The old Webermeier place is pictured, located 6 miles east and 1/2 mile north of Holyoke. John W. Webermeier and his wife Katie moved there in 1898. They lived in a sod house connected to a small three-room frame house until they built a two-story house in 1910. John and other area farmers fought a prairie fire in 1906 or 1907. The fire was caused by sparks from a Burlington train. No homes burned, but the prairie was blackened as far as Pleasant Valley. John worked so long that he was exhausted and sick with rheumatism and stayed in bed for several months afterward. — Source: Phillips County Museum
Peekin’ into the past
Five Years Ago
May 26, 2016
It was unanimously voted by Holyoke City Council at the May 17 meeting to move forward with the idea of a full-time recreation department, pending voter approval of a 2.5% lodging tax in the November election.
Dragon’s Wagon Preschool held a Teddy Bear Clinic on May 18 with Melissa Memorial Hospital nurses. Preschoolers took in stuffed animals for well-teddy checkups and exams, getting the chance to see for themselves that going to the doctor isn’t so scary after all.
Melissa Memorial Hospital ranked No. 3 in the state among all hospitals for patient satisfaction from March 2014-March 2015, according to a report issued by Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems.
Ten Years Ago
May 26, 2011
Holyoke second grade teacher Susan Renquist will end a 20-year teaching career — with the last nine spent in Holyoke — Friday when students walk out the front door of the elementary school in Holyoke.
Beginning this month, the Colorado Humane Society & SPCA has added another avenue for reporting animal cruelty throughout Colorado. CHS is partnering with Crime Stoppers to initiate an anonymous tip and reward program for reporting animal abuse or neglect, dog fighting, or other inhumane activities with dogs, cats or horses throughout the Eastern Plains of Colorado.
Nine cases of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) have been confirmed in Colorado, reported Colorado Department of Agriculture last week.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
May 30, 1996
A series of severe storms pelted the area last week with rain, large hail, high winds and no injuries. The most violent of the storms occurred May 22. Thunderstorms were accompanied by tornadoes, wind gusts up to 80 mph and hail up to baseball-sized.
Ann Rafert is retiring from teaching after 20 years of teaching math at Holyoke High School. She began her teaching career in 1963 teaching sixth grade in Holyoke.
A detailed and attractive cemetery directory at Holyoke Memorial Park was constructed recently just inside the entrance to the local cemetery. Funds from the White Estate were used for the project.
City council is reconsidering the guidelines of Ordinance No. 4-1996, which established a curfew for Holyoke. City attorney Al Wall will draw up an amended ordinance before the next meeting, June 4, when the public hearing will continue. The revised version will change the times of the curfew to midnight-6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and include a place to change the age limit, if the council decides it is needed. It will also include exceptions for school-, church- or employment-related activities.
Fifty Years Ago
May 27, 1971
Holyoke Bowling Lanes, for many years owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. George Arkulari, has been purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Carrick. Paradise Lanes, named by the new management, will be operated by Mr. and Mrs. Ed Carrick and their son, Bill.
Climaxing a very close race in the Colorado Lions District 6-East membership, attendance and activities contest, the first-place plaque was presented to the Holyoke Lions Club at the district banquet Friday evening in Colorado Springs.
When Dale Briggs receives his eighth grade diploma tonight, it will climax 29 years of continuous participation on the part of the Lawrence Briggs family in the Holyoke Grade School. September 1942, Larry Briggs enrolled in the first grade, and never since has the grade school been without a Briggs youngster. Quite a record.
Seventy-Five Years Ago
May 30, 1946
The Shew Jewelry Store, owned by Stuart Shew, opened for business Friday in the building first door north of the Peerless Theatre. Mr. and Mrs. Shew are living in the apartment at the rear of the building. The building was purchased from Mr. and Mrs. A. Hester recently by John Detmer. Mr. and Mrs. Hester retired last month after 27 years in mercantile and ready-to-wear business in Holyoke.
Rev. and Mrs. Oliver W. Brock and two children arrived Thursday evening from Correll, Minnesota, to begin the pastorate of the First Baptist Church.
The balance sheet prepared by the auditor of the books of the town of Holyoke covering the 12 months ending April 30, 1946, shows a total net profit in the operation of electrical and water plants of $19,678.44.
Already there is considerable chatter about what members of the legislature should be paid. That they are not paid enough is admitted by all who know anything about living costs.