Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884

Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

The Times

May 12, 1920

Contractor Steinkamp states that the Sundance-Downing mail line is to be discontinued the last of this month and that there is a proposition likely to carry establishing a star route from Sundance to Carlile via Miller creek. There are many people between this city and Cabin Creek who would be benefited by a mail line through their country.

Allen Toomey is here this week looking after the machinery and equipment of the flour mill. He states it is the intention to operate the mill this fall in case there is sufficient wheat produced this season to justify it. Mr. Toomey also spoke favorably in a general way of the possibility of the creamery and mill being the better conducted in co-operation, though not having given the matter thorough study.

Next week is commencement week for the Sundance high school. As was the case last year, the class consists of only two. Misses Pollie Roberts and Mae Lytle will this year receive diplomas and the honors they have earned in the years of studious application to their school work.

75 Years Ago

May 17, 1945

Frank Blakeman, AM 3-c, who is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Blakeman of Sundance, was hurt recently in an accident in the ship airplane repair shop when his ankle bone was splintered. The cast has been removed but the ankle still bothers him. Fran is serving on a flat top and writes that there are 3000 men aboard her. He’s been near Tokyo twice and helped blaze the way for the Iwo Jima and Okinawa campaigns, he writes.

Mary Peterson of Sundance, who attends the Ransom school east of here, was chosen champion speller of Crook County at the annual contest held here Saturday. Mrs. M.L. Lampman is teacher of the Ransom school. Placing second was Patricia Sims of the Sims school where Eva Mae Croxton teaches. Third place was taken by Darrell Nickelson of the Aladdin school; his teacher is Eleanor Hejde. Jack Schelldorf of the Schelldorf school, taught by Mrs. Lillian O’Haver placed fourth.

50 Years Ago

May 14, 1970

Susan Speidel was crowned Miss Crook County for 1970 at the Miss Crook County Scholarship Pageant held here Saturday night. Miss Speidel, a Sundance high school senior, succeeds Mary Ann Ford, Hulett. Grace Farnsworth, Moorcroft, was named first runner-up and also Miss Congeniality. Peggy Durfee, Sundance was selected as the most talented finalist.

Preliminary figures from the 1970 census show that Sundance and Moorcroft both gained population while Crook County showed a population decline. According to those figures, Sundance’s population increased to 1053, an increase from the official 1960 figure of 908. Moorcroft shows a population of 952 as compared to 826 in 1960. Crook County, which had a population of 4691 in 1960 now has a population of 4400.

Contracts were offered to two elementary teachers: Mrs. Jacqueline McInerney, kindergarten. Mrs. McInerney, presently attending Black Hills State College, is married and has five children. Mrs. Linda Peterson, Grade One. She will graduate from BHSC this spring and is presently student teaching here. In other business, the Beulah schoolhouse was transferred to Crook County. The building will remain at its present site with the county taking over its maintenance.

25 Years Ago

May 18, 1995

Rebecca Leinen is one of 16 students named throughout the United States to represent Future Homemakers of America and Sundance High School as an exchange student to Japan for six weeks this summer. Becky’s adventure will begin June 23 when she will travel to San Francisco, then to Santa Clara University where she will undergo three days of orientation. On June 26 she will continue her journey to Tokyo where she will spend six weeks with a host family to learn about the Future Homemakers of Japan.