Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

August 24, 1922

Dick Stone of Gillette is in receipt of a letter from Arno B. Cammerer, acting director of the Department of the Interior., in which Mr. Cammerer states that the sum of $400 has been appropriated for erection of a shelter cabin at the base of the Tower. In view of the greatly increased tourist traffic these days to the Tower, this will prove to be a great convenience. At the present, the Tower can be reached only by the fording of the Belle Fourche river, which is a dangerous and sometimes impossible feat in these days of heavy rains. A bridge is badly needed.

75 Years Ago

August 28, 1947

The first sack of bentonite mined in Crook County was presented to the Sundance State Bank recently. The bentonite was mined about three weeks ago by the Black Hills Bentonite Company at Moorcroft. Albert C. Harding and Harry T. Thorson are owners of the company.

A car and a truck collided on a curve on the Bear Lodge road last Friday, smashing the car but not injuring either of the drivers. John Kohee and Mrs. Neiman, both of Hulett were deriving the vehicles that collided. Kohee was driving Ed Forbes’ truck.

Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rice, Jr. lost their home, household and personal goods and grainery last Saturday night in a fire that laid waste to their property eight miles out of Sundance on Houston Creek. The fire apparently started in the roof of the house around the kitchen stovepipe, however, Mrs. Rice said she had not had a fire since the early morning.

50 Years Ago

August 24, 1972

Moorcroft rancher Tom Davis built up a commanding lead in early returns and then withstood a late surge by present county commissioner Leslie Hauber to win the Republican nomination for county commissioner in Tuesday’s primary election. In the only race for a county seat in the election, Davis polled 519 votes compared to Hauber’s 463.

A report by Supt. Roger Thorson on possible school building sites in Sundance featured Thursday night’s meeting of the CCSD#1 board. Thorson said the Mauch property located just east of Sundance was offered at a price of $5000 per acre, which the board considered excessive. He also reported that some Schelldorf property near Mt. Moriah cemetery west of Sundance is available but that he had no price for the land. Thorson said the district is also looking at the Seeley property south of the I-90 bypass along State Highway 585 south east of Sundance on which it formerly held an option. However, he said he doesn’t know at present whether the land is still available.

25 Years Ago

August 12, 1997

In a special meeting held by the Crook County Commissioners on Monday, Merle Clark was appointed to fill the unexpired commissioner term left by Donald H. Roberts. A special meeting was called when Alan Roberts received a letter from the Crook County Republican Central Committee listing three names as follows: Clark, Anita Fish and Bonnie Sweeney to fill the vacancy. Roberts submitted his resignation to the commissioners citing health reasons and regret at leaving the position.