Sunday Stories: Timeline 1920 - 1949

Excerpts from the Sutherland Centennial, 1891-1991.

February 19, 1920 – Forty new residence houses were built in Sutherland during 1919.

April 1, 1920 – A notice about speeding and a reminder that the speed limit is 12 m.p.h. and 6 m.p.h. on corners and crossings.

May 1920 – Census reports the Sutherland population is 651.

August 21, 1922 – The Platte River Roundup-Pioneer Days exhibition was held August 21-24 in Sutherland. Forty Indians and Deadwood Stage. Season tickets were $2.50, Single Admission $1.00, children half price plus the war tax.

December 1, 1922 – The Community Christmas Tree is set up in front of the Sutherland School.

April 9, 1925 – The Village Board offered a reward of $50.00 for the arrest and conviction of bootleggers.

September 29, 1927 – Fall Festival held in Sutherland. Pulling contests for teams, free picture at theater, prizes for four kinds of corn, beet topping contest, sports for boys and girls, free coffee and cookies, and a free dance.

February 25, 1928 – The Village announces it will install street lights on Front Street. It is estimated it will require 24 Electrollers with 1 large bulb each.

May 17, 1928 – The Village Board refuses an application by Mr. Dick Wilson to put in a pool hall. Public sentiment has always been against this in Sutherland.

June 28, 1928 – The Village Board passes an ordinance establishing the first curb and gutter district. Work started on the new curb in September from the NW corner of Lincoln County Lumber Yard to the SE corner of A.W. Hoatson and Son’s Garage. Then both sides of Walnut St. from 1st to Uhligs Station and from 1st Street on the east side of Locust to the Pastime Theatre and East on 2nd to Walnut.

May 1930 – Census reports show the Sutherland population at 753.

June 13, 1931 – Sutherland has a good band consisting of 25 members. The Sutherland Business Men will sponsor the band concerts every Saturday at 8pm during the summer.

December 1, 1932 – U.S. Highway 30 will be rerouted so as to pass through Sutherland on Front Street. Work did not begin until late 1933.

September 20, 1933 – Many Sutherland residents went to North Platte the 20th, 21st and 22nd to view a large whale being exhibited in a specially constructed railroad car.

August 23, 1934 – Work officially started on the Sutherland Reservoir.

August 23, 1934 – Sutherland is struck by a tornado that causes considerable damage throughout the town.

August 6, 1936 – Beldora Cochran is selected as Miss Sutherland, 1936.

November 26, 1936 – Ten turkeys will be thrown away each Saturday for the next 3 Saturdays. They will be thrown from the roof of a Sutherland building in the business district. If you are fast, you may catch one. Or if you are tall. Free for the catching.

May 27, 1937 – A lease will be drawn up for a new ball park. Six acres of Farmers Union Co-Op south of the depot and the tracks to develop a field for sports.

July 22, 1937 – Ed Kuenle started working on the City Park Lily Pool. (He was the landscape artist who was in charge of the Sutherland Park for many years.

January 12, 1939 – W.P.A. workers digging clay for road work in Sutherland unearth three skeletons on the Ernest Dringman farm. They were buried in a sitting position and it is estimated they have beenthere from 10 to 50 years. It was established that they were not white, and brass rings were around their arms, buckeye beads all through the dirt placing their race as Indian, gypsy or Mexican. A 10” butcher knife, locket, bits of cloth and leather were also found.

August 17, 1939 – A bounty on Mexican sand burrs is being paid. Children can

collect a penny a pound for any they bring in.

October 12, 1939 – Marshall P.J. Hartman notes that there is a problem with boys shooting out street lights.

May 1940 – Census shows population of Sutherland at 955.

January 8, 1941 – Sutherland has the lowest water rate in the state. 7,000 gallons for $1.00 and each additional 1,000 gallons is 5 cents.

December 11, 1941 – There have been squirrel attacks on three persons in the last few days. Mrs. L.E. Sherwood, Mrs. R.C. Jainicke, and Bob Brownell were the victims. Kenneth White and Eldon Gordon have been authorized by the board of health to shoot the squirrels inside the city limits.

April 30, 1942 – Sutherland escaped damage from a major hailstorm that dropped stones eight and nine inches in diameter on the Weaver place on Sarben road. In august another storm dropped hail ten inches in diameter in the O’Fallons area.

July 16, 1942 – The white fence made of boiler tube around the city park is being removed by the Union Pacific section gang. It will be shipped to Cheyenne where it is to beutilized in the nation’s war effort.

December 14, 1942 – Air Raid sirens sound for the first blackout drill of the war.

November 7, 1944 – Sutherland voters reject a proposal to reinstate prohibition in Nebraska.

September 13, 1945 – The Nebraska Department of Roads promises to build a highway to Wallace.

December 29, 1948 – A huge snowstorm began that blocked all major roads, stranded trains, people and livestock for weeks. This became the “Blizzard of 49” as it did not stop snowing until the spring.