Don Harford

The news of Don Harford's passing Friday morning leaves many friends, family and acquaintances with sad hearts.  He was a loved and respected member of our community and will be missed.

Services are Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 2:30 PM (MDT) in Haigler, Nebraska at the Methodist Church, 361 King Ave.

Don Everett Harford - Obituary - McCook Gazette

Don Harford

You might want to send up a little prayer for our friend and neighbor, Don Harford, who has been in the Benkelman Hospital since Monday.

-- Editor

Happy Birthday to Don Harford

Today was Don Harford's 93rd birthday.  We hope he had a very happy day!

Class of 1935

This picture was taken of the "Class of 1935" at the recent Alumni Reunion in Haigler. Pictured from left to right are:
David Roach, Don Harford, Virginia (Clegg) Harford and Wallace McKay.

Harford Ranch Celebration

A DOUBLE CELEBRATION - The Harford Ranch celebrated their 100th year of owning their ranch and Don and Virginia's 68th wedding anniversary in the Haigler Village Park on Saturday, September 1st. Over one hundred friends, relatives and well-wishers were in attendance to enjoy food and fellowship under near perfect southwestern Nebraska weather. Out of town grandchildren of Don, Virginia and Melba included Ty Mayo from Grapevine, Texas; Sharla Harford from Omaha, Nebraska; Brad Harford from Cambridge, Nebraska; Ami, James and Julian Crowe from Aurora, Colorado; Deb Neville from Denver, Colorado; Darcy Brown from Ft. Collins, Colorado and Nikki Gelvin, Spencer and Sydnee Cheek from Wray, Colorado.

The Harford & Williams Families Receive The Nebraska Pioneer Farm Family Award

The Benkelman Post and News-Chronicle this week has an article about two Dundy County Families, the Harfords and Williams, who were recognized for "owning the same parcel of land consecutively for at least 100 years". The Nebraska Pioneer Farm Family Award was given to them before the Thursday night event at the Dundy County Fair.

Congratulations to these families for being long standing and important residents of this county.

Karen White Lindell Memories

What a wonderful way to bring back memories. I was glad Don had mentioned the old opera house as mom had once mentioned how much they enjoyed going to it for dances and other activities. She and dad lived where Mark McVey now lives, and said there were times she and dad would walk to town on Saturday nights just to go to what ever activites the opera house was having.

I was wondering if anyone knew any history about the Sackett boys that lived on the hill, Pete and Henry, I believe. That house and the stories alway intrigued me, but I knew very little about it. I think I had 2 brothers that seemed to like to play cards there,(and I don't think they were suppose to be there).

Our neighborhood southeast of Haigler was full of people, who now have almost been forgotten. I think about Jake and George Wall, Herb Reicherdt, Carr's, Zuege's, Smith's, Bier's, Gregory's and so many more. Mildred Wilkening made the very best angel-food cake a person could ever want, who could forget that. We went to Hackberry school for square dancing , card parties at different homes, box suppers, and seemed like were forever doing neighborly things.

Like Alice, I also went to Prairie Rose #34 ( a few years later, I might add). Most people probably have forgotten or never knew, but my 1st and 2nd grade teacher was my sister, Doralene. No, I was not her favorite student nor was I pampered. Do you realize what it is like to have a sister being your teacher for 24 hours a day? Hmm, just think about it.

I was very small when the tornado destroyed school #52 on the corner of my folks farm. I can remember it going up into the air and exploding like a balloon. Weeks later we were still finding pieces of it in the fields and pastures. That was the tornado that also damaged Kuhns and Bush's buildings in 1949.

I'm thinking, maybe Don and Alice can remember, the folks also said there was a creamery in town run or owned by the Medlocks. I can remember Hicks (Sherman Hickman) publishing the Haigler news. Wheaton's owned a cafe and when mom would bring eggs to the cafe, Spot would sneak an ice cream cone to me.

I look forward to reading this blog every day as it brings back a lot of memories that have been tucked way back and almost forgotten. Let's keep more information coming and jogging more memories.

Karen White Lindell

Don Harford's Article #21 out of 1,767

Did a search tonight on Blogger.com for the Word "HAIGLER". Don Harford's article is #21 from the top of 1,767 posts with the word Haigler in them. Woo Hoo!!!

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1,767 posts matching Haigler - showing 21 through 30
Haigler in the 1920's by Don Harford29 Aug 2006 by The News Lady
Let's talk a little about the business district of Haigler during the 1920's ... Across the street (highway 34) south, was the Haigler State Bank operated by ... The Haigler News newspaper was published in the lower part of a two-story ...
The Haigler Blog - http://haigler.blogspot.com

This Was Floy's Idea

Thought maybe you would like to know how this blog came into existance.

Floy Ruggles, who lives in Haigler and writes the news for the papers in Wray, Benkelman and St. Francis has sent me articles that she has written and has mentioned that one of her goals is to gather notes and stories about things that people remember about Haigler.

Don Harford's article was the first serious story she has received and when she wanted to publish it in the paper, the editors thought it might be too long, so we were trying to think of a way to share it with folks.

We were very happy that the papers included it in last week's edition and the response has been exciting! People have been overheard talking about it in the restaurant and emails have been flying between friends and families telling about it.

When I mentioned the idea of a blog about Haigler to Floy, she thought it was a great idea, so I pursued it and here we are.

The plan is to gather stories and share them with you. Many stories that will be to much for the newspapers to be able to include. Little notes, ancedotes, biographies, pictures and anything else people want to send will be included.

I'd like to encourage you to send yours. We will be happy to edit them and retype them if you need us to.

Thanks so much for your interest.

Don Harford's Article

Some of you have come here to read Don Harford's article that was printed in the newspaper last week. It was the first one published in this blog, so has moved off the page.

To save you time in looking for it, click here.

A Note from Don Smith

From: Don Smith
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 5:58 PM
To: The News Lady
Subject: Great Job

Great Job! Something we will search many times and will tell our friends about this web site.

Don Smith
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks, Don.
Hope you can share some of your memories. I really enjoyed Don Harford’s article and hope to get more from other people.

I’m thinking there are probably a lot of pictures packed away in albums and boxes that we would all like to see. I have some, but am hesitating to monopolize the space with my family stuff. But I will probably do that anyway to show people what can be done.

Guess if they don’t like it, they better send me some of their own. Hahahaha.

Thanks for looking at the site.
Sherri

Comment on Don Harford's Post

An anonymous writer made this comment about Don Harford's Memories:

I, too, grew up in Haigler and the only thing I find that I might contest is the shoe repair man. I really believe his name was Ed or Eddie Heye (pronounced High). He later operated a shoe repair shop in Wray if my memory is intact. Perhaps someone else will correct me.

I think this is a great idea. Let's keep it going.

Haigler in the 1920's by Don Harford

Haigler in the 1920's ---- Written 8 - 24 - 2006

Hey! Let's talk a little about the business district of Haigler during the 1920's as I remember it. It will no doubt be subject to corrections by history buffs and people with better memories than mine.

First, starting at the railroad tracks and heading west, was the Equity's wooden, tin-covered elevator. Next was the Equity coal sheds. All coal was shipped in by rail and unloaded by hand into the coal shed where it was sold out to customers. Next were the stockyards where livestock was driven into town by horseback and loaded out on rail stock cars. Somewhere in that area was a flour mill run by Sam Hofer. Also, Joe Warner had a blacksmith shop on the east side of the street (west of Main Street) a ways south of the stockyards.

Coming back to the Main Street (Porter Avenue) and heading south was the office and hardware store of the Equity. The lumber yard and other storage building was west of the office. South of the Equity was a Creamery. Across the east/west street was the Drug Store operated by Bud Logan, the Ventis Millinery and Clothing store, Premer Hardware Store, Barber Shop with two barber chairs and a room with a bathtub in the back where a man could take a bath after getting a shave and haircut, change clothes and be ready to go to a dance on Saturday night. Next was probably the Drovers and Traders State Bank operated by the Crone family. Next was L.B. (Billy) Armstrong's Grocery and Dry Goods Store. Next was Schmutte's Café and a Butcher Shop south of it. Schilts Grocery and General Store was the last business on that block. Across the street (highway 34) south, was the Haigler State Bank operated by the Larned Family. A block west was the Cozy Inn - a sort of rooming house and hotel. Across the street north of it was a garage with a gas pump run by Garnet Hoover. The building had originally been a livery barn.

Back to Main Street and south of the bank, was Mrs. Ainslie's Variety Store and the Post Office. Next a rooming house and dwelling operated by Mrs. Carroll. The Telephone Central Office was on the southeast corner of the block and was where all of the country party lines came into and could be connected to a long distance line. The building also served as a dwelling for the switch-board operator and their family.

Crossing the street to the east and south was the Opera House where probably some silent movies were shown. School plays, operettas, other entertainment, along with dances, were held in this building. It was sort of a community building.


Crossing the street and heading north on the east side of Main Street was Charlie Roach's Blacksmith Shop and Well and Plumbing business. I can't remember what building or business it was that stood on the northwest corner of that block.

In the middle of the intersection of Main Street and the highway was a large concrete water trough and flag pole.

Crossing the highway north was the Wagel Hotel with rooms on the second floor and a dining room and kitchen on the ground floor where meals were served.

Moving on north, I can't remember the sequence of business, but there was a bakery, Odd Fellows Hall (which was used quite a bit as a community building,) Munson's Hotel and a shoe repair shop run by Ed Egley -- a fellow with crippled legs who used special blocks of wood held in his hands to move around. It always amazed me how well he could maneuver himself and use the machines of his trade. A Creamery operated by a black couple, Dick and Molly Green was also on that block.

The Haigler News newspaper was published in the lower part of a two-story building in which the lower floor was a semi-basement having a few steps leading down to it. There were a few steps up to the Doctor's Office on the top floor. The office and Lumber Yard of the Wood-Found Lumber Company was in the northwest corner of that block.

Crossing the street to the north was the large concrete elevator of the Equity which, along with the west elevator, sat next to the rail siding. The Depot sat to the northeast of this elevator, next to the main line track of the CB&Q railroad. The railroad had a water tank to supply water for the steam engines that might be running short of water. It was supplied by a well a short distance north of the track. The depot agent, Fred Kelley, kept the tank filled.

The Section House where the section foreman and his family lived sat north of the depot. West and a little north of the section house was a large concrete Sale Pavilion where purebred cattle sales were held. It had an elevated stage in the sale ring where the auctioneer and sale secretaries sat and where plays and entertainment were presented. A Christmas program was usually held there. Many Haigler celebrations were held there. One picture we have shows a ferris wheel in front of the building. Several summers a Chautauqua was held there for a week. This building was torn down when the railroad changed the main track to lengthen the curve and it ran about where the building stood. North of this building was Bill Wall's dwelling and Dairy Barn. They had a milk route and delivered milk to Haigler customers. A little north of this and closer to the river was the town water well and pump house. Loc Stafford was in charge of keeping the pump in operation and the Stand Pipe full of the mineral-rich water.

The W.F. Wood Garage and Filling Station and 220 DC (current) Light plant stood a block east of the Wood-Found Lumber Yard. This generating plant furnished electricity for the town. All mail came into Haigler by rail and left by rail with the Postmaster carrying it back and forth in a two wheeled cart pushed by hand.

All freight came in by rail and Haigler had a Dray Line that made deliveries to the various business places. I think Emmons Adams had an open cab, hard rubber tired truck that he used to make deliveries.

During the 1920's, Saturday afternoon was the time that almost everyone came to town to do their trading which was basically what was done -- Trading cream, eggs, chickens and other farm products for groceries and supplies. Shopping was mostly an unknown word. You gave the grocery clerk your grocery list and she or he gathered what was ordered and put them in or by your egg crate to be picked up when you left town. Much visiting was done on the sidewalk in front of the buildings. Sometimes one would hear about as much German as English in the conversations.

During the 1930's, the main time for coming to town changed from Saturday afternoon to evening with stores staying open until possibly midnight or until all of the groceries had been picked up.

My wife, Virginia Clegg Harford, has been a great help in putting together this reminiscing by helping remember some of the things I had forgotten.

Don Harford