Seward History

Seward had a Brick Yard for many years on South Columbia, about 5 or 6 blocks south of Seward Street. It operated primarily for the first third of the 20th Century. My Dad worked there for a short time when I was 5 or 6 years old and remember his showing me the inside of a kiln. It was a scary sight. A fire led to its demise during the '30's. The smokestack picture was taken in the '20's when Elaine's Grandparents, Charles and Anna Koch, lived on South Columbia across the street from the Brick Yard. (Lower right in the picture). She recalls hearing her folks tell of having taken this picture of a workmen doing repair work on the smokestack. He had a camera with him and took the following picture showing the Grandparents house as well as the old Seward City Mill, the Dam on the Blue River  and the little RR Water Tower near the Depot as well as several houses which are still occupied. The story had a tragic ending with the workman falling off the smokestack to his death. While this all happened back in the early 20's, the little RR Water Tower met its demise this past week when it was demolished. It had been used to store Agricultural Chemicals after the days of the Steam Engines. Some of us thought it would have made a great "Welcome to Seward" icon but that was not to be. The intersection shown is 1st and River Street looking west with the little Water Tower on the right side of the river near the top of the picture. 

Old Magazines and Today's Social Media

I bought several old Nebraska Farmer Magazines at an Auction here in Seward a few years ago and felt they may sell on eBay. The are from the '40's and '50's which is during an era when I was aware of many of the events, places and people referred to in the stories. This particular issue tells of Presidential Candidate Wendell Wilkie having a meal at the Herman Ebers farm here in Seward County. The guests included several neighbors and State Senator Stan Matzke. I knew most of them from my early days with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. This afternoon I did some checking on items that I've set aside as potential eBay items and checked to see if such items were currently listed. This is a good way of seeing the price range of such items but also the cost of mailing. I found many items similar to mine already listed with a wide variety of prices but most of them were in the "Buy it Now" category. I have always used the "Auction" category to get the benefit of the bidding but it looked like the interest on many of these items from the mid-20th century have lost much of the appeal they had a few years ago. Might it be that buyers were those people who lived during the time these items represent but have since passed on. It prompts the bigger question of "what constitutes value to individuals?" Might it be that social media and Google in particular helps us to find any information we may desire without having to buy an old Nebraska Farmer to read about Herman Ebers entertaining Wendell Wilkie

An Old Man's Old Car

This is our '92 Buick La Sabre which we bought new from Rolfsmeier's here in Seward on March 27, 1992 for $18,342. It has served us well over these past 22 years and continues to do so. It is still in excellent condition (for its age and 155,610 miles) but beginning to require expensive maintenance. While I have always maintained a record of all expenses, including gas, the cost/mile is increasing. In 2012 we spent $212,83 on it, in addition to gas. In 2013 it was $414.48. We have already spent $290.96 this year and today, we had to make a decision of some $440.00 on a new set of tires. These are not easy decisions. While we don't drive it many miles, it is my transportation 6 days a week so that Elaine always has our '02 available. There is some similarity between such decisions on an old car with what I also went through today at the Dental Office. Maintenance is important and necessary. We ordered the new tires and had our teeth fixed. Part of the justification on the car is that taxes are minimal as is the liability insurance. Depreciation has long since been capitalized and who knows, maybe in a few years it will be in demand as a "classic". And, I didn't even mention all the happy memories it holds plus, I like it. Now if I can rationalize my personal maintenance, other than my Federal Annuity being for life. 

Armistice Day Blizzards

While the Polar Vortex that swooped down through central United States yesterday and brought snow and winter temperatures to a large part of the Country, it had a precedent. The Armistice Day Blizzard of 1940 dropped over 20 inches of snow in MN and several inches in our area of Nebraska.  That storm resulted in the loss of nearly 50 lives in the Midwest. I had started keeping a 5-year Diary on my 15th birthday in June of that year. And I noted on 11/11/1940 as follows: "Armistice Day. Having a regular Blizzard. Drifting. John Trouba, Bill Vanis, Adolph and Hattie Walla were here trying to get to Seward". I had noted the rain we received the preceding 2 days and that  "it was sleeting as I went to bed" on the 10th.  Reading that old Diary is a bit depressing but a reminder of how much progress we have made in our standard of living. We were husking corn by hand and I stayed out of school frequently to help so we could get done by November 30. We spent a lot of time cutting wood which we used to heat our house and fuel the cook stove. We take so many things for granted today for which we need to be thankful. 

Dedication of the Kiwanis Flag Project.

Newly re-elected Seward Mayor Eickmeier is shown here welcoming the crowd and expressing his appreciation to the Kiwanis Club for completing the Flag Project. Marv Taylor (standing behind the Mayor) was the MC for the Dedication event and Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale (to the right) was the main speaker. Marv has been the Chief Architect of the project and led a dedicated group of volunteer Kiwanians to get the project completed ahead of schedule without any tax dollars. Marv was the one that brought the idea of the Club selling and installing flagpoles and flags some years ago resulting in over 700 having been installed. The project is in an ideal location at the eastern outskirts of the City along highway #34 which connects us to Lincoln 25 miles away. 

This is how the Flags looked this afternoon after the Dedication had taken place. The 50 State Flags are placed in alphabetical order. Each of them as well as the United States and Service Flags have been paid for and adopted by individuals or organizations. The donor's name and the State are listed on a plate attached to the pole. The State Flags will not be lighted but the others will and are expected to stay up. Landscaping and grass seeding will need to be delayed until next spring as will a connecting path to the nearby City Hiker-Biker trail. The Flag Project is a Great addition to the 4th of July City. Thanks Marv for your Leadership and to all the Volunteers and Contributors who have make it possible. 

Washington, D. C. in the early '60's

With the elections last week bringing many new people to Washington, D.C. it is interesting to reflect on our transfer into the City 50  years ago. We went in with the expectation of being back out after a few years and stayed for 18. Many politicians probably do about the opposite. Working as a Civil Service employee with the Soil Conservation Service, (Now the Natural Resource Conservation Service) in USDA was a much different experience than being an elected politician. As I advanced in my career and grade level, my job took me into much closer contact with elected people. I personally found most of them very capable and reasonable to work with. Their public persona was often much different than their private life,  but they were always concerned about being reelected, especially those in the House of Representatives. The biggest challenge was often having to "train" the newly appointed Administrative Assistants within the USDA that came in with changes of Administrations. Fortunately, the conservation of our Soil and Water Natural Resources and their use on a Sustainability Basis was a pretty easy sell. 

Model Tractors

I started collecting Ertl Model 1/16 size tractors about 30 years ago. My brother Don, an Auctioneer, had a great collection and I got "hooked". I haven't added to my collection since buying 2 or 3 at an auction where Don sold his. I am now at the point of being ready to sell mine.  My first step is to take a picture of the 60-70 that we have. The attached picture of the '37 John Deere G is an example. The detail of these models is very good and they are most appealing to those of us who have memories of having driven them at some time. My favorite is a 1944 Model A John Deere which we had when I was a kid. I have a model of that tractor and may just keep it for "old times sake". We also owned a 1956 Model 720 Diesel tractor and will keep the model of it. Most are still in their original boxes and we have the boxes for the balance of them. It will be like playing with them to get them all "dusted", pictured, boxed up and ready to sell.  I may even try Craig's list and Seward Swap. The postage is always a factor on eBay.