Ford for peace, Big Creek changes hands, GEM construction begins, clinic donated

100 years ago

Dec. 12, 1915

Ford for peace

Henry Ford is perhaps the greatest success as an automobile manufacturer and designer that the world has today, but that is not saying that his peace voyage will be as equally successful. He seems to be meeting with considerable the reverse in his invitations as he did in his early experience with the automobile, but who knows? When you find a lucky duck like Ford he can fall in the creek and come out perfectly dry with his pockets full of fish. It would seem that success would largely mean what shoe you put on first in the morning or what star you were born under. It would seem from the friendly turn-downs that Mr. Ford is receiving at the hands of prominent Democrats that that party is very well pleased with the present state of “prosperity,” fearing an end to the war would show up the party weakness.

75 years ago

Dec. 5, 1940

Big Creek Ranch changing hands

One of the best known ranches in the Platte valley, the Big Creek Ranch north of Encampment, which has been owned and operated for the past 14 years or more by Otto P. Gebhard, will probably be sold within the next two weeks or so, according to information received by The Sun. The purchaser will be Paul Shaw of Kansas City, and the transaction will involve approximately 10,500 acres of land according to our information, 2,500 acres of which are growing native hay.

50 years ago

Dec. 2, 1965

Construction of GEM expected in the spring

IF contributions continue to arrive at the present rate, it now seems possible that actual construction of the Grand Encampment Museum can start in the spring, Mrs. Bert Oldman, corporation chairman, said last week at a meeting of the board of directors.

The committee met at the Oldman home to conduct the groups business. Members of the committee reported they are pleased with the response to the letters which were mailed several weeks ago asking support of the project.

Recent historical items obtained for the museum include a cash register once belonging to Samuel Morgan, an early-day merchant. The register was used in his merchantile in Riverside.

25 years ago

Dec. 5, 1990

Doc donates clinic to town

Dr. John Johnson donated the Platte Valley Medical Clinic to the Town of Saratoga Monday. Johnson said he wanted to give the facility to the town because having good basic medical services is one of the top structural items a community needs to grow and be progressive.

Johnson built the clinic and his dental clinic, which are housed in a common building, in 1979 after the town had worked for several years and spent several thousands of dollars trying to recruit a permanent doctor and to build a clinic.

Although the town had received a $250,000 loan from from the Wyoming Farm Loan Board and the Carbon County Commissioners pledged at least $140,000 to construct a clinic in the 1970s, it couldn’t be built with those funds because the costs were too high.