"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 – April 4, 1919

• Telephone Company Making Improvements-The telephone company have a large gang of men at work putting up messenger wire for the new cable that will soon be installed. Earnest Heiser, who has been in charge of the local office during the absence of Otto Fuerst has gone back to Chadron. “Red” Smith, youthful telephone expert, has been promoted to “head flunky.”
• Big Hotel On North Side-The Lusk Development and Improvement Company will soon start on the construction of the new California Bungalow hotel, which will be erected in the Tom Bell addition to Lusk, which lies North of the railroad tracks. The new hotel will be on the North bank of Running Water, facing Main Street on the west.

75 YEARS AGO-April 6, 1944

• Cars Must Carry New License Plates-With Tuesday, April 4th as the deadline that motorists might carry 1943 license plates in Niobrara County, officers are beginning this week with a thorough check of all cars. The new plate must be placed on the rear of the vehicle and the front 1943 plate must be taken off.
• Niobrara Looks Forward to Soldiers’ Return- In spite of the fact that Niobrara county’s population is the lowest since before the Lance Creek oil boom of 1919 and 1920, the county looks forward to the post-war period with considerable optimism, confident that its ranches and farms, its oil fields and other industry will provide a good living for those who long to return to the plains. Niobrara is especially eager to make room for the estimated 500 men and women now in the service, and looks forward to the day when those who have married in Australia, in England, or taken a spouse from other states in the union, will return here to make their home.

50 YEARS AGO-April 3, 1969

• Highly Successful Hospital Auxiliary Pancake Supper-Friday evening some 375 adults and 50 children were served pancakes at the Hospital Auxiliary sponsored pancake supper. The women worked long and hard, but their efforts paid off. The event was responsible for raising approximately $375.00. The money will go toward the purchase of a Bovey machine which is used in connection with surgery.
• Spring Here Means Lambs-When spring comes so do lambs. Actually the lambs rush the season a bit like these Suffolks at Noal Larson’s Whale Ranch East of Lusk. For the most part these are January lambs. Recently born lambs and calves can now be seen throughout the west.

25 YEARS AGO-April 6, 1994

• Hospital Happenings-Dr. Jim Hawley and his wife, Liza, and daughter, Heather, were in town last weekend for an interview. The people, schools, town and facility really impressed them. They have decided to relocate to Lusk. The will be here to begin practice on June 8. The Hawley’s will be a good addition to the town.
• Birth-Tom and Traci Bruegger of Keeline are proud to announce the birth of their son, Thompson Taylor who was brought into the world weighting 8lbs. 10 ¾ oz. and measuring 21 ¾ inches tall. He was born in the Torrington Community Hospital on March 20. His maternal grandparents are Ernest and Janice Hales of Lusk. His paternal grandparents are Fred and Jan Bruegger of Keeline. His paternal great-grandparents are Jim and Harriet Thompson of Lusk.

"If you don't see it in The Herald it didn't happen."