Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

August 2, 1923

While coming up the Spearfish road last week J.W. Zane discovered a white grouse in a covey on Cow Creek. The stranger appeared perfectly at home with his brown brothers and sisters and was about half grown.

Sundance had a real flood scare last Wednesday night when a cloudburst close in raised both branches of Sundance Creek. The stream was the highest in many years but the damage was nominal, confined to a few gardens and chicken houses. There were ten cars at the tourist camp ground and these were all moved out but the water receded before the camp was flooded. T.O. Portlow reports 1.5 inches of rain in fifteen minutes.

Frontier Days was a remarkable success and attended by record breaking crowds. The week was marked by a succession of tragedies, however. On Tuesday, Eddie Burgess was killed while roping a steer, and on Friday Kenneth Kiehl fell to his death when a parachute failed to open. Another roper was seriously injured and a woman contestant had a narrow escape during the four days.

75 Years Ago

July 29, 1948

Herb Stech has recently purchased the former hospital property in Sundance from Glen Grubb for conversion into separate apartments. Approximately three apartments will be obtained from the house and an additional one from a cabin also situated on the property.

According to project engineer Glen Roberts, the Upton-Sundance road is nearing completion as is the road stretching from Hulett to Alva. These two projects are scheduled for completion around September first.

50 Years Ago

July 26, 1973

Steel is now being erected for the new Tracy Motor Co. building located east of Sundance and just west of Sundance Equipment co. Some of the steel has been erected and it is estimated that all the steel will be erected in three weeks with the building to be completed in September.

Blakeman’s Sales and Service will be the title of the newest business in Sundance. Ted Blakeman, Rapid City, will be the owner of the business to be opened around August 1. The business will handle general auto repair work, some used car sales and a coin operated car wash. The 40x60 structure, located across from Hiway Service will be able to handle four cars at once. Blakeman is constructing the building himself. Blakeman, a Moorcroft native, is married and the father of 10 children. His wife and family will move into the Ward Cure house on August 1.