130 Years Ago
June 23, 1893
Carpenter H. C. Richards says they had a small cyclone down at his place four miles south of town Monday afternoon. His Barn and out building were torn all to pieces. His stock was not injured.
125 Years Ago
June 17, 1898
Burger & Jennings’ Wild West show will exhibit here tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon in their tent, commencing at 2 o’clock. A street parade will be given at 12:30. Their entertainment consists in the main of daring feats of horsemanship, and scenes typical of cowboy life. The horses and paraphernalia are quite extensive, among them being one of the old-time stage coaches. These scenes of bygone frontier life ought to prove entertaining and instructive.
120 Years Ago
June 23, 1903
Mrs. Gordon, of Seneca, brought her ten-year-old boy to Alliance yesterday for surgical treatment. The little fellow was suffering from a jab in the knee with the tine of a pitchfork. The member is terribly swollen, but the M. D. consulted thinks no permanent ill effect will follow.
115 Years Ago
June 23, 1908
The pool hall on Box Butte avenue was opened up yesterday afternoon by “Dad” Johnson & Co. Everything has been refitted nicely and they will cater to the best of trade and no doubt do a nice business.
110 Years Ago
June 20, 1913
Business jealousy was responsible for a street fight between Tom Beal and John Pederson, concrete contractors, who “mixed it” on Box Butte Ave., near Third street Thursday afternoon about five o’clock. Beal was evidently the aggressor in the fight and knocked Pederson down and severely beat him around the head, before bystanders pulled the younger and larger man off his prostate foe. Beal then went to Police Judge Zurn’s office where he gave himself up and was fined $1 and costs for fighting. Pederson, in the meantime was under the care of a surgeon, who took six stitches in his forehead, over his eyes. His face was also bruised and bleeding.
105 Years Ago
June 21, 1918
Within a few hours of his arrival in Alliance, Chester Anderson, seven year old son of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Anderson, of Bingham, died from an attack of diphtheria. Mr. Anderson brought the little fellow here for examination and treatment, but while the city hospital was being prepared for him he died. Burial was made in Greenwood cemetery Wednesday afternoon.
100 Years Ago
June 22, 1923
Frank Weaver stabbed his wife to death at Deadwood an hour after she had called the Alliance police on the telephone to inform them that Weaver was there. Weaver went to the rooming house where his wife was staying and they engaged in a heated altercation. He grabbed a knife and drove it into her heart. When she fell to the floor he drove the knife into her 29 times. That the fiendish act was premeditated was shown by notes found in Weaver’s pocket in which he had written to someone that he intended to kill his wife. He told Alliance men that he would order a “white box” one of these days because his wife had left him and refused to live with him.
95 Years Ago
June 22, 1928
Leola, 8-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Harris, was bruised and cut about the face and legs. It was found that several teeth were knocked out and an X-ray was to determine internal injuries. The little girl, with several companions, was in a crowd which had gathered at the street corner at Fourth street and Box Butte. It was said by witnesses she backed out of the crowd directly in front of an automobile driven by Junior Lucas, 17.
90 Years Ago
June 20, 1933
More than 50 diocesan priests are in Alliance this week and are holding a retreat at St. Agnes Academy. The priests are all from the Grand Island diocese of the Catholic church.
85 Years Ago
June 21, 1938
Parley Hyde, 62, chief of the volunteer fire department at Chadron for 15 years and former United States deputy marshal there, was injured fatally when the automobile in which he was riding with Ed Satterlee, Alliance deputy U. S. internal revenue collector, overturned four times on the highway three miles north of here about 8:30 p. m. Friday.
80 Years Ago
June 22, 1943
Each night of the week for the rest of the summer people of Alliance and vicinity will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful colored water display at the fountain in the city park at the corner of Tenth and Niobrara, next to the swimming pool. The fountain is turned on at dusk and the display continues until 11 each night.
75 Years Ago
June 22, 1948
County Attorney Wade Ellis said that he has been informed that Alliance boys have been riding bicycles the nine miles to Berea to buy fireworks. A service station operator in Berea has been selling the fireworks, Sheriff Dan Hoppes said, in violation of a state law.
70 Years Ago
June 20, 1953
A high wind, believed to be a small twister, Friday afternoon struck an area west of Hemingford with enough force to do considerable damage to small buildings. Bud Carrell and his son were planting potatoes and the son was blown off of the planter. The two took shelter on the ground by the side of the tractor and could feel it vibrate from the impact of the wind. Everett Roes watched as the twister picked up the roofs of two buildings and also moved the buildings 10 feet. Damage was also reported on the Allison Johnson place and the Harvey Worley ranch.
65 Years Ago
June 21, 1958
Pat Green of Alliance was named as the “Outstanding District Commander of Nebraska” at the recent convention of Nebraska Veterans of Foreign Wars, held in Scottsbluff. Green is commander of District 1. He has been active in all VFW affairs here and has served in many offices of the post including commander.
60 Years Ago
June 21. 1963
Three young men from Box Butte County have been inducted into the U. S. Army this week after volunteering for service, according to a report today from the Selective Service Office. The three are Lloyd G. Ditsch, son of Mrs. Agnes Ditsch of Marple route; Larry F. Burney, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Burney, Hemingford; and John Allan Moore, son of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Moore of 811 Platte Ave. They were inducted at Fort Logan, near Denver, and sent to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for basic training.
55 Years Ago
June 18, 1968
The top floor of the Western Hotel building located at 116 Box Butte has been partly removed by the City. Rex Hamburger Shop was endangered by a deteriorating wall of the building according to a city inspection. Old-timers cannot remember when the Western Hotel was not a part of the Alliance scene. An owner’s abstract shows various owners of the location since John S. Carman was the recorded owner on November 29, 1893.
50 Years Ago
June 21, 1973
The Leo A. Daly Company of Omaha, the planning, architecture and engineering firm recently employed by the Box Butte County Committee for a New Hospital, are in Alliance today and Friday making preliminary plans to assist the committee in building a new hospital facility for Alliance and the surrounding area.
45 Years Ago
June 21, 1978
The new officers of the Welcome Wagon Club of Alliance for 1978-79 are: Recording Secretary Mrs. Terry (Patsy) Melius, Second Vice President Mrs. Don (Shirley) Saner, Advisor Mrs. Dan (Eileen) West, President Mrs. Dennis (Lynne) Boll, Treasurer Mrs. Tom (Maureen) Percival, First Vice President Mrs. Charles (JoEllen) Schmit and Corresponding Secretary Mrs. Kenneth (Janet) Hofacker.
40 Years Ago
June 18, 1983
Alliance Area Fire/Emergency personnel lift Lou Jean McWilliams onto an ambulance cot from her vehicle which was in a collision on W. 3rd with a pickup driven by Jimmy R. Hornung, of Douglas, Neb. McWilliam’s head, neck and back are immobilized by an extrication device designed to prevent spinal injury.
35 Years Ago
June 20, 1988
It took the Box Butte County selection committee less than ten minutes Monday morning to appoint Casper (Cap) Brixius to a seat on the Box Butte Commissioners. The 2-1 vote was taken during an open meeting. County Attorney Ken Payne made a motion to appoint Brixius to the vacant seat with County Clerk Kathryn Hood seconding his motion.
30 Years Ago
June 21, 1993
A weekend Summer Solstice celebration and related activities centered around Nebraska’s Carhenge turned out to be a big success. About 50 people camped out at the site Saturday night and observed the sunrise during a Summer Solstice ceremony Sunday morning. The Summer Solstice is supposed to be the day of the year with the longest period of sunlight.
25 Years Ago
June 25, 1998
Patty Bell remodeled an empty building at Fifth and Box Butte in two weeks to house her Crystal Gardens Gift Shop, a business which she had operated in Hemingford for four years. Carpet was replaced, walls resurfaced and repainted, and the layout of the store was redesigned with the help of family members.
20 Years Ago
June 21, 2003
State Senator LeRoy Louden will review the Nebraska Legislature’s recent session and discuss issues he believes the Legislature will be facing in the future, during the Alliance Chamber of Commerce’s second Quarterly Business Luncheon for 2003, at noon Thursday, June 26, at the Alliance Country Club.
15 Years Ago
June 20, 2008
On May 16, District 25, better known as East Point School, celebrated 121 Years of education. Past and current students teachers and parents gathered to share a meal, watch a short program, and lower the flag for the last time. As of the end of the school year, East Point School – now an attendance center with School District 6 – will close, like the other former Class 1 schools in Box Butte County.
10 Years Ago
June 21, 2013
Thursday night at the Fountain Family Fun Night, kids and families participate in a water balloon toss. Kids later had fun soaking each other during a couple water balloon fights. The fountain was a big focus of the night, as attendees spent much time observing and playing around it, and posed with the Times-Herald mascot, Scoop, for pictures with the fountain background.
5 Years Ago
June 23, 2018
At 1:15 a.m. a fire tore through Vitalix, causing explosions and collapses, ultimately leveling the facility and causing millions of dollars of damage. One challenge the firefighters faced was a shortage of water at the location. Alliance Fire Department called for mutual aid from Hemingford Fire Department and Heart of the Hills Fire Department to help transport water to battle the blaze.