1o--st
instances, allowances were thoughtfully
made to assure each could share in this
perhaps, those
windfall, providing a chance to succeed for
those stili hanging on. Short grass and dry
weather created a need for larger acreages to
sustain animals on Pasture.
There were cattle and sheep men in the
area, solid citizens of the community, generally with their own land or land rented for
their use, occupying a good share of the area'
Local sheep men may have shared in this
practice of using "Free Range" at times,
without disfavor, owning and renting some of
the grass land. The so-called war, was not a
battle between those who ran different
animals, but between the community, both
sheep and cattlemen and a somewhat errant
or greedy outsider running !!""P.
J.S. Price occupied the old Sexton place on
was brought to
the north edge of this area, running cattle'
Jim Kountz ran sheep and cattle to the west'
"Billie" Vassios also ran sheep and cattle in
this area. Ora Vawter lived southwest of our
school using a portion for a cattle operation
in the "range.'iConrad "Connie" Stone had
bought a couple quarters out in the expanse
of iI, intending to use a share for cattle'
Robert McCurdy owned an 80 near Connie'
"rrdBurlington and the bones cleaned and wired
as a coimplete skeleton' The whereabouts of
the skeleton is a matter of speculation'
While some of the detailstliven above may
be somewhat incorrect, the story in the main
is correct and the ColJ will be glad to have any
grew in patches where the wind blew out
and "go-back" fields had not yet
g."s.y
from Burlington was in Cheyenne Wells' The
deputy wal overpowered, and Baker washanged to the coal shute in the east part of
towi. He asked the men not to bind him and
said that he would take his medicine' The
mob was orderlY but determined'
Baker was buiied at the Wells and his his
body afterwards found in the South Smoky
tr.totot has
it that it
further information concerning the affair
that any one maY have.
We aie enabled to print the above interest-
ing story of early day history through the
co"urtesy of Mr. H.G. Hoskin. Reprinted from
the Builington Call in
Cheyenne County
Neu's, June 3, 1926.
West of Connie Stone was Tom Rowland who
grazed some of the range on occasion' DoroIhy, hi. daughter, remembered herding cattle
orl. it to keep them from eating weeds which
over. These weeds made milk taste
ir".tld"t.".
ierrible and Iowered salability of cream' Most
of the remaining residents of the area milked
cows and sold sour cream. Dorothy remem-
bered a time when sheep were relocated' A'B'
Radebaugh lived south of Connie Stone at a
placed cilled Loco. Charley Smith lived
north of Mr. Radebaugh. South and a little
east of Charley was Cecil Baxter and his
family, trying to grub out a living by milking
srrEEp_cATTLE
a scoul and buffalo hunter over Eastern
Colorado during the ?0's and was the possessor of rather a trard reputation. He had stood
incident of little pride. It happened during a
time of distressed conditions when treacher-
A
i:"T'.ffi*l]y,-,*:j:,JiTi S:".?i,iL'$:u]l*
wAR
T49
strange event, so named
by He-nry
o.."rred in
"ou"lv, iftirties. It
our community during tit"
"#iV
was seldom mentioned Jiur*u.d, perhaps an
Hoskins, unique in the
Wanczyk. Giibert Smith lived a few miles
south in Cheyenne County. Fred Mort and
son, Kenleth, had located north of wild
Horse. The Bergman family was located in
Cheyenne County,south of A'B' Radebaugh'
There were others in Cheyenne County' This
�is not to say all these men used the .,range,"
but it was a possibility not denied them]
- Though quite young, I knew most persons
involved
in the
incident. Each was law
abiding, each a good neighbor. Generally,
'
,
most attended church on Sunday and all took
an active interest in their communities. Thev
were good men and helped one another, a
necessity required to remain in the countrv.
Times were bad with few rains; an incessant
dry wind took a toll of remaining grass and
crops. As
if this was not enough, to be
oppressed by thousands of sheep, makes it
easy to understand a situation forced on
many of the local stockmen. It is amusing to
find, as I searched records, few lines .ecJrding encroachment of sheep on private land.
Most lines recorded wrong doing of a community and of legal maneuvers.
__In a June 15, 19BB issue of the Flagler
News, an article appears with the headline.
"Cattle Men Opposed to Running of Sheep.';
This article tells of a proteJt meetins,
reminiscent of the old battles between cattle
and sheep men. It was held south of Flagler
and attended by forty-two people. The shlep
were owned by two brothers from a distancl
west of Limon. The sheep had been driven
here from this area. The sheep men had
rented the old Jens Petersen place and had
set up camp there. Several protests had been
made to the owners when sheep had encroached on a large tract ofprivate land. This was
caused in part by dried up water holes and
insufficient grass. It was decided at the
meeting to send a dozen or so men to make
a final protest. These men informed the
she-ep owners and herders that the sheep had
to be removed that day. Nothing was done
about moving the sheep so neig[bors gathered in body and proceeded to movJ the
sheep themselves. Basket lunches were taken
along and a regular picnic held at noon. No
opposition was encountered as the sheep
were taken eight miles back to their home
grounds. There were about 1000 ewes together with their lambs in the flock.
the Junl 29, 1983 issue of the Flagler
-_In
News, a headline appeared. ,,19 Arrested-For
D-riving Sheep Off Range." The description
of charges seemed ominous when I read them.
Nineteen farmers were arrested on a Satur-
day by Sheriff Hollander of Chevenne
County on warrants charging them with
unlawfully, willingly, maliciously and feloniously driving a flock ofsheep
lB00 head
of ewes and lambs
from their-usual range.
They were owned by two prominent she"ep
men, Rex and J.B. Hixon and valued at
$5200.00. The Hixon brothers leased several
sections of land north of Wild Horse and
farmers in that vicinity decided to drive the
sheep north to Kit Carson County. A crowd
of some fifty men, women and children
her4ed_the sheep out of the country.
The Hixon brothers signed compiaints for
their arrest and informations were prepared
by the Deputy District Attorney, J.F. Death-
erage. These were gent to the
District Judge
at Colorado Springs for signature. Since tf,e
charges were gerious in nature, an early date
of the trial was expected
The item stated that warrants have been
issued for the anest of the following farmers:
C.W. Baxter, Gust Bergman, Donald
Bergman, Alex Crouse, Win Cotton. Art
Wiltse, Floyd Thompson, Fred Mort, Kenneth Mort, A.R. Farley, Arthur Tryon and
son, Andrew Gwartney, Dave Jemmaka,
Eugene Schumacher, Gilbert Smith. A.B.
Radebaugh, Frank Wanczyk and Stanley
Wanczyk.
on the range. The cow was fresh; they put her
in the corral and milked her. The-rice was
much better with a little milk!
Mr. Hoskins worked only a few days after
the move. There might have been L tocat
recommendation that he quit the job. He
It was said a large trial was expected
because of the n
'mber of men involved. At
least a dozen witnesses were expected at the
trial. The Hixon brothers allege that they lost
some sheep and others were injured whiie the
drew his pay and left for home in Buriineton.
He was arnazed, to read in the Flagle. N"*.
few weeks later about men who had entered
the. sheep camp and drove off some sheep,
band of excited farmers drove their herd off
the range land. The article from which
information was taken was in the Flagler
News and had appeared
a
intimidating the herder in the process. His
short record said J.S. Price might have
in the East"ern
Colorado Plainsman.
Those arrested were named in the article
and, inthe opinion of this writer, were good
men of high caliber. Memory dictates
a
reluctance of law officials to become involved
in.the problem. It is difficult to proceed in
this manner unless a law is broken and can
be easily proved. I am told these intrusive
sheep were watered during the drive, indicat_
caused a delay,in the altercation, giving him
time to leave. Since Mr. Hoskin's iamiiy was
prominent in Burlington, it would not have
been good for him to have been involved. He
mentioned papers were served on two men
from Flagler, five local residents and others
from Cheyenne County. It was also men_
tioned land sheep were grazing was leased by
some of these men, accounting for such a
ing the community group was trying to care
properly for them. Many incidents occurred
at this time in the community which are not
reflected by news media of the time. These
are added from memory and interviews with
fracas.
There is no record that J.S. price had a part
in the incident. He was also a law abiding man
taking an active part in Sunday schoJl and
Church in our community. This was true oi
time.
records.
those who lived and experienced this unusual
I
was about
happened, and
7 years old when all this
I didn't really understand
until some time in the '80's when I read
a
short record by Mr. Hoskins of Burlington,
giving information about the affair. I reriem_
ber a lot of concern and worry my parents
endured, and of nearly losing some of our
milk cows. More than this, I remember lack
of water when wind just wouldn,t blow to
turn
the windmills and cows were bawling for
water. Water holes dried up, as did the grass
and never did it seem so hot. When winl did
blow, it was turbulent and screamed so hard
we had to shut down the windmills or lose
them. Cactus began to gain an edge on buffalo
ancl gramma grass;
it
seemed
to like drv
times. Always, we were short of funds and mv
folks had to do without and utilize what thev
had to remain. When things seemed as bad
as they could get, the grasshoppers came and
cleaned out all vegetation. Caltle were sold
to the government for a pittance; many were
shot on the spot, to be buried by my father
as part of the deal. This instilled
wariness
of
in me a
government programs
never overcome.
I
have
Apparently in 1938, Mr. Hoskins talked to
C.M. Smith. Mr. Smith knew a man in
Matheson who needed ranch help. Mr.
Hoskins went to him and hired out to a couple
brothers on a sheep ranch. He went to work
in March, beginning his experience as a sheep
rancher. He spent mornings feeding ensilaei
from an upright silo and added to hii learniig
experiences there, trying to drive a tea- o1
unruly horses. It was lambing season and
afternoons w_ere spent trying to match up
lambs with their mothers. A careful watcir
was kept on the newborns when they were
placed as small herds in pastures. As the
lambing continued, the entire herd
was
moved to a ranch south of Flagler. (The lone
sheep shed, 2 or 3 miles west of Second
Central school). Newborns and mothers were
placed in_ a special wagon accompanying a
cook shack on the trip. The food wai
"ota
not very good; no one knew very much
"rra
about
cooking anything. One day, Mr. Hoskins said
the Boss brought a sack ofrice. It was not verv
good by itself in any form. Mr. Hoskins
continued that they tied up an old cow found
most local men whose names appear in
As I beean to research this happening, I was
amazed how many remembered events
seemed to fit into the incident of this time.
The sheep outfit had leased some land in the
area, I am told, but chose to graze the entire
area with several thousand animals. This was
not an acceptable act, considering previous
arrangements. I was amused about the cow
Mr. Hoskins mentioned, her milk being used
to enhance the rice. I remember Ora Vawter
looking hlgn and low for a missing milk cow.
It is possible, Ora found the cow a-t last when
hc visited the sheep camp after a few hundred
sheep had trempled his field. I could be wrone
about the cow, I think not; but it is a fact. Ori
was assaulted violently at the camp. Hisson,
Jim, reported to his school mates what had
happened and that his dad had contacted the
sh-e1if! charging one of the sheep men. I am
told Jim said, "They charged him with
assault-and battery!" Ora was a good neigh_
bor and highly respectcd in the Jommuniiv.
Certainly, this was an inexcusable act.
This Sheep-Cattle incident became verv
serious and associated with this time ani
event was at least one death. This involved
a man killed at the sheep ranch headquarters
and listed as accidental and may ,"ll hau"
been. Strangely, no one talked with who
remembered this incident was convinced the
death was aceidental. I found no records of
other deaths. One murder, often erroneouslv
associated with this time was that of Joe
Ruestle. His body was found in November.
1929 in his shack in this area, dead ofa bullei
wound. The investigation contained rumors
of trouble due to the Ku Klux Klan, religion,
neighborhood enmities and other imphed
motives. This was before the sheep incident
in
1933.
Coleman Murphy lived east of Rock Cliff
and was engaged in raising horses, much in
demand
at this time. Al a round-up
to
prepare them for sale, an excess of 100 head
were driven into the home pasture. This must
have b-een a spectacular sight. Seventy head
of his horses had strayed and were reported
southwest of Flagler. Troy, his son, who had
worked for Matt Simsenson in his cattle
operation, was sent to find them and bring
them home.
�To get
oerhaps wrong' seemed justifiable'
law
trom
situation
unusual
this
in
fl:ii"?'i
irelp
popular
pop-ular
a
not
was
agencres
enfbrcement agenc-ies
enforcement
Hi.'?"T.",li""il#i;;T;"; fi;
;Ht1:"ii$iiqil'iJffi"$'fi"niif"f_:*1?
if':x',$,?';':'il":,$
course'
*3HH'ffi'#j
which' i""iiJTJr-uv"?i-il"i""t*rence'of
feelinss remained from
cxistirig feelings
ililt"' Cxistirig
ililt".
trte
euerrt, animals *a *t"it"J-data was
;A;;;;i;
b""o
iilr^.""ia-ir"u"
his own'
of nls
the
""u".
;;;ilr
earlier days when one took care ol
i'tt
often, the unskined -igrrt -i.r. This
it"Jia
must
i#,
-"r""
one
s,,In
sought'
sought,was
e"t"
he
been
"
help
."y
outside
"uitiJiui.iog n* *tti"rt Had
""i fi"d-ffi;tT"Ti
case with rroy. one
unan
fi;'#;;ii;q
probablv
probably
"o,rrd
were
was
i"r"rber, this area
i"-"-b".,
.9n .Yntune with the land.,, Troy,s thoughts
rrt"'il;;-p#;;;rr""*,i."q1"a
i"Jtffi
investigation
"ril'"i-*"rlo""t"a'
an
acllive,
an
conduct
to
and
piace
hors-es
il;;hhv
rrr" il;ilh;;i""e
centered on missing
and
verv restless and
As Troy ;"il;;ih; t,orrg .t""p
residents very
ir-"e"tu-v-t"tiaents
*iin
*i]t ir'"**v
though silent landsc"pJ"uo,rit i-.
[""r-rr."a
il"n"J
rnrq;;;i;';";;6;a
anv
any
most
at
some
bullets
range_
"
",
open
spraving
spraying
someone
rode west he *ossed
all
ffiil";F:+i-".r;;idP:i."*
benefit'
benefit'.all
little
Troy
YT-a
of
.ri"d.
-t!
tilendlthoueh
;il;;i'i" tilendlthough
distances south of the iooe'rr,""p
room, story and one haif structure and
two
satisfaction
satisfactlon
and
Little
rifle
a
again'
of
easy
.'r""r
trr"
tt"atrt"
breathe
was shocked to hear
"e"i-tt'
shot ["i*Jr.i"." " s""ai, ""liri"!'..n!E;t1*; could
"oula
outcome' Davs followin the
;;;.;;;i;"cedintheoutcome'Davsfollow;;;.;;;i;"ced
-"t'i*.tt ""'v
the whizz of a bullet p;ti*. A second first
with retaliations'
filled
him-the
were
arrests
sig;aletio
i"n
ing
and whining bullet
"ligiiu"**"ireditwlii-por."irt"tosaveit'
rr"a ri""tiiirt#.tt""p u"tr
vr""
srr""o
ii3
expectaany g*pecptotally
and
uncertainty of an-y
u.. and uncertaintv
,,tirurinu*
wa' no accident. N"I *-"a
c"".u ol th" fir" was un- ,rtir..it
the
fact' tne
,^""if-iirr:ti.v.
protection from the law' In tact'
of
tions
iit"t
unpreparedforsuchJ";;I";h"eredhis
somJJpeculation.
causrllq
I
I^am
am
r.ro*o,
aspect'
"r
of
lop-sided
aware
verv
very
was
tie
t'ook on a
*"lt* ti"t
sootted mount to tn"
-dh;.1o"at Jh"ep -"i *"r" not immune to t"ttut
one
Une
time'
this
"".i,
at
guns
willing
not
euni
toted
*",
several
uJ
;;ilil;;;;;i-totedtold
tension in the area,
-t" t#".;;lbd *-.. r""i iJrJ or,'io"a rn""p ;;;il;;;"
a cord ibout his neck with a sixremainaninnocenttarletwithnoweaponfor
ii;"tr,'d; ;"ii ii*rtrt*ot"acordabouthisneckwithasix,*"t"r,.li*
;;ttb
;;
gun
with
others carried rifles' just in
returned
tioy
gi."
day,
p,ru"a rti. eit"
reco'rse. Next
;il;;;;;;
i"ir"il";r*gJ
"tl""rtta;
"tl""ft.a;
with
in hand aod cros.ej-ir," ,"r,g"
^no
""il"r, was the sheep-cattre plr or {it
X*J;afil,ul":11'*#ffi,TEii$".il
created bv greed'
;;G;;:shlnmen ;;#d i;t" rft;ii, ;J9;"ili-si""" ii caison countv, a" "it
n:fllm*f*'*i"m*tn5**
and acts of
bravery
of
*"'u
ih"t"
ror.
were watching
19ts were times of fear' Mv
te*ove the posts-' a-new
i'"r-itp.,'iuleto
There
Jim's r"*r"tt""tt'
Icanstatethenextincidentasfactbecause
young and ;"ll h;e; ug -{rg t" ;;;";ii;.-t-";1. pip" tittett' Jovce' D-orothv and I nearlv grew up
irt"
I lived it. As I have said, I was very
(Jni#.
ili;i"i"""t"
ffi '''il*;v':
;f a horse thit ti*e' our saddle
.*a j1 ." ;;;h;;;i poor
did not understand all that was transpiring. ;;;, ;;;;ri,ig ai.tlir[1""",
"t ridins was done bare
dozen
half
a
about
"f
verv
ior
was
looked
-rrti"gtt so mostyoung'
Mv folks had
rg""J;ilffiil;ilp1!1r
;;;i;;t6*.
we roamed the
My
missing.
very
of our m'k cows *r,i"t,-*"r"
for aiiowin! the errant sheei ilitrt'
;;;"t"rt.tilrn
on our range
one
eye
in
watchful
horse
a
keeping
saddre
prairie,
our
riding
mother was
ariu"o, tlil *T#"i"t rtlr l*r'".
r""r"
*rri"t
and somecar,
very
Ford,
was
old
voung
the
"'dil.".;uv, ro"i;;pi;-;;"lved. anl cattle"Dorothv
area. Dad and I werl in
the horse well' once
command
aia"'t
ii-ur
searchinginanother.w""*"overahillanq
had io o"rl"J[""ff. ]ilrT";;d;;;
mv grandfather's house
us. several
were shocked at ttre scene below
prru"ur, had to pay 'a .ii"vi.tg "t*ost toBringing
"r;;;;d,
;;;il;t
back the uneasv
cows
our
herd
awav'
to
riil"t
trying
rorl
on
intent
";a diiJiliJrri-u..*"i,r;r, ^
men were
of last
Londing
memories
are
had_been
time
which
thisl"Ji"gr of
checks ti
into the bed of a .to"['ir-rr-"r
,"u"ra-..u"i;;.;story tiat"o-o*v.
father
My
bottom.
in-tire
*i""f"i"ttt"ctionswhenwerodeoff'some
wash
a
backed into
ira'r"vi'g* .9.Tg;;
his ;#ii9;;;i;lriomuiie"qirii"
time were' "Don't go
had an instant temper, cogin-g fromgun,
#3"g, :'Thq; il"-"ruo from this when
rirst
ir,6
sent to bring in
-i"a,
ul """r ttt"ttt""p camo!"
mother,s side of the fanily. He-\a{ To
fi;";h;;-tigrrt
il^#"il-i"-""-u"i.r
leave the
people'
I_know
sheep
the
gratefur.
see
"If vou
for which I am now very
" ;.rit" lr;". "Ir you.pt.n ;;;; l;;;"",igr', "o cows'
home!" These
for
Luckily,
straight
head
;;;"""nt!
;;
it
."**'
use
to
-aird
temptation
do!"
iiiiig
""a
to "Keep an eye out
--coirt*i"t rr! might'.ri"a
were able to
all men ran for *re tiucr
little difficult to instructions were akin times!"
ao.r-"rrt
for rattle snakes at all
I leavebefore*"-riu"a]itaveoflenwonderoo l,rorn"rr;uli rs, rssg, tlr" g1u.1"r
Astimewent.on'thesheepoutfitdeparted
ri.ttirt
r ed what would have-liapp"o"a that day had "";;;t.
;;il;;J;ril rr,"T".ii,".ri"" "r
ror"" ti*e later' a new man' Mr' Hutton'
they remained! Th";H;;;;;ffi;;; is no b"iri,i"*tr, j"alia ili.i.fut" trri*
""J
the land' This ended the
there
"o'tiiJttrougr,
t""gtti-*t.of
from the ,heep outr.it,
xro.19*"q"t
r"q,ru.tJd*bv-c.w.
;;;';."
;;nrJ"
seem;
R*tgu" in the area' Mr' Hutton was a
way to prove this. ri"ir"", i&"dd
ends of justice^ aii
drivi
to
and was accepted well bv his
trying
i;iltt*;t#
d"i];d"r
l riri d;i;;;
sheep outfit *u, u.touirli
orh"
coiue'i"r,""
io,
a larse number of sheep in
"o"J*ir"iv.
people out of the cguntry.
sg.t*
ili.Rliir;;ri*i*ti"g
t""l"d;
;;*ilil;
""iet'uott'
about
when he sold out' the
to
followed'
talkld
have
tt'"t
I
c;;i
v""?r
Most older peopre
d.r9d
niri""lii""T?,i';il;;;;;J.'.
pasture
land for cattle
ild "c"t; became
co,rirqi"
this subject remember cecil w. naTt€.r.ad
#;;til;iLa
i"-g,
;ffi;;J,
Ranch' I do
ii
probably
Harris-Davies
piii
the
cows,
to
;l;";il
his loss of about five-m'k
b4"r,
Crg.1".^c1"ii"e)"5.e.
land had
;;il
this
what
pr"uioi"ry
aig; IL;; not wish to-even mention disaster' also crea manner sucrr ure iile'i";id;t
#ffiiiJi!;ei,
ii"ir"ii"iJp.
hi's
pending
a
diffeiengg,
^r"
todav'
one
i described. rhere was
i*i"** r'u"tg,L"lr il;;";;
ated bv greed!
r cattre were loaded *a t t"o some distanci il"iiJi!;a"u"",igi,
i
Il
I
I south or the U.P' tracks!-rhe cows-wer: i:'"?]#::HF}"*il#ift',e**#:"""
Gnar"a bo,""tl.Td-.ld"rph Martinez'
times'
XX*L$tH#5;#llfi:r'ifiG"n{iu;
iir""-'*i'l
area,
bv Lvre w. stone
t-"-Y:L:* held several
in
foundinterribleshape.Beingmilkcotllthlv Eacir-time
-'lpn@U1
a continuance was sranted and
tTr#i::l
had dried up and *";-lfii; and thirsty.
'f:ffitti'.
6eitaintv, tt e, *.,",,"iiffi"'
one dav. ftff3"r1:'i"il*ttt#
storrs
Franf
with
happening
)Xf-_:1".,:*tiJ"T*^I:ltl";
;clt*t"t
this
bitmissed'Aeainst 19 Farmers'"
We come to the .o""iuJJ'-tr'ut r"'tt'"'
tttal3f t[e 19 defendants who
tr," d;;r"ttu6;tdwith
threats made to cecil """J"Jiiir" loi""*
felonv and misdemeanor
I ;;;;;;ged
going to a place i"
$:ffi:$:
""itit*"JK;;.
canremembertheirleaving.Leon,ason'wasoveramattercon-cerningthedrivingofsome
I
IIENRY IIATCH
v r-MURDER
rv'a
T60
was thrown into
rhe,itt,e town or F,agrer
*i:i$:t^nTJ"llily",l'i1!#:'d"l,t!:,]i
H'$ilq
by thp discovery of Henry
Tuesa
on
##ftil*lrl*fl,'J,"r:y
crr"rg"" *"r"-Ii.r"i..JJ
pi".ia"a.
and
"*"i;"-*""i
at his homestead north of
freely
not
was
it
ii"i"it;t-ll"tli
I know
rt""g
lnade
I cannot.
iay bv the court -d"ff;Jil""t" p""pr" ;;;;:-Dt' Godsman' of siebert' has telegraIvasuelyrememberaquestiono?theability
."vi"g
i;" il;;";.iiu"a ti',"'irir",
at
countiee
prt"Jtt -"t" an investigation' the results of
carson
Kit
of cheyenne or
ii;;;;";[J"q'"g
trr"
rirr"s-a"-"!
since
'1ry
i"hittt tt"u" not been made public'
"o.r'ii
time to cope wittr a bad situation.
the
had been
part of their eource or
"rirt"o""
iaken and no retaliatiin oir""ouery -"d",
going! . ..
one could hardly urane them for
There were otrrer events wrriJh vividt{
of
remain in my memorv-aUo,rt ?0. tonswas
prairie hay, belongirri'to -y father,
to
Lurned in a large prairie tir" *iri"t burned
theroadwestofseconJbentralschoor.To
*r*htwnr;ft:ffuy*g, r,"*
irr"iir*a,ira"o"vrrJ-*iliitli*""irt"it "'i-rti"""gtvbruiseshavebeenfoundonhis
i#.;ift;fd;"t"il;ffi;;;il*il'"u
one above the left
ilil",ip i", tri"r o" h";a;;;;;* onthe'temple'
il;;;itb*w-ir,"
of the head' The
back
^;;;;;;; 9"li
the
;;;;J-;;;
fi; ;;'h t'ime it was qi'J"i-"ttio"tof a'stranger'laterfoundtobe
l,";ffi
*iir"r"
the deceasid' is exerting consi::-:#:;;
why these m^en were
"o'tir,,rua.wondered
"r
"";"prr"*
comment and suspicion' and he will
"it"n
;a pr"g,r"a w i cloud of uncer- d"tu'bt"
an opportunitv to explain his
given
be
"p;;;;d
;fi;il#ru;;d;1h;;J;""J*.t""a"ur"
evening and
*lT-"",:'n*;*:^:l'*l;"?*:ii:'"?; ""ll:T;" to Fragrer saturdav
�desiredtotakeaclaim..Hedroveoutoftown
of
KitCarsonCountyCoronerBobHendricks
D;;;;. -i-h#;":Tom with the murder
t,;il;;ffi;iil",n,ou,"ement made this
.com
home;;;"ft; il;;l;;";;"t"i"i". rro*
::ldfiti.i"lqp"a
srories from
week by Thomas and charney.
"ft"ll""ri"g would not-LJJ-.iil." court of taw. tvtite Jas ,,Theidentification
of the other two bodies
withJohnKesan,atandto".t";,;t;;;;ilu,
officials charged
and after being shown Hatch;s
not to go any further, and soon
llnif**l#if:ru'*l?ts"Tif;i x;o i. or*i"Iir*_en;*. "," very happy with the
$!;,f"*r;:i*$Till"Tfr{:[,T,1"":
morning' and save ; il;;;;'"pi;
I sundav
N,r-"i..r.*"r,rir-ceme't age'cies in coro:tt5r:Tfiiyril"*Tt"lT##*:L,
;i*1";Hf;fiir:*:ril:Txj*r*r y;,hi;'d;;;
i| :.1ti'T,f:$'{i"F[!i4ilil${ilf,}'; orriciars
haie,,ir,o
F,*r*, we
;;;"s
#j
3fXT.'."fiji""Jil'1"{lL:*ti"f::.:S.i;;;;i
Denver'
Fe has beeriiocated i" ui.r'ig""
ilTflI,if:il"J'-Yruir*gliil:[tfff
for his
actions.
rrom Jerrerson c.,,,,,t]
;Tf'#:ffi.:5"*T."'""r101*:r:.f;*i,11
and agents
;,'il11",,
*:1.:3:,r*ti:;i;ri
ry;q:j ,#e*-"*:t"fitn#
ililfl.H*j::"''ffi.ft1,,]:*"f::;tjg
H:,"h1],jtln;il:**"'en,orthetask
focus on the ranch murders.
M""v ;;;";;;?urt
McCORMT.K
MURDERS
FoRcE
ftT,:"",i,'"'ilffi
*"csr shourd rocus
r#1"i"grffi:?f#:twru'#affi::
lfi Jiffl fii** H:"'.|:: ;ililffi ;xitiill p*r, J,i;;;',il,"si,
RANCH .",r.*#W.;rltAn;,.;;;;;;
rAsK
BURTAL p,,or FouND
possrBlE .':affH:$l!ili.!".tj,1,1,ff":'ff;.
l*":ffi:,,"ffillrt':::.**:illi:"::,r*
162
T6r
for'helti;;;"th" ^iB;,";;
said-. .We asked
we did get some initialty in
One body identified . .
Faced
with a sma'budget-and
.
:J$:;.t
think thev weie
tt
i""r*v
"rirrl
tr'"i
(
" r'"rpr"ii"
"e'v
f gbg)
rimited
,1$;f*r6#'ffj','.:l'"Tlf:,*.if;,1:
fJ#'f,"",ixi,#*:l:ri{#i+""j:ilrf,"j
t" r,
reast threi'sker-Jto,,.. e,, examination
F:11,":#?,trtlffffiSfilf"i,l""liT-}T
fjqtt,i;;:rfrX."'."oi,.".
orthe
"1i.1
investigate the murders of-three men
roirnd ...Thomas went on to. ".ui"i"
he
was
;-.8:n'H"ilit"j::*#ffiru:T:lX',;3t
bv rom M"c;;: "disappointeii".,a
9ay
"iu,t,,rbed; at til" crii.
iliiTi:r.t:i*fyr ffi;:
K.n"pp L-"gi,i't1,"- skeretons to
t"ff:'*t;.
"'*""u'
Henry
-_
rh";;''i#
;"'
In a two-dav
r;j,i:,.T;
ai,".to. or pubric sarrry said he
span colorado's newest.dirlctor-"f p"ilri'"
wants to assign cBi agent David
tt":?{1;;:Fyr1;1,:i:l#
safetv has spearheaded the push rot
dh*-f"I,i otcoior"Jorra-rr.r,r-,goda"r.Knappstated
ii t"tt
time.to trr"-?*]n; ;;ril
force to help investieate theduril;t;;";-G'tHy'# that he.wourd preier to have the skeretons
working *ilil iri'".tigators from^Kil
or the bodies rouid has d;;-;";il;lv
c;-;; remain in the riurlington museum.
a;\,1!"
\4;"#'Rii;"'1
identified.
ngrige a"n"r;;;;
. Anexplanati"""ir,i.rindingsisexprained
eq:u:, i;'i:,,?"H#r#,1,;,"'$i:r
Jefferson countv and now trt" trti"i"a-'i"il- *i*llfi:?l;ffd;fl"1d;"i::g
yt r"u"*v';i'fi,6 *r. an'ou'c"d by
;;5;,:t;g#;;Tf"Htrg1ffi,;
Lv'r
retirrn tt em wittrin the next few davs.
r,"- 6J",la" si",;
"
shourd eve.r.decide to parr
Fi"i"T,bi:f;i""'3*t:iH:,:i+l'"*,*ii- k$#.lH"""J.'
+
d;
with the
rT:_1ry
end simnlo li-o i. +L^+ rr
#$::1n:"*::J::i':'JT:*:Hr:f*r ,",n'i['l{;,.lx::*i:,i;i:i$:lt:i!*T
-N.rifi ;;flti$t;.1}#ir:1;;iiilil;;ijr.ry
I don't like to ;;L;
*rro *L-lolr,- .o1r?,
rgzi, "i"
unsolved."
our society and
1?,
__,,I have partiaily restored the one skull.
or.':t*:'+'**f{:fff':,T:a".i6.?
bilitv of forming a task foice-t" i""r.iig"L i;]itiffiJr4id+r$i",J:t"##J';;
1975. He would"il^;; b""."
the murders' The thoueht di; L;;il;ffiil
4! #;;;;;
p*g9."a. H;ll"l?;;," u'"t
rir"J i"i" r,i.
" rhe builet
F:i'l'""T{5.
ti:*Titffii,::il*ti":-il; ffif }i:::"jr,,HHii:'
;*.*n::;1#J;:;rk:
pierced
f'"'3i3,"ili*n'ffi,1,n::'ru,"::tli'*:i
-:1. "': J,g#'ilf*it?i;"""J""fril:tJiffl?f3,
realitv.
llt r."91 iii"'t".il?or""
#JHHX1,:H'.%'*j3t"ffi":.t:lt:tj::
20 vears
,^
_
. . - rtu *".
ir."^very good_idea,,,
well become
,
,.In.anyeveritjiesearethethingslcante'
vou aroutlr,e iirli"ia"arhe sku' is male,
age about s5-ad;ii"uth. rhe
skur measure_
nnf,*fll,i'k:Tlffi.;.H.$f
tive trait,
or today,s livingj
hiaded.
:j*r'r".x"r"il::
;;.:'#rfl#,'ii"#'j:r:fi:::iJffrf'f';-f, *#iidtl'",1"'*:
Lqfiffii'Jffi:tii#Jii;lti.t-;r";"fii
see what he wants
want-q dnno
ltr/o 6i^ ili;;";
L^-.:-- --,
done..we
bones includef,il;";difl.tiliil'i:""T:
;?"il'*"ii":fffJ;T,li
iftt"X|f::liil:?:
"ra
ongoing investigation on the murders
";;
.,ynrr sh^,,r,r d^^ +L^* u-f;ff:ijthatboth
irioui
L
;ffi:iliilril31""i'h,"'"li*ffir'-1fli:'"#
;,,'".:***'#:.Te"tll,::x*ll,*
with and all the help we can get wiil
be most
appreciated."
_ " p.i{,1iii or"*. r,"-1""" er,rr;;fi;fi
#*a:*Hi#i:,*".rd*r;u"i:ff
sofre startling stories
-lv uitii""i'M;i;;:
mick' 28' who is Tom's-son
;J;-ftt-"r
i!:i1"{ifiit,-r:f,Hillf"'#fi"*,Tlj
""Jlfi'ffii#'"":l?i5".{"r
pe9!e are "rii'3"gr'.-'ny
long
mon U"t
I rtur" r"* it in at
lensr rwn nll,^-
*$f*#'d*il,i;::lH;',ffi
,,There
.
I.
"if,";
";thG I can teu you about the
i#4["**rijfii?if':#iTr"]T
*rooio ii"tir," t".t?or"e.ri"rii rl
fi[-ri,i,,:$]##t,$f",{iq,i},,fth
pr"u nv
put together to investigat-e trr"
a""irr.
ilirr"
5*#ff.*'i"',l,li'l; tr,","".n-.""ti""}
burial fuiniture is-a't.ait characteristic
of the
so-called uiaat" or Archaic period
on the
phins.
' tr,i. a"ti,,g is
correct, the sku,
;$t'*tt**,,?n#i:13""Tff"i:?iiilxt ;*t{,ffg$';thu"r*'"';*;r.l*
'i*;;;;;;; i#:ilxllJ"#flff"u"e"tir,,gi"r,;''"'il;
,.r"
one skurr, the bone
|j'i3"'iil,{/"!*"*6,tih",:lP":l:lir3
^
ranch in Kit carson county.
''lF;'i.?;Ts
"aaitiofrJir,"
rt"g-"trt
irr.r-"al p".t.
cr'*g". r.'-tl"ii"iJ.n.,ii".
ranch were never filed, but law
were peoole. I dnn,r noro ir i+
the
;If:,11t'r:iliff1:*.iff:'::?['jjl
enfoic;;;;;
round on
going to let this lay,,, Heinz said.
t*,i"aaiii""Ji*J.".,
of the lower jaws of
as weu
". ",i,,-u"i
�of additional teeth. I can add nothing from
these."
by Jayne Hubbell
THE L929 TRAIN
WRECK WEST OF
STRATTON
T63
In 1929 I was working on the section when
a wreck occurred on Spring Creek just west
of Stratton. We were at that time called up
there and helped where we could so I was i
partial eye witness to the aftermath.
The Rock Island train headed west in the
early morning arriving at a bridge that was
weakened by a flash flood and crashed over
the bridge leaving the passenger cars in the
bottom of the creek. Several people were
Work completed, first test run over bridge.
drowned and
it
was a terrible disaster. The
Burlington Fire Truck was taken there to
pump out the hole that the one car had fallen
into and pumped steady for days. (It was an
old Model T Ford Pumper). The following
story ran in the Denver Post:
"I have just come from the most frightful
experience of my life
awful tragedy
- the
which snuffed out a number
of lives
I dontt
know how many
when the Rock- Island,s
- train went through a
crack western bound
fifty foot bridge over a dry wash three miles
west of Stratton, Colorado.
Never have I geen men and women behave
so heroically. No hysteria, no screeming or
weeping, only courage and grim determination to save as many lives as possible from the
swirling waters of the wash.
Among the heroes of this wreck, I am proud
to say, is my assistant secretary, Able
-. I
have never known him by any othername and
have known him for years. He rescued an
elderly woman from the car in which I was
riding.
I
Next day the repair crew and equipment started their job.
in the fifth car back of the
I was on my way to Denver to make
arrangements for the presentation of ,'The
was riding
engine,
km3/ry6*-r
.g
%tu
')of(
/ ,^/" ,/*a
u
&.
w
i&
Ten people were taken from the wreckage who were drowned. Men indicated by arrows are County Sheriff,
Bill Hendricks, Paw Penny, and Orin Penny.
Miracle".
I
was sleeping in my stateroom in the rear
of the car when the crash occurred. Mv
wakening was rude. I was thrown out of m-v
bunk and found myself kneeling on the sidl
of the car, which somehow had become the
floor. The car is on its left side. Above me are
the windows, the early morning sun is
streaming in. The glass has been smashed.
Reaching up the edge of the sill, I pull
myself and clnm[st out of the side of the car.
The front end of the car is submerged in the
wash, I see. My end is resting on the bank.
The car is at an angle of forty five degrees.
The car in front of mine has completely
disappeared. The one in front of ihat is
completely smashed. The one next to the
baggage car is hanging on the opposite bank.
The car back of mine is partially off the
track, but it is still upright. My car is tilted
on its end so that I am about even with the
roof of the car back to me.
Now the people are pouring out of the
coaches. I climb over to the roof of the car
behind me and lower myself to the ground.
I
wonder why
I
am not excited.
I
also
�marvel an instant inwardly at my own
feelings. My attitude is that of an observer
rather than a participant in this fearful
iiiriartfl
tragedy.
Any minute now the screaming and hysteria will begin, I think to myself, but to my
amazement I am mistaken.
Where are Able and Thurman, my secretary? We should get busy to see what we can
do for those in the front end of the car. The
submerged.
one in front is gone
- completely
like myself. He
Here's Able in pajsmss
rushes up to ask if I am alright. I'll send him
back to save our luggage and the books of
;rrr&rli
"The Miracle".
He lowers himself through a window. Now
he is smashing a window further down in the
car. He has found someone. Here is Thurman.
tlt, ::1.,{,:t)a.,\aa.
On-lookers watching the repair of the tresgel and track.
Together we do what we can to help. The
waters pour through another window Able
i-'.
,
::;i]
has broken. He is struggling with a body, we
help him and just in time, it seems, carry an
elderly woman to safety. She is almost nude
but is courage itself. She doesn't so much as
sob. A fine boy, Able, I'm proud of him.
Somehow everyone else seems to have
escaped from our car but no one has seen the
porter. He was probably in the front and
drowned, poor fellow.
For what seems like a few minutes, but
!i,,:
t
}'i'
actually is an hour, everyone helps take care
which were
of the injured
- those in the cars
derailed and smashed.
At the end of the hour the water has gone
down enough to make the submerged car
visible. As fast as possible the injured are
taken to Stratton in automobiles along the
highway which parallels the railroad.
Finally I leave for Stratton myself. Find a
newspaper office and send in my story to the
Denver Post."
The above story was taken from the Denver
Post.
To heep in touch $rith
ERIENDS
View from highway 24, notn "guest car" center right.
A
TELEPHONE
in your
home
is well worth the
cents
it
few
costs a day
ft runs m&nY
errands
-handy
in
and is always
emergencres.
There is no su.bstltute
for four
teleDhone.
The Mountain $tates
Telephone & Telegreph
Company
Train wreck west of Stratton on Spring Creek.
�THE GREAT FLOOD
oF 1935
T64
A series of dry years, beginning in the late
1920's, culminated in the dryest of all years,
1934, when less than a five-inch total was
recorded in much of the Great Plains area.
The "Black Blizzards" of the Dust Bowl days
darkened the skies at midday. The year 1935
first of
May little moisture had fallen. Then began
three weeks of almost unceasing rains. The
ground was soaked and county roads were
like bogs. About May 25 the rains stopped.
Up to the afternoon of May 30, mild and
began no less ominously. Up to the
sunny days prevailed. Memorial services
I
Y
were held under auspicious weather conditions, although in a few places light afternoon
showers occurred.
Towards evening, dwellers in the tri-corner
of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska described
heavy cloud banks in the northeast. Similarly
in the locality where Colorado and its three
southern neighbors meet, thunder heads
were observed at dusk, away to the southwest.
How little those who idly noticed the cloud
banks realized just what was taking place! For
three days a ttemendous low pressure area
had been developing along the Canadian
border and moving eastward towards the
Great Lakes. In like manner, a storm center
had been generated in lower California and
Arizona and was moving eastward into New
Mexico. During the forenoon of May 29, the
storm-center nearing the Great Lakes sud-
denly halted, changed course and began
Taking bodiee from submerged car, photo looking south.
moving at accelerated speed to the southeast.
It was as if the two storms foci, like two huge
angry giants, had suddenly sighted each other
and halting, moved forward to do battle. By
evening of May 30, the one storm center was
over Central Nebraska while the other was at
the Southern Colorado border. The stage was
set for the most terrifying clash of opposing
aerial forces ever seen in this country! The
center ofthat stage was a spotjust within the
Colorado border, an area in northeast Colorado, between the Republican River and the
Arickaree. where those streams cross the
state line. There, was the focus of the lowpressure area and there, the two opposing
storms met. From that whirling vortex the
tempest spread in all directions for perhaps
150 miles.
At the focal point of the
cloudburst,
twenty-four inches of water fell, and most of
it in the forty minutes of the storm's greatest
fury. Fifty miles away in the same period of
less than an hour saw as much as twelve
inches of rainfall. It staggers the imagination
to picture two feet of water being laid down
over
hill and valley in less than an hour. The
downpour was accompanied by the most
incessant and vivid lightning, while the earth
shook with the continual roll ofthunder. Over
Pulling wreckage from water.
most of the area the height of the storm came
between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m., although it was
a few hours later that the sweeping waters
reached the area around what is now Bonny
Dam. People huddled terrified in such groups
as could get together. At the height of the
cataclysm in the western part of Kit Carson
County, Colorado, several earth tremors were
distinctly felt. None tried to reason this out
nor to account for
it at the time, but the
�green
in the May sunshine were now onlv
desolate patches of hot and glistening sand.
The channels of streams had been altered:
huge bowls torn in the rivers'beds revealed
the bones of beasts that dwelt on this earth
ages before the coming of man. A single leg
bone measured nine feet, while a tooth from
some prehistoric monster was found to weigh
twenty-seven pounds.
The deluge that drowned thousands of
jackrabbits and birds on the plains also
washed away millions of cubic yards of the
rich topsoil requiring countless thousands of
years to build up. Hundreds upon hundreds
of old Indian cnmps were brought to light,
and it was revealed that at one time this
.&):W.ltt@,t&.&
country had been covered by dense and huge
timber.
June 1, 1935, 11:00 a.m. Overlooking the flooded Republican river bottom, looking north across the river
to the Harvey Wood ranch.
explanation, or at least the result, was shown
later.
At last the rain settled to a mild drizzle. By
mid-night most of the fury of the elements
was spent. The day dawned clear, with fleecy
clouds overhead and low valleys wrapped in
feathery fog. By 10:00 a.m. the wind came up
and from the rapidly drying surface of the
ground, dust was whipped up in a few places
to form miniature but growing "black
blizzards".
But what a
scene
of havoc and death
greeted the eyes ofthe thousands ofsearchers
who were out at daybreak along the valleys
of the rivers and creeks. Word had spread
that many who had retired early had been
caught by the rushing walls of the water that
swept down the unusually dry creeks and
river beds, and carried away to die, in
a
hopeless battle against the icy waters, in
darkness and alone. Scores of houses in the
lower valleys had been quickly toppled from
their foundations. Survivors who had escaped
and fought their way to shore or to trees
through the long night, had, when daylight
came, found themselves surrounded by animals dead and dying. Often human beings
were hard put to hold their places of safety
against the approach of desperately swimming animals and snakes. For, struggling in
the frigid flood, trying to avoid the debris of
houses, fences, trees, hay and floating animals, the victims faced the added danger of
venemous rattlesnakes, coral snakes and
other vipers.
Hay meadows that had been warm and
Those who had believed they felt the earth
tremble at the height of the storm had ample
proof of their belief. All over the northwestern part of Kit Carson County and that part
of southern Washington County huge cracks
had been opened, leading into the bowels of
the earth. Some ofthese cracks, extending for
miles, were as much as six feet across, and in
them, hundreds offeet below the surface. the
roar of rushing water could be heard for days.
Wind and farming operations have filled the
upper parts or obliterated these crevices
since, but there are plenty of creditable
witnesses to testify to their reality. An
earthquake? Well, with nature in such a
convulsion. is it to be doubted?
The storm was one of the major disasters
in America's western history. More than 100
lives lost, and the loss in farm and town
property, highway and railroad bridges and
roadbeds was estimated conservatively at the
fourteen million dollar figure. No one could
guess nor calculate the loss caused by depleted soil; people had been made homeless and
all the other products of this tragic class of
the elements. Rivers more in name than in
fact, that usually were dry water courses, ran
a mile wide and twenty feet deep, carrying a
wealth of property and topsoil into the sea.
To most of us, Bonny Dam, and the many
similar dams all over this plains country, are
places of beauty, of rest and relaxation. But
back of all this lies the comforting thought
that should there come such another flood.
or even any of the many that occur each year
in lesser violence, Bonnie Dam stan6. as .
bulwark of safety.
Augmented by the practices of soil erosion
prevention at the community and individual
level, such structures guarantee us against
another like disaster as that of the memorable night of May 30, 1935. For Bonny Dam
indeed makes possible the slogan: Preservation of the soil saves death and loss and toil.
by Bonny Gould
lrees starting to fall in wake of the flood, note tree on far right.
�Br,uo. { mrloN lortharsi of Ctcranotrg.
RsEge, Dortbei,rt of ClaretDolt.
:*.t'
!9],:ntlti:..,;:r:*ali
r1.r':":,,'.]". '
:',i;r. ..':i* .f ,:.r'
J, P. Evans.
*,**
.
r,,.,.,ji:,3,.:,
:
*.iJ
Cloremont, Co:o.
Rlnge, Lostolau's Creek. t.i
TTG
S,
GAIEWO[D,
Olsfemont, Colc.
Ruge, southeast of Cls:smoDt.
w1i.i6.,:...
,ri$
ACI
ii*qY
auGUsT l'DOLr,
Burll!gton, Colo
Rauge, neer Landsmen.
)l
Next sequence; tree tumbling down the river.
YINOSN WISSBAUM,
B
BlrllDgtoD, Colo.
range. southeest of BurllnAtoB.
Fted
llachenbergbr,
Lanrborn, KeDs.
rolge. nor;hc&st ot nrllngton
H. rr. KLIEII'ER,
F
-T
and rwallow-
Flagler, Colo.
Range, Dutk.Crock
lll eactr 61r.
IOrK
BR
\/
B:.'RT n.{.oAlJ,
Yale. Colo.
Ren{o. C-.i5. South !'o:k llepubltcan.
Albeft Bur!s,ri,
U
Kh'k, Colo.
P
s.-*'-":
tlp
lell, c&r oil g rleh& ear rDllt.
tl
raDse,
i
niltdi ioutheict o! Ktr'[.
* 3{*;dt
re-.,.--
Goorgc (*, B&rDer.
Newton, Co!o.
jYld
--
ronfs, h8ad .of :fiiliaw cre6k.
m
catu€ & hoiect
JO
Flenpv Scbmi.lt,
yole, Oolo.
range, wssi ol i,andllla,n.
Treee have vanished
FLX
in flooding waters.
fiSTD FIIN]},
Io Werraptsoutstsnding Dcc,
waneq!! tilued
E0. 1803:
31,1902
0 mo.. eudlrg JuDe
liold Ov€lsoer
Dlslnctr
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Irllllng wellr
Serylger,
Sup. R'd
A05.25
llo B€lr. ou iand Doc, u, 1002
"' Colloction.0 rilde, cedlllgtuouan, 32.?l
_il
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194.00
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I'o lnt p'd 6 nros, endiEg JuDe
i-i.93
... 6rl in ltands oo. 'l'red,8 JqDe 30,.1903
8{J, 190s 2tJ.{t
pv Trens;ep lo cen'l (.o. Rov.uue
Fund
Be,l. or brnd Juqe 30, 1903
lg0J 21,$
.lsc.il)
rrlg
pldd Eo! ondrng JuEo 80, l9O3 5..o3
,'l tnt
" Bal. banqr Co. l'rea"s Jun€ ;t0; tgg_llll!
w&rr&Dt! p'dl fl' nros. end.faB
'- June
80,
78
t.0r
ADDIT}ONTI/ IIOII NTY X'IINI)
handr Co. Treas. Dec. 31, l90U ,18.01
r.' B8l.
lJoll.ectlou 6 Eos endlng Junc t0,
1903
zriS.sn
Erl
otr b&nd Co. Trear
Junr
??1.00
90, 1903
95.A1
-3108
Cb&rl'it Neoilc/;
Burllrrgton, Oolo.
reDge, SendcrotE
80.65
pral qqun-ty Fuuds, lor the rlx mouths endilrs
.f uue @, 19C3, a! Bbowtr by the I^lecorda and re:
pon8 rD Ery Ollce,
Wltneqg
re0q.
Julr
- (!r.aAL)
py
hand iDd seal
lhle ?th day of
Wr'..t.r'I BocErr.
(lounty L'lerts.
renli-atnuel lletemgnt war
. 'lhg.fofeSolpg
F-xalllrbeg lDd &pproved by tbe Bo&rd ot
l;ogn[I_ UomlutsrtoDers of
colord4o, !f',f ilsr. ott
KiI
Calson CouDtv.
"[r,ilr',;ff,;.;;. -'
6 ttlos, erdlns Juns
c-N
FTltTE OF COLORAD(,. | ._^
NITCARSdN COUNTY: iDJ.
I hereby celtify tbe tol.egolng
.
lo !e r truo aDd correci state6ent, of thU sev-.
,.1'o
v"H:titf'd
Py
tl6
i?nCe, Dgfth oi Berhuno, Oblo,
"+#
?.J3.61
y'y
r" warrontsoutstardlog Junp80,
f,', S, IJle;er,
BurllngtoD, Colo.
INTEREST & PENALTY FIINN.
0halrmaD.
J.
i.
W;rtppte,
Ilrtrle,
rriD$.9. RopBblipan r lver.
COlo,
�of the basin, causing local floods on many
rivers in Nebraska and Kansas.
The south fork of the Republican River
and the Arickaree River were the principal
sources ofthe flood and had the highest crest
discharged in record feet per square mile of
any river in the basin, the crest discharge of
the South Fork of the Republican River at
Newton being about 103,0fi) second feet
:
::,":.-:,r
t\
l
*4x
$t*
occurring between C"mbridge and Arapahoe,
Nebraska. Below this point the effect of
channel and flood plain capacity in reducing
the crest discharge were sufficient to off set
""
the inflow from tributary streams, so that
there was a flattening of the flood crest and
a gradual reduction of the magnitude of the
crest discharge to 170,000 second feet at
Ogden, Kansas, and 120,000 second feet at
the mouth of the Kansas River at Kansas
City, Kansas.
The loss of life was greatest in the upper
parts ofthe valley in Colorado and Nebraska,
where the flood occurred at night. A total of
110 lives were lost. The loss of livestock was
20,593. More than 2?0,000 acres of farm land
was damaged, most of which contained
growing crops of hay. Several hundred miles
of highways and railroad were destroyed or
Strobel family watches as Republican river rages away'
damaged, also 515 highway bridges and
railroad bridges. The number
:,'
i''
ii
i'
:.::a.:
'i.li,
,. . -
ir,,..
of
homes
destroyed or damaged was very large, especially in the upper part of the valley, where
the water rose to unprecedented heights. In
Kansas 1,485 homes and 1,552 buildings
other than homes were flooded.
The river measurement stations maintained by the Geological Survey and cooperating parties in Nebraska and Kansas were in
operation through out the period ofthe flood
with the exception of five stations that were
destroyed or rendered inoperative. Determination ofdischarge at these five stations were
made from flood marks and data obtained by
'3
observers.
It appears that other floods, especially that
of 1903, have been greater than that of May
and June of 1935 for the Kansas River below
Junction City, although the flood of 1935 was
the greatest flood that had occurred in upper
part of the Republican - Kansas River Basin
The Strobels could hear the roar of the water 4 miles south of the river
FLOOD ON THE
REPUBLICAN AND
KANSAS RrVE*S
,uu
-
notice the waves.
StorY
1
An unusually heavy storm of cloudburst
intensity in Eastern Colorado and Western
Nebraska during the night of May 30-31'
1935, which followed two periods of general
rainfall over the Republican - Kansas River
Basin earlier in the month, produced the
1935 Flood waters under Vona bridge (railroad).
greatest flood on record in the upper part of
the basin below Junction City, Kansas'
The area of the greatest rainfall contained
no precipitation stations of the United States
Weather Bureau, but records obtained by
local residents who measured the rainfall in
miscellaneous receptacles indicate that the
precipitation was 18 to 24 inches at some
places in the upper part of the Republican Kansas River Basin during the night of May
30-31. During the period of May 26 to June
2. the storm extended over the greater part
during the period of historical record' The
flood that occurred in the spring of 1884
apparently exceeded the flood of 1903 in the
lower part of the basin and is believed to be
the maximum flood of record on the Kansas
River, although no definite information is
available as to its height or to its magnitude.
The storm that caused the heavy rainfall
on the Republican River Basin during the
night of May 30-31, 1935, began just east of
the mountains in the forenoon of May 30. In
that area local residents measured, chiefly
during the afternoon, as much as 20 inches,
including some hail, in stock tanks. This
storm followed general northeasterly direction across the headwaters of the Republican
River and ended a few miles east of Curtis,
Nebraska on May 31. The airline distance
from the head of the Republican River in
northeastern Colorado to Curtis is 215 miles.
Within this area the rainfall was concentrated chiefly in the South fork of the Republi-
can River but extended along the ridges
dividing that basin from the basin of the
Arickaree River nearly to Benkelman, Nebraska. Outside this concentrated area there
were undoubtedly small areas of concentra-
ted rainfall, as shown by the record of
11
inches in Section 24, Township 6, Range 55W,
�but only 1 inch two miles farther south.
Unfortunately the area of heaviest rainfall
contained no Weather Bureau precipitation
stations, and it was therefore necessary, in
determining the location and approximate
amount of rainfall, to obtain from local
residents such information as could be
furnished by those who had measured the
rainfall in improvised rain gauges.
Some
list€d are on Sec 24, T6S, R 55W, 11 inches,
measured in paint can; Sec 36, T65, R 55W,
I inch, measured in paint can; Genoa Sec 12,
T9, R 53W, 3 inches, rain and hail in can;
Arriba Sec I T9S, R 53W, 00 inches, storm
did not touch Arriba but there were black
clouds all directions; Flagler, Sec 2 T9S, R
51W, 2.5 inches, measured in a glass tube;
near Cope Sec 1, T4S, R 30W, 1.5 inches,
Weather Bureau; Siebert Sec 34, T5S, R 49W,
7.0 inches, measured in glass tube gauge; near
Siebert Sec 11, T8S, R49W, 13.0 inches,
measured in concrete tank; near Joes Sec 5,
T5S, R 47W ,7 .5 inches, measured in 3 gallon
can; near Idalia Sec 22, T4S,
R 44W,
5.5
inches, measured in vertical can; Stratton Sec
36, T8S, R 47W, .2 inches, Weather Bureau;
Burlington Sec 33, T8S, R 44W .L inches,
Do?; Newton Sec 10, T5, R 44, 12.8 inches,
measured in stock tank.
by Della Hendricks
RESULTS OF THE
FLOOD
Story
In Kit
T66
II
Carson County, the dsmage to
farmers along the fertile valley from Flagler
to the Kansas Colorado state line was
massive.
Many valuable alfalfa fields were covered
home and caught a limb of the tree as he was
swept by.
Charles Farr, near Flagler, was rescued
from the current by his son, Duncan.
Wire fences were washed down stream with
The estimated $14,000,000.00 damage to
property can in no way reflect the real losses
yet recalled by those who lived through that
terror-filled time. The horrors of the initial
shock, the learning to live with loss of human
and animal life, the dreadful clean-up time,
the terrible ravage in fields and the years of
toil spent in trying to reclaim and restore the
loved fields are very real in the memories of
many.
A
statement was published, forbidding
anyone to gather posts and wire until it was
collected and allocated, so each would get a
fair share of the amount recovered. Those
who lost their homes in the torrential flood,
sought vacated houses, where ever they could
find them. Arthur Pugh, who lost his fine
cattle, came to town, where he found work at
an elevator and lived at the Winnegar
building south of town. The barn across the
road on the east is gone but the house still
stands. Arthur told of his troubles, heavily in
debt and nothing left except the two story
stone house. which withstood the flood. He
was such a fine example of manhood, he must
have been demented when he hung himself
in a barn.
Many down the course of the flood had
their homes washed from the foundation and
sometimes onto another man's land.
This flood caused the government to have
the river surveyed and an engineer employed
to build a do- across the river and land was
purchased, which is known as Bonny Dam
and reservoir, the latter is filled with water
one mile wide and six miles in length with a
depth capacity of 153 feet at the dam.
At the C.C. Gates farm, eight miles north-
east
of
Siebert
a huge bone from
flood waters. The piece measured six and one
half feet in length and was about twelve
inches in diameter.
Another bone was discovered, while two
men were digging in the edge of the valley,
eight miles north of Siebert, which seemed to
be a tusk. Other unusual bones were found,
so the men decided to let the Colorado
Mc0ook,
Nebraska bore the description of Mrs. Gessner. Investigation was made and positive
identity made by a ring on a finger. The body
was interred at Siebert by the O.P. Penny
Mortuary of Burlington.
A night ofsleepless terror was described by
Mettie Love, alone at her deceased mother's
home, with the river flowing on both sides of
the house. The rush and roar of the river and
elements of the sky were never more chilling,
but there was no route of escape, with the
the bones and dig up the remains.
One ofthe peculiar things noticed after the
flood, was the presence of mud balls left in
the river bed. These range in size from two
or four inches to a foot in diameter, some
much larger. Some object started rolling by
the force of raging water, gathering mud on
The boy was swept down stream from his
T67
Story 4
Rev. Tyner had charge of a memorial
service held at the Evangelical Church,
Siebert, at 11:00 a.m. Monday for Wayne
Gessner, Frances Gessner and Clarence H.
Lothian. They all drowned when their house
was swept away in the flood the night of May
30th. Mrs. Lothian was away on a visit to
friends in Kansas and escaped the fate of the
others.
Senator Hill of Greeley, a brother of Mrs.
Lothian was present for the service, as was
another brother, who resides at Flagler. Mr.
and Mrs. Wayne Gessner maried last January.
by Della Ilendricks
THE FLOOD IN 1935
T58
some
livestock swept away; fences swept to another
man's property, many lives endangered and
in one case a whole family swept down
stream. The Wayne Gessner family, who
lived two and a half miles west of Siebert were
victims. Wayne, his wife and father-in-law,
Mr. Lothian, were swept away. The bodies of
the men were found and buried at Siebert.
Months passed; then it was discovered that
welcome.
Other down river residents had similar and
more harrowing experiences. Frank Chase,
who lived north ofthe river saw a boy in a tree
some distance across the rolling current. He
got someone to help him and rescued the lad.
VICTIMS
posts attached.
prehistoric animal was washed out by the
water currents on each side of her, sweeping
away all loose objects with its furious and
divided currenLs. Dawn, to her, was never so
SERVICES FOR
THREE FLOOD
Arthur Pugh, who liked to show his pure
bred cattle, lost them all in the flood.
by six to ten feet of sand, cattle and other
a body found and interred at
MEMORIAL
University Museum Archeologist examine
its journey and the result is an almost perfect
sphere.
by Myra Davis
Hell Creek north of Vona. The water is from
melting snow.
An interview with my mother. This was a
report for history that I wrote as an assignment when in the eighth grade at Liberty
School. Regina Whipple Oldham.
We lived on the Republican River when I
was a kid, John Homm owns the place where
we lived. I have some vivid memories of that
flood and some people now wonder if we who
lived then aren't exaggerating a bit. No,
words cannot tell it how it was. We date our
lives by before or after the flood because it
made such a change in our lives.
We had had several years of extreme
drought. In the spring of 1935, we had had
fierce dust storms too. But on May 30 to June
1. we had water. Momma had a hot bed with
tomato and cabbage plants, north of the
house, in the fenced lot with the cherry tree.
This evening she sent Joe (my brother) and
me out to put the frames over the bed as she
�feared the threatening storm. Both
of
us
became so fascinated by the clouds that we
forgot what we were doing and were startled
when Dad shouted to hurry. The sky was all
black, whirling, clouds. Such furious energy
and churning! The clouds were darker and
denser than any we'd ever seen and were all
moving to the south west as if driven by a high
wind. Dad and all the family were hurrying
to secure the livestock and give them protec-
tion.
I can remember the rains
after
- itandstarted
dark and was just a down pour
it was still
raining when I went to bed. We were
awakened at dawn with a distant roaring
sound and my older brothers who slept in the
bunkhouse calling for us to come look at the
flood. We did.
It was just getting daylight and I can
remember how frightened and awe struck I
was, there was water everywhere. All of the
bottom land was under water. Our usual river
of about L2 feet wide and at most 10 inches
deep was now a mile wide. Dirty, muddy
water rolling huge cottonwood trees end over
end, making waves as high as a two story
house. But Mom and Dad didn't let us look
long as they made ready to leave ifnecessary.
We dressed warmly and packed food and
clothing and bedding. We didn't have to
move to higher ground. We were protected by
a natural dam or hill which was south of the
small spring fed stream which flowed close to
it seemed that the
water wouldn't come any higher so we
our door. In a few hours,
children just watched.
Later, we learned much about the cause of
the flood. What had happened was that a
rain, measuring anywhere from 12 inches to
25 inches, fell over a large area. It started
above the head ofthe rivers flowing northeast
and just followed the water shed down
stream. Since it covered such a large area all
the draws and fields and sand creeks flooded
and converged into the river channel at the
proper time to swell the flood. We had about
15 inches at home. Rosser Davis, up river, had
an empty cow tank which was full after the
rain, depth of 24 inches. Mr. Hershberger,
who printed the Stratton Press, had printed
an ad he meant as funny. It ran: Wanted:
Rain. He said later the he regretted it as they
had 17 inches there and he wondered if the
Good Lord was reprimanding him.
We watched the rolling waters for hours
but the older people were busy saving what
animals they could. Cattle and horses floated
by but sometimes some would be swimming
and the men would try to rescue them. My
older brothers, Alex and Bob, rode the saddle
horses and hurried to cut a fence as some
cattle and horses were washed against it and
would have drowned; they were saved. Our
work horses had gone down stream but were
stranded on a high piece of ground. Old Mr.
Chase went out with a bucket of oats and
coaxed them over to land. They just made it.
A big wall of water with a tangle of wire and
posts washed by just then and all that
livestock would have been trapped and
drowned by the tangle. Alex rode all day,
cattle would be washed to shallow water and
would be so exhausted they couldn't get on
to dry solid land. He'd help them. Once he
turned a herd of horses that were so frightened they were unmanageable but he headed
the leader towards safety and the
rest
followed.
After the water receded. we found the
channel changed and all the beautiful hay
meadows were sand bars. The trees were
washed away. Any machinery left on the
bottom land was lost. We believe it sunk in
the sand. We found an old horse drawn
mower because the tongue was sticking up a
foot above the sand. Lots of machinery was
never found. During the preceding winter
and spring Dad had sold or given hay to poor
farmers who were desperate for feed for their
remaining cattle. He was a frugal man and
believed he should keep hay over from year
to year in case of a crop failure but often said
how thankful that he had not let that hay be
washed away in the flood.
The aftermath of the flood was severe. We
needed supplies. We had no access for several
days to a town but did finally make a way to
Kirk, mail went out from Kirk. The county
road past our place was a route for people
north to get to Burlington. People built their
own roads, there was at least a mile or more
of impassable sand bar from our house to the
other side of the river. A trail was broken or
planned outand then the men hauled manure
and trash to make a solid base so a car could
travel across. But the wind would blow that
trail full and they would have to haul more
manure and eventually built up an elevated
track and people could carefully drive over it.
They often had to pull travelers across and
especially across the stream bed as a car
would bog down in the loose sand. We had a
miserable time getting
to church in
Bur-
lington, didn't go very often as it took a team
to get us across the river and one to get us
home. We had to help many people over that
sandbar that summer, fall, and winter and
summer again. It struck me as odd, the way
some people act when faced with a hardship.
Some people who needed to cross on the trail
would apologize for the inconvenience they
caused. Some offered to pay, others would
help shovel the sand away or push their
vehicle, some acted as if itwas our doings that
there had been a flood which left blowing,
drifting piles of dirty sand. Many a time our
men would have to unhitch the team from
whatever they were doing and rescue someone who needed help. Sundays were especially trying as people like to visit or supplies
were needed and so they attempted to travel,
it was no better at any of the other river
crossings all along the length of the river.
Once or twice I saw my brothers hurt or angry
or just plain disgusted at the treatment they
received and other times they felt well
for a difficult job done. One
especially trying day we all laugh about now,
Alex took a four horse teem to pull a car back
rewarded
on to the track after it had churned until it
became stuck. The woman pansenger heaped
verbal abuse on his head, yelling for him to
hurry, and accusing him of not knowing how
to drive horses, etc. Finally, without saying
a word, Alex unhitched his steam and started
for home. The man begged him not to leave
them stranded and Alex agreed to help him
but only if she kept quiet.
One day that summer while out helping
hunt calves I found an iris in bloom. It sat all
alone in a pile of mud and rubbish and I
wondered about the woman who had planted
it. Mom told me that if that flower could live
and bloom that we could find courage to go
on living too.
In 1938 we left the river place and moved
to a farm on the hills east of Kirk. Those were
trying times and the 1935 flood changed our
way of life.
by Regina Whipple Oldham
CATASTROPIIES AND
BAD STORMS THAT
HAVE HIT THE
COUNTY
T69
aa::.aa
,:,*,
Over 200 head ofcattle were found dead in the road
ditches and fencerows northeast of Stratton after
the 1977 late March blizzard,, the worst storm on
record. Some cattle were pulled from the ditches
and were still alive two days after the storm.
1886
-
January 8, a blizzard
-
January 12, ablizzard.
- March 25-26-27, probably one of the
worst to ever hit the county. Many cattle
drifted away and were lost and frozen to
death. Some people even lost their lives.
1886
1888
1890
- A blizzard that caused many cattle
to drift. Many wandered to the banks of Hell
Gate Creek and were pushed over and were
found smothered in the deep snow as they
were unable to get out.
1895 - A blizzard in the first part of April.
1905
April a storm which raged over
- In for
this region
sixty hours caused cattle
ranging 100 miles from here to make their
way to the shelter of buildings and fences
with many dying in the streets. Thousands of
cattle perished throughout eastern Colorado.
Trains were twenty-four to thirty hours
behind schedule.
1906
1913
- A bad blizzard that
came in March.
- March 13-14, blizzard
L924 - August, a tornado struck north
of
Flagler killing 10 persons.
1935 - May 30 - June 1. Heavy rains fell
all over the county and the flood on the
Republican River followed, destroying property and causing death to people and livestock.
1938
-
Spring. Another Blizzard. Towner
tragedy.
1939
In June, Kit Carson county was
invaded-by a plague of grasshoppers. There
were over 6,000,000 pounds of a combination
ofbran, poison and sawdust used to try to kill
them. As the plague beco-e worse they had
to start to import sawdust from Wyoming
and South Dakota. There were over 500 men
employed from both Federal and county
employees. At one time during the plague it
was so bad that the trains couldn't get up the
�his home place. There was no other loss to the
Shaw and Walters ranches.
I
The men were away from the Dunham
ranch, and three stacks of feed were burned.
By the most heroic efforts of Mrs. Dunham,
Bessie and Arnold Thomann, and Will
Dunham, who came to their aid, the buildings
which were on fire were saved.
Mr. Little, who had recently moved on his
place, lost a new barn, 150 bu. ofcorn, 50 bu.
of oats, a stack of feed, hogs, a colt and
chickens. Mr. Hudson lost his barn containing harness, seed and everything.
Only a few reported losses among whom are
E.E. Houseman, who lost his automobile,
feed, pasture and five hundred dollars;
Joseph Anderson lost his barn, feed and four
hundred dollars; J.H. Houseman, lost his
feed, a buggy and two hundred seventy-five
dollars; Williem Byers lost 75 tons of feed and
several horses; Mrs. M. Kelley lost a windmill, tank, lumber and one hundred dollars;
Alfred Sandage lost his barn, feed and two
hundred dollars; Bert Towers lost feed, a
barn, wagon and other losses plus three
hundred dollars; Alfred Leander lost barley,
a barn. and an unknown amount of feed:
May 10, 1936 dust storm with the town of Vona in background.
grade outside Hugo because of grasshopperg
on the tracks.
l94l - June 8. a tornado struck around
Smoky Hill. No deaths.
heavy weight of the gnow
L942
- The
limbs from the trees and it is a
broke many
Lowest rainfall in the county
-
1894 had
8.43 inches; 1934-35 had 7.66 inches; 1954 had
6.13 inches.
Highest rainfall in the county - 1904 had
26.90 inches; 1915 had 27.45 inc\es; 1930 had
26.61 inches: 1957-1958 had 26.20 inches.
wonder the damage was not greater. The
heavy snow bent the trees clear to the ground.
The snow stopped about noon Friday and it
was almost clear that night.
1948 - November 19-20. A bad blizzard,
followed by two more later in the winter.
t957 - March 23-24.The worst blizzard in
years.
- January - March. Continued heavy
snows with no let up.
The Drought of 1893-1895 was the worst
drought recorded, but no dirt blew.
The Dust Bowl years came in the middle
1930's, following a drought.
The Drought of L952-L957 was the longest
drought recorded but no dirt blew.
1960
1910 PRAIRIE FIRE
T60
The prairie fire of Saturday, March 26,
that ever
passed over this vicinity. The dust was so
1910, was the most destructive
thick and the velocity of the wind was so great
that one could see no distance. The smell of
smoke gave the first warning. At two o'clock
the fire csme sweeping the prairie from the
southwest, first striking the pastures belonging to Albert Walters, half a mile south of
Lewis Chapin sustained a loss of two hundred
dollars; Melvill Rogers lost a good barn and
a new buggy, in addition to four hundred
dollars; John McCracken lost his house and
barn; John Armstrong lost his barn and feed;
Ed Harbour lost a barn and
windmill;
Ingeveld Stangiland lost a barn and feed; and
many other poor settlers lost all, but we were
unable to learn their names from our infor-
mant.
The bridge across Big Sand Creek south of
town was burned; in one instance, a life was
in peril as the fire
almost overcame
a
horseman. The awful furnace of fire rose in
majestic form and leaped rods, roads and
every obstacle.
It traveled
faster than the
swiftest race horse!
by Grace Corliss
PRAIRIE FIRES
T61
The old Tuttle ranch on the Republican
River northeast of Stratton was owned by the
John Pugh family in early days and later the
Lloyd Pugh family resided there for many
years. At present, the ranch is owned by Tom
Price and covers quite a territory in the
Spring Creek, South Fork and Hell Creek
valleys.
It was north of this ranch, in the hills north
of the river, where a fire took place. It wasn't
a big fire, but costly and did its dn'nage in a
hurry. In those days, ranchers kept fire
guards, which were about five plowed
furrows, then 20 or 30 steps ofgrassland, then
another five furrows. It was the custom to
keep the grass burned out between the
furrows to protect the homesteads, hay stacks
and rangeland, because cattle had no feed on
a range, once burned.
Someone decided to burn the land off that
was contained
A 1958 snow bank on the Clapper homegite east of Vona
in the fire guard,
without
doing new plowing. There was a brisk west
wind blowing. Gorden Burr, who lived on the
homestead which presently is the Harvey
Wood ranch, was loading hay onto a wagon
and was being assisted by Glass Davis. When
they saw the fire sweeping toward them at a
�high rate of speed, they hurried and jumped
on the horses, though harnessed, and planned
to help fight the blaze.
However, one of the old mares had previously been hurt and if things didn't go right
she would lie down and refuse to budge,
which she did at this time. Glass is still
laughing about the incident; however, it was
no laughing matter at the time. The embers
were caught up in the high wind and set the
stack afire on the top instead of burning it
from the bottom. Glass related that the fire
did a lot of damage as it burned the haystack
and wagon, plus a straw-roofed barn.
Rosser Davis, a younger brother of Glass,
was at home and becorne excited. There was
a pond east of the Davis residence and as the
fire swept on, Rosser placed some harness
and other items in a cart and pushed it into
the pond where it couldn't burn. There is
much merriment today in retelling of these
stories. However, in the days of yore, homesteaders had so little and everything was so
precious, that losing small things was tragic.
Glass relates that many times at night, one
could see a rosy arc in the skies from fires up
the Hell Creek valley, and since there was no
wind, the fires would eventually burn themselves out or reach water and be quenched
thusly.
Mrs. Spoonemore and her daughter Judith
swam out of the ditch to dry land. Spoonemore and his daughter, Corinne were washed
away and were drowned, McNeill said. The
bodies were recovered the next morning on
the left shore of the lagoon, not too far apart,
and were taken to Hendricks Mortuarv.
by Grace Corliss
T62
August 22, 1969 - Flash Flood Claims Lives
of 2 Persons. Two people perished and two
other members of the snme family escaped
when they swam to safety at midnight Friday,
Aug.22, when they were swept by high water
off the top of their car at the side of Highway
24 two miles east of Stratton. The high waters
and heavy runoff resulted from a cloudburst
which fell in the area Friday, up to eight
inches of rainfall being reported in the
neighborhood east of Stratton.
The drowning victims were identified by
the Colorado State Patrol as Kenneth Spoonemore, 39, Newton, Ks,, and his daughter,
Corinne,6. Swimming to safety were Spoonemore's wife, Priscilla, 38, and their daughter,
Judith,
16.
After reaching the shore of the lagoon into
which they were swept, the two women spent
the night at the Louis Husler farm home,
which is adjacent to the scene of the tragedy.
They were brought to Memorial Hospital in
Burlington early the next morning and were
treated for shock and exposure. They were
dismissed and left for their home Sunday.
Patrolman George McNeill investigated
the accident. He reported that Spoonemore
was driving west on Highway 24 in a heavy
rain when his car came to an area where water
was running across the road. As Spoonemore
drove his car into the water the vehicle was
washed off the roadway into a ditch.
Spoonemore, his wife and two daughters
managed to get on top of the car. They
remained there for some time, but the rising,
flooding dry creek water washed them off, the
patrolman said.
exaggerated, but there were many stranded
vehicles in that area.
'We hauled people to the community
BLTZZARD BLITZES
AREA
T63
shift to the Kit Carson County Memorial
Hospital.
He also stated the storm would be terriblv
hard on young cattle. 'I'm anticipating i
terrible death loss in young cattle shipped in,'
Hubbard stated. 'The old, native cattle
probably made it, but as yet we don't have
a single report.'
An estimated 5,000 people in this area of
the state were without power for extended
periods.
As temperatures hovered above freezing
and the strong north winds whipped the snow
into drifts, worry mounted for two young men
who were reported lost in the blizzard south
of Bethune. Doug Beeson and Bill Gramm
were reported found at 7 a.m. Wednesday
morning after spending close to 24 hours in
a field where they had gone to check cattle
Tuesday morning. The young men were out
Spring blizzard inside the garage
Excerpts with graphic clarity tell the story
of a harrowing blizzard time in 1979:
"One of history's worst October blizzards
howled into Eastern Colorado in the earlv
morning hours of Tuesday, Oct. 30, deposi-
ting t2 inches of snow, closing all roads and
1969 FLASH FLOOD
the truck Wednesday morning and that
estimates of its occupants may have been
center all night,'said Hubbard, who was also
called qpott 1or transportation of the morning
I recall a number of stories of homesteaders
burning off a piece of ground upon which to
build a new home, only to lose the lumber
stacked on the plot in the process.
warmed it up to 70 degrees for the folk who
had to spend the night in it.'
The sheriff said crews had hoped to reach
highways, causing widespread power outages
and stranding hundreds of motorists as 60mile-per-hour winds whipped the wet snow
into high drifts over a 24-hour period.
"Reports of outages, injuries to stranded
motorists, emergency situations and overall
dnmage were still spotty and unconfirmed at
press time Wednesday morning but city,
county and state maintenance officials were
hoping to clear up major problems throughout the day.
Burlington Police Chief Carroll Johnston
reported close to 100 stranded motorists had
been taken to the Burlington Community
Center for shelter after all available lodging
in the town was filled. 'It's a mess.' said
Johnston Wednesday morning. 'All the
streets are blocked and we even have strav
cattle in the east end of town, but most of the
power is back on now.'
Kit Carson County Sheriff
George
Hubbard called the blizzard a'real paralyzer,
one of the really bad one's because of the
snow's depth and lack of visibility. 'Our
people are exhausted,'he said Wednesday.
'We were out in four-wheel vehicles trying to
reach stranded motorists on I-70 but it was
impossible to see. We couldn't get anywhere
because people were stuck in cars, trucks
were jack-knifed, interchanges blocked and
even the snow plows couldn't get around all
that stuck traffic.'
Hubbard said rescue vehicles were still
reaching stranded motorists east of Bethune
Wednesday morning including a reported 30
motorists who took refuge in a refrigerator
truck near Bethune Tuesday night. 'One of
the women motorists broke her leg and they
put her in the refrigerated truck with a bunch
of other stranded motorists,' said Sheriff
Hubbard.'They can reverse the refrigerating
in those trucks and the driver just
process
in a pasture looking for cattle when their
pickup fell into a hole completely obscured
by the blizzard, according to Duane Beeson,
Doug's father, who was out on horseback
when he found the young men Wednesday
morning. 'They stayed in the pickup and used
the heater until the exhaust plugged up,'the
elder Beeson reported. 'After that, they just
got cold.'
Blizzard damage reports continued Wednesday morning, but local people involved in
the monumental work of opening roads and
highways to restore service to the area were
frustrated by the stranded motorists who
were handicapping progress.
Sheriff
Hubbard also said roads were blocked with
eager motorists Wednesday morning. 'It
really irks you,' he said, 'the number of people
who don't have brains enough to know to get
out of the way of maintenance equipment.
But people are that way; ifyou tell them they
can't, they'll do their best to prove you
wtong."'
COUNTY FAIR
T6,4
Old timers had small street fairs several
times in the eighties, but it was not until 1908
that a "real" Fair was held. It was organized
by a group of private citizens: J.K. Rouze,
Wyatt Boger, A.S. King, Louis Vogt, and G.G.
Burr. It was held in the new Auditorium.
which had its grand opening the March
before, and which stood on Fourteenth Street
where the present armory is now located. The
Auditorium, which was built and operated by
Mrs. Martha J. Coakley and her daughter
Pearl, who is now Mrs. H.C. Schell of
Burlington, held the exhibits, including the
first one to go to the State Fair at Pueblo.
The first exhibit went from here to the
Interstate Fair at Denver, with a total sum of
$238 being gladly spent to show the rest ofthe
state that there was more to eastern Colorado
than prairie chickens, buffalo and wolves.
�..l.,.i*
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.,i.l']'li:.,
':i:ll:
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Friday - Third Day
Free for all pace or trot, purse gl00; One
g-ile noveltyrace, purse g20 at each quarter,
980; two and one half mile relay raie, five
horses, three to enter, two to start, purse $?b.
Saturday - Fourth Day
Miscellaneous Matched races, bronco bus-
ting etc.
1. All harness mile heats unless otherwise
stated will be governed by the rules of the
American Trotting Association.
2. Running according to the American
running rules.
3. Five entries required to fill and three to
start all races.
4. Entry fee of 5 per cent of purses to
accompany entry and b per cent additional
to be charged against all money winners.
5. Horses will be called at I p.m. each day.
Early picture of the Kit carson county Fair grounds, Floral Hall in foreground, 1g20's.
The exhibit consisted of frames 3 ft. wide and
6 feet in length that held shocks of wheat,
millet and kaffir.
a period of eight or nine years to finance the
Fairs.
Although one pumpkin at the first fair was
as large as a bushel basket, the corn was so
short that many believed that crop would
never be a success here.
Not to be forgotten in 1908's big doings wa8
the race progrAm
the holiday part. So
horse scrapers were -taken to the edge oftown
(then two blocks west of the present munici-
pal swimming pool), and a circular track
made, around which were parked several
Stanley Steamers, all the buggy brigade, the
surry set and lumber wagons from as far away
as twelve or thirteen miles. Best winner that
year was a man who was to have horses in this
Fair for over a quarter ofcentury, Joe Boyles.
A few years later the only world's record
made here to stand, as far as is known, was
captured by Joe. A pulling gauge, known as
a "dynamo meter",
was brought
COUNTY FAIR 1910
T65
r r t a lr r t a l a r r t a t rr !ta lrr I t I lt
.rrr!llrrrlrrrrtllrtll.r.rltlrrtriiiriiiiiiii
aa
a
tt I I r l
lr r at
One Hundred Dollars
CASH
J.K. Rouze Sec. Burlington, Co.
To the People of Kit Carson County
To a Kit Carson Couaty Couple to be narried at the
Kit
Carson County Fair on Saturday
Chicago exposition, the Purina company, and
a leading beer firm for this team. Immediate-
ly after the pulling exploit, the team
was
attached to a Roman chariot and took a blue
ribbon for speed. None of the offers were
accepted and the team, ag well as other
winners by Boyles, was a feature ofFairs year
September 27
lltany otber handrome gifts
Business men. Namer
until moment
at 1:00 P. M.
ever made in Eastern Colorado.
fron Kit Carson County
will be kept secret
of wedding.
A need was seen for a new home for the Fair
The first president was Louis Vogt, with
J.K. Rouze secretary. Beautiful gold-encrusted bonds, eize 8y2Xll inches, were sold as
shares in the organization at $5.00 each.
Rosser B. Davis possessed No. 98 bought Oct.
10, 1910 and H.C. Schell bought No. 200 in
1917, so
evidently these bonds were sold over
repeat our declaration of last year when we
said the Fair will be open to the entire countv.
in the
E. C. Baker, Burlington, Colorario.
ta | !a tI I tt I I I I I tt I a r t a t I t t I t I I I I l a l I l at I t l
rrrirlrrrltrrtlr.lrttr.lrrrtlrr----i--iii-iii
'fHfr |! nr,t\{;Toi.' cAr_1,
The stock holders of this year's fair have
already spent much time and money expecting to make it deserving of the great county
it represents. We want in this connection to
The citizens of the several railroad towns
county will have no privileges not
Communicate with
after year.
and forty acres, legally described as SEZz of
NW% of Sec.36-8-44, where the present Kit
Carson County Fair is held today was purchased. However thirty years had to elapse
before the county could really own the
Fairgrounds.
T.G. Price, helped organize the Farmers
and Stockmans Fair Association. This was a
group of progressive local men who bought
the Fair site, functioned from 1909 to 1gl?,
incorporated and exists to put on county
fairs.
In announcing this the second County Fair
- many years in Kit Carson
for
Counti. We
first want to heartily thank the citizens of this
cgunty for their support and help given in
1909, whereby, that fair made the best record
to
Burlington and a team of his own, weighing only
1990 pounds, pulled L7/z ton 27 feet in LL
seconds. In its class, this was such a phenomenal feat that offers were made from the
6. AJrorse distancing the field or any part
thereof shall be entitled to first
-or"v.'
7. If owing to bad weather or any other
unavoidable cause, the society shall be unable
to start one or more of its races on or before
I p.m. of the last day such race or races mav
be declared "off'and entrance monev shail
be refunded.
8. No premium to ruled out horses.
9. Stall rents shall be $8.00 including strain.
10. The society reserves the right to trot or
run races between heats. The right also is
claimed to change the order of any of these
events, should it be to their convenience to
further the interests of the contestants.
11. Money divided 60, S0 and 10 per cent
unless otherwise stated.
12. A horse may be entered in two or three
races and held for the entrance fee in races
started. Records made after July 20th no bar.
Entries in all races close at 8 p.m. the night
before the race.
a a
a
extended to those in the remotest corners of
the county. We earnestly solicit the cooperation of all the people to make this, the second
Annual Fair better, if possible than the Fair
of
1909.
We would like a good showing of the stock
Kit Carson County Fair
Burlington, Colorado October
6, 7 and 8, l91O
Speed Program
of Kit Carson County, together with the
products of the farm and garden. We wish to
make this Fair a reunion of all the people in
b,
Wednesday - First Day
Green Harness race, purse '50; One half
running race, purse 940; One half mile boys
pony race (56 inches), purse $20.
Thursday - Second Day
2:25 Pace or trot, purse g?5; 7e mile
running race, purse $50; t7n mile free for all
running race, purse $50.
the county. Our motto shall be to build
greater, better and broader, and to make this
fair a permanent feature of the countv to
which our people can look forward to with
increasing interest each year. J.K. Rouz, Sec.
September 17, 1910
�
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/417/History_Part_3.pdf
0fca309c074a7fa07c7b1db33cfb04a3
PDF Text
Text
1915 COUNTY FAIRT66
In June of 1916, a County Agriculturalist
(later to be called County Agent) was firsl
hired to begin duties August 1. He was P.N.
Flint. who served until ill health forced him
to resign in April, 1928, when H.O. Strange
began.
6ne of his first duties was to help with the
1915 Fair, then to locate a market for all the
counties surplus Potatoes.
The following commissioners: Wyatt Boger, F.D. Mann George Gates and J.K' Rouz
ippeared, at the Oct. 22, L9l.5 mee-ting with
a- iequest that the county purchase the
Fairgrounds, buildings, and appurtenances
for the county, at the cost of $2845'61' from
The Farmers and Stockmens Fair Association.
In 1917, Mrs. Della Hendricks brought the
first 4-H club girls.
On July 20, 1918, an advertisement went
out for bids for a more elaborate building' to
be 38x80 ft., with 8 ft. side walls of concrete,
with a hip roof. The first mill levy
was
partially to pay for this construction, fixed
that year at .005 to raise $1'059.15.
As far as can be determined, the first
premium book was printed in 1919 by Arthur
Wilson of the Burlington Call. In 1920' a
county club leader, Miss Amelia Alexander,
was hired at $2,100 per year to help the boys
and girls clubs.
The new grandstand was first used in 1921.
With it came the first telephone service to the
fair. There were improved race track facilities
while the poultry building made that year,
featured the first big turkey, ducks, and geese
displays. The most expensive Fair to date, the
grandstand got insured for $2,000 and hail
damaged the roof almost at once.
The Siebert band entertained the three
days of the 1923 Fair, receiving $100 and
much praise.
FAIR PREMIUMS
T67
Beard growing contest for the Kit Carson County Fair in 1948. Winners are center front. They are; I. to
i j""t"tnt"g""] second place; Fred Byer, third place; Red Lindsey, first place. L.L. Reinecker in the right
in announcers stand. Claude Irwin is on the left.
Some true signs of the times appear in a
comparison of the premium lists of 1918 and
1958. Dept. A, in 1918 was Horses. In 1958 it
was Beef Cattle and Dairy Cattle B. and the
horse relegated
to third
place.
In
1918'
registered Herefords taking the first prize
brought $8.00, second $4, and ribbons were
given. In 1958, first place takes $12.50, second
$ro, ttrira $7.50 with ribbons for champions
and reserve champions, while the junior
raiser looked forward to upwards of 30 cents
per pound for his fat steer.
Still Dept. D, (now termed swine) hog,
went up only 50 cents on first place - now
first place gets
poultry got $1.00 to 1958 $1'50.
$5.00 (1958). Sheep
$3.00, and
Floral and Educational Departments were
begun and premiums were about the same.
There was a silver cup given for the farmers
organization having the best booth displaying agricultural products. A fascinating
category was listed in 1918-19 departments
In this category, a dollar
- "Monstrosities".
given for the largest ear of corn, onion,
was
sunflower, cornstalk, beet, turnip, etc.
The wet year of 1938, marked the first free
fair. Always before tickets had been bought
for entrance, usually at $1.00 each, but in
1928 and afterwards no fee was charged
excepting to the grandstand.
In
1928, came the affair
of the carousel,
which has been written about in great detail.
August 1,1931, the question ofwhether or
not to hold a County Fair was considered, and
after discussion it was unanimously agreed
that owing to the financial depression which
had hit the county along with the nation, the
Fair would be dispensed with for one year.
But it was not until 1938, however, that the
Fair was revived.
A feature of the 1948 high jinks was a
wonderful fireworks display, and in that year
and several subsequent ones, it was obligatory that the men grow beards or suffer a
horse tank dipping. They could avoid penalty
by purchasing a smooth-shaven permit.
The biggest 4-H entry to date was in 1950
and a 4-H style show become a regular
feature. An entertainment agency in Denver
began to supply good Friday night variety
shows, which have become traditional.
Right after the 1957 Fair' work went
undeiway to furnish the county with a brand
new grandstand. Barely finished for the 1958
fair, seating, 2,500, and costing between
$50,000 and $60,000. The structure is 250 feet
long and 60 feet deep. There are two front
entrances, two offices, lounges, six booths in
the lower front. A new ticket office
and
reserved seats for 225.
One thing is certain, the solid institution
of this County's Fair is an unique, calendar-
marked occasion.
September 1930
Kit
Carson County Fair.
�..
:rlil
.,. r
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.,:,:: coyote while riding his horse on a dead run.
"i.,:r'',ilt: There were eight runs previously in the
',.r
i: ,ir:tr, Stratton territory. At a drive nearer Kirk,
.. , 4200 rabbits were killed. At the nine drives
a total of about 24,000 rabbits had been
' slaughtered. One hunt was staged with the
following lines: West line, 6 miles west of the
Kirk and Stratton road; east line, 3 miles west
of Kirk; north line, 2 miles north of the
county line and the south line, one mile south
of the countv line. Hunters were to be barred
from catching any coyotes in the ring.
These hunts beco-e very popular, with
women as well as men entering into the
excitement. It was likewise very beneficial to
the farmers because of the great damage
.
these pests did
to growing crops.
Several
farmers south of Stratton as well organized
for similar hunts.
In the 1950's rabbit hunts were held as the
rabbit population had increased and were
1e30, Note the old wooden grandstand and open bleachers behind the beef barn with the
displayed by the Burlington Equitv
Exchange.
RABBIT
machinery
i:lf?""1*l:,itx,ti#1'l-[]ffiu1f"H'":
publican river. Men were dropped o'ff around
IIUNTS
*:T:ilI".ISIl3::l?:TJffJ::H:J:::
:|;Ir',llY'r"#".:',ll;,:??ti:::fl
"li:',li:
they were shooting away from each
other.
The women of the community provided a
lunch at noon.
The dead rabbits were put in the truck
being retrieved by the person who shot them
as each man was paid so much per rabbit with
the tally being kept by the truck driver. At
the end ofthe hunt the count was totaled and
was paid for each
.€
'€ - *,t,
of rabbit hunting in 1920.
aE&8:
An afternoon
Around 1935, rabbits became so
numerous
1935
rabbit drive on the L.L. Pugh ranch north
Stratton.
of
rabbit helping to pay for the
shot shells. It provided some sporting fun and
sharp skills
for the participants
besides
getting rid of unwanted pests.
In tgOg the State of Colorado allotted Kit
wire netting near the center. As men neared Carson County $678.00 to pay wolf and
the corral, the ground seemed to move with coyote bounties. This practice was continued
rabbitsandwentintotheopeningofthetrap off and on for many years relating to the
populations of the coyotes at the time. On
two deep.
It was estimated that several thousand August 12, 1908 Mr. Ed Boger of Seibert
that the farmers and stockmen north of
Strattonarrangedhuntingpartiestotrapand
kill them. As Ripley would say "Believe it or
not", but'10,000 rabbits were killed with escapedthroughaweakspotinthelineatthe receivedthefollowingletterfromtheAuditor
of the State: Deartsir: I beg to acknowledge
clubs in one drive", which centered just two final windup. It was a sight too strange to
milesnorthof theMortonDavisfarm. Itwas believe. Those present said they had never receipt of yours of the ?th Inst., enclosing
seen more excitement. As far as can be found, scalp bounty certificate. We have placed
the biggest of nine drives held.
Men, in the usual manner, carried clubs, thisdrivewasthelargestofitskindinhistory. sAme on file as there are no funds available
cave man style, driving herds of rabbits Seven coyotes were also killed at this drive. for their payment. Yours truly, George D.
Statler, Auditor of State.
Chris Seal had the distinction of roping a
within a four mile square to a corral made of
In the 1920's and 30's the fur market kept
*lit?'Tlfl{#T{i$*ril*{n'jlili
population rose again and the $1 an ear
bounty was reinstated. The bounty was
discontinued again and due to the loss of
livestock both sheep and calves (chickens and
etc.) the state came out with the program
using 10-80 to poison the coyotes.
Today the fur market is active with the
very best pale western coyote pelf. bringing
$100 each.
ffiil;';*;
uT:*.-'
'l
ommunity rabbit hunt in the 1920's around Seibert.
�i&
Rabbits being corraled in the pen.
GRADING ROADS
T69
Commissioner John Lueken of Kit Carson County
looking over the new Galion 1-30 maintainer just
purchased in the 1940's.
s'lAalt (fF col()li^lx,
cou*".../4,1'/rr,r','
fleccircb
tt.'
i
i
,.
SoAo DrsrRrgr No.
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o ..1
r,,",'" t.,u",'J,:,1.\1.:'i.-- (l.l.a,o
'
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i"
,
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tist:
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yar tq
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t/,c
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Receipt to Frank Boger, April 4, 1898 for $2.00 for
labor with team for one day in payment of road tax.
by Joyce Miller
Getting ready to grade roads in 1925.
1960's OIL IN KIT
CARSON COUNTY
T70
The Reitman No. 1 test well, 13 miles
southwest of Stratton, proved to be a producer Tuesday of this week. However, testing
is still underway at the well and according to
word received Wednesday night, oil recovery
was about 25 barrels per day, which means
under some conditions this well could turn
out to be a real producer after it has been
thoroughly swabbed out.
According to information received the well
which is being drilled by Harry Royster,
Denver, an independent, and the new Drilling Co., was drilled to a depth of 5,732 feet
for production testing in Pennsylvania. The
oil perforations were placed, however, at the
5,507 to 5,519 foot mark, in the LansingKansas City formation.
Since this well had been brought in, no
doubt
Machinery for elevating and grading roads in 1929.
it will be the forerunner of consider-
able drilling activity in the Stratton area in
the very near future, and substantiates the
belief of certain local people who have always
claimed, and for very good reason, no doubt,
that central Kit Carson County would some
�qay De the center ofconsiderable oil activity.
Ever since this well showed signs it might
be a producer, leasing has taken a sudden
jump in this part of Kit Careon County.
Recovery of 270 feet of oil on a test of
Honolulu Oil Company, Kit Carson County,
Colorado. Wildcat highlights the oil news for
Eastern Colorado this week.
The wildcat, in Section 20, 10 south, 47
west, about seven miles southwest of the town
of Stratton. is about 40 miles south of the
nearest production and is attracting widespread attention in the oil industry.
The drill-stem test was made in the
Pennsylvania formation at 5510 to 5526 feet.
Several previous drill-stem tests were made
in the test well, the No. 1 McConnell, and one,
made at 1718 feet, recovered a slight gas
show.
Honolulu Oil, San Francisco-based independent, plans to drill the wildcat to granite
at around 6000 feet.
The new oil show, coupled with recent
discoveries in extreme Western Kansas, is
focusing more and more attention on this
The Indian Territory Illuminating Oil
Company deserves the major credit for
starting the play. It entered the area late in
1934, and throughout 1935 operated exten-
sively on a well-laid plan of seismic surveying
and the subsequent taking of large drilling
blocks.
The Gypsy Oil Company made one of the
largest land deals
in the history of the
petroleum industry when
it contracted with
the Union Pacific Railroad Company for all
of the road's mineral rights in east-central
Colorado.
The deal involved more than 900,000 acres
of land on which the railroad company had
paid taxes and equity
in
approximately
200,000 acres more on which the railroad had
failed to pay taxes.
To appreciate the significance of the deal,
it gave the Gypsy Oil Company virtually
every odd section in an area of forty miles
wide and nearly 100 miles long, running from
the Kansas border to the west boundary of
Lincoln County, Colorado.
section of the state where there has been but
little exploratory drilling.
About 65 miles south of the Kit Carson
County wildcat, Pan American Petroleum
recovered slight gas shows in the No.
1 Nevius
wildcat.
This test is in Section 8, 22 south, 45 west,
Prowers County, six and a half miles northeast of Lnmar.
A drill-stem test of the Des Moines formation at 3992 to 4030 feet recovered 15 feet of
gas-cut mud.
$IO,OOO,OOO
in the dust storm last Friday at their farm
home along Highway 24 two miles west of
Burlington.
About noon the storm was at its peak, and
several persons taking refuge in their home
were served dinner, while others who had
already eaten were served tea and coffee.
Mrs. Rudy drove in to the school to get
their daughter, Karen, and on arriving home
was not able to see the driveway into their
farm. She was stalled on the highway for
about 10 minutes before she could find her
way. She had been in the house only a short
time when traffic began to stop.
One carload of travelers were from Vincennes, Ind. on their way home from Denver
where they had attended a funeral. Another
carload of people were from Burns, Ore. while
another car loaded with passengers were
enroute to the stock show in Denver from
Arnold, Kan. Another vehicle was a truck, the
driver being from Kansas City.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rudy, who had been
in Goodland, returned to the Ben Rudy home
to pick up their son, Randy, who had been
staying there in the morning.
Harvey Lambert, who had been visiting
with Mr. Rudy, and Mr. and Mrs. Melton
Rudy and daughter of Syracuse, Kan., ar-
TAKING REFUGE
FROM DUSTSTORM
T7l
Mr. and Mrs. Ben Rudy accommodated 20
persons whose cars were stalled or wrecked
rived during the storm.
By mid-afternoon the weather cleared and
everyone from out of town left for their
homes, being wished a safe journey to their
destinations.
Oil Operation Start-
ed in East Colorado
Big Companies Seeking Leases
and Royalties
Expenditure by major
oil
companies of
between 10 and 12 million dollars for geological and geophysical surveys and for oil leases
and royalties in eastern Colorado presages
one of the biggest wildcat oil "plags" in the
west, in the opinion of Charles W. Henderson,
supervising engineer of western field offices
of the United States Bureau of Mines.
Henderson, in a comprehensive analysis of
Colorado mineral resources published Saturday in the September issue of the Mines
magazine, described the recent leasing of
Dust clouds in eastern Colorado. 1930's.
4 million acres of land for future
drilling as of tremendous importance to
nearly
Colorado and the West.
The blocks of leases are mostly in
Kit Carson, Washington, Yuma,
Cheyenne,
Lincoln, Kiowa, Prowers, Bent and Otero
counties.
Reviewing the history of the development,
Henderson said the oil play in 1935, with the
exception of the drilling of two wells, was
entirely concentrated on the making of
seismic suryeys, and the subsequent leasing
of large drilling blocks and the procuring of
protection acreage.
In February 1936, he said, there were at
least twenty blocks of leases of sufficient size
in this area to justify the drilling of test wells.
By June, 1936, there were approximately
635,000 acres within thirty-one separate
blocks leased golid and of sufficient size to
warrant the drilling of a test on each.
Much of the rest is held in rather compact
form and ultimately will be converted into
drilling blocks.
A composite picture of dust storm and rabbils being driven on a rabbit drive in the 30's.
�It is a pastorar
spot many of us have watched from its days
of construction when its potential was scarcely envisioned by any of us to this time when
it has become the mecca of fishermen and
families seeking recreation on its shady banks
and beaches, or boating, fishing, swimming
and skiing upon and in its shining waters.
When the flood of 1935 ravished the
surrounding area for many miles and many
homesites on the banks ofthe tributaries and
the South Fork of the Republican River were
swept away with great loss of human and
animal life as well as destruction of rich soil
and devastation of fields by sand deposits,
the role such a structure could play in the
eastern Colorado - western Kansas area was
clear. That some years elapsed between the
1935 disaster and completion of the structure
we know, but it was built and assumed its
many roles in changing life in the area.
Bonny Dam is about six miles west of the
Colorado-Kansas state line on the South
Fork of the Republican River near the little
town of Hale, Colorado. When it was dedicated on Sunday, June L, t952, with great
festivity and ceremony, the program for the
of all citizens of the county.
Burlington, raging dirt storm coming in from the northwest in 1934.
POLIO
NAMING BONNY DAM
T73
T72
In August 1955 Colorado received $286,000
of federal funds to purchase vaccine and
administer the cost of the program. A Polio
Vaccine Advisory Committee was appointed
to decide how Colorado's plan would be
operated as specified in the federal regulations. It was decided by this group that the
government funds purchase 25% of vaccine
allocated to Colorado and that the remaining
75% be distributed to practicing physicians
through commercial pharmacy channels. At
another meeting of the Vaccine Advisory
Committee. a recommendation was made
that the Health Department purchase 100%
of the vaccine released.
The vaccine was to be administered by
Public vaccination clinics and/or by practicing physician's offices.
The requested appropriation of $221,330
will be used to provide vaccine for 30 % of the
estimated population unvaccinated under
the age of 20, and to complete vaccinations
with third shots of those in the same age
group. It should be noted at this time that the
original allotment of vaccine was distributed
on the basis of population. Since many areas
did not utilize the amount allotted to them,
the allotment system was changed to one of
supply and demand.
Immunization in the school was strongly
recommended so that as high a percentage of
the children under twenty years of age could
receive two shots before the beginning of the
polio season on or about June 15. The third
shot should be administered about
seven
months after the second shot.
On March 1957, the National Foundation,
the State Medical Society and The State
Health Department began an intensive polio
immunization educational program.
days
The June 1952 Bonny Dam dedication
souvenir book has a story of the 1935 flood
and the role this catastrophic event had in
providing the catalyst that brought about the
construction of Bonny Dam after many years
of dreaming, wishing, and trying ineffectual
modes of water control. But that story makes
no reference to the origin of the name.
Old timers know that there was once a town
called "Bonny". Materials from the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation indicate the fact that
this settlement, located about 25 miles north
of Burlington, once contained 110 people.
When
a
new Burlington post office
was
dedicated in 1959, Postmaster Dale Pralle
indicated in a history he wrote for the post
office that Bonny was listed first among the
names of nine offices once supplied their mail
by Burlington post office. Other offices listed
were Beloit, Cole, Hale, Hermes, Morford,
Newton, Wallett, and Yale. How long Bonny
remained a post office is debatable but his
family knows that Charles Barnhart bought
the store there and handled the postoffice
duties also for about two years.
So regardless of how the name was chosen
and logical as this choice for the site seems
to be, all who frequent the now well-loved
recreational setting would say that the name
was well chosen. "Bonny" means attractive,
cheerful, pleasant, healthful, pleasing to the
eye. All ofthese and more are the background
offeelings a day at "Bonny" brings forth. So
most visitors would acclaim the choice of that
name, and rejoice in the wisdom of those who
chose the name for the delightful recreational
area which is not in Kit Carson County but
certainly contributes very much to life in the
atea.
by Dorothy Smith
of that
celebration was
filled with
commentary and acclaim for those who had
been involved in the huge project. In that
program, N. Beth Woodin wrote, "Bonny
Dam . . this is the story of a bargain . . .
the story of how four million dollars and a
year and a half of time were saved in building
a dam for the people of the United States."
Originally estimated to cost $17,047,000, the
of
Bonny Dam was
$13,000,000! We would certainly agree that it
completion cost
was a real bargain.
How that bargain is utilized is a wondrous
thing, too. People from all over Colorado
telephone their reservations for holiday
weekends; families trail their boat and paraphernalia to the spot with high expectations
of leisurely enjoying the facilities; the fisherman dons his gear and casts a line to snag a
goodly fish; the water skiiers glide over the
glistening waters with joyous abandon; and
the farmers down the way from the dam
treasure the irrigation process it provides.
How much the dam and its impounded
waters have contributed to a fuller life in this
county as well as others cannot be overevaluated. How we do appreciate the engineering genius and the cooperation between
states and the United States government that
made it a realitv.
RAINFALL REPORT
T75
From the Burlington Record owned by
Mabel Parke. The following table gives the
rainfall for Burlington, Colo. for a period of
13 years, 1895 to 1907 inclusive: 1895, 20.81
inches; 1896, 16.81 inches; 1897, 1920 inches;
1898, 18.14 inches; 1899, 11.11 inches; 1900,
16.23 inches; L90L,L7.23 inches;1902, 19.86
by Agnes Rudy
BONNY DAM
T74
Mention of Bonny Dam cannot be omitted
from the stories in this book. Although Bonny
Dam lies outside the confines of Kit Carson
County, that site looms largely in the minds
inches; 1903, 12.39 inches; 1904, 26.90 inches;
1905, 23.71 inches; 1906, 16.36 inches and
1907, 12.16 inches.
1893-1894 were drought years. In 1894
nothing was raised on the Hi-Plains. The year
1873 was the driest that has been known on
the plains. In the year 1908, very little rain
fell. Only the farmers who had lived here for
�and had learned dry land
farming raised even feed for
deveran years
in
methods
stock. It was a bad sight to see the homest€aders selling their stock and household goods
for enough money to get away. This was the
55Yeqr HistorJ Ollilonthly Cf
Annus, Preeipitttion
In Stratton
condition around Seibert, Colo. Relinquishments on homesteads could be bought for
very little, and in many cases they were
abandoned when there were no buyers. The
year was said to be the driest since 1873. The
spring of 1909 was marked by plenty of
rainfall. Crops were good in the year 1909,
and 1910 was marked as a good corn raising
year. Potatoes were so plentiful there was
little market for them.
T
1.23
0.04
0.13
0.39
0.61
0.17
0.38
0.27
1.00
0.24
0.23
Early Weather
.......
.... .
.....
.......
.......
.. ....
. .. ...
......
.........
,.,,...,,
,........
.........
.........
.........
. . .......
The winter of 1885 and 1886 was the
..
..
stormiest winter on record in the early history
of the plains region that is now Kit Carson
County. Extreme cold and one blizzard after
another all winter, is told by descendants of
the pioneers of the Crystal Springs Commu-
nity.
WEATHERMAN
I
.........
T76
.....
.....
.....
.....
drr\ in \err:
( lear 15l
Prrrl! LLoud\ 108 d.\\
( lord\ I d!\.
0.41
0.44
0.18
0.03
T
. ...
.....
... .
..... ....
.. ..... ..
... .... ..
... .. ....
.........
.........
.........
I lh. roral rnnual !\rrigf Drccipir.rion r\ t6.51 inchc\
I Thc rr.rrge trt.inrr!riof n.r monrh. in Ln.h.'_ n:
lrrrrr\
N|rrh
\tr\
.lun.
0.00
0.25
0.18
0.it0
0.15
0.20
0.17
l). Thr a\era8. numbc! of drt! ber$.en killins too\rs is I40
t A\.rig. d.iil\
Nlr\imrm
55
58
8:
8t
90
98
104
rm
92
9t
E8
65
Arinual n\c.aar
Climate of
0.91
5.70
1.65
0.76
1.69
0.06
0.30
5.41
1.30
0.93
2.21
2.t7
0.u
2.8
o.u
t.92
3.61
0.61
1.07
1.38
1.90
r.04
3.19
0.56
2.57
2.34
0.67
2.39
2.70
2.10
2.36
0.67
0.04
0.18
0.33
2.31
1.80
4.08
3.07
1.76
6.57
3.05
2.21
1.69
4.08
3.€
t.24
2.03
0.r3
o.t2
t.74
2.07
3.02
2.U
0.4{)
0.46
0.62
o.@
1.39
5.gz
1.74
0.31
1.81
0.37
0.69
4.29'
0.34
0.67
0.70
0.41
0.35
0.32
r.0l
4.68
3.32
3.04
0.29
1.68
2.55
3.60
0.14
0.55
0.46
0.50
0.83
0.rr
1.68
1.36
2.14
0.17
0.09
0.19
0.62
0.87
0.65
Lt8
t.t2
0.88
0.33
0.16
r.33
0.04
1.16
0.63
l0
0.46
0.44
\.71
0.37
1.27
4.34
7.'11
0.96
7.20
2.
6.t9
r.8l
0.26
3.30
5.99
4.18
0.22
0.95
4.6
0.47
1.73
2.n
0.41
1.72
1.67
1.73
1.89
2.@
0.92
2.43
2.48
1.56
2.t6
4.90
3.47
3.09
0.75
?.00
0.98
2.46
0.56
0.46
0.15
3.83
l. l3
2.03
0.87
o.o2
0.84
0.26
L&
t.49
0.30
0.14
2.03
5.49
L36
0.23. .. .
2.tl
0.35
0.86
0.5r
1.06
0.20........15.77
0.52
0.24
o.o2
0.61
0.37
0.34
0.03
0.35
0.03
T
0.u
t90
0.10.
1.60
1.96
2.2A
2.44
|.21
3.55
3.65
3.45
0.20
4.12
3.31
1.40
0.65
3.43
0.73
3.03
4.9
t.20
0.07
1.42
2.67
0.51
0.56
2.37
4.55
1.44
1.39
1.43
1.03
0.'l8
2.@
0.%
l.1l
t.99
2.48
9.43
2.58
0.42
4.46
0.08
2.07
0.98
0.62
4.05
1.60
2.37
2.02
r.26
3.i0
0.53
4.20
5.59
1.95
t.12
0.90
2.U
0.15
0.19
2.65
0.28
0.s7
0.49
0.59
0.04
0.70
0.89
0.82
3.39
2.50
4.31
3.s2
2.27
0.78
4.70
?.t5
0.61
r.23
2.91
2.6
1.98
r.54
3.n
2.fi
4.U
o.n
5.46
t.76
0.@
0.69
0.58
t.72
0.47
o.67
1.71
1.03
4.42
3.74
3.19
4.71
0.54
2.
0.&r
2.\7
1.91
2.74
4.76
4.57
1.81
1.ll
0.n
0.65
0.73
o.28
2.SS
41.6S
2.57
3.08
L&
53
2.77
13.48
.7.53
12.58
0.87
r.77
0.65
0.56
0.17
3.62
0.m
0.53........,!5.OO
1.33
0.61
0.30
o.28
1.90
0.50
0.16........18.85
1.58
t.19
3.m
0.13........15.21
2.33
l.16
0.66
15.44
0.35
3.81
2.65
0.25
0.34
0.70
1.84
15..U1
0.01
0.40........10.82
2.80
1.93
0.71........18,94
0.32
1.88
3.32
2.57
6.'t4
3.40
0.32
2.34
1.80
Vr{n
:l
:8
41.5
57.5
50
rl
1.33
1
17.90
2.14
T
0.36
T
0.60
0.55
0.62
0.55
o.79
1.96
0.26
0.59
1.65
0.55
0.65
0.44
0.64
0.35
t.8
0.10
0.90
0.80
2.05
0.18
0.84
0.40
0.58
79.74
1.45
50.57
0.92
36.85
0.67
0.@
2.6
0.77
r.3l
28
l0
r4.5
rt.5
Precipitation record
(r4
60.5
J9
t8
]N
tt:
Carson Countv
Art Pautler, a farmer like many others in
this area, for the last 18 years he had served
the Stratton vicinity as the official government weather recorder. For those years he
recorded many interesting happenings. Like
the time he recorded an eight inch rain that
fell overnight on Aug. 23, 1969.
The highest temperature recorded these 18
years was 103 degrees occurring July 2, 197 4.
The lowest temp. was 22 degrees below zero
on Jan. 12, 1963. Also for the month of Jan.
1963, there were 17 days of below zero
readings. Lowest barometer reading in these
[ears was a 28.95, March L4, L973.
Art said that in those years since 1958, he
has enjoyed doing his "pant" for the weather
servrce.
Art was born July 4, 1909, has been a
farmer stockman for 37 plus years. In 1976 at
the age of 67 he planned to ease his way out
of farming and turn the chores over to his
sons, Gary, Tim, and Leon. They run the
farm consisting of a hereford cow calf operation, irrigation, and dryland farming.
Art and his wife, Sue, who he refers to as
a "Superb House Wife", were blessed with
three other children, too: Paul; Angela Beaner, Billings, Montana; and Betty Meierotto,
of Denver.
by Allen Ilurley
....
25.59
0.46........14.37
14.54
15.51
15.31
033........
't5.,t2
. 4.15
e2.o8
15.54
16.3a
......
T........
23.52
.t3.4a
0.11
0.29........14.60
0.10. .
0.09........16.20
0-33........20.41
r.26.... ... . 18.35
0.33........12.31
0.11........12.90
T........12.Op
0.40...,.....t4.59
,......
0.2s.
0.i0
13.26
_...... 26.04
0.99.
,t6.4.1
1e.38
tO.5E
g2g,2g
.......
0.s8
22.57
....
o.4't
NEqONDS FUNNISHEI' BY ART PAT'TITR
3lnGG t Tt .ta not offtclel but wcre recorded wlth tlrc
.8nc squlDmcnt utGd prlor to gm.
48
r.drp.rrrLr.. it ]
Kit
Ilate
2
I
20.03
0.24
0.26
0.04
0.31
0.56
3.86
0.54
0.34
0.22
T........
0.04..,..... 23.21
1.05
Lr0
0.19
29.t3
0.58........ 16.39
0.26........ 29.36
0.6
3.31
3.85
1.73
0.9
1.08
4.41
1.41
't
l.l8
0.92
3.78
1.38
0.90
3.53
1s.a.t
25.78
I
0.53
t. l6
0.53
0.29
8.48
2.08
3.25
2.37
t.2l
17.OO
0.70
0.7
0.43
'r.37
1.70
1.07
14.'t7
0.48
1.86
0.49
o.t2
0.59
0.07
0.25
0.26
0.69
0.22
2.05
0.55
3.68
0.49
0.53
0.'t2
0.18
0.w........17,02
1.02
2.21
0.r0
0.69........ 13.64
0.75
0.56
1.93
t.46
0.'15
0.12..... ... . .9.31
l.6t
o.u
4.73
0.05
1.87
1r.ul
0.57
t.u)
3.E2
0.73
ANIUUAL
0.20
0.58
0.40
0.04
T
0.98
125
ilov. DEC.
o.t2
r.63
2.89
0.02
0.00
0.67
0.05
0.20
25.39
0.46
2.m
2.05
3.63
0.88
4.45
1.52
0.20
0.37
0.54
3.39
0.65
2.43
1.3r
2.20
2.28
3.43
r.5l
0.45
r.32
1.99
2.96
0.56
0.91
1.12
1.60
1.48
1.73
0.
t.94
1.57
6.24
4.08
3.18
2.43
3.52
0. 18
019
0.97
2.32
2.02
0.25
1.03
0.38
2.02
0.58
o.27
0.52
2.53
2.
0.35
0.02
0.0'r
0.12
0.00
T
leNncrrroru
!ln\
[.
1.49
2.82
0.62
0.€
AVENACE
4.70
SEPT
2.M
ocT.
2.94
r.21
0.29
0.08
3.43
0.75
0.27
0.20
1 7............9.23
TOTALS 19.05
55YEAn
0.35
(ioir\ llrgh ll .rth
Ar.fu!. I nrnh
AUG.
1.03
087
i.rrrnrbrr
\
JULY
0.68
1.09
1.13
1.07
0.62
0.41
0.m
JUNE
3.m
2.63
0.50
1.86
0.28
0.75
0.37
0.43
0.50
0.76
0.38
.....
..,..
MAY
2.6
l.0l
1.04
1.24
T
T
APN.
0.47
0.95
2.32
l.m
0.46
0.27
u..t/
Ll0
l. Climate
A. Nunrb.r oi
0.94
0.32
0.49
0.39
0.87
0.10
0.25
0.13
0.20
0.74
0.58
0.75
0.38
ta.a4
�#5, could not stop in time when the bridge
across Spring Creek was washed out by a
flood.
Calvary Cemetery: 1 mrle easf, or Dlrrruuw'
north side of U.S. 24 (31-8-46).
Claremont Cemetery: Northeast of Stratton % mile north on Colo. 57, 1/z mile east on
gravel road. (Sec. 31-8-46).
Fairview Cemetery: Northern edge of
Burlington (Sec.36-8-44).
CEMETERIES
Flagler Cenetery: 172 miles east of Flagler
T78
Rural Cemetery: Southwest of Burlington,
take U.S. 385, tLl/z miles south, then 9 miles
west on gravel road, (Sec. 33-10-45), established in connection with Nazarene church;
all graves moved to Fairview.
Rural Cemetery: L7 miles north of Flagler
4 miles east, 1 mi south and 1 mile east (Sec.
(Sec. 6-9-50).
Immanuel Lutheran Church: 10 miles
north of Bethune, 2 miles southeast of
Settlement Cemetery (Sec. 15-7-45).
New Friedenburg Cemetery: 7 mi. south of
Yona,2Vz miles west (Sec.8-10-48)
by Janice Salmans
10-6-50).
Seibert Cemetery: Northeast of Seibert, 1
mile north on Colo. 59, then 1 mile east (Sec.
34-8-49). Established 1917.
Shiloh Cemetery: North of Flagler.
Smit Cemetery: Northeast of Seibert, 15
miles on Colo. 59, east 4 miles then % mile
Sue and Art Pautler.
1958 to the present.
Art
was weatherman from
1986 TRAIN WRECK
T77
south (Sec. 20-6-48).
Vona Cemetery: ca l/t mile north of town
of Vona (Sec. 35-8-48).
Grave: Go 14 mi. north of Flagler then 4Vz
mile east (Sec. 21-6-50).
Beaver Valley: Northeast of Burlington ca
9 miles north of I-70, ca 9 miles.
Cemetery: east of U.S. 385, (Sec. 10-7-42),
Established in 1919. Private church affiliated.
Prairie Home: unknown.
Hope United Church of Christ Congrega-
tional Cemetery: (Sec. 3-6-45), 11 miles north
and I mile east of Bethune.
Beloit Cemetery: Southwest of Burlington
on U.S. 385
callVz miles south,
10
miles west
on gravel road, then 2 miles north, (Sec. 2910-45), Established about 1888, with the
town of Beloit, some of the graves
identified by the stones.
Bethune Cemetery: (Sec. 34-8-45).
rli:r,,,,:
Train wreck west of Stratton, Aug. 25,
1986.
I
llil
.',,,,,
i.{r:
,::a.::::::,:
)3,:t).
t.
Authorities had determined that railroad
*:::
cars loaded with wheat in Arriba, entered the
main track and traveled eastbound at high
rates of speed before an untimely collision
with a westbound train about two miles west
of Stratton, in Aug., 1986. The collision left
two crewmen dead. Both were employed by
the Kyle Railroad. The accident is speculated
to have occurred around 9 A.M. on the 25th,
but was not discovered until the early
morning hours of the 26th, by Bob Krason,
who lived near where the wreck happened.
As the runaway 14 car train passed Spring
Creek, the west bound train, with two
locomotives and 33 cars in line was approaching a cut in a hill. That cut is also a location
of a slight bend in the track, which made it
impossible for the approaching crew members to see the oncoming train. The impact
of the collision was massive. The force of the
impact "stacked" cars on top of each other
in a chain reaction effect.
Speculation as to how the cars started
rolling from Arriba ranged from negligence,
intentional, and simple gravity however no
official statement was yet released.
The location of the August 25th accident
is only several hundred yards from a train
accident that left 14 people dead in 1929. On
July 18, 1929, Rock Island passenger train
Republican River, Wood Ranch in the 1980's.
are
REPUBLICAN RIVER
VALLEY
T7S
�'-
BurttDgtoD, Colo.
BrrAe. NOrII! gEof.v.
A+
B. MccAPLliI,
ll
RrrnAe.
Flaglcr, Colo,
Dtlck Creek
GErIBGE AMMAN'
Tale. colo.
eJr,
- A
93
Ranre, southwest of Ysle,
t
*
!r
8. r,'. FLEtrrNc,
z L
_
LarnborD,I(anc.
3an8e, €ast of BurtlngtoE Coto.
:.-=:
vF
lV. V. Erlckeon,
BqrlingtoF, Coio.
ol BnrllogtoD.
r+nge. squtboa8i
A
-D
AUGUST DEITEGO\VSI(I,
BurllngtoD, Colo.
nenge,
*
rolle Dorlh ol BurllDqtoo.
r'
slrEltrtAli
YALE,
yale 1,. O., Cqlo.
Range, vlplnity ol Yalo,
(,. r,, NOIiT0N,
I H Y
Y/rc
tsurlinglon, Uolq.
Range, coutlrpast of LtuillDgton.
A. B. YARNDLL,
Lt
4,f
t- Y
___
on left
blp.
Ylle
Colo.
Iiange, LosCnlap, n6er Yale, Colo.
fJ F
e.'n. cnaFine\,
Burhngton, Colo
llenge. Soutb
J7
-+
Beayer.
M. B. IIENDNICKS,
,
_
Seibert, Colo.
Renge. near Solbert.
RS
\J
w. R. sltITIi,
Clarenrobt, Colo.
RaBge, ne&r 0lareuront.
J.
r
If .t-
'r'. JnNE$.
uotr, Colo
Raxce. Cofl. Colo,
A. E. (}RIS\YOLD,
rt
Bethure.Colo.
-
raDge,
nolth ot Bethqile.
HENR,Y ARITKNECET.
,
7C A-U
Ne$.ton, c0r0.
Range, Republican River.
t'ETIitt, J. ToN.DltE. t,rop.
.r tr{
tg
L .
Republican River in the late summer on the Corliss Ranch in the 1970's.
l."rr
Fairbury,-Nebr.
srd6 r, c. sHAF'r's1'..3l,irollii.r,
R3pge. mouth ol Sand Cro€i(. peer Jaqua.
nc
A. B. CANT..IELD,
_
BurllngtoD, Colo.
Il&Dse.9 mller nortlr of Burliugtob.
4
5J
MII.O CR'APITTA\.
Burllngto!, Colo.
'
Balgo. south ol Burllogtou.
D' LANGE'
lo O
NeptoD. Colo.
Ren8e. near NevtoD,
1F
c. r.. PsaRcE.
BorlllElou, Colo.
Itenge, eoutb of Burllngton-
r'
F -1
Boogp.
E D H
bnibn ur.
Jome cowboys prefer the "Jack Rabbit."
P' LITrr{E'
Bqtllnqton, Colo
rcqtlrcit d burdo!
s' G' gpcny,
r-1q u*ffil$fdllur.
�KIT CARSON COUNTY
4-IJ
T81
May 8, 1914 marked the passage of the
Smith-Lever Act which created the Federal
Extension Service and which charged State
Land-Grant Colleges with the responsibilities of providing extension work in agriculture and home economics. In Colorado the
Land Grant College was the Colorado Agricultural College (now known as Colorado
State University). Part of extension work
which CSU was responsible for was the
development of boys and girls club work
(later known a 4-H) within the state. The first
established boys and girls club was in Logan
County (Sterling) under the leadership of
D.C. Bascom, county agent. The projects
offered to these young men and women were
gardening, canning, sewing, cooking, corn
and sugar beet production, woodwork and pig
production.
Kit Carson County began its boys and girls
club work in 1915 under the leadership of
R.N. Flint, county agent and by 1919 boys
and girls clubs were located in the major
communities of the county. Communities
such as Plainview, Mizpah, Hermes, Golden
Rule, Idlewild, Calvary, Progress, Shiloh,
Republican River after the 1935 flood with Gordon Hitchcock and Merton on the Corliss Ranch northeast
of Stratton.
KIT CARSON COUNTY
MAP
1988
Second Central, Rockcliff, Pleasant Meadow,
T80
Bethel, Fairview, Jewell, Flagler, Seibert,
norttl 4la9IS
GENEFAL NIGHWAJ MAP
Ol2
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KIT CARSON COUNTY
3t 32333{
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srfl & co. lltt
�The first of these was the catch-it-calf
progrnm, sponsored
by the Kit
Carson
County Cattlemen's Association. This pro-
t
grnm, the
first of its kind in
Colorado,
provides ten members annually the opportunity to catch a calf at the county fair and raise
a calf the next year for exhibit at the fair.
During the course of the year, members
involved in this program learn good manage-
ment and husbandry practices which they
can apply to other projects. Each member
involved is assigned a sponsor who helps
defray some of the costs of the project.
by Perry Brewer
BILL CHANCE
!a,t
MURDER
T82
From the Flagler News Issue Jan. lB, 1g48
President Harvey Korbelik is placing Green Valley's 4-H club seal on the Charter in the basement of Green
Valley school in 1951.
Stratton, Vona, Bethune and Burlington
contributed young men and women to the
fledgling "4-H" clubs.
Since 1915 there have been many changes
in boys and girls club work. Currently there
are twelve 4-H clubs in the county. Willing
Workers serves Flagler, Go-Getters, Seibert;
Merry Mixers, Vonal 4-Leaf Clover and
Country serves Stratton; Busy Bee, Bethune;
and River, Plainview, Smoky Hill, Green
Valley, Rural Route and Sunshine serves
Burlington and the surrounding area. On the
average each year there are over 250 4-H
members enrolled in the 4-H program in Kit
Carson County. Providing club leadership
are over 150 adult volunteer leaders who
teach project skills and administer over the
alternating years gives 4-H members who are
9-11 years old an opportunity to experience
outdoor recreation and to learn about wildlife
and soil conservation.
Since 1914 well over 4,000 people have
either been a member of or provided leader-
ship to the 4-H program in Kit Carson
County. 4-H has a long and successful
tradition in this county. In the 73 years since
its establishment,4-H has contributed manv
leaders to the community. 4-H has been an
important part of this county, and as long as
the traditional values it represents continues
to be reflected in the people of Kit Carson
County, the 4-H program will continue to be
successful.
From the clubs in the early 1900's who
local 4-H clubs. Seventy-three years has seen
vast changes in the types of projects offered
to 4-H members.
The second event established in the 1940's
emphasized only one project, today each 4-H
club offers a broad range of projects. Projects
ranging from beefenterprise to childcare, and
was the Annual Friends of 4-H and Achieve-
course the projects which were offered over
70 years ago are still provided today, but with
ment Banquet. The two fold purpose of this
supper was and is to recognize and thank
sponsors and supporters of the 4-H program
who have donated either their time, money
lor knowledge to the members and to recognize 4-H members and clubs for outstanding
performance during the year. Yearly this
event draws a crowd of over 300 members,
leaders, parents and supporters and ranks
second only to county fair as being the largest
4-H event held during the year.
The late 1960's and early 70's saw the
establishment of the Kit Carson County 4-H
Jnmboree. A showcase for talented 4-H
members. This event provides an opportunity for 4-H'ers to sing, dance, play musical
instruments, perform in theatrical skits and
plays and to show their skill in presenting
lemonstrations and illustrated talks.
In 1969 Kit Carson County 4-H joined with
Yuma County, Washington County and
Phillips County to form the Golden Plains
\rea 4-H Program. With the joining of these
:ounties developed an opportunity to share
deas across the county lines. As a result of
his sharing, the Golden Plains Area 4-H
)Fmp was created. The Camp located at the
)eecher Island Battle Grounds, The State
,akes (Hale Ponds) and the Flagler Lake, in
from foods to nutrition to electricity. Of
modern techniques included in the projects.
Being a traditional rural county, members
locally lean toward more traditional projects
such as livestock production and home
economics subjects.
The basic premise of 4-H has remained the
same from 1914 until today. To educate
youth in specific life skills, leadership and
citizenship. Fun is emphasized, as well, with
4-H club trips, tours and parties, occurring
year around. 4-H is a family organization,
parents and family members are encouraged
to become involved with the 4-H'er to provide
encouragement and support for the member.
There are many activities associated with
the 4-H program. As with most county 4-H
programs the culmination of the 4-H year is
the county fair. In Kit Carson County the fair
tradition has existed for over 70 years. For
one week during the year 4-H'ers from across
the county are in the limelight as they exhibit
their projects before the general public.
Cattle, horses, sheep, swine, as well as general
and home economics 4-H projects are judged
and ribbons and awards are given to the top
projects.
During the early 1940's two events were
established, which have survived until todav.
Jessee
Miller Receives Sentence
Jessee Miller 79, of Seibert was sentenced
in Colorado Springs last week to 10 months
in Kit Carson County jail, by Judge G. Russel
Miller in District Court.
Mr. Miller was convicted of involuntarv
manslaughter last October 2 for the fatal
shooting of William Eugene Chance, also of
Seibert.
Judge Miller granted Jessee Miller 20 days
to file a motion for probation, but said that
he must go to jail at once to begin serving his
gentence.
From the Rocky Mountain News
issue
Sunday Aug. 2, 1949
Jess Miller, Who Killed to Keep His
Mustache, Will Soon be Free
Colorado Springs, Aug. 20.
Miller,
- Jess
80, who shot and killed Willie
Chance, 4b
when Chance offered to alter Miller's handlebar mustache with a pocket knife, walks out
of jail this week-end. He walks out with his
famous mustache, which formerly sprayed
out in wild array from beneath his
neatly trimmed.
nose,
Sheriff O.C. Dunlap of Burlington, in
jail Miller has been since Jan. ?,
whose
revealed here today that only last week, when
for his weekly shave, the
spry old man suggested that his prize mustache be "trimmed up a little".
There will be no fanfare when Jess walks
out of the Kit Carson County Jail from a term
Jess was taken down
observers here thought meant
a "Life"
sentence.
"His term is actually up Monday, but I
trip pending and if it comes
through I'll let him out Sunday night,"
have a Texas
Dunlap said today.
No special meal will be served to observe
his departure since the jail cook goes on
vacation Saturday, Dunlap continued.
"He is as pert as a rabbit and had been
getting spryer every day he has been in jail,"
the sheriff reported.
Feared He'd Die. When Jess was sentenced
11 months in jail for involuntary manslaughter on a cold January day last winter,
it was feared the aged man, used to an active
life and already pacing and aching with the
confinement of jail, would not live out the
to
sentence.
Taken to Burlington to serve his sentence,
�ement plans including Stratton and Bur-
Jess has taken charge of the prison yard, he
has worked hard and steadily, been not a bit
of the Loom and Apple Computer, and its
staff spent up to 18 hours a day on location
of trouble, abandoned his cane, and is really
in good shape, Dunlap said.
during the production which began June
and was expected to end June 29.
14,
lington. The COG has established a transportation system for the elderly throughout the
area, and have assisted in purchasing mini-
county
buses for Burlington, Stratton, Flagler and
every Friday, and either Sunday or Monday
she will come and pick him up . . . and that's
resulted in a one-day delay of shooting, by
slowing production, restricting movement of
vehicles to and from the set, forcing a team
of horses to pull a stage coach through mud
six inches deep, (in this usually extremely dry
country), they had to use fake dust, and as
one crew member put it, "giving us an
outrageous cleaning bill." Approximately
10,000 feet of film was expected to be shot.
His faithful wife has come to visit him
all the celebration there will be, the sheriff
continued.
"I undergtand he and his wife plan to
return to Seibert, where Jess has his gas
station and home. at least for a short time,"
Dunlap said.
"I have advised him to move away from
there as soon as he can since feeling is still
running pretty high over the shooting of
Willie Chance."
to court
Threatened Him
- According
shot after having
testimony, Chance was
made threats to cut off the
mustache with a pocket knife.
old
man's
Evidence was introduced that Chance was
walking toward Miller and that his last words
were "You haven't got the guts to shoot me."
"People are split over 50-50 on the ques-
tion. and
I think it
would be best
if
Jess
moved away from Seibert," Dunlap continued.
"The Old man already has disposed of
some of his property to pay some $1000 worth
of court costs and I understand that he has
the balance of his Seibert holdings up for
Heavy rains which
fell in the
The focus of attention was centered around
four shots which showed the history of the
farm house progressing from the buffalo on
the prairie, to the stage coach, to the steam
engine, to the airlane. At the completion of
filming in Stratton, the staff will transfer to
Dallas where it will shoot the Texas City's
skyline which would be electronically impossible behind the farmhouse.
After two days of filming, an actor from Los
Angeles arrived for the close up shots, but
producer Jim Peters decided to add a woman
to the commercial. "We didn't want him to
look like some old drunkwho lived by himself
on the prairie." To fill that void, he turned
to the local community and selected Julie
Scruby of Kirk to make a brief appearance in
the commercial.
sale."
SEAGRAM'S
COMMERCIAL
also administers
s 4sels
mental
in the formation and funding for
senior centers and/or community centers in
Flagler, Seibert, Stratton and Burlington.
The East Central COG has established a
Revolving Loan Fund to assist with the
expansion and creation ofnew businesses and
thus new jobs in the county, and has been
awarded designation as an Enterprise Zone
which establishes special tax benefits for new
businesses in the county. COG also continues
to promote its Other Colorado program .
i.e,, Colorado' mountains are wonderful, but
so are the prairies, plains and plateaus!!!
Kit Carson County residents that were full-
time staff of the East Central Council of
Governments
in
1987 included Jo Downey,
Executive Director (Stratton), Virginia
Hubbell, Executive Assistant (Vona), Elizabeth Whipple, Senior Services Director
(Burlington), Treva Henry, Project SMILE
Manager (Burlington), Maudella Reynolds,
Bookkeeper (Stratton), and Del Polly, Revol-
ving Loan Fund Coordinator (Burlington).
Part-time
Kit
Carson County staff working
with the COG's Senior Services and Meals
Programs include Betty Bredehoft (Flagler),
(Vona), June Pottorff (Stratton), Emma
THE EAST CENTRAL
COUNCIL OF LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS
T83
It
program for the elderly and has been instru-
Bessie Walden (Seibert), Isabell Monroe
"He's talked some of coming to Burlington
to stay."
by Twila Gorton
Vona/Seibert.
Mullis (Burlington), Janet Davis
(Bur-
lington), Helen Robbins (Burlington), and
Debbie Adams (Burlington).
by Maryjo Downey
T84
Organized in 1973, the East Central Council of Governments is a voluntary association
of the town and county governments in
Elbert, Lincoln, Cheyenne and Kit Carson
Counties. Its central offices have always been
located in Stratton. Formed under authority
of state legislation which allows for intergovernmental cooperation, the COG is governed
COLORADO
WELCOME CENTER
T86
Research has proven that a warm welcome
and high quality information enhances the
eight-member board of directors
comprised of one county commissioner and
one municipal representative from each of
the four counties. Kit Carson County commissioners serving on that board duing the
by an
past years include: Ted Wickham, Ralph
Conrad and Doug Becker. Municipal representatives from Kit Carson County who have
Home hastily built in a wheat field to depict early
days to be used for a TV commercial, in Louis and
Margaret Leoffler's field.
Nearly 100 people buzzed around the farm
of Louis and Margaret Leoffler of Stratton
this week, (1987), working on the filming of
two commercials for Seagram's Four Roses
Whiskey.
Polestar Film and Photography Production of Hollywood was in charge of producing
the pair of commercials, one of approximately 60 seconds to be shown in theatres and
another of about 45 seconds to be shown on
television outside
of the United
States.
Polestar spokesman Brigette Peters repor-
ted, previously had been involved with
production of commercials for Porsche, Mercedes Benz, Puegeot,
BMW, Winston, Fruit
served as board members include Nyla
Loutzenhiser (Flagler), Les Hase (Seibert),
Zeke Kerl (Stratton) and Don Clemp (Bur-
lington). Dean Stevens, county commissioner
from Flagler, and Ken Yersin, city councilman from Burlington, are current board
members.
The Council of Governments has worked
on numerous projects over the years, many
ofwhich have benefited the entire region and
others that have impacted Kit Carson County
and its municipalities. Projects include the
Colorado Welcome Center at Burlington;
grants for Old Town and the Burlington
Indugtrial Park; the Stratton baseball field;
and the Flagler downtown revitalization
project. The COG has also assisted Bethune
and Seibert in developing financial packages
for new sewer systems and has worked with
various communities on mainstreet improv'
Colorado Welcome Center located on I-70 near
Burlington
�experience and extends the length of a
visitor's stay by an average of 2.74 days. This
extended stay means the expenditure of
additional dollars in not only
Kit
Carson
County, but throughout Colorado by travelers coming into the State on I-70. To
capitalize on these dollars, the Colorado
Tourism Board, Cityof Burlington, Colorado
Department
of
Highways and
the
East
Central Council of Governments worked for
several years to develop a Colorado Welcome
Center on I-70 near Old Town at Burlington.
The new center opens May of 1988 on a 10.5
acre site that was donated by the City of
Burlington. The Tourism Board will pay
$340,000 for building construction and landscaping, and the Colorado Department of
Highways has contributed $1 million for
construction of interchange, signage, parking
areas, lights and related tourist facilities.
The new center will be open year round and
staffed by a manager and local volunteers.
The Welcome Center's contribution to the
area's economy ie anticipated to be quite high
as it will assist in promoting Old Town, the
Carousel, and local businesses that cater to
the traveler. Kit Carson County Executive
Manager is Kendra Rhoades; Marge Jones is
Agsistant Manager. Volunteers working the
:
Notice the carving behind the saddle on the Zebra and the painting on back of the "sleigh seat".
first quarter of 1988 included Don Beethe,
Dot Beethe, Dovie Brown, Olen Brown,
Part
Margaret Collette, Don Clnmp, Irma Clamp,
Valorie Enfield, Torrie Haines, Peggy
Hubbell, Winifred Jn-es, Elva Powell, Vel
Pickard, Mary Richendifer, Oscarena
Schreivogel, Georgia Seabert, Sally Smith,
Lois Stevens, Stacie Stewart, Cherie Treib,
Elizabeth Whipple and Anita Wood.
by Jo Downey
1
The Kit Carson County Carousel is a
beautifully restored and fully operating
carousel located at the County Fairgrounds
in Burlington, Colorado. It is a 3-row stationary (the animals do not move up and down)
machine housed in a dodecagonal (l2-sided)
building. Manufactured by the Philadelphia
it was the sixth
of 89 carousels built by that company beToboggan Company in 1905,
Kit Carson County
Carousel is the only known carousel in the
nation which still has full original paint. In
tween 1904 and 1934. The
TIIE KIT CARSON
COUNTY CAROUSEL
T86
..:,,.1:.a:a ,i:,
1979, PTC No. 6 was designated a National
Historic Site by the U.S. Department of the
Interior and in 1987 it was awarded National
Landmark Status, making it the thirteenth
National Landmark in Colorado and the only
one east of Denver.
Forty-six hand-carved wooden animals
including a hippocampus (seahorse), a lion,
a tiger, a dog, zebras, cemels, goats, deer,
giraffes, and many magnificent horses march
counterclockwise on the Kit Carson County
Carousel. These elaborately detailed figures
are mounted on a 45-foot diameter platform
in rows of three.
The 16 outside row animals are the largest
figures and most intricately carved. Carvings
adorning the saddles or the animals, themselves, include full-blown roses, Cupids, a cat
with a mouse in its mouth, a goat's head, a
cornucopia, and a wooden medallion with a
sculpture of an Arab sheik. A giraffe has a
snake twined around its neck and on the neck
of a deer is a woodpecker. Behind the saddle
of the zebra is a gnome sitting in a shell
aiming a spear at the rider's seat.
The texture of the individual animals'
coats had been faithfully detailed and teeth,
slathering tongues, and hooves have been
carefully included. Toed animals have dewclaws and hooved animals are shod (even the
Indian pony). There are real antlers on the
deer and real horsetails on many of the
horses. All of the figures have glass eyes of a
color and expression suitable to the tempera-
ment of the animal.
Hand-painted decorations can be found on
each of the PTC No. 6 figures. An iron cross
is painted on the chest of the war horse, a
rising sun appears on the cnmel's saddle and
intricate flowers of varying design adorn
many of the inside row animals. The saddle
trappings are reminiscent of cavalry mounts
used in the eighteenth century Napoleonic
Wars.
Housed in the carousel is a 1912 Wurlitzer
Monster Military Band Organ. The organ has
Beautiful grey prancing horses three abreast, notice the paintings.
been fully restored and is very large, very
loud, and very wonderful to hear. The
"Monster Military Band Organ", or as it was
more mundanely known in later years, the
"Style 155", is a 100-key instrument which
�measures 6'10y2" high by 8'9" wide by 3'8"
deep. This large almost cubic box of brass and
wooden pipes used a music roll and sold for
93,250.00 in 1912. This style is known as "The
Monster" and its musical results are equal to
a band of from 12 to L5 pieces. The leaded
glass panels which admit
a view of
the
numerous brass horns inside may be opened,
thus making the organ sound much louder.
There are 30 pipes for basses, 22 pipes for
accompaniments, 100 pipes for violin, violoncello, stopped and open pipes and clarionets,
and 72 pipes for piccolos and flutes. The band
organ's brass instruments include 51 brass
trumpets and 10 brass trombones. There are
eight stops; 2 for piccolo and flutes, 1 for
clarionets, 1 for trumpets, 1 for trombones,
1 for stopped basses, 1 for open basses, and
1 for bass octavo. The band organ has two
drums
-
a snare and a bass.
by Maryjo Downey
THE KIT CARSON
COUNTY CAROUSEL
T87
Part 2
The drive machinery and center of the
by 45 oil paintings
mounted in tiers of three. The paintings
range in size from approximately 21/z x 31/z
feet to \Vz x7 feet and are representative of
the lifestyle and interests of the American
Victorian middle class. The artists of this
carousel are enclosed
delightful collection of American genre paintings and European romantic scenes are
unknown. These paintings are thought to
have been completed in an average of hours
rather than days and are done with varying
degrees of skill. Subject matter ranges from
landscapes to fullJength portraits such as the
"goose girl" and the Tom Sawyer-type boy
Armored horse in all its splendor.
teasing a cat. Styles vary from Post Impressionist to Realist.
There are four chariots on the Kit Carson
County Carousel. The two red chariots have
elaborately carved sides but the blue ones are
Huntley and I.D. Messinger, met with widespread disapproval over the $1,250, a sum
considered an extravagant expenditure in
hard times. Huntley and Buchanan chose not
to run for re-election in 1928 because of this
simply painted to look as though they are
carved. Each chariot has two seats and can
carry six riders. The back of each seat has a
painted landscape.
This carousel was originally manufactured
in 1905 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company for Elitch Gardens, an amusement park
in Denver. The carousel was operated at
Elitch's every summer until 1928 when it and
the Wurlitzer Band Organ were sold to Kit
Carson County for $1,250.00.
The county commissioners who approved
sentiment.
the carousel's purchase, C.J. Buchanan, G.W.
In 1931, the Great Depression forced Kit
Carson County officials to temporarily discontinue holding the annual fair. The fairgrounds and the carousel were neglected.
Cornstalks and hay for feed, made available
to local farmers through a government assistance program, were stored in the carousel
building and other available spaces on the
unused fairgrounds. Mice, snakes and pigeons infested the building and piles of waste
accumulated. In 1937, the county fair was
finally resumed. The old feed was removed
from the buildings and burned. The carousel
was scrubbed with soapy water, re-varnished
and operated once again. According to Harley
Rhoades, the commissioner who was perhaps
the most responsible for resuming the fair,
the carousel was such a mess that there was
much sentiment for burning it up with the old
cornstalks! The mice had devastated the
band organ, so Western and popular music
was played on phonographs or tape machines
for several generations offairgoers - about 45
years - until the organ was restored in 1976.
PTC No. 6 is unique because it appears
that each animal was individually chosen by
an Elitch's representative. At the time of the
original purchase, the animals intended for
No. 6 were finished and in the studio, waiting
to be mounted on the turntable, along with
animals destined for placement on machines
No. 7 and No. 8. The Elitch's agent, instead
ofaccepting the order as it stood, handpicked
the animals that pleased him from all of those
on the factory shelves, even though several
The beautiful dog with "Identification" on collar.
were not part of the Elitch Garden order.
PTC carvers traditionally stamped the underneath of each animal with the number of
its machine and row. During restoration of
the animals in 1979-1980. it was discovered
that several animals bore machine No.'s 7 and
8. It also became obvious after inventorying
the row numbers that the animals had not
�Deen
put back in the seme order as thev had
it was at Elilch's.
been on the carousel when
by Maryjo Downey
THE KIT CARSON
COUNTY CAROUSEL
T88
Part
in the celebration
county fair of 1976.
Although the Bicentennial was over, the
project continued, as did the committee now
called the Kit Carson Carousel Association
which today still is responsible for the overall
re,.qtq1"triott, maintenance
3
In 1975, a committee of county citizens was
formed to develop a project and join with the
rest of the nation
America's Bicentennial by choosing to begin
restoration of PTC No. 6 as the countv's
Bicentennial project. Art Reblitz of Colorado
Springs was contracted to restore the old
band organ, which after the many years of
disuse, was literally a "basket case'i. It was
returned, fully restored, just in time for the
of
and
operations.
Members include Bette Bailly, Irine Bancroft, Kathy Blakeslee, Don Clamp, Jo
Downey, Robbie Fearon, Jim Knox, Bob
McClelland, Joyce Miller, Will Morton.
Norma Pankratz, Edgar Pratt, Iris Roth,
A seaple of the artistic paintings to be
around the center of the carousel.
found
Mabel Scheierman, Jean Schlichenmayer,
Dorothy Smith, Ted Wickham, and Wiima
Notice the fabulous detail on the saddle on the camel.
Woller.
- Grant money and donations were sought to
further the restoration. John Pogzeba, an art
conservator from Denver, was contacted
regarding restoration of the 4b oil paintings.
In 1979, Morton was given a contract to
restore the original painted animals, the four
chariots, and the outer rim. This project was
eompleted LVz yearc later. Discovered during
the restoration was a great amount of th6
original gold leaf and painted decoration.
making
-this a priceless treasure
among
America's carousels.
The building which houses the carousel is
a l2-sided structure with a l2-sided cupola.
It was built in 1928 when the catousel- wa.
brought
to the Kit
Carson Countv Fair-
grounds. Some of the materials ,r."d in the
building were salvaged from early poultry
sheds on the fairgrounds. With the iZ large
doors lifted, the building becomes completely
open. In 1976, the building was refaced with
steel siding. Lottery funds from Kit Carson
County and the City of Burlington have been
contributed to establish a park around the
carousel. A 6-sided ticket booth with cupola
was constructed in 1986 and contains a large
leaded glass window of the Armored Horse.
The park is lit by Victorian street lsmps and
ornate park benches have been placed around
the outside of the carousel building.
On May 2, 1981, shortly after the balance
of the restoration of the animals was completed, the carousel building was broken into and
four inside-row animals stolen. The theft
he trade mark shown on the Donkey's saddle.
took place during a heavy rainstorm when no
one was at the fairgrounds, and at a time
when the burglar alarm was not functioning
properly. The theft of the three small horsei
and one donkey shocked not only the citizens
of Kit Carson County but carousel lovers all
over the countrv.
�Kit
Carson County Carousel Association
members tied yellow ribbons around the
empty poles and then initiated a nationwide
awareness program to make potential purchasers aware ofthe rightful ownership
ofthe
missing steeds. Five months later, the animals were located by the Salina police and
the FBI in a warehouse in Salina, Kangas.
The PTC figure had proved too "hot" to eell.
It was determined that their theft was but
one of several by a large Midweet€rn theft
ring specializing in antiques.
Itte tttt"" horses and small donkey had
received only slight dnmage during the
"Great Carousel Caper". They were returned
to their rightful places on the carousel after
a parade through downtown Burlington on
Oitober 31, 1981. The damage on the stolen
figures has long been repaired, the yellow
ribbons have been replaced by commemorative markers and the alarm system has since
been substantially upgraded.
will open
the
The Carousel Aseociation
carousel on a daily basis during the summer
as a museum beginning in 1988. Of the three
to four thousand wooden carousels that were
carved in America in the late 1800s and early
1900s, less than 225 remain today. The Kit
Carson County Carousel and the Carousel
Association have received numerous state
and national awards for the preservation of
what ig viewed by much of the nation as the
"Jewel of American Carousels"' In 1987, the
carousel was featured as one of five subjects
in a National Georgraphic special, Treasures
From The Past.
The carousel has brought national and
international recognition
to Kit
Carson
County and its restoration and preservation
is now an example to many
rural communities
and counties as to what can be done to
preserve an area's heritage when everyo-n-e
works together. The catousel's restorer, Will
Morton, states, "But a carousel is more than
served until 19?3. Larry Homm took the
position in 1974 and is the current president
of the association.
During the years of the association, an
emblem was designed by the mother of C.L.
Hines. The emblem is a frontiersman riding
a horse, carrying a rifle, traveling across a
map of Kit Carson County. The emblem is
still being used by the association today.
In 1946, the association sponsored the first
Catch-It Keep-It Contest, during the Kit
Carson County Fair. The little wranglers
caught young steers and then took them
home to bring back to the fair next year as
is
indeed
Kit
Carson
County.
by Maryjo Downey
KIT CARSON COUNTY
IIEREFORD
BREEDERS
ASSOCIATION
ton Schlepp, Idalia, CO; Director, Dave Reid,
Seibert, CO; Sales Manager, Susan Corliss,
Burlington, CO; Members: Thad J. Douthit,
St. Francis, KS; Earl Hedgecoke, Aurora, CO;
Moberly Hereford Ranch, St. Francis, KS-
by Susan Corliss
FAIRVIEW GRANGE
#2e7
T90
and Reserve Qftnmpion Herefords at the
County Fair. In 1966, trophies and plaques
were given out instead of money. Today,
trophies are sponsored for the Open Class
Champion Bull and Heifer, and a $200 award
is sponsored if the Overall Champion 4-H
Breeding Animal is a Hereford.
On the first Hereford tour, the ranches
visited were those of Cliff Hines, Ernest Notz,
Jesse Jnmes, Rell Morrow, Reuben Rhoades,
George D. Young, Jr., and John Homm and
Sons. Approximately 400 head of registered
Herefords were exhibited on the tour' In the
fall of 1981, a state tour was co-sponsored by
the Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders
Asgociation. Ranches visited include the
following: Reids Dez D Hereford Ranch,
Lowell W. Corliss, Homm Ranches, Inc.,
Fairview Grange Hall. The former schoolhouse, 11
miles south of Bethune. Known as Midway #50.
Purchased in October 1944.
World War 1 was in the offing, transportation was poor, and farm prices were much too
low, when 33 charter members met at the
Knapp School house on JulY 8, 1916 to
organize Fairview Grange #297 ' The charter
40th Annual Show and Sale in true style.
members were George and Mayne Keifer,
John Bloomquist, Floyd Richardson, Charles
and Grace Elder, Fred and Maggie Dodd,
Liltian Dodd, Lee and Lottie Raines, George
and Emily Loper, O.C. and Lizzie Dunlap,
Bert and Mary Loper, Alva and Anna Bacon,
There was a banquet on Thursday, February
2. at the Ramada Inn in Burlington. About
100 people enjoyed the meal. Everyone
ders, John and Lizzie Armstrong, L. Morgan,
Robert Gottbehuet and Sons' and Schlepp
were exhibited on the tour.
In 1984, the association celebrated their
County Carousel
lington, CO; Vice-President, Lowell W. Corliss, Stratton, CO; Secretary-Treasurer, Clin-
ing the 26 years, the 4-Hers caught 260 steers.
Promotion of the 4-H Herefords has been
important over the years. The association
started by a money award for the Champion
Herefords. Approximately 600 Herefords
dimension more than just experience,
more than just memories." The Kit Carson
tion are: President, LarrY Homm, But-
4-H project. The association sponsored this
until 19?2 when the Kit Carson County
Cattlemen's Association staded sponsoring
the present day Catch-It-Calf program. Dur-
magical
. . ' it has been called
County. The present officers of the associa-
a
friend of mine. I think of it as a spiritual
just
machine
-by a
a
Hines. he held the office for seven years. The
late F.E. Kneedler served for 16 years. Lowell
W. Corliss started as president in 1968 and
moved to the high school for the special
entertainment. Baxter Black, D.V.M., the
cowboy poet, entertained for two hours for
the audience of 200 plus. Since our banquet,
Baxter Black's column is now featured in the
Burlington Record each week. An open house
at the livestock pavilion, where
everyone viewed the cattle and enjoyed coffee
and beef jerky.
was held
Sherman and Clara Ellsworth, Fred Matthies. T.R. and Mrs. Penfold, Martin Lan-
Mr. and Mrs. O. Forster, C.E. and Blanche
Nickerson.
Soon there were seven Granges
in Kit
Carson County and alljoined together to buy
carloads of coal, feed and fruit at reasonable
prices. The seven community Granges were:
Grand Union #183, Tuttle, 1910; Golden
1944, the first sale was held and they
have had a spring bull sale every year since
then at the Kit Carson County Fairgrounds
Female was H MISS METRIC 8322 consigned by Homm Ranches, Inc. and the Reserve
Champion Female was MISS TITANESS
Rule #281, Burlington, 1916; Fairview #297,
Burlington, 1916; Mizpah #305, Burlington'
1916; Pairview #341, Cole, 1917; Jewell #344'
Burlington, 1917; Hermes #346, Hermes,
1917; Milestone #418, Burlington, 1935.
By 191? we had 108 members. Depression
days hit the Grangers hard. Grange dues,
always low, were dropped to one dollar a year,
just enough to meet the annual commitment
to the State Grange.
For several years Grange meetings were
conducted at members homes, then as membership picked up, they moved to what the
Grangers affectionately called "the Crackerbox Schoolhouse" West Faiwiew #20. This
Hereford Breeders Association has sold over
2600 bulls and females. A few herds in the
area were actually started through the sale.
The association's first president was C.L'
Catherine's Altar and Rosary Society did a
fine job.
The association is looking forward to many
frequently collected blue ribbon honors for
their displays of beautiful crops and garden
As usual the
T89
The Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders
Association was formed by a group of Hereford breeders in Eastern Colorado and Northwestern Kansas in the early 1940's. The
main function in the first years was a tour of
the members'herds.
In
with the Bank of Burlington as the clerk.
During those years the Kit Carson County
Kit
Carson County Fair-
grounds was the sight of the Show and Sale
on Friday, February 3. The show has become
a trade mark of our sale. The judge, Roger
Evans of Elizabeth, Colorado, started the
show promptly at 10:00 a.m. The Champion
Bull was 2M Ll BANNER 254 and the
Reserve Champion Bull was 2M L1 SELKIRK 1?4, both were consigned by Morgan
and Marcotte Cattle Co. The Champion
473 consigned by Lowell W. Corliss. As in the
past lunch was served on the grounds. Th9 $t.
more years of being active
in Kit
Carson
building was used until July 2, 1944.
Throughout this period, Grangers had a
booth at the Kit Carson County Fair and
vegetables.
�Fairview Grange organized two 4-H Clubs
in 1937 and the youngsters won many honors
including several major awards during the
Young Farmers and Homemaking clubs
red Jack Rabbit drives as rabbits were a real
problem in those years; they even dug out
roots of the winter wheat causing the fields
to blow as these years were also very dry with
small plant growth. Another problem was the
grasshoppers which moved in and ate everything in sight. The Farm Bureau and the
Extension Service built a grasshopper bait
mixing machine. Shipped in sawdust and
poison were mixed and sold to farmers at cost
to spread on their fields.
The 1941 records show H.M. Hines, President and Roy Bader as Secretary and in 1942
the insurance program got started through
the Kansas Farm Bureau. In 1943 Kit Carson
County had the largest Farm Bureau Membership in the state with Rio Grande County
close behind. Membership was 306 with a
goal of 500. Dues were 95.50 at that time.
In 1945 REA was being talked about and
Farm Bureau contacted farmers to sign up.
250 members were recruited for the REA that
year and grasshopper mixing equipment was
purchased to replace existing equipment.
In 1946, Mrs. C.D. Pottorff,beceme the
first president of the Association Women
(later Farm Bureau Womens Committee)
receiving 25 cents from each Farm Bureau
membership. A large paint sprayer was also
purchased as there seemed to be a need for
this in the county. ln L947 the Farm Bureau
organized the 10 acre wheat club which was
formed for the purpose of signing up farmers
during the fifties.
who would donate L0 acres
next eight years. In 1939, a Fairview Grange
girl was named the outstanding girl in the
county and won a trip to Chicago, Illinois. In
1944, two boys were lucky enough to win
calves in the County Fair "Catch-it-keep it"
contest. The 4-H activities continued until
1972 when there were not enough children of
the proper age in the Grange to sustain 4-H
work.
The Grange held many dances and its
female contingent served many lunches to
raise money for a variety of worthy community projects.
Several Grange members served in the
armed forces during World War II and those
who remained at home strove for food
production records. The Grange war bond
drives went over their quota.
The Grange also staged coyote and rabbit
hunts and gave all the proceeds to the Red
Cross.
Fairview Grange moved into its own building, a former schoolhouse eleven miles south
of Bethune, Midway School #50, on October
8, 1944. Every Grange meeting included
social activities. In 1949 the Grange furnished
#1 in the new Kit Carson County
Hospital and helped to landscape the
Room
grounds. Grange members were active in the
In 1964, the Grange hall was sold. Then
meetings were held in various community
rooms in Burlington.
The Grange had always been interested in
civic affairs and good education. Grangers
have always tried to combine social and
business affairs in the best interest of the
community as well as the Grange. Many
residents of the area will always remember
the Grange's annual oyster and vegetable
soup suppers every Januar5l and its summer
picnics in the park with ice cream and
watermelon.
The Colorado State Grange was organized
in
1874.
by Shirley Matthies
KIT CARSON COUNTY
FARM BUREAU
T91
The State Farm Bureau organization first
began in the early 1930's in Kit Carson and
Washington Counties. According
to
the
records of the Extension Service this organization resulted as the result of trying to form
county and community organization for the
betterment of life on the farms and ranches.
In the records of 1917 through 1920 of this
county we find that reference was made of
organizing community Farm Bureau and
Boys and Girls clubs. Minutes found back to
1935 show C.A. Buetell, President, and S.T.
Janett Vice President, both of Kit Carson
County. The Bureau worked closely with the
Extension Service seeking how it could
improve living conditions for the farming
community. Community Farm Bureaus were
formed and often the County Farm Bureau
meetings were held at the local community.
The local Community Farm Bureaus sponso-
of
harvested
wheat to the county for the new hospital. This
was a successful venture. Also a National
REA representative met with the county
Farm Bureau board to survey the County to
approve or reject application for the REA
loan. In 1949, the County Farm Bureau office
opened with Irene Morrow, Secretary and
Miss Bucholtz as assistant. Herb Klusman of
Flagler was president. In 1955 Eddie Fuller
becnme President and Orvel Aeschlimann
secretary. Hildegarde Aeschlimann becnme
Womens Chairman in 1956 following Mrs.
Luther Tatkenhorst. 1957 shows Art Gaines
of Flagler on the REA board. He reported
that the REA will rent electric hot water
heaters for $2.00 a month and electric stoves
for $5.00
month to be paid with the regular
bill and will belong to the owner when paid
for at that rate. The office secretary was paid
$100.00 a month at that time with hours of
f-5 PM. Truman Hooker was President and
Mrs. Busby was office secretary.
In 1959 our film projector was getting bad
and it was decided to let the County Commissioners trade it in on a new machine. They
would purchase it as the County Farm
Bureau had furnished the projector for the
County Agents to use for many years. It was
the new agent Dick Bartell became
our
permanent agent. We also cancelled Blue
Cross Blue Shield and joined the Zurick
American Insurance Co. Sonny Wright from
Flagler entertained us at the Annual Banquet. Dr. Ray was our speaker at our annual
meeting in 1965. He also spoke to all the high
schools in the County the following day
urging more patriotism in our great country.
Through the balance ofthe 1960's and the
70's and now in the 80's Farm Bureau has
helped accomplish many things that would
have been almost impossible for any one of
us to do alone. One event that stands out
concerned our sugar beet growers from Kit
Carson County and our county Farm Bureau
board ofdirectors. They were subpoened and
had to go to Denver for a hearing when Rural
Legal Services wanted to sue our beet growers
and have the hearing out of our county,
claiming prejudice, but not realizing our
Farm Bureau was a state organization having
petitions signed all over the state including
Denver. The judge dismissed the case.
Farm Bureau is a strong organization in our
county. They have sponsored a Crop and
Gardens Booth at the Kit Carson County Fair
for many years featuring many beautiful
displays of garden vegetables and field crops
grown within the county. The present office
building was purchased 10 years ago and we
are debt free. We have grown to where we
have
2 full time
agents. Our county is
represented by Hildegarde Aeschliman as
Womens Chairman of the Colorado Farm
Bureau, District 3 Womens Chairman, Dee
Cure of Stratton. and also a number of our
board members who serve on the District B
Commodity groups of the State Farm Bur-
eau.
At the
present time our board of
directors include Orvel Aeschliman, President; Jim Whitmore, Vice President; Florence Fuller, Womens Chairman; Dee Cure,
Secretary; Eddie Fuller, Gen,. Nichols, Dean
Wigton, Randy Gorton, William Cure, Bob
Cure, Eddie Herndon, Leland Strobel, Ted
Schaal, Bruce Unruh, Allan Pizel, Dennis
Coryell, directors.
by Orvel Aeschlimann
a
KIT CARSON COUNTY
CATTLEMEN'S
ASSOCIATION
T92
that we could etill use the new
machine if we needed it and the county agent
would operate it. 1960 saw Dewey Jackson as
agreed
President. The office was moved to the
Courtney Building and started selling Blue
Cross and Blue Shield health insurance. Mrs.
Bill Ford was office
secretary.
Jack Hines retired ag insurance agent in
1961 and Gary Long was our new agent.
Eddie Fuller beca-e District 3 Farm Bureau
board member. In 1962 the National Farm
Bureau Convention wae held in Denver with
Paul Harvey as one of the speakers. Gary
Long resigned as insurance agent to go and
finish his college education. Bill Ford filled
in and also Norm Travis sold hail insurance
temporarily. Truman Hooker helped until
ATTLEMEN'5
StocrAre
The emblem was designed by Janie Stahlecker in
1985 for a contest the association held.
�The Kit Carson County Livestock Associa-
tion was formed on or before 1898 as they
were holding meetings in the Claremont
School in 1899, with J.J. Pugh as president,
C.S. Wellman as secretary, and Chas. Farr as
treasurer. In June, 1901, an annual meeting
was held at Claremont.
The Kit Carson County Record was designated as the official paper of the Kit Carson
County Livestock Association in the year of
1903 in order that the paper could keep the
ranchers and stockmen well informed about
their livestock problems.
The overcrowding of the ranges seemed
more apparent all the time. Loco had sprung
up and had made a rapid growth everywhere.
Pink eye and black leg seemed to spread out
among the cattle at this time, causing great
losses to the settlers and to the cattlemen and
decreasing the number of cattle on the range
for a while.
In the spring of 1901, it was noted that a
new disease seemed to be affecting the cattle,
notjust the poor weak ones, but also the best
and strongest of the young cows contracted
it. No one knew what it was or what to do
about it. In every case the disease was fatal.
All were anxious for any information about
it. One of the heaviest losers of cattle was
W.W. Brinkley who lost between 60 and 70
head.
Then the next year there was an outbreak
of the "Texas Itch". In order to cure this the
cattle had to be dipped. Ranchers Parks and
Wellman of Claremont had dipping plants
and they were kept busy most of the time.
This dipping was a move in the right
direction as the disease was doing the
infected herds a good deal of harm and the
only cure was in application of some sort of
germicide.
The "Texas Itch" or "Mange" as it was
later called spread so fast among the cattle
that many ranchers became so alarmed that
the Kit Carson County Livestock Assn. tried
to do something about it. W.W. Brinkley was
appointed as Stock Inspector to check on the
herds.
C.S. Wellman, Secretary of the Kit Carson
County Livestock Assn., issued the following
notice to the stockmen in June of 1903: "The
stockmen should remember that the Annual
Meeting of the association will be held at
Claremont, June 6, 1903. Mr. F.P. Johnson,
Secretary of Cole Cattle and Horse Growers
Assn., has promised to attend and give a talk
on organization and the State Board of
Inspection Commissioners would be there
and give a talk about mange and brand
inspections. Tell everyone interested in stock
raising to be present and enjoy the rich treat
that will be given by these gentlemen. The
business meeting will be at 10:00 sharp. The
speaking 1:00 sharp.
Cattle infected with the mange or itch
could be detected in the following way: The
animal would show
a
constant desire to
scratch or rub. The coat would be rough and
bald spots would become encrusted with a
scaly scab. If one or more animals were
infected the whole herd would be considered
infected.
The "Mange" finally ran its courge and was
completely eradicated due to the combined
efforts of all concerned. The number of
cattlemen attending the Kit Carson Livestock Association meetings started to fall off
and before too many years no meetings were
held at all as there seemed to be nothing of
vital importance to come that affected cattlemen. The association became inactive.
In the early 1900's the cattlemen were
trying to improve the quality of their cattle.
Harry Cox, one of the big ranchers, went east
to get some good blooded stock to add to his
herd.
Cattle at this time were selling at $3.75 to
$4.00 a head for calves and that was consider-
ed a fair price. Many were contracted for
future delivery around the Flagler area at
that price. Some were contracted at an even
lower price.
Good yearling calves from a registered bull
were selling at $12.00 a head.
Cattle would be pastured for $1.00 a head
for the entire season, May 1 to October 15.
Salt and good water and good care would be
given them.
The shipping prices at this time were very
high in comparison for what the cattleman
received for his cattle after they reached
market. Some declared that they hardly
brought enough to pay the shipping bill.
The association was active off and on
through the next several years. On December
15, 1941, a group of men, composed of George
Baxter, Fred Page, C.E. Murphy, B.H. Short,
Claude Erwin, A. Pugh, George Ohrman, H.J.
Geiken, George Bancroft, Rosser Davis, A.W.
Adolf, Harley Rhoades, O.C. Dunlap and
Charlie Peterson, met at Stratton, Colorado,
Bureau Meeting to consider
reviving the Livestock Assn., with O.C.
at a Farm
Dunlap as the president and Rosser Davis as
the secretary. They agreed to affiliate with
the Colorado Stockgrowers and Feeders
Association.
The purpose of this Association was to
improve the quality of cattle raised in Kit
Carson County, and to study their diseases
and cure. Also to work on the tax assessments
and laws on legislation concerning the cattle
industry.
In
L944, they started sponsoring "The
Catchit" calf contest at the County Fair and
kept this practice for a number of years, until
the Kit Carson County Hereford Breeders
took it over. For several years they held a
cattle grading demonstration at individual
farms.
In 1953, the Cattlemen's Association sponsored a stocker and feeder sale. Buyers from
far distances came to these sales because of
the good quality of cattle offered for sale,
most of them being raised right here in Kit
Carson County, These sales went on for many
years.
Kit Carson County has been an
"Accredited T.B. Free" area for cattle since
in the 1930's, when all herds had been tested
and all T.B. cattle disposed of.
In 1958, the cattlemen started working to
get the county a "Certified Brucellosis
(Bangs) Free" area. The neighboring coun-
ties were doing likewise. 1962 saw the comple-
tion of this project.
The cattlemen have been busy during the
last few years in many ways. In 1979, the Kit
Carson County Cattlemen's Association continued its support of the 4-H Livestock
Judging Team. Youth in the county is very
important to the association, they are our
leaders and future in the cattle industry.
Our beautiful landmark at the fairgrounds
is a pride throughout the county. A donation
to the restoration of the Carousel was definitely in line from the cattlemen in 1979. The
ending result will be the pride of the future,
too.
Years ago a plastic steer was purchased for
a promotional tool in the county. [t was used
in some parades and then sat for several years
unused. In 1981, it was suggested to make a
special platform for the steer and put on
official display. The steer can now be seen on
Highway 385 next to the John Buol Feedlot.
The cattlemen's association sponsored a
Light Cattle Management Seminar held in
Stratton. In 1982, Colorado State University
was doing this seminar throughout the state.
The cattlemen in the area really benefited
from it.
The CSU Extension Office in the county
has helped the association so much during
the years, a thank you just isn't enough. With
the changing years, the office was in need of
a
computer. When brought to the cattlemen's
attention in 1983, they were glad to donate
$1,000 to the computer fund. The Extension
Office has been a great help in preparing for
the 1986 Colorado Cattlemen's State Convention. The computer saved many hours of
work and frustration. It has also helped
update our membership list for the regular
mailings and the annual membership drive.
Besides all the help the Extension Office does
with the Feedlot Performance Contest, without them it would almost be impossible to get
everything done on time.
The Futures are always a concern of the
cattlemen and the farmers. Lots of discussion
has been held on the Futures, in private and
public. November of 1983 found Lowell
Corliss and Ralph Conrad attending a Fu-
tures Meeting
in
Denver. There were
11
states represented and at the end of the day
it was agreed that the Futures are detrimen-
tal to the cattle industry. Resolutions from
the associations were sent to the different
state associations encouraging that something be done about the Futures. Through
the state associations or the National Cattlemen's Association, today this is an issue
that is still being worked on.
The Kit Carson County Fair is one of the
biggest events in the county. The fair queen
has lots of responsibilities during that week
all during the year representing the
county at other events statewide. The cattlemen and cowbelles were approached to
sponsor new leather banners for the queen
and her attendant. In 1984, the first leather
and
banners were made which the girls would be
able to keep after their reign. Shandra Adolf,
1984 Kit Carson County Fair Queen, wore the
banner sponsored by the Kit Carson County
Cattlemen's Association, The association
also sponsored the banner for Becky Corliss,
1986 Kit Carson County Fair Queen.
The association also works hard at continu-
ing the Catch-It-Calf program during the
county fair. Russell Corliss is the chairman
and fair superintendent over this event.
The cattlemen enjoy working with the
community. They have served two barbeques, one in 1984, for the dedication of the
new county airport. In 1985, for the Mike
Lounge Day - to celebrate the communities
own astronaut!
The cattlemen continue with their Feedlot
Performance Contest as a fun and learning
experience. The contest also provides the
funds to annually give out a scholarship to
each school for a senior that will be going into
an agriculture major. Hopefully encouraging
the growth of the industry.
The present officers and board of directors
�make the association strong and able to
continue, they are: 1986-1987 President Charles Clapper; Vice President - John
Nichols; Secretary - Lowell W. Corliss;
Recording Secretary - Susan Corliss, Board
of Directors, District 1, Jim Dobler, Rolland
Nider, Gary Rhoades, District 2, Roger
Kliesen, Patrick Hornung, Ron Gramm,
District 3, Gregg Loutzenhiser, Eddie Fuller
and Ervin Jones.
by Susan Corliss
KIT CARSON COUNTY
COWBELLES
T93
On October L4, 1954, the cattlemen and
their wives had a dinner meeting in the
Montezuma Party Room in Burlington. The
purpose of this meeting was to organize a
Cowbelle group in Kit Carson County. The
Cattlemen attended to their business and
Marguerite Klamm from the State Office
explained the work of the Cowbelles. The Kit
Carson County Cowbelles was then organized, with Burdine Homm elected to serve
as president, and Avis Bader elected
as
secretary.
The Cowbelles metwiththe Cattlemen and
arranged for the social and entertainment
part of the meeting, and had charge of the
refreshments. The first year they were organized, they gave cookbooks (Beef recipes) to
most of the new brides in the county.
To take care of their finances, they would
serve at the various cattle sales in the countv.
They affiliated with the State Cowbelie
Association.
The Cowbelles have been active during the
past twenty years plus, on their own and by
working with the
Kit
Carson County Catt-
lemen's Association. During these years, they
have had several presidents. The years were
unavailable which they served. Mabel Parke,
Mabel Scheierman, Florence Fuller, Anita
Price, Nancy Pratt, and presently Virginia
Corliss have been the presidents to keep the
association alive.
Years ago the Cowbelles worked together
to
make a beautiful brand quilt. Hazel
Mitchum embroidered the quilt and Nettie
Hasart quilted it. The quilt was then raffled
off and won by Mabel Parke.
The Kit Carson County Cattlemen's and
Cowbelles'Annual Banquet is held in April
each year. The Cowbelles furnish their brand
nepkins, placemats, and table decorations.
The table decorations are always given away
as the Cowbelles' doorprizes. Most years
feature a raffle for a leather tooled clock,
telephone book cover, album, hanging lamp,
or many other leather items.
The Cowbelles created a brand napkin
years ago. The napkins are used at the
Annual Banquet every year and for many
years at the Hoof and Horn Restaurant. In
1985, with many of the brands outdated, the
Cowbelles revised their napkin. The napkins
were really appreciated during the Colorado
Cattlemen's State Convention in 1986.
To help promote the beef industry, the
Cowbelles have entered several floats into the
Little Britches Parade. In 1982, the Cowbelles float followed the theme, "Now and
Then" on how to cook beef (from the
sampfire
to the outdoor
barbeque). The
Cowbelles took first in their division.
For three years, the Cowbelles gave the
Kit
Carson County Memorial Hospital beef to
serve
to its patients on Father's Day. This
EASTERN PLAINS
ANGUS ASSOCIATION
T94
project was cnlled Beef for Father's Dav.
Later, the Cowbelles continued the Beef for
Father's Day. Something new for Father's
Day? Yes, they surprised one "Expecting"
father. The first baby born on or after
Father's Day won his/her new Daddy a beef
certificate at a local grocery store. Iris Roths
was the chairman for the Beef for Father's
Day for several years.
The June Beef Month continued in 1982
with all the June brides receiving a Cowbelle
Cookbook from the Kit Carson Countv
Cowbelles. Gay Cure was the chairman of the
June Bride Committee.
The Kit Carson County Fair is always a big
event in the county. The Cowbelles have
offered their support in several ways. The
past six years the Kit Carson County Cowbelles have put up an informational booth
with all kinds of beef tips and also offering
the Cowbelles Cookbook for sale. In 1984 and
1986, the Cowbelles have sponsored the
Carson County Fair Attendant's banner.
Kit
During the Beef Round-Up in lg82 at
Digchner's IGA, the Cowbelles lent a hand.
One day during the promotion Marcia Kliesen handed out packets of literature. During
the rest of the two weeks, the customers
sampled Beef Brownies, Beef Candy, and a
couple more of the recipes from the Cowbelles Cookbook which were made bv Virginia Corliss. Dischner's IGA placed in the
Beef Round-Up Contest.
In 1984, the Cowbelles again helped by
passing out beef samples. The Kit Carson
County Hereford Breeders Association celebrated their 40th Annual Sale. The Cowbelles
had a booth il1d gnmples of Beef Jerky made
by Susan Corliss.
The Cowbelles gave a donation to the 1g84
Cattle Drive for Hunger campaign. The drive
was to help the less fortunate through
organizations such as the Salvation Army.
The Career Days in the Stratton High
School found the Kit Carson Countv Cowbelles promoting beef. With lots of litlrature
and the Colorado Cowbelles Beef Buzzer
Board, the Cowbelles were kept busy by
juniors and seniors from all over the local
area. Marcia Kliesen,, Dee Cure, and Virginia
Corliss worked during the Career Days.
The Cowbelle Beef Cook-Off is a big event
at the State and National levels. In 1984 and
1986, Kit Carson County has had entries. The
Colorado Cowbelles have started a new cookoff. The Beef Bash is designed for Home
Economics students in the state. The Beef
Bash was held on March 28, 1986, in Greeley,
Colorado. The Kit Carson County Cowbelles
put an added incentive for the schools in the
county. One entrant from each school would
receive 925 and show their display at the 1986
Annual Banquet. The student participating
was from Stratton - Patsy Miltenberger. She
received Honorable Mention in the contest.
Officers for 1986-1987: President
-
Vir-
ginia Corliss; Vice President - Marcia Kliesen and Secretary - Sharon Powell.
by Susan Corliss
The Eastern Plains Angus Association was
formed in 1952 to market Registered Angos
cattle.
The Colorado Angus Association asked
that districts be formed to help market
Registered Angus. The districts and associations did not stop at the county or even the
state line. Many members were from different counties and the edge of different states.
These sales were held annually at the Kit
Carson County Fair Grounds cattle barn. One
sale was held at Producers Sale Barn.
Eastern Plains Angus Association had a
sifting committee that went around and
checked the cattle at the different consigners,
this kept the quality of the cattle offeied in
the sales high.
The first president was A.W. Adolf from
Bethune, Colorado. Some of the directors and
officers were: Marvin James, Burlington;
A.W. Lambert, Yuma; Floyd Witmore, Burlington; W.R. Rehfeld, Arapahoe; Paul pollreis,
Kit
Carson; Chester James, Burlington;
Jim Redfield, Arapahoe; Bill
Lambert,
Yuma; Terry James, Burlington; Carlyle
James, Burlington; Doren Whitmore. Burlington; Bill Koeller, Vona; all from Colorado
and William A. Davis, Goodland; Edwin
Rainbolt, Kanarado; Ted Eberhart, Kanarado; all from Kansas.
In 1944 A.W. Adolf bought approximately
20-25 head of registered Angus cattle from
Mr. T.A. Smart from Missouri. He became a
lifetime member of the Aberdeen Angus
Association in May of 1949. Other Angus
breeders and commercial Angus breederJ of
Kit Carson County are: Lyle James, Burlington; Joe Garner, Stratton; Jacob Smit,
Vona; Ray Plummer, Burlington; A.W. Adolf,
Bethune; Buck Fisher, Flagler; Sidney Hunt-
zinger, Flagler; Al Kitten, Stratton; Dave
Richards, Burlington; Harry Smit, Vona;
Burton Smit, Vona; Eddie Fuller, Flagler;
Roy Johnson, Burlington; George Paintin,
Stratton; Guy Paintin, Stratton; Wayne
Davis, Burlington; LeRoyJones, Flagler; Gus
Schreiner, Vona; Rueben Schreiner, Vona;
John Smith, Vona; Benny Schreiner, Vona,
all of Colorado. This is only a partial list.
by Chet James
DYNAMIC
DIMENSIONS, rNC.
T95
Dynamic Dimensions, Inc. was originally
incorporated as the East Central Colorado
Regional Board for Developmental Disabilities in November 1974. Following the com-
munity centered program concept its purpose
is to provide services for those with developmental disabilities in east central Colorado. The board's first program was the adult
life enrichment class that began in July lg7b
in Burlington. This activity skills and vocational training center used the current administration building at 1778 Martin Avenue
from February 1977 to August 1g80 and
moved adult programming to a new facility
�educational program.
at 1776r/z Martin Avenue. On February 24'
1986 the ECCRBDD officiallY became
James Leoffler published the
The DDI workshop provides vocational
training for about 2? adults and features the
manufacture of items that are aseembled
primarily with the use of indugtrial sewing
machines and we recycle aluminum cans.
Work evaluation to identify job potential for
gain skills
in
idjustment and socialization. Special education studenta between 16 to 21 years of age
are also placed at
DDI if the staffing
Carson County and
sion and assistance
to accommodate individ-
ual needs.
The residential program began in January
19?7 with the opening of one co-educational
group home for six adults at 1776 Martin
Avenue. This home is currently a residence
for eight females, focusing on personal and
domestic skill training. A new home at 212
Marion opened in January, 1981, and provides independent living skill training for six
males. These homes prepare residents for the
semi-independent apartment
next step
living in the- community. Residential courtselors are available to work with these adults
on personal skills and adjusting to community living. As these adults move into total
independent living in the community, follow
along counselors are available to assist them
as needed.
by Douglas S. Deines
THE JOIIN BIRCH
SOCIETY
T96
The John Birch Society was founded by
Robert Welch, a successful candy manufacturer. The Society was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana during a two-day presentation on
December 8 and 9, 1958. Robert Welch chose
John Birch as the name of his organization
from a Baptist missionary in China who was
murdered by the communists a few days after
WW II ended. John Birch's beliefs and ideals
very much embodied what the John Birch
Society supports: Loyalty to God, Family,
in surrounding
areas
(approximately 3000). "Moment of Thought"
was frequently published during the year and
discussed many topics quoting the
"Congressional Record", J. Edgar Hoover,
and many other authoritative sources. The
"Moment of Thought" was the leader in
Jim Leoffler and Charlie Turner, Charlies 2
children.
process
identifies needs appropriate for vocational
training there.
Developmentally disabled people have
potential for growth, development and learning. In order to realize this potential' they
muit have the opportunity to make decisions,
experience normal daily living, take normal
risks and cope with normal consequences'
exercise rights and freedoms, and take responsibility for as much of their own lives as
pbssible. Our living situations are intended to
provide training, guidance counseling and
normal life experience to facilitate the developmentally disabled persons growth toqard
more independence and self-reliance. This
assumes that individuals entering our progrqm have the potential for and in fact will
be moved into more independent situations.
We do recognize, however, that not everyone
will progress at the same pace' nor will
everyone always reach a level of independence where they will not need some supervi-
Carson
December 5, 1961. This was an informationfilled letter mailed to every box holder in Kit
community placement as well as work activity for individuals in the workshop setting is
also included.
The life enrichment area allows clients to
minimum academic, work
Kit
County Chapter's "Moment of Thought"
with the initial edition being written on
Dynamic Dimensions, Inc. (DDI).
opposing the wheat referendum. The wheat
referendum offered government controls of
wheat farming. The referendum was defeated
in Kit Carson County by a two to one vote.
and Country.
The information from the "Moment of
member on March 18, 1962. The local chapter
of The John Birch Society was organized in
Kit Carson County on October 16, 1961. Don
the truth again prevailed.
James Leoffler joined the John Birch
Society on May 8, 1961 and becane a life
Vondra from Boulder, Colo. was the first
state coordinator. The first presentation of
The John Birch Society was held a month
earlier at the Leoffler home where nine
members joined. All but two members continue to live in the community and still are
active in The John Birch Society. The
chapter membership slowly but steadily
grew. The John Birch Society's goal is to
return the responsibility of running our lives
to each individual by returning to the very
limited government that is allowed in the
U.S. Constitution. The Constitution sets up
a Republic, not a Democracy. Our Founding
Fathers realized that a Democracy is a very
dangerous form of government. Our Constitutional Republic is limited basically to
national defense only. All other responsibilities are reserved for the states and individ-
uals.
The John Birch Society is non partisan and
functions only as an educational organization. Its sole goal is to educate the American
people to the dangers of big government. The
quantity of government is more dangerous
lhan the quality of government. This is done
through meetings, handouts, expert speak-
ers, billboards, books, films, videos, letters,
and many other lawful means.
The Society endured some turbulent years
during the 60's. The troubles started when
members decided to put up along U.S. 24 a
large "Impeach Earl Warren" sign in early
December 1962. Earl Warren was the U.S'
Supreme Court Chief Justice at that time.
The decisions made by the Warren Supreme
Court were unconstitutional and destroyed
those freedoms guaranteed by the U.S.
Constitution. This large sign was burned
down, the poles were chopped down, and
many other attempts were made to destroy
Thought" snowballed until the referendum
was soundly defeated nationally two years
later. Everyone said it could not be done but
Every year the local members traveled with
books, brochures, and other educational
materials to the National Western Stockshow, Cheyenne Frontier Days, Colorado State
Fair, and Kansas State Fair. The members
visited many county fairs presenting information to interested Americans.
"Get U.S. Out of the U.N." billboards have
also been an integral part ofthe JBS progrnm
to inform the American people to the dangers
of World Government. The billboards are
today there warning how the United Nations
is designed to destroy America's sovereignty
and, therefore, abolishing the freedom we
enjoy. JBS members went from door to door
having citizens sign petitions demanding that
the United States get out of the United
Nations. Today the JBS declares that the
United States must get out of the United
Nations and the United Nations must get out
of the United States. Americans are awakening to the dangers of the United Nations.
"strike for Less Government" was published in two editions to counter the American Agriculture Movement's demands for
more government involvement in agriculture.
The demand for parity was asking for total
government. "Strike for Less Government"
proved that the government is the "middle
man" who is charging the consumer the high
prices. The local chapter stated that returning to the competitive free enterprise system
was the only solution, the government had to
be removed.
"Tax Reform Immediately" fliers
are
distributed to inform the American people
about how the U.S. Congress is spending
America into debt and thus charging our
posterity for our expensive spending programs today. These fliers help show the
American people how most of this spending
is unconstitutional. Also, it shows how each
this sign. The members rebuilt the sign after
each attempt. Our freedom of speech and
private property was under attack. James
Leoffler was interviewed in front of the sign
by a Denver television station. "The Denver
Congressman and Senator votes on spending
bills and how much it costs each of us.
Today The John Birch Society also publishes every three months the "Larry McDo-
published many articles and pictures concerning these signs. A "Newsweek" reporter
with the communists is suicidal for America.
Why do we spend $300 billion a year to
protect ourselves from the communist countries but then give them loans, technology,
Post" and "The Rocky Mountain News"
but the
"Newsweek" editors only published a picture
of the sign. Some of the people who were
misled and helped to destroy the signs came
back later and helped put the signs up again.
Some even apologized for being deceived and
thanked the John Birch members for their
interviewed James Leoffler
nald Crusade to Stop Financing Communism." This flier shows how aid and trading
material, and foodstuffs so they can continue
to threaten us? This flier algo shows how each
congressman and senator votes on bills
dealing with aiding and trading with the
communists.
�John Birch Society members vigorously
promoted "Stop Aid and Trade" petitions to
send to the United States President, Colorado and United States Senators, and this
area's United States Representatives to stop
any further aid and trade to the communist
countries. Approximately two-thirds of the
Kit Carson County residents signed these
petitions.
The local chapter ofthe John Birch Society
sponsors expert speakers for presentation in
the area. They mail books, magazine reprints,
and any other pertinent material to local
residents. Local Chapter members take part
in local parades advocating the importance of
less government and how powerful groups of
people are trying to direct America towards
a World totalitarian government. This World
government would offer no freedoms to the
people of the world and would be operated
closely along the same framework as that of
communist countries.
The John Birch Society follows its slogan:
Truth is our only weapon and education is our
only strategy. The truth always proves just
and the American people are beginning to
realize that America is in trouble and what
the Society is presenting is being proven
correct. The John Birch Society is the
voluntary association of individuals whose
ultimate goal and belief is that with "less
government, more responsibility, and - with
God's help
-
a better world."
by James Leoffler
ELECTRIC
ASSOCIATION
TS7
Blomendahl, Roy Bader, and C.L. Hines of
Burlington, Elmer Kueker and Art Gaines of
Flagler, John Schritter of Bethune and Earl
Livingston of Seibert. The first officers
elected were
Art
Gaines, president, Earl
Livingston, vice-president, and Elmer Kueker, secretary-treasurer.
Trips to Washington, D.C. followed
a
formal application to REA, but the proposed
unit was not considered feasible by REA in
view of the high cost of power in this area.
Changes in an application plan were turned
down a second and third time, but the board
persevered despite the grim prospects for
REA coming to this area of Colorado. In
March, 1948 the board began negotiating
with Inland Utilities with offices in Hugo. In
May final arrangements were made for
purchase at a meeting in Kansas City attended by board members, Inland officials and
REA officials. In the summer of 1948 the first
loan of $3,875,000 was approved by REA.
This loan was to cover the purchase oflnland
properties in this area and defray the expense
of building the distribution system into Kit
Carson County and a generating plant. Hugo,
Bovina, Arriba, Seibert, Vona, Stratton,
Bethune and Cheyenne Wells were being
served by Inland Utilities and the Town of
Flagler was purchasing power from Inland on
a wholesale basis and retailing to its consumers. On September 10, 1948, Elmer Kueker as
treadurer ofthe new REA unit wrote and gave
a check for 955,000 to Inland officials at
Hugo. The new organization had already
been incorporated under the name of K.C.
Electric Association. John Rose, who had
served as manager for Inland Utilities, was
retained as manager for K.C. Electric, as well
as all other Inland employees.
The first major project was construction of
108 miles of main lines and the construction
of distribution system lines throughout Kit
Carson County. Completed in 1951, the first
rural installation occurred on Thursday,
April 26, 1951, at the home of Herbert
Klusman, southwest of Flagler. By July the
west half of Kit Carson County was mostly
energized. The Korean conflict caused shortages of aluminum and copper materials but
in general construction proceeded fairly close
to schedule. On May 5, 1951, KC Electric
began taking power directly from the Bureau
of Reclamation Big Thompson project over
the power.
L. Hines, Elmer Kueker, Earl Livingston, Art
nes, Thornton H. Thomas (attorney), John
systems in the towns served by KC Electric
began in spring 1952 with Hugo; Flagler and
Arriba in 1953; and later Seibert, Vona and
Schritter
Records indicate that the first formal
action in organizing an REA cooperative in
this area of Colorado was in 1942 at a Flagler
fiarm Bureau meeting, when Art Gainesjsr.
pas appointed to look into the matter. Some
palk had gone on in the'30's around Flagler,
put nothing transpired in that regard until
[he fall of 1943 when a committee appointed
py the Kit Carson County Farm Bureau
pomposed of Art Gaines and Elmer Kueker
pf Flagler and Roy Bader of Burlington began
pork to obtain an REA unit for the Kit
parson County area. Following meetings with
from influential groups
late
1944,
the
up" for REA began in
"sign
fn
[,he county in January of 1945. During 1945
Jnany representatives
meeting of interested persons in the county
elected the initial board of directors: George
h
lines that came to Limon; from there KC took
.C. Electric Association original board of direcrs elected in 1945. L. to R.: George Blomendahl,
The rebuilding of electric distributions
Kit
Carson, closing with the rebuilding in
Stratton in fall 1954. Subsequent loans were
approved which enlarged the area served into
rural Cheyenne County. KC now serves 4,236
consumers with 2,201 miles of line in Kit
Carson, Cheyenne and Lincoln counties.
Annual operating revenue exceeds gl million.
'r-+
I
rl
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
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Book
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Kit Carson County
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
history
Description
An account of the resource
A history of Kit Carson County as record in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/421/Memories.pdf
184ea68e01942c9373c7ac51b265e5ba
PDF Text
Text
ON BEING AN O.I.C.
T447
I was so pleased (to put it mildly) when
they told me I could be an Officer-in-Charge.
The fact that I'd never heard ofthe place or
had any idea of where it was located didn't
bother me at all. As it turned out, the little
town (Stratton) is about 25 miles from the
Kansas border, and a friend kept teasing me
by saying such things aB "you better take
groceries with you 'cuz they might not have
stores out there in "Kansas". Other alleged
friends recounted horror stories ofwinters on
the Eastern plains and told me how desolate
it was. By the time I left
home, I had the car piled full with things I
would need for camping out; planning on no
electricity, running water or inside plumbing.
The last things I strapped on were a wash tub,
my grandma's gcrub board and my little dog.
and windswept
I headed east, my car turned into a
Conestoga wagon. The land was so flat that
the level ground seemed higher than the road.
I felt like I needed to stand up to "see". There
was a momentof apprehension as Pike's Peak
faded from view but then a spirit of advenAs
ture swept over me and I could hardly wait
to begin my new job.
The first day I was at the new office, the
local newspaper man came over. He was also
the owner, the photographer, the pressman,
and the delivery boy. He wanted to photograph the dear, departed REAL Postmaster
and the "new lady". The next evening, I went
to the one and only restaurant in town, the
Golden Prairie. An oldtimer, wanting to show
hospitality to the "new lady" put a rattlegnake's rattle on the table near my plate.
Gleefully, with missing front teeth, he told
me "old George caught 500 of these just
outside of town last summer". I touched it
gingerly with a fork handle and being careful
of the inflection in my voice asked why old
George "caught" them. He gave me a look
that seemed to marvel at my stupidity and
said, "Why, lady, he sells the meat to fancy
restaurants . . . tastes just like chicken, ya
know". He ambled off before I could ask if the
Golden Prairie was on the snake hunter's
client list.
I spent a few days rearranging the furniture
in the office. It was one of those "open"
offices where you couldn't even sneeze with-
out a customer saying "gesundheit". They
would come into the lobby at 8, watch us
scurrying around and say "The REAL Post'
master always had the mail boxed out by
now", or "Ain't ya done yet?", or "Whatcha
been doin' all morning?"
My days were also filled with running back
and forth between the front counter and the
bor section. No one in town used their P.O.
box keys. In the mornings, the older folk
would come in and say "Let me have my mail
and Gertie's too (some ancient or infirmed
neighbor) and then "No, I don't know what
is. .
it's around the corner
there, kinda high up. The REAL Postmaster
her box number
.
it to me". In the afternoons, the
children would come in'kin I have my dad's
always gave
mail, please" standing on tiptoe, big
eyes
beseeching, and my heart would melt. In the
meantime, Dad had already been and asked
for his own mail, and mom and grandad's too.
Duringthe third week, people were beginning
to say, "Oh, I forgot my key". By the fourth
week, we had put the Postal Service in the red
with a booming business in key sales.
The office has two clerks, both of whom
It was suspected that he had killed Allen, who
was the foreman of the Bar T Ranch, which
have been with the Service for several years.
covered several miles along the Republican
River. He supposedly hid in the ditch and
shot Allen as he rode by.
"They can do everything the REAL Postmaster can", I was told. Try as I might to be
decisive and assertive and convince them
I
was no dummy, they knew I was in deep .
. water. . when I spent hours up to my ears
in the Account Book, Stamp Ledger, DMM,
F1 and the FOM. There was also
the
spasmodic hiccuping of the calculator and the
waste basket filled with reams of tape that
gave me away. But they are so helpful and I
appreciate them more than I can express.
In one week's time, we had three major
storms, one of which was the worst of the
entire winter. My friends were right; the wind
roared and howled and blew for a solid 48
hours with gusts up to 70 miles per hour.
When I opened my front door the next
morning, I discovered two feet of snow
against it and there was a four-foot drift
behind my 4-wheel-drive vehicle. I shoveled
a path out to it, walked around it, looked
under
it
and behind
it
and walked back
inside, shaking my head because I knew I
couldn't get it out. I looked wistfully at my
fuL\ Club card but knew that even if I had
a 'phone, there was no tow service to call in
this small town.
Finally, my determination and not-to-bedaunted spirit took over and I lunged back
out to my car. After all, had I not survived
past winters in a place often called the coldest
I wasn't about to let a
little ole eastern plains "blow" get me down.
I rocked it back and forth and then with a
mighty roar, when over and out of that drift,
amid cheers and smiles of watching neighspot in the Nation?
bors. I lurched and lumped away over the
frozen, drifted road to open the Post Office
for another day ofbusiness. All the roads into
town were closed and no mail trucks could get
in, but we were there to sell a stamp or
commiserate about the weather.
By the next morning, the snow was piled
even higher, but someone had plowed the
Post Office parking lot and had even shoveled
a little path to the rear door near where I
parked my car. These people take pride in
"their" Post Office, and that day especially,
I felt really proud to be part of it. I look
forward to the day when I can be a REAL
Postmaster.
Written while Interim Postmaster at Strat-
ton, 1984
by Michele McHenry
THE MUNSINGER
STORY
T448
When Anna and Herman Homm and
children came to Colorado in 1892 they
rented some land on the ledge where the
Launchman and Republican Rivers meet,
just above the Bonny Dam is now located. To
the northwest of them lived the Hracheck's.
He went to Denver and worked in the brick
yards for months at a time. Southwest of the
Homm's lived the Munsingers. Mr. Munsinger was a locator, who hated all cattlemen.
in those days
between the cattlemen and homesteaders.
Munsinger was notliked in the community.
There was much friction
The Hracheck's hogs had wandered over to
Munsingers and when Mrs. Hracheck went
after them, Munsinger beat her up.
One night Munsinger went to Herman
Homm's to get some medicine for one of his
children who was sick. Munsinger was wearing a pistol which was not unusual for men
in those days.
The Homm's oldest daughter, Lena, went
outside to get a bucket of water from the
pump.When she came back inside, she said
she had seen August Meyer, a bachelor, who
worked for several of the ranchers, and Mr.
Hracheck coming from Burlington in a spring
wagon. They had gone to town to swear out
a warrant for Munsinger's arrest.
Abruptly, Munsinger said he had to leave.
Right after he went out, they heard a shot.
August Meyer came hurrying into the house
and blew out the kerosene lemp. He was
carrying a rifle. Herman Homm lit the lamp
again. He wanted to be able to see what was
going on since he did not trust Munsinger.
A little later Hracheck pounded on the
door, then ca-e in and said, "I killed him and
I had a right to".
That night Munsingers body was covered
and left just outside the door where he had
fallen. They had to wait for the coroner to
come. During the night it snowed and the
body couldn't be seen. Gutting, another
neighbor, who lived about 2 miles west of
Herman Homm's, nearly stumbled over the
body when he came the next morning.
Gutting said in German, "Turn the swine
out". He hadn't liked Munsinger either
because Munsinger had burned
down.
his
house
The inquest was held the next day at
Herman Homm's house. The body was
brought into the kitchen and laid on a bench.
Since it was winter, and the only heat in the
house was in the kitchen, the children, Lena,
Kate, Minnie, Alma, Mary, George and
possibly Tillie and John had to go to bed in
the other room to keep warm since they
weren't allowed at the inquest.
At the inquest, Meyer and Hracheck
testified that Munsinger was wearing a pistol,
had called them names and had threatened
to kill them. Later August Meyer told Anna
Homm that Hracheck had suggested to him
that since he was a bachelor, he should say
that he had killed Munsinger, then skip the
country before the trial. Anna told him she
thought he shouldn't confess to the murder
if he hadn't committed it, just to make it
easier for Hracheck. He said he guessed he
shouldn't either.
No one ever went to jail for the murder.
Munsinger was buried
in the
southeast
corner of his place and was later moved to a
cemetery.
At the inquest, Mr. Dangberg, the consta-
ble, who lived northeast of Idalia, told
Herman Homm, "If you had done it, it would
have been alright, but the ones that did kill
him were no better than Munsinger".
This territory was then Arapahoe County
and Denver was the County Seat.
by Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Homm
�RATTLESNAKE
TALES
T44S
An early day resident recalls an incident of
about the year 1895, which happened to him
at an old ranch about five miles west of
Arlington, around 20 miles north of Rocky
Ford, Colorado. This boy was still a lad in his
teens when he had this experience.
He was in charge of caring for some cattle
and horses for Charley McCabe, during the
owner's absence. The adobe was a large, oneroom house. The lad blanketed down on the
floor in a corner of the room. There were no
bedsteads.
After going to bed, yet not asleep, he heard
a noise which he thought might be a bug. He
heard the noise as it passed by the head ofhis
bed where he lay and went on toward the
northwest corner of the room. He raised up
to get a match to see what it was. He said,
"Behold, it was a big rattle snake!"
Being kid-like, he was so excited that he
tried to hold a match in one hand for light
while trying to put a boot on with the other
hand. By the time he had his boots on and
the old lantern lit, he threw a few sticks at it.
The sticks were the kindling he stored to cook
his coffee and biscuits next morning. Then by
the dim light of the lantern he watched the
snake crawl along until it crept into an old
cupboard secured from the back of an old
chuck wagon. Those old cupboards also were
called a mess box.
The door to the cupboard was off; therefore, it made a good place for the rattler to
seek refuge. The lad said he was at a loss
knowing how to get the snake out so he could
kill it. Finally he took a piece of paper and
set it afire and threw it back into the box, thus
warming up the rattler.
At this point, my
friend began laughing so hard it was difficult
for him to relate the story!
When the rattlesnake retreated from his
lair, the lad was standing near the side of the
cupboard for protection and struck the
gnake's head with a small piece of firewood.
He thought, perhaps, the rattler had entered
through a mouse hole near the door. Next
question was, would there be another; so,
being sort of squenmish about going back to
hia original bed, he decided he would change
his corner.
There was a heavy table in the room, made
from 2 x 6lumber. He decided he would be
safe there, so he rolled up his bed quilts and
placed them on the table where he slept
soundly the rest of the night.
Another tale of horror comes from my
friend . . . There was a shack on the Smoky
and he resided there for awhile. It was
wonderful to have some company in early
days as
it
was rather lonesome living alone.
There was a man who came along at dusk in
the evening; rather it was really dark by the
time this young fellow and his company
entered the shack. The man planned to eat
supper and stay overnight.
They were really enjoying a good conversation and visiting when the young man
reached over and picked up a piece of wood
to make some shaving with which to start a
fire in the stove. Their only light was from an
old lantern. By experience, we who have used
kerosene lanterns know their feeble light is
very inadequate to light
a room. Deep
shadows shroud the corners. Since the first
piece ofwood was too hard to cut for shavings,
he reached for another.
He heard the frightening rattle of a snake.
The visitor grabbed the lantern so the snake
could be seen more clearly. By that time the
snake had started
to crawl back into
the
corner. The young man pinned the rattler to
the floor by using another piece of wood; the
snake then backed up, pulling its head out of
the hole and they finally succeeded in hitting
it on the head.
My friend, who was the young man in this
story, laughs a lot as he tells these tales and
remarked "that was one time I was glad I had
company to whip the 'snake's tail'."
by Grace Corliss
4.H YEARS
T450
4-H was a happy time when I was growing
up. Many young people belonged to 4-H.
We had a club in our neighborhood, and
north of us was a very large number of young
people in 4-H club work. There was also a
large club south of Vona.
One year all the clubs met at Vona, and we
went on the train to Burlington to stay three
days at the fair. The girls stayed in a tent, and
the boys stayed in the barns with their
animals.
In remember Bertha (Boger) Wear stayed
in the tent with us. I thought if I lived in town
I sure wouldn't stay in that tent! We were
about out of food our last meal and Bertha
made us pork and bean sandwiches. They
were plenty good.
One summer the 4-H clubs canped for two
days at what was called Davis Lakes
- towhat
the
is now Bonny Dam. I remember going
Art Boese home south of Vona to a 4-H club
picnic. One time after a big rain we girls were
walking to our leader's home. The ponds were
full of big frogs, so we took off our long
stockings and filled them with frogs. When
y€s, you have
we got to our leader's house
guessed, we had fried frog legs.
by Fern Summers
C.IV.
SMITII
T45l
A Flagler pioneer corrects history of the
town, by a letter to the editor of the Neurs,
on Oct. 25.1934.
Elbert Co. Republicon", though I'm not sure
except that it was, the 'Republican'. Cunningham moued upon the site of the uillage
soon after. After about d year, Cunningham
left and the 'Republicon'ceased to be.
On my pre-emption claim southwest of
town, and later on the northwest quarter of
Sec. 25 south of town, I printed a small
religious paper,'The Messenger of Loue'.In
early Oct. '91', W.H. Lavington and David
Swayzee induced me to begin a local paper
and I named it'The Flagler Aduance'. Atthe
Jan., 1892, session of the Co. Commissioners,
the Aduance was given the contract for all the
county printing for that year. Perhaps the
only time it all went out of Burlington.
As I remember, in Jan., '93', the commissioners gave the printing to the Burlington
Republican and the Aduance, but I do not
remember what share to each. (In 1894, the
Aduance was given an even smaller share and
finally expired of starvation in Dec. of that
year.) I failed to say that the Ad.uance was
moved from the country to the home I built
for it in a story and a half building, north of
the section house, which I sold in '96'to Fry.
It may be ofinterest that one ofthe earliest
church services held in the Flagler neighborhood, I held in a shack or vacated saloon
building in the bottom some 40 rods northwest of the Republican railroad bridge,
perhaps July 25, 1888. Malowe, as we tried to
call Flagler first, was mostly a village or camp
of tents, W.H. Lavington had just opened a
grocery store in a tent. I was a customer of
his. The post office was in a god shack a mile
farther east, and the eccentric postmaster
had it named Bowser in honor of this canine
companion.
My homestead was the NE quarter of Sec.
35-9-51, which with my tree claim aCjoining
it on the south, I sold in the late '90's'to Edley
T. Epperson for
$400.
The editor of the Ad,uance taught a four
months school at Cope, carried the Star
Route mail six months to Arickaree and to
Thurman, then taught 8 months at Vona.
Part of this time I was driving to Cope twice
month to conduct services for the CongregaI was called to take
charge as home missionary of the Flagler
a
tional people. In 1896,
field, Flagler with 20 members, Stratton
(then Claremont) 24 members and Arriba, 10.
Flagler paid 960, Claremont, $60, Seibert $25,
and Arriba, $30, and the Missionary Society
paid the remainder.
This will show the cause of mv interest in
Kit
Carson Co.
Sincerely yours,
C.W. Smith
by C.W. Snith
Dear Mr. Guard.
I read with
interest Bessie Guthrie's
"History of Flagler" in your issue of the 18th.
There were one or two inaccuracies quite
natural for one not on the scene in those olden
days. In July, 1888, I started from Decatur
co., Kans., for Elbert Co., Colo. I am quite
it was July 23 ofthat year, that I entered
Colo. and Elbert CO. at Kanarado, and
reached Crystal Springs the next day. The
DEATII OF PIONEER'S
BABY
T462
sure
25th I started to look for a claim in the Valley
of Mud Spring Draw, southwestof "Malowe".
We stopped at a shack on a ridge, a quarter
of a mile east of the present town limits. In
that shack a young man, Arch Cunningham,
was printing what I think was the second
I believe "The
issue of the Republican,
-
"Februar5/ 12, and 15, 1887, were clear
warm days and we newcomers thought we
were going to have several days of good
weather. Three of the neighbors took advantage ofthis and started to town for hay, grain
and provisions. One of my neatest neighbors
went, also another neighbor who lived nine
miles farther, making him forty-four miles
from town. His child had what he though was
�a cold with some fever. He said to his wife:
'I will go to town today and will be back
tomorrow night and will bring medicine for
the child.'Kissing his wife and baby good-bye
he start€d on the longjourney before daylight
on the morning of February 15 with a team
that had lived on half rations all winter as the
grass for miles and miles around had burned
off early in the fall. Late that evening the
little child died. The young mother was all
alone in the dugout. She started across the
prairie about eight o'clock to a neighbor
about three miles away, carrying the dead
child in her arms. This man lived alone as his
wife was to join him on the homestead in the
spring. Between sobs she asked him to go
about nine miles to a friend's home and bring
her back with him. This friend was our
nearest neighbor. The man stafed on his
errand and the heartbroken young mother
trudged back to her dugout hugging her dead
child close to her breast. The reader will
understand that we left our buggies and
spring wagons back east and had only heavy
wagons. The mode of travel was slow and
tedious.
The man arrived at our neighbor's home
about midnight and related his sad story.
This woman said: 'My husband has gone to
town and I am afraid to take the children with
me as it might be diphtheria or scarlet fever.'
She told him there was a young man living
on the claim south of them, but that she did
not like to take her children to him so late at
night, but if he would stay until morning she
would get the neighbor to take care of the
children and go to the sorrowing mother.
piece of fat meat from which he seemed to
derive much pleasure, especially if we were
generous with sugar. While we were out doing
chores the little girl came running out, yelling
that the baby was choking. We ran to the
house and, locating the trouble, jerked the
meat out of his throat. Later he cried some
more and we gave him more meat, but this
time tied a string to it and after fastening it
to the foot of the bed, charged the little girls
to pull on it if the baby showed signs of
choking.
About sundown we saw a dark object far off
on the prairie which we were sure was the
children's mother. Bundling up the children
we started to meet her. How glad the mother
was to see her little ones safe; so were we, to
know that the responsibility was off our
Peaches .25, Eggs .25, Meat 1.80, Coal L.?5,
Apples .25, Beans .25, Rice .25, Soap .25,
Sugar.50, Coffee.25, Tea.25, Raisins.20, Lye
.10, Blueing .05, Wash tub 1.25, Broom .2b,
Starch .10, Coal oil .25, Pepper .10, Thread
.10, Gingham 1% yds. .10, Wash board .25,
Water pail .50, Grain 1.17, Postage Stamps
.20. Total amt. for March $21.15
by Joyce Miller
1959 BLIZZARD HITS
STRATTON
T454
shoulders.
The neighbors who had gone to town on the
15th had been delayed by the blizzard and
did not arrive home until the morning of the
18th, shortly before sunrise, and with them
the father of the dead child. By this time
others had come. We failed to find a loose
w
board to make a coffin, but pulled one off the
side of the stable. We laid a pillow in the little
box, but when the young mother saw it she
cried bitterly. She said that it was more than
she could bear to see her baby put away in
that rough box. She brought a black dress and
asked that it be cut up and used to trim the
coffin. Soon two feminine hands had made a
wonderful change in the appearance of the
little box.
The funeral was held'that afternoon. We
were
all a bunch of
inexperienced young
Toward morning it had snowed about two
inches, but when daylight ssme it qrss snlm
with a heavy black cloud in the south west
which soon spread toward the northwest.
Soon the wind whipped to the northwest and
between the snow that was already on the
ground and what was coming down, we were
in the midst of one of the worst blizzards that
we ever went through, and have seen a good
many of them. The storm was terrific until
about nine o'clock in the evening. The
morning of the 17th was bright, clear and
crisp with long drifts of snow here and there.
We could not help feeling out of sorts with
the elements which one day play such havoc
and the next morning turn around and ask
the first child buried in what is now Yuma
County, then Arapahoe County.
This gives the reader some faint idea of the
heroism of those young wives who came to
Colorado in the days when the land was
forgiveness.
young, leaving comfort, friends and relatives
Soon after sunrige we saw a team and
wagon approaching with several people in it.
They proved to be our neighbor's wife and
three children. She told the sad story and
asked us to take care of her three children
far behind to stand beside stalwart young
husband who fought to wrest eastern Colo-
people so there was no funeral service beyond
an attempt on our part to sing a hymn, repeat
the Lord's Prayer in concert and sing another
song.
While singing at the grave, which was a
little distance from the dugout, we heard the
mournful howling of three coyotes on a little
hill nearby. We quickly placed ourselves
FuIl corrals face ranchers
between them and the young mother and the
children and frightened them away."
This eightcen month old child was perhaps
rado from the desert.
by Mary E. Evans
that day. We felt we could take care of the two
little girls, but were not sure about the three
month old baby boy. However, we were
willing to do our best. She said she had just
given him a good breakfast and he would
probably sleep until noon, but ifhe awakened
and cried very hard, we should give him a
piece
FRANK BOGER
LEDGER
of fat meat to suck. With these
instructions they started on their way, for we
all realized that the young mother and been
all alone in her dugout with her dead child
two nights and a day through the blizzard.
When they arrived the young mother was
putting a pretty ribbon on a little dress.
With the three children we had in charge
all went well until about eleven o'clock when
the baby boy opened his big blue eyes and
looked around for his rDirnmo, We allowed
him to cry until the little girls said he might
get spasms, then we hurried and gave him a
T453
The following was taken from an old ledger
of Frank and Flora Boger. Shows expenses of
:::i::r;iii
:r..'{1''i
Snow, snow, snow!
the month. Frank brought his bride to
The season's first snowfall of the year came
Colorado:
March, 1896
Stove Pipe $.60, Stove 1.00, Tobacco .20,
Meat .35, Crackers .25, Apples .10, Overshoes
1.00, Lodging 1.00, Horse Collar 1.00, Candy
.10, Corn .30, Crackers .25, Coffee
.25,
Matches.05, Meat.30, Sausage .25,Beef. .20,
Bread .50, Corn .50, Sugar .20, Bread .25,
Canned Fruit .48, Flour .90, Potatoes .45,
in the form of a paralyzing
blizzard that
whipped across Eastern Colorado closing
traffic on all highways - but best of all
brought welcome moisture to relieve the
several year drought condition.
All
highways
in
Eastern Colorado were
closed beginning early Friday morning and
because of the huge snow drifts many side
�roads were still closed Wednesday and will be
blocked for a number of days yet.
The moisture began falling
Thursday
evening about 7 p.m. in the form of a very wet
snow and as the night proceeded the wind
velocity increased. By early Friday morning
the wind velocity was at least 70 miles per
hour whipping the west snow into huge snow
banks. The velocity of the wind did not begin
to diminish until the middle of
Friday
afternoon; however, the blizzard did not
abate until late Friday night.
According to the local weather man 1.13
inches of moisture fell in the Stratton
vicinity. Drifts of at least ten feet were seen
about town, inundating cars.
Schools at Vona, Stratton, Burlington and
Seibert were closed until Wednesday because
of the
blocked roads. Even then much
difficulty will be encountered by school bus
drivers when they pick up and deliver the
school children for some time because of the
depth of the snow. Seibert schools opened
Tuesday while Stratton schools did not open
until today, Thursday.
Although the snow drifted badly the
temperature never fell below 20 degrees so
that much of the snow melted where it fell or
drifted.
This storm covered a large area including
Wyoming, northeast and eastern Colorado,
parts of Nebraska and Kansas.
Much concern was in evidence about the
town of Stratton all day Friday, during the
storm. because of the K.C. Electric maintenance crew, James Hansen, Albert Gwynn,
Max Toland and Sam Crocker, who had left
in their trucks about 2 a.m. Friday morning
when the storm interrupted power distribu-
tion in this area.
About 3:30 a.m. Max Toland and Sam
Crocker became storm bound when their
truck slid off Highway 24 about 800 feet east
of the driveway at the Jack Luebbers farm
home. But since they did not see the farm
home or could tell otherwise where they were
located because of the dense, fogging wet
snow, they remained in their truck until 1:30
p.m. Friday when they made their way to the
Luebbers home.
James Hansen and Albert Gwynn bucked
the blizzard until their truck became stalled
in a huge drift on highway 24 about three
fourths mile west of Bethune. They stayed in
their truck until the blizzard let up enough
so that they could make their way to the
Eugene Taylor home in Bethune. Each of the
crew had radio facilities on their trucks but
because of the storm could not contact the
Hugo central station but a few times.
In the meantime, the wives of the crew and
friends made preparations to look for the
men. They knew the approximate places the
trucks had become stalled because of the
radio contact. About 7 p.m. eleven men with
two cars and a tractor left Stratton in search
of the linemen. The men, J. Oscar Smith and
son Richard, Lee Carpenter, Vic Carpenter,
Tom, Gene and John Clark, Bob Best and
Mike Lewis found Max Toland and Sam
Crocker safe at the Jack Luebbers home
about 8:30 p.m. All the men then went on
from there battling the drifts and arrived at
the second stalled K.C. Electric truck about
midnight. Hansen and Gwynn had left their
truck but a note in the car informed the
searching party all was well.
The highway snow plow left Burlington
about 5:30 p.m. Friday and never reached
Stratton until about 6 a.m. Saturday, having
worked through the night to open the 18
miles of highway.
John Buol of Burlington lost five cattle
when they drifted onto the railroad tracks
near Peconic switch station between Burlington and Stratton, and were killed by the
railroad snow plow.
A number were reported to have lost
livestock in the storm. Ernest Cure lost ten
head of cattle when the animals took refuge
in a ditch and were covered by the drifting
snow.
Tom and Jim McCormick lost a number of
in the storm. Other rumors of stock
dying in the storm could not be confirmed at
the account book showing expense when he
was out working were; dinner at Hugo 25
cents, horse shoeing 75 cents, bed and
breakfast 50 cents and personal items such
as overalls 55 cents and rope 40 cents.
At round up time in the spring and fall,
representatives ofall the outfits were present
to handle the cattle and identify their own.
About 1896, when he was working for Met, he
was with a round up group camped at the
Limon Breaks after a big blizzard. While
night herding the cattle, the cowboys listened
all night to the wolves howling from nearby.
The boys in the round up crew slept cold in
sheep
their tarpaulin
this writing.
Mrs. Fisher, the former Stella D. Strode,
came to this county by covered wagon also in
beds.
1887. She was born at Mason, Texas, and her
by local newspaper
FISHER
T466
Mr. Fisher, who passed away January
10,
1959, at the age of 83, had spent 72 years in
this part of Colorado, and had the
rare
privilege of seeing this area change from the
prairie that had known little change for
centuries into our present day world.
The days of the big cattle outfits whose
cattle ranged over thousands of acres were
already numbered when he came here. Homesteaders were beginning to settle the land
and a few years later Mr. Fisher, himself,
located on a homestead and began ranching
on his own. Mr. Fisher was like other young
men of his day, a working cowboy, working
for the big cattle outfits in the area. He took
part in many round ups and was known at
that time as one of the best bronco busters.
Although Colorado had become a state in
1876, about ten years later when Mr. Fisher
and Mrs. Fisher (who was then Stella Strode)
came here, this part of the state was mostly
prairie with only a few inhabitants. Large
cattle outfits were located here and there
where there was water and ran their stock
over many thousands of acres. Mr. Fisher
worked for numerous cattle outfits, one of
them being the Quarter Circle. The Quarter
Circle worked from the Fort Morgan area to
the Arkansas River with headquarters where
Sugar City is now. At the time Mr. Fisher
worked for them they had 425head of mares
from which to raise their saddle strings.
In speaking of the early days, he recalled
the last buffalo hunt which occurred in 1887.
The last two buffalo ever seen in this area
were railed to the flats north of Seibert after
being flushed from gullies northeast of Hugo
and were shot close to Hell Creek.
Mr. Fisher also recalled the big
father had migrated
to
Missouri, then to
Colorado where he took up a homestead on
the Republican River. It was known for a long
time as the Ranney place.
The Fishers and the Strodes were among
the first settlers to arrive and their
houses
were mostly dugouts and sod houses. They
recalled that near what is now Flagler the
Pugsley Brothers of Hugo had a small cabin
and some corrals. At that time the railroad
had not been built so settlers had to go to
Akron or Haigler, Nebraska, or to Hugo for
supplies; the trips taking several days depending on the distance traveled and the means
of transportation which was usually a horse
and wagon.
The Fishers were married in Flagler on
May 6, 1903, and moved to her homestead
where they went into the cattle business. Mr.
Fisher was the first in this area to breed up
a herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle.
Another highlight of the cattle business
which occurred about 1918 was the building
of a community dipping vat at the Fisher
place. At that time it was a great improv-
ement over anything that had been used.
This was a cage-type affair into which the
animal was loaded and dipped in the vat with
power furnished by a team of horses. It was
built at the Fisher place due to the central
location. and the number of corrals available.
It was in use for several years with ten or
twelve men there every day working with the
stock during the dipping season.
The Fishers retired in the mid
1940s.
moving into the town of Flagler.
Copied from the Flagler Nears, February
12, 1959.
by Editors
RATTLESNAKES
T456
Texas
Not many years in the past, Orval Monroe,
who lived ten miles north and one and a half
east of Vona, found a den of rattlesnakes on
his farm. He was driving his car and saw a
snake. While killing it, he saw another. His
brother came to help, and in two hours they
cattle drives, the last two of which were in the
springs of 1892 and 1893. The big herds of
cattle were being moved from Texas to
Montana when ranching was begun there.
Later Mr. Fisher told his family he wished
that he had gone along on those drives. At
that time he was employed by W.N. Leeper
on a ranch southwest of Flagler.
A family keepsake is a small account book
and with the help of other men, that day and
the next, they killed a total of one hundred
that he began work for the Met Cattle outfit
in December 1896. The late C.J. Farr, father
of Duncan Farr, was the foreman. Items in
and twenty-five.
They now knew why the little Monroe girl
had been bitten by a rattlesnake a few days
earlier.
South of Stratton we also had a den of
rattlesnakes. This was near the Herb Griffith
put out by a livestock commission firm,
Blachard, Shelly and Rogers of Omaha,
Nebraska and Kansas City. In it he noted
killed eighty. Within the
space of five acres
�fields and all fields had to be fenced to keep
range stock out of crops. Framing was done
with horses and mules. A few homesteaders
LIFE FOR THE
HOMESTEADERS
T467
A new day dawns on the prairie, a quite
undisturbed land with its own familiar
sounds - the song of a meadow lark and a
turtle dove as they greet each new day, the
yapping of the coyote as they prowl the
prairies at night; sounds that remain unchanged with the passing of time. By the time
the homesteaders came, the Indian camps
were gone, the large herds of buffalo, once so
numerous in this area, had disappeared - all
that was left as a reminder of their presence
were buffalo chips and bleached bones of
buffalo carcanses that dotted the prairies.
farm. Tom Holm, Bob Piper, Bill Ferhenbach, Ray Schlichenmayer, Bill and Herb
Griffith, were some of the men who helped in
that vicinity. They would hunt in the spring
and in the fall. Results one time: twenty-five,
fifty-five, sixty-eight. They never failed to get
good results. Dead rattlesnakes are good
results!
Mrs. Harvey Wood found
a four-foot
rattlesnake in her garden about the time of
the Monroe killing.
Mrs. Nick Stoffel also killed one in her
garden here in Stratton.
In earlier years, Leo Klotzbach was bitten
by one. No hospital, no serum! Dr. Beechley
was the resident physician here then. Leo has
not verified, as it was rumored, that Dr.
Beechley knew herbs, as did our grand-
parents, and picked a prairie herb that helped
in the healing of Leo. Even then he was sick
for a long time, but did reeover.
Mrs. Leiber and Mrs. Cecil Eisenbart, both
from south of Stratton. were bitten while in
their gardens, but there was serum available
closer to home. Blocks of salt were kept out
for stock.
There was lots of hard work, but communities found time for pleasures, too. Neighbors
were neighbors
-
always ready
to lend a
and wagon, drove around looking for bones.
The bones were sold and shipped to a place
where they were ground and used as fertilizer.
wagons with barrels of water and head in the
undulating buffalo grass. There were soapweeds, pancake and pin cushion cactus, plus
a variety of wild flowers that bloomed each
spring. There were birds that nested on the
ground, prairie dogs, prairie owls and rattle
soaked gunny sacks in water to beat the fire
out. They sometimes plowed a ditch as a fire
guard to stop a fire. People exchanged work
at harvest and threshing times, or when ever
any extra help was required such as laying up
sod, building buildings and fences. Commu-
snakes, as well as bull snakes, hog snakes.
There were ground squinels, jack rabbits,
cotton tails, badgers and coyotes. All this and
the prairie was still treeless.
The homesteaders had many hardships to
contend with coming to a virgin buffalo grass
prairie - to an unmarked piece of ground that
was to be their new home, with no buildings,
no water, no trees, no fences
-just a vast open
prairie land with nothing as far as the
eye
could see. Brave, courageous, pioneers of Kit
Carson County - Homesteaders. The first
and most important things to be done were
to provide something to live in and a well and
windmill. The building material available
was sod, so that is what most homesteaders
first buildings were made of.
It was an open country with free range for
cattle and horses. It was not free range for
sheep. Sheep could graze on the buffalo grass,
but only with a herder. Sod was broken for
trouble. Prairie fires were not uncommon.
and any and all who saw smoke would load
direction of the smoke to fight fire. They
nity basket dinners were a time of getting
together to pitch horse shoes, play ball and
visit - everyone was welcome. Everyone was
welcome at the country dances. Dances were
held in homes - people would move furniture
out of a couple rooms and have a dance - or
in barns or hay lofts or in school houses. John
Bloomquist and Lee Raines had nice barns
for dances. Smokey Hill had dances in the
school house and it was also used for church
and Sunday School.
by Isophene D. Lesher
CHRISTMAS AT CAMP
LEWIS
T458
Camp Lewis, Washington
A rattlesnake does not have to be coiled to
I saw one strike two feet in the air
while uncoiled and flat.
One Sunday Boots Wilson killed a rattlesnake and out of the wound crawled sixteen
little snakes. The local papet, The Stratton
Press, carried the picture.
The story of the rattlesnake still continues
as late as 1983. It was in the fall of the year.
Jim McConnell was getting ready to wean his
calves, when his son Raymond ran upon a
rattlesnake, but it ran in a hole before he
could kill it.
A few days later, on a rather warm day,
LeRoy Herndon and Leonard Beese went to
Jim's pasture known as the "Fred Wagner
place" to get one of their calves.
In a low bottom along the sand creek they
ran upon snakes and started killed them and
they killed about thirty-five snakes. LeRoy's
dog was helping and got bitten and they had
to rush the dog to the vet or they might have
strike.
killed more.
Mcconnell
drifted too farm, they worked them back
helping hand with extra work or in times of
at that time.
by Florence
in the First
Central Community, used oxen. The weather
was the deciding factor in raising a crop.
There had to be summer rains to grow a crop.
There was no irrigation in these early days.
Rains would fill ponds and lagoons that
provided range water for stock, otherwise
stock had to go back home or to a watering
place. Good stockmen rode to check on cattle
and horses and if the stock had roamed or
And these, too, would soon disappear, gathered up by the bone pickers who, with team
The land was a prairie carpeted with
Boots Wilson killed this rattler with her young.
even had oxen. The Griggs,
Rodeo at the
o'c' Dunlap Ranch
�don't know whether Grandpa Sam Schaal
had it published in the Record,the CalI or
. Our Dad, Jake Schaal, trained as a medic
with Field Hospital Company 252 of the 13th
Sanitary Train Regiment. World War ended
before his outfit was shipped to Europe, and
Dad wae discharged on Apr. 5, 1919 at Ft.
D.A. Russell (near Cheyenne), Wyoming.
Dad learned many useful things in his field
hospital training and was adept at giving first
aid, doing special and "pressure" bandaging,
setting broken bones, applying and wrapping
splints, etc. He was always grateful that he
had been trained to help the injured and bind
rather than having to
up the wounded
maim and kill the-enemy.
by The Rev. Herbert Schaal
way back east and do a little shooting once
in a while so the dudes would have something
to talk about after they went back
home.
These dudes, or tenderfeet as we called them,
were our best sport. We just had to pretend
little and their imagination would do the
rest. A few shots and a wild dash past the
ranch house after dark was about all they
could stand. They liked to ride and just had
to do it. It was the most fun when you slip
them a horse that was gentle in the corral but
became a bronco as soon as he cleared the
a
gate.
I have seen them come to a gate and
struggle around to get it open and closed and
then find they had the horse on the wrong
side of the fence or maybe they would be.
We did not milk any of those wild cows, but
once there was a fellow there who had to have
some milk. Well we told him of a homesteader
TOM DILLON AND
THE BAR T.
T459
I
was born in Springfield, New York, in
just one year before this part of the west
was opened for homesteaders. I did not come
here until 1906, but there was still some
homesteads to be taken so I took one, 15 miles
north and one east ofBethune. I did not come
to homestead though, I just saw the opportunity in taking one and saw that it would not
interfere with what I really came for, and that
was to sell draft stallions.
1885,
Jake Schaal in his World War I uniform. Enlisted
in U.S. Army on Aug. 27, I9L8.
We knew in New York State that they
January 1, 1919
Dear Folks:
I will try and write a few liens to let you
know that I am all O.K. yet. hope you are the
needed horse power in opening up the west,
so my uncle persuaded me to come out here
same,
somewhere and form companies to buy a
stallion. I recall that Henry Goebel, Posie
Chandler, Lee Woodcock and Henry Johnson
received your letter, (Christmas) cards
and check. Thank you very much for the
same; was very glad to hear from home again.
Well, I hope you (had) an opportunity to
were in the first company.
I was equipped to teach school and I took
the school known as the Tuttle School. It was
made of rock and I taught John Richards, his
I
go to the program on New Year's eve. We had
a nice Christmas program. Had a tree about
25 feet high, strung with red, yellow and green
with one big white light at
electric lights
the top of the -tree which looked like a star
it
from a distance. The tree is (outdoors)
-
sure is a pretty one.
We got pretty good treats and a fine
Christmas dinner from the "Y" (YMCA).
Last night we had a big New Year's program,
and got treats again this afternoon. The band
furnished the music for both programs.
Well, I suppose it is quite cold back there
now. We are having ice and heavy frosts the
past three or four mornings. We did not have
to drill from December 24 until January 2,
but we will start to do something tomorrow
again.
I see the other boys (from home) quite
often here lately. They are all O.K., too. Did
any of you folks see Jake Weisshaar since he
came home? The way they talk around here,
we won't get out of here for several months.
Well, this is about all I can think of now.
Church services will start pretty soon now, so
I will
brother Harry, sister Edna and another
sister, Cora; Ethel and Bertie Ragan, Clay
and Hazel Yount and others. I do not
remember any church close, but we held
services at the school house and when a
minister came through we had a sermon.
Here is something that happened while I
was teaching. John Richards and his two
sisters were coming to school one morning,
driving an old mare and the girls were picking
on John. John tried to take care ofhimselfbut
they were getting the best of him, so he hit
the old mare a good one and threw out the
lines and said, "There you are girls, I hope
that old mare runs off and I hope we are all
killed." But the old mare had too much
rheumatism. They were not killed and John
lived to raise a nice family.
Yes, I worked on the old Bar T and I guess
that was one of the most popular ranches of
the day. Its big days were before I came. Burt
Ragan came there as a poor boy and later
became the manager. They never owned
much land. They did not need to, they just
turned the cattle loose as there were no
obstructions
close.
in the first days. The cattle
in the storms clear to the
I wish you all a happy, brightNew Year and
best wishes. Goodbye 'till we meet again.
From your son and brother,
Jacob Schaal
would drift
BurlingSon newspaper clipping which has no
of n-munition. We had to wear our guns
when the ranch was entertaining guests from
We have the above letter on an old
masthead or further notation on
it.
So we
Arkansas River and then fall in and drown.
I did not hear much of the killing that took
place out there. We had guns, but it was not
necessary to wear them and there was plenty
who lived down the trail about five miles who
milked a cow, so he got on a horse and started
out. This man was pretty hard on a horse and
he bounced so much that when the horse's
back was going up he was coming down. Well
he made the trip alright, but the milk must
have been a little rich and sour for he had a
little paddy of butter and some whey when
he got back.
I married in 1909 to Jessie L. Kellogg from
my old hometown. Her father was out here
before that buying buffalo hides. He was
down in Kansas near Norton one day and
there were just two little stores there. One of
these men must have been new to the region
for a large group of Indians came through and
he was really scared. They were loaded with
buffalo hides. Well, in a quick transaction
Mr. Kellogg bought out the store and the
same day traded the entire stock to the
Indians for the hides.
Those were great days that I spent at the
Bar T, but it is better now. I would not want
to go back to them. Mostly I helped put up
hay and then went back to teaching school in
the winter months. Burt Ragan, the manager
then, was about ready to start out on his own
as he had about 200 head of cattle. Henry
Goebel was managing the Spring Valley and
he traded and bought a lot. He was an
accommodating man and you could always
sell an animal to Henry. You could drive in
a cow, calf, or even a hog and Henry would
buy it for a fair price.
by KCCC
RATTLESNAKES
MOVE IN
T460
Our sandy ground is covered with a variety
of grasses, sagebrush, soap weed and cactus.
It is home for our cattle, horses, the coyotes,
rabbits, pheasants, gophers and a few snakes.
The snakes have a free range unless I discover
them in my yard or we see a rattler.
In October 1983, we began seeing more
rattlesnakes that normal on the roads. Lyle
Garner owns property to the east of us with
rock cliffs facing south. We presume several
rattlers were scouts, then passed the word
that they had found a nice sunny location to
hibernate for the winter.
Lyle and Theo Borden went to these rocks
looking for something to shoot at. They found
�were going to get some rocks or not, but you
could take a rock claim with another claim if
you could find one and you could also take
what you called a desert claim the same way.
A desert claim was one that the government
thought was too sandy and hilly to support
a family.
Anyway, they were on their way to this rock
claim and were intending to go through the
Bar T, as was the custom, and the Bar T was
liking Mr. Munsinger less all the time, for one
more homesteader meant a little less grass for
the Bar T. Before they came to the Bar T
Rattle Snakes Move In! (photo from Rich Gaddy)
more than their wildest imagination would
let them believe. They ca-e to get Garold
and Tony to bring more guns and shovels to
help them kill snakeg. They had killed 250 in
just the few hours before sundown.
The hunt went on for six weeks before the
first snow. Each step was chosen with care.
A live snake would be right beside a dead one.
I
was thankful
for the sport of
getting
themselves a trophy of the skin or rattles. We
kept a count from people that reported to us
the number they had killed. I didn't want to
know how many were taken out live in ten
gallon cans. The dead ones totaled eleven
hundred ninety five.
Had there been this many rattlesnakes in
the area for the summer, we would have seen
them competing with the bullsnakes for the
bird eggs. We would have been doctoring
noses of curious horses all summer. Any that
escaped probably decided not to trust that
scout the next winter! It turned out to be an
extra cold winter with lots
of
snow. We
haven't seen many since.
by Jean Paintin
WE CAME FROM
RUSSIA
T461
This is the story of Fred Bauder as told by
his wife Minnie on Januar5r 12, 1958.
Fred was born in the area of Odessa in
Russia in 1877 but, of course, he was not
really Russian but German, as his grandfather had migrated from Germany to Russia.
Fred and his parents arrived here in
America in 1888 and took a homestead upon
arrival, seven miles north of Bethune and just
a little east. When Fred was 16 and his
brother, Andrew, a little older, they were out
At first they worked on
ranches as far away as north of Denver,
Fred was back here working on the famous
Bar T before he was 20. Most of the things
looking for work.
that were typical ofoutfits like this happened
before Fred went to work there. I have heard
my father speak of some of them. One was
about the time when the farm hand shot
down the Mexican, when it was just a
misunderstanding about a pair of gloves.
Then there was another story about a man
from Denver by the name of Munsinger who
was making a living by locating homesteads
and charging for it. He also did suweying. I
do not know if he was qualified as a surveyor
but someone had to do it. One day my father
and Mr. Muneinger were going north to the
Bar T to a rock claim. I don't know if they
gate, one of the ranch wagons fell in just
ahead of my father and Mr. Munsinger and
told them not to come in. When the Bar T
men produced three guns, Papa and Mr.
Munsinger had to withdraw, but Mr. Munsinger was mad and turned around to go arm
himself. I guess it had to come to showdown
sometime to see if this land could be homesteaded, and the Bar T fenced in.
Papa kept trying to get him to change his
mind, but he kept right on going and did get
a gun and come back, but he finally gave up
and went the long way around to get to the
rock claim.
Later on they clashed again southwest of
the Bar T headquarters. I think that Mr.
Munsinger was surveying; he could have been
as they kept getting closer with this work and
Munsinger was armed this time and they shot
it out. Munsinger killed the foreman and shot
the heel off another man's boot. Someone
asked Munsinger why he got one shot so low
and he said he aimed low and did not want
to kill the second man.
Yes, Fred had some experiences while
working on the Bar T, but they were the kind
that fell the lot of all ranch hands at that
time. There was lots of saddle work for they
rode for miles and miles. There were lots of
other things to do that the boys who think
they would like to be cowboys never connect
with ranch work. There was the time that he
had to go to Lamar with two other men and
get a trainload of Southern steers that were
coming in. The train had been held up on the
line by something they could not help. It may
have been a washout or a wreck, I cannot
remember anJrmore, but the steers cnme in in
terrible shape. They were in the cars so long
their hips were raw and they were awfully
weak. Then they had to be branded before
they left the yards, for as soon as they got
them out of town they might mix with other
cattle or some would stray away. There were
a lot of them. I think it was 1,000. They got
them branded and then started out with
them through Lamar to the ranch north.Three of them were so weak that they dropped
in the etreet before they got out of town and
few more after that, but it was way after dark
before they got them out far enough to let
them bed down. Then the men were ready to
try and get themselves something to eat, but
before they had started, here came an official
from Lsmar and said that they had to move
those dead cattle out of town. They did just
that with nothing to do it with but their ropes
and the tired saddle horses.
The year that they got this big shipment
ofsteers from Lamar the ranch said that they
had not made any money and Fred did not
get paid his wages. They were supposed to
give him $5.00 extra for every horse he broke
and
I think
he received that. Water
was
sometimes the biggest problem. There was
always plenty at the main ranch on the river
but the cattle were many miles from there at
times and wells were few and those old mills
that they had then were not what we have
now. Fred had to work on windmills and wells
a lot and the help he had was not always good.
He was working on one when the
pipes
slipped and came down on his hand. He had
two fingers that were just dangling, so they
rode into town and the doctor sewed them
back on. Then the doctor left town, but not
for good, just for a while. Well, this did not
turn out very good, and Fred's hand startcd
to mortify. They were afraid he might even
lost his life. It did not seem that there was
anything that could be done. But someone
told him to go see a man by the name of Allen
who was selling drugs in Burlington. This
man had served in the Army and had been
in the Hospital Medical Corps, as an assistant. He looked at Fred's hand and swore. and
said "such a doctor." He removed the fingers,
did some cutting and stitching, and the hand
got well.
Fred and I got married in 1907 and took a
homestead 7 miles north of Bethune. It was
not easy to establish and keep a home then,
but then it was much better than when my
folks started.
We worked hard and we finally did get a
nice ranch for ourselves totaling 1,319 acres.
We raised four children and gave all a good
education. Fred always did all he could to
help in the community in whatever way he
could. He suffered out the dry years like
everyone else but hung on. Age and health
forced him to give up the farm and move to
town in 1946 where he could take life easier.
He passed away in the spring of 1957.
bv K.C.C.C.
CHILDHOOD
MEMORIES
T462
As a child I cannot remember any special
hardships. Now my parents are both deceased. We were just a short way from the South
Dakota border which was then an Indian
reservation.
The Indians used to start prairie fires
which the settlers spent many days control-
ling.
At present, this
country is
a
fine
ranching and farming area.
When the time came for the government to
ope-n the country for settlement, many people
lived in sod houses. The sod houses were
always cool in the summer and warm in
winter. In our sod house, we used a topsy
stove one winter for heat. This had what was
called a drum oven on the pipe for baking. My
mother baked many loaves of bread and other
goodies in it. My mother had many beautiful
flowers in the windows.
In early days, there were no churches but
there was a family who had moved into our
neighborhood who organized a Sunday
school. The father of this family had been
Governor of the State of Nebraska. He was
a fine man and worthy to be our Sunday
school superintendent. This Sunday school
was held in our little school house.
Many are the happy memories of those
days when I attended a rural school. To me,
it is doubtful if anything can ever replace the
rural school for children. To me. that is one
�of the reasons for a strong America.
The following poem recalls many blessed
feelings.
brothers considerable trouble. The wild
stallions would come into their horse herds
Our kitchen seems to be the place
Where all the family gather.
Round the table they will sit,
Because they say, they'd rather.
Our kitchen seems to be the place
Which makes our house a home.
and steal many of their mares and drive them
miles away from the Wagner's range.
The brothers at last got permission from
the State Government of Colorado to shoot
the wild stallions whenever they were caught
stealing mares. Most of the stallions were
smaller and not nearly as valuable as the
Here we dance and sing and play
And have no thoughts to ronm.
by Grace Corliss
LINCOLN HIGHWAY
19 13
T463
According to the Cappers Weekly on Oct.
29, 1963, Halloween of 1963 was the Fiftieth
Anniversary of a celebration dedicating the
first proposed route of the Lincoln Highway
which passed through Kit Carson County
about where Highway 24 is now.
I well remember Burlington's part in the
celebration. The town folks had received
advance word from members of a thirty car
caravan of eastern people who planned to
make the first transcontinental trip by car on
the new Lincoln Highway that would pass
through Burlington on a certain date. So the
Burlington town folks, wishing to give those
eastern tenderfeet a taste of western hospitality and wild west entertainment, arranged
in an old fashioned chuck wagon feed and a
small rodeo at the fair grounds.
The caravan arrived on schedule with
probably the most automobiles that had ever
been in Burlington at one time; thirty four
autos. The chuck wagon feed was a grand
success.
the cities where there is a cattle market today.
There were a good many wild horses in this
area at that time and they caused the Wagner
My brother Millard, and I,
had
ridden forty miles from our ranch to bring in
some bucking horses. Apparently the visitors
had never seen a cowboy and a bronco in
action together before. They had cameras of
all kinds, shooting us from all directions.
For something special and different, my
brother Millard put his saddle on his bronco
backwards, then mounted, and rode backwards. The four cowboys that took part in the
bronc riding that day were: Jim Jones of
Kanorado, Bert Townes of Burlington, Millard Harrison and myself, Carl Harrison of
Vona.
by J. Carl Ilarrieon
IIORSE RANCHING
T46'4
Wagner's domesticated horses. The brothers
were also given permission to catch, brand
and break any of these wild ponies that they
desired. So one winter they made quite a
project of catching wild horses. They chose
winter time when the wild horses were thin
and not very strong. They would ride until
they found a wild herd, then with their well
fed and strong saddle horses they would be
able to rope the wild horses on the prairie.
They would then put a rope hobble on their
catch, turn it loose and rope another, proceeding in that way until they had spent their
saddle horses or caught what they wanted. In
doing this the hobbled horses could be herded
together and driven to their ranch headquarters without too much more trouble. Corraling a loose wild horse with a saddle horse is
about like trying to corral a jack rabbit or a
coyote. Since these horses had never known
or learned to respect a barbed wire fence, it
was almost impossible
to keep them in
a
corral or a pasture. Keeping the horses gave
them more trouble than catching them.
Fred Wagner told me that they tried some
horse steaks from some of the wild horses that
they killed. They never relished horse steak
as it always seemed to have a sweet sweaty
horse like the smell of a sweaty horse.
I have heard it said many times in the old
days that John Wagner was a real wizard in
his handling and breaking of wild horses. He
seemingly cast a spell over extremely wild
horses. He could then accomplish things in
their handling and breaking that no one else
could.
The brothers had a horseman friend and
neighbor in Cheyenne County, Colorado by
the name of Pinky Henderson. Pinky came
to them with a hard luck story. It seemed he
had sold, loose on the range, about fifty head
ofhorses, to a New York buyer to be rounded
up, loaded and shipped at a certain time.
When the time came to deliver them. he
found that he was unable to corral them.
There were some wild horses running his, and
some ofhis horses had never been in a corral.
When he was crowding them near a corral,
the wildest horses in the herd would break
back like jack rabbits in all directions and
while he was trying to stop one critter the rest
would break and run and soon the herd was
scattered and gone beyond hope of stopping
Two brothers, Fred and John Wagner,
moved into Kit Carson County from
Cheyenne County, Nebraska in 1903. They
them that day.
Henderson knew Fred and John were
excellent horsemen with a good string of
broughtwith them about seven hundred head
extra good saddle horses. He had come to ask
them to come down into Cheyenne County
and help him corral the horses that he had
ofhorses. John took a homestead about eight
miles south of Stratton where they made
their headquarters for some time. The government land was all open so their horse
pasture qr6s elmssf, boundless.
There was a fair market for horses in thoge
days to the Army for cavalry horses. Many
were shipped to the eastern United States
and a great many were shipped to Europe.
There was a good horse market at about all
sold. Fred and John moved down near
Henderson's place. They took with them a
chuckwagon and a string of good strong
saddle horses to help Henderson corral his
horses.
The next day the three of them went out
and spent a good share ofthe day getting the
horses rounded up and back near the home
corral. As they neared the corral a few of the
wild "quitters" as Fred called them, began to
get nervous and tried to break out and leave
the herd. With strong fast mounts the men
managed to hold them together almost to the
A wild stallion broke back
between the horsemen. In trying to stop him,
they left other gaps open and a few seconds
later horses were scattered and running in
every direction.
They let the wild horses go for that day and
corral gate.
tried again the next day with the seme
results. On the third day the wild stallions,
that had succeeded in escaping twice before
taking the rest of the herd with them,
repeated the performance.
Fred and John were pretty badly disgusted
with their failures. When Henderson wanted
them to try it again, they told him that they
were tired running their saddle horses for
nothing. They said they wouldn't help to try
to corral the horses again unless he, Henderson, would allow them to shoot the quitters
whenever one started to break out of the
herd. Since Henderson wouldn't think of
letting them shoot any ofhis horses, Fred and
John packed up their chuckwagon, took their
saddle horses and went home. After a week
or ten days of unsuccessful attempts to corral
his horses or to get other efficient help to do
the job, Henderson again appealed to the
Wagner brothers to help him. In the deal, he
would allow them to shoot the quitters.
Their next attempt at corraling the herd
proceeded about as usual until they were
nearing the corral gates. A big beautiful sorrel
stallion broke back. Fred said that
he
thought, as he saw that big beautiful horse
breaking for safety,
"I would sure hate to kill
that horse if he were mine, but he has got to
be stopped." He took aim and let him have
it. By the time the smoke had cleared away,
he and John had killed four or five quitters.
They were then able to corral the remainder
of the herd without much trouble.
When the gates were closed securely, Fred
said, "I rode out to take a look at the big sorrel
stallion that I had just killed. I turned him
over to see if he was branded and dnmned if
he wasn't my own hoss,"
by .I. Carl Harrigon
CHRISTMAS ON THE
PLAINS 1930 STYLE
T465
The weeks before Christmas were filled
with much preparation for the school program. Our school never had more than seven
students enrolled in all eight grades but we
always had a program that would last about
2 hours many skits, memorized
solos, duets, groups. We
"readings", songs
- by their hems to form
would hang sheets
dressing rooms and curtains to draw.
If
the
pupils had younger brothers or sisters at
home they were encouraged to "speak a
piece". This was always looked forward to
and enjoyed because you never knew for sure
what would happen.
My sisters and I always had new dresses for
the program that my mother had made
usually out of used fabric that some of the
family had given her. I remember especially
a beautiful tan colored dress trimmed with a
�pretty bright plaid. I had put it on to wear for
the very first time and in the hurry and
commotion to get ready a bottle of hair oil
that one of my brothers had out to use got
tipped over and spilled down the front of my
new dress. Of course I had to wear something
old and since the fabric was not washable
(wool) the dress had to be discarded.
We always had a church program to take
part in also however since it served a much
larger area there were alot more people to
share the responsibility. I remember the
church Christmag tree looked huge to me and
since no one had trees in their homes it was
a real sight. Real candles were placed on the
tree and were lit during the program. One of
the men of the congregation would stand
close by to put out the fire should one occur.
Santa made his appearance at the end of the
progrrm with treats for all the children.
I remember getting a package in the mail
from Grandma Jameg (she died when I was
with what I got in fact I always felt like
lucky little girl as indeed I was.
a
very
by Reta James Lounge
herding cattle and horses on the free range,
milking cows and delivering the cream and
eggs into Vona seventeen miles away by team
and buggy.
by J. Carl Harrison
65 YEARS A FARMER.
RANCHER
T466
As I heard and saw our 1979 cattle selling
at record high prices I wondered how many
of our 1979 cattlemen remember or have
heard their father or grandfather recall the
cattle price situation back in the 1930's when
there wae a surplus of cattle and a shortage
CORN HARVEST
SIXTY YEARS AGO
T487
until Christmas morning. No present was
ever opened around our house until that
were so
magical morning. In the mail also would come
a box from an uncle who had a goodjob in the
Oklahoma oilfieldg. We didn't open it either
make the rounds in the neighborhood and the
Back in 1916, corn was the main cash crop
in Kit Carson County, especially north of the
Rock Island Railroad. There was no deep well
irrigation in those days, so corn was a dry land
crop. All was picked by hand as the corn
picker had not yet been invented. Thirty or
forty bushel per acre was considered a good
yield.
In those days, a corn picker was one man
with a team of horses hitched to a lumber
wagon. The wagon had two or three sets of
side boards and a high bump board on the off
side to stop the ears of corn as the shucker
threw them at the wagon. A good corn
shucker in getting to the field by day light and
etacks
staying at
five or six so
it
Christmas.)
sat in the unheated "parlor"
It
but we knew
chocolates
must have been her last
it
would be a 5 pound box of
What a luxurious gift!
- the year when I was about six
I remember
years old my parents had given me some
chickens to raiee. They told me if I took good
care of them I could sell them at Chrigtmas
time and I would have some money to buy
presents with. When December came I asked
my Dad if he would take my five hens to town
and sell them for me. Realizing that the effort
of catching them and taking them to town
was going to be more trouble than they were
worth he got out his pencil and paper and
proceeded to make me a business deal. He
figured out what each would probably weigh
and what the going rate per pound was at the
time and wrote me a check for the amount.
I was very proud ofthat traneaction and altho
the check was a few cents less than a dollar
(this was during the depression) I managed
to buy something for everyone
- Mother,
Dad, three brothers, and three sisters.
Christmas Eve was always a very special
partly because we were excited about
time
Santa- coming and presents waiting to be
opened next morning but mostly because of
the tradition of the white tablecloth and the
light€d candles while we ate our bowls of
steaming oyster soup. Before we started to
eat however we listened to the reading of the
Christmas Story. I always wanted to go to bed
right after supper so morning would come
faster. My sisters and I would be up in the
morning long before daylight to see what
Santa left in our stockings. Dad would hear
us up and he would get up also to get a warm
fire going in the heating stove. Our presents
from Santa were usually small enough to fit
into our long cotton stockings (the kind we
wore daily). The foot of the sock was always
filled with candy and nuts. On the table
would be all the pretty bowls that we never
used any other time of year and they would
be heaped high with peanut brittle, hard
candy, peanut clusters, nuts of all kinde.
Compared to the 1980s our presents in
those days were really nothing at all but I
cannot ever remember being dieappointed
of feed.
There would be a fair crop of thistles on
land where the planted crop had failed. The
thistles were mowed and raked and stacked
where, in some areas, that was the prevailing
cow feed.
In some instances, the stalks of the thistles
had and stiff that a cow couldn't eat
them so in a good many instances a farmer
with an old type thrashing machine would
of thistles were run through the
machine which ground them up fine enough
that a cow could eat them. The winter
weather wae hard and people were losing
cattle from starvation. F.D. Roosevelt put a
law through suggesting the killing of surplus
cattle, and in return the government would
pay the owner for what was killed. It was
either that or let them starve, so I called for
government assistance. At last the government crew anived. It was a hard pill to take
to etand in your cattle corral and watch those
government riflemen stand and shoot your
cow herd down one at a time, but it was either
that or see them starve.
We were paid twelve dollars per head for
our cows and four dollars for calves. Several
of our neighbors were present at the time and
I told them to butcher out anything that had
any meat on them and they did. I bought corn
for twenty-five cents per bushel for supplemental feed for the few cattle that I had left
and bought replacement calves the next year
for $1.00 per head.
I have seen hundreds of head of horses on
the free range of which very few were claimed
by any one, almost like the old wild horse
days. All that a cowboy had to do was to pick
out the horse that he wanted and help
himself. It used o be said that a well-mounted
cowboy had a $10.00 horse and a $50.00
saddle.
I fed out a carload of gteers in the early
twenties on 25 cent corn and delivered them
to Kansas City by rail for $6.15 per hundred
pounds. And along about that time a license
tag wasn't required on a car and no brake and
light inspection. There was no income tax and
in
L924, the tax on our half-section homestead was just $12.00. About that time, I
taught a country school, and was bus driver
and janitor for $50.00 per month. At least it
kept me off W.P.A.
In the summer of 1926, I rode a horse from
our homestead south of Vona to Colorado
Springs to attend a summer session of a
teacherg review course at Colorado College
for six weeks. During that time, my wife,
Winnie, and our two small boys ran the ranch
alone; raising chickens, caring for the hogs,
it steady till dark could shuck
between seventy five and a hundred bushels,
depending on the quality of the corn and the
general size of the ears.
When a farmer hired a corn shucker, he was
paid about three or four cents per bushel for
his work, which amounted to somewhere
from $2.00 to $4.00 per day. This depended
on his speed and staying power. The shucker
generally furnished his own team and wagon
for which he would receive feed for his tenm
and his own board and room. The boss would
measure the corn that the shucker brought in
as one bushel for every inch high filled in a
standard wagon box. Then he had to scoop
his load off after dark.
A great deal of the corn raised north of
Stratton was hauled directly into Stratton
and sold to the Stratton Equity Coop. The
Co-op bought thousands of bushels of corn by
wagon box measure, which was one bushel to
the inch. This was ag accurate as weighing a
load and paying for one half of the weight as
corn and the other half of the weight as the
cob for which they received nothing. Around
.500 per bushel was a fair price in those days.
During the rush of corn picking season on
most any day you could see a continual line
of horse drawn wagons loaded with ear corn
coming into Stratton from the road running
straight north. There would be a solid line of
wagons as far as you could see.
The Co-op would have the corn unloaded
in long ricks on the open land just north of
the Rock Island Railroad where Miller's car
wrecking yards are now. The Co-op then
shelled the corn and left the cobs in long ricks
which they sold back to the formers and town
people for $1.00 a load. They used the cobs
as fuel for cook stoves and heaters.
There was a time during the 1920s when
corn was so cheap that many families, mine
included, didn't bother to shell the corn off
the cob. Instead they used ear corn for fuel
in place of wood, wood, or cow chips.
by J. Carl llarrison
�THE LAST ROUNDUP
T468
Probably the last old style cowboy-chuck
wagon roundup to take place in Kit Carson
county was brought about by an odd group
of circumstances back in the early twenties.
But before getting to the story proper, a little
back ground material is necessary.
A good many residents will remember a
couple of good old dry land farmers, who
settled northeast of Stratton, brothers-inlaw, H.H. Woods and F.P. Powers. They
decided to spread out a little in a partnership
nothing for them to run 8 or 10 miles without
stopping. So before the day was over, Ellis
and his wife decided to go home and send
word to Woods and Powers of the developments and ask their advice.
Early the next morning the owners, Woods
and Powers, drove to the Ellis farm themselves, visibly disgruntled at the Ellis'carelessness and disability to effectively ride herd
and keep tabs on a bunch of"nice old steers",
and immediately took off in their car to find,
round up and return those "nice old steers",
to the home stomping ground.
They drove a good share of the day, back
and forth, round and about, and to their
cattle venture. They went to some southern
surprise found very few of their cattle. They
market and bought around 400 head of aged
southern steers. Now for someone who had
always handled gentle docile native cows,
there was quite a bit to learn about handling
a herd of aged southern gteers on the open
range. But not knowing anything of the wild
roving nature of their newly purchased herd,
they decided to make use of the open range
that was pretty plentiful yet in the southern
part of the county.
They made a deal with a farmer about 14
miles south of Stratton, Herb Ellis, to furnish
water at his windmills and ride herd on the
bunch. Ellis let them know that he would be
pretty busy farming, but that they had a little
cow pony mare that his wife could ride and
that she could keep an eye on the steers in her
spare time.
Eventually the cattle arrived by rail. They
were unloaded in Stratton, and driven out to
the Herb Ellis farm. They arrived at the
watering place about a half mile from the
Ellis home, but just out of sight of it, about
sundown. The cattle took a good drink and
laid down to rest.
The three men, Woods, Powers and Ellis,
thought that it looked like the end ofa perfect
day and from then on all they needed to do
was to watch those nice gentle steers eat,
drink and get fat. So they all retired to their
homes without the least thought of worry.
But little did they realize what was in the
minds of "those nice gentle steers".
The next morning at the Ellis farm, after
Buzz
the chores were done and breakfast over, Ellis
and his wife cranked up the Model T,
deciding they would drive over the hill to the
herd, check the water, and perhaps make a
count.
But to their bewildering surprise as they
crested the hill in view of the watering tanks,
not a single steer was to be seen in any
direction. "Oh, well", Herb says, "they likely
just moved over the next hill. We will find
them right there". But What!! No steers over
the next hill.
At that turn of events, Herb decided to
drive back home, get the old saddle mare,
lead her behind the car until they found the
cattle and then the Mrs. could drive them
back near the home place. They acted on that
decision. They drove
till they played the old
mare out leading her behind the car and
never found but 30-40 head. Then they tied
the old mare to a fence, as she slowed them
down too much. and drove on into the
afternoon.
I
might mention here that what Woods,
Powers and Ellis didn't know about this
particular breed of long-legged steers, was
they were accustomed to moving 6 to 8 miles
at a time, or if they should become frightened
by a dog or car they would stampede. It was
did locate a small bunch near the
ding snort and the stampede was on.
The drivers barely escaped with their lives,
as that 200 head of steers turned in fright, as
one solid mass and thundered off into the
night. They had done it again, only this time
the bosses had seen how it happened.
They learned quite a lot in those few short
moments about the temperament and disposition of those nice old southern steers. They
realized that it wan an impossible task to try
to stop them or to bring them back in the
dark. We cowboys knew nothing of the
episode until we returned Monday morning,
only to find our last week's work had come
undone in a few fateful minutes. The bosses
were out
in their
automobile frantically
asking his advice as to how best to get their
wayward steers located and gathered. Wher-
scouring the range for their wayward steers.
Before noon the bosses were back in camp
empty-handed, looking rather sheepish.
We soon got organized and were on our way
again. We tracked the herd to a sand creek
cowboys and conduct a real old time roundup.
about 2 miles south of Dunlaps, where we
counted about 200 fresh tracks, where they
crossed the sand creek still at a trot. The rest
Dunlap ranch, where they stopped and talked
tn Buzz, telling him of their dilemma and
eupon, Buzz advised them to get an old
fashioned chuck wagon, hire a crew of
So, that is what they proceeded to do, and
inside of a few days had secured a horse
dravm chuck wagon, and hired a few cowboys
and a few extra saddle horses.
The cowboys that were hired were: Maynard Dunham, Buzz Dunlap, Roy Chamberlin, and myself Carl Harrison. Also helping
of the roundup was somewhatuneventful. We
son,
some costly experience that the farmer's wife
was H.H. Woods sixteen year old
found some of the steers within 10 miles of
Cheyenne Wells and First View. We spent
almost another week before we found them
all and delivered them back to the home
range.
Woods and Powers had learned through
Harvey. The two bosses manned the chuck
wagon, took the extra saddle horses in tow,
in her spare time with one little old pony
mare was no match for that bunch of long
prepared the riders three meals a day, and set
up camp at night, any place night happened
with a good tight fence. That is where our
to overtake us. With the accumulation of
steers that we found each day and added to
the herd, we took turns night herding for fear
of losing them all again.
We started covering an area about 20 miles
in diameter around the Ellis farm. At the end
of 4 or 5 days we had found only about half
of the herd. With Saturday night coming up,
the cowboys decided they wanted to go home
and rest over Sunday. Powers made the
remark to us before we left, that he didn't
understand why anyone should have any
trouble holding that bunch of cattle. "Why,"
he said, "A ten year old boy with a threelegged horse should be able to keep track of
that herd of steers." Oh!! What he didn't
know, but was soon to learn after his help was
gone and before the night was over.
The bosses watched the cattle for an hour.
some grazing, some lying down, so they
decided to pitch their tent a few rods south
of Dunlap's corrals. Just before dark, the two
men had some misgivings. Powers said to
Woods, "Just suppose we should sleep too
soundly and those cattle should decide to
move again tonight, don't you believe it
would be the wise thing to do, to put them in
Dunlap's corral?" They agreed that that was
best. So, shortly they were out around the
herd bunching them and driving them toward
the corral.
There wae one more thing these men
hadn't realized and that was these cattle
hadn't been raised around the habitats of
civilized men. Namely; houses, barns, autos,
men on foot, and last, but not least, as they
attempted to drive them during the time that
dusk turns to darkness, past the camp tent,
in which a lighted lantern had been left. At
that particular instant a playful puff of wind
co-e along, flapped the sides of and the
entrance flaps of the already spooky looking
tent. A dozen leader steers let out a resoun-
legged steers. So the owners rented a pasture
roundup terminated. But before the cowboys
left for home that last night, one of them
admonished Powers, that he should get that
"10 year old boy with the three legged horse",
on the job for safety.!!
by J. Carl Harrison
BIG ROUNDUP
T469
In the early 1900's the land in Kit Carson
and Cheyenne Counties was principally
devoted to stock raising. Most of the land was
not fenced as yet, and the ranchers let their
herds of horses and cattle graze for miles in
any direction almost without limit over the
open and unfenced prairie. Most ranchers
employed range riders or cowboys who rode
the range almost constantly for the sake of
keeping tab on the whereabouts of the loose
cattle, checking to find how far from the
home ranch they were ranging, and turning
some bunches back in toward the home place
that had wandered too far off their home
range.
Some large outfits that allowed their cattle
to range for many miles in all
directions
would conduct a round up in the fall for the
sake of sorting out the sellable stock for
market, branding and weaning calves, and
keeping the herd near the winter feed supply.
I
attended one
of these big roundups in
Cheyenne County in 1913. It was conducted
by two brothers, Bret and Ike Grey who were
large operators in that area. The Grey
brothers employed about 15 cowboys for the
roundup. Some ofthe boys brought their own
saddle horses, and with those that the boss
supplied, there must have been 35 saddle
horses in the remount supply string.
It
was
�one cowboy's job to ride herd on the saddle
horse herd, and follow up with the chuck
it moved. This cowboy was
cdled the horse wrangler. He would also
wagon whenever
bring the horse herd into camp, usually in the
morning, or any time of day when fresh
mounts were required. The cowboys would
make a corral of lariat ropes, the boys
themselves acting as poets in the fence. Then
each cowboy in his turn would go in and catch
the mount he wanted.
Meals were served at the chuck wagon,
prepared by the roundup cook. Those meals
were certainly relished after a day of hard
riding. We each had our bedroll and slept on
the softest place we could find on the ground
under the stars. We took turns at night
herding to keep the gathered herd from
drifting too far at night and also to keep them
from stampeding. We never experienced a
stampede on the Grey roundups, but I have
seen real stampedes of herds of wild cattle
who becn'ne frightened by a noise or a light
at night and from any experience that was no
use trying to stop a stampede of wild
frightened cattle at night. I have known them
to run and travel for eight or ten mileg before
stopping.
Since the roundup was a good time and
place to break in a green bronco there were
generally a few in the remount string. Most
every morning, some cowboy would draw a
wild one and we would have a little exhibition. The wild horse, after being roped, would
be snubbed to the saddle horn of a gentle
horse, then blindfolded and eared down by a
man on the gentle horse until the bronco was
saddle and bridled. Then the rider got on, the
blindfolds were taken off, and the horse
turned loose to do his worst.
This particular roundup was in process for
about three weeks, and the country covered
pretty thoroughly from the U.P. Railroad to
the north line ofCheyenne County north and
south, and from about even with Cheyenne
Wells to Wild Horse east and west, moving
the chuck wagon headquarters in a big circle,
adding the cattle that were gathered each day
to the holding herd was was moved alongwith
I DROVE TIIE STAGES
T470
Yes, I drove the stage coaches and I am not
surprised that you are surprised for there are
not many of us left. I do not know of any of
the men that I drove with that are living.
Stage coach driving had its incidents and
some of them would seem precarious today,
but at the time it was just a way of life and
the fastest transportation that we had. It
would get you there and just about anywhere
that you wanted to go.
You have come a little late to get the story
that I could have told you 50 years ago when
my memory served me better. When I
climbed off the lagt coach on my last drive I
I
was through with the horses for
someone else took over that. Sometimes I
drove six horses, but mostly four. I carried up
to 1,550 pounds of baggage and mail. This
took very little time. The fresh horges were
already out and hitched when we arrived. On
some coaches the tongue clipped onto the
coach so all you needed to do was unclip it,
drive the foamy horses offand back the fresh
ones in and clip their tongue on, but on most
of them you had to drop the tugs on the
tongue team. That was the most the servicemen ever did. They hitched the lead teams.
They clipped on and off and, no matter how,
changing horses never took one minute. I
always looked around and usually hailed
someone I knew. Conversation was loud and
I
cannot remember the towns I went through.
I can remember, though, some of the hills,
especially coming down them. Going up a hill
was of little notice when the horses had
something to pull on but going down took
skill and courage more than once. The
passengers never knew how many times I
have felt my heart up high in my throat.
There is one thing that I have often wished
I could do, and that is to have 4 "4-up" or "6up" of some of the horses I used to drive on
one of the old stages on the same old road
filled with some of the kids here in Flagler.
It would be something they would never
forget.
This is as
I
remember
it. Our state route
it ran between
was 365 miles long and
Schanico and Corvallis, Oregon. My run was
from Prineville to Schancio, or anyway I can
remember climbing off at the end of the run
in
those towns.
I well remember
those
wonderful horses. I do not see how a company
could put together such a string of animals.
They were of various colors but much of the
same built; tall, good bodies and muscular
with stamina to spare. You could not keep
them from running, no matter howyoupulled
they went, but just a mere whoa that they
of gathering their own cattle that might be
a horse over
by J. Carl Harrison
gers.
would have made a good story, but today
could hear and they would stop. I crossed
several streams and hills and the hills were
where I had to be real careful. There was one
bridge of a sort and it was a $500 fine to run
scattered somewhere in the area. The cowboys were told to pick up all cattle carrying
the brands of the several helping ranchers.
This was my case, as I was gathering for my
father, A.W. Harrison, who was located about
20 miles southwest of Stratton. Some of the
old timers may remember some of the nnmss
of the helping ranchers: Billy Lang, Mustache
Barber, Al Hungerford, Win Cotton, Ben
Brown, and Mr, Freeman.
The roundup ended near an old cow camp
about 20 miles NW of Kit Carson, known
then as "Lost Springs", and we had nearly
2,000 head of cattle. We held them there
several days working the herd, cutting out the
cattle of each of the small ranchers in turn
and holding them some distance from the
main herd, until each was sure he had all of
his brand, I then headed for home with about
30 head of my father's cattle. My time with
the roundup had been well spent.
stages and I think of them a lot.
We came in to the station on a tear, dust
fogging. That was the only way the horses
would do it. I had to use the brakes, for the
stop was sudden and if I did not use the
brakes the coach would push the tongue tesm
and tongue into the lead tenm. I climbed
down and attended the baggage and passen-
could have told you of several single trips that
changed
snmping places. Several of the smaller ranchers in the areajoined the roundup for the sake
the chuck wagon each time it
I drove the
it. I could pull the horses down
so that they were going slow, but they
pranced and still shook the old bridge. I had
to come down quite a hill just before going on
this bridge and one day, pull as I could, the
horses kept gaining speed and I noticed that
the coach was pushing on the tongue team.
I looked at the brakes that were on the back
wheels and one of the shoes was gone. The
other one was not effective for the shoes were
on a benm that was hung under the coach and
when
I
pushed on them with my foot
it
applied pressured to the center of the beam.
This equalized them. I could not slow them
down nor stop them and they acted like they
really were having a time at last, but the
bridge stood it and I was not caught but I
thought I might be for one of the passengers
knew the bridge and told me at the next stop
that I was supposed to walk the horses over
it. If
she only knew how close they came to
losing their driver on the curve leading on to
the bridge. I was satisfied. We hit the bridge
with dl four wheels on the planking and I was
thinking as we approached it that two of them
might not fit.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the days
fast. Sometimes there were orders for me that
were hard to hear. I climbed up, and on the
way saw that the baggage was hard fast. I
picked up the lines and released the brakes
and we were off right then and just like we
came in. These horses always cnme in fast and
left the same way. Passengers in the back seat
faced the front and more than once the start
caught one of them leaning forward and I
would hear their back clump against the back
of the seat.
At one stage stop I had to drop the mail
bags off at the post office, turn a corner and
then stop at the stage depot. It was at this
place that I had a lead team that I well
remember. This team had been passed up by
several drivers because they were so hard to
control. Some thought they had been used on
a fire engine somewhere for they never
wanted to slow up until you were ready to
stop. They pulled harder on the bits than
some 6-ups. I drove these horses out one day
and outside of the pulling that I had to do on
the lines I did not have any trouble. I will
never forget though the sudden stops and
quick starts. They always stopped, too, when
they were supposed to.
They knew we stopped at the post office
and they always did, and they knew, too, that
it was just a little ways and around the corner
where we stopped again, but would they take
it easy? No! We came into the second stop on
the double. The service had a cooling offstop
where they stood for awhile and they knew
where that was, too, so that just as soon as
they were unclipped from the stage they slid
the attendant to their cooling offplace. I wish
you could have driven that tenm.
I rather expect that stage stops were
different than most people picture them.
There was lots of interest in the stage
aniving. Anyone who was not in town too
often made it a point to be there when the
stage came in. There was more interest in the
stage than in the trains. News was so valuable
and more carelessly given, as
it
was not
authenticated like it is now and, ofcourse, the
isolated areas were more eager to get it and
repeat it.
There was no style in dress except that it
seemed the more the ladies could put on the
more in style they were. The bigger and wider
the hat also. It looked like some of the men
coming from the east had worn all the clothes
�they had. These were the men coming in to
make it their home and somehow get their
living in this new land. They were the
dandies, too, who dressed the part and told
the tallest stories. I was in full charge of the
coach on the road. The passengers were in my
care and if I gave them an order it was to be
obeyed. They were wonderful days; very, very
wonderful for a young man like me.
Some of the drivers were well known for
one reason or other. The stories
oftheir
only old timer's store in Flagler and probably
in the county. My wife and I are enjoying
good health. We hire no help and have not
thought
of retiring.
Some
of our
slowest
moving items have been here for some time.
Anna and I saw Flagler born and have seen
it grow and it has been a happy experience,
a happy life being a part of it.
by Roy Bader, deceased
deeds
that made them known were told and retold
around the stage stops.
I was born July 30, 1881, and was named
Earl Brown. We came to Flagler in '88 after
living three years at Brewster, Kansas, and
took a homestead, the northeast quarter of
section 12, township 9, range 50. My wife
Anna, coms for the same reason, to take a
homestead, only she came later and alone and
I soon changed her nnme which was Boethin
to Brown. We were married September 1,
1913. We had two children that did not
survive us, as one lived just for a short time
and we lost the other in the 'flu epidemic of
1918.
We saw the rails laid into town and it eure
had a big meaning for all of us. Before this
we had freighted everything from the railroad
that was south of us and had gotten our mail
from Bowserville. Merchandise of a minor
nature was also sold at the post office and the
new road came close to this and it was built
fast as so many crews worked at different
places. They were near Bowserville on July
4th, 1888, and the crews got in bad shape from
celebrating with some kind of liquor. They
said they got it at the post office and there
was trouble about this as you could not
dispense liquor from such. Federal trouble
was trouble then, as now,as there were forts
here and there. The closest one here was on
the Arickaree River north of here.
I was here to see some of the last cattle
drives and while I understand lots of them
watered at Crystal Springs, the ones I saw
were west of the town of Flager. They were
large droves and I think 25 or 30 men were
with each drive. They powdered the earth
and drank the river dry. They were not
always steers, in fact, lots of times they were
nearly all cows. I was pretty young and maybe
I was always late in getting
there to see the whole thing, but I never did
get over there and mingle with the punchers
like I would now if I just had the chance.
There was one homesteader who built the
wall for his barn out of ties and that was when
they were building the railroad. Well, a man
from the Flagler headquarters went out and
told him that he would have to return them
that was why
as they were building a railroad and not
barns. Well, the fellow told the railroad
official that he could not make him return
Union Pacific ties and they had to leave it
that way. The ties stayed in the barn wall.
We had our fling at the cattle business, but
my father liked business better and entered
it early. The homesteaders start€d raising
grain just as soon as they could get it planted
and about that time Dad started buying it.
Everything then had to be sacked and he
loaded out two cars one night after supper
and that was in the early nineties. There were
about a dozen farmers helping him and each
car held about 500 bushels.
I think I have have established a record in
Kit Carson County in one respect. We have
been in the some store since 1903. It is the
Corn shucks were used for bed ticks
(mattresses). There were also feather ticks,
but that took lots of feathers. Pillows were
also made of feathers. Chicken was a summer
time meat and the soft feathers and down
were always saved from the fowls. Kerosene
lamps were used
for lights and kerosene
lanterns were carried for any out door chores
or anything after dark. The cave (cellar) was
a cool place to keep things. It was a place for
potatoes, winter vegetables, fruit and all
kinds of canned goods.
LIFE AS A EARLY
FARMERS
by Isaphene Dunlap Leeher
T47l
Saturday was 'town day' for the farmers a day to take in the cream and eggs and do
the trading. All farmers had milk cows.
Milking was one of many regular morning
JOIIN WILLIAM
BORDERS
and evening chores. The milk also had to be
separated (hand-powered separator) and by
Saturday, creom and eggs needed to be taken
to town. Cream was kept in a cool place in five
or ten gallon cans and had to be stirred with
a long special stirrer during the week. Eggs
were carried in egg cases (twelve, six or three
dozen size) or in a bucket with grain (barley,
wheat or milled) poured over them to keep
them from breaking. Farmers did their
weekly trading, visited neighbors (who were
also in town) and on Saturday evening in
Burlington, the Bandstand was pulled to the
intersection of Senter and 14th Street (Main
Street) and there, local talent played various
band instruments.
It
was good entertain-
ment.
All farm wives raised big gardens, set
incubators or hens and raised baby chicks.
Roosters were used for fryers. Oh, how good
that first 'fryer tasted about the 4th of July!
Pullets were raised for the next years'layers'.
Incubators cnme in 500 - 250 - 110 - 50 egg
size with a kerosene heater underneath. A
thermometer was placed on the eggs in hopes
of keeping the heat regulated. Each egg had
to be turned over every day by hand. It took
three weeks from the time of setting to the
hatch.
Butchering was done in the fall after the
weather became cool because there was no
John William Borders.
refrigeration. Pork meat was cured with
liquid smoke and hot pepper rubbed well on
the meat, or fried down. After the meat was
fried and put in large stone jars, hot lard was
poured over it to cover and seal the meat.
Sausage was especially good prepared this
way. Pork was also smoked. Beef, pork and
chicken were also canned in mason jars. The
fat was trimmed off the pork meat, cut into
pieces and cooked in a large container, then
lard was rendered off. The cracklings were
used to make soap. Lye and water were added
and cooked to the right consistency, then left
to cool. Later it was cut into chunks and put
on a board to dry.
Fuels for stoves (both cooking and heating)
were corn cobs, coal and cow chips. Cow chips
made a good quick hot fire, but Oh
-
the
ashes! However nothing went to waste. The
ashes were put in a barrel resting on a sloping
board and water was added which leached the
lye from the ashes.
Shoes were shined by turning a stove lid
upside down, using a little water with the
soot, and this was applied to shoes with a
cloth or brush, then rubbed to polish.
Manda I. Borders
T472
�J.W. Borders was born to Mr. and Mrs.
James Borders on December 3, 1881, in
Reedsburg, Wisconsin. His mother was the
former Miss Sarah Tabitha Musselman. J.W.
was educat€d in the grade schools of Wiscon-
sin and graduated from high school in
Stratton, Colorado. Although he held a
teacher's certificate, he never taught. He
cnme to Stratton, Colotado in 1897 where
there were only thirteen people in the
settlement and worked with a railroad sec-
tion crew for 13.5 cents per hour. About 1905
he took out a tree claim locatpd three miles
north west of Stratton and fatmed for several
years. He then becnrne a partner of Nason
Fuller in the operation of a grocery store.
After a week of this partnership, the store
burned down, but was rebuilt. Later Mr.
Borders went into the grain business.
J.W. Borders was a widely known grain
dealer throughout Kit Carson County, Colorado and also in Lincoln County, Colorado.
his farming operations and through general
merchandising with the development of
Stratton and that section of Kit Carson
County. He lived a busy, useful, active, clean
and honorable life and left to his family the
priceless heritage of an untarnished name.
Nason Fuller was born in Canada February
6, 1846, and there pursued his education until
he was sixteen years of age, when he moved
to Piatt County, Illinois. He was quite small
when his father died. At a young age he began
work upon the home farm and when the
family moved to lllinois he assisted his
mother with the farm work. The family
consisted of six sons and two daughters. Mr.
Fuller and his brothers carried on the farm
in Piatt County until he was twenty-four
years old. The family then moved to Mcdonough County, Illinois, where Nason secured
employment in a wood shop. He assisted in
the building of wagons and in other wood
He was the manager and main stockholder of
work for three years. During this time he net
his future wife.
Nason H. Fuller and Miss Angeline Ingram
many years. The Snell Grain Company had
were united
Vona,
Genoa, Hugo, Flagler, and Arriba, Colorado.
Mr. Borders became a grain buyer for Snell
February, 1872, Angeline was born in Warren
the Snell Grain Company in Stratton for
six branches, located in Stratton,
Milling and Grain Company of Clay Center,
Kansas in 1911. In 1912 he bought out Mr.
Snell and built a grain elevator that was
added onto many times. The Snell Grain
Company was reorganized and incorporated
and its n'me was changed to the Snell Grain
Company. It was also a closed family corpora-
tion. Although the Borders Family is no
longer involved with Snell Grain Company
the company is still in existence in Arriba,
Genoa, and Hugo, Colorado.
I.
in
marriage on
the
County, Illinois, the daughter
of
Mr. and Mrs. Nason H. Fuller moved in
September, L872,to Iowa, where they resided
for eleven years. Mr. Fuller worked at various
occupations, but mainly did blacksmith work
and farming during the period. He
was
successful in almost everything he undertook
throughout his life. He was a man of sound
judgment and discrimination and thus his
opinions were often sought on points of law.
On the 3oth of December, 1875 a son was
named Ira D. He married Bertha Arnold and
lived in Vona, where he conducted a general
store. Ira and Bertha had two children, Hoyt
and Susan.
In 1884 a second child, Manda Iva was born
from Burlington. The railroad was completed
in May of 1888. Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Borders
becn-e the parents of four children: Floyd,
who married Rena Mae Hartwig of Vona,
Colorado; Halbert (deceased), married Olive
Cozine; Hazel who married Hershel C. Harrison; and Marion who married Eleanor De
Walt of Longmont, Colorado. There were five
grandchildren: Richard Lee, married to Pa.tricia Lowe; Donald Dee, married to Sandra
Simson; Robert, who married Zulma McDermott; Diane, married to Tom Moore of Santa
Fe, New Mexico; and John Wilson, married
to Margaret Schwall. Robert is now married
to Emma Jean Sewell. Halbert Borders
passed away in 1946. Mrs. J.W. Borders
passed away on March 29,L962. J.W. Borders
passed away on October 29, L970.
by Marion Borders
T474
George
daughter of Nason H. and Angeline (Ingram)
Fuller, on April 19, 1901, at Stratton, Colorado. Manda cqme to Stratton with her
parents in a covered wagon in April of 1888.
Her father, Nason Fuller, rode the first train
and returned on the first passenger train
SAILING AND GOOSE
HUNTING
Gregg and Lydia (Majors) Ingre-. George
Gregg Ingram was a stonemason and farmer.
born to Mr. and Mrs. Fuller whom they
out of the Stratton to Burlington, Colorado
by Marion Borders
22nd, of
Fuller,
J.W. Borders married Manda
Congregational Church. He served for two
years as county commissioner of Kit Carson
County and was recognized as a valued and
progressive citizen.
Dennis Orth, Burlington, CO. 2 geese shot around
HaIe, CO. Dec. 12, 1985. Weight 10% lbs.,9% lbs.
to Mr. and Mrs. Nason Fuller. Manda I.
became the wife of J.W. Borders in April of
1902. J.W. Borders managed the elevator at
Stratton and was in partnership with Angeline Fuller, Manda lva's mother. Mr. and Mrs.
J.W. Borders had four children, Floyd,
Halbert, Hazel and Marion.
Mr. Nason Fuller and his family began
farming on the homestead at Stratton. His
health became impaired and moved into
Stratton, where he conducted a general
merchandise store for two years. Mr. Fuller
then sold out and engaged in the cattle
business, living on the old homestead. He
remained there for thirteen years and was
successful but again found the work too hard
for him and again left the farm. He and his
wife moved to Burlington, where he worked
at the carpenter's trade. After two years in
Burlington they returned to Stratton at the
request of their children. Mr. Fuller once
more conducted a general merchandising
store, but a year later his store was destroyed
by fire. He was entering his store with
NASON HOYT
FULLER
T473
Mr. and Mrs. Nason Hoyt Fuller and
family moved to Colorado in the year 1888
and homesteaded at Stratton.
Mr. Fuller was closely identified through
a
lighted lamp when he suffered a heart attack
and the lamp fell, breaking, starting the fire.
His friends rescued him from the burning
building. Mr. Fuller sold his farm in order to
obtain ready money to resume business.
Nason Hoyt Fuller remained active in business until his death. which occurred on the
27th of December, 1917.
Mr. Fuller belonged to the Masonic Fraternity and was a faithful member of the
Dennis and Jean Orth, Bonny Dam, 198?.
Local sailors have returned from a variety
of late-summer regattas. Physical manifestations of their struggles are worn like badges.
Many are noticed favoring aching limbs, lame
shoulders or knees. Others are repairing
chapped lips, exemining bruises or treating
cuts, abrasions, blisters, nicks and scrapes to
the skin referred to in sailing circles as "boat
�bites". In spite of the inherent risks in the
sport, area sailors entered and placed in two
major races held recently by the Ogallala
Yacht club on Lake McConaughy
been the smallest man in the service, but it
is upon the variation in the size of these two
men that the Burlington post makes its claim.
Pratt's clothing is especially made, his
near
Ogallala, Nebr.
First place in the Trane Mac went to Sam
Schreiner of Stratton sailing a Sun Juan 23.
Crewing for Sam were Dennis Orth and Glen
Veihmeyer of Burlington.
There were 78 in the off-shore and 128
entered in one-design. Competing in the off-
trouser measurements being 66 by 38. Magee
takes a 32by 24 trouser and wears a size five
shoe.
by Marlyn Hasart
shore division were skippers: Sa- Schreiner,
Hugh Balkwill and Glen Veihmeyer. Crewing
THE SHORT NIGHT
OF A COWBOY
of Veihmeyer's Eagle was Bob Cook from
Grant, Neb.
T476
Sa- Schreiner placed first in the off-shore
"Open 2" fleet of 20 boats.
In August 1987, Glen Veihmeyer also
participated in a regatta out of North Platte
in his Eagle trimaran on Lake Maloney. Curt
Veihmeyer crewed for his father in these
events.
by Dennis Orth
THE LARGEST AND
TIIE SMALLEST
T476
"When you ask me to recall the by gone
I was a young cowpoke, the one
days when
thing that came to my mind are the short
nights. I know that I'll never forget them.
They stand out in my mind so vividly and
were so much a part of my youth, that it has
always been a wonder to me the short time
that a cowboy could spend in that wonderful
bedroll. About the only thing that I would
know was that I had been asleep and I would
feel the boss kicking me, and it seemed that
I had hardly closed my eyes. I cannot ever
remember awakening in the night except a
couple of times when the cattle went on a
stampede and then I expect I got the usual
kick to get me going."
"Yes, the ground was hard and sometimes
was cold and sometimes it was wet and
raining or snowing, but it was always the
same - I rolled up and that was the last thing
I knew until it was morning." These words
were spoken by Emil Stalgren.
We found Emil playing poker that afternoon of May 18, 1958, with his brother, Roy
and two friends. We might have known it
would be poker or craps, for the horses were
all gone from his place and his life was made
up about equally of the three. Many times we
have seen him in days gone by, on his knees
rolling dice with a blanket spread out on the
prairie and a complete circle of cowpokes
around the blanket, winning a little and
losing a little with Emil and ueually losing
just a little more than they were winning.
These ga-es were a regular Sunday event.
The boys started gathering about ten in the
morning and the dice were soon warming up.
They took time out to eat a sandwich that was
on the back of their eaddle or to drink a cup
of coffee that was on the fire, and sometimes
a drink of something a little stronger. Then
about one in the afternoon a few of them
would ride off over the prairie and bring in
a bunch of broncoe and the rest of the day
would be spent in riding these animals - not
to break them to ride, but to see how hard
it
Rube Pratt of Kirk and C.L. "Jack" Magee of
Burlington, members of The American Legion,
Post No. 60 of Burlington, Colorado.
The largest and the smallest members of
they could make them buck. These same
the American Legion bece-e the challenge of
the Arthur Evans Post No. 60 of Burlington,
horses were sold like any other horse with not
Colorado. The challenge went
to all other
a word eaid about how they had been used,
to anyone
Anerican Legion Posts in the United States
to match the variation in the size of it's two
horses.
members.
The members upon whom the Burlington
1882,
post bases its claim are Rube Pratt, farmer
living near Kirk, Colorado and Clarence L.
Magee, local attorney.
Pratt, who it is claimed as the largest
marine in service during World War I, stands
six feet ten inches in height and weighs 375
pounds. Magee, who is five feet one inch tall
weighs 125 pounds, does not claim to have
coming along wanting
to
buy
Emil Stalgren was born September 29,
in Stockholm Sweden. He arrived in
this country with his parents, Charles Alfred
and Hannah Sophia Stalgren in 1884, along
with his brother Gus and sister Hannah.
Seven other children were born here: Herman, Ida, Josephine, Pearl, Maude and Anna.
They stopped first at York, Nebraska, but
in a short time went on to
Cheyenne,
Wyoming. Here Emil's father opened a tailor
shop. As there was not too much business, the
Stalgrens moved again. This time to Wallace,
Kansas.
Emil did not say just how long they
remained at Wallace, but there he learned
much about how to care for himself and how
to mix with the outfits and cowpunchere. He
learned a lot about horses, too, and decided
he liked them. He was roping, branding,
herding and doing many other things when
he should have been going to school. He did
not like the pay and so he decided to go back
to Wyoming. He was about 17 at that time.
He ceme to a Settlement called Pine Bluffs
and was soon working for a man by the nnme
of Parker, but he could not remember the
name of the outfit. He was to get 930.00 per
month, meals included. As he was youngest
man in the outfit he was called "Kid" or
"Slim".
Wild horses were not much to Emil's liking
and he did not
try to tane any, but his
brother Gus broke a few and some of them
gentled down about as well as any other
horse. Emil said he just did not like them and
you did not have much of a horse after you
went to all that trouble. They were mostly too
small.
Emil had to mention again here how short
those nights were and we asked him how
short they were, and he said he thought that
in summer they were about 5 or 6 hours put
in in the bedroll. One man had to stay up all
night. That was always done so as to keep an
eye on things and the horses that were kept
close by in a bunch. If there were seven
working cowboys that meant there were ?5 or
80 horses for them; four well broke horses to
pull the chuck wagon, and an old skate that
the cook rode and a few good ones for the boss
to ride.
Sometimes they would not get a
bunch of cattle finished that they had
rounded up that morning, and that meant
that someone had to hold them together and
away from the other cattle. So many were the
nights that some of the cowboys were up all
night. A horse and rider, moseying around
after dark, always seemed to have a quieting
affect on the cattle. An occasional cough, a
little
singing, and always
that
shuffling
around was all that was needed, but it had to
be done.
The first thing the boys did when they were
kicked out in the morning, was to drink coffee
that was always on the fire. Biscuits of a sort
were always on the bill o'fare, the rest varied
a little. Fresh beef was a standby, although
when they used the last of the beef they
usually waited a few days before another was
prepared. The other things were salt pork,
prunes and raisins.
Emil spent nearly all of one winter rounding up stray horses. Horses could get around
pretty fast and when they got 75 miles from
the home ranch that was considered far
enough and they shooed them back always.
He had a partner most of the time. He would
be someone representing another outfit. Emil
could not remember any of them that he rode
with that wintcr except Emil Foreling, who
later became sheriff of one of the wegtern
Nebraska counties. He even saw him in later
years when he went back to see his old time
stomping grounds. Well, they just rode and
rode and looked and looked. One thing of
note was that in all that riding that winter no
one asked them where they came from, where
they were going or what they were doing.
Emil said that you did not agk questions, you
waited until information was given or you
�went without it. They did stop in at places,
eat and stay overnight or longer
if it
was
storms, etc. They were on
legitimate business and were not reluctant to
tell who they were, whom they were working
for and what they were in the vicinity for. No
place was locked and they went in and stayed
necessar5r', such as
just the same as if someone was there. No one
thought anything of doing this. They all did
it.
We knew Emil when he bought cattle from
people far and near and he was a fair and
square dealer. He just took a little time to
look them over and then made a bid. He never
dickered. The bid was always just a little
under what he thought he could ship them for
and still make a little profit. People who did
not have a carload to sell liked to sell to Emil.
You could buy from him also if you wanted
cattle.
The old Texas Trail went though Emil's
stomping ground and he thought he was on
the last drive. This was a drove of 5,000 that
were being taken to Montana and they were
moving and grazing slowly along. This trail
meandered over a trail that was about 20
miles wide so there would be a little grass to
eat on the way. This one went close to Pine
Bluffs, Wyoming, and all the boys that were
on the drive got drunk and things were held
up until they got over it.
He left Wyoming in 1906 and came to Kit
Carson County, Colorado, to homestpad.
There were not many people for neighbors
as most of the first homest€aders had left and
the grass had come back pretty well where
they had tried farming. Emil got into the
cattle business right away and soon built up
a herd that numbered 400 at the peak. He
thought that as soon as he had acquired the
same number as his father had, he could be
considered a rancher. His father had already
come to Kit Careon County.
He was hurt seriously out on the range
when he was riding a horse that wanted to act
mean all the time. The horse seemed to hate
people. He had a fit when Emil was in the
saddle and fell and pinned one of Emil's legs
under its side, and also that foot was still in
the stirrup. He had to maneuver so ae to get
the horse to slide over and yet not get up,
becawe if the horse did get up and his foot
was still in the stirrup he would be drug to
death. After some time he decided he was
free, so he let the onery horse get up. His
ankle was broken and the knee that was
.wheeled around on the ground under the
horse bothered him all the reet of his life and
he never could seem to get it into a comfortable position.
The cowpunchers were always welcome at
the Stalgrens and they liked to step in.
Everyone behaved. It seemed no one ever
doubted Emil's ability to keep order. Just a
little remark from him and everything wan
right again. He had a way with people of any
caliber or mentality or character. There never
was another man like Emil.
him to. One time when Reuben was elsewhere
and not watching Archie, he tried it. It turned
out alright. He pulled leather and asked why
he did it, he said that he was not going to be
thrown off the first time. They all had a lot
of good clean fun.
Emil regretted somewhat that some folks
thought that pioneer life was lived like
barbarians and heathens lived. He informed
us that it was just a mile and a half west of
his place to the Wallet Post Office. The
minister stopped there at times and people
could get married, baptized or have a funeral
preached. Emil was a little on the rough side
and we never saw or heard of him being in a
church, but it wasjust on the surface for there
was a lot of charity in his heart for anyone
that needed it, the church or anyone. He was
always ready to help.
It was Emil's thinking that it was time
someone was writing about the early cattlemen, for he said there were so many twisted
ideas about the days gone by. They had no
chutes in those days but they worked the
cattle with horses and got the job done just
as well. They did not have the cattle diseases
that they have now. Cattle used to lay down
in a different place very night. The more
separated they were the healthier they were.
Black leg was bad but it seldom struck for
they did not have the reasons for getting it
that they do now. There was not the varia-
tions in the pasture that there is today.
Emil sweat€d many a horse until they were
lather and panting to get a doctor to help
first doctor who was a
good doctor in his way of thinking, was old
Doc Fergeson and they were all pretty fair
after that. He has seen a lot of improvement
in the way of doctoring, but none of them had
ever helped his bad leg and now it was his
whole side.
On June 21, 1958, Emil's brother, Roy, with
whom he lived, went to town to get groceries
and returned home and not finding Emil in
the kitchen as usual, looked in the bedroom,
He was lying on the bed. Emil Stalgren was
in
outhouse were erected.
The sod blocks were cut from a thick rooted
grassy low place on the land and hauled by
team and wagon to the building site. I was a
small girl at the time but remember helping
Dad with all but the first part of the house
and barn. He made a sod cutt€r, a sort of sled
drawn by a team of horses. Dad, being a
blacksmith, fashioned the cutter; the sod was
cut twelve inches wide, four inches thick, in
long strips and then Dad took a sharp spade
and cut the strips into 18-inch lengths and
turned the sod out upside down to cure. The
blocks were hauled on planks, laid on the
running gears of a wagon. The blocks were
laid up brick style and reinforced every so
often through the wall with a twelve-inch
board, with windows and doors being allowed
for. A plate was put on top the walls for the
roof rafters and 12 inch boards laid, covered
with tar paper and sod was then put on the
roof grass side up.
The inside of the house could be plastered
to keep out mice, sparrows and snakes. Our
floors were 12 inch boards also. The doors
were homemade. About 1914, Dad dug a
cellar under the kitchen and bailed the dirt
out with a box sled with one horse hitched on
a chain. It was my job to lead the horse.
In 1915. I started school in a sod school
house and completed all eight grades here.
My two sisters and one brother also attended
school here until the school was abandoned.
and we moved to Limon. Colorado.
a
by Margaret Berry Slise
a person in need. The
dead.
He was buried in the Beaver Valley
Cemetery, the cemetery he had helped start
and helped care for since he was
a
young mErn.
Many of his relatives lay there waiting for
him.
by Roy Bader
SOD IIOUSE LIVING
T477
I will give you a brief description of our
homestead northwest of Flagler, Colorado. In
1907, my father homesteaded the SW % Sec.
7-6-51 in Kit Carson Co. and in March 1908,
he cnme out from Goff, Kansas to erect sod
buildings. He stayed with a bachelor neigh-
bor, Mr. Guhr.
DIGGIN'UP OLD
BONES
T478
When Glass Davis was a young boy, he and
his brothers recall gathering buffalo bones to
At one time, hunters slaughtered the
buffalo very indiscriminately, leaving the
meat . . just slaughtering for the hides.
sell.
After a number of years, the early settlers
began to arrive and there was a market for
loads of buffalo bones at Haigler, Nebraska.
The grandfather of the Davis children would
drive the team, hitched to a wagon, while the
youngsters gathered the bones, which
brought $8.00 in cash or $9.00 in trade.
One evening, several carcases were found
close together up the South Fork of the
Republican River. There were large bullet
slugs under each carcass and also a whet rock,
or as we call it today, a whet stone. No doubt
the skinner who lost it must have had quite
a loss, as it would have been a long distance
to a settlement where one could have been
purchased.
The Davis children gathered many piles of
buffalo horns and they were considered of
Dad put up a two-roomed sod dwelling
at the Stalgren's every Sunday afternoon.
first, with rooms 14 X 16 feet. Mom and I
value.
One day a couple of eowboys came up the
Dee and Carl Dillon were two of the main
riders. Frank Barnett was there just learning.
arrived May 1, 1908, after having spent a few
grandparents in
Reuben Andereon took on one just once in a
while, but he was just a kid and did not try
to tough ones until the rodeo moved over the
the Frnmer Ranch, which was the last place
they were held. Reuben's kid brother, Archie,
was always wanting to ride, but it was not
river; one stayed and talked with the Davis
children. He admired a pile of buffalo horns
which were becoming very scarce or might
Indiana.
Later, in 1916, Dad erected an addition to
the soddy making a nice three room home
which was quite comfortable through the
severe wint€rs. Other buildings consisted of
a tar-roofed barn, a granary and a garage in
1917. Also a small chicken house and an
have been considered antiques, since there
were no more buffalo roaming the prairies.
This fellow admired the horns and selected
several pair ofthe beauties. Buffalo horns are
somewhat of a "kin" to ivory tusks. Soon the
other cowboy returned from his errand to the
Tuttle Ranch. The cowbovs had about a
There wae a period when there was a rodeo
anything for kids and Reuben did not want
weekg
with my Probst
�gunny sack and a half of beautifully matched
horns, and all of a sudden they spurred their
horses and took off at a gallop, leaving the
children with their mouths open over such an
outrageous trick.
In later years, Glass accompanied a man to
the foothills where one of these fellows was
retired in a small shack among the cedars,
and was in very poor health. The visitor, who
was acquainted with the buffalo horn thief,
was amazed at the number of cigarettes the
man was smoking. Cigarettes apparently
were a new commodity. He remarked to the
old cowboy, "You will kill yourself smoking
those darn thing", whereupon Glass remarked, "Let him alone, he is getting just what
he deserved", recollecting the high-handed
thieving deal of the nice buffalo horns.
Today, buffalo heads and other parts ofthe
animal are often found along the South Fork
of the Republican River after flood waters
have receded. Many are washed out of the
soil, from 10 to 12 feet deep. Many Indian
relics also are found, but are becoming more
scarce each year since there are so many
seekers.
Large Iimestone bluffs, located north of
Bethune on the South Fork ofthe Republican
River, have yielded large fossilized remains
of giant sea turtles which have been estimated to have weighed over a thousand pounds.
claimed to have originated from beautiful
Arabian horses brought over by the Spaniards to ride while on their conquests.
Enemies of the wild herds of horses in Kit
Carson County, in early days, were ferocious
wolves of the plains. The means used by
early-day ranchers to protect their horses in
the corrals at night were by hanging lanterns
around the corral to frighten the wolves.
Mountain lions are known to have been killed
in this part of the country in early history.
Glass Davis relates that an old horse
wrangler dieclaims the stories about wild
stallions having a large herd of mares. He
declared that a stallion noses out (runs away)
the young colts and keeps his original band.
It was quite a thrill and much enjoyment
to see the little bands of frolicking mustangs
appear, working their way across the verdant
prairie, finally making a wild and thunderous
dash for their favorite watering place in the
river. The river skirted the south hills of what
by Grace Corliss
SIM
T480
now is known as the Corliss Ranch. Of course,
the Wood and Corliss places had not been
homesteaded at that time.
All land around the Tuttle and Davis
places were virgin prairie of buffalo grass
with no fences. This little band of mustangs
roamed the river valley and adjoining hills.
My parents, Sim and Dolly Hudson, with me
(Georgeanna Hudson Grusing) at the wheel on
Lake Mead, Nevada, Summer 1938.
If it were a hot day, Davis recalls, occasionally
some mustangs would lie down in the cool,
There should be a large museum built in
Carson County to gather in the many
historical things that are held privately, as
many are becoming lost and scattered.
spring-fed waters and wallow. After their
thirst was quenched, they would loiter off
toward the south prairie.
In those early days of history in Eastern
by Grace Corliss
their range hands out to round up all cattle
Kit
with a gate and not much extra. It was located
on a ranch owned bv McCrillis.
Colorado, large cattle companies would send
THE LAST HORSE
ROUND UP
T47g
According to a bit of historical knowledge
given by Lewis Glass Davis, Burlington, Co.,
about what he considers was the last round
up of wild horses in this part of the country
around the "Old Tuttle Ranch," and Elias
Davis Ranch, located on the upper part of the
South Fork of the Republican River, about
15 to 23 mileg northeast of Stratton, Co.
The Davis family arived here in the spring
of 1887. At present, the "Old Tuttle Ranch"
is owned by Tom Price. The Davis ranch was
abandoned after the big flood of 1935 and
later annexed to the Harvey Wood Ranch.
This part of the country in Kit Carson
County was the range where a band of
11
mustangs roamed the river valley and hille to
the south. According to history, mustangs
lead a carefree, playful life, loafing along
whenever they felt like it. Mustangs were
noted to be the speediest horses for travel on
the western prairies. Bands of horses are
reputed to operate a form of protection to
keep the herd from danger, by having one or
more as an advanced guard to give an alarm
at the approach of danger.
This alarm is expressed by a sudden
snorting, at which the body of horses gallops
off with the most surprising swiftness, with
their heads high and tails in the air. When the
mustang got a "man-Bmell" he was off like a
shot and the rest of the herd ran with him.
Mustangs had a keen senee of smell and could
smell men from a long distance, on a breeze.
The first wild horses in North America are
they could find between the Platte River and
the South Fork of the Republican River.
Then they would divide the cattle by brands.
It is claimed also that from the Republican
River, south to the Cimmarron River, large
roundups in like fashion took place.
When these large ranches wanted extra
horses, according to what is told by histo-
rians, they would send a group of horse
wranglers, otherwise cow-hands, with a chuck
Slqmpa George Barker and my stepmother, Hazel
Hudson, stirring a "mud pot" while I (Georgeanna
Grusing) look on. Later Summer 1939 in Yellowstone Park.
wagon to carry their food and bed rolls. At
night the cowboys would bed down on the
prairie.
One day, around the last of May, Davis
recalls seeing such a round up in progress in
the river valley, south and west of the Davis
homestead buildings. Glass recalls seeing the
herd of mustangs coming down the valley
from the west, from the direction of the
Tuttle Ranch. Some of the herd cut through
a bunch of cattle rounded up while a rider
appeared hazing part of the herd eastward in
the vicinity of the present Wood ranch
buildings. Evidently the rider had been
Qhasing
the horses since early morning, as his
horse looked very worn. Eventually, the
mustangs joined in the wild running and
crossed the prairie southwest of the Davis
buildings.
They ran across the river by the Davis place
and disappeared into the south hills where
Glass says no doubt there were fresh riders
waiting. After that, Glass says he never saw
them again.
In later years, Glass says he heard reports
ofwild horses southwest ofSeibert and on the
Smoky, but those were the last in this
neighborhood. Glass recalls in early days that
he saw ruins of a wild horse corral on the
Launchman River northwest of Burlington.
The corral was in fair shape but not usable.
According to information, it was a dry-wash
Not only did my dad, Sim Hudson, get a picture
of me (Georgeanna Grusing) feeding the bears, but
he also caught a better photo of Hazel, his wife,
feeding a bear while Grampa George Barker and
I watched. You can see I was about ready to jump
out of my skin! Late summer 1939 in Yellowstone
Park.
Sim Hudson wasn't always an easy man to
live with since he had an energetic drive that
sometimes mowed people down
he
- but
certainly was an interesting man! Long
before
he shot the head off of a large rattlesnake
about to strike me (when I was a baby playing
in a sandpile) to long after he brought my
15th birthday present (a live, full grown
horse) into the house in order to surprise me,
�we never knew what to expect from him!
He wouldn't allow me to call him Dad, he
*@LqT'1Y:,,'r":i3'i
I'i:r41'rtf8lv1liYf'.
man came to the lumber yard and said, "I
didn't ' sleep last night because of what you
said, so I got up this morning and had
breakfast and decided you called me a liar
and that you will have to take it back."
According to Dad, he replied "Well, I slept
wouldn't let me ride a bicycle, he wouldn't
teach me how to drive (and he, a car dealer!)
yet when I was only 10-11 and scared, he
ingisted that Mother and I each ride a mule
with him down to the bottom of the Grand
all right, but I haven't had any breakfast,
because what was good for the
goose was- good for the gander, and the gosling
ae well. Sure enough, we all had a fantastic
experience!
He wanted photos of me feeding the bearg
in Yellowstone, and of mystepmother, Hazel,
we are about even." The
Canyon
fifteen to twenty years younger than my
father, who was already well along in his
thirties. They decided the place to have the
fight was in the intersection by the lurnber
yard and they hadjust started when I arrived
and sat down on my wagon load of papers. It
was a bare knuckles fight and an unusually
and of Qlnmpa stirring the mud-pots and
geysers, and he got them!
Due tothe beef shortage
shipped Mexican oxen
duringWWII, Sim
in by rail,
driving
clean fight. We later learned that Dad's
opponent had been a boxer at Kansas State
University and considered pretty good.
Coyote Hounds
them on foot from the depot on the north side
of Burlington (across lawns, through rosebushes and once-clean laundry hanging on
clotheslines) to a pasture 11 milee south of
and where
town, where they were fattened
- catching
a
Sim conned my Iowa cousin into
Once when Dad struck his opponent on the
left shoulder, he went down. It was not a
knock-out blow but it was a powerful blow
and he went completely down. When he got
up he rushed my father and grabbed him
big ol' bullsnake and getting him drunk.
Thereafter, for several months, the snake
ehowed up regularly at the stock tank for hig
"happy hour."
Sim hunted and we 6f,e nlmqst, everything:
bear, possum, pheasants, jack rabbits, elk,
deer and antelope, to say nothing of the frog
legs that kept jumping around in the frying
around the body and legs. Dad hooked his left
arm around his head and I heard him ask "Do
you want to break clean?" Evidently he did
for they did break clean and resumed the
fight. Every so often I would look up the
pan.
Coyote Hounds
Sim had a vast variety of friends, and
interests, becauge he liked people for what
water. I returned quickly to see the hound eat
they were, not who they were. Coneequently,
he hosted many a person at our dinner table
(with Hazel and me doing the cooking and
cleanup): old and young doctors, artists,
cowboys, farmers, sportsmen, mentally retarded, business men, physically handicapped,
hitch-hikers and goldminers.
Sim wanted me to know dl kinds of people,
but he aleo wanted me to "grow up right" and
saw to it that I regularly went to Sunday
School and Church, even if he did not.
Although Sim and I were as different as
bacon and eggs, I nm both pleased and
o-uged whenever someone says I'm getting
more like him every day.
He was a character!
He had character!
He was not a hypocrite: he said what he
thought; he was what he was. He provided
well and loyally for his family, especially his
mother; he was honest, made many loans to
people down on their luck, had a good sense
of humor and was a great story-teller. If I can
do as well with my life as he did with his, the
world will be a better place to live in.
by Georgeanna Hudson Grusing
COYOTE HOUNDS
T48r
My father-in-law,
George Paintin, was
proud of the hounds he kept to hunt coyotes.
He rode a good horse that didn't mind
carrying his catch on the saddle.
He tried to convince me of the merits of
keeping hounds. He may have succeeded had
the hound not eaten the chicken I was
preparing to clean. I placed the chicken on
the doorstep while I ran in to get the scalding
so
other man was about
the last bite.
by Jean Paintin
THE GREATEST
FIGHT I EVER SAW
T4a2
Back in the forties, I saw Sonny Liston in
a prize fight in Denver. Liston was in his
prime and at that time he was not afraid of
anyone. He was a power man and it was a real
demonstration of his strength and power.
But the greatest fight t ever saw was in
Burlington at the corner by the Foster
Lumber yard, just one block east of Winegar
block on Main Street.
So far as
I
know, there were only two
spectators. I had a ringside seat (on a coaster)
wagon) and Hugh Baker - the Sheriff of Kit
Carson county, saw it from one block away.
I was twelve or thirteen at the time. It was
elmsst, six a.m. on a Sunday morning. I had
been to the depot to get the Sunday papers.
I had them on the wagon, as they were too
much of a load to handle on a bicycle.
My Dad had talked to a customer about his
bill the day before as it was way over-due. The
man had promised many times, but no
payment had been paid. He again promised
to make a payment in three weeks and my
Dad said "You lied to me the last time - how
can I believe you this time?" I don't know
what the man said, but he did promise to pay
in three weeks and it was left at that.
Dad was also up before six and went down
to the lumber office to work on the books. It
was the end of the month and he wanted to
bring his "list of accounts" up to date. That
was the list of accounts payable to the lumber
yard.
Shortly before I arived at the corner, the
street and I would see a man in a cowboy hat
(HuSh Baker) looking around the corner of
the First National Bank.
About every ten minutes the other man
would stop and ask, "Have you had enough?"
Dad always replied, "You have as much to
fight for as when you began." Finally, after
about one hour
of really heavy
fighting,
excellent boxing - both men still on their feet
and only one knock-down, I heard my father
give his seme reply to the question, "Have
you had enough"? I didn't'hear what the
other said. My Dad said lat€r that he said
"Yes, but I think I understand you a lot
better."
That afternoon we went for a ride - I
remember how terribly bruised my father's
face was. His upper lip was swollen and I
couldn't take my eyes off it. The other man
canied his left arm in a sling for two or three
weeks because ofa "cracked" bone. The fight
was in the news service in about five minutes.
Evidently, HUGH Baker went to the telephone immediately and called someone in
Norton, Kansas, because Dad got a call from
his boss in Norton before the day was over.
The man never did pay his bill!
by Carl Sr. Bruner
I PUNCIIED
COWS ON
TIIE CHICAGO RANCII
T483
The Cattlemen's Association knew that
when they wentto talk to Joe Boyles he would
take them back agood manyyears and he did,
back
to
18&t when his father, Andrew
Jackson Boyles, had come to this country in
a covered wagon. Joe did not remember much
about that early day in Colorado thought, as
he was not born until his father had left for
the fulfillment of an appointment as U.S.
Marshal in the Oklahoma Territory. Andrew
did not stay long in Oklahoma after the strip
was opened up, but returned to Colorado,
where Joe grew up.
In
1904
the Rutherford family had sold out
�company from Chicago that had recently
of how it had been brought up from Cheyenne
come from Denmark. There was A.L. Ander-
Wells in the very beginning and placed in Old
Burlington, then the main part of Burlinet. ,..
Then later, how it wag moved to its present
to
a
sen, Lars Larsen and Nels Nelsen. These men
had connections in Chicago and called them-
selves the Chicago Cooperative Livestock
Conmission Co. And it was here that Joe got
his firet job, and he thinks he was about 16.
He was to etay with one farnily and was to get
$15.00 a month and all the oatmeal he could
eat. They had it boiled for breakfast, warmed
over for dinner and fried for supper. Joe
cannot eat oatmeal yet today.
The Chicago Ranch had from 600 to 1,000
head of cattle and they ran on the wide open
time.
There was a large sheep ranch farther south
and Joe found himself down there many
times and he always managed to be near a
spaces. Joe was on the range most of the
sheep shack at meal time eo as to get a little
variation from his oatmeal diet.
Farther east from the Chicago Ranch was
a big horse ranch operated by a Mr. Eversol.
The Chicago Ranch was supposed to get
several hundred horses from Kansas City but
they never showed up. About seventy head
was all that they ever had.
The Chicago Ranch lost plenty of cattle
that were never found and just a few horses.
They all carried a 4 slash T on the right hip.
There were a lot ofbutcher shops around and
it was thought that here was where most of
the missing cattle went.
Joe's rougheet winter on the Chicago was
a
wintpr following
a
drouth and there was lots
of snow. Cattle could not get through the
enow to find what little feed was shipped into
Burlington. He used a teqm of horses and a
tenm of mulee on two sleds and would go after
a load one day, stay overnight in Burlington,
and on home the next day. He did this day
in and day out all winter and he thought the
winter would never end.
Joe remained at the ranch several years
and must have been a fair cowhand because
he received severd raises. He gaved his
money and in due time thought it was time
he was getting married. Thee was a girl by the
of Vera Coad who had come to
Burlington in 1906. Her parents had heard of
the nice climate here so had come from
Wieconsin, to take a homestead. They were
name
married in 1914.
Joe and his father saw a lot of changes take
place around the Burlington area. They saw
all the livery stables come and go in Burlington. Joe remembers the time his Uncle
Billie's stable burned down and how 16 tenms
perished in the flames.
The days ofthe boots and saddles were into
a slow decline when the Andersens left the
Chicago Ranch. Mr. Andersen got Joe to
drive his last horses into Burlington to be
sold. He delivered them to the Livery Stable
that stood where C.D. Reed was selling
tractors. One was a horee that Joe will always
remember, a good horse, strong and true, with
a mild manner, eorrel in color with a white
mane and tail.
The last owner of the Chicago Ranch, while
it could be called a ranch, wag Wm. Mead. It
contained about 2,000 acres and wag all
fenced. During the depression years, he went
broke and the ranch was sold and was cut up
into small parcels of land. So ended the
historical and friendly daye of the Chicago
Ranch, with not one incident to mar the good
character it always carried.
Joe laughed when he got to talking about
the Montezuma Hotel. He recalled the story
location by the use of eighteen teams of
horses and mules. It seemed that it was the
ambition of all its owners to keep pace with
the growing Burlington. It was refaeed again
and again and added onto'and remodeled.
They never wanted to turn away any guests.
Finally after a few years with business on a
decline and the taxes much too high, they
gtarted to make it smaller. Then in later years
what did it do but burn to the ground. But
the hotel did not die. It was rebuilt and
carried on as before.
Joe saw the Lester Beveridge Ranch
develop and become one of the leading
rancheg. They brought in registered cattle to
help improve the quality of the cattle in the
county.
Joe was always known throughout the area
for his horsemanship. He rode in the first
rodeo ever held in Burlington. He never lost
interest in good horses. He had many pictures
of them in his home.
by Roy Bader
Anyway it was a lot of fun and created quite
a stir.
by Henry Y.Iloskin
ADOBE HOMES
T485
George and Agnes Paintin cnme to Colorado in 1912. Their first home was a two room
sod house. It was warm in the winter and cool
in the summer. The roof would always leak
when it rained. One leak was sure to be over
the bed, regardless where they moved the
bed. Occasionally a mouse found a way in and
a large bull snake tried to take up residence
on a pile ofcozy quilts. It had a short life once
discovered.
One of Dad's philosophies of life was "it is
never to expensive, if you do it yourself'.
With this in mind, he and mother decided to
build a bigger and better home for their
growing family in 1919.
Their preference was Oregon l'-ber but
money was scarce so they chose the native
adobe dirt that could be made into blocks.
This was plentiful south of the William
HOOTCH MELON
STORY
T484
A story worthy of mention is the "Hootch
Melon Story". This was probably conceived
by a number of persons.
The story that ran in the Roc&y Mountain
Nea.rs is as follows: "A contract which is
unique is recorded to have been signed here
yesterday between V.H. Chandler and three
of the leading real estate firms of Burlington.
Mr. Chandler, who is one of the oldest settlers
in the area and one of the most successful
watermelon growers in eastern Colorado, had
contracted to plant and care for one acre of
watermelons for each firm.
In the middle of August, when the melons
will be about half grown, Mr. Chandler plans
to plug each melon and to plant in the cavity
from which the plug comes a special yeast of
his own invention. The outer part of the plug
ig them replaced, and the whole covered with
adhesive strips.
Not only does the yeast, acting on the
natural sugar content of the melon immediately begin to develop alcohol Among the
tissues, but it stimulates the growoth of the
fruit to a tremendow degree. Within a week
the place where the melon was plugged is
marked only by a brownish scar and within
a month from the date of the operation
ninety-six out of a hundred melons will show
at least 10 percent alcohol and will exceed 30
pounds in weight.
These real estate men who are, A.W.
Winegar, J.A. Swenson, and E.L. Powell, are
to pay Mr. Chandler $1.00 for every melon
that exceeds of equals 10 percent alcohol or
30 pounds weight, and payment to be made
on tests oft€n average melons from each acre.
Mr. Chandler estimates that there will be
from 900 to 1000 melons on each acre that will
meet the test, and plans are being made for
one of the most extensive real estate campaigns ever canied on in the United States."
This article appeared April 1921.
Thyne place just two miles south. Uncle Joe
and Aunt Susie Garnerwould build oneatthe
same time. Aunt Susie's father, Clark Hampton, was the engineer for the project.
They built forms from wood to shape the
adobe blocks and dug a round pit about a foot
deep. This was the east part. To get the
project underway they drove the teems of
horses pulling wagons to the site ofthe adobe
dirt, loaded them by hand shoveling, hauling
this dirt back to their pit and unloaded, again
by hand shoveling. Straw and water
was
added to the adobe in the pit. The mixing was
done by tying a rope to the tail of one horse
and the bridle or a horse behind. Several were
tied in this fashion and as they walked around
and around
in the pit, being led by one
person, their feet did the mixing. This process
made the straw and adobe stick together.
Once again, the shoveling began to fill the
forms which were placed on a flat, level area
of ground. The mud was mixed and formed
at the Paintins one day and at the Garners
the next. This gave time for the mud to set
and shrink so the forms could be lifted off.
The blocks were allowed to dry before they
were laid on a concrete foundation to build
the walls.
The original Paintin home had four rooms
and the Garners had five. The Paintins made
an addition to theirs in 1929. It had a steep
roof that formed a flat area on top which was
covered with tin. The chimneys came thru
this area. The tin was used as a fire prevention measure from sparks coming out of the
chimneys. The steep roof provided a loft area
above the ground floor making extra living
space available. This was warm in the winter
by the chimney coming thru but it was like
an oven in the summer unless a shade tree
was in the right spot. The stairways were built
to accomodate feather beds or mattresses
that would bend. The modern mattress and
box springs of today proved to be a problem
going up or down.
Both of theee homes stand today. The
Paintin home needed new replacement windows that were no longer available. Over the
years the yellow jacket wasps carried the
adobe away from the ceiling joists. The
�knowledge for these repairs went with our
pioneer parents.
With the s'me philosophy as Dad's in
mind, Garold and Jean buift a new wood
frnms hm. in Lg77. Tbo generations of
children grew to adulthood-in the adobe
!oa9, \,Iarilrn and Tony wilt bring their
familiee back to enjoy the new home. The old
adobe home will be preserved for our collection of articles of the past. The history will
be there for our grandchildren to eee. ;ouch
and wonder about the etoriee behind them.
by Jean Paintin
T486
Ae told in the 'Burlington Call,, by H.G.
Hoekin, Feb. 21, 1985. When the -Union
P-99ifc Railway was completed
in
1g?0,
it
divided the vast number of buffalo oo ihe
plains into two herds, the northern and the
eouthern. It likewise brought facilitiee for the
easy ehipment of buffalo hides and start€d
the industry of hide hunting, ultimately
exterminating the buffalo as a wild animal.
By the early 80's the extermination was
almost complete and only small scattered
bunches exist€d over the west€rn plains. In
the region now called Kit Carson countv.
these buffalo passed through Burlington, in
the summer of 188?.
At this time Burlington
was locat€d about
where the John Lueken farm house was, and
many of the businesses houses were only
tents. Among the businegs tents, was the drus
store of Maynard E. Cook. (Mr. Cook later
moved hie stock of drugs to the present site
of_B_url, about where the Dunn garage stood.)
Mr. Cook's story of the hunfstated ,, . . .
Remember it was quite warm, when someone
gave a ehout, "buffalo!!" Only a few ofus had
transportation of any kind, but managed to
get somethiag to ride horses, ponies, wagons,
buggies and carts. Everybodf that codd goi
away on the chase. One cow, her calf and a
bd -: and how they could run. Howdy! It
w-aq a lonrg chase for many miles across open
plains. Talk about rought riding . . . It was
the most erciting race I ever saw, except the
time we chased the deputy gheriff wiitr ota
man Baker, to Cheyenne Wells, where he was
6rrng to a coal chute. I don,t remember now
who helped-kill the buffato, but we captured
the cow and the calf and the bull wa.g killed
!V manV shots fired. Dr. Biehop claimed the
bull and he got the hide which-he had made
into a big fine coat, which I purchased from
him when he left Burlington. Mr. T.G. price
got the head and had it mounted. I kept the
".-oat until about six years ago (lg27), when
the moths got into it and ruined it."
John Anderson got the calf and sold it to
Elitch's Gardens. The mounted bull's head
was kept in Mr. Prices office in the court
house until around 1900's when he sold it for
$250, to Mr. S.B. Hovev.
I! wag later said a Hoyt and Cole of Oxford,
-_
Nebraska were the last of the professionai
b-uffalo hunters to operate in this county, and
that Dr. Hoyt was really the one who kiiled
the bull.
by Janice Salnans
a box. We brought corn meal-and bea"s;iih
us and that is what we lived on for a month.
We would have fried mush for Ureamasi ana
supper and bean soup for dinner. When we
got some flour I made biscuits and baked
them on top of the ,.stove". Si"ce we coJJ
get no milk, eggs, meat, or potatoes, we had.
to be content with fried mush and bean soup
with biscuits, but we enjoyed this as we trai
healthy appetites by not overeatine.
I remember the first Sunday aftJr we had
o-ur habitation, that my husband said. iokin_
gly, that he would invite the Cnmps over tor
dinner. (The Qnmps were people *e l"e* i"
lowa.) 8ut since he couldn't invite them, he
broqsht home two lady school teachers anJ
T487
"When the Kit Carson County Courthouse
in Burlington was remodeled, ihe commis_
sioners found they had the skull of a buffal<r
(supposedly the last buffalo to be killed in the
area.) on their handg. They decided to take
it down but eo many citizens put up a fuss.
they decided to clean it and a rr-riii-U""t rpl
Now comes the mystery: When Shirlev
Fundingsland started to remove the dust ani
accumulation of grime, a picture of an Indian
spearing a buffalo was painted on it alone
with the inscription; ,We were monarchs o?
the Plains.' The comm. and Fundingsland
THE LAST BUFFALO
HUNT
eating on a table and having a cupboard for
our dishes, instead of putting them awrv in
BUFFALO SKULL
PROVIDES MYSTERY
were started and wanted
to
know who
painted it?" wrote a Denuer posf article.
We haven't been able to find out who
painted it but the history ofthe buffalo head
r1_wgll_known by the Burlington Garden
CLul. The story dates back to 198g, upon
receipt of a letter from a Mrs. Durineer.
daughter of S.B. Hovey, one-time R"oc{
Island agent here.
Inthe-letter, Mrs. Duringer explained that
the skull originally hung in the o?fice of T.G.
Price, Burl. real estate and insurance man.
for many years. Upon his death, Mr. Hovev
acquired the skull, and it followed him in his
many transfers along the Rock Island. Even_
tuallV, the skullpassed along to Mr. Hovey's
son-in-law, Mr. Duringer. Upon Mr. Durine_
er's death, his wife offered to send the skjl
here, knowing the history of the last buffalo
hunt in Kit Carson counrv.
Members of the Garden club accepted the
skull, and it was decided to hand it in th"
court house. Harley Rhoades, H.G. Hoskin.
Mrs. Bessie Wilson, and Mrs. pearl Scheli
chose the spot.
The skull remained in the court house
until
the remodeling project, when it was taken
down to be cleaned and rehung. Apparentlv.
the origin of the painting goei bacl severai
years. Members of the Garden club believe
now that the painting was always on it, but
was o-nly discovered when Fundingsland
started to clean the skull.
by Janice Salmans
FULLER MEMORIES
T488
I
was born in 18bb, in Warren Countv.
Illinois, and cnme to Colorado in April, lgdd
with husband and two children in a covered
wagon. We lived in our wagon until our sod
house was built, which wasin June. We were
advised to come west because of my hus_
band'g health. Our household goodJ were
shipped to Haigler, and later weie freighted
across to our homestead, which was loiated
at "Old Columbia". There was nothing in
sight when we came, just stretches of prairie.
dug a hole in the ground, cut a piece
-We
o! s-tove pipe in half and laid it over the top
of the hole and built our fire there. We used
no mattresses, pillows or sheets. Imagine how
thrilled I was when we got our sod hdme built
and had our furniture again. We had slept in
our clothes-so long that it seemed queer to
undress and go to bed. We also appieciated
the Methodist minister, Rev. F.F. fhomas;
we had bean soup for dinner and a happv
afternoon.
When we first located on our homestead,
the- greatest problem was to get water. We
had to go four miles east to h;ul ,rt", froa well, but oftcn there would be so manv
ahead of us that my husband would have 6
get up at 2 o'clock and get in line so he could
get home before night. When this well woJd
get out of order, we had to haul water from
a water hole about B miles west of here. Often
times we would find pollywogs and othei
things in the water, but we siraiied it throush
a cloth two or three times, then boil it to mafe
it fit for use. Later we got water from the
railroad well dug in this vicinity. On Sept. g.
our own well was finished and we drew water
with a windlass. We felt that we *"r. lli"
richest of people. We were never sick and mv
hueband was gaining in health everv dav. "
-*a
Mr. Fuller built a blacksmith .irop
it for B years and then sold it
operated
and
opened a grocery store and general merchan_
drse business. We
built a two_story frame
house and lived upstairs and had tire ,to.e
downetairs. One evening
Mr. Fuller
went
down to the store and fainted. I hard the thud
and went downstairs to find the store in
flames and I pulled Mr. Fuller to the outside.
I called for help. A neighbor came to n"m lui
we lost everything.
_
W!"" the town,
Claremont, was estab_
lished, everyone moved to the new to; and
that is where we started another store.
_ In the fall of 1888, Mr. Fuller went back to
Iowa to help harvest a corn crop ana wnen tre
returned to Colorado, he cami thru on the
trrst passenger train that went over the new
railroad to Colorado Springs.
by Angelina Fuller
PAINTIN BARN
BURNED
T489
20, 1968. We had gone to the
- It wasinJune
funeral
Stratton for Henry Ledpp. O" ou,
we-saw heavy smoke norih of town.
lly
'l ne lome
trre truck was ahead of us but we had no
idea where it was headed. We were only two
ttfles from home when we discovered just
where the smoke was coming from. We weie
frantic.not knowing whethei our son, Tony,
and his
McGriff, were safl.
'I IIey hacl-grandfather,
planned to fix fence in the pasture.
We were relieved to see Tony run"irig to
"s.
�His Grandfather had told him to stay on the
doorstep at the house while he went to see if
he could save the horse that was in the barn'
Garold ran to find my Dad and turned off the
electricity on the waY.
Once we knew everyone was safe, we looked
around us. The large barn was completely
burned. This was a heavy loss to us' All of our
milking equipment was gone. Twenty five
trundrJd bales offeed in the loft were burning
and one horse was lost.
Once the fire got started, it exploded and
threw fire in every direction. Anything in the
area that was wooden or didn't have a tin roof
burned. All feed bunks, trailers, corrals,
buildings, trees and the pasture were on fire'
The neighbors and everyone frlm the
surrounding areas helped to control the fire'
Dwight Lewis turned his ir-rigation puPp.ol
to sirpply water. Ernest Cure brought his
water truck in close to the house to water
down the roof.
The feed bales would form pockets of gas
and explode repeatedly. ParL- Malone
broughtlhe County bulldozer out from town
and d'ugtwobigtrenches attwo A.M' the next
morning when they saw there was no way to
control-the blaze. He pushed all the burning
feed in the trench and covered it with dirt'
The neighbor ladies helped serve -the huge
amount-of food they prepared and brought
in along with the plentiful supply that- Ed
DischnJr sent out. Lots of the neighbors
helped us walk the area to cover chunks of
smoldering debris and get our milking facili-
ties back into operation. They came back
several weeks lat€r to help build the new
barn.
We lost a lot of material things. We only
had one pitcMork left. To this day, we don't
know what start€d the fire.
by Jean Paintin
A MODERN PIONEER
T490
I emigrated to Colorado in 1957 - not in a
but in a 195? Buick. I had
"ou"r"d-*"gon,
been further West than New York,
never
married only two days, and all of my belongings were in the backseat ofthat car. I am sure
I ielt like a real "pioneer" at that time'
especially after everyone had convinced me
that ttreie were still Indian uprisings West of
the MississipPi!
I recall that tears flowed profusely as we
drove, and drove, and drove some more over
the vast "wastelandg" of Kansas' Was love
really worth this? When we finally arrived in
East€rn Colorado, I was greeted warmly in a
home that even had electricity, a phone, and
indoor plumbing - those people were-wr-ong
after all - and fhadn't even seen an Indian
for 1500 miles!
I was very impressed by the vastnees ofthe
plains and when someone said we were just
going down the road a bit, I wae-not prepared
Ior the 30-mile drive. At "social gatherings",
people all talked about the weather and a new
recipe they had tried.
I
thought this
th"
l*gouge bewildered me and
it
to learn what all of this
meant'
Needless to say, I
snicker! Where I grew up everyone went right
or left, not North or South; in fact, ! don-'!
was the brunt of many a
recall ever knowing which way was Northl
Dinner was our evening meal and I learned
the hard way that this is the "noon meal" here
after several people showed up for "lunch"
when they had been invited for "dinner".
If you use your imagination, you may be
able [o visualile the thoughts I had when told
of the "barrow pit" - we only had ditches in
the East. A cattle guard must be a person
standing at the gates!! What a boring job'
We pioceeded West to California where we
remained for 13 years, returning to Colorado
in 19?0; this time in a station wagon loaded
down with our belongings plus two children
and another due anY moment.
At this time, I beceme a full-time farm wife
(and this is someone who would not even date
an Ag School student in college). I lel:ned
some more new expressions, such as "How
could you have let all those pigs get ayay, I
TOLD :you to hold them there" (exit for the
i'You
drive the pickup across the
house);
river and the"aocows WILL follow you' no
problem" (as they take off on a run in the
opposite direction); "ANYONE can drive a
tiactor, could you disc the corn field?" (so
how did I get caught in the fence row with the
disc implanted in the back tire); "Could you
take the jeep and check on the cows, there's
NO WAY to get stuck in the river" (Help! The
jeep is stuck, the tractor I got to pull it out
is iuried and I a- running out of options);
"Willyou take a load of hogs to the salelan:r"
diin'ttell me I would have to BACK UP);
and the most dreaded of all requests (he
"Would you run to town for some repairs"
(for some reason I can have every number in
itt" U*t and the part WITH me and still
come home with the wrong thing).
Perhaps the most traumatic of all my
took
the horse collar was responsible for the
phenomenal glowth of America during the
18th and t9th centuries.
This unhearled implement harnessed the
horsepower and fed, built and transported
our youog nation. Although it was invented
by the Chinese in 300 A.D., the horse collar
was not widely used until European settlers
brought it to America in the late 1600's.
Tlie ox cart was the most common form of
labor in Europe. But American settlers soon
learned that the slow and dumb ox is no
match for horse power. A horse can pull five
times more weight than an ox. A collared
horse can be easily managed through the use
of a bit in his mouth, something an ox cannot
wear. A horse's feet can be protected and his
footing improved by iron shoes. The ox's split
hooves make shoes imPractical.
Finally an ox cannot wear a collar because
of the formation of his neck- A collar chokes
him. Instead, he must be harnessed by a large
and cumbersome yoke fastened to the top of
his neck and shoulder. The building of
America can truly be said to be the horse
collar age. Every industry and distribution
system depended on the horse's collar for
production and transportation. The tree in
ihe forest couldn't become the building or
bridge or boat until the horse in his collar,
traniported it. The ore in the mine wag
weless until the horse hauled it out'
It was the horse with his collar that plowed
the field and cultivated the grain. The horse
collar enabled horses and mules to harvest
the crop and carry it to market or storage.
The great wagon roads and railroads that
united our growing nation were graded and
filled by collared horses. And who can think
of the Old West without remembering the
- powered by collared horses. The
horse collar played an important role in the
CivilWar because the armymoved in sections
where there were no railroads or waterways
stage coach
experienies has been dressing-chickens' Ttre
ottiy t*y I had ever seen a chicken was under
saran wrap in the market. I can now pick
feathers in less than three hours, but what as
I to do when my mother-in-law can no longer
pull off the heids! To this day it is a familv
eame to trv and decide what part of the
ihi"k"tt they are eating since my skills in this
endeavor leave much to be desired.
to transport soldiers and
years,
-*d
lhe desert or
After being a "Westerner" for over 30
I can now say that I love the country
h"u" even changed mY mind about
Kansas - that "wast€land" is really an
expanse of growing corn and wheat! Regard-
ini the "Indians", they still play a part in my
lf6, but in a different way -- You - will
frequently find me walkingthe rocks with my
head down looking for artifacts. I have never
recretted my trek "West" and would advise
*"yott" whoasked that "Love" IS worth it!
bY BeverlY
McArthur
equipment,
-dug
trenches, built embankments, and carried the
wounded to safetY.
One might say that the horse collar won the
West. After carrying thousands of settlers to
the new western territories, horses and mules
provided the vital link between East and
West. Roads leading west were streaming
with freight wagons creaking and groaning,
piled high with food and supplies, and being
pulled by 10- or 20-mule teams slowly across
mountains.
A
whole years
supply of sugar, salt, coffee and other gtoceries-, clbthing and tools were delivered to the
big western ranches by wagon- The waggn
loaded with hides, to be
processed and made into clothing, harnesses,
and other suPPlies.
triins returned
The 19th century was the age of animal
power. Better plows, combines, tillage tools,
drills, planters and harvesting equipment
were designed to be drawn by collared horses
and mules. Horse power remained important
until after World War I.
THE UNHEARLED
HORSE COLLAR
T491
-was
rather dull, but have since found outjust how
important these two topics are to a farmer's
wife; especially the recipes - I never knew
people expected three full-course meals a
day!
awhile
The greatest invention since the wheel, the
horse collar was written about in the Farrn'
land News, 1972, by Ben Millikan, of Parnell,
Mo.
Perhaps more than any other invention,
by
Jin llasart
�the _K.C.C. carousel. It took nine months
for
the Hasarts to complete th"
_-tlui,
ancl hours of delicate work over
"""o"."t
a workbench
and palette. "We hid in the basem""i-Ju-r-iin
HASART'S
MINIATURE
CAROUSEL
T492
While attending a showing of the Kit
^
uarson_
County Carousel Bob McClelland
asked Jim what he was carving o"
mentioned that he was thinkinlg of makinel
";;:;;
miniature carousel and Bob ."ltiea ;,i;;;
like to see that". Jim went t o-"
start€d on what is now a very rare piece"rrJ
of
artistry.
would
in August of 19g8, Jim and
- -Beginning
Marlyn
started working on their fascimile of
most of the winter working on the
as thq! winter was very coid and had-f,ot^s
""iou.j
;
snow," said Marlvn.
.. {hat began as a fascimile evolved into
their own interpretation of the
;i;;
only two rows of animals on "*";J
the H;;;;;;
carousel compared to the origin"t .""o,r."i'.
thrge.- no chariots (the origiial ilA;;t:
and the paintings on the center piece of the
sl:uclur9. were changed by Marlyn, in an
enort to "do her own thing.', But for the most
parJ, the Hasart reproduition ,esembles
the
K.U-L;. prototype. There's actual horsehair
used as the tails on certain to..". i"1i"ii
]
common
in both carousels) and the brieht
colors used were mixed to imitate the;;ii;
carousels color schemes.
Throughout the winter, asJim would finish
carving each animal, Marlyn *o"fJ
o"i"t
using oils as her medium p"vi"e ,J""i"l
attention to detail in the smali
;f
""]_ir.
had a lot of trouble painting tfr"
said, in reference to the shar*p black
""Ur".r;.fr"
arrd wliite
stripes-.J-im
_agrees
that detail i.,
or"tJii"
more difficult things to consider when
car_
'l'o
vrng.
nelp highlight details, he uses
basswood fbr all of his cawings. Taken
from
the Linde_n tree, basswood i. t[" roft".t
of ifiu
hardwoods according to Jim.
M*ly"-!"gan painting with the help of
^
urace
Uorliss and studied under Daryl Elliot
in the 1920's and she."o" b"g* t"i"t-iie";
fcw kids on her ovm. Jim l"i* .*"i"e"ii
1972.when Mgl1. bought t id ,o."
supplies as a Christmas present.
"*ing
As.you walk through the Hasart household
you'ct sweru the ducks, pheasants
and prairie
chicken scattered through the liri;;;;;;
genuine. "We,ve had a lot of peopleiell
us our
prairie chicken looks real," ^."ia ff,f""-iv" ;if,
the detail that makes tt Jiff"i*"".;
'jl-qnting on wooden decoys "i, ;;;h-;;;"
painting a picture,,, .h;;;d.
{ifficult.than
rrecrse details in the carving and painting
of
a {e_coy are necessary to mike ii;;i-rtii.*
MaryJo,Downey, it"i.-"" oi ir," iild.c.
^
uarousel
Association supplied them with
beautiful colored photographs ofth;
apmaf from which patterns were drawn
"""ou"ej
to
stz,e whtch proved to be a difficult
task.
It
took
the Hasarts nine months to inish
-
their carousel, from the first stagls oi;;r_
t""S-e Uto"kr;?
out animal forms from
basswood, to the final screw"f"t;;th"
stand on which the carousel ,"r't* Wh;;;;
p.rojec-t was finished, a private
.t o*irrs-*",
neighbors and friend. oI th"
9lageo t'or
flasarts. 'l'hese few were able to witness the
unv_eiling of the second
The Hasart'e carousel from a different view.
mostfamous;;;
in Kit Carson County. They were
t".*
f,ne mtnrature carousel spin into action,
"li" with
the help from a rotisserie moto. fo""l"Ji"ifru
base of the stand which also h;;;;h;;;;
reco-rder which plays recorded
-"Uai". fi"'the, Monster Millitary Band Organ,
a music
matrtng machine located
carousel.
at the
original
The miniature carousel has been displaved
at the National Carousel Co"u""tio" ti"ii ii
S""p5+lgt of 1984, Stratton D"y
ild;;l;;
or ryu4, the preview showing ofthe television
p.logram of the National Geographic Society
"Treasuree From the pagt"" f"-"t*irs'thi
p.T.c. No. o,lr,L sii?tt
{.p,_c._cgrousel,
Public Library in the spring is8i,. ;Ji-; "
"r
Just been shown at the reception
center of
Coor's- Brewery, Golden, Cotor"ao--i"oil
December L2, lg87 through January 6, lggg
1fo-ng with other carousel a"ti"t"s
i"ilfi;
ih;
H-;*t,;
Miniature carousel in the
;;;J
carved from wood
""ly
C_olorado Carousel Society.
in the stat€
and one of five in the nation
"i
CJ"i"a.
by Marlyn Haeart
The miniature carousel hand made by Jim and Marlyn
Hasart, winter of rggg-g4.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Book
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Memories
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
History
Description
An account of the resource
Various memories from citizens about important events or places in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
text
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
A language of the resource
English
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
text/pdf
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Curtis Media
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
-
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/424/Post_Offices_and_General_Stores.pdf
9ccb8a0da9da24d82816c883b7a4eb9e
PDF Text
Text
were children. Many of us made our first
purchases at these stores. Most items were
staples such as coffee, flour, sugar, bread,
lard, and other sundry items. Most of us will
never forget the glass candy jars and the
containers holding crackers, one of which is
now my bread box with the words "National
Biscuit Co" on the front above the glass
POST OFFICES AND
GENERAL STORES
T98
Many of us can remember the little "Pa
and Ma" grocery stores in our towns when we
K
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I
I
I
o talley
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tLCnt:
9Cnapin
IT CARSOIi COUIJTY
N
o
ioCarey
i
i-:.
i
oTu i: lel
€.lAVea6a re
oYa le
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=#t
-
o 3:a.
Lrvsial
ofoyt
r - 5 ia.
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i2l
ll
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i
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c',a.':
Poin
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I
o pest
. preSent
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insert. These same stores were found on the
prairie to provide the "necessities" for the
growing rural population in a community. We
must remember that transportation was by
walking, riding a horse or taking the buggy
to get the mail and make a purchase or two.
I
I inch = 10.6 mil-es
The Colorado Prospeetor
l;Xl:r tl c't \t!,t
can feel the excitement of going and
possibly meeting a neighbor and hearing "the
news" filling the social needs of people who
were rather isolated on their farms.
Today finds us deep in the search for these
small etores and post offices tucked away in
the corner of someone's home or maybe in it's
own building with a hitching post out front.
From several maps and written sources we
have been able to gather biLs and pieces of
this puzzle and hope that you will find a new
name to add to our amazing history of Kit
Carson County.
We know that some of these Post Offices
and General Stores are missing from the
material that we have including "Valley" and
Eastonville southwest of Seibert which was
a Post Office and Store.
The map is incomplete but it is included
so that you may have an idea where these
places were located to help serve the people
living in Kit Carson County at the time.
Name, County, Established, Discontinued.
Ashland, Kit Carson, Jan 14, 1890, May 15,
1909. Baltzer, Kit Carson, June 4, 190?, Dec
14,L907. Beaverton, Kit Carson, Oct 17, 1910,
Nov 28, 1915. Berry, Kit Carson, Apr 13,
1911, Apr L5,tglz. Bethune, Kit Carson, Jan
19, 1889, May 15, 1.905. Bonny, Kit Carson,
Jun 3, 1915, Feb 29, L924. Burlington, Kit
Carson (Elbert), Apr 29, 1887. Cary, Kit
Carson, Dec 12, 1910, Dec 30, 1916. Carlisle,
Kit Carson (Elbert), Jul 21, 1887, Jun 9, 1890.
Chapin, Kit Carson, Feb 15, 1890, Nov 10,
1894. Claremont (Stratton), Kit Carson
(Elbert), Sep 11, 1888, Apr 24,L906. Cole, Kit
Carson, Mar 7, 1907, Dec 31, 1919. Dodgeville, Kit Carson, Sep 14, 1907, Dec 14, 1907.
Elphis, Kit Carson, Dec 8, 1916, Dec 14, 1923.
Farley, Kit Carson, Mar 8, 1908, Oct 15, 1908.
Flagler (Bowser), Kit Carson (Elbert), Oct 12,
1888. Goff, Kit Carson (Elbert), Apr 23, 1888,
Jun 15, 1910. Hanover, Kit Carson, Jul 7,
1908, Jul 7, 1908. Hermes, Kit Carson
(Yuma), Sep 11, 1908, Nov 15, 1919. Kukkuk,
Kit
Carson, Lpr 24, 1907, Apr 15, 1908.
Landsman, Elbert-Arapahoe-Kit Carson,
".".r'':'1
...1
;
I {1.
r
iL "..rrq.i
Piolo co[rtcry Denvcr Publle Ubriry, WcJtcr! lllrtory.
Old County Mep
Nell's l8t9- mep of Colgrado show towns In Klt Cerson County that have long slnee faded from the scene.
requent relerenees !o these pleces ln eerly newspapers lead one to belleve that al on€ tlme they served
ite a populatlon.
Mar 27,1883, May 31, 1908. Lansing, Yuma,
Sep 17, 1886, Feb 28, 1910. Loco, Kit Carson,
Mar 11, 1903, May 3L, 1922. Morris, Kit
Carson, Mar 18, 190?, Mar 15, 1914. Oriska,
Kit
Carson, Dec 22, 1910, Dec 31,
1917.
Kit Carson (Elbert), Oct 17, 1888.
Stratton, Kit Carson, Mar 24, 1906. Tuttle,
Seibert,
Kit Carson (Elbert), Mar 27,1883, Mar 31,
1918. Valley, Kit Carson, Jun 2, 1898, Aug 15,
�1901. Vona,
Kit
Carson (Elbert), Jan
19,
1889. Wallet, Kit Carson, Apr 8, 1890, May
15, 1907. Yale, Kit Carson, Sep 10, 1891, Nov
30, 1905.
by Marlyn Hasart
Beaverton (rural post office) was located
about 12 miles southwest of Bethune or 12
miles south and 3 east of Stratton, and was
in operation from about 1906 to 1920. It was
on the correction line east of Paul Lowe and
the Werner places. It was on the south side
of the road and a windmill is still there. In
1906
ASIILAND
T99
Ashland (rural post office) was located
about twenty miles northeast of Burlington,
and the Ashland post office was in operation
from
1890
to
1909.
AVENDALE
T100
Avendale (rural post office) was located
about ten miles northeast of Seibert. The
Avendale post office was in operation from
1889
to
1890.
Jim McPheters bought and ran the store
at what was later known as the Dave Megel
place. In 1916, John and Libby Higgons were
the next operators. They sold groceries and
notions. Then, they built a new sod building
and moved the store to the corner just west
of the Megel place, which is known as the Art
Lowe place.
About 1919, Mr. and Mrs. George Church
bought out the Higgons goods, built a frame
house for a store with living quarters in the
back, just about a block east of the First
Central School in Sec. 3-2-46. Mr. Church
had to haul all supplie5 from Stratton about
15 miles, and at first by wagon. Later, he
bought a truck with solid rubber tires.
They kept a general store with a nice
supply of items and I think they bought eggs
and creom. When people got more cars, the
business got unprofitable and they closed the
store. After there was no longer a Beaverton,
(sometime in the 20's) this building was used
by some of the teachers at First Central for
BEAVERTON
Tlol
housing. When the acreage was lost, someone
moved the building and so closes another
chapter of one of our pioneer towns.
Sally (Church) Bauder (whose parents
were once the owners of the Beaverton Post
office) was one of Burlington's teachers for a
number of years.
by Isaphene Dunlap Lesher and Mrs.
Gertrude (Sally) Church Bauder
BELOIT
Tl02
The Beloit Post Office was located about
nine miles southwest of Bethune and was in
Beaverton Poet Office and Store dated 1911, note
cream cans and adobe brick or sod brick construc-
tion.
operation from 1888 to 1894. Mail was
originally brought from Cheyenne Wells.
When the route for the new railroad was first
surveyed in 1886, it was announced that it
to Colorado
Springs. Acting on this information and the
would go west from Colby
information that the B & M railroad was
going to build between St. Francis and
Pueblo, the founders thought that their town
would become the biggest town in the eastern
part of the state.
The men interested in the townsite were:
the Roberts Brothers, J.T. Marion, D.H.Lem,
Frank Durland, Shelby W. Betzer, M.F.L.
Bezinge and Clement L.V. Sampson. Posters
in red and white, 4 ft. long and 2 ft. high were
put up all over central Nebraska. These
posters invited settlers to come to Beloit, the
future site ofthe county seat ofeastern Elbert
County. Beloit was the voting precinct 12 and
the elections were held there and at the
Hoskins ranch until 1894.
This did not come about because the
railroad went west from Goodland and the B
& M stopped in St. Francis. They were a full
8 miles off. Some of the organizers had been
at the birth of Seward, Nebr., and they felt
that they could duplicate the success of the
city in eastern Colo. Beloit was laid out with
this in mind. The townsite was in a tract of
44 acres at the points of Sec.'s 7, 8, 17, and
18, in township 10, range 45. 11 and onefourth acres were taken from each section in
such a way that the section lines ran through
the townsite center. A well, 200 ft. deep, was
dug at the intersection and the buildings were
placed in a square about 300'back and facing
the well. This well furnished water for the
entire countryside for a number of years.
W.M. Hollowell of Columbia surveyed the
Beloit-Cheyenne Wells stage road, Feb. 11,
1888. Parts of this road can still be seen
running as straight as the crow flies across
country. Where it crossed the Imoky, a barrel
for water was sunk for wa5rfarers.
Following excerpts were from the
Cheyenne Wells Gazette: Feb. 11, 1888
"Already a store is in operation; a printing
office is being built and two young men from
Nebraska will publish a paper; a blacksmith
is preparing to open a shop and a butcher
shop will follow soon." April 28, 1888: "A mail
stage will be put on between Beloit and Wells
next week", May 5, 1888 "Beloit mail is now
being carried between that office and this
three times
a
week. The route
will
be
extended to Floyd".
The J.T. Roberts General Store and the
Townsite Office were located southwest of
the well. To the southeast was the sod
residence of Marton Roberts which was
afterwards used as the office of the Beloit
Weekly Bugle. The Editor was named Betzer,
then later Frank Gregoire (who died of
typhoid fever). To the southeast was the Ed
Hoskins blacksmith shop and the sod residence of C.L.V. Sampeon, which was also
used as a school house.
The Matthies Bro. Hardware store building and stock of the J.T. Roberts were later
moved to Claremont. The Ed Hogkins
blacksmith shop was moved to his ranch, two
mileg east of Beloit. The Beloit Weekly Bugle
outfit was sold to one of the Burlington
papers and a special Beloit edition was
printed for a few weeks and then ceased.
Cattle rubbed down the sod buildings, the
windmill and pump were sold and the well
Beaverton P.O. and General Store dated 1914.
filled up. In 1894, the county commissioners
established a public road where Main Street
should have been, but the dry years of 1893
and 1894 were too much for the community.
The settlers moved away until there were
�only one or two families left, and
Beloit ceased to exist.
in
1894,
CAREY
by Editors
BOWSER
(BOWSERVTLLE)
Carey post office was established 16 miles
north and 3 % east of Vona in the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Carey, in 1910. Postmaster Carey
was a farmer and ran the general store in one
of the two rooms of his house. Mr. N.D. Guley
Tl03
The town of Bowser, better known as
Bowserville, was named for the dog of a
settler in the area. It was a promising town
until the coming of the railroad. At that time,
Flagler developed at the site of the siding. For
the next several months, Bowser provided
was appointed mail carrier from Carey to
Tuttle, located nine miles east of his home.
He made the trip by buggy, three times
weekly by using his faithful team, Sampson
and Dolly. About 1915, the Vona mail route
was extended into that community and the
route from Carey to Tuttle discontinued, so
the Carey post office ceased to exist.
mail service for Flagler until Flagler was able
to obtain a post office. Bowser was eventually
absorbed by the developing of Flagler.
BONNY
Tlo4
Bonny (rural post office) was located about
eighteen miles north of Burlington, and the
Bonny post office was in operation from 1915
to L924.
THE BROWNWOOD
STORE
TroS
In the spring of 1916, the cement building
that became known as the Brownwood Store
was erected by Nick Brownwood and Charlie
Davis. It was built on Brownwood'g property,
15 miles north and 1 west of Vona.
The Brownwood Store carried groceries, as
well as a line of general merchandise. It
served quite a large area and customers came
from quite a distance to bring in their eggs
and milk and to do their trading.
The store building also contained the
Elphis Post Office. Elphis was the official
name for the community but, most just called
it the Brownwood
Store.
In about l922,the Brownwoods sold out to
'Mr. and Mrs. Dick Roorda and family. After
Mrs. Roorda's death, Mr. Roorda's sister,
Mrs. Rena Loopstra, came to help in the
store. She was later joined by her husband,
Fred. It was at this time that the Loopstras
took over the store.
During the early 30's, the store was a
popular gathering place on Saturday afternoons. The people of the community enjoyed
visiting and ball games.
CLAREMONT
Tl06
It was during one of
these ball games, that Ralph Flageolle was
killed and Burt Smit seriously injured when
they collided while running after a ball.
The Loopstras ran the store throughout
the 1930's. In the early 1940's they moved to
Englewood and sold the store to the Bill
Weisshaars. The Weisshaars operated the
store for only a short time before moving the
contents to Idalia.
The building, which is still standing, has
been used as a granary since then.
by Ilorace Boger
CARLISLE
TroT
Carlisle (railroad post office) was located
about eight miles northeast of Burlington. It
was originally Lansing but was changed to
Carlisle so they could secure a post office box.
This post office, in 188?, provided most of the
mail for eastern Kit Carson County. There is
no record of the platting of the town of
Carlisle in the Burlington Platt Book. But
apparently it was platted somewhere else
because it was supposed to have had a total
T109
Claremont was laid out by R.S. Newell
from Frankfort, Kansas and G.P. Wilson of
Topeka, Ks. In May 1888, the Chicago Rock
Island Railway Co. had completed construction of their tracks to a point 3 miles east of
present day Stratton on the Sand Creek.
Claremont consisted of a railroad depot;
store, owned by Mr. Bell; blacksmith shop,
operated by N.H. Fuller; a saloon; hotel,
operated by Miss Smith; printing shop; the
Claremont State Bank, Mr. Root, President;
drug store; hardware store, owned by Hobart
Bros., with the post office located in part of
their store; and Dr. Tripp, M.D. was Claremont's first physician.
J.T. Roberts store (moved from Beloit) was
the only store on Main Street, at first. A Mr.
Fuller sold his blacksmith shop and
he
bought the Roberts store, then a few years
later sold it to Fred Matthies.
Mr. Bell was the first post master in
Claremont. About 1904. the Rock Island
decided to change the town name to Machias,
due to the fact that so much freight was being
sent to Claremont, California. The post office
retained the name of Claremont. This was
found unsatisfactory, and after much discussion the railroad and the Post Office Dept.,
agreed upon the name of Stratton, Colo.
of 43 or 45 blocks.
The town was established long before the
coming of the railroad and was the point to
which supplies were freighted from the B&M
and the Kansas Pacific Railroad. It was
located I % miles east of Peconic or in the
S.E. %, sec.29-8-42 and was for 3 or 4 years
a busy trading post that included several
storeg, newspaper and even a school.
It was later absorbed by the development
of Kanarado and Burlington. The store was
foreclosed in favor of the Wholesale Company.
Frances E. Chaney, Elbert L. Callinger,
William Hoyt and Armond Winn were associated with the early town. One person from
Wallet neighborhood would go to Carlise on
Tuesdays, pick up the mail, leave it at his
home and the people would come get it.
Mr. Elmer Fasse has farmed the Southeast
l/t sec. of 29-8-42 for 30 years and in the
center of this quarter is where the town of
Carlisle was. Mr. Dara Hines told me he and
his uncle used to deliver produce to Carlisle
coming from Almena, Kansas using oxen to
deliver potatoes, flour, beans and other
COLE
Cole (rural post office) and town
CHAPIN
TtoS
Chapin (rural post office) was located
about six miles northwest of Avendale, and
the Chapin post office was in operation from
1890
to
1894.
by Janice Salmans
was
located about fifteen miles south of Burlington, in the residence of the family living
east of the school about a half mile, on the
Cole and Thompansen ranches. But was later
moved to a location 13 miles south of the east
side of Burlington. The family also kept some
groceries for the convenience of the people
that were always stormed in during the
winters. Lee Moore said during the winter of
1918 (a WWI year) the snow was very deep.
George Movis was one of the early postmasters in the town. The Cole post office was in
operation from 1907 to 1919.
COLUMBIA
groceries.
When Elmer started farming this quarter
there was a spot where the store stood and a
deep dug pit no doubt what was left of the
cellar where we found lots of pieces of stone
crock ware and broken pieces of dishes. A
person can still find the spot but due to
farming over the area there is just a little
depression there now.
T110
Tlll
Columbia was platted next to the Rock
Island and the platwas filed on May 28, 1888;
however, Columbia never obtained a post
office by the name Columbia and was little
more than a plat. July 21, 1888, according to
the Cheyenne Wells Gazette: "a post office
has been established at Columbia under the
name of Oranola. The old name was not
permitted by the department owing to there
being a Columbia in California"
In the late 1930's. a Mrs. A.H. Fuller writes:
"We came to Old Columbia and
it was
not
known then where the depot would be built.
When it was built, it was four miles west of
where we were, and the nnme changed to
Claremont, then Machias, and then later
Stratton." Claremont vied with Burlington
for the sit€ of the county seat, Burlington
received 451 votes and Claremont 170 votes.
�ullrEs.
i1..li{ia
August 18, 1888, "The contractfor carrying
the mail from Cheyenne Wells to Tuttle has
been awarded to Latham A. Smith of Columbia, at eight hundred and sixty seven dollars
a year. It was a cheap bid."
I lr9 uwv Duvry uuuuruE, wdD uquL uJ
W.A. Richards. The first story had rock walls
which housed the post office, creamery and
store. William Richards carried mail with
team and buggy every third day up and down
the river. The supplies for the store were
ordered and came by train to Burlington. Mr.
E.E. Harrison distributed them to the small
CRYSTAL SPRINGS
Ttt2
On July 3 and 4, 1888, Lloyd Gross first
surveyed the town. Crystal Springs was laid
out on the NW %, of Sec. 9, south of range
50, and consisting of a tract of 1,902
ft. from
east to west and 1,930 ft. north to south, in
the SE corner of quarter section. Presumably
the railroad was to pass through the center
of the section, but to get a better river
crossing and grade, it swung half a mile
further south. Carilla M. Strode proved up on
this piece of land and sold it to Stephen S.
Strode, who laid out the townsite. The town
had twenty blocks, part of them being 300 by
400 feet and the remainder 300 by 410 feet.
Main street was 100 feet wide and the others
80 feet wide.
Rather a unique plan for naming the
streets was adopted. The first four streets
running north and south were called: Chicago, Rock Island, Colorado and Railway. The
other streets were named Spring, First,
Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth.
In 1889. Mr. Strode filed in the office of the
county clerk an affidavit to the effect that
none ofthe lots in the townsite had been sold
and vacated the survey,
by Janice Salmans
ELPHIS
TrrS
Elphis (rural post office) was located near
the site of Carey; the Elphis post office
operated from 1916 to 1923.
by Janice Salmans
FLOYD
T114
December 31, 1887, "Mr. Lewis Dyer of
Floyd, a new town just located fifteen miles
west of Burlington on the Rock Island survey,
was in Cheyenne Wells today." Mr. Dyer was
a member of the Floyd Town Company.
May 19, 1888, The Beloit hack
made
regular trips to Columbia, Floyd and Tuttle.
by Cheyenne WeIIs Gazette
Today, Goff Store on the Spring Valley Ranch,
1988, formerly the McCriIIis Ranch.
a post office located at the Lee Yount Ranch
on the Republican River, then on to Hermes
post office at W.A. Richards, then on to Yale
post office located at the Sam Schaal Sr.
Ranch and then back to Burlington a distance of 45 miles. He would make the trip
three times a week, using horses and a spring
wagon and sometimes a top buggy.
by llarry & Ruth Richards
WARNER STORE
Art and Sarah Warner built the Warner
Store in the early 1920's. It was located 16
miles northwest of Burlington. This store was
built along the road on their farmstead by Art
and Cecil Warner. It had a tall square "store
front" with a gas pump in front. The
merchandise that was carried consisted of
groceries and other general store items along
with overalls and men's work shirts.
The people who traded there came from
quite a distance along with the close neighbors. Sunday afternoons were special as the
community gathered and had ball games each
week and of course the store was always open
with all the family helping to run it.
The Warner's son, Warden died at the age
of29 in 1933 and their father, Art died in 1934
leaving Sarah and Leila to care for the store.
Leila married Ray Plummer and they moved
to Burlington when he was elected sheriff.
Sarah remained on the farm and ran the store
until 1946 when she sold the place to Ed
Knodel.
Sarah died in 1968 and Ray Plummer died
in L974. Leila now makes her home in
Burlington. Leila's sister Elma burned to
death at the age of 7 years.
GOFF POST OFFICE
The post office known as Goff, from 18971905 was located at the McCrillis Ranch; it's
the big square house on the hill, which is now
the Spring Valley Ranch 18 miles north of
Burlington. Mr. E.E. Harrison, an uncle of
Ruth Bauder's mother, carried the mail for
several years. He would leave Burlington and
Bonny post office located at the Harvey
Runge Ranch, then to Goff, then to Lansing,
go to
Earlv 1900's.
T116
by Leila Plummer
TllS
L. to R.; Unknown, John
Richards, WiIIiam Richards, Edna Morrisey,
May'rne Richards and man with gun unknown.
Hermes Post Office,
HERMES POST
OFFICE
TllT
About 1908 Mr. Richards started a general
store known as the Ranch Supply Company
and a creamery and post office known as
Hermes. On Section 35 Range 5 South 45,
west and south of Old ldalia. Colorado
10
Hermes Post Office, now a barn on the Homm
Ranch 1988.
post offices and stores around the country
going first to Bonny, Goff, Lansing, Hermes
and Yale by team and buggy.
Dances were held at Hermes for several
years. On one occasion, December 25, tgl4,
a group of young men, cheerfully celebrating
Christmas, dared one of the men to ride his
horse up the outside stairway which led into
the dance hall. He did just that! How the
horse got down I do not know. William
Richards had some seven or eight of the
young men arrested and brought into John
Gerber's Justice of the Peace Court on
December 26. Each one pleaded guilty as
charged. All were charged with disturbing the
peace, using boisterous and profane language
and all had to pay fines and court costs.
The post office and store were discontinued about 1917 or 1918. Mr. Richards sold the
place in 1919 to Elmer Scherrer in Denver.
Part of the building is still being used on the
Homm Hereford Ranch as a barn.
by llarry and Ruth Richards
�YALE
The paper was later sold to Mr. Robert Henry
TllS
Yale Post office was established in 1891
about 18 miles northwest of Burlington on
what is now the Martha Schaal place. Sherman Yale was the first mail carrier and his
wife was the postmastcr having the post
office in their home. He carried the mail for
and made the trip on his long route
from Burlington to Goff to Landsman and
then Yale three times a week with horse and
brggy, some feat for the roads of that day.
Mrs. yale was the postmaster until 1908. In
the later years they had a little store in the
home for the neighborhood's convenience.
After he quit carrying mail, Mr. Yale was a
county commissioner. In 1909 the first daily
mail came into this area served by Yale post
office out of Bethune and Yale ceased. Sam
Schaal bought the Yale property.
12 years
IIOYT
T1r9
$
x
Patterson. Later he moved the paper to
Seibert and called itthe Seibert Freee Press.
This plant was then later moved to Burlington and run as the Kit Carson County
Record, by Frank D. Mann.
When the railroad came through in 1888,
it was located five miles to the south, so it
missed the town of Hoyt and it folded up. The
last business to move to Seibert was the
Jim Short and four sons, Oscar, Marion,
LANDSMAN
Tl20
Landsman (rural post office) was Iocated
near Landsman Creek and about twentv
miles northwest of Burlington. There was
always quite an argument over just how the
Landsman Creek got its name, but as to the
words of one old-timer: "A trapper named
Dutch Jake had a camp on the creek where
he shot buffalo for their hides and trapped
the smaller fur animals. When a few packs of
fur were ready he would trail down the creek
to Indianola, Nebraska, and trade his hides
for supplies. He usually stopped at ranches
along the way, and his invariable greeting
was, 'Wie Gehts Landsman'." The last word
ceme to be applied to the creek on which he
had his camp. The creek has been known by
the name of Launchman, Landsman, Lostmans, and Lonemans Creek, but the United
States Geographic Board officially named it
Landsman Creek on October 3, 1928, and so
remains.
to eettle all arguments on the
matter, a letter of inquiry was sent to the
Federal Board of Geographic n'mes, this
answer was received: "On October 3, 1928, the
United States Geographic Board rendered
this decision regarding the name of the creek
about which you inquire:
"Landsman, a creek rising in south west
corner of
Hoyt (rural post office) was located about
5 miles north of the present day Seibert,
about on the farm formerly occupied by Flory
Jones. This was the stopping place between
McCook, Nebr. and Hugo, Colo. for emigrant
and supply trains. All mail was addressed to
"Hoyt, via Hugo, Colorado, El Paso Co."
Hoyt was also a few miles east of Station #22,
at the meeting place of the South Fork and
Sandy Creeks.
The town of Hoyt had been nn-ed for Dr.
J.S. Hoyt, a very early settler and first Doctor
in that area and on whose land the town was
situated. When the town reached its peak, it
had several places of business including a
saloon started by Jnmes H. Priest in 1887.
Jim Priest filed on a homestead south of Hoyt
in April 1887. A man by the name of Schieb
had the first store in Hoyt. It was a two story
frame building and apparently he used it for
a drug store. Bert Hendricks also started a
drug store. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hutchens kept
a general merchandise store in Hoyt. They
kept the Post Office also.
T.G. Oles moved a Bond printing press
here in 1887, and put outthe Hoyt Free Press.
Tt22
Millard and Sam, came out to Flagler,
Colorado in a covered wagon. His wife
However,
was built.
it
LOCO POST OFFICE
AND STORE
restaurEmt.
it
Hoyt 4t/z miles North of Seibert. The original 4
buildings were moved to Seibert when the railroad
Carson county, to a J.C. Markle, who held
until his death.
Kit Carson county, tributary to the
Republican river from the southwest. (Not
Lastmans, Lostmans, Launchmans, nor Lonemans.)"
This would make the neme of the creek on
the highest authority: Landsman Creek."
by Janice Salmans
LARSEN
Tl21
Larsen was originally platted on land
homesteaded by James Stuart. The town was
laid out on the southwest quarter ofSec. 298-42, a mile and a half east of Peconic by the
Elbert County Townsite Company.
The Company consisted of J.S. Markle,
President; J.F. Keller, Vice Pres.' H.W.
Clement, Sec.; L.C. Morris, Treas.; and N.L.
and J.W. Clement were Burlington lawyers.
Larsen was laid out on a large scale having 53
blocks and covering the entire quarter section. Among the lot owners were Lee Ramsey,
County Clerk ofElbert county; Leo and Lucy
Thomann, H.G. Stout, M. Doneland, W.S.
Wagner and others who afterwards became
prominent in Burlington history.
Larsen died so rapidly that in 1890, it sold
for taxes at the first tax sale held in Kit
Martha and three daughters, Minnie, Pearle
and Lena, came out on the Rock Island train
several months later. Jim and sons left Colbv
Kansas January 1, 1910. There were no roads
or fences at that time. Jim and two sons.
Oscar and Marion, each had a homestead
south of Flagler. Marion's land was about 18
miles south and a mile east of Flagler. Marion
built a house on his land and about 1911 he
built on to his house and started a countrv
store, which he called "Loco" after the loco
weed that was so prevalent there. It affected
horses and cattle, they acted crazy, stood
around by themselves and would not eat
much but the loco weed. Naturallv thev
became very thin.
There was a post office called Loco also.
but I do not know where it was located. This
post office was established March 11, 1902
with Charles D. Davis appointed as the first
postmaster. About 1912 Marion Short moved
the Loco post office into one corner of his
store and he became postmaster there.
Marion ordered some groceries for the
store from Montgomery Ward and bought
some in Flagler. Fish, pickled and smoked,
came in small barrels as did crackers, pickles
and other things. Candy came in bulk, he put
it in glass jars. He stocked coffee beans.
everyone had a coffee grinder. Then there
was Prince Albert tobacco, with papers so you
could roll your own. Later a cigarette roller
came out and if used they looked almost as
uniform as the packaged cigarettes. The
cigarette holder was popular for awhile, it
kept the brown stains off your
fingers.
Marion also sold shoe soles as people mended
their own shoes at that time. Sleeve holders
for men were popular, they were round elastic
bands covered with colored rayon thread. He
sold shoes and some clothing. I remember the
ladies dress shoes. They were high topped
and buttoned all the way up, you needed a
button hook to fasten them. The store kept
kerosene for the lamps and lanterns. In the
fall everyone who raised corn bought a lot of
shucking mittens.
Since it was so far to Flagler, Marion often
went on his saddle horse, unless he needed
supplies. One thing about horses, if it came
up a storm and you did not know which way
was home, you just loosened the reins and the
trusty horse always brought you home. They
also watched for rattlesnakes. If they heard
one rattle they would pivot on their hind legs
and start back the way the had come.
The country was quite thickly settled at
this time, so there were many cowboys and
farmers who traded at the store and made use
of the post office. Loco was a busy place much
of the time. The post office and store were
really appreciated by the community.
Marion married Susan Laws; they had one
son, Howard. Sue enjoyed helping in the
store. They began buying cream and eggs. Or
�traded them for groceries,
lhus the phrase, going to the store to "trade".
Ihere were no flies here until settlers brought
them here in their belongings.
About 1918 Marion sold his farm and went
ho the Army in World War I. I am not sure
rs the farmers said,
ORISKA
"jl..,1,:.',
of the date he sold his store to Alvin B.
t.
t:..'ltt':..,,
Tt26
i!,,i:::iiliir:t::i:: :l.i.,,,,
Radebaugh. Alvin lived one mile east and one
mile south of Loco. He moved the Loco store
and post office to his home, which was a sod
house. In a year or so, Alvin built a frame
building next door for the post office and
store. He began selling gasoline as more
people were buying cars.
The two mail carriers I remember were
Dick Burris and Lewis Clark. Mr. Burris lived
on a farm and Mr. Clark lived in Flagler'
When Marion came back from the ArmY,
he and his family moved to Ft. Collins,
Colorado. I believe Mr. Radebaugh was the
Iast postmaster at Loco. The Loco post office
was discontinued May 3L, L922.
Loco (rural post office) was located about
fifteen miles northeast of Wildhorse. The
Loco post office was in operation from 1903
to 1922. Loco remained on the map into the
1940's.
by Lena (Short) TYeatherlY
LOWELL
From 1910 through 191? Oriska was a thriving small community south of Stratton'
T123
The Lowell Townsite Company with A.J.
Senter as the president had the town of
Lowell surveyed by T.P. Chamber on the
S.W. % of Sec. 31-8-43. The date was April
20, 1887.
On May 20, 1887, Lowell consolidated with
Burlington. The agreement was as follows,
Burlington came over from its original site on
S.E. % Sec 34-8-44, and taking in the site of
Lowell but retaining its original name of
Burlington.
The site of Lowell was originally an Indian
Oriska (rural post office) was located about
22 miles north of Kit Carson, somewhere in
the south part of Township 11, Range 47.
Oriska had a store run by Ted Martin and a
post office in operation from 1910 to 1917.
There was a place called Mount Pearl on
south of Oriska. Mail was brought to Van's
September 1, 1888 "The name of the new
town of Malow in Elbert County has been
changed to Flagler."
by Cheyenne WeIIs Gazette
MORRIS
T125
Morris (rural post office) was located about
sixteen miles northeast of Burlington, and
the Morris post office was in operation from
1907 to 1914. Morris was also called "Cottage
House."
by Janice Salmans
and Lowell Boger. Later Herman
Dane
became a hog buyer for Hugh Baker.
Later on in the 1930's Highway 24 was oiled
picked up. Then the homesteaders picked up
their mail at the Oriska store. Noble Bradshaw was the last mail carrier. Carl Harrison
was the last teacher of the Oriska School.
PECONIC
The government erected a number of bins
there for grain storage and later sold them off.
We want to give thanks to Winifred James,
by Janice Salmans
Tr24
grain shed. It was operated by Herman Dane
and this took the traffic from Highway 40
Iocated one mile north of Peconic. The
Colorado Courtesy Patrol had an office there
at Peconic in 1934.
lnL927 Harry Vallin managed the elevator
and Roy Martin helped him. In the late 1930's
and early 40's Jay Duffy ran the elevator.
Rabbit drives were held around there and
many bands of sheep were unloaded there.
Point from Stratton and Ieft at Oriska to be
Campground.
MALOW (FLAGLER)
A dance hall was located at Peconic for a
while, the hall was not much more than a
TL27
A siding on the Rock Island Railroad, now
the Kyle Railroad, is six miles east of
Burlington, Colorado and is six miles west of
Kanorado, Kansas on Highway 24.
In
1919,
right after World War I,
Elmer Fasse, Glade Larsen, Roy Martin,
Millie Hines and Don Teman for this information.
by Chet James
Joe
Swenson and A.W. Winegar were instrumen-
tal in bringing a lot of land buyers to Kit
Carson County and to Eastern Colorado.
In 1923 there was Postal service at Peconic
and it was operated by a man named Loyal
Brown and his wife Lena (Young) Royer.
Following a blizzard one time a nine year old
Glade Larsen, son of E.J. Larsen, who lived
four and one half miles north of Peconic,
remembers getting on his saddle horse with
a flour sack and going to Peconic for supplies.
About 1924 or 25 aman, Ross Tucker, and
the Swenson Land and Cattle Co., built the
elevator at Peconic. It was after World War
I and the price of wheat was high-the people
just knew that wheat would hit $5.00 a bushel
and it was over $4.00 then-but it never
did-the thirties and the depression set in
with prices dropping to unbelievable lows.
Joe Swenson was killed while rabbit hunting. He was crossing a barbwire fence and his
gun discharged.
PERRY'S CORNER
T128
Peny's Corner (place name) is shown
about fourteen miles southeast of Seibert on
a 1916 map.
PIKES STORE
Tt29
The old frame building that stood as a
landmark for so many years was swept into
a mass ofbroken boards and scattered debris
as a tornado swept across the prairie Sunday
evening, Oct. 17, 1971. The roof of the
building was lifted off as if gentle hands had
picked it up and carried it nearly a quarter
�-il:,':,.]l]l
1880's. Herman Tuttle was the first postmaster and several others followed.
In 1909, Alma Root became the postmistress. This was the year that my father and
r,,4..:at:lr,;:
..r,tr,irr,u:
mother, N.O. and Bertha Gulley, homesteaded 16 miles north and 4 east of Vona.
The next year my father was appointed
mail carrier. His route was from post office
Carcy, Yz mile west of his home, to Tuttle. He
carried the mail three times a week with a
team and buggy. It was a round trip of 18
miles. He remained the carrier until Carey
was discontinued when the Vona mail route
was extended to our community.
This little rock building remains a landmark to those who remember it as it was in
1910-1920. Going to Tuttle meant a long ride
on the hot days of summer and the cold days
of winter. My mother was substitute carrier
I
always looked
as
there was often
and often took me along.
forward to getting our mail,
a post card for me from my Grandmother
Gulley or some cousins in Missouri. I have
those cards still, and others, badly worn and
the corners bent or missing, but the addresses
of Carey and Tuttle are still clear.
Social gatherings were sometimes held at
I remember well one July 4th. We
went by wagon to attend a picnic there. It was
very hot and there was little shade at Tuttle,
but a few tents gave some shelter from the
sun. There was a merry-go-round, the first I
had ever seen. It was owned and operated by
a Mr. Clair. There were races and horseshoes
and a basket dinner.
Fireworks were planned for the evening,
but a rain storm came in the late afternoon.
It settled into a slow steady rain that lasted
several hours. My mother herded my sister,
Velma, my brother, Nolan and I into a canvas
covered dance platform. There we waited for
Tuttle.
Pike Store after tornado in 1971.
mile away and set it down in one piece, the
boards unbroken and still intact. The steel
windmill was bent over flat on the ground by
a mighty wind.
general store; they are now used for storage.
Mr. Culberson carried the mail in his 1913
Ford.
Memories Of Tuttle
Pike's store was built 12 miles north and
6 miles east of present day Stratton a few
years after World War
building when
I. It
was
still a new
I first went there with
my
parents. We did not often go to Pike's Store
as there were stores nearer our home. Sometimes though, my parents, N.O. and Bertha
Gulley, would go there to buy groceries. We
went in from the west and I still remember
the hills and valleys we passed through with
the horses and buggy.
Pike's remained a store until sometime in
the 30's. After the store closed, the building
was a house, but at the time of the tornado
the building had been empty for a number of
years. The out buildings had fallen down and
the old cottonwood tree had died but it was
laid down by the wind.
Though Pike's Store no longer stands, the
site will be remembered by those of us who
knew it in the early 1900's.
Pike's seemed a lonely place, even an ugly
place some would say and yet it was a source
of security, for within it's walls were stored
the necessities of the homestead families.
This is a story that my mother, Opal Boger,
sent to a local paper. After the story appeared
in the paper she received the Ietter that
follows this from Mrs. Mettie Sisson of
the rain to
cease. There was music and
dancing but, I crawled under the bench where
some ladies were sitting, and to the beat of
the music and many moving feet, I fell asleep
Stratton.
"Tuttle, today would hardly
be recognized
that was once the general store and
post office of the community, 17 miles north
and,4Yz east of Stratton, though the main
part of the post office is still standing.
Tuttle post office was established in the
as a place
on the cold damp floor.
It was still raining lightly when we climbed
into the rain drenched wagon and started on
our journey home with nine miles of muddy
- w:
&,',.
by Opal Boger
TUTTLE
Tr30
Tuttle was located about 20 miles northeast of Stratton, adjacent to the Messenger
homestead, and was in operation from 1883
to 1918. Tuttlb was one of the earliest post
offices in this county. For several years it was
a growing center of trade until the coming of
the railroad. The early town boasted of one
of the first regular church services taught by
Mary Beiver. Three of the original buildings
are standing, these include the post office and
r.,,;,rg;t| i
r
*t
Tuttle Store and Post Office in 1913. L. to R.: Aaron Burkart, The Root family, "Mother Flora", Alma,
Doyne, Greta, Albert the father holding baby Carl, little boy Edgar, Vern, Eva, and Mr. Culberson the
mail carrier.
�:oads to go.
We, who were small children that long ago
Iuly 4th, remember Tuttle as a place where
ile met and played with our friends. We
:emember our parents taking time from their
rork filled days to take us there.
Most of all, I remember my father. That his
lamily might have clothing and food, he drove
VAN'S POINT
government contracts to supply the Western
Van's Point (place name) is shown about
11
miles southwest of Bethune on a 1916 map.
rut each mail day morning, in all kinds of
reather, with his open buggy and faithful,
WALLET POST
iast stepping team, Dolly and Sampson down
;hat long wagon trail to Tuttle."
Mrs. Opal Boger
OFFICE
Dear Mrs. Boger,
"I
enjoyed your article on the early days
very much. The circumstances in our lives
ilere very much the same. My father, Roy E.
the mail from Stratton to
Iuttle for six months on a sub-lease, the
trones, canied
winter of 1909-1910.
He got $50.00 a month and used three
beams. We lived 13 miles from Stratton on the
lirect route to Tuttle. My brother and I
would have a fresh team fed and harnessed,
ready for him, when he arrived from Stratton
rnd then again when he returned from Tuttle
rbout two o'clock in the afternoon. He carried
bhe mail six days a week.
The snow was about two feet deep that
winter. He made a little sled about 6 ft. long
with a box about 2 ft. deep. With a lantern
and a heavy comforter, covered with denim,
he kept fairly comfortable.
He often had passengers. One morning he
new homesteaders. On
had two ladies .
this trip father stood on a ledge on the back
of his sled and it happened that he had his
most flighty team. The ladies were driving,
a scarf fluttered and scared the team. They
started to run.
Father was a man who liked jokes so it was
fun to see the ladies'excitement. He let them
run a ways before taking the reins and
bringing them to a halt. The ladies wouldn't
drive anymore.
One Saturday morning, father told Mr.
Root he had a sick baby at home. Mr. Root
said we will fix that so he held the mail in
Tuttle until two o'clock. too late to take it to
Stratton, so father could stay home that night
and took the mail in the next day.
I remember attending a Fourth of July
celebration in Tuttle but don't remember any
of the details. However, I remember the
skating rink and dance hall in Tuttle. We
went to just a few of the dances. I remember
the Clark twins. They were so nice and were
identical.
The skating rink . . . I only remember
going once. I thought I wanted to learn to
skate. My brother got me the skates and put
one on for me then
I
lost my nerve and
wouldn't let him put the other one on.
However he put them on, skated down the
hall, came back quite speedily, and out of
control. The stove was at this end of the hall
and red hot. He had no control, hit the red
hot stove with his hands and pushed himself
back and landed in the laps of Mrs. Carl Root
and another lady. They looked daggers at
him. However he got to be a good skater and
spent a good many Saturday nights in Tuttle.
Good clean fun. A lot more crazy incidents
but enough said."
Sincerely,
Mrs. Mettie Sisson
by Joyce Miller
TlSl
known Missouri Freighter, Alexander Majors, also a Methodist lay preacher, and
formed the R.M.W. Partnership, to fill
Tt32
The Cattlemen's Association of Kit Carson
county asked me, Belle Winter, to recall
events and history of early days, and especially the Wallet Post Office, of which my
father, Alfred Wallet, was the post master
during its entirety. The Post Office was
opened on April 8, 1890, and discontinued on
May 15, 1909. Before this date of April 8, my
older brother, Fred carried mail from our
community to Carlisle, south, and back twice
a week on horseback.
Peconic is now near where Carlisle stood;
it was later absorbed by Kanarado and
Burlington, after the Railroad came through.
Later, the mail route was formed and
another office was added, Ashland, northeast
of Wallet. A Mr. Seifert carried the mail for
awhile, when Mr. Teaman father of Henry
and the late Charles Teaman of Burlington
and Mrs. Lester Sheldon of Kanarado,
carried the mail for several years with horses
and buggy. All our neighbors always gathered
at our home on Tuesday and Friday afternoons to visit and wait for the mail.
The Ashland Post Office was later moved
to the George Pratt home and I believe was
discontinued at the same time as was the
Wallet P.O.
Fred Wallet also took care of the cemetery
records for a good many years. Rev. Willis
homesteaded in the Wallet vicinity and also
Mike Higgins. The Huff family lived 2 miles
w. of Wallet.
by Janice Salmans
LEAVENWORTH AND
PIKES PEAK TRAIL,
THE PONY EXPRESS
Tr33
The earliest history we have of what is now
Carson county was when the great
freighting firm of Russell, Majors and Waddell decided to have as direct a route as could
be found from Junction City, to the Denver
gold fields where there was sufficient water
to supply the stations.
Kit
The "silent partner" William Bradford
Waddell, was a prosperous Lexington, Mo.
merchant. He was a descendent of Gov.
William Bradford of Plymouth Colony. His
thriving wholesale and retail businesses led
him into a host of other enterprises. In 1853,
he and William Hepburn Russell contracted
to send several freight trains of military
supplies to Fort Riley. This venture making
a profit that led them, in 1854, to send
another freight train to California. In 1855,
Waddell and Russell got together with
a
well-
Army posts.
In March 1859, they employed E.L. Boyd,
to survey the Leavenworth and Pikes Peak
Trail. For the lines in the Kansas Territory
to the gold fields, they purchased; 52 of the
famous Concord coaches, at $800 each and
800 of the finest Kentucky mules; each coach
requiring 4 to 6 mules. Boyd was to survey the
most direct route to Denver's gold fields, and
place the stations as close as 25 miles apart
or as water could be found.
The freighting firm was stationed at
Leavenworth, at the junction of the Republican and Soloman rivers. The stage line
shortened the
trip to the gold fields by
keeping to the high divide between the rivers
until the Republican veered northward and
the route went 60 miles north to where
Benkelman is now. to find Station #18. The
stations were known entirely by number.
Station #19, followed up the river to a point
near Jacqua, Kansas, entering Colorado at
that point, and the next station was #20 near
the town of Hale. Station #21 was at the
Arthur Pugh ranch. Station #22 was NW of
Kipling, riding west out of Seibert and North
to the Republican river, near "Rose" school.
Station #23 was near the KP Ranch headquarters on the edge of Lincoln Co.
At Station #22,Horace Greeley was known
to have written dispatches and sent them east
to the Neru York Tribune, , on the next stage.
" . . stayed overnight at #21, and next day
reached #22 about 5% miles northwest of
Seibert . . traveled 35 miles since seeing
water. At #22, therc was water bubbling up
in the bed of the river." Here they, (Horace
and companion; Albert D. Richardson, whom
Greeley referred to as "My companion", in
his book An Ouerland Journey, in
1859.),
were met by the Butterfield stage, which had
left the early Smokey Hill trail at Big Springs,
located three miles east and 20 miles south
of Seibert).
Coaches traveled in pairs some distance
apart but close enough to give protection or
help if needed. All the way the L. and P. Trail
was on the south of the Republican River
until Southwest of Flagler, where there is a
curve in the river. It crossed and went to the
springs at the "KP Ranch" then on to Limon,
and on into Denver on 13th Street. They
traveled from Station #21 to #22 on June 3,
1859. They arrived in Denver the night of
June 6, where Greeley and Richardson met
Villars, who had to take the coach over the
Northern route via Julesburg, then down to
Denver.
The partnership suffered important losses
when the freight trains were attacked by the
Mormon's in the Mormon War of 1857-58. On
April 3, 1860, Russell persuaded his partners
to launch the colorful, romantic, but financially unsuccessful Pony Express.
The Pony Express maintained some 190
way stations along nearly 2,000 miles between
St. Joseph, Mo. and Sacramento Calif. Eight
lightweight, strong 14-15 year old riders,
using 200 tough horses (to start), changing
mounts every 10-12 miles. The riders covered
about 100 miles before being relieved. Mes-
written on half ounce tissue for
$5.00 each dispatch, with elapsed time 10
days to lines end. As events proved, the price
in money, horses, and men was too high and
sages were
�Janice
Salmans
ale, cofo.
Stalion 2 0
Vona, colo.
1885-1887
JAMES E. KNAPP,
McCrilLis
Horse Ranch
Stations were on Lhe Leavenworlh
and
Pr.kes Feak Line in 1859. This line had
the first
Bar T
mail contracl.
year he-ce and moved north to Julesburg,
Ranch
rlc
-^rLdgtrr
..)vpr
nrnrprtrnn
f lrei
0.Id Tuttle
Station
Ranch
2
Burlhgton, Colo.
R&!gc, 8&nd Cr€ek.
The ]ine ran l
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nlintihd
ri'L!LY
p1ed
(Lovu.Lu
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fOute
rn
nrirc
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NUTEEAFOR,D BBOS.
Boruntlont Colo.
fnr
Lhe
Rrrnle. cil S;nok?.
+h^
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LrLdL PL
^r;-l^4
firsL rssue of the Rocky Mountain Nens,
ApriI 22, 1859 rn Denver, Colorado.
Selbert. Colo.
goitls, left
t-
A
Hoyl shot Lhe lasl
Buffalo in the summer of 1887.
slation
olerenoirt. Cclo.
RrDge,
AT
22
lear Clarorboqt,
JOIINl IIEDDINCI-A:
co'I,
Colo.
ronge. ncal eofi.
tz,
HoyL, Colo
r&nre. bottveaD RoDub
loft slroulder. llcai rlvcr& Hell ofeet..
A'&-J. C, BR*DFEAW.',
hora€s
Where Doc
slde,
IJRA}I}TEIEII, BROF.
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C. IY. FULIJMER,.
F BuruDston' coro'
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Bowser Col,orado
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T|EIi,DBAMESBERGER,
iurllngtoo.Colo.
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D. H, JONES,
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old
01
younl
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rtock.
Wi.Llow Springs
YVr|r. L'LAUSSEI{i
Station at
Iugo Co-1o.
the Pony Express ended in financial failure
after only 18 months of existence in 1861.
As told by Eatinger, an early resident of
Kit
Carson County, "There was no trail up the
North Smokey and mail was carried from
Cheyenne Wells via Tuttle to Wray. Tom
Reed who took a spring wagon and 3 men,
traveling by camps, made a trail (by throwing
up sod with a spade at short intervals) to
Cheyenne Wells. The price for hauling was 25
cents per hundred.
The Kit Carson Trail was another very
early trail, extending from Bent's Fort, south
near the Arkansas River, and north past the
west side of Seibert to Cope Via Fort Morgan
and on to Ft. Laramie near Cheyenne, Wyo.
Addison W. Rogers'homestead was 11 miles
North of Seibert (on the west side of Highway
#59) known as Kit Carson Trail. A. W.
Rogers'youngest daughter was the first white
child born on the Kit Carson Trail.
by Janice Salmans
or
Nowton, (lolo.
I
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GEORGE &OSE:
S6r.bert, Colo.
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uurlhgtolr, Colo.
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�
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
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Book
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Post Offices and General Stores
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
history
Description
An account of the resource
A record of the Post Offices and General Stores in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
-
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/427/Seibert.pdf
065f9ef25cbd9fa5038454a0b4ec7783
PDF Text
Text
A history of Seibert must begin not with
that town, but with the town of Hoyt, Iocated
originally about four miles north of Seibert
between the Republican River and Buffalo
Creek. Hoyt was established in 1887 by a
Doctor J.S. Hoyt on whose homestead the
town developed. Doctor Hoyt, along with
many other newcomers, established his
Howard Kious and children with an early day auto
1916.
ready to go to Church north of Vona
-
homestead along the Republican River because it was such a tremendous source of
water,
As a locator and surveyor, Doctor Hoy't was
instrumental in bringing homesteaders to
Colorado from Haigler, Nebraska. It was he
who established the trail from Haigler to the
new town of Hoyt by surveying the route and
Seibert, which was incorporated
in
1917,
was a patent town, meaning the town's lots
were given away. In order to own a lot a
person had only to pay the taxes on the lot.
If the taxes weren't paid, the lot was put up
for auction. Many individuals claimed lots in
the town, but few managed to pay the taxes,
thereby losing their lots. Nevertheless, businesses did spring up.
by Judith King
SEIBERT
T332
turning up the sod along the trail. Once a trail
had been established, he helped freight
homesteaders from Haigler (at that time one
of the stopping points on the railroad) to
Hoyt. Two of these homesteaders were his
mother and sister. Not much else is known
about Doctor Hoyt. He seems to have faded
from the picture after Seibert was established
in 1888. He may have spent little time in Hoyt
since he surveyed other trails than just the
one from Nebraska to Hoyt.
Although Hoyt only existed as a town for
about one year, a great deal of development
occurred there. The town sported a restaurant run by Mrs. Wiveness; a drug store and
saloon operated by Jerry Sands; a post office
with Leander Hutchens as postmaster;
a
An 1892 view of the Davis General Merchandise
establishment.
blacksmith; a livery stable and feed barn run
by Bert Hendricks and George Tucker; two
general merchandise stores, one run by Kate
and Leander Hutchens and the other by
\
Arenscheild and South; a hardware store
operated by Mr. Scheib; a hotel; andthe Hoyt
Free Press, owned and operated by G. L.
1921 view of Seibert Main Street with Mrs.
Punshon's Cafe on the right.
Olds. Hoyt also had a school which was in a
sod house just south of the town. It had a dirt
floor, homemade desks, and books gathered
from the settlers. The first teacher was Mrs.
E.P. Trull. Other teachers were Charlotte
Rose (whose family homesteaded near Hoyt),
Lora Scheib, Luella Bell McKenzie, and A.P.
Blair. By the time Hoyt was fully established
there were approximately 150 people living
there.
For entertainment, dances were held
wherever there was enough space. Many were
held in Scheib's hardware store, where the
participants would dance up and down the
aisles between the counters. A Fourth of July
celebration was also held in Hoyt. Numerous
people attended, including the men from the
Rock Island grading crew and cowboys from
the KP Ranch in Hugo. James Priest, an
early-day homesteader, estimated there were
500 people present. Several fights broke out
between the grading crew and the men from
the KP Ranch. Priest said the drinking and
fighting kept things exciting.
When the railroad came through Colorado
in 1888, water stops were established. Seibert, which was named for Henry Seibert, an
official of the railroad who donated books for
a library, was developed from one of these
stations. Since the workers needed food, the
first business moved from Hoyt was the
restaurant owned by Mrs. Wiveness. The
grading crew used their mule teams to haul
this building to the new town site four miles
south of Ho1't. It wasn't long before other
Seibert water tower erected in the 1920's.
A
Seibert in the 1930's. V.S. Fitzpatrick published
the "Seibert Settler" newspaper.
merchants moved their businesses to Seibert.
In little time, Hoyt became a ghost town and
Seibert became an important stop on the
railroad.
Kit
Carson County's first National Guard drilling
for Army service before going to France in World
War I at Seibert looking northeast.
A July 3 celebration in Seibert in 1909.
w, r'. DAvrs,
'rt.
.rut
A letterhead for the W.P. Davis store established
in
1892.
�""d;;i;;'tuilding
south of the hotel was
used for various purposes including a real
estate office and at one time was a store run
by Oliver Hendricks, though not for long.
Also on the east side of the street, several
Iots south ofthe hotel, stood a building built
by L.C. Rogers, a carpet weaver. This building also served as a post office of which
Rogers was postmaster. A carpet weaving
loom was in the front room to the left of the
door as one entered. The post office was in
the northwest corner of the building. When
a person wanted his mail, Mr. Rogers would
quit weaving, unload his mouth of tobacco
juice, and then go across the aisle to get the
mail. Rogers'wife Mary was an agent for the
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad for
many years.
Located about one hundred feet north of
the post office was the Seibert Free Press,
formerly the IIoyt Free Press. Its owner, G.L.
Olds, sold the paper in 1889 to a Mr.
Patterson who only published it for a few
months before it failed. The paper's assets
were sold to Frank Mann who used them to
start a paper in Burlington.
Thie early day store is the 1988 site of the Seibert Food Store.
The first hotel, located at the north end of
main street where the Seibert Community
building now sits, was built by Oliver Hendricks. His sister Kate Hutchens and her
husband Leander ran the hotel. Leander had
Water well in the center of town in Seibert. Water
was piped from the original Rock Island Railroad
well to center of town.
?]
dn
i71 Sfrcef
been the postmaster
Seibert's resident physician was Doctor
in Hoyt, but if
he
was
continued in this capacity in Seibert it
not for long. For a short time two brothers
nnmed Davis operated a store from one of the
hotel rooms. Kate Hutchens was a great
supporter ofthe town and was fondly referred
to as Aunt Kate. She did everything she could
to further the town and was notorious for
matchmaking. She gave parties at her house
and organized the singing for Seibert's
Fourth of July celebration in 1888. Kate and
Leander had one son, Corta, an Indian boy
whom they had adopted after his parents
were killed in an Indian massacre. Corra,
known to everyone as Hutch, was a good
person and well liked, but he did have his bad
traits. He had a tendency to get drunk and
take up with women he didn't know. Hutch
eventually maried Zella Buchanan, the
daughter of the section foreman.
In
later
years they moved to Denver to live. They had
,
h Jct
bc r t
business
partner Sidney Laune, Godsman ran the
Seibert drug store. Though its exact location
is uncertain, the drug store was probably
located on the east side of main street north
of the post office. Dr.
Godsman had a
consulting room in the back ofthe drug store,
though much of his practice came in the form
of house calls. Dr. Godsman married Charlotte Rose, a teacher in the community and
daughter ofJohn Rose whose homestead was
near the old town of Hoyt. Godsman and
Laune eventually sold the drugstore stock to
Bert Hendricks, and Godsman and his wife
turned the drug store into a residence. Even
though he was a doctor, Godsman was
interested in the law and decided to change
professions and became a lawyer. In time he
developed a law practice in Burlington and
later became a county judge. In 1918 he was
elected State Representative for Kit Carson,
Lincoln and Cheyenne counties, and even
became a candidate for governor in 1922. He
withdrew from the race, however, before the
election. Paul and Charlotte Godsman's only
child was a boy, Sidney, who also became an
attorney.
Bert Hendricks built the first house in
:'-t,,r',j,
: L;l'
.. "
Paul Godsman. Along with his
Seibert, but he never lived in it.
::...,..:.4'.,.
f
It was used
as a saloon run by Jake Hoffman. The
location of this house is unknown. The
Hendricks family was quite large and several
of them lived in Seibert. The most prominent, however, was M.B. (Bert) Hendricks.
He owned a general merchandiee
store
situated on the west side of main street nearlv
across from the hotel.
by Judith King
An early day Seibert street scene.
�oEpot, Seibert, Colo
Thistles stacked for cattle feed.
for the street cars.
Bert Hendrick's brother Oliver, who had
built the Seibert Hotel, and his wife Tamah
had four children: three girls, Hattie, Eulah,
and Myrtle, and one boy, George. George was
about a year younger than his cousin, Corra
Hutchens. The boys often rode their horses
together. On one such occasion the boys had
tied the horses together with a rope, each end
ofwhich had been fastened to the neck ofthe
horses. The horses were about one length
apart with George riding ahead of Corra.
Seibert depot in the early days.
SEIBERT
T333
He also ran the livery stable to the west of
his store. Hendricks and his wife Cora had
two children: one boy, Abe, and one girl,
Cordy. Bert and his family moved to Denver
where he became the head of the track crew
Suddenly, Corra's horse stepped
into
a
prairie dog hole, stumbled, and yanked
George's horse over backwards. George fell to
the ground, and the horse fell on top of him,
crushing him. Corra also fell from his horse
but was not injured. George was taken home
and attended to by Dr. Godsman, but he
never regained consciousness. George died
before the next morning. Naturally this was
a terrible blow to his family.
The lumber yard in Seibert was managed
by a young man named George Bryant who
it for a well-to-do uncle. also named
Bryant, who lived in the east. George Bryant
did not particularly like the lumber business,
but he was in love with a woman named Dell
Rhinehart whose brother was the telegraph
operator. However, when Bryant's love for
Dell came to nothing he gave up the lumber
yard and left Seibert. The uncle came to
Seibert to see about the business. he was
anxious to find someone to take over the
lumber yard. After having asked Paul Godsman for advice, he asked the doctor to take
it over. Bryant eventually persuaded Godsman to take the business. However, because
ran
.bffi
&,
Trucks, Seibert.
The Holiday homestead near Seibert.
he was now county attorney and needed to be
in Burlington most of the time,
Godsman
Jim McCombs, who owned a coal
yard near the lumber yard, to work both
yards together. McCombs did this for a
engaged
number of years. Later, McCombs, along with
Stephen Bell, purchased the lumber yard. In
years to come, a man named Weaver became
the manager.
Jim McCombs, who ran both the coal and
lumber yards, had settled on a homestead
near the old town of Hoyt near the homesteads of his sister and brother. He hauled
lumber and coal from Wray or Haigler until
the railroad was finished. McCombs was a
a very personable man.
However, he had a terrible birth mark on the
left side of his face. One person described it
as looking like a bunch ofgrapes; another said
it didn't look like human flesh. Even though
great talker and
g
How most folk paid for their groceries. The egg and cream money was the only ready cash.
this birthmark hurt him socially
(some
people couldn't even beat to look at him),
McCombs was described as a fine man who
managed to get people to overlook his
affliction. However, it did prevent him from
having a family of his own.
Stephen Bell, who later became one of the
�The second Seibert post office building with Jim
Priest, John Kistler, Joe Smalley standing; Francis
Hendricks, Bert's daughter, and Effie Priest sitting
with Bill Shanahan.
Mae and Jess Messinger
in their grocery store in Seibert, Colorado in
,,
1925.
Homer Hughes had this rare spotted mule, the only
one known in the United States. which he sold for
$200.
Miller, a well-known Seibert oil dealer and
collector of artifacts.
Jess
Doc Williams and his 1911 Maxwell.
owners of the lumber yard, and his son hauled
water from Hoyt to Seibert before a well was
dug. The railroad dug a well which was to be
used only by railroad personnel. Everyone
SEIBERT
T334
w
else had to drink the water from the barrels
that had been hauled from Hoyt and had sat
in the hot sun. The section foreman's wife,
Nellie Buchanan, frequently gave settlers
water from the railroad well. She felt that the
settlers were important to the growth of the
west and deserved to have fresh, cool water.
The supervisor came and told Mrs. Buchanan
that she was not to give anyone but railroad
employees water. She told him she would not
refuse anyone a drink and finally convinced
the supervisor that she should be able to give
the water freely. As it was, the well never went
Fosha Gorton, Jr.
pumps and station.
in the
1930's by his Conoco
Until the railroad built a section house, the
Buchanans lived in railroad cars to the north
of the tracks. Seibert also had a large depot
drv.
in which town activities and church services
by Judith King
held for a number of years. When the railroad
went out of business, the depot, which is
greatly different from the original, was
Jess
Miller's old home at Seibert.
moved to a point along highway 59 and is at
this writing a gas station and cafe.
Scheib's hardware store was also moved to
�gas station and cafe on the west side of
Highway 59.
by ,Iudith King
SEIBERT CEMETERY
T336
The Seibert Cemetery is located one mile
east and one mile north of the west edge of
Seibert. After checking through available
records, I find the first marked and identified
graves in the Seibert Cemetery are Mary
Agnes Glaister 1870-1891 and George R.
:il;fi
Hendricks 1882-1891 and Henry Howell
1882-1893. The oldest persons buried there
are David Herald Born, 1817-1894, and
i*1
.t&
l'
Joseph Glaister, 1819-1909.
,,]s
Seibert in 1955, looking from southeast to northwest.
Another interesting resident of Seibert was
Miller. Jess claimed to be related to the
notorious Jesse James. He also claimed to
have killed a man in Missouri. He did kill a
man in Seibert in 1948. Jess had a filling
station on the northwest corner of the
intersection of Highways 59 and 24. He also
Jess
sold "historical" relics and had a cottage
camp. Diagonally across from Jess's filling
There are many unmarked graves in the
section which we have no way of identifying
in any way. So it is very possible there were
others before our records indicate.
There are ten World War I veterans, three
World War II veterans, six Civil War veterans, two peace time service veterans and
one Spanish American War veteran, that are
identified as such. There are a total of 34
Veterans buried in the cemeterv to this date.
1987.
by Twila Gorton
SEIBERT LIONS CLUB
T336
station was a beer bar. Some of the men who
frequented the bar had taken to harassing
Jess who was getting on in years and was
somewhat senile. One day Jess went over to
Chicken ranch on south side of Seibert, owners:
Emmett Bell and later Martin C. Johnson.
Seibert and was located on the west side of
main street in about the middle of the block.
Bill and Charles Blake ran freighting
business and used oxen teams to haul merchandise from Hugo and Haigler.
A
large school house was built by the
railroad in 1893. It was located about four
blocks south of the present - day school
house. However, this building burned. Part
ofthe present school also burned in 1971. The
students were sent to school in Vona. Later,
the Seibert and Vona schools consolidated,
forming the Hi-Plains School District.
In the 1920's Seibert also had a bank.
However, it closed during the depression
years. AIso during the thirties, in order to
provide much needed jobs, the Work Projects
Administration (WPA) sponsored the building of the VFW hall (now the Seibert
Community Building) after the Seibert Hotel
and the building next door burned down.
One of Seibert's most prominent citizens
during the late 20's, the 30's, and the early
40's was Valentine (V.S.) FitzPatrick. He
operated the town's newspaper, the Seibert
Settler, and served six terms as mayor.
During the difficult depression years he and
his associates created the National Directory
Company and published business directories
for Colorado. FitzPatrick, who at this writing
in 1987 is 101 years old and resides in Aniba,
Colorado. has written a series of books titled
The Back ?roil which recounts his life and
give a history of specific areas in Colorado.
the bar to get a beer. The men
began
harassing him, pouring an open beer in his
front pants pocket. Then one of the men
threatened to cut off Jess's long handle bar
mustache of which Jess was quite proud. Jess
told the men if they tried to cut off the
mustache he'd kill them. He then went to his
station. One of the men followed, weilding a
knife and telling Jess he was coming to cut
off the mustache. When the man reached the
station, Jess took out his gun and shot the
man between the eyes. A trial was held, the
verdict of which was justifiable homicide.
Businesses thrived during the 20's, 30's and
40's. Although they are too numerous to list
individually, they included grocery stores,
gas stations and service garages, creameries,
hardware stores, a blacksmith, a telephone
company, real estate offices, insurance salesmen, restaurants, a bank, a pool hall, and a
theater, to name just a few.
The number of businesses declined
throughout the 50's, 60's and 70's. The major
businesses in Seibert in 1988 are as follows:
the Seibert Food Store, located on Main
Street just south of the Seibert Community
building; the Seibert Equity Co-op Association, located on the north end of the town;
Steel Corner, a welding shop, located on the
northeast corner of the intersection of Highways 59 and 24; Witt's Travel Shop,
located south of town just off Interstate 70;
Seibert Liquors and Seibert Self Service,
located east of Highway 59 on the west side
of town; Turner's Service, located on Highway 24 one block west of Main Street; and a
The Seibert Lions Club was chartered
Tuesday, May 10, 1949, at 7:30 p.m., in the
old red brick high school gymnasium. It was
done at banquet attended by the new members and their wives. There were 42 charter
members; of the 42 members 23 have passed
away as of 1987.
Sponsors of the Seibert Lions Club were
the Flagler Lions CIub. The charter night
chairman was John Bear; welcome was by
Robert Snell, Mayor of Seibert; invocation by
Dr. A.G. Hahn, Pastor of the Congregational
Church in Flagler; Toastmaster - Rev. A.J.
Abel, Pastor
of the Lutheran Church in
Arriba; gift of sponsoring club - Bill Stebbins,
President of the Flagler Lions Club; presentation of Charter - George A. Doll, Lions
District Governor of Fort Morgan; acceptance of charter - Fosha S. Gorton Sr..
President of the Seibert Lions Club; and
benediction - Rev. T.A. Marks. Pastor of the
Evangelical United Brethen Church in Seibert.
The first club officers were President Fosha S. Gorton Sr.; First Vice President Robert G. Snell: Second Vice President -
Zoder N. Golliher: Third Vice President Harley L. Greenlee; Secretary - Howard
Taton; Treasurer - B. Dale Hargrove; Lion
Tamer - George B. Grey; Tail Twister Ralph L. Rowley; and the Board of Directors
- Ward H. Cheu, Ben H. Short, Earl Livingston, and Cecil Boren. Members still in the
club for the 20 year celebration were: Earl
Boren, Earl Livingston, Ralph Gorton, Howard Taton, and Roy Dykstra.
Through the years some of the clubs
projects were seeding the park, starting a
tennis court and an ice skating rink in the
park. Home demonstration Clubs helped
�with many of these projects. But through lack
of use these soon deteriorated and are now
gone. Glasses were purchased for the needy
children. They helped build wooden bleachers for the school's outside activities, some
ofwhich are now at the gun club. They helped
sponsor the Seibert Labor Day celebration on
Monday, September 3, 1951. They helped
with all community activities.
Through the years, following the chartering of the club, members began moving away,
dropping out as members, and many passed
away. This caused the elub to gradually grow
smaller in membership.
The last elected officers, found in the
records, to be installed was in April, 1972, and,
were: President - Hulon Webb, Vice Presi-
dent Lion
-
Robert Schmidt, Secretary Lion
- Gerald O. Guy, Lion Tamer - James Smith,
and Tail Twister - Roy Dykstra. Both Hulon
Webb and Robert Schmidt resigned and
moved from the community in early 1973.
The club was disbanded in 1973.
by Twila Gorton
It
was becoming such
a
hardship and
attendance was dropping gradually. As soon
as the V.F.W. purchased the Old Post Office
Building in 1963, we immediately started
meeting in the small hall. We continued to
meet there until September 1978, when the
Vets decided to shut off the utilities in the
hall because of the expense. We started
meeting in our homes and are still meeting
in our
homes,
There have been 133 members joined the
it was chartered, many are
deceased, moved away and are non-resident
members. Many continue to pay their dues
for the insurance we have as a group. There
are 56 paid members in 1987. Highest
membership was 67 in 1982.
There are four charter members of the
auxiliary still in the organization. They are
Marjorie Gorton, Lois Atkins, Bortha Niles,
and Alice Rose Stoffell.
Officers are holding the offices over and
over to keep the organization going. At this
writing, 1987, the offices are: President -
auxiliary since
Nancy Phillips; Senior Vice President
Delphia Burr; Junior Vice President
garet Tovrae; Secretaryflreasurer
IIISTORY OF POST
6492 AUXILIARY
VETERANS OF
FOREIGN WAR
#
T337
The Women's Auxiliary to our post
instituted in May, 1947. First president
-
-
-
MarTwila
Gorton; Chaplain - Louise Gamble; Conductress - Carol Smith; Guard - Ellen Cruickshank; Trustees 3 yr. - Jean Jarnagin, 2 yr.Lois Atkins, 1 yr. - Marjorie Gorton; Color
Bearers # 1- Shari Graham, # 2 - Dee Felker,
# 3 - Donna Gorton, # 4 - Jeanette Kemp;
Historian - Marvel Geiken; Patriotic Instructor - Myrtle Shaw; and Musician - Bonny
Hughes.
by Twila Gorton
was
was
Mae Cruickshank; Sr, Vice President, Lois
Atkins; Junior Vice president, Marjorie
Gorton; Chaplin, Rose Kemp; Treasurer,
Minnie Fingado; Secretary, June Short. The
2nd president was Lois Atkins, 3rd president,
Marjorie Gorton,4th, Mabel Linder, and 5th
Juanita Greenlee.
They were a great help to us in getting our
post home equipped. During out first three
years they gave $50 towards building the
stand, $275 to buy chairs, $100 for ladies
shower room, lumber for the tables and
cupboards, stove for the kitchen, helped to
buy the stage curtain, gave money towards
installing the ceiling, and gave the post cash
services.
When time came that the "White Ele-
phant", our old V.F.W. hall and skating hall,
was to be renovated into a new community
building, we donated the big blue velvet stage
curtains to "Old Town," in Burlington, in
1986. "Old Town" is now being developed
into a tourist attraction.
"Received Mar. 16, 1888" office of First
Assistant Postmaster General. Signed by
A.E. Stevenson: Washington D.C."
"Post office to be located NE quarter of
Section 16, Township 8, South Range 49,
West of 6th Principal Meridian, County of
Elbert, State of Colorado. This would be
located on the direct route from Tuttle to
Hugo on which the mail is now carried two
times a week. Hugo being 40 miles southwest
and Tuttle 28 miles northeast. The name of
the nearest Creek Buffalo on the north, name
of the most prominent River south fork of
Republican on the South. Number of inhabi-
tants in the town of Hoyt being 40 but
expecting to supply 600 or more with mail."
Instructions were to select a short name for
the proposed office, which, when written will
not resemble the name of any other Post
office in the state. Hoyt was the name the
Post office was called.
A note of interest written at the bottom of
the page signed by Charles H. Scheib, is as
follows:
"The town of Hoy't is located on the north
halfofsection 16, township 8, south ofrange
49, west 6th PM. Elbert, County, Colo. No
post office within 28 miles, the nearest being
Tuttle, Burlington being the next which is 35
miles. Hugo is our nearest Rail road station
at which place our people get their supplies,
being 49 miles south west of us on the Kansas
Pacific Ry. We desire a special Post Office
and mail pouch so we can get supplyed from
Hugo. Hoyt has five stores, one printing
SEIBERT POST
OFFICE
T338
office, one livery, and five stables, one lumber
yard, and one blacksmith shop. Charles H.
Scheib prepared P.M.
The first post office in Seibert was housed
in a two story building which also served as
a hotel and general merchandise store. Lee
Hutchens was the first postmaster as well as
manager of the store and hotel.
Several people served as postmasters in the
early years after Lee among them, John
Sutton, Lee Erskin. W.A. Weaver. L.C.
Rogers and Miss Lint. Robert Wrenn was
postmaster for many years. In 1918 Mae C.
Cates was postmaster followed by Mrs.
Simmons in 1925 and later Zella M. Hutchens. Meryl D. Haynes became Zella's clerk in
May 1930 and later served as postmaster
from May 1936 until November 1943. Meryl
many times.
Some of their first money projects were
serving for dances, sponsoring a basketball
team, giving plays, and bake and rummage
sales. The charter members were Dortha
Niles, Mae Cruickshank, Rose Kemp, Rosa
Akers, Minnie Fingado, Katherine Gleason,
Norma Arthur, Marjorie Gorton, Alice Stoffel, Minnie Crum, Betty Cox, Edith Boren,
Bertha Ricks, and Lois Atkins.
Through the years the auxiliary has purchased or received by contributions, several
hospital items which have been loaned
throughout the communities at no charge
such as hospital beds, crutches, wheel chairs,
walkers, coffee pots, and folding chairs. We
have also assisted with funeral dinners and
Of interest is a copy of the application to
establish the Post office at Hoyt, Co. dated
2-28-198 , which has been acquired through
the Archives. This was applied for through
the Post office at Hugo, Colo. by Charles H.
Scheib, and through A.K. Clarke Postmaster
at Hugo, the 12th day March, 1988. The
application has a cancellation stamp
recalls his salary in 1943 was 91500.00 a year.
His clerks were Gladys (Andre) Kerl and
Donna Fingado. His wife Myrna followed him
as
Seibert Post Office, 1988.
good
Way back when
days
- in thethe townold
before Seibert was founded,
ofHoyt
was located 4 miles north of the present
location of Seibert. Mail came to Hoyt from
Hugo once a week via wagon and horses. The
rails hit Seibert Aug. 14, 1888, and Seibert
was founded in 1888 and the mail came by
train. The business places then moved from
Hoyt to Seibert and the Hoyt post office "via
Hugo" was discontinued.
a
temporary postmaster
for about 9
months. The post office was located in the
bank building then. Two south routes were
established about this time with Clarence
Bell and Frank D. Allen as carriers. The
routes were combined and Fosha S. Gorton
Jr. started carrying the mail for both routes
in July 1937. Fosha Gorton retired Dec. 1980.
Ralph F. Gorton substituted as mail carrier
for the rural routes from 1943 to Oct, 1980.
After the Haynes moved to Pueblo where
Meryl took another position with the Postal
Service, George Simon was appointed postmaster in 1944 and served until his death in
January, 1960. Earl Atkins who was clerk at
�the time took over as Acting Postmaster with
Arthur O'Neill as clerk; he held this position
until May 1961 when William A. Fitman was
appointed postmaster. Earl went back to his
job as clerk, which he had 19 years in, having
served from January 1946 to January 1975.
Phyllis E. Fox served as clerk, having repla-
ced Earl upon his retirement.
Bill Pitman
retired July 1979 with over 18 years
as
postmaster.
The Cope Star Route has been in effect for
Dick Baker secretary.
A2 V2 H.P. siren was ordered March 1956
and was installed 1 block east and one-half
block south of Main Street and Highway 24.
The firemen were called at 6:30 PM Aug.
30, 1956 to respond to a flat car loaded with
poles on the railroad track which had caught
fire. The fire was extinguished with less than
half of the poles being damaged.
The April 29, 57 election resulted with
Ralph Gorton fire chief, A.A. Curtis Asst.
many years and some of its early carriers were
chief, Fosha Gorton Jr. Sec.
RobertW. Work, HenryGaylor, Mr. Winkler.
Ezra Atkins had the route from 1942 to 1959.
Vern Miller contracted the route in October
1959 and a few years later his wife Kay took
proposed a fire District Aug. 19, 1957, Dale
Hargrove and A.A. Curtis and bill Pitman to
contact farmers & etc. Hargrove reported
over with Vern and Kathryn Myers
The Seibert Volunteer Fire Dept. first
substitute drivers. Other subs over the years
most farmers contacted were skeptical of
phone service. Curtis reported the town
Greenlee among others.
council decided the truck could not go out to
fight grass fires, only to protect farm build-
as
have been Martin Johnson and Harley
Parker D. Calvin was one of the mail
messengers bringing the mail from the Rock
Iskane Depot
to the Post Office when the
mail came by train. George Simon also hung
and picked the mail from the train when the
Rocket came into being.
In the early years the Post Office
was
located in a small building on the east side
of Main Street. It was moved to the old bank
building in 1936 and back to the east side in
1944 where it remained until Postmaster Bill
Pitman had the new building constructed on
the corner of Highway 24 and, Main, which
they moved into in November, 1961.
Since Bill Pitman's retirement there have
been several changes in the Postal department. Sandra Claus to Colorado Springs was
appointed as O.I.C. (officer in charge) and
served from Aug 1979 to February 8, 1980,
when Phyllis Fox was appointed Post Master
of Seibert.
Charles Turner was the clerk from 1980 till
he transferred to Burlington post office. Jim
Levin started as substitute Nov. 1980 and was
appointed the Highway Contract Routes July
1, 1981, carrying both the former rural Routes
south of Seibert that Fosha Gorton had been
carrying. Eleanor Short was appointed clerk
June 29, 1985.
by Twila Gorton
SEIBERT
VOLUNTEER FIRE
DEPT.
ings.
Officers elected April 21, 1958 were Fire
Chief Bill Pitman - Asst Chief Richard Baker
and Sec. John Martin; same officers were
Bill Pitman Sec.
June 2, 1959 orders were issued by the
Board of Trustees that the fire truck could
no longer be taken out of the incorporated
boundaries of Seibert because of limitations
due to insurance, and not having a 2nd truck
to remain in town.
At this time the only firetruck was a 1938
Ford pumper truck which had been pur-
chased seconded handed and as of this date
December 1987 only had 4049 original miles
on it.
Firechief elected 1965 was Earl Atkins Asst chief, Les Hase, Bill Pitman Sec.; 196770 Les Hase elected Chief. Gene Hase Asst
Chief, Bill Pitman sec.; 1971 Les Hase elected
Fire Chief, Glen Myers Asst Chief, Bill
Pitman Sec.; 1972 Earl Atkins Fire chief,
Dale Murphy asst. Chief and Bill Pitman Sec.
Besides the phone being used for fire calls
all these years at the Gorton Hardware store
and the Ralph Gorton home, a special fire
phone was installed in the hotel lobby in
1976. However. the whistle still had to be
rung manually.
Members wishing to retire from the board
Mar. 15, 1976, were Dale Hargrove, Wanen
Bowser, Bill Pitman, Alva Cruickshank and
Chief, Asst Chief Vern Miller, Jim Cowen
Sec. Again in February they tried to organize
a Vona - Seibert fire District by getting
members of Vona Farmers Union, Seibert
ton Fire District but apparently this idea was
also dropped.
to the town council
for
of Vona. Colorado.
One Ford F-600 used truck chassis. 1975
purchased - Pumper unit built by Steve
Miller Vona, Colorado.
The command car, purchased 6,23,1984,
from the Flagler-Seibert Community Ambulance Service, is a 1970 Chevy Suburban that
was used as an ambulance til 1984.
The building houses 3 fire trucks, one
command car, two ambulances.
The original members of the new district
were: Vern Miller Chief - Gene Hase, Assistant Chief - Jim Cowen, Rick Dykstra, Stan
Geiken, Fosha Gorton Jr., Ralph Gorton,
Jerry Guy, Wilford Huppert, Ervin Jones, Ed
Killiam. MelvinLevin, Glen Myers, BillNoel,
Ernie Noel, Jim Smith, Clifford Hughes,
Mike Hatfield, Jim Levin, Kenneth McCaf-
Keiter and Wes Pelser. Meetings were to be
held the 3rd Monday each month, Bob
approval, 19 members had signed for active
status and 1 for inactive duty. Election of
officers was held resulting with Ralph Gorton
fire chief - Bob Anglen assistant fire chief -
unit was built on the truck by Steve Miller
frey, Carlos Arnold, Leon Blackwell, Dick
Farm Bureau, Vona's mayor and councilmen,
were presented
One Ford F-350 4WO Crew Cab 1980
chassis was purchased new and a fire fighting
Elected Officers Mar 21, 1960 were: Ralph
Gorton Fire chief, Asst, Chief Dick Baker,
Seibert Volunteer Fire Department was
officially organized in October 1954, and
bylaws were written up at this time. Bylaws
Committee: Orville Thisius chairman, Art
Anglen, Chairman, presiding.
November 15, 1954 Bylaws read: active
membership be limited to 20, and must be 18
years or older. Three members were elected
to the membership committee and were: Dale
Hargrove, Virgil Hase and Les Hase.
January 17, 1955 the copy of the bylaws
steel building. Contract signed 4-10-80.
retained 1959.
Les Hase.
Officers elected in 1976 were Earl Atkins
T339
director, Vern Miller lst Fire Chief. The
building contract went to Don Herman
Construction of Burlington for a 76 ft x 40 ft
Vona's Fire Department and Seibert PTA
together, but this didn't materialize.
In
1965 they discussed joining
with Strat-
The first organization meeting with a
lawyer was held Dec. 16, 1977 for a fire
district. Seibert Fire District legally was
established March 27.1978. A bond election
to finance a new building and trucks was held
February 12, 1980
for the amount
of
$80,000.00; this passed 84-2.
First bylaws were approved November 19,
1980. First board members of the new district
were Jerry Guy President, Bill Livingston
Vice President, Ervin Jones Secretary, Rich-
ard Herman Treasurer, Harry Hatfield *
Herman, Bob McCaffrey, Dick McAuley and
Stan Scheer. Present membership is limited
to around 20 members. There are radio and
telephone contact spread throughout the
District, to help keep contact with the truck
with messages, and also water trucks farmers
have ready to go to assist if needed. A second
fire whistle was purchased and installed
about 1983 or '84 and is located by the fire
house. Fire phones connections to the
whistles were installed in six homes or
businesses in Seibert so that it will ring into
all at the same time and the whistles can be
rung by any of the connected phones.
The first ambulance housed in Seibert was
in a garage at the time owned by the town and
Iocated just north of Melvin Levin's residence, but is currently owned by Mel Levin.
Seibert started housing their first ambulance
in 1976, and the ambulance was moved across
the street when the fire shed was finished in
1980. Also "Old Green", the Army Red Cross
unit the service has as a back up unit, is
housed in the fire shed too. The present
ambulance we have is a 1976 van which was
used by Flagler
until the new unit
was
purchased and we received this unit May 10,
1984.
by Twila Gorton
SEIBERT ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION
T340
In the early fall of 1954, Evelyn (Scheidegger) Wanczyk, Leona (Scheidegger) Cowgill, and Twila (Murphy) Gorton, got the idea
of starting an alumni organization.
They
immediately tried to get addresses and locate
as many people as possible. In September,
1954, a meeting was called to gather interest-
ed parties in the community, and the ball
started rolling. Many hours were spent
writing letters and with the cooperation of
the Seibert High School Superintendent,
George Cuckrow, we were on our way.
The first banquet was held Saturday,
October 9, 1954, in the V.F.W. Hall. Seibert
organizing officers were: President - Leona
�Cowgill, Secretary - Evelyn Wanczyk, and
Toastmaster - George Simon. September 24,
1955, elected officers were: President Ralph
Gorton Sr., Vice President - Cecil Boren,
Secretary
Treasurer
- Arthena (Aumiller) O'Neill,
- Lillian (Schemerhorn) Reid,
Toastmaster Russell Goodwin, and Bylaws
Committee - Russell Goodwin, Charles Boren, and Paul Short.
The banquet continued for every year
following. In 1958 other parties decided we
should combine Homecoming and Community Day. Donations were asked for and a free
barbecue was added to the event of September 27,1958. A large crowd attended at noon
and a nice alumni banquet was held in the
evening. In 1959 it was back to just a class
serving the noon meal and no barbeque.
In 1962 the graduating class of 1922,
consisting of Ralph Burden, Martha (Abbott)
Boggs, Ellowise (Allen) Pearson, Royal Reul,
Olive (Johnston) Hill, Elmer Everett and
their superintendant Homer H. Bishop, were
here to celebrate a big day.
September 20, 1969, a suggestion that
possibly a potluck supper might encourage a
better attendance, was tried, but the result
was the worst attendance we ever had, with
only 53 attending. Saturday, September 26,
1970, having no football game, the Roping
club helped with the afternoon at the Rodeo
grounds with activities and junior events.
There was a 12:30 soccer game with Bethune,
which ended up in a l-1- tie. At 5:00 p.m.
there was a demolition derby west of town at
the old baseball field.
Because the Seibert High School burnt
down on April 1, 1971, and the Seibert High
School students were now attending school in
Vona, the day's events were held on Vona's
Main Street. The football game, Hi-Plains
(Vona-Seibert) vs. Genoa was held at the
football field in Vona. Seibert still held their
alumni banquet at Seibert and continued to
hold the annual dance in the V.F.W. Build-
ing. In L972the Blue Vona Wildcats and the
Red Seibert Bulldogs soon became the Red,
White, and Blue, Hi-Plains Patriots. We then
decided to hold our alumni banquet open to
the public. Several attending the day's events
suggested that they would like to come to the
Seibert banquet, and it was decided that they
could come. Both Seibert and Vona held
separate banquets with Vona's being a buffet
supper
in the Vona lunch room. It
was
decided at both banquets to hold a joint
banquet the following year. On September
29, 1973, the joint banquet was held and a
large crowd attended. The banquet was held
in the multi-purpose room in Seibert, CO. At
this banquet it was decided to combine the
two associations to the Hi
-
Plains Alumni
Association, officers elected were: President
- Larry Pickard (V63), Vice President - Kelly
Burr (568), Secretary - Marjorie (Boren)
Blackwell (S54), Treasurer - Ralph Gorton
Jr. (364), Corresponding Secretary - Hazel
(Thompson) Ford (Va5) andTq/ila (Murphy)
Gorton (S41), and Historian
-
Mary
(Jackson) McCaffery (V54). It was also voted
to eend a girl to girls'state as has been Vona's
custom.
The parade and all day events, including
the football games, are always held at Vona
football fields with volleyball games, if any,
being back in the Seibert gym.
On Saturday, September 2L, 1974, the
banquet was held but after discussion and
lack of response to letters of invitation sent
out, it was decided to try the Alumni banquet
by not sending individual letters because of
postage expense.
putting
It
was thought that by just
it in the papers
and on the radio
In 19?5, after
discussion as to lack of response, it was
decided to try the alumni banquet every five
years. In 1980 again the banquet was held
with a good crowd. Again in 1985, there was
a good crowd for the banquet at the school
and the dance held later in the Seibert Town
enough people would respond.
Hall.
Twila (Murphy) Gorton has been an active
officer of the Seibert Alumni Organization
since it was first suggested and organized.
She has also added some enjoyment for the
old and young as a clown, throwing out candy
and gum. For many years her grandchildren
have also joined the ranks as clowns with her;
even friends and her children have helped
out,
In later years many classes are holding
their class reunions on the annual Seibert
Day. It is always held on the last Saturday of
July, this way people know ahead of time
when it will be and can plan ahead for their
vacations. This is also a convenience for most
children do not attend school in the month
of Julv.
by Twila Gorton
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�SEIBERT BRANCH,
RLDS CHURCH
,,N'
Reid was appointed Pastor. Bro. Wilbert
Richards of Denver and Gerald Gabriel were
also in attendance. Ministers from Denver.
Genoa, Goodland, Wray, Pueblo and other
communities helped
with the
spiritual
growth through the early years. Some names
which appear in the first decade ofour history
were those mentioned above and Wesley
Evans, Apostle D. Blair Jensen, Ward Houg-
{t
as, Owen Self, A.H. Christenson, Hilton
Lamphere, Kenneth Buckmaster, Ernest
Crownover, J.R. Graybill, Steve Bullard,
Charley Zion, Conrad Graybill, Don Cash,
Ted Sammons, Walter Lutz, Bernard Buchanan, Peter and David Judd, Calvin Carpen-
ter, Pete Harder, Malcolm Barrows, Missionaries Herb Linn, Larry Shoemaker, Dale
Argotsinger, Arthur Gibbs, and Norman
Page. In 1956 the Seibert Mission became
The original Seibert Branch of the Reorganized
Church of Jesus Chriet of Latter Day Sainls
building in November, 1956.
part of the newly established Kansas-Colorado District.
In 1957 Wm. Livingston was appointed
pastor as Lewis Reid's health was failing.
Lewis passed away February 27, 1958. Seibert
was organized as a Branch in May 1972.
Those having served as Priesthood in our
congregation are Wm. Livingston, David
Reid, Orlen Reid, Roger Reid, Norman
Eagleton, and the late Lewis Reid and James
Boren. Pastors of the congregation through
the years have been the late Lewis Reid,
David Reid and Wm. Livingston. Ground
breaking services for the present building
were held August 25, 1974, just north of where
the church building was located at that time.
Apostle Russell Ralston turned the first
shovel of dirt, followed by Bishop Jack
RLDS Church, Seibert.
The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints Church in Seibert, Colorado had its beginning when a few people
from the Fair Haven community, 8 % miles
north of Seibert. attended a tent reunion near
the river by Cope, Colorado, in 1920, hearing
sermons from J.Charles May, J.D. Curtis and
J.R. Sutton. This led to these missionaries
holding a series of meetings in the Fair Haven
School. Some were baptized at this time and
church school was held in the school house
almost every Sunday. Many of the people
traveled by horse and wagon to attend.
Priesthood from other congregations came
when they could and others were baptized
from time to time. Some of the early members
of the church were the families of
Alva
Cruickshank, Lewis Reid, Earl Boren, J.A.
Brown, Ernest Akers, J.W. Gales, Ralph
Roberts, Ben Bartlett, Ernie Bancroft,
Claude Hughes and Mrs. Fischer. (These
names are from memory and if we left
someone out we apologize and would appreciate hearing who, so we could up date our
history.)
In 1951 a rural schoolhouse was purchased
and moved into Seibert. It was set on a
basement in what is now the parking lot just
south of the sidewalk. This building served
as our place of worship until the present
structure was built in 19'i4-75. On October 5,
with 30 members on the roll and a
congregation of about 60 people in attendance, including some from Denver, Genoa
and Goodland, Kansas, Bro. J.A. Hufferd,
1952,
Counselor to the D.P. declared us a mission
of Eastern Colorado District. Teacher Lewis
Curtis, R.A. Lewis Landsberg, Seventy Norman Page, Edith Boren representing the
eldest member of the congregation, Earl
Boren, Mayor of Seibert and Sr. member of
he building committee, Gordon Hamit, contractor, Rogene Livingston, Women's leader,
David Reid, Bishop's agent, Sandy Hughes
and Cheryll Levin representing the youth
and others, followed by Wm. Livingston,
Pastor. The service closed
with
Bonny
Hughes singing "How Great Thou Art". Jack
Curtis gave a benediction. A hamburger fry
followed with about 40 people in attendance.
We held our consecration service on December 2L,L975 with over 100 in attendance.
Elder Wm. Livingston presided, southeast
Colorado D.P. Lawrence Colby, Platte River
D.P. Bernard Buchanan of Yuma and western Kansas D.P. Vaughn Young of Tribune,
Kansas, extended greetings and made brief
comments. The sermon of consecration was
delivered
by Apostle Russell
Ralson of
Independence, Mo. He stated it was his hope
that this church building might become
a
center for the achievement of God's purpose
in all who came to worship, and all those
whose lives are touched by those who worship
here as they reach out. We consecrate not
only the building, but also the people, that
the cause of Jesus Christ might become
known among all men. Bro. Ralson said that
as we consecrate this church and its people,
we challenge you to respond to the challenge
to be a light unto the world and this
community. Other priesthood assisting in the
service were Lewis Landsbe.'g, Elder David
Reid with Orlen Reid as Deacon in Charge,
assisted by Norman Eagleton.
The dedication services were held September 5 and 6, 1987. Howard Sheehy, member
ofthe First Presidency of the Church, was our
special guest for the weekend activities. Bro.
Sheehy grew up in Colorado and was pleased
years.
to renew friendships from his teen
Dedication activities included a hamburger
fry and pot luck picnic in the Seibert park
September 5, with approximately 50 in
attendance. This group returned to the
church where the youth group, under the
direction of their leaders David and Betty
Reid, entertained with skits: Vickey Eagleton
led the group in campfire songs; movies and
slides of years past were viewed (My, how
some of us have changed!); memories were
recalled and special recognition given to Alva
and Ellen Cruickshank who have been members of this congregation the most years; to
Bonny Hughes for many years of service in
the music department and a special moment
for Pastor Bill and Rogene Livingston. David
Reid served as emcee and President Howard
Sheehy shared some reflectoins
with
us
before we closed the evening with the group
holding hands singing "We Are One in the
Spirit" followed by prayer. Sunday September 6, dawned bright and beautiful as we
gathered for services on Dedication Day. A
communion service was held at 9 A.M. High
Priest Lawrence Colby of Pueblo brought the
ministry to worship. He and Sister Regina
Colby sang "He is Worthy" as a special. We
experienced a first in our congregation when
we had two ordained women priests, Regina
Colby and Barbara Reid of Maquoketa, Iowa,
assisting Priests Norman Eagleton of Seibert
and David Carlock of Pueblo in serving the
communion. The world church began ordaining women to the priesthood following the
revelation which was presented to the 1984
World Conference. A beautiful spirit blessed
the congregation as the service ended with
congregational response of prayers and testimonies. The dedication service began with a
welcome and a "Praise Medley" sung by the
choir; Jacque Levin, Norman, Vickey, Dawn
and Carma Eagleton, Nick Price and Betty
Reid, directed by Bonny Hughes. Carla
Herman was organist. President Sheehy
brought the sermon. Bro. Colby gave the
dedicatory prayer. The choir sang "Faith of
Our Fathers". Following the services a pot
luck lunch and roller skating were enjoyed at
the community center. Some people played
volleyball at the park.
We have at various times sponsored Cub
Scouts, Boy Scouts, Skylarks, Orioles, Zion's
League, Women's Dept., Young Adults and
Choir. Some projects we have enjoyed are
service to families such as taking in meals,
cleaning, ironing, mending, etc., visiting rest
homes, community Good Friday and Easter
Services, Easter breakfasts, bread baking,
goodie boxes to service people, fruit plates or
baked bread for the elderly shut-ins or those
alone at Christmas, community vacation
church school, pageants at Easter and Christmas, serving banquets, retreats, cook-outs
and swim parties or volleyball, riverside
picnic and worship, community mother daughter banquets, world day of Prayer,
funeral dinners, Christmas caroling, witnes-
sing weekend, church growth classes and
workshops, family social, puppet, clown, and
chalk talk workshops; temple school classes;
craft fair; Sr. Citizen dinners and activities;
Scripture study and many more. We haven't
done it all, nor have we done it all right . .
. but we have done many things to try to
further the work of the Lord here in Seibert.
Some of the furnishings in the church bring
to mind special memories . . . the pulpit was
�a gift from Bro. Orval Schall of Loveland.
Various memorials given through the years
have proved our library, candleabra and
brass flower stands, public address system,
bhe curtain for the kitchen serving window,
ceiling fans and our new organ. Our heritage
is rich with the blessings of God and the
cledication of the Saints. We are grateful for
all who have contributed in the growth and
progress of the work of Christ in the community. Praise the Lord!
by Betty Reid
new church organized, with 11 charter members as the Seibert Congregational Church.
August 1, 1896, Rev. Charles W. Smith
served as pastor of the Seibert Church. In the
year of 1906 in order that a church building
might be erected, grant loan of $215.00, was
secured from the Congregational Church
Building society, and a frame building erected, and dedicated on June 16, 1902 with an
ordination service by the then pastor, Rev.
N.H. Hawkins.
With membership growth and church work
growing during the pastorate of Rev. E.P.
Owen, another grant loan from the Congrega-
tional Church Building was secured for
SEIBERT UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
T343
$400.00 and a new building was completed in
1914. In 1915 the old building was sold to B.E.
Roller, and the interior of the new building
was remodeled and completed.
In the following
years m{rny different
pastors served the church, and most of them
preaching in other churches, such as Stratton, Cope, Flagler and others, and progress
was very slow. The following persons served
as pastors from the time the first church was
built until the year 1920: E.S. Hughes, Jas.
Read, Jan J. LeFebre, Mrs. E. Shimrock, E.P.
Jnited Methodist Church, Seibert, built in 1914.
Owens (who was pastor at the time the
present church was built), Rev. A.E. Hartman, P.R. Kiplinger, Charles W. Smith and
Mrs. Charles W. Smith, who alternated
Sundays as they served for a second time,
having served first before any building was
erected. Serving from 1920 to 1926 were: Rev.
A. Sturgis, Rev. W.P. Barton, Rev. Charles D.
Gearhart, Rev. S.J. Snyder, Rev. Peter
Rasmussen, and Rev. J.N. Trompin, officiating when there was no other pastor. There
was little progress and being left without a
pastor, they requested advice from Rev. I.A.
Young, Evangelical Pastor who was visiting
his daughter in Seibert, Mrs. John Schekel.
Rev. Young suggested that the Evangelical
Church might be able to supply pastors if the
people so desired, resulting
in
Rev. B.
Barthel, the District Superintendant of Colorado Conference of the Evangelical Church,
visiting the Seibert community, and at the
following conference session in 1927, Rev.
F.D. Dexheimer was appointed pastor of the
Seibert Mission.
Rev. Dexheimer arrived and people of the
community rallied immediately to his aggressive manner and much progress resulted and
at a publicly announced meeting of the
memberg of the Seibert Congregational
Church held on August 25,1927, it was voted
to
see
if the
church would become an
Evangelical Church, results being 28 in favor,
none opposed. Rev. D. Barthel preached
several Sundays before and following the
above action.
October 5,1927 , the Seibert Congregation-
vlethodist Church today after brick was added to
he exterior of the building 1988.
Religious work began in the town of Seibert
n 1889, by a D.H. Minich, a Home Mission-
ry of the Congregational Church. Others
vho helped get it established were Robert
(nowles. Rev. Lee and Rev. Jones of lowa.
In the spring of 1892, Rev. E. Tuttle, who
vas commissioned Home Missionary for
lastern Colorado, came and served as pastor
rntil 1896. Meetings were held in the Seibert
{ouse. Feeling the organization was not
rroperly organized, it was voted to disband
md reorsanize. On Februarv 10, 1896, the
al Church disbanded and became the new
Seibert Trinity Evangelical Church, a community church.
Sixty-four people were received as charter
members. A class was organized resulting
with the following elected as Trustees - S.M.
Abbott, President - H.C. Greenlee, Secretary
- Martin C. Johnson, L.M. Brown, and John
Schekel.
A full basement
was built under the
church. A house was secured and purchased
for a parsonage which was diagonally across
the street. With the new basement and
purchase of the parsonage a new debt of
$465.66 was acquired.
With the transfer of propertv from Congre-
gation Church to Evangelical, the grant loan
from Congregational Church Building Society became due in the amount of $615.00 plus
interest. this was not discovered until twelve
years later, however.
The Seibert Trinity Evangelical Church
was formally dedicated Nov. 4-5-6th 1927 by
of Colorado
Conference. Other ministers present besides
the Pastor R.D. Dexheimer were: Rev. Nash
of Genoa - Rev. I.A. Young, Denver Alameda
Rev. B. Barthel Dist. Supt.
church - and Rev. L.D. Hale of Stratton. A
large crowd was in attendance and rejoiced
throughout the day.
During the following months, calls from
Bethune, and many surrounding
schools
came for someone to preach, and Leslie E.
Gabel was appointed by the Dist. Supt. Rev.
B. Barthel to serve as Assistant Pastor of the
to serve many nearby
appointments. He arrived March 15th, having been recommended as capable for the
Gospel Ministry be the Sterling Congregation. Regular preaching services were held at
Rock Cliff twelve miles south of Seibert,
Second Central fifteen miles southwest of
Seibert, Prairie Gem twelve miles northwest
of Seibert and Bethune and Seibert. The
Pastors daughter Roberta Dexheimer
preached at Rock Cliff, and Rev. L.E. Gabel
Second Central and Bethune.
Seibert Field and
Rev. F.F. Jordan, an evangelist from
Illinois, held revival services at Seibert and
Second Central with many souls being saved
and uniting with the Church, and by Conference time 1928 there was a total membership
of 150. Christian Endeavor Societies, Women's Missionary Society were organized and
also there was an active Ladies Aid Society.
At this
Conference Session the Seibert
Society requested the Conference to be put
on the selfsupporting Fields and this request
was granted. The following year Membership
reached 194 and a total of $3,620.00 was
raised for all purposes, excluding building.
The next year, however only having a
parttime preacher, a steady decrease of
membership and amount of money raised
resulted. The severe depression, crop failures
and dust storms caused many people to move
from Seibert and businesses were discontinued. In the year 1936 and '37 a low of 94
membership was left and only $771.00 was
raised for all purposes. From this time on the
steady decrease, resulted in the church again
being placed on the list of missions. However
there was an increase of money raised and
progress in spite of the war conditions and
workers going to supply the war jobs.
In 1938 the Church was painted, and in
1940 the balance ofthe indebtedness of$200
was paid off. In L943-44 the entire interior
was repainted and varnished.
Pastors who served the Trinity Evangelical
Church include Rev. R.D. Dexheimer L927 -28
with Rev. L.E. Gabel as Assistant part-time
- Rev. J.A. Brewer a short time 1929 - Rev.
Wm R. Van Devender part-time 1929 - Rev.
W.C. Johnson moved here from Colo. Springs
Trinityin Nov. 1929, to May 1931 -Rev. A.G.
Hettler May 1931 to December 1932 - Rev.
T.A. Marks May 1933 to May 1935 and also
serving Stratton 2nd year. Rev. B. Barthel
Dist Sup t. from May 1935 to Sept. 1935 when
Rev. V.H. Schroeder served Seibert and
Genoa for some months and secured a supply
pastor. Rev. S.E. Parrott who served under
the Supt. until May 1936. Pastor L.E. Gabel
served the feild from Mav 1938
to 1944. In
�May 1942 the Smokey Angle, formerly part
of the Kit Carson Mission was added to the
Seibert Mission and the pastor who had also
been preaching at the Cope Congregational
Church took it on also. This field showed
promise of a fruitful Mission of the Evangelical Church along with Joes Territory; Cope
is 26 miles north of Seibert and Smokey angle
35 miles Southeast of Seibert.
Rev. C. Lafoon served several years followed by T.A. Marks who carried on the
ministry until 1950. Rev. Oliver Davidson
was here one year, followed by Francis
Bayless, assigned here from Stratton in 1952,
serving two years. Rev. Raymond Scott
followed him in June 1954 and progress
strived all these years. A large Sunday School
class of young people, youth and adults
developed. Other accomplishments were
interior redecorating of the walls, new furniture for the front of the church being added
memorial gifts. A Hammond Spinet Organ
was given in memory of Fosha S. Gorton who
passed away in 1955, by the Gorton families,
and many other items.
as
Money for floor tiles were given. An
addition was added to the west side of the
church during the ministry of Rev. Francis
Bayless and the front of the church shifted
from the north side of the church to the west
side in the new addition.
Under the ministry of Rev. Raymond Scott
a rededication Service of the Evangelical
United Brethern Church was held. In June
1958 Rev. Scott was transferred to Peetz. Co.
and Rev. R.M. Churchill came to Seibert.
During the year of Rev Churchill's pastorate,
the E.U.B. Church was given a new coat of
paint, a memorial fund was set up in memory
of Mary Tiffany in a savings account. In 1959
a Wurlitzer piano was given in memory of
Dale Jones by Irene Jones and the children.
April 23, 1968 the Evangelical United
Brethern Church and the Methodist
Churches merged and beceme United Methodist Churches, and the first session of the
uniting Conference began Tues, April
23,
1968 with Bishop W. Maynard Sparks presi-
ding. June 18, 1968 Seibert took formal action
to
change its name to United Methodist
Church, Seibert, Colorado with Dist. Supt.
Lloyd D. Nichols here.
Pastor David Newman was here in 1969 but
when Rev. David B. Finley was here in Jan,
1970 we were a two charge church with
Stratton.
In
1970 the church Membership voted to
sell their parsonage (the former John Martin
home) to Hulon Webb.
Year 1972 showed still a decrease in
Sunday School attendance, a week of Special
meetings were held with Dr. Nichol Presiding. Dr. Charles Wood came to Pastor the
two churches inl972. The front of the church
was paneled to add a great appearance to it.
Due to an apportionment assessed on our
churches by the Conference, which was based
on membership, it made it impossible to meet
the apportionment, as many of the members
were older persons and non-resident members who wished to still have their names
remain on the roll. The United Methodist
Church does not recognize an inactive list for
such members, so our apportionments were
too high to be met.
Without the help of the United Methodist
Women through the years it was next to
impossible to survive. Many times they came
to the rescue with finances in various wavs.
panelling down stairs, padded cushions for
the pews, paint for the interior, carpet for the
church floors, all this brought about by the
labors
of the ladies by quilting,
bazaars,
selling nuts, making hen door stops, (which
are in many countries of the world), and new
tables for the basement.
Except for the Adult Senior Sunday Class,
the Sunday School was nearly defunct in
1975.
April
1975 the church members decided
to brick the outside of the church instead of
painting. The Conference was contacted and
for a loan from the money from the
sale of our parsonage was made and the loan
was granted. Mohave brick was ordered Nov.
1975, new doors were added from memorial
a request
money, and new storm windows were added
at the time of the bricking.
Under the pastorate of Rev. George Dageenakis in 1976 an active Youth group again was
organized. Following Rev. Dageenakis was
Rev. Frank Harvey and Interim pastor who
filled the pulpit from June 1979 til Pastor
Doris Bingham came Sept. 1, 1979. After
Pastor Doris came the church once again
grew in active membership and attendance
and Youth activities.
In 1980 the Dist. Supt Jon Nieves was
approached about the possibilities of a full
time pastor at Seibert, but we were informed
by the Supt. that we would have to have an
additional $9000.00 in conjuction with the
$11,000 budget that we were trying to meet
before we could think about it. So after much
discussion and hopes it was decided to set up
an improvement Fund and thus it was
started. But still in 1987 we are still a two
charge church and hopes dim.
1981 brought about a speaker system for
the church. The young ladies Carpet Capers
U.M. groups also installed two much needed
ceiling fans in the church. Later they have
gotten a stereo, T.V., kitchen stove, microwave oven, and other help.
New Gold Choir robes were purchased
from a personal gift for the 14 robes.
Doris Bingham was pastor in 1981. Improv-
ements to the church included a new roof.
new ceiling fans, choir robes and a P.A.
system. A thirty member group, including
Seibert's U.M. choir, presented a Christmas
Contata directed by Denis Stahlecker. Choir
members also joined Stratton's choir to
present ajoint Easter Contata. Fourteen were
Special Seder services were held on
Maundy Thursday. Pastor Lewis started
"Kids Klub" which was geared towards
Grades One through Six. The children of the
community met once a week for study,
recreation and refreshments. The Seibert/Stratton parishes cost shared a VCR, but
this was dissolved later.
Seibert participated along with other local
United Methodist congregations in a special
program in Burlington in honor of Bishop
Sano. Pastor Doug Lewis moved to South
Carolina in June with Pastor Marge Huffman
coming on board as his replacement.
Membership rolls were updated and audited showing a decrease in membership to 54.
Recognition was given to Bessie Short who
celebrated her 100th birthday. Richard Gilbert completed his six year term as District
Superintendent.
Mason Willis was named new District
superintendent for the Greeley District. The
Seibert congregation participated in a "Hats
Off'
Celebration planned by the Stratton
U.M. Church honoring Pastor Marge Huff-
man's ordination as an elder.
The Youth Group has remained active over
the years and has almost always had representation at Buckhorn Camp and/or the Up
With Youth Conference every year. They
participated in a variety of activities, usually
in conjunction with the Stratton U.M. Youth.
Another active group over the years has been
the United Methoidst Women (U.M.W.).
They hold an annual bazaar and use the
profits from this event for local church needs
as well as various mission oriented concerns.
The U.M.W. distribute fruit baskets at
Christmas and send cards and visit sick and
shut ins throughout the year. The Carpet
Caper Group, composed of the younger U.M.
members, also contribute to church and
community needs. This group has made
hundreds ofwall hangings over the years and
are now concentrating on barbed
wire
wreaths and country crafts.
Other yearly traditions include Galilean
at Bonny Dam, Bible School held
jointly with the RLDS Church and a Sunday
Services
is set aside each spring to honor graduating
Hi-Plains seniors.
by Twila Gorton
confirmed and baptized and an additional
membership was recorded via transfer. The
Pastor reported six funerals and two weddings in the Seibert community in 1981.
The Seibert congregational joined in voicing their opposition to homosexuality in the
church. Pastor Doris Bingham left our parish
in May and Eldon Shoemaker served as
pastor for a brief period of time until his
death. Reverend Douglas Lewis came as a
interim pastor at the close of 1982.
Pastor Lewis continued to serve the Seibert parish on a part time basis until June at
which time he was asked to serve Seibert/Stratton as full time pastor. The combined
choirs presented an Easter Contata directed
by Maxine Matthews. Seibert's choir was a
part of a community contata, directed by
Denis Stahlecker, which was presented on
Good Friday. Seibert voted to participate in
the three year Church Development and
Redevelopment Program, a fund raising
effort to enable the construction of additional
United Methodist churches. Seibert's membership totaled 95.
SEIBERT CHURCH OF
THE NAZARENE
T344
A Church of the Nazarene was organized
at Seibert, Colorado, Sunday morning December 22, 1940, with Rev. C.W. Davis.
District Superintendant in charge. This
organization was the result of the revival held
by Rev. and Mrs. Paul Doddy of
Casper,
Wyoming. Rev. Vogt and Rev. Mize started
the revival. The Lord wonderfully
blessed
and gave us souls and victory in this meeting.
Rev. George Vogt acted as pastor, his salary
started at $4.00 per week.
Charter members were: Miss Daisy Hase,
Mrs. Hope Hase, Mrs. Opal Hase, Mrs.
Margaret Hase, Mrs. Laura Sawhill, Mr. Ben
Sawhill, Mrs. Opal Sawhill, Miss Dixie
Sawhill, Mr. Robert Sawhill, Miss Nellie
Sawhill, Miss Betty Sawhill, Mrs. Isabelle
Clifford, Mrs. Mertie Bigelow, Margaret
�Clevenger, and Floyd Clevenger.
In 1941 the elected trustees were: Brother
Ben Sawhill, Brother Floyd Clevenger, the
Sister Isabelle Clifford, to serve one year on
the annual board. Three trustees for the
church board were: Sister Laura Sawhill,
Sister Margaret Clevenger, and Sister Isabelle Clifford. Rev. Vogt appointed Isabelle
Clifford, secretary, and Brother Ben Sawhill,
treasurer. The church started holding their
meetings in the Blake Building on the west
side of Main Street.
July 6, 1941, Rev. Vogt was Pastor. In
September 1941, Sister Lillian E. Johnson,
sister:in-law of Pastor Vogt, came to serve.
They rented and began meetings in the old
shops building across the street, north ofthe
big White Elephant building on the north end
decided to try to
purchase the shoe shop building and did at
of Main Street. They
a
tax sale October 17, 1941, for approximately
$350.00.
In 1941, The Women's Missionary Society,
made a quilt for the campground, bed spread
for the Missionary Cottage, two dresses and
a blouse for a Missionary family.
The wallboard petitions were taken out of
the building to make room for services. With
the help of the Stratton Church and Mrs.
Howell of Vona, the church was soon ready
for public worship. Two rooms in the back
were living quarters for the pastors. The
celotex wallboard was given to Rev. Vogf, for
two stoves.
Pastor Johnson resigned May 30, 1942, due
to his health. Miss Anna Nuter, of Broadwater, Nebraska, came as pastor to assist Pastor
Johnson a while.
Rev. Anna Nutter left the following notes,
in part: "I arrived in Seibert, June 20, 1942,
and that night a hail storm damaged the
church roof and broke a west window out of
the church. Oil stove purchased $5.00, a
heater $1.50, and a bookcase $1.00 for
parsonage (Mrs. Combs of Hastings, Nebraska, gave a rug for the church, Mrs. Johnson
donated an organ stool.)
As offerings increased the board decided
the salary to be $5.00 per week. The entry way
Griffith, the Elphis Church be moved to
Seibert as property of the Nazarene. The
property located two blocks east of Main
Street and one block south ofHighway 24 had
been donated to them.
At July 8, 1946 annual meeting, permission
was given by District Superintendant, Glen
Griffith, that the Elphis Church could be
moved to Seibert where a basement had been
made for it. The church still sits there in 1987.
Rev. Walden rode the top of the Elphis
Church in the chimney from north of Vona
to Seibert. The cost of moving the Elphis
Church was $800.00 and the money was
borrowed from the District, and was paid
back on a monthly basis. The money was
raised by Laura Sawhill, who raised chickens
and sold them.
In February
1948, after Rev. Fraley had
come, the church voted to purchase other lots
to square the property. New song books were
also purchased.
In April 1951, it was decided to buy some
seats from the county for the church.
Sister Lorraine Ripper and Sister Berneice
Markey came to serve the church from
August 1954 to July 1956. In August 1956,
Rev. Helsel came. Permission was given to his
request to lower the ceilings in the parsonage
at his own expense. Discussed telephone for
parsonage; prices to be checked. Sometime
before the end of 1956 an overheated stove
has caused a fire in the church, and asphalt
shingles were put on December 1957. Rev.
Helsel left for a calling to Manzanola on
January 12, 1958, and Rev. Guy, of Burlington, filled the pulpit until another pastor
could be gotten. Rev. Floyd Totten and wife
in November 1959-1960. Restrooms were put in the church at this time
were here
also.
October 1967, the church was cleaned and
floors varnished. In September 1968, a gas
stove was purchased for the basement. Rev.
and Mrs. Walden returned in November
1960, to serve the Seibert Church.
Membership having gone downhill, due to
people moving away, transferring of member-
ship and deaths, had made
it
financially
on the north was built before winter and
made the parsonage more comfortable and
unfeasible to maintain the church any longer.
by Floyd Clevenger. The church paid Mrs.
closed.
warmer. Coal and cobs for fuel were furnished
Johnson for the linoleum on the kitchen floor.
April 4, 1943, five members were taken in. Six
children were dedicated to God. On May 13,
little Betty Noel's funeral was held. A stove
was purchased for the church for $12.50. The
minister was recalled and accepted, salary
was increased to $6.00 per week by a vote of
members to increase the salary a $1.00. The
pulpit, altar and piano was varnished and the
church roof repainted. Brother Ben Sawhill
furnished over half of the expenses and did
most of the painting. Mr. Perrine was hired
to help and also donated part of his time.
Attendance average was 15. (End of notes).
At the annual meeting in 1943 it was voted
to get Brother Ben Sawhill a preacher license
for the coming year, this was granted' and was
also granted for the following year. Rev.
Howard and Anna Howetter carne in 1944'
1945.
Brother Walden came as pastor in 1945. It
was agreed to have Pastor Walden see about
having the Elphis Church, north of Vona,
moved into Seibert. A motion made at the
request of the Seibert Church, that through
the courtesy of District
Superintendant
So due
to failing health, Brother
Walden
retired on July 1971, and the church
was
Brother Walden and Mrs. Walden are
making their home in Seibert, CO, where they
purchased the parsonage building and prop-
erty in approximately L972. The
church
property was sold approximately the same
year to Edie and Carol Reed.
by Twila Gorton
..WIIITE ELEPHANT''
COMMUNITY
BUILDING'
T345
The "White Elephant" as it became known
for its size after being built as a WPA (Works
Progress Administration) project about 1934
or 35 was never completely finished until the
VFW was formed in Seibert, Colo. It had a
finished stage floor and one of the meeting
rooms on the side had flooring finished, but
the other one and the main floor had a sub
floor in it with a little flooring laid.
However, when the veterans tried to lease
it, they had to wait for sometime to start work
the Moser Grain elevator had wheat stored
in it for a couple years prior to that, which had
to be gotten out.
as
The VFW. John Maurice Wren Post #
it in Jan. 1947, and held every
kind of a project to help make money to
6492, Ieased
complete the building as the school, needing
a bigger gymnasium wanted to lease it, so the
veterans borrowed money from the bank to
finish the building. The school used it for
several years until the new school was built
in 1952, and the veterans lost their lease.
A mortgage burning ceremony was held
March 14, 1953 for the debt incurred on the
hall. The veterans had a 99 year lease on the
hall with the town. But due to the dwindling
of active members and various things through
the years the expenses became too hard to
meet so the veterans bought the old small
Post Office building on the east side of main
street in 1963, and the big hall was turned
back to the town.
The building housed the Civil Defense
emergency hospital unit for about 25 years,
beginning in the 50's. This unit included
everything necessary for a good hospital in a
disaster, including an operating room which
was stored in crates, stacked 4 feet out from
the wall and to the ceiling, and a generator,
cots for 200 patients. But all this equipment
was disposed of about 9 years ago by the
civil
defense director Agnes Loutzenhiser.
During the years the VFW had the hall, the
building was used for roller skating weekly
and in later years as it started to go down in
activities, it was used only through the
summer months for the skating due to
heating the building. Early years activities
were regular Saturday night dances, men and
women town team basket ball games and
town team leagues being formed, and many
town team tournaments.
About 1982 the town board made a financial commitment to maintenance of the
building and repaired the roof.
The community started suggesting the
necessity of a nice community building
perhaps in the city park, where some beautiful sod had been placed and some new
buildings for a picnic area and barbecue pit
had been erected. After the state highway
department had some loads of dirt to be
placed somewhere (more than was needed on
the streets), Dale Murphy suggested to
Mayor Ralph Gorton, that they dump it into
the northwest corner ofthe park area, and try
to fix it into a nice area for uee. Thus it was
taken before the town council and the park
project was soon begun about 1982.
So once again Dale Murphy, being on the
town council, suggested that there were great
possibilities of the "White Elephant" being
renovated into a nice community building,
since it was already sitting there and of no use
and deteriorating. He drew some blue prints
which were presented to the town board with
favorable reactions and the possibilities of
checking into grants was suggested.
The search for money in the emount of
$65,000.00 for the work that was planned
began. Murphy Construction submitted the
low bid for the remodeling work on the
building of about $48,000 to lower the
ceilings, build walls, partitions, heating,
laying carpets for the new town office,
kitchen and dining room area, and rest
�rooms, which had to meet specifications for
the State Health Department for preparing
meals for Project Srnile for local senior
citizens. These appliances were purchased
separately by the town, councilman Jeny
Many people prefer the hall now be called
the Community Hall instead of "White
Elephant". I still think "The White Elephant" holds a distinction for Seibert, Colorado.
Guy said.
by Twila Gorton
The rear of the building was also renovated
by taking out the old rest rooms, two rneeting
rooms and a storage room and shower rooms
and the stage to make the skating area about
equal to the previous area plus the bleachers
on the north side were removed.
DAYS OF THE OLD
WEST
Renovations came about from grants received with the help of the East Central
Council of Governments, with Mary Jo
Downey's help. Ten thousand dollars each
T346
The "sqauws": Anna Guy, Minerva Stone, Elnora
plav their roles well at the "Davs
Yti:J,J:'irt|;rs
came from Coors Foundation and Baughman
Farms, which had formerly had large farm
holdings in the Seibert Area. The Arthur E.
Johnson foundation in Denver and Gates
Foundation contributed $15,000 each.
With the renovation finished in 1987, the
outside was ready for a coat of paint. Jerry
Guy town councilman was visiting with
County Commissioner Bill Hornung and was
told of the program offered by the army. Bill
had a nephew, Lt. Col. Michael Pendergast,
who had told Bill about the battalion and
cities participating in an adoption program
where local communities "Adopt" Fort Car-
Y;;"'.. 'lri::ili.,irr,.,
:ill
*),,,,;...
The 1939 enactment of "Old West Days" begins.
son units, and the soldiers have and will
continue to do volunteer civic projects, such
as painting the town hall. Units and their
cities also exchange invitations to social,
athletic and entertainment events. Carol
Levin, city clerk, was instructed to contact
Lt. Col. Pendergast and soon the bond was
made and Seibert adopted the 68th Transportation Battalion.
July 13th, 1987 Capt. Anthony Swain and
four other soldiers flew to Seibert in a large
Army Red Cross helicopter and landed on the
school grounds near the ball field. A survey
was made of the building as to the facilities
to accommodate the crew to come (there were
some ladies) and to what would be necessary
for the job. While the 'chopper was landed the
The wagon train prepares to make camp while
Indians are at their tepees in the background.
ehief White Eagle the only real Indian in the
Indian raid enactment.
I
children and adults were invited to inspect
the chopper, go aboard and even sit in the
pilots seat. What thrills!
A bus load of 27 soldiers of the 68th
Transportation Battalion arrived Friday,
July 27th and the project began, in spitc of
high winds. Dinner was served by the community for volunteers who helped. Again supper,
breakfast and dinner on Saturday was pre-
pared and served before they departed for
their base in Colorado Springs, the job
finished. The association with the soldiers
was a very enjoyable one.
The Indians attack the settler's camp.
Soldiers from the 50th Ordanance Co.
participated in the bed race on Seibert Day
July 25, 1987, and kept their record of
winning by defeating over 8 other teams, and
being known locally famous as winners. Other
members of the 68th transportation and 50th
Ordnance Company enlivened the parade
with the Battalion color guard and company
guidons, and also participation in other
events of the day. The Battalion Commander
and Sergent Major acted as targets in the
town dunking booth.
Another highlight of Seibert Day was when
Lt. Col. Michale Pendergast flew in, in the big
Army Red Cross helicopter, landing at the
school first, then taking the chopper to the
vacant land south of the city park where the
day's events were taking place, and people
could look at it and visit if thev wished.
The flurry of gunsmoke and dust obscures the view
as
the battle rages.
The old "prospector", John Peterson, 1939.
�not. A large beef barbecue lasting for hours
awaited the hungry actors and observers.
Later, there were parades, trained horses
exhibitions with a set of four putting on
'i
ftr. "rn-ai*."
mounted for the
attack.
interest the other business men in staging
re-enactment of that massacre.
Some of the
"settlers" in the Old West Days: Fosha
Gorton Jr and Sr. with Dorothy Lundey and Elfie
Gorton.
a
"Most of those businessmen had a thousand reasons not to do it. They voted it down,
10 to 1. "It'd be a nice thing," they said, "but
people are to hard up ." But a few including
Fitz, went ahead and did it anyway. The
result was open air theatre which would rival
Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in excitement
and authenticity. Featuring more than 400
local people, the show highlighted a full day
of activity that became nationally known in
its three year existence, 1938-40.
Preparations began long before the big day,
which was Labor Day each year, with creation
of props and costumes, and with development of the script. The day before, truck
loads of horses and riders would move into
town from as far away as Loveland, and one
Aurora man would bring his wagon and four
%--j
head
of trained
oxen. About two dozen
ride in from the south
country, Second Central south ofFlagler, and
east of there, on horse back, and bed down
in a local barn.
cowboys would
Early the next morning, the "Indians"
went into makeup. Their skin color was
darkened with liberal doses of brick dust
(which didn't come off very easy, especially
if you had wrinkles), and they were decked
out in Indian garb crafted from burlap bags
and bows and arrows built by local Boy
Scouts.
At 9 a.m. the
large crowd of observers
gathered on a hillside, to watch the show. A
long prospector, with long whiskers and an
old burrow, wandered into view, and as he
slowly made his way across the basin, under
the watchful eye of the audience, the
"Indians" quietly slipped out of sight behind
the hill, to await their moment. As the
prospector left the basin, a train of about 40
covered wagons entered and formed a circle.
The horses were unhitched and taken behind
the hill to avoid scaring them.
Then came the Indians over the hill, in
single style. Roughly 140 of the Indians were
mounted: others were on foot. The Indians
{
George Simon, another
"settler", perhaps.
t
attacked, dragging the settlers and their
families from the wagons, "killing and scal-
,1
r2
t:,.
ti
tr
d$
ping" them, or riding off with a few as
prisoners. But the Indians didn't have it all
their own way, either. The settlers fought
"\.
"Indian" Warren Kemp . . . Old West Days.
In
1859, Indians attacked a wagon
train of
settlers near the site of present day Seibert,
killing most of them. In the late 1930's a few
of Seibert's merchants, led by former news-
paper publisher V.S. Fitzpatrick, tried to
back, firing black powder blanks, and "dead"
Indians fell from their horses to lie in the
dust. True to their roles, the "dead" men lay
still as a hundred horses continued to race
back and forth, but never stepping on
anyone. And then
it
was over, with the
surviving Indians racing back to their tepees,
leaving scores of massacred settlers, and at
least one burning wagon, in their wake. The
squaws and the maidens entered the battlefield only long enough to "finish off' the
crippled.
But while the show was over. the dav was
square dancing on horse back, prize fights,
rodeos and horse races, culminating with a
square dance in the street, which lasted to 3
or 4 a.m.
During the first year, as the Highway 24 ran
through the town, patrolman directed traffic
and many people upon being stopped, would
be amazed at the bustling busy little town,
and when told would immediately pull off the
highway and take the days activities and the
word passed fast to other parts of the nation,
and in 1939 the Iocal promoters sold nearly
2,100 tickets for 25 cents each, and when the
show started, there were 748 cars registered
in 34 states among those parked on the hill.
In
1940
all 48 states were represented.
Two of those out-of-state visitors were in
the motion picture business, and they almost
had the Seibert celebration on the film for
posterity. In 1940, a movie producer and five
crew members were coming to film the show.
When they didn't show up on time, the show
was delayed for an hour or more, but as the
crowd grew impatient, the show went on
without the film crew. Later, they received
the word that the airplane carrying the movie
crew crashed somewhere near Deer Trail,
enroute from Hollywood, killing all aboard.
An end came to the show in 1941 when the
United States entered World War II. Men of
fighting age joined up or were drafted, and
there no longer were enough cast members to
stage the massacre.
It never was staged again,
although a rodeo and barbecue continued for
several years.
During all three years, with hundreds of
people on the ground in the field, with horses
running and milling about, with cowboys and
"Indians" lying "dead" onthe ground. . . no
one was seriously injured. One man
burned by the direct hit with
a
was
wadding from
a blackpowder pistol, and Fitzpatrick was
kicked in the leg by a horse. "But at the end
of the show, I offered up a prayer of thanks,
that nobody got hurt," said Fitzpatrick.
AII in all, things pretty well came off
without a hitch. There were riders, horses,
mules, warriors, gquaws, Indian maids, oxen,
wagons, cattle and herders whiskered oldtimers, emigrant women, and old-fashioned boys
and girls. Yet, by use of the timed script, the
show proceeded like the real thing, with only
one rehearsal.
"Nobody had a dime, coming out of the
thirties," but they gave a lot of themselves.
One of the years a true Indian Chief was
here and took park in the celebration. He was
Joe Davis, "Chief White Eagle." There are
many fond memories of these celebrations.
It
is impossible to write the excitement in put
into your blood stream at the time.
by Twila Gorton
THE SEIBERT BOY'S
BAND
T347
The Seibert Boys Band from Seibert,
Colorado, composed of boys ranging in age
from 8 to 15 years, gave a serenade in front
of the News and Times office
vesterdav
�August 27, L889 from C.F. Jilson Trustee of
the county of Shawnee, Kansas to School
District # 37 of Kit Carson county, Colorado,
all of lots 1 thru 18 block 27 in the town of
Seibert. A deed made May 2, 1918 went from
the school to J.L McNeill, the school board
members were: Pres. A.C. Tinsley, Sec. Frank
D. Allen, Treas. Elmer Everett. Later Oct. 6,
1919 it went from McNeill to Felix A.C.
Schmitt April 18, 1921 from Schmitt to J.
Henry Tihan, Bishop in Denver,
-
then onto
J. Vehr. The property is
cunently owned by Louise L. Gamble of
Bishop Urban
Seibert. All transactions ofthis deed are not
included just some to tie the school and
church into this story.
Apparently there was a little white building used for the school for a short time prior
to the building of the two story frame school.
Dwight Frankfather said the first school was
a single story white frame building located in
Ted Cruickshank, 7 year old drummer, was the youngest member when the Seibert band started. In 1916
Mr. G.W. Klockenteger organized the trained the band.
afternoon. The band, in company with the
five Seibert business men who financed the
enterprise, is on a tour of the state in five
automobiles, and for the last few days has
been camped in the tourist camping grounds
in city park.
The band was organized two years ago by
it's director G.W. Klockenteger, a Seibert
is primarily a character building plan. While it is founded on a
banker, and
the National Guard - El Paso
Countv
Democrat.
by Twila Gorton
SEIBERT SCHOOL
T348
somewhat similar basis as the Boy Scout
movement,
it is independent. But tho it
would seem that the music is only incidental,
too much cannot be said in praise of the boys
and their directors as regards to their playing.
Scorning ragtime and "easy pieces", the
Khaki-clad kids rendered different overtures
and marches with all the ease of seasonal
musicians. When one considers the ages of
the boys, he can realize in a degree the credit
due Mr. Klokenteger for their performances.
The present trip is an educational one H.L. Cated, C.D. Frankfather, E.L. Smith,
Dick Hendricks and their director - the
founders of the organization - furnishing the
cars and meeting the expenses.
They have visited so far Colorado Springs,
Seibert school built in 1893.
given by the Seibert Boys Band, an organization ofthe boy scouts from a little town of300
population on the Rock Island in the eastern
part of Colorado. The boys are on a tour of
the state, traveling in automobiles furnished
by the vice president of the Seibert State
Bank, Mr. G.W. Klokenteger. Mr. Klokenteger organized the band last September at his
own expenses and trained the boys himself.
Seibert is the little town in eastern Colorado
that within three days after the call of
President Wilson, furnished a Company for
Martha Abbott (Boggs - Allen) says she went
to school in the one story building starting in
1918, and went three years of her high school
years, while three grades were combined to
each of the four rooms, grades L-2-3- 4-5-67-8-9 and 10-11-12 being together. Her senior
year she attended school in the second story
which had been built and finished so in 1921
fall classes began in it. This addition was
being done in 1921 at a cost of925,000. Their
class being the first to graduate from the top
addition, they also had given the first Junior
- Senior banquet in 1921, was the first class
to organize and have a class sponsor. An
excerpt for the annual says, "We also had the
went to school in Seibert School in 1910 in the
white two story frame building.
A copy of the "first High School Annual
-
One of the big features of the Mask Ball
last Thursday night was the band concert
deeded to the school District all of block 13
and 14 in Seibert, July 17, 1917, and on this
property the large red brick school house (a
half basement and one story) was erected.
honor of naming the Seibert High School
Annual "The Yucca". which name shall be
carried through all the forth coming years."
A note from Maxine Messinger (Radcliff)
is: A note per "Reminiscence" by Della
Hendricks is that Elaine and Bill Hendricks
Canon City and Cripple Creek, traveling
.slowly enough to take in all places of interest
and to inspect all interesting features.
Yesterday they visited the rifle range and
gave the guardsman a concert. They will
remain in Denver till Thursday in order to
view the circus today, leaving then for Estes
Park
Denver (Daily) News, August 23,
1916.
the southeast edge of town, and was built by
the Rock Island railroad in the late 1880's.
The picture included shows the white frame
building after the second story had been
added about four years later, making it a
grade and High school. The picture says it
was built in 1893 and was the first grade and
high school. The first graduating class of 1919
including Reva Sawhill - Florence Muck Lida Cruickshank and Elizabeth Schauffler
graduated from this building, but no exercises were held, Paul R. Veeder the Supt.
Records in Book 7 4 page 581 at the county
clerks office shows that G.W. Klockenteger
"1922" in the hands of Maxine, which was
Seibert School built in 1917, top floor added in
1921.
dedicated to The Seibert High School shows;
Faculty: V.E. Worley, Mrs. W.I. Conley,
Marie Farquahar, Mrs Avis Simmons, Lora
Mae Moore, Ora Cruickshank (Maxine's 2nd
After much researching there isn't much to
be found on the history of the early schools
of Seibert. However after many phone calls
to a few of the old timers who are living that
attended the first Seibert school and the Red
Brick school, I will try to piece together a bit
there was a consolidationin1922 with several
other districts, and many new students joined
of history.
their ranks from these districts, which
Records from the Abstract Office in Burlington, shows a warranty deed record # 6260
from C.F. Jilson to school District # 37 was
recorded at 3:15 PM January 9, 19 893 by
R.G. Cambell. recorder. The deed was made
apparently when students began coming to
town to attend high school to graduate.
The two story white frame building in
block 27 was torn down and twin houses built
from the lumber according to Dwight Frank-
grade teacher) and Agnes Beedy, her 1920-21
year.
From the annual the information is that
was
�of the building and stopped and reported it.
It was in the early pre-sun-up hours. The fire
was extinguished and kept contained mainly
in the northeast class room of the middle
section, and the evidence was discovered.
Some typewriters and other articles were
missing from the building.
The gymnasium is the three story red brick
building, being to small for regulation basketball games was condemned for the league
games, the school district leased the V.F.W.
Hall (The White Elephant) from the veterans
for their basketball, proms and other activi-
ties from 1948 to
Hi Plains High School, Seibert,
1988.
furter. These houses are now owned by Ervin
Jones and Gladys Tovrea, and were built
approximately 1918 to 1920.
I have received much help from many
people and wish I could include all the
remarks but it is impossible, but I wish to
thank them for the help, for without it, it
would not be possible to put this information
together for an almost lost history. Thanks
to John (Jack) Messinger, Dwight Frankfath-
er, Martha Abbott (Allen), Vernis Boger,
Myrna and Meryl Haynes, Dwight and Pete
Guy, the telephone visit was great.
&:r',.
.,
'
$i ,,'
-.;l
$
View from south west part of Library and Home
Ec section after the fire.
There was a fire in the Red Brick school in
1948 during school vacation, which had been
deliberately set, as inflammable soaked rags
were found under each fire hose at each flight
of stairs in the building. A trucker coming
from the east on Highway 24 (The only
highway then) saw flames in the east windows
.:at:: ..,....:,.
.r:i:,\i..a.,.:r,:i:',,:,
1953.
In the 1940's a small frame building, the old
Progress country school was moved from 12
miles north and 3 Vz east of Seibert to town
and was located to just the north east of the
brick building and was used for some Jr High
classes and a shop. Later this building was
sold and it once again returned to the country
to the Denis Stahlecker farm.
The fall of 1950 brought about another
consolidation, this time bringing the remaining country pupils to town, ending the area
of most small country schools. The Seibert
School then became Seibert Centralized
School R-2.
After the high school and gymnasium had
been built and in service for several years the
need for a new and safer elementary facility
began to be discussed among the patrons and
a committee of: Luthur Tatkenhorst, Chairman; Marvin Burr, Orlen Reid, Lloyd Short,
and Fay Knapp started checking into the
possibilities of a new addition, in Oct 1959.
In addition to the road for a safer elementary
school building it was brought out that other
school needs included. a well on the school
property, landscaping, a lighted baseball and
football field, a kindergarten, and elementary
teachers salary closer to the line with High
School teachers salaries.
A bond Vote in February 1960 carried 5 to
in favor ofthe above proposed. This would
also help with the accreditation ofthe school,
1
as
it
seems
that prior to this accreditation
requirements were on the High school. A
multi purpose room, lunchroom combination, new administration offices, teachers
lounge, and the seven class rooms for elementary were added. Later some landscaping and
lights were put up for the baseball field. The
Addition had been added to the west side of
the gymnasium and high school unit, and
stretched to the south.
The year of 1960-61 was the first kindergarten class in Seibert, with Ollie Taton being
the teacher, this was held in the basement of
the old red brick 3 story building. The pupils
were: Mike McElroy, Nila Niles, Charles
McCaffrey, Deborah Hughes, Theresa Bancroft, Michael Mitchell, Connie Livingston,
Charles Pelser, Terri Taton, Kenneth Viken
and Doyle Atkins. After the new elementary
was built the first Kindergarten class to
attend were: Johanna Atkins. Sheree Mitchell, Jo Ann Miller, Kathryn Webb, Janice
Knapp, Marilyn McCaffrey, Fred Bloom,
Seibert School in the 1950's which burned on April 1' 1971.
Rodney Smith, John Levin, Randy Gorton,
Joseph Marx, and Cordell Atkins in 1961-62.
June Short the teacher.
April 1, 1971 brought disaster to the
Seibert community when by-passers out on
I-70 spotted flames in the windows of the
gymnasium area of the school at 3:45 AM and
once again came in to town to report it. The
previous day had been one ofvery high winds
and dusty conditions with the winds continu-
�ing through the night and into the next day.
The fire had evidently started in or near the
g'ym area, from something caused by the high
winds. The gym and the complete high school
addition of the building were destroyed, but
with the help of fire fighting equipment from
Vona, Flagler, Stratton, and
I
believe Bur-
lington was bringing a water truck, the
elementary wing of the school was saved. The
high winds at this point were a contributing
factor in saving the part of the building that
was saved, because it was blowing so hard
from the northwest that it helped to keep the
flame away from the west wing.
The rest of the school term was finished in
the local churches, VFW Hall, Elementary
Classrooms. Mr. Hardy's home (a teacher),
and the multi-purpose room, and kitchen,
which the fire protection safety commission
had okayed as being safe for use. The
graduation ceremonies were held on the
church yard of the Re-organized Latter Day
Saints Church in Seibert. C.L. Stiverson a
former Supt. giving the address.
by Twila Gorton
Year 1929 - *Albert Bell - *Ben Wrenn *Bonny Gaunt
(Clay Gould) - *Bruce Jones
- Cecil Boren - Goldie Mae Lambert (Cox)
- Richard Plecker) - Robert Edwards -
*Robert McBride
Shirley Short (John
Matthews) - Vivian Smith (Murl Mayberry)
- *Virgil Short - Voyle Larson*Lila
- Claude
Ingram Inez Jones (Melton)
John-
-
-
son (Reginald Allen).
Year 1930 - Herbert Shults - Joe Campbell
Doris Stewart (Baum) - Ada Brower
-(Clarence
Scheidegger) - *Marguerite Bonham (Heber) - Madeline Ott (Leander
Becker) - Gwendolyn Eaton (Elmar Kerl).
Year 1931 - *Harley Greenlee - *Viola
Sheets (Seal) - Wayne Jones - Loretta
Bonham (Collins) *Duane Oldson - Floyd
McCart - Norma Johnson (Conoly) - John
(Jack) Messinger - *Lucille Rose (Chris
-
Peterson
George)
-
Watson)
Vernis Boger.
Year 1932
-
T349
ank (J.B. Richardson) - *Elizabeth Schauffler (Green Dwight Cruickshank). Supt. Paul
R. Veeder.
Year 1920 -Zelma Probasco (Bridge) Supt.
A.B. Cook.
-
Gladys Messing (Anderson)
-
-
Marie
McMulkin (Deutsch) - Charles Conley (first
Male Graduate).
Year L922 - *Olive Johnston (Herk Hill)
*Elmer Everett Martha Abbott (Boggs Allen) *Ralph W. Burden - Royal Reul Ellouise Allen (Pearson) - Supt. Homer
Bishop.
Year 1923 - *Mavis Leao (Maitland Helderman) - *Mabel Zimmerman - *Lillian
Schermerhorn (Lewis Reid) - *Walter Burden - *Lindley Cates.
Yeat 1924 *Julia J. Howard (Clayton
Kivett) - Ruth Beckman (R.8. Elder) Vaughn L. McKenzie - *Ted Albert
Cruickshank - Dorothy Burden (Everett
Beckman) - Supt. James P. gttit.
Year 1925 - Hazel Holton (Don Stewart)
Myrna
McKenzie (Meryl Haynes) - *Murl
Mayberry - *Zella Sawhill (Lester Yonts) *Clio Huff Iva Ross Paul Reul Mary
Huff.
*Zelma McKenzie
*Ruth
Minter
Year 1926
-
*Maurice
Wrenn - Evelyn Duncan
(Blythe Allen).
Years 1927 - *Wayne Gesner - Robert
Bancoft - Mary McCart (Martin - Blodgett)
- *Francis Reul - Jerome Hinshaw - *Aubrey
Edwards - *Velma Campbell (Miller)
*Effie Priest Cogswell).
-
Year 1928 - Nelta Cates (W.8. Copeland)
*Velma Manion (Stewart) *Edna Yarnell
(Williams) - Clara Yarnell (Ritch) - *Murray
Walker - *Robert Short - Lloyd S. Roberts
- George Van Der Koi - Charles Boren.
-
Garland Guy
-
Viola Short
- Roland Shults - Emily Jones
Eaton.
Year 1919 - Reva Sawhill (Ed C. Wolfe)
*Florence Muck (Anderson) * Lida Cruicksh-
Year 1921
Shirley Bonham (Tay-
(Ervin) - Bertha Larson - Ralph Schekel Oleta Gillispie (Eide - Hollman) - Harley
Short - Leroy Guy - Dougal Robbinson *Ruth Sperry Orville Larson Fannie
Boger (Robinson) - Lila Jenkins - Kenneth
GRADUATES OF
SEIBERT HIGII
*Grace Minter (Joe McCannon)
-
lor) - Robert Andre - Gladys Andre (Kerl)
Melvin Shipman - *Dan Oldson - Bernice
Harmon (McBlair) - Pearl Minter (Bert
Floman) - Dorothy Short (Lt. Col. James
(Earl Pursley)
scHooL
-
Year 1933 - Albert Larson - *Alice Alexander (Oldson) - Lloyd Edwards - *Glen
Marjory Manion (Miller) - Vera
Livingston (Wallace Gattshall) - Arvetta
Shipman (Mauldin) - *Paul Scheidegger Elwyn Hays - *Ray Sperry - Homer Killalay
- *Minnie Anderson (Walter Eastin) d Merl
Ingram (Baker) - Gerald Shults - Lavon
Eaton (Roland Shults) - Clem Patrick
McCart - Supt. M.H. Brown.
Year 1934 - Frederick Lyle Aegerter *Nita Elaine Mason
(Paul Miller - Frank) Newton
-
Sterling Johnson - Marjory Edweards (Lammerman) - Gertie Vera Sears (Pat Shea) Gerald Max Roller - Leona Irene Scheidegger
Earl Cowgill - *Birney Eugene
Short - Fosha Sheldon Gorton Jr. - Eva
Rowley (Murray Walker) - Fern Lavinia
Gardener (H.J. Martin) - Rodella Henrietta
(Peters
-
*Pearl Faye McCart
(Art Gaines) - *Mark Garrett Stewart -
Hase (Chas. Boren)
Frank Marion Allen - *Leora Mae Andre
(Phil Garlick) - *Gordon Erskine Clark Ruby Letitia Perrine (Murphy - Murphy) Supt. M.H. Brown.
Year 1935 - Jane Simpson (Gearhart) Marion Simpson - Clyde Jones - Florence
Sheets (Harold Adair)
-
*Thurman Shipman
*Leigh Short
Viola Perrine (Bax-
ter - Gettman) - *Leroy Newton - *Tom
Holland - *Marie Jones (Frank Smith) -
-
*Leigh
- *Jay O. Guy - Thaine Ingram Robert Brown - Mildred Woltkamp (Lyle
Short
Eagerter)
- Donald Everett - Supt. Richard-
son.
Year 1936 - *Lucille Bonham (Weiser) *Edwin Cox) Judson McCormick *Ralph
Gorton - Norvin Gillispie - Weldon Parker
*Dale M. Schekel *Rose Rassmussen
- *Lucille
-(Barstad)
Knowland
- Alta Sessler (John Pulver) - Supt E.G. Bjornstad.
Year 1937 - Alice Short (Burr Keller) Hope Smith (Virgil Hase) - Troy Murphy Norma Brown (Gerald Brown)
-
Max Parker
(Ground) Las Perrine Jo-es (Reynolds) - Fern Aumiller
Marcella Sawhill
-*Helen
(Don Parrott)
-
Ray Stewart - Viva Livings- Eugene Oliver - Supt.
ton (Vernis Boger)
E.G. Bjornstad.
Year 1938 - Earl Allen - Lorene Miller (Scott) - Evelyn Johnson (Rabou - Smith)
Russell Goodwin - Don Parrott - Eugene
Perrine - *Paul Short - John D. Martin -
Christine Johnson (Bill Simmons) - Eugene
- Supt. E.G. Bjornstad.
Year 1939 - Wayne Peterson - Lois Jones
(Kenneth Smith) - *Doris Copley (Baker) -
Edler
Dorothy Gillispie (Berger) - *Katherine
Clark (Crabbe) - Cecil H. McCormick Delbert Rowley - Robert Miller - Raymond
Cox - Eloise Ruth Livingston (John Martin)
- Maxine Smith (Wayne Peterson) - *Cecelia
Ruth McCormick (Sterling Johnson) - Dorothy Rasmussen (Cribbs) - John Aegerter *George Thomas Winkler)
- Supt. E.G.
Bjornstad.
Year 1940
-
Jackson)
-
Juanita Perrine (Chester
*Irene Aumiller (Eddie Thweatt)
Pearl Martin (Geo. Pfalzgraff) - Asa Faye
Johnson (Ernie Bancroft - Savage) - Ralph
-
Aegerter
*Norma Olmstead (Daily
-
-
Edward Miyoshi) - Supt. E.G. Bjornstad.
Year 1941 - Robert Guy - Burleigh Sharp
*John Atkins Donald Hamilton
- Jacqueline Olmstead (James McKee) - Esther Simon
(Cecil McCormick) - Winifred Kemp
(Thaine Ingram) - *Leila Gillispie (Hicks) Twila Murphy (Ralph Gorton) - Supt. E.G.
Bjornstad.
Year 1942 - George Simon - Leonard
Betty Aegerter (Bob Miller)
Kemp
nGerald-Cox Darlene Akers (Zuckelwoski)- Illa Mae Jones (Hojara) - Donald Clark Loyd R. Moore Jr. - Supt. Art Watson.
Year 1943 - Dixie Belle Sawhill (Gouge) -
- *Eva Rose Livingston
- Doris Rose (Crum Gagnon - Loyd Murphy) - Eleanor Scheidegger (John Atkins - Flood) - Betty Jo
(Ray
Marvin Taylor
(Leonard Kemp)
Stittsworth
Schroeder) - Arthena Aumiller (Dick O'Neill - Ruby Wood (Flageolle
- Van Winkle) - *Dale Taylor - Supt C.W.
Lanning.
Year 1944
-
Jack Chew
-
Elbert E, Akers
- Vivian Radebaugh (Morford) - Ma"y
Christie (Earl Allen) - Martha Lou Ricks
(Lloyd)
-
-
Gene Clifford
Supt. C.W. Lanning.
-
Maryld Edmunds
Year 1945 - Robert T. Sawhill - Orline
Reid - Wayne Aumiller - *James Boren Dorothy Johnson (Gene Cummings) - Dale
Bartlett
-
Supt. W.G. Brandstetter.
- Josephine Atkins (Joe Mazella) - Ira Cooper - Ruth Laffoon (Cline David Reid - Neville Dunnan Jr. - Jo Anne
Bancroft (Bob Waldron) - Juanita Winfrey
(Adrewjeski) - Louise Johnson (Azel Dorsey)
- Supt. A. O. White.
Year 1947 - Wm. Earl Livingston Jr. Joyce Aumiller (Bob Austin) - Betty Lou Cox
(Orville Monroe) - Edna Blanche Aumiller
(Akin - Gerald Duncan) - James William
Akers - Dorothy McCart (Ray Atkins) - Supt
L.W. Mortenson.
Year 1948 - Marjory Aumiller (Merrill
Amsberry) - Ruth Lange (Ruhter - John
Year 1946
- Norma Cruickshank (Arthur - Hunter) - Katherine Jackson (Paul
Short) - Ruby Lange (Kunkel) - Betty
Paxson (Jones) - Eleanor McGriff (Harley
Short) - Rogene Boren (Bill Livingston) Stewart)
Nisson
Supt. Chas. Berhens.
- Betty Lou Hughes (David
Donna Rae Paxon (Hawley) - John
Graham - Gale Corwin - Dorothy Cox (Virgil
Year 1949
Reid)
-
�Schwartz). Supt. George B. Guy.
Year 1950 - *Vera Barnes - Dorothy Akers
(Claude Rogers - Noel) - Jeanne Malm
(Pursley - Bosley) - Barbara Boyd (Wm.
Snow) - Bonnie Boren (Clifford Hughes) Floyd Reid - *Paul Eugene Bramlett Jr. -
Supt. George B. Guy.
Year 1951 - Dale Steele - Vern Miller Doyle Atkins - Erma Fulton (Jim Boren) Supt Geo. B. Guy.
Year 1952 - Duane E. Miller - Esther
Bramlett (Lawrence Taylor) - Sam Brewer
Mary Lou Miller (Dusty Henderson) -*Irene
Fuller (Orlen Reid) - *Shirley Hartley
(Elbert Akers) - Melvin Levin - Betty Malm
(Berelue) - Bob Kramer - Supt. George G.
Guy.
Dunn) - Benny L. Noel - Don L. Ray - Jerry
Ray Short - Jacque Marie Taton (Saunders)
Roberta M. Thorson (Lee Miller) - Donald
L. Wanczyk. Supt. C.L. Stiverson - Neil W.
Williams (last 10 weeks).
Year 1960 - Larry Leoffler
- Larry
Hase
(Angel)
-
Supt. Ray Bartlett.
-
Year 1954 - Marilyn Kay Malm (Norma
Kent) - Clinton Lee Jones - Roger London
Reid - Ruth Marie Bramlett (Sylvia Pierce)
- Jacque Kae Boren (Melvin Levin) - Arnold
Duane Kelley - Carol Imogene Hase (Melvin
Mullen) - Ray White - Ethel Arlene Taylor
(Goin - French) - Patricia Ann Harmon
(Weihmuller) - *Harvey Leroy Bowser -
Alice Brewer (Don Burch) - Frank Lee Miller
- Nylen Bruce Bartlett - Marjorie Lee Boren
(Leon Blackwell) - Irvin Leon Blackwell Supt. Ray Bartlett.
Year 1955 - Bonnie Peters (Dick Wharry)
Blackwell (Thomas Sims) - Doris
- Arliss(Bowser
Fuller
- Randall - Vernon Pelser) Sonja Viken (Al Randall) - Warren Golliher
Richard Herman - Annabel Oliver (Steinke
Jr.)
-
Koenig)
-
Margaret Weaver (Ken
Potter) - Barbara Cruickshank (Jack Scheidegger - Smith) - Marjorie Smith (Norman
Crabb) - Doyle Fulton - Ronnie Hartley Supt. George B. Cukro.
Year 1956 - Janet White (Jacoby) - Mary
Golliher (Wayne Weaver) - La Vada Reid
(Hefner - Britt) - Marlyn Hase (Don Herman) - Edith Malm (Stough) - Shirley
Cowgill (Roy Tatkenhorst) - Tom Sims Donald Herman - Junior Kelley - Eugene
Hase - Harold Dykstra - Roy Tatkenhorst Jim Miller - Floyd Taylor - Donald Levin Supt. O.B. Lauth.
Year 1957 - Robert Hase - Alma Tatkenhorst (Marvin Dove) - Verda Maloney (Don
Weaver) - Marvin Dove - Leo Thorson Beverly Harmon (Claude Robinson - Tom
Miller) - Helen Hase (Bruce Colyer) - Al Leo
Leoffler - Patty Martin (McFarland - Herman) - Bill Oliver - Supt. C.L. Stiverson.
Year 1958 - Meredyth Hargrove (Richard
Herman) - Iris Hargrove (Lynn Fisher) Dallas Weaver - Helena Hase (Jim Milller)
- Lloyd Kelley - Barbara Harmon (Harry
Lee)
-
Gene
Miller - Ralph Zrubek - Bonnie
O'Neill (Lloyd Kelly) - Grace Levin (Robinson - Jagger) - Darlene Herman (Larry
Fadenrecht) - Florence Pelser (Delmar
McGriff) - Raenita Monroe (Artzer) Shirley
Smith (Ray Daily)
- Supt. C.L. Stiverson.
Year 1959 - Carlos Eugene Arnold - Ethel
Kay Cruickshank (Vern Miller) - Aileen Faye
Hase (Dhooge - Leroy Lamb) - Gordon
Lesley Hatfield - Ronald L. Kelley - James
A. Levin - LaNell Mason (Harold Dykstra -
SEIBERT HISTORY
T360
Everett Urie - Ardis Jones (Ronald Kelly)
- Deborah Murray (Joe Balweg) - Supt. Neil
-
W. Williams.
(Paul Pitts
Virginia Kelley (Duane Miller)
Supt.
ty Twila Gorton
Ralph Atkins - Donna Herman (Corky
Patterson) - Dixie Herman (Delmar Mullen)
- Peggy Martin (Hamm-Rick Eckroth) Supt.
Neil W. Williams.
Year 1961 - Myra Tovrea (Elrod) - James
Harmon - Virgil Taylor - Margaret McElroy
- Phyliss Levin (Bob - Fox)
Thomas
Weaver
- Colleen Oliver (Ira
Cooper) - Charles Boren Jr. - Wilma Bloder
-
-
-
Year 1962 - Dee Ann Gorton (Donald
Felker) - Paul Pitts - *Sidney B. Hedgecoke
- Barbara Graffis (Dewey Staatz) - Margaret
Ward - Patricia Weaver (Larry Leoffler) -
Gary Tagtmeyer
Hulon Webb.
Larry Schnell - Vernon Tovrea - Sue Short
(Gerald - Maloney) - Gerald Maloney -
Year 1953 - Joan Boyd (Donald Finken) Sharon Linder (Leonard Mullen) - Myrna
Belle Clifford (Brecheisen) - Carol Ann Wold
(Malm - Rothgeb) - *Patty Boren (Richard
Baker)
Patty Eastin (Dennis Hickman)
- Bonnie L. Tatkenhorst
- Miers - Larsen) - Marvin Kelley
- Supt. William W. Welsh.
Ronnie Tovrea
Year 1963 Stanley Scherr
-
Mike Hatfield
- Stanley Graffis - Fred Bloder - Gary Atkins
- Dick McAuley - Faith Hase - Myrna Jones
- Sharon Tovrea (Jarnagin
Charlotte Santala (Lonnie Polzin
- Marvin Thomas) - Supt. William W. Welsh.
Year 1964 - Ralph Francis Gorton Jr. Merikay Erck - Donna Eastin (Horton) (Roger Gosnell)
-
Jolly)
-
Keith Taton - Joe Tatkenhorst -
Seibert Community building.
Bob
Margaret Conarty (Earl Hedgecoke) - Jacqueline Phillips (Kalb - Anderson
Stevens
-
- Wise) - Allen Niles - Ernie Noel - Rex Reid
- Supt. William W. Welsh.
Year 1965 - Glenna White (Terry Clapper)
Betty
-(DennisTaylor (Wilkins) - Ardath Pitman
Fowler) - Pamela Joan Gorton
(Dwight Young) - LeRoy Miller - John
Phillips - Larry Kemp - Charles Ward Larry Hostetler - Supt. William W. Welsh.
Year 1966 - William Cowgill - Ervin Jones
Hazel Stahlecker (Lengel) - Jeanette Kay
Gorton (Larry Kemp) - Jerry Eastin - James
D. Smith - Carol Atkins (James Smith) Steven Santala Supt. Wayne Lorance.
Year 1967 - Cheryl Conarty (Bill Reese) Linda Kemp (Dan Denke) - Linda Johnston
(Gilley - Wahl) - Barbara O'Neill (Rick
Young) - Jerry Millsap - Beverly Hase -
T
-
.. -r,..:*i-. ,-1: ' '
t'*-.: ;,;:/;Xf),,; l',::;*
The old depot moved to the west side of town in
1959 is now Nile's Restaurant and Gas Station.
1980's.
Darice Pitman (Larry Hostetler) - James
Gorton - Ron Phillips - *Dean Short - Supt.
Wayne Lorance.
- Kelly Burr - Melva Stahlecker
Margaret Bowser (Ron Towea) - Cathy
Year 1968
-
Short (Leroy Miller)
Oneal)
-
-
Merla White (Ron
- Keith Specht - Terry
Maxine Hill (Scott) - Sup t
Tom Taylor
Tagtmeyer David MacKaye.
Year 1969 - Marilyn Atkins (Kenny
McCaffrey) - *Robert Graham - David
Hostetler
-
Mickey Livingston
-
Meredith
Murphy (Bezdek - Slocum) - Rodney
Murray - Larry Newman - Vickey Reid
(Norman Eagleton) - Gary Short - Barbara
Turner (Schaffer) Supt David S, MacKaye.
Year 1970 - Marlis Jean Conarty (Hamm)
- Ronnie Lee Hase - Roger Lynn McCaffrey
- Denis Stahlecker - Ralph Lynn Specht Mary Jo Tagtmeyer - (Stan Ravencamp) Mary Ann Turner (Sebert Morgen) - Supt.
David S. MacKaye.
Year 1971 - Fred Niles - Kenneth Lynn
McCaffrey - Doris Graham (Jim Leoffler)
Original bank Building as seen today 1988.
�STRATTON
T35l
To tell the story of the development of the
Town of Stratton is
$m
a
formidable task.
Everyone sees and recalls things differently;
tgoo Jro;
N.H. Fuller's Store before 1908. This store burned
in
1908.
Seibert Days, 1986.
i r',
r;,:.',:9
Interior of Fuller Store after the restoration
ltll
following the fire.
r,.l1.'
':a,
ft.l ,,9,
'l
:i.14
few remain who were here even in the 191015 period who were old enough to be sure of
their memories, and so constant is the
evolvement of any city or town that it is
difficult to explain in an accurate, meaningful
manner. With these realizations in mind we
L:3
?;
have written the story of Stratton.
When the town of Claremont was laid out
by R.J. Newell at Frankfort, Kansas, and G.F.
,
:l
Jilson of Topeka, Kansas had the town of
Claremont site surveyed on July 13, 1888, the
stage was set for two other prairie early day
towns to cease existing and another one to
assume their place. The location the men
platted and surveyed was Section 36 in
Township 8, south of Range 47. This site we
know today as "Stratton", a warm and
friendly community, located in a richly
endowed farming area in central Kit Carson
County, Colorado. The year this book is
published marks the centennial year of the
Seibert Days, 1986.
J'ct
town of Stratton.
ry
Records indicate that on May 6, 1888, the
Chicago Rock Island Railway Company had
laid its roadbed and tracks to a point on the
sand creek three miles west of what is now
Stratton. A small town called "Columbia"
had been laid out previously three and one
half miles south and east of the site where the
railroad finally passed. When it became
obvious
Seibert Equity Coperative Association.
1976
- Seibert
Park.
that the railroad was
bypassing
Columbia, reality had to be faced. With the
railroad built and a depot erected and well
drilled, the town of Columbia was moved to
the railroad site and the name of the new
settlement
and post office
became
"Claremont".
Among those moving establishments there
the fall of 1888 with four good teams and
wagons was a Mr. Bell who moved his store
�office located in part of their store. Dr. Tripp,
M.D. was Claremont's first physician. Mrs.
J.W. Borders recalled those times and how
her father, Mr. Fuller, sold his blacksmith
shop and bought the general store from Mr.
Bell. She told of very trying times when her
father would travel to Benkelman, Nebraska,
for supplies for the store, leaving her at home
alone. Once three
or four gaunt and
be-
draggled Indian braves came into the yard
and looked things over before they started
walking round and round the house. She tried
to
keep completely hidden, thinking they
would finally go away. They peeked in the
windows and stomped about but did nothing
menacing and in a few hours trailed off across
the prairie much to her relief.
Five farmers lived around Claremont
Wellman and Kern east of town along the
railroad, Fuller on the north and Hobart and
Chalmers northeast of town. Otherwise the
expanse was open prairie. People became
discouraged with farming for the years of the
'90'g were less than favorable for crops.
Records reveal that many soon moved away.
s
Cleaning up after the October 6, 1908 fire that destroyed the whole block where N.H. Fuller Store stood.
and all its stock from Columbia. (It is known
he had a post office in his store as he was a
postmaster, but whether it was Columbia or
Claremont post office no one is certain.) Mail
was delivered from Claremont to Beloit and
also to Tuttle, an inland post office located
about eighteen or twenty miles northeast of
Claremont.
Then J.T. Roberts moved his store located
in Beloit to the new town of Claremont. Mr.
Roberts was paralyzed in both legs and had
to handle his business from a wheelchair.
Sam Schaal, Sr. wrote in the Norrotiues of
Stratton Dessie Cassity compiled in 1967
that Jim Roberts had "dry goods, drugs,
groceries and a little hardware. He sat in a
wheelchair, as he could not walk, but his head
was all business. To get trade he would pay
one or two cents per dozen more for eggs, and
sell a sack of flour five cents cheaper than
Burlington, and that would do it. He got
around pretty good in the store. At noon his
wife would come after him for dinner and
bring him back, and the same morning and
evening." They built a board sidewalk wide
enough to accommodate his wheelchair from
his home to the store.
In a few years Claremont consisted of a
railroad depot, the two stores owned by Mr.
Bell and Mr. Roberts, a blacksmith shop
operated by N.H. Fuller; a saloon; a hotel
operated by Miss Smith located on the lots
across the street south of today's Stratton
Equity Coop Hardware store; a printing shop;
the Claremont Leader edited by A.V. Griggs;
the Claremont State Bank, Mr. Root, presi-
dent; a drug store; and a hardware store
owned by the Hobart brothers with the post
A Stratton Day Float in 1912, probably a first; Mrs. Fuller at left, Children: Floyd, Hazel, and Hal. Roy
Jones driving and his son to the right.
Then the saloon, bank, and drug store closed.
Mr. Roberts purchased Miss Smith's hotel
and made it into a residence, where he lived
many years, until he sold his store to his
nephew, S.O. Otis Roberts and moved to
Rogers, Arkansas.
by Dorothy C. Smith
�the Roberts store which had become a general
store handling everything from groceries and
hardware to patent medicines and anything
one would choose to order. "Order farm
implements, plows, wagons, and in two weeks
you would have it and you paid for it when
you got it. I got two John Deere plows and a
Moline Wagon from him, and saved ten
dollars each on them," Sam Schaal, Sr.
related.
The first school had Charlie Dickinson as
teacher to seven pupils in a small frame
building on the spot where D.G. Liquor now
stands. This building became too small and
in 1895 a two story school building was
erected on the ground where the school
building stood the next 15 years. Teacher in
1896 was Miss Ruth McCoulogby, pronounced McCalby. Her students included Hazel,
Inez, and Susie Roberts, Manda Fuller, Clara
and Billie Lindford, and Albert Bradshaw. In
1900 Jennie Wellman was the teacher.
About 1904 the Rock Island Railroad
decided to change the nnme of Claremont to
Interior of N.H. Fuller Store, with Mr. Fuller on right rear. Note the gas lights before the fire.
STRATTON
T362
At some time in this span of years the post
office had been moved to Hobart Bros.
Hardware, so that when Hobart Bros. elected
to close their hardware store and go into the
sheep business, the post office was moved to
something else because of many mixups
caused by express and freight being sent to
Claremont, California. The abbreviations
Cal. and Col. were making mail and express
a mess. A daughter of one of the pioneers
ordered white fabric for a July 4th celebration dress. but it didn't come and didn't
come. After waiting many months, authorities put a tracer on it and found the material
in California. So with this and other dissatisfaction and complaints the United States
Postal Department changed the office's name
"Machias" there was one like it in
Maine, but they didn't think this would cause
to
problems. But the Rock Island would not
permit that name to be used for their station,
so after lengthy negotiating the
name
"Stratton" was compromised upon. (The
young Iady got her dress material for Christ-
mas.) At that time the legendary Winfield
Scott Stratton, a millionaire created by the
discovery ofColorado gold, was scattering his
monies prodigiously among colleges and
other state institutions and some one must
have thought this gesture might bring something to the town. No one has recorded any
recognition of this man's response, but it is
a plausible idea. And the name "Stratton"
stuck, Winfield S. Stratton notwithstanding.
In 1906 Stratton grew very rapidly. The
Foster Lumber Yard was opened and another
lumber yard known as the Square Deal was
The firgt elevator in Stratton, Floyd Border's dad
in picture.
Stratton Friends!
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built on the block occupied today by the Twin
Oaks Motel. When this yard closed in 1917
Joe Collins bought their lumber sheds and
converted them into the Collins Hotel. The
south half of the south wing of present day
Twin Oaks Motel was that lumber yard.
On October 1908 there was a disastrous fire
along the east side of the main street of
Stratton which consumed the general store
operated by Mr. Fuller, a hotel, the land
office, and the J.W. Borders residence which
they had lived in only a few days. All were
soon replaced except the hotel.
From 1908 to 1910 the town experienced a
real building boom at which time several
impressive business houses were erected
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The hotel which bore many names. "West Side", "Farquahr", and "Commercial" about 1908 or 1909
operated by a Miss Smith and others. Some folk called it the Stratton Hotel.
including the Stratton State Bank on the east
side of Colorado Avenue in the building now
occupied by the D.G. Liquors and the Linford
Building in 1910 which is now the Someplace
Special site. The Linford Building was built
with a large hall on the second floor for use
of lodge meetings, public meetings,
dances,
�STRATTON
T353
The oldest building in Stratton, the "State Bank
Building" built in the 1980-1910 era.
The interior and dining room of Stratton Hotel when owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Amos L. Ryun.
who owned and operated the store. Later
the building was used as the post office. After
the post office was moved, Logan Woodson,
Jr. purchased the building and operated a dry
goods store there for many years, living in the
apartment overhead converted from what
was once the community meeting hall. In
intervening years this store housed a variety
of businesses among them an interior decora-
and picture shows. One can yet read the faded
Spotlight published by Rick and Beverly
original "W.H. Linford - 1910" sign in bold
Ietters and numbers high above the Some-
news.
Currently
Wiley Baker and his father A.J. were also
land agents at this time with their land office
located on the west side of Main Street
Special, a clothing store.
In June of 1909 Hugo Stedman completed
a large cement building on the west side of
Stratton's main business street which housed
a meat-market, a cafe, and a drug store with
a hotel located on the second floor. A.B.
Combs was the druggist. Later he sold the
store to H.E. Janeway, who in turn after some
years of operation sold it to Tom Harpham.
Ivan Houtz purchased the drug store later
and in the 1940's sold it to J.C. Bradshaw II
and III, with J.C. ilI the acting pharmacist.
The store became known as B & B Drug.
Today the store is owned and operated by
Charles and Julie Nelson who purchased the
building and business in February 1967, and
it is now known in business circles as B & B
Drug, Inc.
place Special marquee.
The first Stratton newspaper was owned
and operated by a man named Sharp, but it
soon died as did the next one that was started.
The "Stratton Democrat" was founded and
edited by Wiley Baker in 1908 and on April
30, 1919 the name was changed to the
"Stratton Press", a name which continued for
the local newspaper for many years through
numerous changes in ownership and editing.
Roy and Gladys Herburger published the
paper for many, many years, selling it to J.C.
Carnathan in 1959. J.C. continued publication ofthe Stratton Press until 1979 when he
sold
it to Bill Schweitzer who ran the paper
until November
Gaddy appears weekly with local and area
(Colorado Avenue) south of the Linford
Building. Joe Collins and a Mr. Blair later
bought the building and continued the land
business. For many years Ready and Linford
operated a blacksmith shop west of the
Linford Building approximately where the
William Cure home is today. D.O. Beahm and
Eden Wade operated a store in the Linford
Building for some years, then sold it to J.C.
Bradshaw, Sr.
by Dorothy C. Smith
11, 1982, Today the Stratton
tor and two or more dry goods
stores.
it is the location of Someplace
Church in early times was held in school
houses in the country. In Stratton the first
known church service was held in Mr. Dryer's
grocery store.
In
1908 the Congregational
Church built the first church building in
Stratton. Later this site was purchased by the
Evangelical Church which later became
known as the Evangelical United Brethren
Church. Today this church is the Stratton
United Methodist Church at the corner of
Kansas and Third Avenue.
The first service of the Catholic congregation was held in the Woodman Hall in 1910.
Originally "Robertson & Watt" Grain Company about 1910; Iater part of Snell Milling and grain, located
west of main street.
By Tuesday, September 22,L910, St. Charles
Congregation dedicated the ground for the
first building and conducted the cornerstone
laying on November 17, 1910. During the
intervening years the congregation has made
many building changes and additions. Today
the beautiful St. Charles rectory, church, and
hall are outstanding structures one sees upon
entering Stratton from I-70.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church was
built in 1913 and many faithful members
kept it in operation until so few remained to
attend that it was unfeasible to continue.
Then the church was closed and remained
empty for some years. In 1985 this historic
�building is gone from Colorado Avenue and
the old grade school houses the local bowling
alley and a popular eating establishment.
In 1912 Snell Grain Company of Clay
Center, Kansas built a grain elevator in
Stratton, and J.W. Borders became its manager. About the same time Robinson and
Watt Grain Company built another elevator
west of the Stratton main street which was
purchased in later years by Snell Grain and
in turn by Stratton Equity Co-op. In recent
years this land mark was razed.
By 1913 Stratton's population had reached
350 persons. The newspaper was The Enter-
prise, formerly the Vona newspaper.
by Dorothy C. Smith
Ed Davis Ford Garage.
landmark in the community located at
331
New York Avenue was purchased by the town
of Stratton and remodeled to house the town
library.
Although the first service of the Church of
God was held at a country site, the original
church building was built in 1920 and St.
Paul Lutheran Church also built within the
next year. A few years later the Nazarene
Church was erected, but this congregation
closed services in 1949. St. Paul Lutheran
then purchased this building and remodeled
it. In the following years St. Paul's congregation diminished so that they sold the building
which was then converted into a lovely,
modern home.
School had enlarged by 1910 to such a point
that a two story brick building was built to
replace the two story frame building used
prior. Then in 1935 this building became too
small and another cement building located
north of the original building to be used for
the grades one through eight was constructed
as a WPA project. Part of this building was
a large gymnasium, one of only a few
in its time. In 1951 additional
construction joined the two buildings in such
a way as to create areas for school shop
classes, a music department, and a lunchroom and kitchen. Since that time further
changes have located the high school on
Illinois Avenue in a structure dedicated in
March, 1961. In 1976 a fine elementary
buiding was completed in the vicinity of the
high school building forming a small campuslike arrangement with the playgrounds,
football and athletic fields between the two
school buildings. Today the old high school
adequate
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The original St. Charles Catholic Church with old Stratton School in background.
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Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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Book
Dublin Core
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Title
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Seibert
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
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history
Description
An account of the resource
A history of the town of Seibert as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
Is Part Of
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
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text/pdf
Publisher
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Curtis Media
Rights
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>