A few weeks ago, I was asked by the Tribune if someone at the Historical Society would be interested in writing a column for the paper. That question got me to thinking about those who have written before me.
Alar Mawdsley wrote “Iron Men and Iron Horses” from 1972 through 1974. The articles were about all the railroads in Pratt County history. These articles were made into a book by the same name. Copies of the book may be purchased at the Historical Museum.
From 1972 through 1977, he wrote the column “The Way It Was, I Think”, and then finished his writing career with “Those Were the Good (?) Old Days” from 1978 to 1987. From what I understand, he spent many hours in the basement of the public library, looking through years of the old Pratt Union newspapers, gathering up interesting news items of Pratt’s early days.
Quenten Hannawald and Jack Chinn wrote “Along the Museum Trail” during 1990 and 1991, in coordination with the Historical Museum.
Portia Terry was the author of “At the Linotype” from 1961 until her death in 2007. Her mother, Lora Blair, who at the age of 100, won a state award for her column “Gleamings”. They both wrote about things in the past, but also in the present. They kept everyone up on the happenings in Sawyer and Pratt County.
In 1964, Lettie Little Pabst penned a column she entitled “Memory Lane”. It continued through 1965, focusing on the families who played a part in the history of Pratt and Pratt County.
“Echoes from Evelyn” were written by Evelyn Hillard. You never knew just what she was going to write about, but that’s what made her column fun to read. Tales of her childhood, the history of things you use in everyday life, to things going on in her life at that particular time. These articles have also been made into a book, but sadly, the museum doesn’t have any copies of it for sale. She continues to write her column, which appears in the Tribune periodically.
And, last, but certainly not least, Dorotha Giannangelo continues to write “What Happened in Pratt County 100 Years Ago”.
Those are some pretty big footsteps to follow. I am both honored and humbled to be in the same group as these people. I know it’s not the New York Times, but, hey, it’s a privilege for me. I get to write about the love of my life—Pratt, Kansas!
The Pratt County Historical Museum is 25,000 square feet. The city of Pratt is seven and a half square miles and 125 years old. Pardon the pun, but that’s a lot of ground to cover and history to write about!
With each generation, old stories are new, again. So with that, welcome to the start of “Looking Back with Me”, by Marsha Brown.
Next time: The Historical Society