Does anyone remember ‘Stringtown’ near McCook?

In 1904-1905 editions of the McCook Tribune there are columns entitled “ Items From Stringtown.” I’m going to share a few of the postings in hopes that someone, somewhere will tell me exactly where Stringtown was! It seems in my foggy memory that I knew once but the information has escaped me. Quite obviously, the names of the people involved and the references to schools and churches should help but your knowledge might actually add some interesting facts to use in another column such as why the community was called Stringtown.

November 25, 1904 McCook Tribune. “Dust is thick on the streets of Stringtown. Mr. & Mrs. Louis Suess recently visited at the home of Rudolph Podolski and family. W. M. Baumbauch and Henry Kisker have erected new brick homes-not “Nebraska Brick” but “brick brick”. Thanksgiving was celebrated by the German Lutheran Church. The sermon was Rev. Mueller’s farewell address.”

December 2, 1904 McCook Tribune. “Everything is lovely in Stringtown and the goose hangs high. Mrs. W. M. Neumann and Miss Emma were seen on the streets of Stringtown, Tuesday. School was closed in District No. 3, Thursday, for Thanksgiving. Attendance of school District No. 3 has been greatly increased since the closing of the German school.”

December 9, 1904 McCook Tribune. “A Seventh-day Advent school has been started at the residence of Mr. Newman, and a teacher has been obtained from Collegeview. Willie Wall finished fencing their place, Tuesday.”

December 16, 1904 McCook Tribune. “Advent school commenced Monday. Hari Meyers has bought a new truck wagon. W. P. Burns has just completed a new milk house. John Liebbrandt has just finished a new barn. It seems to be the style in Stringtown to butcher. August Bahr butchered a beef and 2 hogs Monday, and John Liebbrandt the same on Tuesday.”

December 23, 1904 McCook Tribune. “C. B. Hoag from Indianola was seen on the streets of Stringtown, Tuesday, with a cattle buyer. Ed Bey and Rienhard Podolski came home from Arapahoe, last Friday, where they have been picking corn. Willie and frank Duborko have returned from Arapahoe, where they have been shucking corn, to spend Xmas in Stringtown.”

January 20, 1905 McCook Tribune. “There was quite a heavy snow in Stringtown. The Ash Creek church is looking forward to the coming of a new minister in the near future. The roads are so slippery and rough that it is almost impossible to get from Stringtown to McCook. Willie Wall went over to School creek, Sunday.”

February 3, 1905 McCook Tribune. “ Frank Nothnagle returned from Omaha, yesterday. A son was born to John Bradling and wife, Thursday, January 26th. German school commenced, Monday. There was quite a heavy snow in Stringtown, this week; and still it snows. The ground hog will not see his shadow today.”

March 3, 1905 McCook Tribune. “Ed, Bey and Jake Leibbrandt are the proud possessors of new buggies. Look out girls. Hermann Reiners from Nebraska City has moved into the Andrews farm, he having purchased the same. John Bridling is building a new house and a number of out-buildings on his place south of the German church, and expects to occupy the same, this spring.”

March 10, 1905 McCook Tribune. “Willie Duborko has gone to work on the Byfield ranch. Mr. Jake Unger and Mrs. H. Snyder were united in marriage Tuesday at the Bondville Lutheran church. Rev. Ramelow officiating. The young folks of the neighborhood enjoyed a good time at the home of Rev. Ramelow and family, February 28th, it being the 18th birthday of their oldest son.”

After the March 10th column, I found no further reference to Stringtown in the Tribune. Perhaps they got a new person to cover the area who used another name for their column. It is interesting that they had not only a school for District 3, but also a Seventh-day Adventist school and if you noticed, a German school that was discontinued in 1904 and then reappears in 1905. A final note on the spelling of some of the names, I have copied them exactly as printed which in one case the last name was spelled differently even though it was the same family.

SWNGS library is not open at the moment nor are we having a February meeting. If March determines to “come in like a lamb”, we will resume our monthly meeting on March 6th at 1 PM plus our open library hours of 1-4 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our new location is at 322 Norris Ave, Rooms 2-7 on the second floor.