weather prevailed. Also, that they would have to saw the corncobs into two or more pieces to get them into the stove.

December 15, 1939
   Last issue of Gazette, Mrs. Claude McGaffin, Publisher.
   Methodist Church - J. M. Hodgkin, Minister
   Kosch Garage
   A. J. Dworak - Gifts of all kinds for Christmas.
   The Blackbird Store - C. E. Carson
   Scholz Hardware
   F. P. Gunderson
   Farmers Grain Co.
Dentists
   Dr. A. D. Peck - September 1942 to February 1943, two day week in Dr. Margrave's office.
   Dr. Carroll

January 5, 1940
   Memories: Lawrence Welk at Oak Ballroom, Schuyler. Admission: Gents 75 cents, Ladies 50 cents.

March 5, 1940
   Mrs. Frank Besch, beauty shoppe.

June 30, 1940
   Cocoa, 2 lbs, 18 cents, milk, 3 large cans, 20 cents, shredded wheat 10 cents, soda 5 cents, Palmolive soap 2 for 11 cents, Butternut coffee, 2 lbs, 49 cents.

August 20, 1940
   Bellwood Mid-State Champs in a 13 inning game, 6-5, by defeating the Platte Valley league champs.

September 26, 1940
   The Bellwood Band furnished the music for three performances on Thursday for the 85th anniversary celebration of Columbus.

May 1, 1941
   August Napier has purchased the Jack Baer card parlor.

August 1. 1941
   Richard W. Bell of East Lansing, Mich., who has been associated with the Michigan State College several years, has been appointed State Extension Specialist in farm crops and assumed his duties August 1.

August 28, 1941
   Mrs. Leona Hager recently received word that her son, Walter, has accepted the Presidency of Wilson Teachers College in Washington, D.C.

December 16, 1941
   Carl Carson has purchased the stock of merchandise from George Dworak. He will open for business on January 1.

March 5, 1942
   The Bellwood basketball team won the District Tournament held at Monroe. They defeated Octavia 33-31 after playing two overtime periods. Bellwood lost to Weston 22-19 in the Regional Tourney at Seward.

May 7, 1942
   The campaign in Butler County in a National movement to raise funds for relief of families of the service men, was over subscribed in Bellwood by $3.00.
   Sugar rationing books have been issued. Each person is allowed 1 lb. sugar for each four quarts of canned fruit.

August 30, 1942
   Dr. A. D. Peck has opened a dental office in Bellwood, in Dr. Margrave's office on Monday and Tuesday.

September 17, 1942
   The National scrap harvest has been started to get all scrap metal to be used in the manufacture of war supplies. Chairmen for Savannah Township are: Peter Beringer, Henry Ebel, Jr., and Nick Hiller.

December 3, 1942
   Plans are for a state wide black out at 10:00 p.m., Monday night, December 14. During the black out, homes

and stores must be certain, no ray of light can be seen at the windows. All cars must park and turn off their lights for 20 minutes. Ray Kimble is chairman of the Bellwood District.

December 16, 1942
   Ed Durkee, Sr. of Bellwood received word that his son, Edward M. Durkee, Petty Officer, was lost in Hawaiian waters December 7th in the Pearl Harbor attack. He was 34 and had been in the Naval Service since 1925. He is survived by his wife and twin sons in California, his father in Bellwood, brother Waldo of Casper, Wyoming, and three sisters, Mrs. Allen Whitney, Mrs. J. B. Deford, and Mrs. Werner Geiser. He was our first casualty of the war.

December 17, 1942
   Gasoline and tire rationing is mileage rationing, and the mileage rationing is for the purpose of getting work done, which is vital to the safety and the welfare of the country. Bear with the board and do only essential driving.

November 9, 1944
   Mr. and Mrs. Roe Clark of Lincoln have taken over the store managed by the A. B. Olson family.

May 8, 1945
   V. E. Day - Unconditional Surrender.

June 28, 1945
   Bellwood is among the five towns who have met their quota in the 7th War Loan Bond Drive.

November 1, 1945
   The first day of the Victory Loan Drive, bond buyers of Bellwood, under the leadership of O. A. Brandenburgh, as finance chairman, had raised $14,025 or 127 per cent of Bellwood's $11,000 Victory Loan quota. Bellwood was the first town in the county to meet its quota.

January 31, 1946
   The Consumer Co-op Oil Co. has leased the south end filling station, and will remain there while rebuilding the old station.

February 20, 1947
   Terence Duren's painting of "Opera House" has been purchased by Miller & Paine of Lincoln and presented to the Nebraska Art Association. The painting depicts what was the former Opera House in Bellwood, shown in its present state of decay, with windows gone, porches sagging and the entire building presenting a dilapidated appearance. The departed glory of the old opera house is not common to Bellwood alone but to all towns scattered throughout the country. Yes, the old opera house is now just another nostalgic memory of those who have reached middle age.

May 18, 1947
   William Flake, superintendent of Bellwood schools the past five years, has been appointed County Superintendent of public education. A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Mr. Flake took post graduate work at that school and the University of Iowa. He had also been superintendent of city schools in Ainsworth, Pender and Stanton.


July 3, 1947
   Rev. D. B. O'Conner, pastor of St. Peters, has been chosen as honorary referee at the A. A. U. track and field meet, which will be held in Lincoln July 4th and 5th. He is one of the special guests at the public affairs luncheons, given by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the executive committee, he is in charge of the entertainment for special guests.

   Long interested in A. A. U. meet to Lincoln in 1927. Formerly one of the official timers for the National A. A. U. meets, Rev. O'Conner served a term as President of the Midwest Conference of the A. A. U.


September 4, 1947
   Mrs. Allen Whitney was elected a member of executive board of Womens Auxiliary of the National Rural Letter

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Carriers' Association at the convention in Tampa, Florida.

November 20, 1947
   Jim McGaffin of Omaha is now managing editor of Douglas County Legionnaire, largest Legion Post in the world. A veteran of World War II, he served 41 months as Master Sergeant with the army in the E. T. O. McGaffin has been with special events of Radio Station WOW in Omaha since 1941. A cousin, Wm. McGaffin, served as foreign correspondent and another cousin, Marr McGaffin is with a Des Moines, Iowa, newspaper.

January 15, 1948
   Mrs. Donald Berglund of Schuyler is believed to be the only teacher in the United States who commutes to her school by plane. She is the teacher at District 7 near Bellwood, making the trip by air is only 17 miles and 10 minutes and by car it takes 40 to 45 minutes. Making the trip by air she and her navy veteran husband have found that flying has saved her time, energy and money.

December 7, 1948
   Mrs. J. B. Deford of David City and Mrs. Allen Whitney have received word from the Navy Department, that the body of a navy man which has been buried in a United States Cemetery at Pearl Harbor is the grave of their brother, Edward Durkee. It had been marked "Unknown X135" until recently, when dental work was made known to identify Edward Durkee. The family agreed that the body of their loved one be left to rest in Honolulu.

February 3, 1949
   The winter storm has brought below zero temperatures for several mornings. The town was without electricity for three days and no telephone service for several days.

Railroad service was at a standstill from Thursday until Monday and all schools were closed. Another storm the following weekend, blocked roads again and stopped the railroad service from Saturday until Tuesday.

May 19, 1949
   Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peck sold their Confectionery Store to Fred and Vera Mansfield.

August 2, 1949
   There has been a new addition to the north elevator and a corn drying machine is being installed.


   In 1949 Mr. and Mrs. M. D. Hicks purchased a building on the east side of the street from Lemuel Brandenburgh and opened a cafe. They operated the business until 1952 when they sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Clem Carpenter. Six years later they sold the store to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Adams.


August 23, 1949
   An old landmark has been torn down. The Smith building on the west side of main street, in which the Post Office was housed for many years, was purchased by Mr. Nozicka and he is using the lumber to repair his farm buildings.

October 20, 1949
   Dr. J. M. McNally was elected president of the West Central Grain Co. in Omaha. A long time farm leader in Butler County, Dr. McNally was one of the founders of the Co-op eleven years ago.

February 1950
   The Bellwood Womans Club has been in charge of the

     The interior of Peck's Confectionery. This picture of Alfred Peck and a customer, Mr. Beck, was taken in 1940. Mr. and Mrs. Peck purchased the store in 1923 from Mr. Gates. Due to failing health, Mr. Peck sold the store to the Fred Mansfields.

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Polio Drive and to date has collected $135.00. The drive will be continued the rest of the month.

February 9, 1950
   Minnick's Grocery held a grand opening at their store. Coffee and donuts were served to friends and customers. Besides selling groceries, they will also buy cream.

March 7, 1950
   A locker plant will soon be opened. It will be housed in a building which was moved here from Shelby and placed beside Carson's Grocery. Albin Janky will process the meat at the locker.

April 6, 1950
   Joe Pokorny has a monument engraving business in a shop on their home site.

April 20, 1950
   Harry Schmit, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nick Schmit, received a telegram telling him he had won a consolation prize in a pony naming contest sponsored by a Lincoln clothier. Mr. and Mrs. Schmit and daughters accompanied Harry to Lincoln where he appeared at the Nebraska Theatre to be presented his prize. He also figured in a pie-eating contest.

June 1, 1950
   The Henry Sternper property is being torn down. This was formerly owned by John Sauser. Laurel Johnson of David City bought and dismantled the building.

September 30, 1950
   The people of Bellwood were in David City to see two of their lads who are making good in baseball. Carroll Beringer and Paul Hiller took part in an exhibition game of two Pioneer Night League teams, David City and Pioneer loop champs of Fremont.
   Beringer who is top relief hurler for Fort Worth, pitched the first 5 innings for David City, while Hiller was on the mound for Fremont in the opening five stanzas. Bob Cerv of Weston, slugger for the Kansas City Blues, was a feature of the game too. Beringer allowed one base hit, struck out 8 and didn't issue a walk.
   Hiller allowed 1 run, 3 hits and struck out 7. Cerv was a strike-out victim four times.
   Over 1,200 tickets were sold to watch Fremont win 3 to 1.

November 23, 1950
   Mrs. Stella Reichwein, who for 16 years has managed the cream station, closed its doors on Saturday and will retire. The place of business will be missed as many ladies meetings and even quilting parties were held there. A group of friends presented her with a purse of $90.00 in appreciation of her many years of good work for the community.

December 4, 1950
   Excavating has started on the basement and 20 foot addition to the east end of St. Peters Church. The basement will provide rooms for social activities.

January 4, 1951
   Twenty-five members and guests of the Methodist Youth Fellowship went on a hayride. Instead of the customary old time hay racks and teams, wide-box rubber-tired shucking wagons half filled with corn shucks were used. The weatherman cooperated with above normal temperatures and a bright moon.
   The drivers Frank Bock and Fred Brase gave the riders some real thrills over an abandoned trail through the bluffs which terminated into a timbered canyon. A wiener roast was enjoyed by all and the group presented a gift to Robert Bell, adult counselor for the organization.

1951
   Bellwood Butler County Champs: Don Mackovicka, student manager, Dean Meyers, Orin Kennedy, George Meyers, Jack Stemper, Ray Poage, Lloyd Baer, Keith

Carpenter, Orville Schmit, Jim and Bob Brandenburgh; coach, John Long.

August 23, 1951
   Mrs. Allen Whitney was elected president of the Women's Auxiliary of National Rural Letter Carriers Assn. in St. Louis at the National convention Aug. 13-17. She has been active in the state organization for seven years.
   In February 1912 someone counted 184 "rigs" in town. Have times changed in nearly 70 years???

August 30, 1951
   Frank Eller and Lloy Kamenske arrived in Bellwood from Battle Creek, Michigan, in the new rural fire truck. The truck carries 500 gallons of water and all modern chemical equipment to fight rural fires.

September 1, 1951
   Mrs. Jennie Cooper was honored on her 90th birthday. Her daughters, Mrs. Z. E. Matheny and Mrs. W. E. Flake, entertained at an open house for the occasion. She has been a resident of the community for over 65 years and Mrs. Cooper received many gifts and cards from elsewhere, as well as from Bellwood.

October 20, 1951
   A sensational catch in the last play of the Bellwood - Rising City football game gave Bellwood a 25 to 20 victory. Bob Stemper's pass to Raymond Poage was the deciding factor.

December 20, 1951
   John Minnicks are selling out all merchandise in the store.

March 27, 1952
   The worst snowstorm of the winter follows the arrival of spring. Sixteen inches of snow with blizzard conditions drifted all roads and the school was closed. There was no train service for three days. There were many snowbound unexpected guests throughout the county.

   The foundation of the Burkholder house was left clean. The family had taken refuge in the storm cellar which was near the house.
   The barnyard at the Jess Hookstra. farm was a mass of tangled machinery, trees and parts of buildings. Mr. Hookstra was in the barn milking when the storm struck.
   The Matt Birkel family car was picked up, bounced through a field, coming to rest - a total wreck.

   High winds, snow and temperatures ranging from 32 to 65 caused electric lines to snap and TV antennas to topple April 16, 1953. Winds reached 60 miles an hour.

   Beginning May 1, 1953, mail arrived by truck at 6:28 a.m. and the post office window opened at 7:30 a.m., however closing fifteen minutes later so mail could be sorted.

July 2, 1953
   The Burlington Railroad has asked the State Railway Commission for permission to discontinue two passenger trains scheduled between Lincoln and Columbus.
   Towns affected along the line would be Lincoln, Seward, David City, Malcolm, Garland, Staplehurst, Garrison, Bellwood, Ulysses and Columbus.
   The Company said the two freight train schedules would be continued. The trains would be equippped with a combination car to carry passengers, express and cream.
   Main reason for dropping the service was the Post Office has set up a Star Route and will discontinue the use of the train for mail service. "The public long ago abandoned trains for passenger transportation," the Company added.

July 9, 1953
   The new flood lights have been installed at the baseball

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