A last look at McCook through the eyes of A. Barnett

Before we start on the last segment of A. Barnett’s memoirs, a reminder that this weekend is Buffalo Commons weekend. Artists will be featured throughout the three days and there are events that are free if you left your money at the gas pump this week.

“The first passenger train went through from Denver the night of July 3, 1882 and everybody in the country was at the Station to see it. I think the station was not completed. The first through train was of great importance to us all. It came along about 9 o’clock and some wondered whether any passengers could get off or not. Some one said if any one did get off we were to show them to the hotels. When the train came we were surprised to hear one of our gang yell out (I can’t remember who) ‘right this way for they all go hungry hotel’, and he meant Homer Colvins and Bill Irwan who boarded at the shed boarding house they had just put up; yelled for it and he gave it the name of ‘the last chance’. This created a great deal of laughter and put every body in a good humor for the Fourth of July Celebration the next day.”

“Mr. Nettleton had been the Main Man in erecting a small Congregational Church, built where the present one now stands. A bowery was built along the north side of the church and those who wanted to dance went out to the bowery and those who did not or were too tired sat inside the church and watched through the windows. We have had many Fourth of July celebrations since then but in one respect that beats them all. The boys and girls from the ranches came and had such good times. I never will forget one young fellow there by the name of Davis, he would not dance in his shirt sleeves and he wore a heavy winter coat. They danced square dances altogether and he never missed a set. The dance began about two o’clock and about four the sun streamed in from the west and the sweat steamed off Davis by the buckets full, but every set found him at it.”

“A first he danced with the married women but they could not stand his speed. The caller called changes when it was mostly swing and that was Davis’s long suit. He always swung until the caller announced the next figure and that gave him from two to six circles with his partner and when dancing with the girls he always ‘waisted’ them, as we used to call it when I went to dances, and with the heavy plow shoes that he wore and that winter coat, along toward the last when the caller called ‘swing’ his feet hardly left he floor but he bowed his back and with that persistent underhold that he got, and with a big red handkerchief that was as wet as a sponge, the perspiration running down his cheeks and neck and even dripping off his fingers, and that self-satisfied never let go look on his face he told hold for the swing..left an impression on me I have not gotten over yet. I some times long for that happy Fourth of July and I know Davis does too if he is still alive.”

“McCook forged ahead until the strike and then came the hard times. As I look at it now it does not seem possible that any of our people ever needed aid. For two years of our history, the almost total failure of crops and the general hard times so completely cut off our resources that there was practically famine. But as one extreme follows another we are again prosperous and are yet in our infancy. Twenty-four years in the lifetime of a town only puts it out of the cradle and we can be pardoned for thinking our city has a prosperous and expansive future.”

“From a financial standpoint many of our citizens have been prosperous. They have shown confidence in our city by their improvements and increased investments. Yes our business people are hardly up to the city’s needs in the way of commercial requirements. There is trade that should be held here that goes away, and there is business that could be brought here that we do not get. We should keep in mind that we have competition.” A. Barnett

Times have not really changed that much now have they? There is always going to be competition for the money that we spend and quite obviously, the internet brings a prospective to that A. Barnett never dreamed of.

SWNGS library is currently open 1-4 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are located in Suite2-7 on the second floor of the beautiful Temple building, 322 Norris Ave.