Bicycles and horse-drawn carriages were a common mode of transportation in the days before automobiles. The high-wheel bicycle was introduced in the 1870s, and the front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther one could travel with one rotation of the pedals. They were fast but dangerous — because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel hit a rock or a bad spot in the road, the rider’s legs were trapped under the handlebars as he was thrown over the front wheel. Safety bicycles were introduced in the 1880s, with equally sized wheels and a chain drive to the rear wheel. — source: Phillips County Museum
Peekin’ into the past
Five Years Ago — June 5, 2014
Dr. Sunny Lauber is the newest doctor at Melissa Memorial Hospital. She began seeing patients this week.
Nurse practitioner Judy Weimer is returning to Melissa Memorial Hospital on a three-year commitment. Beginning July 14, she will be in the clinic three days a week.
June 7 will mark the first annual Kurtis Huss Memorial Tournament at Holyoke Golf Club.
Pursuing an interest in international health, Cierra Sullivan will be spending six months in Choma, Zambia, beginning June 12, assisting in an early childhood development study.
Ten Years Ago — June 4, 2009
Both Roy Pfaltzgraff III and Paul Mailander are emerging as forerunners in the up-and-coming industry of wind energy. A recent spike in interest in the concept has led Pfaltzgraff to become a wind turbine dealer and Mailander to be the first Holyoke resident to have a wind turbine installed at his residence.
Torrential rains which started in Holyoke around 7 p.m. Monday evening, June 1, had netted 3.5 inches of precipitation by 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to National Weather Service weather observer Dan Kafka from his home southwest of Holyoke.
A new CFO has been hired for East Phillips County Hospital District by administrator John Ayoub, who informed hospital board members of the selection at the May 27 meeting. Greg Was will be stepping into the position in the early part of June.
Fundraising efforts made by Heginbotham Library staff, Friends of the Library and other community members are finally paying off this summer, as Heginbotham Library’s exterior undergoes a long-overdue restoration of its terracotta and wood trim.
Thom and Julie Elliott have taken on the role of area representatives for the STS exchange student program this year.
Twenty-Five Years Ago — June 9, 1994
Jerry Haynes has been selected to fill the newly created position of Phillips County Fair manager. The announcement was made at the May 31 meeting of the county commissioners.
For over four hours, seven fire departments and numerous other volunteers fought a grass fire which was fanned by hot, dry winds in northern Yuma County on June 6.
Bringing a number of years’ experience with him, Lenny Helzer assumed his duties as manager of The Bakery in Holyoke, owned by John and Marianne Sullivan, on June 7. Helzer and his family moved to the community from Santa Fe, New Mexico, last week.
Recent HHS graduate Josh Rahe was named by the Denver Post as A/2A Baseball Player of the Year.
Fifty Years Ago — June 5, 1969
Arkie’s Repair, owned and operated by George Arkulari, has moved to its new location in Holyoke, 1 mile east of the stoplight. Arkulari is the new dealer for Farmhand equipment. He will continue to carry irrigation engines and operate his radiator repair service and do general shop work. Mr. and Mrs. Arkulari also operate the Holyoke Bowling Lanes.
Holyoke Police Department activities for the month of May include four accidents, 30 taxi trips, five packages of blood delivered to the hospital, 28 oral warnings, four courtesy citations, eight motorist assists and 11 messages delivered. Penalty assessment tickets: one too close, one double parking, one careless driving, one court case pending. The patrol car traveled 3,364 miles on duty patrol.
Several local boys are taking a tractor driving test. Boys age 14-16, after a minimum of 10 hours of tractor driving, can, by taking a written test and driving test, receive a certificate allowing them to hire out for tractor work. This program is carried out by the high school agricultural department and the county Extension office.
Seventy-Five Years Ago — June 8, 1944
The floor of the new skating rink was crowded with skaters of a wide range of ages, sizes and abilities. Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Anderson opened the rink Saturday, after visiting their son, Everett Anderson, on his farm southwest of Haxtun and deciding to move their roller rink business to Phillips County from Cincinnati, Iowa. The floor in the rink, on the corner of Interocean and Denver, is hardwood. Bob’s Place did a good business in pop and hamburgers Saturday night through the door connecting the rink.
American Red Cross has completed arrangements for reduced rates on cable service to prisoners of war and civilian internees held by the Japanese in the Far East. The new cost for a 10-word message will be $6 plus 10% tax, as opposed to the former charge of approximately $16. The reduction in rate, however, does not affect the number of cables which can be sent, which remains limited to one nonemergency message during the year.