Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

July 21, 1920

Paul Brandeberry of Williams Divide had the misfortune to get struck by a flying rock from a blast Saturday while engaged on road work out from Beulah. While the injury is not considered serious, it is sufficient to lay him off a few days.

Another gusher, the fourth to be hit in this section, was struck on section 19 in the Osage oil fields early last week. For more than twenty minutes after the well came in it threw oil sixty feet above the derrick.

75 Years Ago

July 26, 1945

Clint Wells, 78, one of the earliest settlers in this section and last of those colorful individuals, the bullwhackers who drove these trails in the early days, passed away last Wednesday.

Monday of this week Amos Ewing took over the Elk Horn café, having purchased that establishment last week from its owners, Phyllis McLaughlin and Sadie Grubb. The latter plans to leave this week for Sacramento, Calif., where she and her little son will join her husband who is stationed there. Phyllis plans to go to Spearfish and will stay with her parents there for the time being.

Postwar employment in Crook County will receive a big boost if the fluorspar claims in the Bear Lodge only “pan out” as it seems sure they must. This week your reporter, as a representative of the Times, visited the E.W. and Frank Petersen claims about 7 ½ miles north of here where most of the discovery work has been done, to investigate the possibilities there. While none of us are geologists, nor do we claim any special knowledge neither of mining nor of minerals, several things seemed certain. Most important is the certainty that there is plenty of fluorspar, which is important not only as a war necessity but which holds one of the bright future in the mineral world for post war manufacture.

50 Years Ago

July 23, 1970

Early details were released this week concerning the schedule of the annual Crook County Horse Show and Rodeo. This year’s events will be combined under the management of the Crook County Horsemen’s Association. The rodeo, planed on an amateur basis this year, will give everyone, regardless of ability, an opportunity to compete.

The Crook County Museum Board said this week that the Crook County Museum will be open through July 24 and the 27-31 for the purpose of accepting donations of articles for display in the museum. The museum, located in the courthouse basement, is not yet open to the public.

25 Years Ago

July 20, 1995

Josh Canfield took first place at the State 4-H Shooting Sports match held in Douglas, WY June 6-8 in .22 rifle. He competed against 47 other 4-Hers from all over the state.