Looking down East Main from Central Ave. to right of elevators is RIchland Hotel, Block 13, built in 1913 by Pete Sevela, burned January 1914; Second Ave.; next could be Howard's implement building, later Chad's; Sidney Post Office had been in one of next two small buildings; Bird's Confectionery (and grocery); alley; W.L. Bell's Hardware; The Toggery (1910) E.D. LaRue, proprietor; Combes Furniture (1910); R.S. Nutt's Farmers State Bank (1911); turning corner toward South Central Ave., Shawley Hotel and Sidney Post Office, Ray Northey, postmaster (built in 1905 by Orra Kemmis for meat market, sold fixtures to R.P. Ripley who moved fixtures to his building on North Central, Block 10); last building Ferris Furniture.
F.T. Reynolds store, 1928. (L-R) Boles, J.S. McRae, John Marman (store owner-manager), Wendell Brodhead and Spike Woods.
Sidney's birthdate goes back to the fail of 1888. The story goes that petition for a post office for the new townsite was held up until a proper name had been chosen. The name Eureka had been sent in before, but there was already had Eureka in the state. Mr. And Mrs. Walters and their six-year-old so, Sidney, were living in the home of Justice of the Peace, Hiram Otis, at the time. Judge Otis had grown very fond of Sidney, his young fishing partner. While he was making out the paper, he decided on the spur of the moment, that Sidney would make a god name for the new town.
John "Jack" and Dave Stewart purchased the original townsite of Sidney from the Northern Pacific Railway for one dollar and 75 cents per acre and sold it shortly after to Edgar A. Kenoyer for three dollars and 50 cents per acre.
Between 1888 and 1911 when the town was incorporated, a large influx of settlers and, later on, homesteaders had moved into the surrounding area, necessitating the building of a business community to care for their needs.
It is to believe that such a flourishing community could emerge in such a few short years, starting with a lone cabin in 1880. According to T.J. Chestnut, he and Gus Angus built the first cabin between Newlon and Buford in July of 1880. He located it at 600 yards east of the stage road and 200 yards north of Lone Tree Creek, which would place it near the first Sidney School made of logs.
Sidney has the distinction of holding the first fair in Dawson County which took place September 14,15, 16, 1898.
One of the most important events in Sidney's history was the coming of the railroad in 1912. It changed the whole picture, opening new horizons for the area.
Reader Comments(0)