Members of the Ensminger and Andes families are pictured on a farm southwest of Dailey. Those included in the photograph are Bob and his wife Homie (Batman) Ensminger, Myrtle Andes (Meakins), Charles Andes, Lloyd Ensminger, Raymond Ensminger, Glenn Ensminger and Wilma Ensminger (Gordon). Bob was born Jan. 17, 1890, in Rockport, Missouri. Bob and Homie moved to Amherst in 1918. Bob worked breaking sod, running a steam engine and making roads for the county. He helped pioneer the gasoline transport business in northeastern Colorado in 1935, hauling gas from refineries in Cheyenne and Denver to towns in the area. At various times he served as the first president of the Holyoke Gun Club, president of the Holyoke Lions Club and member of Holyoke Town Council. He also was the manager of the Phillips County Fair for 14 years, and the grandstand at the fairgrounds was built during his tenure. — Source: Phillips County Museum
Peekin' into the Past
Five Years Ago
June 16, 2016
Many months of preparation finally paid off June 5-6 when Austin Vieselmeyer earned the position of FFA Colorado state treasurer prior to the FFA state conference.
Ross and Aly Brinkema adopted a 2-year-old girl from China named Lilli this past May.
After some remodeling this month, PC Telcom employees will all be working out of the same office location. Those working in the office at 520 S. Interocean Ave. have been in the process of moving to the 240 S. Interocean Ave. location.
Luke Garrett started his new business, Freedom Painting LLC, on June 3 and has hit the ground running with pursuing indoor and outdoor painting jobs, including deck staining.
Ten Years Ago
June 16, 2011
All students in Holyoke grades 4-12 must complete all work at a rate of 70 percent (C) or better and must finish all assignments by their due date. A support system will be put in place through a homework center as the district makes huge changes in the 2011-12 approach to raising the bar for all students. Superintendent Bret Miles explained several aspects of the grading pilot at the June 7 school board meeting.
Community members are invited to meet at Ballyneal on June 17 for a wildflower tour.
While receiving moisture is always a good thing, receiving over 5 inches in the month of May caused slight issues for farmers in the area. Additionally, temperatures were much cooler than normal, and farmers had to fight with Mother Nature as they tried to get corn planted throughout the wet and cool month.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
June 20, 1996
Construction continues at the Phillips County Fairgrounds as a renovation project goes on. The project includes pavement of the road leading to the fairgrounds and the addition of planter boxes to the median of the road. There are also plans to pave the bike path.
People in Phillips County now have access to Access Colorado Library and Information Network through the recent funding of microcomputers. Holyoke and Haxtun high schools as well as Haxtun Public Library and Heginbotham Library in Holyoke were among the places in Colorado to receive a portion of the $254,400 in computer grants available.
A load of cardboard weighing close to 22 tons went out of Holyoke on June 14, marking the first cardboard load for HRC Recycling. Since the business started about six months ago, HRC Recycling has accumulated and hauled out about 21 tons of newspaper, 6 tons of glass and 1 ton of tin.
Fifty Years Ago
June 17, 1971
La Iglesia Evangelica is being held each Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. in the Nazarene Church at Emerson and Morlan for the Mexican laborers who come here to work.
The open burning ban included in Colorado’s emission regulations will be enforced against everyone after July 1, except those persons doing agriculture burning. After July 1, anyone other than farmers and ranchers who burn rubbish, waste, paper, wood or other flammable material on open premises must first obtain a permit from the appropriate local air pollution control authority or the state health department.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
June 20, 1946
The constant rise in prices of everything required in the production of a newspaper has induced the editor and owners of The Enterprise to increase the yearly subscription rate 50 cents. The new local price will be $2.50, and the price outside Phillips and adjoining counties in Colorado and Nebraska will be $3 per year.
Young men of Holyoke are sponsoring a softball league. Neighboring towns which do not have any baseball team, such as the smaller towns, may find that they can get together a softball group and enter with other teams to form a league. The Holyoke boys have played Haxtun, and these teams desire other teams to play.
W.G. Peters, who has operated a blacksmith shop in the building south of Schneller Produce for some years, has sold his tools to Chet Flock of North Platte, Nebraska. It is understood Mr. Flock will open a blacksmith shop in Holyoke in a different location.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Kapson, who recently sold the Candy Kitchen and residence, will start today for their home near Fresno, California. Mrs. Kapson has the distinction of being the first white child born in Phillips County and has an enviable reputation as a teacher in the Holyoke Grade School and has also taught in the rural schools. Mr. Kapson started the Candy Kitchen and won a high reputation for his homemade candy.