CEDAR COUNTY, NEBRASKA - WYNOT'S TWENTIETH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY TO BE CELEBRATED ==================================================================== NEGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the NEGenWeb Archives by Carol Tramp Permission granted by: Rob Dump, Editor, Cedar County News ====================================================================== CEDAR COUNTY NEWS OCTOBER 27, 1927 WYNOT'S TWENTIETH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY TO BE CELEBRATED NOVEMBER 3, 1927 BY H.A. MCCORMICK (NOTE: H.A. McCormick was the journal owner of Wynot Tribune) This promising autumn of 1927 with its fruitation of bounteous harvest, is a fitting time to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the reconstruction or birth of a new community. It was just twenty years ago this fall when the railroad entered this portion of Cedar county the C St. P, M and O completing the extension of its line from Newcastle to Wynot. On Thursday, November 3, Wynot and community will celebrate this anniversary by giving a stock, poultry, and grain show. Regular train service was established in Wynot October 23, 1907 with two trains each way daily. This service which gives adequate accomodation for all shippers has been maintained during the twenty years. For many years people of this section had longed for railroad facilities, but nothing tangible developed until a public meeting was held at the St. James hall on January 11, 1906. This meeting was attended by farmers for many miles around. T.N. Jones was elected president, and J.S. Emerson secretary. Ways and means were discussed for securing the extension of the railroad from Newcastle. Committees were appointed and George Duman was elected treasurer, and the above organization was made permanent. Late in January of the same year development had so far progressed that a proposition was made to the railroad to give them the right of way absolutely free of charge from Newcastle if they would construct and operate the railroad. The railroad company accepted the offer, subscriptions were rapidly secured and in due time the big undertaking was completed. With the building of the new railroad into this portion of the Cedar County, men of vision saw at once that towns or shipping stations were necessary and T.N. Jones and J.S. Emerson organized the St. Paul Townsite company. Failing to secure a proper site for a town at or near old St. James the W.D. Schulte land on which Wynot is now located, was purchased and properly platted and laid out. There is much speculation as to how the name of "Wynot" came about. It is said (and this is theory has been substantiated) that the railroad officials and others were discussing the naming of the town. Some said, why not call it this, why not call it something else. W.D. Schulte was one of the interested listeners and finally exclaimed in his German brogue, "Why not call it Wynot?" The sale of lots in the newly named and plotted town saw eager competition of would be business men and residents and soon the place was a busy scene of brickmasons and carpenters erecting stores and residents. Some unwilling to work for the slow construction process, moved store buildings and residents over from St. James. A hotel was built in a hurried manner by JJ Cable was the first business building completed and its doors were hardly open before it was over-run with new citizens and prospectives. The First National and the Farmers State Banks organized a head of the town, maintained temporary headquarters at St. James pending the completion of the substantial brick quarters which they later and now occupy. J.S. Emerson and J.C. Ziegler, old time general merchents at St. James were among the first to begin in the erection of quarters in Wynot and early in 1908 were able to begin business in the new town. HH Mille and Co. and O.M. Konegni were also among those who began business at St. James pending the completion of fine brick stores for their furniture and hardware business in Wynot. Relying on the tried and true theory that no successful city or town is complete or can be prosperous without a creditable newspaper, H.A. McCormick pioneered in the new town during the month of November and made arrangements for the establishment of the Tribune. After looking over the ground it was discovered that another would-be newspaper man had arranged to establish a newspaper. Nothing daunted by this discouraging news, McCormick sought out the other fellow and succeeded in buying the plant that he had already arranged to ship to the new town. Upon its arrival and amid many trying and difficult circumstances, the first issue of the Tribune made its initial appearance on Dec. 6, 1907. The birth of the newspaper bought its recompense and the new business men and the old settlers of the vicinity were not slow from that start a generous patron to express their appreciation and age was extended. Starting with two home pages printed under extreme handicaps enlargement soon became necessary and materials were added unto today the Tribune is equipped as completely as any newpaper in the country, even in much larger places. We modestly beleive that the Tribune has contributed its full share to the building, material prosperity and well being of the community. On May 4, 1908 the county board passed a resolution incorporating Wynot as a village, and appointing village trustees: P.A. Sullivan, J.S. Emerson, E.A. Miller, M.T. Bonertz and H.A. McCormick. The board met later and organzied by electing M.T. Bonertz as chairman and F.A. Kindwell as clerk. There was a considerable delay in securing a post office in the new town and mail continued to come through the St. James post office. However, through the efforts of Congressman Boyd a postoffice was secured in Wynot and on December 27, 1907 J.S. Emerson was appointed postmaster. When Wynot was started only rural farm telephone lines were in existance here and they had a connection with Hartinton. To fill the pressing needs of business conditions E.c. Klopping in December begin building the exchange which was later called the Wynot Telephone company. Mr. Klopping took over some of the farm lines and improved them. Steps were taken early in 1908 for the organization of a commercial club. A meeting was held on March 6, 1908, when a temporary organiztion was made. On March 17, another meeting was held when the organiztion was made permanent by the election of the following officers: President H.A. McCormack, vice presidents J.S. Emerson, F.D. Rumford, and F.E. Donelly; secretary P.A. Sullivan; treasurer Alex Schulte. The club has continued its organization encouraging and fostering every movement for the community welfare- public entertainment, chauquas, road work both in town and country. It is our commercial club which is fostering and promoting the Twentieth anniversary Stock, grain and poultry show with the faithful cooperation of our farmer and citizens. In the foregoing article the writer has endeavored to give a brief outline of the history and events surrounding the advent of the railroad into this community and the establishment of the town of Wynot. This history is brief and may be somewhat imperfect, but I have tried to faithfully record the main facts so far as I was able.