“What is past is prologue.” 

Since 1886, The Lusk Herald has recorded the story of Niobrara County. Following are bits of that story. (All misprints and typos in this section are in keeping with the original printing.)

100 YEARS AGO –
February 10, 1922

The Grant highway, from Chicago to Portland and Seaside, the western terminus on the shores of the Pacific, has been carefully laid out after a rigid study of the topography of the country, with a view of avoiding deserts and high altitudes. Those who have been active in the promotion of improvement of this route assert that they have succeeded in finding a way on which motorists can travel with the assurance that they will be in easy reach of every modern convenience and on good roads all the way. In Illinois the paving is all to be of concrete, and work of the same sort is underway in Iowa. Nebraske contemplates a surfaced road and even now has a good earth road for most of the distance. The highway will follow the Northwestern railroad into Wyoming, and Lusk and all other thriving towns up to Lander will be along its course. From Lander the route will lead into the south entrance of Yellowstone Park, though if one wishes to go on west, he skirts the south line of the park, passes north of the Teton range directly to Aston, Idaho. 

The Chamber of Commerce held their usual weekly luncheon at the American Legion hall Tuesday noon, February 7^th. They voted to give a prize to the champion speller of school district No.1. They also promoted the Booster idea in getting people to attend the Pure Bred Hog Show at Keeline on Wednesday, February 8th. A big charity ball is being planned for the 25^th of this month, in which all organizations will be requested to have a booth, the proceeds of which will go to the welfare association. Anyone desiring information in regard to anything concerning the charity ball will kindly see William Jack. 

75 YEARS AGO –
February 13, 1947

Louis T. Larson, prominent rancher and resident of this community for the past 35-years, died suddenly of a heart attack at the Spencer Hospital about 4:30 Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 11. Having suffered a previous attack about ten days ago, Mr. Larson had been taken to the hospital where he was apparently recovering nicely when he suffered the second attack which claimed his life within a very short time. Mr. Larson was born in Norway 80 years ago and came to this country when a young boy. He settled in Minnesota at the town of Fosston where he married and Mr. and Mrs. Larson became the parents of six children. Mr. Larson came to Wyoming in 1912 and homesteaded on some land nine miles northeast of Lusk, which had built into a fine ranch and which was still his home. 

The long, interesting and colorful career of Frank W. DeCastro es ended. He died peacefully at his home in Lusk Monday evening, February 10, after an illness of several years. Mr. DeCastro was 88 years of age, and up until the last few years had been very active and mentally alert and his memory of the early days in Wyoming has added much to the historical data gathered by different persons in this section of the State in these later years. Many people, both north and south of Lusk, still remember Mr. DeCastro and his faithful ponies, when they carried the U. S. mail from Lusk to Torrington for som 18 years, and then for many years from Lusk to Cheyenne /river. He missed very few trips, making the long hard drive through good weather and bad, usually with a buckboard, but when the snow was too deep he went horseback. Later he moved his family to Lusk so that his children could attend school and he served as a peace officer for many years. 

The members of the Manville Young People’s Sunday School class will broadcast a program over Station KOLT of Scottsbluff, Neb., on Sunday, February 16. Mrs. Raleigh Reed is teacher of the class and three auto loads are expected to make the trip. The stations 132 on your radio dial and the program will be broadcast at 4:30 p.m. 

50 YEARS AGO –
February 10, 1972

With the coming of spring Mr. and Mrs. Bill Smith, owners of the Covered Wagon Motel, hope to have near completion a project they started with the purchase of the motel nearly ten years ago. Each fall the Smiths have remodeled and built new units, and this spring ten new units will be completed and the grounds landscaped. The units are being built indoors in sections by the Frontier Lumber Company, and as soon as weather permits the completion of the foundations the units will be erected. Five older units located at the west end of the present court are being torn down, and the new units extended on west to include all of the property west of the motel to Pine Street. 

“In scouting the ladder gets tougher as a boy climbs to the top and today we are here to honor Roger Lemons who has come to the top of that ladder,” said Bob Templeton, master of ceremony, at the Eagle Court of Honor Sunday afternoon. Presentation of the Eagle Badge was jointly shared by Scoutmaster Bob Volmer and Eagle Scout Bill Huey. Mr. Huey said, “I’ve worn the Eagles Badge only twelve years and in those twelve years I have been proud to say I am an Eagle. I covet it quite a bit – it is most significant in my life as I know it will be in yours.” Mr. Huey’s final remark was, “There is nothing else to be said, we will just watch Roger grow now.” Roger’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earnest Lemons hosted a reception in Roger’s honor following the honor court. Prior to the event a carry-in dinner was held. All the festivities were held in the basement of the Lutheran Church. 

25 YEARS AGO –
February 12, 1997

The week of Feb. 9 is Future Business Leaders of America week. To start of with on Monday, the mayor proclaimed that it is FBLA wee. Tuesday was Teacher Appreciation Day. Each teacher received a flower form the local FBLA Chapter. Wednesday the group will host a potato bar for the March of Dimes Walk America team captains. A guest speaker from Casper will address the group. On Thursday members of the executive council will go to the middle school to talk to the eighth graders about the purpose of FBLA and March of Dimes. On Friday, Valentine’s Day the students will hand out the “Heart Throbs” they have sold. 

From Alpha to Omega … the beginning to the end … the Royal Apartments’ new sign is an unusual work. Dan Ritter of Hat Creek purchased logging equipment from Royal Apartment owner Lee Campbell some time ago. He and Campbell selected and cut the tree from which Ritter carved the sign. The men were truly with the sign from its beginning to end. Ritter enjoys his custom woodworking business, and designs wooden signs for businesses, homes, ranches, and entrances with logos or brands if his customers desire. Ritter believes his business is unique because he turns raw product wood into a finished product. 

“If you don’t see it in The Herald it didn’t happen.”