130 Years Ago
May 11, 1894
Articles of incorporation were submitted and adopted by the irrigation association at a meeting last Friday evening. The capital stock is $5,000 and it will be incorporated under the name of the Box Butte Irrigation Association of Alliance.
125 Years Ago
May 12, 1899
The fifth annual session of the Northwest Nebraska stockmen was called to order in Masonic hall, Alliance at 2:10 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, May 9, by President A. S. Reed. Secretary VanBoskirk started the ball rolling by reciting the progress in this direction made by the association when considered at the last meeting. The Wyoming association had telegraphed at that time that they would give the Nebraska association the same inspection provided its members (at a cost of four cents per head of stock) for the sum of $800 per annum.
120 Years Ago
May 6, 1904
The majority of Alliance stores have resumed the practice of keeping open later in the evening. During the last six months or more they have been closed, with the exception of a few evenings, after seven o’clock. Opposition on the part of some merchants and the disintegration of the clerks’ union is given as the reason for the change.
115 Years Ago
May 7, 1909
The retiring city council convened Tuesday evening to conclude the affairs of Alliance under the old regime when the retiring mayor C. C. Smith transferred the reins of city government to F. W. Harris.
110 Years Ago
May 8, 1914
The two-year-old child of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Scott slipped a small iron nut over one of his fingers Thursday afternoon with the result that the digit swelled to an extent that it could not be removed. In their alarm the parents called a doctor but he informed that the services of a machinist were needed. The child was taken to the Alliance garage where the nut was filed off.
105 Years Ago
May 9, 1919
A whippet tank which has seen service on the front in France was used Wednesday afternoon to give the people of Alliance a demonstration of their use in the war. The machine was being transferred through Alliance and the local committee took advantage of a delay occasioned by a disordered car to run the tank around town. Ed. Reardon, a returned soldier who has had tank experience, was able to operate it efficiently and give Alliance people a glimpse of their usefulness. Only the direct hit of a large gun would be able to put it out of commission.
100 Years Ago
May 9, 1924
Do the people of Alliance really want lower school costs? That is the question that is puzzling R. E. Knight, newly elected member of the board of education, after hearing from scores of taxpayers, who, before the election, were shouting for lower costs and now register strong complaint whenever it is suggested to eliminate certain departments to bring about a reduction in operating costs.
95 Years Ago
May 7, 1929
Negotiations were completed yesterday whereby Hallard G. Tuttle and John L. Wehr acquired the interests of the Hall Motor Company, 313 West Third street, from A. B. Hall. The new company will continue to service Hudson and Essex cars and will be known as the Box Butte Motor Company.
90 Years Ago
May 8, 1934
District Judge Earl L. Meyer yesterday issued an order for the cancellation of the jury call for the spring term of court which opened this week and set over the docket for hearing at the fall term, which is to open on October 29. There was no need, the judge indicated, of putting the county to the expense of making use of a jury this time to hear the single case remaining after all four others had been removed for one reason or another.
85 Years Ago
May 9, 1939
A jury was selected and opening statements heard this morning in the $10,000 damage case of Davey Lee Underwood, through his father George W. Underwood, against Box Butte county, as the first trial case got under way in the regular session of district court with Judge E. L. Meyer on the bench. Attorney S. L. O’Brien, counsel for the plaintiff, asserted that he would attempt to prove that negligence of county officials was responsible for the car accident May 23, 1938, in which the Underwood lad, then 8 years old, suffered the loss of four permanent teeth, severe head injuries and nervous shock. The Underwood car sunk into the approach to the bridge over Snake creek on the airport road about 10 miles southwest of Alliance following floods and heavy rains.
80 Years Ago
May 9, 1944
Police records failed to list any robberies over the weekend and the culprit who has been breaking windows and rifling cash registers for a few cents in change gave the officers a much-needed rest. The returns were insufficient to justify the risk and the amateur robber has apparently taken more lucrative employment. At least the police hope so.
75 Years Ago
May 6, 1949
Alliance residents remember too well the storms of this winter and the muddy conditions of some streets. They want their streets paved and as a result the city will soon begin the legal machinery for more paving. Thursday night the council instructed City Manager Robert Laing to set up a new paving district.
70 Years Ago
May 8, 1954
The Buchfinck Addition, now in the process of being taken into the city limits of Alliance, was graded for streets and alleys Friday. Forty 80-foot lots have been staked out, bordered by curved streets that extend Black Hills and Colorado avenues and 11th, 12th and 13th streets. A few of the lots have been sold for new residences. The addition is at the northwest corner of the City.
65 Years Ago
May 8, 1959
Miss Jeanine Anderson, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Virgil A. Anderson, today received her assignment to Sweden for the coming year from the International Christian Youth Exchange Board. She is assigned to the home of Bertil Ljungqvist, Vaxjo, Sweden. The Ljungqvist daughter, Gunilla, is being assigned to the Rev. Anderson home here and will attend Alliance High School.
60 Years Ago
May 8, 1964
The Alliance Museum Board Thursday night elected Jim Girard as its new president and expressed belief that the new building for the Knight Museum would be ready in City Park for a dedication this September. A board member commented today that the revised plans called for a more artistic front for the Museum, which will face east toward Yellowstone Avenue on the north side of Ninth Street.
55 Years Ago
May 8, 1969
The third-highest Army battle field award, the Bronze Star, has been made to an Alliance soldier now serving in South Vietnam. The medal and a framed certificate and citation have been received by his wife, the former Gloria Hernandez, who lives here with their 5-month-old son. Raymond Jr. Pfc. West has not seen his young son. He still has about five months to serve in the war zone.
50 Years Ago
May 8, 1974
Peltz Construction Co. of Alliance will build a new 300 x 80 ft. vocational shop-warehouse for the Alliance City Schools at a cost of $165,852. It is planned to have the building ready for use by October. This was determined at a special meeting of the Alliance Board of Education Tuesday evening where Peltz was named as the building on the basis of a low revised bid.
45 Years Ago
May 8, 1979
District 6 voters were voting today on the $4,400,000 school bond issue. At noon there had been 722 votes cast in six of the wards. Only West Side Hall was lacking. Last year when the school bond issue was voted on there were 639 votes cast by noon.
40 Years Ago
May 8, 1984
A consultant from the State Department of Education urged parents, teachers and other Alliance residents during a public meeting to “open the windows” for children. Sheila Brown, Consultant on the Talented and Gifted, talked about providing opportunities to students who are considered gifted, either because of IQ, leadership qualities, academic achievement, creativity or special talents.
35 Years Ago
May 8, 1989
Julie Kunzman, of Alliance, was elected president of the Local Presidents Association for the Nebraska Jaycees during their annual meeting here. Miss Kunzman is the past president of the Alliance Jaycees and teaches at St. Agnes Academy.
30 Years Ago
May 6, 1994
The Alliance City Council has begun deliberations on the proposed city budget for fiscal year 1994-95. The proposed budget, as drafted by interim city manager Al Thelen and city staff, totals $13,896,622, up from $12,808,268 in fiscal year 1993-94, an increase of $988,354.
25 Years Ago
May 7, 1999
Although Alliance’s City Council rejected a proposal from Clarus Corporation to conduct a sales-tax survey by a 3-2 vote—with Councilwomen Donna Hagen and Mayor Dan Kusek dissented providing the minority vote—during their regular meeting Thursday evening, the council voiced support for a sales-tax plan outlined by City Manager Tom Palmer.
20 Years Ago
May 7, 2004
The Conditional Use Permit for a group home and office use in the 300 block of Big Horn Ave. was approved in a three to one vote at last night’s Alliance City Council meeting. Member Kevin Dahlstedt cast the lone dissenting vote. After the meeting he stated that he did not approve of a house being used for an office in residential zoning unless the homeowner occupied the home.
15 Years Ago
May 8, 2009
The Alliance City Council approved the site for the community gardens at last night’s City Council meeting. They will be located at Lots 12, 13 and 14, Block 10, Lakefield Addition. These are vacant lots that are owned by the city.
10 Years Ago
May 8, 2014
The Alliance Area Family YMCA has recently announced Megan Spargo as the facility’s new executive director.
5 Years Ago
May 8, 2019
In an attempt to better address the needs of students at the Alternative School, the Alliance School Board approved a configuration change in an effort to prepare students for life after graduation. Superintendent Dr. Troy Unzicker said the changes come about as a result of much discussion among officials.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by staff.