WAY BACK WHEN

by Hooker County Historical Society

Entry T105 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

1/4 Mile north of Mullen Grade School, road work
top of Bowers Hill 1915 L to R - Bill Weaver, E.P.
Ward, Hoyt Snyder, Arthur Isom, and Robert Evans

Yagadich Harness and Leather Shop. L-R: Steve Yagadich,
owner, Mary Edith (Sherman) Wiley, Rosebelle (Yagadich)
Gale, and Opal (Carter) Nielson, 1935.

R.C. Franke "Ole" on left, 2 Great Western Sugar
Beet Factory Officials, Rueben Nelson on seat

Water Wheel at Dufers on the Middle Loup River
north of Mullen

George Cleavenger Family 1910 The house where
presently Mrs. Jennie (Jube) Wright lives - 1988

Inside the 1910 Roseberry store. L-R - Charlie M. Barneby,
Eugene Spradling and T.L. (Roy) McCully, 1914.

Earl Gordon was the Mullen agent at the time of
this wreck. The yard in the foreground is that of
the Section House. Picture by Web Bowers.

The DeMerritt water wheel on the Middle Loup
River north of Mullen

Shave and a Haircut, two bits. Early Mullen -
Ronzo Barber Shop

Angora goats grazing in the Sandhills in 1909

Cement Blocks works 1910. L-R. T.L. McCully,
Frank Cleavenger and John Reeves

The Delicatessen, The "Del", owned by McNess -
Dietrich in 1917

Angora Goats were seen grazing peacefully
in the Sandhills in 1909.

There was a thriving business in 1910,
building cement blocks.

The George Cleavenger family lived in
what is presently Mrs. Jennie Wright's home,
in 1910.

The Roseberry building was built in 1910
which was destroyed by fire in November
1974. The photo shows the interior of this
store in 1914.

In 1915 construction was being made on
the road north of the Mullen Grade school.
Note the equipment in the photo.

Definite information concerning the old
fire bell and the siren could not be located
which would have been of great interest. The
village plan to erect the bell for the public to
view, as a Centennial project. An article in the
Hooker County Tribune (date not readable)
that the curfew would be put into effect as of
April 1922, which meant that all children
under the age of 16 must be off the streets and
home unless accompanied by their parents or
a guardian. The time set at first was 8:30 P.M.
which caused much discussion and dissatis-
faction. It seems later it was 9:00 O'Clock but
there's nothing available to verify the fact.
The siren and bell were mounted and located
north of the present Gorsuch apartments (old
Evergreen Hotel) .

John Ronzo was a barber that served the
public for many years. His shop had many
calendars and other posters and notices on
the walls. One that is readable in the picture
of the interior, No Loafing On Sat. which
might indicate the men probably congregated
on Saturdays to sit and "shoot the breeze"
which took up space for Mr. Ronzo's custom-
ers.

J.H. Underwood owned the first J.I. Case
threshing machine in Hooker County. The
machine was of course run by horsepower
with George R. Underwood as driver of the
horses. (Picture was not usable). George
received all his education in Hooker County.
The family built a house on their homestead
six miles southeast of Whitman, Nebraska.
Another point of interest that George passed
on was that the first Stanley Steamer in
Hooker County was owned by Frank Ma-
thew, a rancher.

There were water wheels located on the
Middle Loup River just north of Mullen. One
was the DeMerritt Water wheel and the other
was the one located at the Dufers on the river.

The delicatessen, the "Deli", owned by
McNess-Dietrich, moved from the Bank
Building across the street to the Hawley
building in 1917. Modern soda fountain and
"ice cream tables and chairs" were added.
(Presently Floyd and Marguerite Long's
Business.)

The interior of Steve Yagadich Harness
and Leather Shop was of interest to the
Freshman girls as well as anyone else visiting
it. This business was from about 1922 till in
the `40's.

R.C. Franke "Ole", as he was called,
patented an overshot loader in 1943. This was
used in North Platte Valley for the loading
of sugar beets.