Peekin' into the Past

Five Years Ago
April 18, 2013
    After several months of weighing how to proceed with the newly acquired property east of the courthouse in the 200 block of South Campbell Avenue, Phillips County commissioners announced that the County will demolish the old bowling alley structure and will erect a new parking facility.
    Holyoke is prepared to celebrate its 125th birthday on April 24. Community members are invited to the quasquicentennial event that night at the HHS auditorium.
    Plans to eliminate a five-day mail delivery system were halted April 9 when the United States Postal Service Board of Governors met to discuss the Continuing Resolution recently passed by Congress.
    
Ten Years Ago
April 17, 2008
    This week, Jan Loesch, executive director of A Caring Pregnancy Resource Center of Northeast Colorado, and her group of volunteers are excited and grateful to celebrate the opening of their first satellite office in Holyoke. The new center is located on the second floor of Brandt Chiropractic Clinic at 246 S. Interocean Ave.
    Joy Schafer is working to help seniors in Phillips County who are struggling to make ends meet, as she is now the coordinator of the new local senior commodity supplemental food program, sponsored by Food Bank of the Rockies.
    Holyoke Track Committee will hold its first annual Trekking For A Track Walk-A-Thon, which will help raise funds for the track project, on May 2.
    
Twenty-Five Years Ago
April 22, 1993
    When David Schnabel of Granada stopped in Holyoke to get gas on April 15, a bull that he had picked up in Valentine, Nebraska, became irate and went over the pickup’s stock racks and took off running. Before eventually relenting — thanks to a tranquilizer injection — the 1,000-pound bull led the owner, two Holyoke police officers and others on a wild chase through the streets of Holyoke that lasted nearly an hour.
    Sarah Kienholz, an HHS junior, recently won a State Science Fair award from the Colorado Dental Association for her project entitled “Does Sugarless Gum Really Prevent Cavities?” She qualified for the state competition at the Regional Science Fair in Sterling on Feb. 20. The state event was held April 8-10 in Fort Collins.
    
Fifty Years Ago
April 18, 1968
    W.E. “Will” Heginbotham, pioneer Holyoke banker and philanthropist, died  April 13 at his home, following a long period of declining health. He was 89 years of age.
    A do-it-yourself car-washing unit has been installed in the west bay at Lehman’s Sinclair service station here. The coin-operated unit develops 600 pounds of pressure, and the water, which contains a cleaning agent, is applied through a light wand attached to a free-swinging arm.
    An organizational meeting of the Holyoke Council on Migrant Workers will be held in the Sterling Savings and Loan community room here on April 11. The purpose of the proposed council is to promote better relations and understanding among local residents and migrant workers and their families.
    Sixteen women and three fine Holyoke gentlemen returned recently from a trip to San Antonio, Texas, where the women competed in the national bowling tournament of the WIBC.
    
Seventy-Five Years Ago
April 22, 1943
    The Hyperian Club met Wednesday at the Tighe Cafe for a luncheon celebrating the 25th anniversary of the organization of the local club. Mrs. George Garland and Mrs. Lula Smith, who are the only two charter members still in the community, were each presented with a gift.
    Moving of the machinery, repair stock and machine repair shop of the Holyoke Implement Company was completed this week, and the firm is now located in the building until recently occupied by Morgan Grocery. This firm has been in business here for the past three months, under the management of Leonard Jecminek, and handles the International Harvester company line of farm implements.
    Mr. and Mrs. John Detmer have sold their service station and bulk plant and their farm north of Holyoke to Henry and Lawrence Schmidt of Sidney, Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Schmidt have moved to the service station, but Mr. and Mrs. Henry Schmidt will not move to the farm place until next month. Mr. and Mrs. Billie Sprague are now living on the farm but will move to another place later.