| Cottonwood
to celebrate 150th year in 2012, area history included
(History continued from last week) The time frame here is the 1980s. As most of you know, history repeats itself, not only on a day to day basis but year to year and even over 100-year periods. One will have memories of the same thing happening every few years. Most people in our area know that the cattle market, grain market, car market, etc., all have these cycles that occur in a somewhat dependable way. Many people use these cycles to buy or sell, plant or fallow, etc. As we look back on the last 150 years we see evidence of this repetition quite often. Because of this people in all kinds of business use a yearly, 3-year, or more average to estimate their income and plan for the future. This is especially true of farming and ranching. We’ve seen prices go way up then ball back so many times. Sure, some people are extremely lucky but, I like to think, most of the old timers that made it through “thick & thin” were prudent operators and learned from history when to buy and sell, plant or fallow. No one will deny the value of knowing your history. So many people have been involved in our lives and in our learning process—time and time again all of us tell of one of our teachers who had a special effect on us to help us along. Many of these people in this area came from St. Gertrude’s Convent as well as lay teachers from local families and elsewhere. This line of thinking opened a treasure chest of memories covering all 150 years of this history. We hear of most of these dedicated teachers over and over again. I find it very hard to write about these people for fear of leaving a deserving one out. Some of these people taught for 40 years or more. How could they not have an influence? With very few exceptions we are very fortunate to have had this bearing on our lives. We want to remember all our teachers and also some of the great community leaders who help guide us through some very complex problems. Tell your children about these people so they know of people who are there to help and guide and, please, not be forgotten. We remember now some of the functions we attended that were really great. Some of the 4th of July Celebrations at Greencreek. Some of the Buggy Whip s at Cottonwood with 12 to 15 hundred along Main Street. Also at this time we had really successful girls and boys from our high school both in academics and sports. Drag out your old yearbooks and think of the community pride these kids brought to town! Remember also the camping trailers our on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday—Mom, Dad and the kids our for the weekend down by the river or up in the hills. You all know from experience how much those times meant to the kids. You’ve heard them talk about it and drag out the pictures for lo these many years. Again, these traditions get started and now we see the 3rd and 4th generation doing the same thing. Somehow, in church when our people sing “How Great Thou Art” it sounds different than when we hear others sing it! Another things that went on during this time were the community benefit dinners. 3 to 4 hundred people united in support of a worthy cause. It seems like anytime there was a special dinner with a community benefit, the response was always good. People helping people who care about one another. Here it might be appropriate to mention that for 100 years, one family who ran a business during this time, acted as the middle man between those who could help and those who needed help. This alliance grew out of trust and caring for our own less fortunate. Especially a Christmas time people would bring a few dollars into the store with instructions “see this goes to people who need it.” This has been going on for all these years with mostly only the people involved knowing about it. This is our area and we are proud of it! Anyway in Sept. 1981, the much talked about high speed rail in Europe made its first run which will eventually spread all over the world. In May 1982 President Reagan opened the World’s Fair in Tennessee. Over 11 million people will attend over the next 6 months. The Falklands War is flaring up. In Feb. 1983 the final episode of M*A*S*H is aired. Also in 1983 the G.P.S. is made available for civilian use. What a great new tool this has become for all of us! This area of time sees Reagan sworn in for a second term. Think how these news items made a difference in your life-some not at all, others quite a bit. Even some of us got a chance to ride the train under and across the English Channel! This was planned and agreement reached between France and the United Kingdom in Jan. 1986. This is also the time of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. Immediately it causes us to recheck all our similar power plants. In Jan. 1989 George H.W. Bush took over the Presidency from Reagan. Also in Jan. 1989, Ted Bundy was executed for his string of murders. Pete rose loses his chance at the Hall of Fame in baseball for gambling. All the unrest over the Cold War keeps us all on edge. Then, in August, the Gulf War starts with Iraq invading Kuwait. After several threats and political pooping around we start to get ready to take Saddam to the whipping post. And it doesn’t take long. This then starts “why we really got in this mess to start with?” Whoa, wait a minute. History shows us Hitler was responsible for the death of over 10 or 12 million. Stalin was involved with the deaths of 20 million. Now, Saddam has been involved with the deaths of 6 or 7 million! How long does the rest of the world stand by and let this go on? How long do we stay out of the business of the rest of the world? These and many other things going on around us do cause discussion and concern. As we traveled through this time our horizons widened and world problems became part of our everyday life. 
Paul Bogli in his WWI uniform. The photo was taken in 1919. He was raised 2 miles NW of Cottonwood and mined for many years near Pine Bar on the Salmon River. 
This is the northern end of the building pictured in last week’s Chronicle that set where the Community Hall is today. 
Lee Rehder provided this photo of the Freight Service c1915-1916 owned and driven by ??? Hamlin. Lee’s uncle Haywood Shields is on top. (Anybody else reminded of the Beverly Hillibillies?) Remember When How many times have you heard your children say “I didn’t know that?” We all know that happens too often when it comes to our history. Sure, we all have our ups and downs but by and large we all should know of these and above all be proud of who and what we are! We all need to do our part to pass these memories along. If we do our kids will realize that “it’s nobody’s business but my own” must come to an end and it will become evident we all are in this life together and what we do affects family, friends and many others! Quoted from Sister Augustine Uhlenkott over her many years of teaching and loving the people of this area. Remember when… You didn’t need a pick to get pills out of a pack? Or a box cutter to get light bulbs? You didn’t need to keep needle-nose by the fridge to open milk? You weren’t too damn lazy to wind a watch? You didn’t have to have 3 or 4 newspapers for the news? You just stepped in someplace for a beer instead! You could tell how old someone was by the color or amount of hair? When you saw something with a “thing” sticking out from their ear you were sure they had a hearing problem? When you saw someone “sign” with their fingers it meant they needed a restroom? Deadline of March 10 set for story submissions At the Feb. 9 meeting of the 150-year committee a cutoff date of March 10, 2012, was set for the stories to be submitted. They don’t want to go any later than this if the book is to be in print by August. A couple of donations were noted with a former resident sending in $150 and Carl Schmidt donating $500 to the committee. Several others have also indicated donations to come. The personal stories estimate is closing in on the 500 mark. There will be an additional 50 stories on businesses and organizations. The committee will get estimates on 500-600 books for Vol. 1 and Vol. II plus a figure for possible reprints. As soon as the estimates are received a pre-sale of books will commence to build some capital to cover the expense of printing. It is the goal to sell the pair of books at one set price and if one wants just one of the two volumes that they would be slightly more than half the 2-volume set price. The committee felt if we can maintain reasonable pricing that the first printing will be by subscription. Sam Couch has offered use of a surplus scanner at the Museum for our use to get the stories printer-ready. The committee also decided to hold a cover design contest for Volume I and Volume II. This will be open to anyone in the Cottonwood, Greencreek, Ferdinand and Keuterville areas, young and old alike. Choosing the covers will be up to the committee. A closing date on this contest will be set at a later date and a cash award will be offered to the winning artists. Each cover will be 8½ by 11 (standard copier paper size) and fit the 150-year history theme for his area. Use your imaginations! This meeting was pretty active with about 20 people in attendance and covered a lot of ground. The next meeting will be in two weeks on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Library. Thanks to the library for hosting these meetings! Also congrats to coach Lori Mader and the Prairie Girls who are going to State! |
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