Pages of the Past

100 years ago

December 3, 1925

Mrs. Mark Brown, who came down from Shell on Monday, brought with her some pansies and strawberry blossoms which she had picked that morning in the yard of her mother, Mrs. Lura McCracken. They have no snow at Shell at this time and are enjoying normal Big Horn Basin weather. 

Since it is illegal to kill an elk in the Big Horns, Wes Mortimer urges that we correct the story that he killed one up there last week. Wes got a deer and the error is ours. 

Despite the fact that we made note of it, we overlooked the item of the shipment of the first carload of pickles out of Basin. This car was shipped east by the Heinz company from its salting station in Basin. 

Byrl Perkins and Harry Perkins were brought into court before Judge Percy W. Metz last week on a charge of killing a beef that did not belong to them. The complaint was made by Gene Preator. Both pled guilty. While the judge has not sentenced either of them, he has expressed a determination to send Harry, aged 20, to the State Industrial School at Worland and Byrl, aged 31, to the intermediate prison for a term not determined yet.

75 years ago

November 30 1950

Sheriff and Mrs. Don C. Parkin have announced the engagement of their daughter, Ethel, to Robert Akin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Akin of Basin. The wedding will take place late in December. 

The search into the origin of a phenol substance which has been blamed for a highly disagreeable phenol-chlorine taste in Basin’s water supply for the last three weeks took a new turn Tuesday with the arrival of an investigator from the state public health department. 

50 years ago

December 4, 1975

Heavy snow whipped by winds and followed by bitter sub-zero cold made travel conditions hazardous in many parts of the Big Horn Basin and throughout Wyoming during the Thanksgiving holidays. Winds swept some sections of highway clear of snow while others drifted deep where shelter belts and banks blocked the wind. County road crews worked throughout the holidays including Thanksgiving day itself, to keep county roads and lanes clear. When they returned to work Monday morning to widen traffic lanes already cleared, it marked the eighth continuous day of operations. 

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Mercer, Debbie and Douglas, of Cushman, Mont. and Shelley Mercer of Powell have been guests of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Mercer. Margaret Michelena of Shell has also been visiting with the Mercers. 

25 years ago

November 30, 2000

Riverside High School students Petsy Crosby, Valli Gamble, Tim Hagemeister, Cole Hartman, Jessica Holloway, Dan Kost Jr., Tawny Miller, Chad Schell, Lisa Frame, Weston Graham, Teri Harrison, Rowan Hartman, Daniel Hull, Ashley LaBudda, Alexander Nauman and Leanna Stanley have been selected for inclusion in the 34th annual edition of “Who’s Who Among American High School Students.” 

A Hyattville woman lost her life last week when fire destroyed her home. Dorothy Wieland, 79, of Hyattville, died when her house located about 5 miles west of Hyattville, burned last Wednesday night. Death was attributed to smoke inhalation, according to Coroner Del Atwood.