Good Old Days - 09-25-15

Compiled By Delaney Uhrig

These stories from the past first appeared in The Sidney Telegraph. Original writing is preserved, though some stories were shortened for space reasons.

50 Years Ago

'Skies Clear, Dalton Festival gets Weatherman's Best Favor'

Sept. 22, 1965

After nearly a week of cloudy, drizzly, discouraging weather the skies cleared in the small hours Tuesday morning and the sun shone on the as-always wonderful Dalton Fall Festival parade.

Daltonites who, the day before, had to call off a ladies softball game because of six inches of water flooding the ball diamond were amazed to see the blue sky and sunshine Tuesday morning. The weather was perfect for both the morning and evening parades and as one delighted Daltonite said, "Someone influence must have put in a good word for us."

Record breaking crowds viewed both parades, the exhibits at the school auditorium and the other activities which were carried on Tuesday.

Following the evening parade an awards program was presented at the school with Dean Hiner serving as the master of ceremonies. Entertainment was provided by Charles Ham, manager of Wheatbelt Public Power District, who told of his recent visit to Vietnam, and by the Fort Sidney Colonels whose songs were enthusiastically received.

The Dalton Gas Service made a clean sweep of top honors in the parades, winning the Sweepstakes prize, the traveling trophy for the best commercial float and the Wheatbelt trophy for the best lighted float.

Second prize for floats went to the Dalton Coop with is "Peanuts" entry, and third was won by the American League with its hilarious Beverly Hillbillies float. There was a three-way tie for fourth and fifth places among Howard Sheets, the Dalton State Bank and Heizer's Grocery.

Exhibits set up in the school auditorium exceeded all expectations, for quality and quantity, according to Mrs. William Dykman, who keeps the books.

40 Years Ago

'Refugee Resettlement Plan Opened to the Public'

Sept. 24, 1975

A plan to sponsor a family of Cambodian or Vietnamese refugees in Sidney took the first step Monday night to becoming a community project, with groundwork laid out by a committee of the First United Methodist Church.

Resettlement Committee chairman Ryan Hahn and the Rev. Rodney Wilmoth briefed about 20 persons on the project at a public informational meeting in a room at the Sidney Public Library.

"With this meeting we've fulfilled the second step," Mrs. Hahn said. "The first was securing clearance to go ahead with the plan from our church board, and the second was to put the project on a community basis. It's not just a denominational effort."

She said the next step is for each of seven sub-committees established to take charge of resettlement details to begin looking for solutions to such questions as job possibilities, housing, finances, and acquiring basic needs.

"The two focal points now are finding job possibilities and housing for the family," Mrs. Hahn said. "We hope that by our next meeting (scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the library's meeting room) we'll know better what the situation is on those two questions."

The finances committee was established Monday night in addition to six others already organized. The others include community involvement, culture understanding, basic needs, family size best suited for Sidney, housing, and job possibilities.

"We really want this to be a community wide effort," she said. "We need more people on each of those committees."

Mrs. Hahn said she has already received positive reaction to the project through telephone calls from people offering such items as furniture and bedding for the refugee family.

15 Years Ago

'Potter-Dix Will Crown Royalty at Friday Rally'

Sept. 27, 1990

Potter-Dix High School students will name their 1990 homecoming King and Queen during the traditional pep rally, evening of games, and bonfire Friday evening.

Candidates for queen are Tanya Musil, Crystal Wilson, and Lori Jung. King candidates are David Turner, Steve Wintholz and Ryan Christensen.

The bon fire activities, which begin at 7 p.m. west of the school, will include various activities, including a banana eating contest.

The traditional homecoming football game will be played Saturday afternoon, when Potter-Dix hosts Sioux County (Harrison). The game, to be played at Dix, has

1 p.m. kickoff. A volleyball match will begin at 3:30 at Dix.

Potter-Dix students have been getting the homecoming mood during the week with a series of unusual dress days. Monday was Hawaiian Day, Tuesday saw the styles of the 1950s return. Wednesday favorite cartoon were represented. Today featured old t-shirt, and bandage day and Friday will be red and white day.

10 Years Ago

'Association Marks Historic Trails'

Sept. 28, 2011

The history of Cheyenne County's settlement lay in the roots of he California Trail and members of a local historical society have marked its location.

Members of the Cheyenne County Historical Association have recently erected sings marking the locations of both the California Trail and the Pony Express Route where they cross major roads in Cheyenne County.

The signs were constructed and placed with the efforts of the association, the Nebraska Department of Roads and the National Park service.

New signs marking the route are located across the country, including in the Lodgepole and Sunol areas while two sites were also marked near Sidney.

Along U.S. Highway 30, also known as the Lincoln Highway, a pair of signs can be located about two to three miles east of Sidney, while another pair rests near the UPS depot, three miles north of the city on U.S. 385.

Cheyenne County Historical Association Vice President Glenn Johnson said the group wanted to mark the trail areas for both tourism and so the location of the trial would not be lost in time.

The California Trail began as Jim Bridger picked the California Trail Route in the 1840s and 1850s as the easiest way to get to the blooming gold fields.

Bridger's route became the route of the Pony Express for 18 months in 1860 and 1861.

The Pony Express ran along a route from St. Joseph, Mo., to Sacramento, Calif., before the advent of the transcontinental telegraph, which follows the same route through the county.

The Oregon Trail follows the route of the North Platte north of the region. Many found the California Trail faded as the union Pacific Railroad arrived into the area in 1867. The California Trail cut off from the Oregon Trail in Brule.