Pages of the Past

100 years ago, July 10, 1924

That rain of Monday last was welcomed by many folks, but also did a lot of damage, in that it caught so many farmers with their hay down. At the Montgomery Ranch, they had 120-acres of hay in the shock ready to start stacking.

Reports from Germania Bench are that the upper half of the bench was visited on Monday afternoon by a hail storm that did an immense amount of damage. Mr. B.C. Patterson, who was in yesterday morning, said he visited the bench on Tuesday and found grain is a total loss and farmers are cutting it for hay. Most of the bean crop is ruined and many chickens and turkeys were killed. The first hailstones were about an inch in diameter and many windows were broken. 

75 years ago, July 7, 1949

Harold N. Engel became the third president of the Basin Junior Chamber of Commerce Wednesday evening during installation proceedings conducted at the Assembly room of the Town of Basin building. Other officers installed include: W.O. Henderson, Hillard Irwin, R.W. Russell and K. Warren Brome. 

Wallace Tolman, who is spending the summer working with his brother, Verl, in Kane, spent his Fourth of July holiday visiting in Otto. 

Miss Charlotte Riedl, 17, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Riedl, farmers north of Basin, was hospitalized on Friday when she suffered injuries as her horse fell with her while crossing the highway. 

50 years ago, July 11, 1974

Lightening struck in Basin and Manderson Friday afternoon during an electrical storm. The water meter measuring the flow from Manderson’s well was struck and exploded, cutting the community’s water supply until repairs were made. The same afternoon, lightning struck a standpipe in the courthouse lawn, causing power to fail for a few seconds and burning out a number of fuses in various transformers about town. 

Patricia Faye Lopp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Lopp of Basin, received a Bachelor of Arts degree during recent ceremonies at Seattle University. 

The Big Horn County 4-H camp is scheduled for July 25, 26 and 27 at the Sheridan County 4-H Mountain Camp. Debbie Davis, of Basin, will serve as camp chairman. Directors include, Charlie Anderson, Nancy Jo Eckerdt, Shauna Williams and Barbara Rodriquez. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jim have taken the first steps toward the construction of their new home outside Basin. The modified a-frame dwelling will be located on a lot west of the Big Horn canal. 

25 years ago, July 4, 1999

The Basin Town Council approved a zoning designation for the future home of the First Baptist Church of Basin at its regular monthly meeting on Monday evening. The action allowed the council to subsequently approve the church’s building permit.

Hannah Irvine received the second place award in the Americanism Essay Contest. The award was announced at the department convention of the American Legion Auxiliary. Ellen Cummings is the Unit 29 Americanism Chairman. Department co-chairs are Cindy Nichelson and Donna Allen, both of Moorcroft. 

Correction: Kyle Tate’s name was inadvertently left our of the list of marching band participants in last week’s Pages of the Past.