James W. Young was a dealer in coal, kerosene, gasoline and ice in the late 1800s to early 1900s. He had a large reservoir kept full of water by a windmill. Before the days of refrigerators, ice was harvested during the winter months and was stored in ice houses and later delivered to people so they could keep their perishable foods during the hot summer months. Young’s daughter, Olive Peach, recalled her parents talking of the drought and blizzards which swept the plains in the early days, probably much like the blizzard shown in this photo. —Phillips County Museum
Peekin' into the Past
Five Years Ago
March 29, 2012
Grainland Cooperative agronomy plant manager Jim Austin was seriously injured following an anhydrous ammonia leak March 22 at Grainland’s east facility northeast of Holyoke.
The City of Holyoke received a letter from Drake Real Estate Services Inc. of Denver asking for a commitment to pave the alley traveling north from Highway 6 behind Holyoke Community Federal Credit Union to KarDale’s, as the company is looking to construct a building that would house a Family Dollar store. Councilmembers voted to send a letter saying the alley would be paved, but only in conjunction with the beginning of construction on the proposed store on the lot where Baldwin Chevrolet once stood.
A three-barreled Marston Derringer owned by Steve Deaver of Holyoke will be used as a prop in the movie “The Lone Ranger.”
Ten Years Ago
March 29, 2007
Moving forward with the issue of essentially protecting its citizens, Holyoke City Council granted officer Doug Bergstrom permission to attend Firearm and Armor school in Sterling May 21-25 at its regular meeting March 20. Bergstrom will then be qualified to train the other HPD officers in the use of patrol rifles.
HHS seniors Kristin Williamson and Zach Krueger were nominated for the 2006-2007 Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.
Melissa Memorial Hospital has announced that Dr. Michelle Soriano will be holding OB/GYN clinics at the hospital once a month, beginning April 20.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
April 2, 1992
Billie Sprague was presented with the 1992 Leland Miller Pillar of the Community Award by the Phillips County Democrats during the group’s Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner Saturday in Haxtun.
In the community volleyball tournament held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 27-29, Nova Technologies I of Julesburg took first place, with Tru Blu Crushing Crew from Holyoke placing second. Third place went to Nova Technologies II.
Citizens had the opportunity Monday night to learn a little more about the candidates they’ll be voting on in the April 7 election as the Holyoke Business and Professional Women’s Club sponsored a public forum featuring the three mayoral and four council hopefuls.
Fifty Years Ago
March 30, 1967
Record-breaking high temperatures have been recorded on the High Plains recently, and winter wheat and other fall-sown crops are beginning to need moisture badly. The mercury soared to 87 degrees in Holyoke yesterday, and it was 77 degrees at 5 p.m. on the official government gauge at the F.B. Flanagan home.
A rash of farm fires in this area during the past week has resulted in considerable financial loss. Sizeable barns were destroyed by three blazes, and a large stack of baled hay was a virtual loss in the other.
The Holyoke Planning Commission voted at a regular meeting Monday evening to recommend to the town council that an ordinance be passed to help rid the town of unsightly old, unused vehicles; piles of trash; run-down, unused sheds; etc. The matter will be brought to the attention of the town council at a regular meeting Monday, April 3.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph “Sunny” Taylor have leased from Mr. and Mrs. Willis McCormick the building that houses Mildred’s Cafe and will take over operation of the business April 1.
Vernon Leffingwell of Stein Implement Co. announced this week that the name of the business will be changed to Farm Supply Inc., effective April 1.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
April 2, 1942
In a speech made Thursday in Baltimore, Maryland, Brig. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, national director of selective service, stated that “every able-bodied young man eventually will enter the war by joining the armed forces of this nation.”
Sponsored by the Holyoke Commercial Club and the Holyoke post of the American Legion, Army Day, which occurs Monday, April 6, will be fittingly observed. Plans are being completed this week for an afternoon program with an On-to-Victory parade and dedication ceremonies.
Headquarters for the salvaging of waste paper in Holyoke and community have been established in the Heginbotham building, located one block north and one and one-half blocks east of the post office building. Persons having paper for this campaign are asked to separate the waste paper from the rest of the trash so as to relieve and facilitate the work of the collectors.