The power of print and the Internet

If you remember in March I wrote about the Enright family and our search to return family photos and memorabilia to them. Now, 6 months later, I had not one, but two responses to that column. One was from Tim Garry, Jr., who just happened to be the great-nephew of Col. (Rev) Neil F. Enright, O.M.I., or as Tim knew him, “Uncle Bud”.

Neil’s sister, Alice, was the young woman pictured in a nursing cap. She trained in Denver to be an RN and consequently married Francis Garry. They moved several times (never to McCook after her graduation from High School) and ended up in Ohio which is where Tim’s father returned after gaining his law degree. Long story short, I am sending their family items on this week and am so glad to do it!

That leaves one mystery still unsolved; the bible rescued that belonged to the Augustus Sabin family. Hopefully the power of the printed word and internet searches will help get this precious treasure back to that family.

I picked up the 1965 McCook directory to do some research and then was just fascinated by the businesses abounding in McCook at that time. We always shopped in McCook, but ’65 is when we actually moved here which made this a journey down memory lane.

Here though are some I only vaguely remember: Travel Trailer Center, 812 East B Street, Glen P. Rainey; Benton’s Empire Center, 520 West B Street, William D. Benton; Gibson Hotel, 101 Norris Avenue, Ray and Irene Gibson; Serv-A-Set TV, 210 East 1st, F. D. McCune; Downtown Motel, 511 West B Street, Don and Mary Poore; McCook Auto Camp, 210 Federal Avenue, Rex McCarty; Murry’s Self-service Shoe Store, 106 West C Street, R. Jas Murry; Jack and Pete’s Worm Hatchery, 907 West B Street, John P. Scheidt; Harry’s Apco Service, 502 East B Street, Harry Vacek; Little Casino (Café) 114A West B Street, Mrs. Ann Russell mgr.; Six and Thirty Four Club, 406 West B Street, Glen Cappel and Adair Myers.

What I did find to be uplifting is the many businesses that have weathered the storm and remain, albeit under different ownership and new locations for some, a vital part of our community. I know I will miss some, and I apologize in advance: Swanson Signs, McCook National Bank, Barnett Lumber, Modern Cleaners, Doak Construction, The Bottle Shop, Klein’s Motor & Electric, Goltl Plastering, Carpenter Funeral Home, Herrmann Funeral Home, D & S, Blake’s Conoco, Anderson Motors & Hormel Chevrolet, Chief Motel, Macs Drive Inn, Babe’s Radiator, Sarge’s Bar, Kugler’s, McCook Beauty Academy, Lyons & Woods, attorneys, Tri-State Livestock, McCook Equity Exchange, Eagles Club, McCook Clinic, McCook Eye Clinic, KBRL and KWRV, McCook Floor Covering and of course, the McCook Gazette. As I said, some are under different names, many in different locations, but they are still here and we appreciate having them stick with Southwest Nebraska!

Membership in SW Nebraska Genealogical Society is a valuable part of tracking your ancestors not only in Red Willow County but also the tristate region of SW Nebraska, NW Kansas and NE Colorado that I often think should be a state of its own. If you are interested in joining, our open library hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-4 PM, 110 West C Street, Suite M-3. Come take a trip through our library and get help with your genealogical or DNA research.