With the closing of the Lincoln New Era, published since 1960 and the Cole Camp Courier, around since 1897, came some rather significant pain and the usual task of “cleaning out the office.” Katrina Plain, having worked there for 28 years took on the task. She filled a box with lots of old photos collected throughout the years and entrusted them to me to either dispose of or place them in the museum in the appropriate files to preserve for future generations.
As I prepared to sort into different piles I found a small collection of snapshots from a “Little Miss” contest that was held regularly on the 4th of July in Lincoln. The most poignant one in that stack was J.D. Johnson emceeing and interviewing a very pretty little girl and I recalled how very good he was at that. That thought reminded me of how involved he always was in 4-H activities, not only with his own children but everyone else’s too. Few recall any longer what a force he was in having the 4-H Fair grounds constructed on the back side of the Big Park and there it remains today, still being used for kids to showcase their various projects and hopefully make it to the State Fair with their entries. J.D served as a Lincoln City Alderman and was the Benton county Collector for 28 years.
The other photo was of Reverend Marvin Ulmer, who once served as the Pastor of Zion and Immanuel Lutheran Churches in Lincoln. If that wasn’t enough he also wrote a weekly column for not only the New Era but the Courier as well.
Reminiscing about the Courier photos covers several events Cole Camp is or was known for. On top of my stack was a great shot of Herb Williams, a descendant of Old Zeke, posing in a buckskin jacket beside a tombstone in Union-Williams Cemetery to advertise the Museum’s very first “Cemetery Walk”. Herb was on the original Board of founding members for the Museum and spent countless hours helping make it a reality.
Speaking of the Museum, a photo in the collection is of Kenny Heimsoth, and his granddaughter, operating the ancient Printing Press from the Courier. Kenny’s grandfather, Edwin Wilkins was the long time Editor and owner of the paper. The Museum houses the press and Kenny, with the aid of his family, provide the sausage for the Museum Breakfast fund raiser the entity holds twice annually.
A photo of two beautiful young ladies at the Cole Camp Fair brings about lots of wistful memories. On some long ago Thursday evening, during the Cole Camp Fair, the former Fair Queen congratulates the newly chosen Queen as she receives her roses and her crown.
Cole Camp once had a large number of equestrians and always held a horse show during the annual Cole Camp Fair. I had forgotten they always included a category for mules. In some unknown year Duke Paxton took first for his jumping mule, 51 inches and under while Reinold Henning took a first for his mule 52 inches and over.
Cole Camp has always had an overwhelming concern for its elderly and prides itself on not forgetting the residents of the Good Samaritan Care Center. Regular articles in the Courier kept everyone informed about activities provided for the residents and still does. One great snapshot shows Storm Walker, long time Chief of Police, playing Auctioneer during a “Funny Money Auction” just for the people residing at GSCC.
Some long forgotten entertainment involving clowns and cotton candy has Rachel Bale and Ashley Raetz making the cotton candy and dressed as Circus clowns. Ashley went on to prove she has many talents and founded Rioak on North Maple, a popular shopping destination and in the process, restoring a very historic building in the downtown area.
Years the pictures were used in the papers were not noted but I felt that somehow I needed to share them with all the longtime readers of both publications. They all touched my heart but none so much as the shot of the Courier Office Sign on what was once 2nd Street but became 52 Highway. The year was 1914. It is gone but it won’t be forgotten as it and the Era have become part of the Benton County Enterprise and will once more provide an insight into the daily happenings around our County.
