Magic City

Today, I'm going to take you back -- way back -- to McCook's first few years as a frisky Frontier City.

The years were 1882, 1883 and 1884. Those times were exciting -- sometimes ever rough and rowdy -- because the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad had just given this brand-new city an unbelievably important gift.

"This spot," the CB&Q's leaders decided, "is going to be the new division point on the Burlington & Missouri Line."

Their decision made sense, because, luckily, this location was almost exactly half-way between Omaha and Denver, which were and are the largest cities on the railroad's mid-America route.

As the division point -- and, thus, a change place for railroad crews -- McCook quickly grew, with first hundreds, and then thousands of people coming to work for the railroad and, equally important, setting up businesses to serve the shopping and supply needs of the new town.

Showing the "boom town" aspect of the quick growth of the city, the first editor of McCook's first newspaper, J.P. Israel, admonished readers to "insure your life before you come to McCook as the rush is so great you may get crushed."

It's easy to see why he felt that way. There was a scramble, an almost mad rush to McCook by men motivated by a desire for making a fast buck.

As the days turned into months, and the months turned into years, observers from near and far were describing McCook as the "magical city of the west."

I loved that description. And, as I sit here in a modern, computer-equipped newspaper office 133 years later, my fantasies fly back to those long ago days, when young men and women with passion and hope were founding and forming our town, taking the first jobs, building the first houses, starting the first churches and businesses, and meeting-and-greeting the other folks who were deciding -- simultaneously -- to make this their home, too.

As some of you may remember, Red and Betty Hiatt joined Barbara and me a quarter of a century ago in starting an antique business on the southwestern corner of the West First and West C Street intersection.

At my urging, we called it "Magic City Mall." As we became busy with other responsibilities and started facing health challenges, it became necessary for the Hiatts and Morrises to close out Magic City Mall.

I hated that. To me, being "The Magic City" is an integral part of McCook's identity. In some form, I would like to see the "Magic City" legacy live on ... hopefully in a respectful, symbolic way.

Any ideas? Do not text ... I do not know how, but get hold of me some other way, such as by phone (308-340-5972); e-mail (adsales4@mccookgazette.com); or regular mail: Gene O. Morris, % McCook Gazette, Box 1208, McCook, NE 69001.

Let's make some new magic ... this old town still has spring in its step and joy in its heart.