Monday, April 30, 2007

Future Home of District 67 South

Fund drives & tours are being planned for Haigler alumni weekend, grants are being written, and initial work is being done on the school --getting it ready for the move in early August. The one room country school house was in a cornfield owned by Steven and Jody Crouse. They have donated the building, Stan and I are paying for the move to Haigler, the Carlock brothers (Stan and Marv) have been doing all the cleanup work inside the school and will lay a new subflooring for the move. We have already received some donations of dollars, materials, and labor. Stay tuned for more news as the project continues to develop.
-- LeNeta Carlock

(The continuing story of District 67 South)

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Alumni Reunions

I'm going to my Alumni Reunion this weekend at Platte Valley Academy near Shelton, Nebraska. I graduated from there in 1963 before moving on to Lincoln, Nebraska where I attended Union College.

It will be a happy and sad occasion because this is the last year classes will be held there. The school is being merged with Enterprise Academy in Kansas because of low enrollment. That is the sad part.

The happy part is that I will be spending the day on Saturday with old friends from all over the world who I met there. We will spend the last alumni weekend on our campus and make plans, I'm sure, to meet elsewhere in future years.

Because I went to PVA at the age of 14, I didn't attend high school in Haigler, but I look forward to seeing people who did and I hope there is a good turn out for the reunion on Memorial Day weekend. It is a good thing to come "home" and touch base every once in awhile. It helps us remember where we came from and reminds us of what our dreams were and how much things have changed.

Even though I virtually left the Haigler area at a very young age, I did come back to visit many times in the years since and it is still HOME to me and I love that town!!!

-- Editor

Country School District 67 Moves to Town!

I was so excited when I saw this picture and insert in the "Haigler Happenings" today!

It says:

"Have you seen the big sign with red bows on Porter Avenue? It says "Future Home of Country School District 67 South." Plans are under way to save the one-room country schoolhouse, move the school from the country to town and do a complete restoration. Stay tuned for more information as the project develops. One-room schoolhouses were important in the development of our country and local citizens are happy that South 67 is to be moved from its lonely corner in Steve's cornfield to a place of prominence in the village. Stan and LaNeta Carlock are spearheading the project." -- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - April 25, 2007


The saving of this building is something I wish we would see more of. Every time one of the old buildings are demolished, I feel sad that they are gone. The fact that Steve, Stan & LaNeta are willing to go to the expense and effort to move this building is an awsome thing! Many of the old country schools have been moved to other property or destroyed because the land needs to be folded into the field where it sits. And this is as it should be. There is no reason to leave the buildings there to decay because they will never be used again as a school.

I'm not sure what the plans are for this building, but a restored country school will be a great place to set up a museum and/or gift shop to store "memories" for us old folks who like to remember what it was like in "the old days." (I know I'm not the only one who feels this way)

-- Editor

Sad News

I was sad today when I read in the Benkelman Post that Verle "Stub" Trembly passed away on Monday, March 26, 2007 at his home in Globe, Arizona. He was the son of Floyd and Mattie Trembly, brother of Violet Relph and Vernon Trembly all Haiglerites.

The Clark family also lost their son/grandson David J. Clark, who died suddenly on Thursday, March 29, 2007 in the Cheyenne County Hospital. He was the son of Craig and Valene Clark and grandson of Mr. & Mrs. Dean Clark and Raymond & Marilyn Jones and great-grandson of Mr. & Mrs. Jess Clark, Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Boothe and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Crookston.

Our sympathy and prayers go out to these families.

Looking for Memories - A tribute to Violet Relph

Good morning,
Violet Relph's birthday is coming up next week, and I thought it would be fun for readers to write in with their memories about her. Just EMAIL them to me and I'll put them together in a tribute to her and her contribution to OUR community.

Also looking for pictures of her. If you have one and can scan it or take one, I will include it.

Sherri

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Early Haigler as I remember it. - By Edbert B. Woods

I first saw the town of Haigler in the summer of 1914 when my father, Dr. Royal Woods and my family, were moving from eastern Nebraska to a farm a couple of miles south into Kansas and bordered on the west side by the Colorado line, with the Arikaree River running through it. I was only seven years old but I clearly remember the town then and a few years afterward.

I remember Haigler-when-

Nearly all of the sidewalks along Main Street were made of wood. Most of that was replaced within the next couple of years with concrete – much of which still remains.

There were neither paved streets in Haigler nor any neighbor town. The streets were simply gravel worked in with dirt.

There were six grocery stores in town, all located on the west side of Main Street. There was Star’s (or some similar name) located down next to the Co-op office and lumber yard: across the street and a couple of doors south of the drug store was Ventis’ Grocery; then Armstrong’s; then Tom McKee’s; then another (the name may have been Schultz’s); then to the south across the highway street, and a couple of doors beyond the bank, was Higgin’s Grocery.

There were two hardware stores, one just south of McKee’s Grocery.

There was one bank, the Haigler State Bank, located on the south side of the highway street. A couple of years later the Drovers and Traders State Bank opened down between Armstrong’s and McKee’s Groceries. Both lasted until the big depression.

There was one drug store, Jack Pemberton’s. They also had a soda fountain where they served wonderful Coca Colas for 5 cents. This store was on the corner a block north of the highway.

I.D. Long had a real estate office between the Haigler bank and Higgin’s Grocery. Also in that same place was a lawyer’s office, but I don’t recall the name.

The post office, located just back of the Haigler bank, and faced onto the highway. That was where we seemed to meet everybody.

There were two restaurants; Smutty’s down in the middle of the block near McKee’s Grocery and Baldwin’s which was on the corner facing Main Street and the highway. I used to stop in the latter place and buy licorice strips about 12 or 15 inches long for a penny apiece, and they sure were good!

There were two grain elevators and lumberyards. The Co-op was in essentially the location it occupies today. Across on the east side of Main Street was W.F. Wood’s train elevator and lumberyard.

Going south from there on the east side of Main Street about the first building was Dr. Premer’s office. When Dr. Premer left, about 1916, my father, Dr. Royal Woods, moved into town and took over that office.

In the basement just south of the doctor’s office, were the office and printing presses of the Haigler News, the weekly newspaper on happenings in and around Haigler.

Just south of the newspaper office was one of the two hotels in town. This was a large, 2-story frame building. I am fairly sure that the name was the Commercial Hotel. (I remember that they also served some very good meals.) The other hotel, which was also a 2-story wooden building, was located at the south end of that block next to the highway. I believe it was named Balderson’s.

In the middle of the block was a cream station where farmers dropped off their 5 or 10 gallon cans of cream, and eggs, for shipment to a dairy.

Just south of that was Kearn’s Butcher Shop where we bought all of our meat. Round steak, I remember, was 15 cents a pound, and was it good!

When you crossed the highway on the east side of Main Street, right across from Haigler bank, was Bill and Charley Roach’s place. They did plumbing and well drilling and had an assortment of pipes and steel for sale.

About two years later as movie theater was built next door south of Roach’s. This is where we went every weekend to see the latest movies, newsreels and comics.

The town was just developing its first two garages. W.F. Wood put up a good-sized building on the street next east of Main Street, down close to the lumberyard. There they sold Buick and Saxon Six automobiles.

Also a few years later Wood put in an electric generator and put up electric wiring throughout the town providing 220 volt, direct current, electricity for home use. That prevailed until REA came in with 110 volt, alternating current, several years later. The other garage developed in what was originally a livery stable, which was located on the north side of the highway about ½ block west of Main Street. They put in a gasoline pump by the curb where you could get gas for your car. I think they sold Ford automobiles, but they had horses for hire for years.

The brick school building now used for public school was only in the planning stage, but was built the following year. The former school was a large 2-story wooden building located about two blocks west of the standpipe.

Jimmy Gray, we called him” Uncle Jimmy,” used to hobble along the sidewalk with his shoes turned up at the toes because his toes had been frozen off when he was caught in a blizzard. He was very friendly, but not talkative and never asked for help.

I remember lots more about Haigler in the time frame 1914 to 1920, but trust that the foregoing is enough to jog the memories of the old timers and to present a picture for the younger folks of how Haigler looked and got along in those days.

Our family moved to the farm in Kansas, and lived there for two years. I attended the Kansas one-room country school out near Devil’s Gap through the second and third grades. Then when my father took over Dr. Premer’s office we moved to town where I attended school in the 4th through 7th grades except for almost a year while my father was a medical officer in the Army during World War I. In 1920 we moved to Benkelman where I completed the 8th grade and high school, from which I went on to college at Lincoln. We frequently came back to Haigler to visit Royal Woods, Jr., and Leola Woods and their families. Now we are down another generation to Laura Pearl Wall and Husband, Dick and Royal Woods, III, and Helen and their families. I enjoy these visits and the memories, which always recur.

I hereby offer my very best wishes to all of the present residents of the Haigler area, and to the Women’s Club for their active work, as on this Centennial.

Edbert B. Woods

1481 Haloa Drive

Honolulu, Hawaii 96818

A Clipping from The St. Francis Herald - Thursday, January 30, 1986
--Submitted by Alice (Tucker) Straub of St. Francis

Nebraska Weather!

April 23, 2007

We have had 2.10 inches of rain and it is still raining.
McCook reports five inches and lots of high water running.
There are lots of schools closed in Nebraska due to water going over the roads.
Calvin

Friday, April 20, 2007

The Republican Valley Flood


Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Small Loss of Life at Parks Seemed Almost Miraculous


Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Kansas Cattlemen - Salvage Herds

Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Escape of Fergusons

Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Cordwell Home Withstands Flood Waters

Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Mrs. Harold Mosier and Daughter Caught in Torrents

Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

Sereum Rushed Here by Plane


Clipping from Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 22, 2005 - Supplied by Don Smith

April 19 - Snow & 26 Degrees

Yellow head black birds along with Redwings
These guys really take care of the food in feeders
You may notice that the snow doesn't slow them down


American Finch population working thistle sock
via dinning rm. window. Really neat little fellows and
we enjoy watching them.

--Submitted by Russ Hoover

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Alumni Reunion

"To all Haigler High School alumni and friends: Annual celebrations will begin on May 26 with an open house at the Haigler Legion Building from 1 to 5 p.m. On Sunday, May 27, a potluck dinner at noon is planned for Haigler alumni and persons interested in visiting with old friends and new. The class of 1957 will be hosts, celebrating their 50th year. All classes ending in 7 and 25 and 40 year classes will be honored. Plan to come and join in all the fun."


-- Haigler Happenings, The Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - April 11, 2007, page 13

Dundy County Alumni

"The Dundy County alumni dinner will be Saturday, May 26, at the Dundy County High School in Benkelman.

The festivities will start with a 10 a.m. Max brunch at the Max Community Center. Parks alumni are to meet at the Trinity Baptist Church in Benkelman for morning coffee and a potluck at noon. Benkelman will have a noon luncheon at the Luthern Church, and Haigler will have an open house at the HaiglerLegion/Community Building from 1 to 5 p.m. (Haigler alumni and friends also will have a potluck dinner at noon at the Haigler Legion/Community Building on Sunday, May 27. The Class of 1957, observing their 50th year, will be hosts. Classes endingin 7 and 25 and 40 year classes will be honored.)

There will be a hospitality room at the Distance Learning Center at the high school from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

The banquet will start at 6 p.m. at the hight school, and the dance will be held from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Legion Hall.

The Alumni Committee needs volunteers to help with this large undertaking for this community.

Several of the alumni committee members have had recent health issues, so we've been slow to get the word out," said Phyllis Gardner, co-chairman.

If you have questions of wish to volunteer, call Gardner at 423-2308."
-- The Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle, Wednesday, April 11, 2007, page 1

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Sunday School

Some memories of the Crabtree family

A letter written by Alice Gregory:

I agree that the most important thing is a relationship with Jesus. More than to "gain the whole world".

I remember back when it was too far to go to church in town for most of us. It was even an effort to chuga-chug to our schoolhouse where we had a Sunday school. Neighbors of different denominations would meet. There was some sort of Sunday School association. A representative would come out and get us started and there were printed Sunday School lessons. I remember a few times Ethel and I walked when our parents didn't go. But usually we all went.

Harvey would drive Aunt Minnie, Albert and Kenneth to Sunday School sometimes. One time I really embarrassed myself. My daddy had given me some money for offering and Harvey came around taking up offering and I thought he was giving me some to put in the offering so I shook my head. And just as I did that I saw that he was passing the plate on around and I caught on.!!!!!!! And felt like going through the floor. I am sure no one noticed poor little 6-year-old me but I thought everyone was laughing at me!!!!!

Another memory: The young people were planning to go skating on the pond (at a neighbor's place) after Sunday School. I remember Kenneth begging Aunt Minnie to let him go. I guess he was a little young (he was younger than I) for it but he really begged. But she didn't give in. I don't remember if the older boys went but if they did they must have taken Aunt Minnie home first. Maybe after that they went and maybe, I hope, Kenneth got to go after all.

I never had a chance to learn to skate even though we had a little pond near our house. Our Daddy was afraid we would break our legs. Even though our mamma had told us about when she was young they all went skating. Skates then were clamped onto whatever shoes you were wearing. No shoe skates that I ever saw. And then there were the horror stories of the ice breaking through!! Well anyhow that was a part of life when your daddy was a kid. Besides people didn't much approve of skating on Sunday.

Another picture of Sunday School. Ethel and I were on the program to sing a little song. And the program was written on the board and I remember Kenneth's grin when he saw the list. He said "Oh I was afraid it was going to say Crabtree Boys. "

No one will ever ever forget Kenneth's grin. It was famous. And so funny--He could make us all laugh and giggle. Just with that grin. At the most inconvenient times.

Too bad Hollywood didn't come around, out in the back country looking for talent.!!!!!!

I can remember my daddy getting so tickled over it

It wasn't until about teen age years when I first heard him called "KC".

And Albert called "Shorty".

Yes the Crabtree boys had some early experience in Sunday School.

Although there would be some years that it would die out and then someone would get it going again.

It wasn't until Almeda was ready for high school that they moved to town. And the boys were farming the place by then.

Then I think that your parents went to the Friends church at South Fork district when they were on the farm. By then there were cars with overdrives so the miles weren't so long or the hills so steep.

Love, Alice

Monday, April 16, 2007

Happy Birthday to Laura Pearl Wall

Happy Birthday to Laura Pearl Wall.

Hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends.


Saturday, April 14, 2007

Flood of 1935 High Water Mark

Photo of Bobby and Debbie Neville taken June 1972 at the Republican River High Water Marker, May 31, 1935.


Bobby Neville by the marker in front of the old pump house.


--Submitted by Linda Jones

Friday, April 13, 2007

Some Kansas History

An interesting blog I ran across. It is written by a couple of people who traveled through Cheyenne County on trip across country. I learned some things about "my" part of Kansas that I didn't know before. Thought maybe you'd like to take a picture tour along with them as they describe what they learned while visiting.

Cherry Creek

Colo Boarder

Julesburg

The Kidder Massacre

Pawnee Killer

Monument Rocks

Old Pump House

The Arikaree Breaks

I grew up on the edge of the Arikaree Breaks in Northwestern Kansas as did my dad and mom before me. We didn't know then that they were the "Arikaree" Breaks, though. We just called them "the breaks".

I also didn't know how large of an area they covered. I just thought they were east of Haigler and between our house and Highway 34. We farmed up to the edge of them in one of the fields we rented from someone named "Kaforke" who lived in Blue Hill, Nebraska. We didn't really spend any time exploring them, except for a few times when we had visitors and they were curious about them, so my dad would drive down through the trails between our house and Haigler or Parks.

The Parks road that was built through "the breaks" in the 1930s was the "shortcut" we always took when we went to Benkelman with a load of cattle to sell at Andy Anderson's salebarn or shopping or visiting people we knew there.

Follow this link to see a brochure describing the breaks.

Here is what Wikapedia says about "our" breaks:

"The Arikaree Breaks are badlands in northwest Kansas. They form a two to three mile wide break of rough terrain between the plains of northwestern Kansas and eastern Colorado and the south sides of the Arikaree and Republican river basins. The breaks extend from Rawlins County, Kansas westward across Cheyenne County into Yuma County Colorado.

The Arikaree Breaks were carved by water. The soil here called Loess was blown to the area around 10,000 years ago. The soil has a tendency to erode, forming nearly vertical cliffs. This kind of soil is also found in northeast Kansas, southwest Nebraska, and Iowa. The soil in that part of the state forms the Loess Hills.

Although it is a beautiful place, it is hardly known, even in Kansas, because it lies in one of the least populated parts of the state."

What's left of Horse Thief Cave

As shown from the road (after you walk UP to the fence) You can't actually see it from the road.

Most of the "cave" and the "room" on the right has completely caved in as you can see from this picture.
The south side of the cave, which used to be the only entrance. You can now climb all the way through.


(Pictures from the Kansas Geological Survey - used with permission for non-commercial use).

Haigler Trivia Question

Can anyone tell where there is a marker showing how high the 1935 Flood waters were on the river north of Haigler?

If you find it, send an email to the blog editor and a picture if you have one.

--Trivia Question submitted by Dallas Adams

1935 Flood

I always thought the flood came from upstream Haigler. Did I understand that some of the flood waters came down through the Hackberry and the Kansas hills that feed into the South Fork and North Fork of the Arickaree with other tributarys like Sand Canyon east of Haigler, Sullivan Canyon West of Haigler, etc.? I guess I did not understand the entire region being encompassed with this massive rain storm. I always thought Beecher Island south of Wray and areas west of Wray is where is all started. I didn't know there was a second wave of flooding.

I guess I didn't study my history lessons. Just hope history does not repeat itself.

Always Learning - Dallas

South of Parks

I did not know about Horse Thief Cave. Never explored that part of the region. Now, it sounds so interesting; Bartlett Canyon and areas not that far from Haigler that sound accessible. I always went north to Rock Creek to fish and swim.

There was a place in Parks called Bernie's Hamburgers. I thought they were always so good! Now all that's there is just a grain elevator as most places are becoming ghost towns around the country. It is sad.

Later - Dallas
More clippings from Page 2 of the Souvenir Flood Edition of The Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle - June 15, 2005 - Reprint of June 7-14-21, 1935

No Loss of Life in Haigler


-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

Rescued From a Wagon


-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

Trapped Between Two Rivers


-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

Culbertson Family of Six Die After Riding House for Several Miles

-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

Burlington Railroad Tracks Damaged


-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

Frontier County Hit By High Winds



-- Clipping Supplied by Don Smith - from The Benkelman Post & News Chronicle - June 15, 2005 (Reprint of article on June 7-14-21, 1935)

(Click on clipping image to enlarge)

Go to TOP

Haiglerites 90+

Haiglerites 70+

Haiglerites 1 - 69 (Some of these have moved past the 70 mark!)

  • Aaron Irwin - May 7th
  • Bernice (Smith) Douglass - February 15
  • CD Samler - January 19
  • Cal Freehling - November 29
  • Claudine (Wiley) Sterner - June 8, 1940
  • Dan Leinen - September 10
  • Dick Gregory - May 29, 1946
  • Elaine (Adams) Corkle - July 29
  • Eunice (Gregory) Richard - December 14, 1951
  • George Sharp - March 27
  • Glenda Smith - December 31
  • Janice Irwin - December 27th
  • Jerry R. Sampson - August 17
  • Joanie Henderson - January 2
  • Joann (Adams) Webster - March 5
  • Joie Brown - December 4
  • Joyce (Tucker) Lovenburg - Sep. 17
  • Karen (White) Lindell - June 13, 1946
  • Karen Harford - May 20
  • LaVern Smith - January 12
  • LaVeta (Smith) Blecha - January 12
  • LeNeta Carlock - May 7
  • LeeAnn Steinbeck January 30
  • Leone (Gregory) Carlson - January 27, 1943
  • Lloyd Douglass - March 18
  • Marlin Crouse - May 7
  • Mel Fisher - August 8, 1946
  • Paul Freehling - May 23
  • Sally Leinen - March 25
  • Sharna Richardson - January 15, 1959
  • Sherri Gregory - January 20, 1945
  • Stanley Carlock - December 12
  • Tim Steinbeck January 31

GOC Observers

  • Alice Gregory
  • Barbara (Dexter) Platon
  • Claudine (Wiley) Sterner
  • Dallas Adams
  • Dick Gregory
  • Don Harford
  • Evoi (Billy) Clark
  • Gail Harford
  • Gladys Freehling
  • Glen Childers
  • Hazel Daniels
  • Karen Harford
  • Leah (Gregory) Brewer
  • Leone (Gregory) Carlson
  • Lillian Mahon
  • Lillie White
  • Linda (Harford) Jones
  • Lloyd Douglass
  • Melba Harford
  • Myrna Oster
  • Posts about GOC
  • Ray Harford
  • Richard Gregory
  • Sam Clegg
  • Sherri Gregory
  • Veda Douglass
  • Virginia Harford

Flying Haiglerites

Haigler Twins

  • Haigler Twins
  • Laurene Rohn & Larry Crabtree
  • Marilyn and Gerrald Logan
  • Gail & Galena Roach
  • Kyle & Kaleb Greenwood
  • Ryan Jean & Lucas Walker Mildenberger
  • LuAnn Green Wall and LuRue Green Krutsinger
  • Edgar and Edna Williams - b. 1895
  • William & Stanley Palmer
  • Frank & Frances Tiff - (Shauer)
  • Fernando & Mahala Trembly - (McBride)
  • Donna and Dennis Workman
  • Marlene and Darlene Workman
  • Rodney and Ronney Workman
  • Rusty and Randy Flamig
  • Robert and Richard Ambrosek
  • Chase & Seth Barron (Grandsons of Delford Trembly)
  • Robert & Delbert Tucker (Alvie's)
  • Ali and Alvie Tucker
  • Albert and Elva Enfield
  • Natalie and Nicole Harford
  • Sharon & Shirley Williams
  • Lloyd and Floyd Smith
  • Jami and Joni Pevler
  • Stella and Zella (Altman) Wall
  • Janice & Julia Relph
  • Pearline and Pauline Freehling
  • Sharon Ruth and Sheila Louise Rose
  • LaVerne & Laveta Smith
  • LaVoine & LaVonne Smith
  • Elois & Elaine Adams
  • Dorothy & Donnie Brown
  • Carolyn and Marilyn Samson
  • Galena & Gail Collicott
  • Grand-daughters of Rae White
  • John "Keefe" and Kiara Grace Schorzman