SANDHILLS MOTEL AND TRAILER PARK

by Nora Kehr

Entry B61 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Sandhill Motel and Trailer Park 1987. Gene and
Nora Kehr owners.

The Sandhills Motel began back in the late
1940's by Mr. and Mrs. Clifford (Bus)
Huddle. Years later it was purchased by Mrs.
Pauline Brecken and in June 1980 it was
bought by Mrs. Gladys Hewitt and Mrs.
Leona Spencer (sisters from the area). Don-
ald (Gene) and Nora Kehr bought the motel
from them in Dec. 1983.

Gene and Nora refurnished the 12 units
with new furniture, cable TV and in the room
phones. One of the units is a kitchenette and
is presently occupied by Milton Crawford.
One other had been the Sandhills Beauty
Shop for 15 years. In Oct. 1987 Billie Garner,
the beautician, moved the shop from the
motel unit to her mobile home near by.

The motel is the only public rental in
Hooker County, Nebraska. The motel is used
for all sorts of occasions in the small commu-
nity of Mullen, Nebr. - for funerals, wed-
dings, at graduation time and for all sorts of
sports events, wrestling, canoeing, rodeo
events, basketball tournaments and by the
Burlington Northern Railroad employees.

Gene and Nora Kehr lived for 28 years in
the Nenzel, Nebr. area before coming to
Mullen. Gene's great grandparents, on his
mother's side started the town of Nenzel in
the early 1887 and the town was incorporated
in 1923. Gene's father, Nicholas H. Kehr, still
lives on the ranch and for years he was a mail
carrier to the Phillips and Jake Kime
Ranches north of Mullen. His route started
out of the Nenzel Post Office. Gene's parents,
Nick and Julia (Nollette) Kehr celebrated
their 50th wedding anniversary in 1972 at
Nenzel, Nebr.

Gene and Nora have four children, James
A. Kehr, Lincoln, Nebr.; Charles W. Kehr,
Mullen; Thomas A. Kehr, Gillette, Wyo. and
Elizabeth J. (Kehr) Bassett Jr. , North Platte,
Nebr. They have one grandson and two
granddaughters to date.