Peek at the Past

100 Years Ago

January 3, 1924

Quite an excitement was created at the dance at Barrett’s hall last Saturday night when it was discovered that the roof was on fire. There was quite a scramble for wraps and babies, but a few buckets of good strong coffee put it out and the dance went merrily on.

Potter Bowman, county surveyor, has been surveying a road down Beaver creek, and also located a new road up Deep creek hill, which when built will be a great improvement on the present grade.

75 Years Ago

January 6, 1949

A frigid, lashing blast of snow and wind wrapped itself around Sundance Monday and Tuesday to enshroud it in a white curtain that completely isolated the town for three days. No traffic could get in or out of town, or even move about locally, all day Tuesday. A crew of highway men left Moorcroft early Wednesday a. m. moving eastward in an attempt to open Highway 14, while at the same time a huge V-type plow started out of Gillette toward Sundance, according to the highway department.

The Buckhorn night club, located 26 miles north of Newcastle, was totally destroyed by fire Christmas Eve. Origin of the fire is unknown. It is reported that the butane fuel tanks had been filled with a new supply just that afternoon. Persons working in the place getting it ready for the New Year’s Eve opening, left the building at about 7:30 p.m. At that time, one of the furnaces was on low, while the other had only the pilot light burning. About 8 p.m., a man who lived nearby said that he heard a loud explosion and looked out to see the whole structure seemingly blowup into a huge ball of flame. The fire gained such headway that the building could not be saved. There was no fire-fighting equipment at the night club. 

50 Years Ago

January 3, 1974

Sundance Dr. Thomas Brown, only doctor in Sundance and Crook County, said this week he plans to close his practice in February and leave Sundance. The doctor told The Sundance Times Wednesday that he would make a statement next week on his decision to leave. In an advertisement in this issue, Dr. Brown said that effective some time in February he will permanently close his medical practice at the Sundance Medical Center. For a short period of time after that, Dr. Brown said that emergency services will be provided at Crook County Memorial Hospital by him before he leaves Sundance. 

Sundance and Hulett racers placed in the fourth annual Gil-Tette snowmobile races held Sunday at the Moorcroft stock car track. Dick Johnson, Hulett, driving a Ski-Doo, placed first in the 440 cc. amateur B main. Other results were: Allen Johnson, Hulett, Ski-Doo, second, 300 cc. amateur class. Lyle Crosby, Sundance, Polaris, third, 300 cc. amateur. Sue Glick, Sundance, Ski-Doo, second, 340 cc. women’s expert class. Others running in the races were Mervin Peterson, Ski-Doo; and Bill Myers, Blue Max, both Sundance.

25 Years Ago

January 7, 1999

Replacing 10 year Fire Chief veteran Gari Gill is Tom Necklason. Gari has been with the volunteer fire department for 22 years. Tom Necklason has 9 years of volunteer experience with the department, 2 years as captain and 2 years as assistant chief. According to Necklason, the department is in desperate need of volunteers. The present staff is 9 and the maximum could be as large as 29. The staff of volunteers are striving for 15 or 20.