A hundred years ago, Holyoke’s main street was graveled, with a hitch rack along the sidewalk and very few automobiles. This 1918 photo shows the east side of Interocean Avenue, with the old Colver Bros. hardware store at right; then the Big Brick Drug Store, which was owned and operated by Dr. F.M. Smith & Son; and Scheunemann’s Department Store. The top of Phillips County State Bank can be seen over the roof line of Scheunemann’s at far left. The old Colver building was later replaced by a large brick structure that now houses Holyoke Fitness Club. The old drug store building burned down in 1987, and a new building was built in 1992 that now houses Creative Traditions. Scheunemann’s received a face-lift at some point, but the 1907 building still stands. The bank building was destroyed by a fire in 1978 and is where the Lions Club Mini Park is now located. — Source: Phillips County Museum
Peekin' into the Past
Five Years Ago — Aug. 21, 2014
Colten Blanchard from Sulphur, Louisiana, stopped at Scheunemann’s Department Store last Wednesday, Aug. 13, to meet Carolyn Koberstein and Chip Scheunemann, who were the first on the scene of a terrible accident that Blanchard was involved in on I-80 on July 23, 2011.
Local farmer Ken Oltjenbruns and Carl Rogers created their 15-foot-by-140-foot depiction of “I Have a Dream” in one of Oltjenbruns’ corn fields northeast of Holyoke. Aerial photos of the field will join the artwork from other farmers around the globe who spelled out the sentence in their own language, using their own crops, to form an international art exhibit.
Holyoke’s Bank of Colorado bowling team won first place in the Colorado State Bowling Tournament in Denver this past spring.
Ten Years Ago — Aug. 20, 2009
Certified massage therapist Cheyenne Wood is now working in the office of Brandt Chiropractic in Holyoke.
This year marks Relay for Life’s 25th anniversary, and Phillips County is joining in on the tradition with the Aug. 21-22 event at Phillips County Court House.
Twenty-Five Years Ago — Aug. 25, 1994
A business relocation will take place next week when Jeff and Olga Sullivan assume ownership of Robb’s Appliance & Air in Holyoke from Tim and Amy Robb. Effective Sept. 1, the local business will be renamed Sullivan’s Appliance & Air and will move from 118 N. Interocean Ave. to 206 N. Interocean Ave., in the Gene’s GMC Service building.
Announcement was made this week that Dave and Vicki Tennant of Sterling have purchased Thompson Mortuary of Haxtun from Tommy and Sharon Thompson. The transaction was effective Aug. 17.
Sergeant Barry Winckler was appointed to the position of police chief to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Merlyn Macklin. Winckler will begin acting in that capacity Sept. 1.
Holyoke Lions Club is getting a long-awaited improvement in the form of a new den. The new den will be located just north of the old den in the 100 block of North Campbell Avenue.
Fifty Years Ago — Aug. 21, 1969
Mrs. Lewis E. Hager will attend the 22nd National Shoe Servicemen’s Days, to be held at the Denver Hilton Hotel Aug. 30-31. She operates the Holyoke Shoe Repair at 137 W. Denver St. in Holyoke.
Greg Trego, son of Bern Trego, and Dave Colver, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.O. Colver, Holyoke, are on a 22-day trip through part of Europe.
Pleasant Valley will host a softball tournament starting tonight and running through Sunday.
Seventy-Five Years Ago — Aug. 24, 1944
Some time ago the Lions Club decided to make some improvements at Gilbert’s Grove, popular picnic grounds 5 miles west of town, but not until last Thursday did the club call the members to report at the grove in force with working togs and tools for construction work. A camp stove or fireplace was constructed previous to last week’s session. After working on sanitary facilities and picnic tables, those present Thursday enjoyed lunch and fireside singing.
Heavy rains fell at Dailey Tuesday night. That country is said to have suffered considerable damage. The Frenchman River is high here again from the rains upstream. The stream was high at Paoli again, and some reports of basements being flooded had been made as we go to press.