Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

January 10, 1924

The Sundance Rifle Club held a trial shoot Sunday morning, it being the first favorable day since the target was placed. Unfamiliar with the guns, the contestants made erratic scores along with some good ones, but the result is a determination to bring in a better score card at the next meeting, which will be next Sunday morning. The score last Sunday was tabulated as follows: Reed 30, Ticknor 37, Banks 24, Hurtt 60, Schloredt 60, Ball 85, McGuckin 47, Rounds 25-average 45.37. 

Reports from Sheridan Tuesday indicate that Sundance High scored 10 to Sheridan's 28 in Monday night's game. A mighty good showing against the big city team, and the boys can be proud of it. 

Paul Lewis, agricultural agent for Crook County, left this week on his annual vacation trip. He will attend the state meeting of county agents at Laramie and also will take in the stock meeting at Denver the last of this month. 

75 Years Ago

January 13, 1949

Before blizzard-battered Wyoming had time to recover from the first rigorous snowstorm, it was again gripped by snow flurries, high winds and sub-zero temperatures, which enswathed the surrounding country. The death toll from the first blizzard stood at 9 in Wyoming, 7 in Colorado and 4 in western Nebraska. At this time, no authoritative report has been received in regard to any deaths caused by the second storm. Local highways which are blocked by the heavy snows have been partially opened for travel. The Newcastle-Sundance Road is cleared as far as Horton from Sundance, and to the Prairie Store from Newcastle, but as yet no one has been able to force the small snow-plows through the remaining closed section of the highway. The Sundance-Moorcroft Road was opened Wednesday for one-way traffic. This was accomplished after two breakdowns of the rotary plow which the Sundance Highway department obtained from Buffalo. The crew worked a day and night shift with the aid of volunteers, clearing the blocked road. In order to open this road the men had to push through two hundred yards of nine-foot snow about five and a half miles west of town. The Spearfish-Sundance highway was the first road to be opened out of Sundance since the big blizzard and has been passable most of the time. The Upton-Sundance Road was opened January 6, but it is still not passable for the heavy transports. Officials state that fourteen inches of snow fell during the January storms.

50 Years Ago

January 10, 1974

Winner of the first baby of the year contest at Crook County Memorial Hospital is Janet Lea Pickerd, daughter of Ellen Pickerd, Sundance. The first baby of 1974 will receive a wide variety of prizes offered by Sundance business firms and organizations.

A new forester, Donald K. Wood, joined the Bear Lodge Ranger District Monday. Wood comes here from the Snake River Ranger District, Medicine Bow National Forest, Rawlins, where he was stationed for 3½ years. Wood fills the forester position which had been vacant since Nov. 24 when Marvin Liewer, Bear Lodge District forester since 1968, transferred to the Elk Mountain District at Newcastle. Wood and his wife Donita have two sons - Jeffrey 4, and Mark 7.

25 Years Ago

January 7, 1999

If things work out as planned, the 300 block of Main Street will see some visually appealing changes in the near future. The businesses on the north side of the street have entered into an agreement with the city to replace present sidewalks with architectural walks resembling old-fashioned boardwalk, period street lighting, and to construct tree planters planted with trees which can thrive in this area. According to City Engineer Ralph Goodson, the idea was initiated by Vic Worthington, discussed with the Chamber of Commerce, and the plan is to make the area more attractive, to local people as well as to potential new businesses. The project is expected to cost some $60,000, with 80% to be paid from general fund revenue out of the city's budget for this fiscal year, and 20% to be paid by the landowners and businesses along the street.