130 Years Ago
June 26, 1896
J. H. Conover dropped in this morning to inform us that an enormously big boy had arrived at his house last evening.
125 Years Ago
June 28, 1901
Walter O’Barnes does not take a back seat for any of them, and don’t you forget it. A big ten-pound boy arrived at his house Sunday night. Since then our friend Barnes has been so jubilant it is quite probable he will not get through celebrating until after the Fourth. There are evidences already that the boy will make a smarter man than his father – and that is saying a good deal.
120 Years Ago
June 29, 1906
The Alliance depot is receiving the finishing touches at the hands of the painters, the plasterers and carpenters having about finished the interior, while the paint and oil artists are giving the outside a complete bath of Burlington red.
115 Years Ago
June 30, 1911
Regarding the discharging of fire arms, fire crackers, torpedoes, or other fireworks of any description on the main streets of Alliance, known as Box Butte Avenue and Third Street. At a meeting of the Alliance City Council, the Mayor approved an order prohibiting the firing of the above mentioned articles on the above named streets, commencing on date of June 25, 1911.
110 Years Ago
June 30, 1916
Hans Jaggers lost a valuable horse this week from a new and baffling complaint. Veterinarians claim that the animals have been poisoned from a fermentation arising from eating dried hay and green grass. The animal suffers from blind staggers similar to that of chronic indigestion when the blood rushes to the head.
105 Years Ago
July 1, 1921
The Alliance Country Club, conceded to be the best club house in the west, will be formally opened to the members at a big celebration to be held there July 4. A golf tournament, motor boating, water sports, dancing and fireworks will make up the program for the day.
100 Years Ago
June 29, 1926
A. Tillier of Glen, Neb., accepted all the responsibility for the eight gallons of moonshine confiscated by the officers last Thursday morning just as the car was about to enter the city. W. L. Carroll, local blacksmith, and W. L. Smith, cream station dealer, were merely taking a “buggy ride” at his invitation and had no knowledge of the liquor, Tillier said.
95 Years Ago
July 3, 1931
Over a half million dollars in reparations as he result of alleged discriminatory and excessive freight rate on gasoline and other petroleum products shipped from Kansas ad Oklahoma is asked by the oil men of many cities and towns in western Nebraska. Alliance gasoline and oil dealers are taking an active part in a case before the interstate commerce commission at Washington, D. C.
90 Years Ago
June 26, 1936
In shiny new cars and in battered old wrecks – a few hitchhikers among them – were coming professional rodeo cowboys from all corners of the cattle country today to take part in the opening program tomorrow of the three-day Panhandle Stampede.
85 Years Ago
June 27, 1941
Full organization of Alliance unit of United Service Organizations for National Defense, Inc., was effected Wednesday evening and plans perfected to launch the rapid drive for $1,000 Tuesday morning, July 1.
80 Years Ago
June 28, 1946
Early next week the Northwest Bell Telephone Co. will begin distribution in this area of the new telephone directory dated July 1. New to Alliance and this trade territory is the yellow classified directory at the back of the book. There are 30 pages in this section. The telephone directory has 16 pages.
75 Years Ago
June 29, 1951
The goose, that disappeared from the city park, and it was thought ended up the victim of a dog, has been traced and a dog was not to blame, according to an observer. Seems the goose was seen strolling up Grand Avenue early one morning, sashayed across Third Street, down Grand to Bower Park, into the drainage ditch, and was last seen floating gently south-eastward on the creek.
70 Years Ago
June 28, 1956
Virgil Gates reported to police early this morning that a number of items were stolen from him at a local motel last night or early his morning. Gates reported that he picked up a hitchhiker en route to the city and got the man a room in a local motel with him. Sometime during the night, Gates said, the man arose and made off with Gates’ aluminum suitcase, clothes, glasses, a radio and $18 in cash.
65 Years Ago
June 30, 1961
The Conditioned Air Corporation of Des Moines, Ia., has been awarded the contract for renovating the Alliance Post Office and will start work on the 300-day project July 15. During the year’s construction period, the Post Office will be temporarily located in the Reddish Building, 202-204 Box Butte Avenue.
60 Years Ago
June 30, 1966
A series of programs to be used over the Nebraska Educational network dealing with Nebraska’s heritage will be filmed in the Alliance area. In these programs Dr. Robert N. Manley of Scottsbluff will develop a series of educational experiences for school children in an effort to help them to understand, appreciate and accept the heritage in the land they have around them.
55 Years Ago
June 29, 1971
In recent months several people have been found guilty of fraudulently purchasing Federal Food Stamps in Box Butte County. These cases have been due either to fraud or misrepresentation of income or resources, reports Dave Ashley, County Welfare director.
50 Years Ago
June 28, 1976
A portion of the Alliance electric power load has been placed on the city’s new substation on the west edge of Alliance following the successful testing and energizing of the substation last week.
45 Years Ago
June 22, 1981
Alliance’s hard-working and enthusiastic Chamber of Commerce executive, John Wilken, was given a “We think you’re great” party Friday evening as a token of appreciation. Gifts he received included a key to the city from Mayor Mike Garwood, and a parking meter from Councilman Tony Yeager.
40 Years Ago
June 23, 1986
More than 125 people were on hand Sunday afternoon for the dedication ceremonies of the Cattle Capital Country Community Center Inc,. (5 C’s) located one mile south of Alliance on U.S. Highway 385.
35 Years Ago
June 29, 1991
At about 1 a.m. Thursday a tornado slammed into a farmstead owned by Darlene Jacobs, 10 miles west of Alliance on 10th Street, smashing an old barn. Tornadic winds drove the broken boards at right angles into the end of a mobile home on Mrs. Jacobs’ farm, and moved it. The mobile home was occupied by Larry and Vickie Grimes and sons, Clayton Jacobs, Casey and Bryan Grimes.
30 Years Ago
June 28, 1996
Lianne Tauzon has traveled halfway around the world to practice physical therapy at Box Butte General Hospital. Ms. Tauzon is from Malaybalay in the Philippines and has a bachelor of science degree in physical therapy. This is her first visit to the United States and she is enjoying her stay in the Alliance area.
25 Years Ago
June 29, 2001
The first-ever Heritage Days Hunt will begin Monday, July 16, when the first clue to the location of a hidden railroad spike will be published in the Allilance Times-Herald. The person who finds the official Heritage Days railroad spike will win $300 if they have purchased an official Heritage Days button. Otherwise, they will win $150.
20 Years Ago
June 26, 2006
The empty brick shell at the intersection of Third and Cody that formerly was home to Hardee’s has a new owner, and with him will come a new choice for where Alliance residents can eat their lunches and dinners.
15 Years Ago
June 27, 2011
The next step in downtown street renovation is set to conclude just before the annual Heritage Days celebration. Removal of the center islands in the 300 block of Box Butte Avenue and will be closed to thru traffic while street crews remove the islands and resurface the area with concrete and brick overlay.
10 Years Ago
June 29, 2016
The Nebraska State Patrol conducted checks of underage tobacco retail compliance as part of the Tobacco Free in the Panhandles comprehensive plan to keep youth from starting to use tobacco products. Officers, with assistance of youth under the age of 18, checked 50 convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores. Of the 50 establishments, 46 did not sell tobacco to the underage person.
5 Years Ago
June 30, 2021
Monday morning, Governor Pete Ricketts held a press conference to announce the end of Nebraska’s coronavirus state of emergency. The Governor issued the state of emergency declaration on March 13, 2020. It will officially end at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, June 30, 2021.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher