Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

October 11, 1923

Engineer Spangle, who lost his life in the terrible railway accident near Casper last Thursday when a Burlington passenger train ran into the flood waters of Coal creek, the bridge over which had just been carried away, was a nephew of Frank Koch of Moorcroft.

Chickens are so plentiful in the Bear Lodge that teamsters have difficulty getting a load of logs. The drummers won’t give up their log and it’s against the law to hurt them.

Much to the disappointment of this community, the Belshe mine discontinued work last week with no coal in prospect, although Mr. Belshe has sent out to carious coal camps and hopes to have miners here again before long. Meanwhile there is a general stampede to secure dry wood.

75 Years Ago

October 14, 1948

Mickey O’Connor, three-year-old boy who has been lost in the Bearlodge mountains somewhere between Alva and Aladdin since noon last Friday, has not been found; nor has any actual, tangible trace of him been discovered. Searchers are still scouring the hills in the hope of stumbling upon his body, but no one holds out any further hope of finding him alive. Mickey, son of Joe O’Connor, sawmill worker, who lives in an isolated area off the Bearlodge Truck Trail, wandered out of his cabin home yard shortly after lunch last Friday wearing only a cotton shirt and a pair of overalls.

Two boys, Max Brown and Dexter Hall, left Crook County on October 12 to report at the Army Induction Center at Cheyenne, where they will receive their physical examinations. Sixteen men are to be called from Wyoming in November and these two boys are the first to go from Crook County.

50 Years Ago

October 11, 1973

Proposal for a new sports complex at Sundance to accommodate track and baseball events has won approval of the Crook County Commissioners, the school board, administration, Lions Club, coaches and students. Suggested by track coach Hugh Palmer and summer recreation director Tom Nordenstam, the proposal calls for a new track field and two new baseball fields. Site for the new complex is at the existing football and baseball field. The project involves dirt moving and rebuilding. Labor has been donated by the Sundance Lions Club and the county has agreed to furnish the dirt moving equipment. Volunteer help from the community is requested.

Mrs. Margaret Pickerd has been named top sales lady for Devils Tower Post 4311 and Auxiliary for their buddy poppy sale held during the Crook County Fair. Mrs. Pickerd sold in excess of 800 poppies for a total of $133.43, a possible record for buddy poppy sales in the entire Wyoming VFW.

25 Years Ago

October 15, 1998

At the regular meeting of the Crook County Commisssioners, Dave Pieper, BHNF District Ranger, requested that the county issue a revenue bond to restore “Old Stoney” contingent on a long-term lease/purchase agreement to the federal government. The board gave approval to pursue this option and gather preliminary cost figures and information to restore it for the Federal government’s use.