Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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After a long winter, there may be nothing more inspiring than to watch the bird play in the birdbath. Perhaps white towel pictured here is an embroidery artist's attempt to capture the joy that is "Splash, Splash." The red embroidery includes several birds and a fountain bath, and is in the same style as another. Both were embroidered with ravelings of a calico dress and are now housed in the Eddy County Museum's Brantford Depot. The museum records suggest the embroidery dates back to the...
On Tuesday, April 21, the Spirit Lake Tribe, Spirit Lake Tribal Health and the Spirit Lake Health Center hosted community preventative surveillance screenings for COVID-19. According to Major General Alan Dohrmann of the North Dakota National Guard, there were 290 tests conducted at Spirit Lake Tuesday. The testing was available for adults only and gave preference to individuals who work closely with the community as well as workforce members who would like to be tested. As of press time, no pos...
At the Eddy County Museum, much of the collections housed in the Branford Depot have to do with railroads. After all, New Rockford grew to serve the passengers who traveled the Empire Builder. The original Empire Builder passenger train was introduced in 1929 under Great Northern Railway and later its successor, the Burlington Northern Railroad. At the time, the 2,211 mile trip between Chicago and Seattle took nearly 60 hours. The travel time was reduced following World War II when Great Northern placed new diesel-powered trains in service....
Rock Inn is officially Eddy County's newest business. Located along U.S. Hwy. 281, in the former USDA building, it's situated in the heart of the community- and that community is in the heart of the business. From the overall concept and name, right down to the decor on the walls, the New Rockford community of the past, present and future has been at the forefront of the project. Travis and Amy Steele purchased the former USDA building in 2019 after praying for an opportunity to start a...
The New Rockford- Sheyenne Board of Education granted temporary emergency powers to Superintendent Jill Louters. This action is in relation to an emergency powers declaration issued by the North Dakota School Board Association which allows local boards to issue temporary emergency powers to superintendents. The board’s approval grants the superintendent flexibility to respond appropriately amid the evolving crisis, to safeguard against the further spread of COVID-19. The superintendent will have the power to make changes to work schedules, c...
I have deep recollections of the sharp aroma of the glossy pages of the mail order catalog, as well as an unnatural willingness to wait 4-6 weeks for shipping of any of the items featured in the huge department store catalogs. It is an experience that faded out of our culture in the early 1990s, and was quickly replaced by the world of online shopping. The first print mailers made their way into the world via the hands of Richard Sears. As far-fetched of an idea as it might have seemed at the...
From October 4, 1918 to January 3, 1919, the pages of the "New Rockford Transcript" were filled with news of Spanish influenza. At the time, it must have been difficult to understand how New Rockford had become so inundated by disease. It is believed that 3,000 individuals perished throughout the state, though estimates vary. The first documented case of Spanish Influenza in North Dakota was reportedly in New Rockford. In late September of 1918, a U.S. Marine by the name of WM Geokail got off...
For many of us, the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent efforts to "flatten the curve" through social distancing is unprecedented. Most of us are taking refuge in comfortable homes with ample supplies and an extensive selection of media-based entertainment. As stressful as it is, it's really not all that bad. If we were facing this same scenario a hundred years prior, things would be very different. In fact, things were very different. In 1918, the Spanish Influenza pandemic coincided with...
It was Galileo Gailei who perfected the first microscope. That was in 1609. Many years passed as scientists made improvements and modifications before the microscope offered one of the greatest breakthroughs of the 19th century. In the 1860s, Louis Pasteur pioneered the germ theory, which still predominates modern medicine today. The theory suggests that microorganisms (too small to be seen without the aid of a microscope) can afflict human health with disease. Prior to this discovery, it was...
They say a photo is worth a thousand words. There are very few words from the archives that describe this photo. In fact, the Eddy County Museum records say simply “Photo of woman on the prairie with binoculars and a young girl at her side.” Records also confirm the duo as Mrs. Harry West and Princess Egbert. One can presume they are on the prairie on an early spring day. The grass is not tall and the tracks leading away look soft in the ground. While Mrs. West looks sensibly clad in a coat and...
Last week a new term worked its way into the mainstream American vocabulary– social distancing. It was a term that took us by surprise as we anxiously awaited the upcoming events of the spring season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the practice of social distancing includes avoiding large gatherings and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others when possible. Now more than a week later, social distancing has become part of our d...
The New Rockford- Sheyenne Board of Education held a special meeting on Monday, March 16 to listen to a presentation given by Reed Weisenburger regarding potential plans for constructing (and financing) a new gymnasium. Weisenburger explained that the idea of a second gym expansion started on a smaller scale two years ago and has since evolved into a project of interest for some community members. The project, as he explained, would be a great asset to the community as well as the students. “More than 75% of NR-S students participate in e...
Carl and Mathila Nelson pose in front of their Bremen restaurant, unaware that this picture will someday serve as a window into the past. At the time this picture was taken the Great Northern Railroad had just come through a couple years prior, and Bremen was a happening place. The residents operated and enjoyed amenities that included a meat market, bank, lumber yard, post office, drug store, confectionery, restaurant, hotel, two blacksmith shops and three general stores. It was a time before...
In the March 2 edition of the "New Rockford Transcript," we reported on the findings of the New Rockford-Sheyenne High School's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) with a specific focus on the responses high school students provided. This self-reporting survey was designed to measure priority health-risk behaviors that fall mainly into eight categories: unintentional injuries and violence, tobacco use, alcohol use, other drug use, sexual behaviors, dietary behaviors, physical activity, social...
The NR-S board of education members heard a report from student leaders who offered some suggestions to improve the high school experience. “More physical activities during school.” They suggested the school invest in treadmills or stationary bikes. They also noted they’d like new extracurricular activities like a math club or science club. Finally, in class, they’d like to be given less busywork, and instead have more meaningful assignments. “It is interesting to hear that students want more involvement and more activity. It’s a good thing,...
Meet Delores. She is one of the mannequins that helps display items at the Eddy County Museum. In this photo, she is wearing a hat adorned with dyed and natural feathers. This is just one of the many women's hats on display in the Dodds School House at the Eddy County Museum. Many of these are ornately decorated with feathers. Feathered hats were of particular fashion during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The demand of the fashion took such a toll on the populations of migratory birds...
In the spring of 2018, "Transcript" reporters Amy Wobbema and Rachel Brazil teamed up to write a series on the difficult topics of youth suicide and bullying. The series was in direct response to the results of the Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS) taken by students grades 7-12 at New Rockford-Sheyenne School (NR-S) in 2017. The YRBS is administrated to students every two years and has become imperative for tracking changes in youth behavior, developing risk prevention and health promotion...
Several weeks ago, Archival Anecdotes featured a picture very similar to this one. In fact it is quite likely that both photos were taken in the same day. Much like we ooh and awe (and even curse) a good spring snowfall, the people of New Rockford were captivated by the colossal storm that hit the area on March 15-16, 1902. In fact, this is just one of four photos that the Eddy County Museum has which features Central Ave with snow piled high. Each of these photos serve as a good reminder that...
If there was one thing that the attendees of the joint commission meeting at Lake Region Law Enforcement Center could agree upon, it was the need for a joint powers agreement. The sentiment came after Towner County withdrew from the current agreement, leaving the Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and the other counties at a $70,000 loss for this year's budget. Others at the meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 19 called for a joint powers agreement that has "teeth" so the LEC Board can better gauge county comm...
Bison ranchers across four states and into Canada know this month's Chamber Employee of the Month as simply "H.T." Formally known as Harold Thomas, H.T. has been with North American Bison, LLC since the facility first opened in 1994. But his work with livestock extends back beyond that to a time in the '70s when he and Ken "Doc" Thorolson worked together on feedlots. At the time, Doc had made a purchase of three bison and was edging into the vastly uncharted business of bison ranching. H.T....
NR-S early elementary students took home a little extra homework lately, but it’s all in good fun. Through a Rural Family Engagement Grant in collaboration with Prairie Public, NR-S early elementary students received new family-based learning resources focusing on the groundbreaking PBS Kids series “Molly of Denali.” “Molly of Denali” is the first nationally distributed PBS children’s series to feature a Native American lead character. Molly Mabray is a feisty and resourceful 10-year-old Alaskan...
On Monday, Feb. 10, the NR-S School Board of Education voted to establish a New Rockford- Sheyenne School Foundation, under the umbrella of the North Dakota Community Foundation. As described by NR-S Superintendent Jill Louters, “The school district needs a ‘house’ for gifts and bequests. We believe that there are donors, alumni, and friends of the district who may be interested in making a donation to our school district for a special project, in honor of a loved one or as a part of estate planning.” The North Dakota Community Foundation is a...
The Eddy County Museum and Historical Society is in need of financial donations in order to open the Stavanger Church building to the public this summer. Last October the "Transcript" reported on repairs to the historic church building. At the time, the Eddy County Historical Society had effectively raised the $11,000 needed to replace the roof. It was a years-long process that culminated when local contractor Dean Wallace completed the work. Also during this time, Historical Society members dis...
Don’t worry, we know exactly who these marbles belong to. This collection dates back to 1910 and belonged to Raymond V. Fertig, formerly of New Rockford. Considering the number and variety of marbles in his collection, it seems safe to say that young Raymond enjoyed a good game or two of marbles in his day. How do you play marbles you ask? It’s easy and great fun for folks of all ages. The first step is to make a circle three feet wide. You can do this outside with chalk, or inside with a str...
"This team just keeps putting up some amazing numbers again this year!" says coach Jamie Risovi. On Saturday, Feb. 8, the New Rockford-Sheyenne Archery team made the trek to Wilton and returned home with new record numbers. NR-S sophomore Macey Wobbema took first place in both high school girls bullseye and 3D. Her personal best score of 285 in bullseye was enough to earn her a spot in the All-State Shootoff at the state tournament. Koven Walford topped all on the boys side, as he placed first...
