George Kestler is pictured in center (wearing a white hat) with his Case steam plowing outfit breaking sod near Haxtun around 1915. The engine is a 1909 25-horsepower Case. In a 10-to-12-hour day, this engine would use approximately five horse-drawn tanks of water, or 2,600 gallons, and 2,500 pounds of coal and would plow 25 acres at a speed of 2.4 miles per hour. The plowing price was $3.50 per acre with coal furnished, and the pay for the engineer-fireman was $3 per day. — source: Phillips County Museum
Peekin’ into the past
Five Years Ago
Aug. 14, 2014
Through the Building Excellent Schools Today security grant, Holyoke School District was able to complete front office renovations in both the JR/SR high school and elementary school in an attempt to increase security measures.
After years of no adult softball options in Holyoke, the sport was reintroduced to the public earlier this season. Seven teams made up the coed league this first season.
Nancy Berges reaches a 50-year employment milestone with Highline Electric Association this month.
Ten Years Ago
Aug. 13, 2009
Two weeks before the first day of school, Holyoke School District Re-1J hired Kyle Stumpf as elementary principal and Clark Ginapp as alternative high school director.
Travis and Tawnina Uptain moved to their home about 6 miles south and 6 miles west of Holyoke just over a year ago and decided to begin Homestead Farms. The nine-acre farm is home to hybrid hogs, Jersey and milking shorthorns, and different varieties of chickens. They make different types of cheeses, soaps, creams and butter, and Tawnina also processes fiber and spins wool.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
Aug. 18, 1994
Gary and Lauri Gibbs are opening a new embroidery business entitled Braggin’ Rags. The business, which will be based in the Gibbses’ basement, will deal with machine embroidery.
Due to overwhelming evidence that student performance drastically improves when schools have volunteers, Holyoke Elementary School is implementing a new program. Holyoke Volunteers in Public Schools was developed by a subcommittee of the Elementary Accountability Committee.
Holyoke Police Chief Merlin Macklin announced Aug. 10 that he will be resigning his position, effective Aug. 31. Macklin stressed that he is not leaving the City under bad terms.
Fifty Years Ago
Aug. 14, 1969
Holyoke received some recognition in the August 1969 issue of the National Geographic magazine, concerning irrigation in the Holyoke area.
This past week, the temperatures have stayed in the 90s and 100s — reaching 106 degrees Aug. 8 — along with a few days of hot winds, causing soil moisture to become short in Phillips County and surrounding areas.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
Aug. 17, 1944
The Boggs Oil Company of Sterling has bought part of the oil transport business of R.E. Ensminger. The change of ownership will take place Sept. 1.
A two-car garage was destroyed by fire at the Bertha Kerchner Estate property in west Holyoke on Monday afternoon. The heat from the fire blistered the paint on the house which, fortunately, was on the windward side of the blaze.
The nation’s dwindling paper stocks are to be replenished by a drive sponsored by the American Legion posts throughout the states. The goal is 100 pounds of waste paper for every name on the community’s honor roll. This means that Phillips County will gather together over 15 tons of waste paper to meet the quota.