Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

June 16, 1920

The Commercial Club succeeded in getting action on the road between Sundance and Rocky Ford by appealing to the State Highway department. This is an example of what can be accomplished through organization, and should cause some of our people who are not back of the club to get in on the band wagon and join the bunch, instead of hanging back kicking.

A band of real gypsies passed through the county the first of this week, headed eastward on the Custer Battlefield Highway. They seemed to be about the same as ordinary gypsies, recalling the lines of the poet Joyce Kilmer, who said “If you call the gipsy a vagabond, I think you do him wrong, for he never goes a-traveling but he takes his home along.” Unlike the gypsies of old, they were equipped with substantial appearing houses mounted on Ford trucks.

75 Years Ago

June 21, 1945

Announcement was received Thursday from the War Department that Sgt. William A. (Bill) Semlek, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Semlek of Moorcroft, had been liberated from a German prison camp. First reported missing in November 1944, he was later reported a prisoner of war. He had been in the army over three years and was serving in France when taken prisoner so far as was known.

Wool production records of the tri-state area were shattered this year when a three year-old ewe belonging to Wilbur Newland, Colony, produced a fleece weighing 22.8 pounds.

Everett Ackerman was elected to take the place of Lloyd Cole in the Sundance Grade School District No. 1 at the annual elections held Monday.

50 Years Ago

June 18, 1970

Four Sundance residents Tuesday were presented with various VFW department awards for contributions to VFW programs. Cited for their work with VFW Americanism programs were Mrs. Glen Wyatt, Mrs.. Floyd Carr and Supt. Roger Thorson.

Discussion of a joint Sundance-Moorcroft airport highlighted Friday night’s meeting of the Sundance Commercial Club. Result of the discussion was that the club approved a resolution requesting the joint airport for presentation to the city which will then make a request to the county commissioners.

Two members of the Crook County Cowbells were named state chairmen during the Wyoming Stock Growers Association convention in Sheridan. Mrs. Myrtle Proctor was named state beef promotion chairman and Mrs. Marlene Simons state Barbie-Q chairman.

25 Years Ago

June 15, 1995

The US Fish and Wildlife Service, in a letter to Senator Alan Simpson has suggested a possible course of action to determine the future of the facilities at Ranch A at Beulah. The possible course of action came about after the May 4 meeting in Sundance on the disposition of Ranch A.