Let's turn the old dump into a bison reserve

When railroaders and merchants first came to the new town of McCook in the early 1880s, there was ample evidence that American Bison had populated this area in huge numbers in earlier times.

One of the most visible signs of the Bison's presence were the wallows which were evident for many years near what is now one of McCook's busier intersections: Norris Avenue and J Street.

I'm bringing up this historical tidbit to set the stage for a suggestion which I believe would be an appropriate mark of distinction for the McCook community, while also serving as a tourist attraction.

My idea is this: Let's create a small Bison preserve in the former packing plant-city dump area between Plains Equipment and Walmart Super Center.

I know we couldn't host many Bison there, but Darrell Meister tells me we could keep a few to show the world that McCook truly is the "Capital of the Buffalo Commons of America."

Yes, I realize, there are a lot of things to consider before we move forward with this idea. Number one, since we are very economy-minded out here in the Heartland of America, we will have to determine what it will cost us to acquire and care for a small group of Bison. And, equally important, we will have to make sure that the Bison -- and the people who view them -- are safe. That would require a tall, strong and rigid fence, through which the public could view the Bison but still know for sure that they are not in danger.

The idea is not without precedent. Several years back, we had fenced deer at Barnett Park, and -- as some of you will remember -- even a yak before he got to smelling too bad.

After nearly killing the American Bison off during America's western movement, we finally came to our senses and now have huge preserves in the U.S. and Canada, with large herds at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota; Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming; Blue Mountain State Park in Alberta; and Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan.

We're also grateful to men like Darrell Meister and Ted Turner, who have take it upon themselves to see that American Bison are protected and preserved.

Through the years, McCook has paid its respects to our Bison heritage, selecting the Bison as our school mascot and placing a beautifully authentic Bison sculpture in the middle of town on the front lawn of the Carnegie Library.

Let me know your thoughts, whether you are for or against having a Bison herd on the west edge of town. You may reach me by calling 737-7107 or by e-mailing me at geneomorris@yahoo.com. Or, stop me and say something when you see me wandering around town. As you've probably heard by now, I like to talk.