HOOKER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

by Berniece Wadlow

Entry T22 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Fosdic Store and Creamery, circa 1914-1915. L to R.
Fern, Clarence, 'Grandad' Edwin A., Ward Fosdick and Salesman.

Fosdick Grocery Store circa 1917, Fosdick Family.
(The Historical Society now owns.)

One view of the Fair Barbeque tables, the Historical
Society Members served each year - 1970-1982.

A case of antiques within the Annex building of the
Hooker County Historical Society.

The Hooker County Historical Society was
organized April 1969. It was an extension of
the Hooker County Nebraska Centennial
Committee, of 1967. The first officers were:
President - Mabell Cox; Vice-President -
Bessie Bradley; Secretary - Claudia Tomp-
kins and Treasurer - Berniece Wadlow. The
Directors: Ruth Barnebey, Zelma Scott, Ruth
Stoughton, Henry Cox and Walter Wadlow.

The members of the Historical Society
decided at a meeting soon after organization
that they would volunteer to help at the
annual Barbeque at Fair time, by serving the
"Senior Citizens" at the tables. Ruth Stough-
ton interviewed each, then had them sign the
guest book while Claudia Tompkins pinned
on the colorful ribbons with the YEAR and
SENIOR CITIZEN printed on the ribbons.
The other Historical Society members fur-
nished potato salads and directly waited on
the tables, keeping coffee cups filled and
sandwiches before the guests. This project
began in the fall of 1970 and continued
through 1982. The Boy and Girl Scouts are
now serving the tables, the ribbons have been
discontinued here. However, the Historical
Society members voted to continue giving
ribbons to the residents in the Mullen
Nursing Home. In the fall of 1987, the two
members giving ribbons had finished 17 years
of honoring the residents. The plans to date
are to continue this till some other group
takes over. It's important that these citizens
be remembered and honored for their part in
building the community of Mullen.

Another project sponsored by the Histori-
cal Society was also at the Fair time in the
fall, the "Mellerdrama" program put on by
the local Mullen talent, directed by Mabell
Cox. For about ten years or so a "County
Store", Berniece Wadlow as Chairman, was
set up at the rear of the auditorium where the
play was being presented. Donations of
garden produce, fresh fruit, baked goodies,
jellies, crafts, home made gifts and even
"white elephants" were sold. Donations were
given for one dollar chance drawings: sta-
tuettes, an afgahan by Ruth Barnebey, a
number of paintings (oil, watercolor, acrylic,
and sand) over the years by Claudia Tomp-
kins. The winner of the drawing was pre-
sented the article the last night of the
Mellerdrama program. With the willing
cooperation of the community, the receipts
from these two nights annually and also the
memorials for loved ones and cash donations,
the purchase of one of the few remaining
original buildings in Mullen was realized by
the Historical Society. We refer to this
building as "Historical House ", which was
purchased from Walter and Berniece Wad-
low in July 1969. This building has housed a
variety of businesses: a cafe in the early years,
a cream station, a grocery store, liquor store
and a family apartment, to mention a few.
The big windows in the "Historical House"
are great to display antiques that have been
donated to the Society over the years. Plans
are to set up pioneer rooms with suggestive
furnishings depicting the setting of the early
day period of Mullen homes. There are plans
to have a replica setting of a one-room
country school with authentic school desks
and blackboard which we already have and
quite a number of old copyright school text
books. This will be located in the southeast
room of the Historical House.

The Historical Annex is located to the west
of Historical House, 112 and 110 NE First
Street. This new building was purchased
from Dale and Bessie Bradley in July of 1979.
In this building are showcases with many
interesting exhibits of old beauty aids, hats,
play things, dishes, etc. The showcases were
also appreciated donations, as well as a piano,
2 organs, chairs, a number of large pieces of
antique furniture willed to the Society by
Ruth Stoughton, a Director.

The Historical Society sponsored the proj -
ect for the Hooker County and Area Centen-
nial Book. The Annex is used as the office to
receive the stories and histories where these
are processed for the publisher. The Centen-
nial Book material was begun in the fall of
1986 by sending out brochures to the newspa-
per mailing list and the Mullen Alumni
member list as a beginning. The date of the
Hooker County Centennial is March 29, 1989.
The Centennial Committee are planning
great and exciting events to celebrate
through the year 1989, as the book goes to
press.

In 1987, the Historical Society voted to
purchase another early landmark building in
Mullen, the old Ham Hotel, later renamed
the Commercial Hotel. This Hotel was
purchased from the previous owner, Mrs.
Elna Campbell.