NEWS ROUND-UP: Stand By For Fall Colors

Stand By for Fall Colors: Forget New England. The other "NE" -- Nebraska -- will have the most vibrant fall colors this year, according to AccuWeather's 2025 fall foliage forecast. Plan some of the best fall color viewing sites include Indian Cave and Ponca state parks, writes the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

DHS Volleyball Drops Below .500: Early October means high school sports are entering the final stretch before state tournament play. Dorchester High School volleyball lost three games to begin this month as the Lady Longhorns have dropped below .500 for the season at 9-10. The Orange and Black Attack have a good chance to earn back some wins with only five regular season games left, including a triangular at Twin River (Genoa and Silver Creek) this Thursday.

Longhorn Football Seeks Third Win: After a 47-0 victory over Harvard on Sept. 26 and a tough 12-66 loss to Silver Lake last Friday, DHS will travel to Diller-Odell (1-4) this Friday, Oct. 10. With some solid play and good health, Dorchester could finish the regular season at .500, according to computer projections   

City Slickers Still Closed With No Answers: City Slickers Bar and Grill -- loved by area residents for more than a dozen years -- has been closed for more than two weeks, since Aug. 1. For the sake of our community and area residents and future of main street, it's time for some clarity. If there are financial issues, we're betting the area community would pull through to support fund raisers. Whatever the case, Dorchester wants to see that spot utilized for the benefit of our community.

Whooping Cough Cases Spike: Whooping cough cases are on the rise in the United States and Nebraska, according to Saline County's Public Health Solutions. Community members are urged to take precautions against the disease, which can be severe and potentially life-threatening for infants and young children. Some health officials have linked the rise to waning immunity from vaccines and potentially decreased vaccination rates. Read more.

Saline County's Pro Baseball Scout: The Flatwater Free Press has published a piece on Friend's Thad Weber -- "a globetrotting professional baseball scout" who's now in his eighth year with the Chicago Cubs and fourth year "trekking to Asia" in his search for who has enough talent for the majors. Read the article.

Beware of Local Journalism's Political Bias: We are disturbed to see the Crete News' soft endorsement of a local progressive (i.e. "liberal") running for the state legislature in 2026. While there are likely personal relationships that are fueling the newspaper's coverage of this candidate, fair and balanced coverage is to be expected, especially at a time when government needs to shrink. (There is a conservative candidate in the race for the Legislative District 32 race.) We are hopeful this favoritism will be corrected by the publisher and that activist journalism won't win the day. 

Boiling Point Over Property Tax Hikes: The Tax Foundation's latest rankings has pegged Nebraska as fourth worst in the U.S. for property tax burden, behind only Illinois, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Property owners in Saline County recently received notices -- thanks to Nebraska’s Truth-in-Taxation law -- that their local governments (school districts and counties) are proposing significant property tax increases as much as 15% to 20% or more. It's a shame. Local governments are spending the property valuation increases instead of lowering levy rates to offset valuations. State government is forced to live within its means -- that is, the income and sales tax revenue. But local governments have a printing press called property taxes, whether its valuations or the levy imposed -- and this broken system has to end. Local elected officials (school board members and county commissioners) must realize they don't have to spend more every year, and that cutting spending is not only OK, but healthy.

October is Food Truck Season: Dorchester's main street (Washington Ave.) will be hopping in October, as cooler temps and farmers hauling grain will mean more food trucks. Here's a look at this month's food truck schedule, as published by Village government:

• Billie's Grilled Cheese: Monday, Oct. 6 (10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
• Daylight Donuts: Tuesday, Oct. 7 (7-10 a.m. or until sold out)
• Amigos: Monday, Oct. 13 (11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
• KennaBell's BBQ: Monday, Oct. 20 (11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.)
• Amigos: Monday, Oct. 27 (11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
• Billie's Grilled Cheese: Monday, Nov. 3 (10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. and 4:30 - 7:30 p.m.)

Gilbert’s Graveyard: Prairie History Lost To Criminal Vandalism

Nestled on a remote, windswept hill in Saline County -- between the communities of Dorchester and Friend -- sits Gilbert’s Graveyard, officially known as Gilbert-Hulse Cemetery. 

For years, dating back to our first year in 2007, the Times has featured Gilbert's Graveyard on its list of "spookiest places." But we know that our annual October list of area haunts doesn't convey the real story behind this pioneer cemetery. Worse yet, the ghost stories perpetuated by sites like ours may have only encouraged the low-IQ vandals who have damaged the cemetery beyond repair over the decades.

Today, we tell the real story behind Gilbert's Graveyard -- the final resting place for Saline County’s earliest pioneers.

A Piece of Pioneer History 

In 1865 Jonas Gilbert, his wife Louisa, and their six children left Darke County, Ohio, traveling by wagon train to settle in Nebraska. After a journey lasting 52 days, the wagon train reached its destination on Turkey Creek, in what later became Saline County. 

Jonas became one of the county's first commissioners, and his son John became the county's first assessor. 

Established in 1872, Gilbert-Hulse Cemetery was founded when Jonas and Louisa Wyans Gilbert sold a half-acre plot to the Hulse family for use as a community burial ground. It became the resting place for many of the area’s first settlers, including some Union and Confederate veterans of America's Civil War. 

For decades, this plot of land preserved the history of those who first turned the soil in the mid- to late-1800s. The cemetery holds the remains of families who endured the brutal conditions of the Plains in those early years.

A majority of the graves belong to babies, toddlers, teens, and young mothers who died while giving birth or shortly after. 

Outspoken Agnosticism 

The cemetery’s notoriety stems largely from Jonas and John Gilbert's outspoken agnosticism, although it appears today that atheism would be a better description of their beliefs. 

Jonas passed away in 1882. His headstone features a highly provocative, anti-establishment epitaph, famously stating that the Gilbert died unafraid of "gods or ghosts or Heaven or Hell and all their hosts."

The controversy surrounding his beliefs -- and particularly the inscription on his tombstone -- is a foundational to the cemetery's lore.

Meanwhile, his son John "never belonged to a church ... and called himself an agnostic," according to the Dorchester Centennial history book. In the late 1800s, Dr. Frank Hamilton of Friend once asked John to embrace Christianity. That is when John Gilbert allegedly "went into a seizure for about two minutes, his muscles jerked, his eyes became bloodshot, his face became congested and red, his mouth became dry, and he kept wiping his lips with his tongue. During the attack, he venomously cursed God." 

Gilbert later donated money to build a library in Friend, on the condition that his anti-God books would be on the shelves.

Vandalism and Ghostly Tales

The inscription on Jonas' headstone made the Gilbert name famous. But that notoriety is what has led to the state of the graveyard today.

While it has been more than 140 years since Jonas died, rumors of non-Christian rituals and strange happenings in the graveyard -- over many decades -- cemented its status as an unusual and often unsettling location.

Among the strange events reported there:

- Visitors have long claimed to hear unexplained noises and witness the apparent shifting of burial markers.

- Eyewitness accounts include visitors describing seeing a "black fog" rising from graves, or being followed by unexplained flashing lights that appeared to emerge from the cemetery grounds. 

- Some visitors have even claimed they saw the figures of the Gilbert family and other pioneers roaming the grounds.

The sad reality of Gilbert's Graveyard is the significant vandalism it has faced over several decades. The acts of disrespect have led to the destruction of roughly 80 percent of the cemetery's headstones.

Jonas' controversial gravestone itself was broken by vandals and now lies in pieces. (This photo shows how it once looked whole.) Many of the pioneer graves, including those of Civil War veterans, are no longer marked, erasing a significant portion of the county’s history.

Today, those who visit this remote prairie cemetery are asked to remember the significant loss of our area history and to show respect. Recognize that a place meant for eternal rest has been tragically turned into a frequent target of criminal desecration.

Looking Back: Dorchester Lawmaker, Crete Woman Gave Us State Flag

Florence Hazen Miller of Crete, right. 

Nebraska's flag should always fly a little bit higher in Dorchester and Crete.

That's because the person most responsible for convincing the Nebraska Legislature to approve of our state flag (or banner, as it was called in 1925) was State Sen. Charles Meacham Jr. of Dorchester.

Sen. Meacham was steadfast in his legislative efforts primarily because of the consistent urging of constituent Mrs. Florence Hazen Miller of Crete, a staunch advocate to establish an official Nebraska flag. 

In fact, Crete was where the Nebraska's state flag flew following its official designation in the mid-1920s. 

According to the State Historical Society, "At one second after midnight on July 1, 1925 -- the day the banner law took effect -- a small Nebraska flag with a fifteen-inch-diameter state seal embroidered in gold and silver was hoisted on a pole in Crete, probably by Mrs. Miller, and it remained flying until 8 a.m."

This adoption of a state flag was a big deal, mostly because Nebraska was the last state at that time to get its own banner. As of 1920, each of the other 47 states had already adopted a flag -- so Nebraska was only five years behind the curve. (Maybe we will soon return to a two-chamber legislature to return to the wiser system America's founders established.) 

Read more about our state flag at the Nebraska History Museum's website. Then go fly your Nebraska flag high.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Saline Co. Summer Swampland

How Wet Was Our Summer?: Fall arrives Monday at 1:19 p.m. CT. That will bring an end to summer 2025, which will go down as one of the wettest in recent memory. As of Sept. 16, the year-to-date rainfall total for the Dorchester area is roughly 30 inches, significantly more than the 23.97-inch year-to-date average. Most of this rainfall came after mid-May. Fortunately, the drought is over. But that came with a cost. The heavy rains brought destructive wind and hail to property and crops -- and turned our area into a swampland. We have the massive mosquitos to prove it. Those flying insects aren't going away anytime soon; the long-range forecast shows no freezing temperatures until Oct. 30.

DHS Football Team Picks Up First Win: The Dorchester Longhorns picked up their first victory of 2025 on Sept. 12, even though it came by way of Heartland Lutheran (Grand Island) forfeiting on homecoming night. DHS is off this week but will resume play on Sept. 26 at Harvard (0-3) followed by an Oct. 3 home game against Silver Lake (2-1). See DHS' online schedule.     

Longhorn Volleyball Begins Season 5-3: The Lady Longhorns volleyball team has started their season with a 5-3 record, dropping a couple contests in which the Orange and Black Attack was favored to win. On Sept. 11, DHS lost to Class D-2 rival Giltner (5-1). Two days later, on Sept. 13, Dorchester topped Class C-2 Southern ( 4-10) but fell to Falls City Sacred Heart (5-7) and Pawnee City (5-5). Tonight, DHS is on the road against Nebraska Lutheran, and will travel to Osceola on Tuesday, Sept. 23 to take on the Lady Bulldogs. See DHS' online schedule.

Axline, Theis Crowned Homecoming Royalty: During DHS homecoming ceremony held Sept. 12, Caden Axline was crowned king, while Bailey Theis was crowned queen. Our congratulations to this fine representatives of Dorchester High School.

Home for Sale: A three-bedroom, one-bath home at 905 Franklin Ave. has been listed for sale since early September. The home, built 125 years ago, has a price tag of $168,000. View it here. 

'Pure Nebraska' Features County Museum Again: 10/11 News' 'Pure Nebraska' program is highlighting the Saline County Museum once again, this time with a spotlight on the museums' communications and business display in the Weidner Building. It features an impressive display of vintage typewriters, as well as newspaper printing presses used in Dorchester and Friend. Also on display are the movie projectors that were used at the Dorchester community theater, once housed in the Dorchester Community Building. This is a critical piece of Saline County history, and we salute the museum staff and volunteers for bringing it to life. Watch 10/11's feature story.

Power Outage Planned For Saturday Morning

The Village of Dorchester is planning a village-wide electrical power outage this Saturday, Sept. 13, beginning at 8 a.m. 

According to pamphlets let at residences, the power outage could last as long as six hours. 

"Please be patient and plan accordingly," the pamphlet say.

The outage is necessary due to repair work being conducted on the Norris Power substation south of Dorchester.

The facility was heavily damaged from the storms in late August.

At least one Dorchester business, the Farmers Cooperative fueling station and garage, will be closed on Saturday due to this event. 

Questions should be directed to Village Hall at 402-946-3201.  

Looking Back: Dorchester's Secret Organizations Of The Past

Some time ago, the Dorchester Times received a scathing e-mail from a critic who had issues with our blog's anonymous nature.

"I don't like the secretness [sic] of your publication," the writer said. "If your [sic] so proud of your blog and you have so much to say, come out and let us know who is behind the Dorchester Times."

The six staff members (one has passed away) of the Dorchester Times have been anonymous since the blog's founding in April 2007, although not all the original staff members are with us -- and as of summer 2023, we are in talks with two more individuals who may take over blog operations going forward. The Dorchester Times has done just fine, thank you, despite being cloaked in secrecy. 

Dorchester's history is rich with groups whose members remained anonymous while staying focused on the community's greater good.

One such group were the Dorchester Freemasons, who were active during the early 1900s. The Dorchester Freemasons met on the second floor of the building that now houses City Hall and Donna's Hair Creations. (It's rumored that second floor is haunted, but we will let someone else investigate that charge.)

According to the Masons' website, "the Freemasonry is the oldest and largest worldwide fraternity dedicated to the Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of a Supreme Being."  

When the old Dorchester school building was razed in 2008, Dorchester's residents received a history lesson on the Freemasons, who laid the cornerstone of the 1927 building. Click here for our story on the opening of the 1927 cornerstone.

Another organization with ties to Dorchester's early past is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), which was concerned with local civic and political matters. Dorchester's I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 74 was founded May 13, 1879. While not as secretive as the Freemasons, the Odd Fellows didn't exactly publicize their membership.

The purpose of Dorchester Odd Fellows' lodge was to "care for the sick, bury the dead, and care for the widows and orphans." Dorchester's I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 74 was active until 1973.

The staff of the Dorchester Times is not to be confused with the fine members of the Freemasons, the Odd Fellows, or any of the world's elite secret organizations. But in our own way, this blog continues to serve a purpose and do some good. We will stick with the formula that is working.

NEWS ROUND-UP: Who'll Stop The Rain?

Flooding Follows Labor Day Weekend Rain: Labor Day weekend brought tremendous amounts of rain to the Dorchester area, with 6.32" falling in town over a 24-hour period from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1. According to reports, Garland received similar amounts, while Friend saw 5.19" and Milford received nearly 4". Crete received nearly 3". Watch KETV's report on area flooding. One resident told us he saw water over roads where it had never crossed before. Several water removal trucks were in town Monday to take care of residents with wet basements. This follows a very wet August in the Dorchester area. The drought appears to be over for most of Saline County.

Saline County Museum Featured on Pure Nebraska: "Pure Nebraska" -- produced by 10/11 News -- is airing a new segment featuring the Kaspar Memorial Building at the Saline County Museum in Dorchester. The segment focuses on the antique farm equipment housed in and outside the building. Watch the episode. Keep in mind that the museum's "Living History Day" is set for Saturday, Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free and lunch will be served. Homemade ice cream, games, and crafts will also be available.

DHS Volleyball Opens Season With Win; Football Team 0-1: The Dorchester volleyball team officially opened their season Thursday, Aug. 28, beating East Butler in three sets. DHS will play at Weeping Water on Thursday, Sept. 4, and at Pawnee City on Friday, Sept. 5. Meanwhile, the DHS football team lost their season opener 44-25 at Nerud Field on Friday, Aug. 29. Dorchester will travel to Pawnee City this Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.