First Killing Frost Comes Over Next 48 Hours

Brrrrrr.

The first killing frost arrives over the next 48 hours, right around the average timeline for our neck of the woods.

According to AccuWeather, temps are expected to dip to 28 degrees overnight into Tuesday morning. 

Meanwhile, a freeze watch is in effect for parts of central and eastern Nebraska late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Low temperatures could fall to the mid 20s.

Keep this in mind: These freezing temps are the coldest we will see over the next 10 days. 

In fact, freezing temperatures aren't expected to reappear in the Dorchester area until mid-November, according to forecasts.

As a point of reference, the average first frost date for our area is Oct. 12.

Developing...

NEWS ROUND-UP: Dorchester's Autumn Street Paving Projects

Dorchester's Autumn Street Paving Projects: Dorchester continues to add more concrete streets, as crews work to pave sections of Franklin Ave. and 8th Street that border the city park. Approved the the village board, the project will ensure paved streets surround the park, with the exception of the alley to the east. Meanwhile, Dorchester's main street, Washington Ave., is being resurfaced for the first time in more than 30 years. According to our records, the street was last resurfaced in the fall of 1991, or 33 years ago. In recent years, the street had become quite rough due to holes and cracks in the surface, especially as more semi-truck and trailer traffic utilizes the roadway.

Community Fall Clean-Up Begins Saturday: Dorchester's Community Fall Clean-Up will be from Saturday, Oct. 12 through Monday, Oct. 19. The dump site will be open Monday thru Friday 3-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

DHS Football Scores First Victory of 2024: The Dorchester football team picked up its first win of the 2024 campaign on Sept. 27, beating Harvard 58-12. The Longhorns, now 1-4, on the season, will take on Diller-Odell (4-1) this Friday, Oct. 11, in a contest at Nerud Field.

DHS Volleyball Team Hits Rough Patch: This blog may have jinxed the DHS volleyball team when we wrote on Sept. 24 that the Orange and Black Attack deserved to be in the Class D-2 top ten. Since defeating No. 8 Osceola, Dorchester has dropped five of its last nine contests. The Lady Longhorns now stand at 14-7 on the season. Next up for DHS is Cross County (13-11) in a Thursday road game (Oct. 10) and a home contest against Lincoln Parkview Christian ( 0-18) on Monday, Oct. 14.     

Missing Lincoln Woman Found in Dorchester: A woman who went missing from her home in southwest Lincoln was found in Dorchester, according to media reports. Charlotte Starkey, 75, had been missing since Sunday, according to the Lincoln Police Department. Police said her husband returned to their house near 16th and Burnham streets at about 2:30 p.m. and couldn’t find her. Around 6 a.m. Tuesday, LPD said Starkey was found “safe, healthy, and in good spirits.”

EPA Offers Recreation Grants: The U.S. EPA's Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program is accepting applications through Oct. 16. The program provides planning assistance to small towns and rural communities to help them boost their outdoor recreation economy and revitalize their main streets. Past projects have included promoting outdoor-oriented businesses and supporting economic growth and amenities in downtowns. Learn more.

Dorchester's Spookiest Places

Halloween season is fast approaching.

Back in 2007, the Times started publishing reports on the Dorchester area's haunted places. Here's an update on the latest reports regarding our area's spooky spots.

Gilbert's Graveyard: The most famous of Dorchester's "haunted places," Gilbert's Cemetery -- the final resting place of the family of John W. Gilbert -- continues to draw attention from inside and outside Saline County. (There's even this video of some brave souls who went into the graveyard at night for electronic readings.) Click here to see some of the stories left about Gilbert's Cemetery on a site called "Haunted Places."  Another report on the pioneer cemetery came from a website called  "Hauntings" (no longer active), which featured a "pre-haunt interview with the locals" in Dorchester. The site recounts some of the history behind Gilbert's Graveyard and its namesake, using historical accounts published by this blog and the 1981 Dorchester Centennial book. As Hauntings reported, "a number of strange events have been reported here. Among them, strange noises and the movement of tombstones. ... Sadly, this location has been host to vandalism and disrespect for some of the area's earliest pioneers. If you plan to visit this location, think on how you would want your remains and the stone markers of your final resting place treated."

The website also featured firsthand accounts from those who have visited the cemetery. One visitor named Chris wrote the following: 

"The first trip we had made (to Gilbert's Graveyard) I ended up in tears; just the feeling of being there was enough to make you sick. We started to drive through the graveyard, and someone pointed at a tree that was knocked down over a grave, and when I looked over there I saw a black fog coming up from the grave, we decided to leave. As we left the graveyard, we looked over to the graveyard and about nine-plus flashing lights came up from the graveyard and seemed to follow us. I was the driver and I looked in my rear view mirror to be horrified to see a older lady staring at me in the mirror, then scream and then I began to cry uncontrollably. I stepped on that gas and swore I would never return. But consequently we did, and the second time it was more calmer then the first, not much happened except for hearing footsteps in the distant, and the feeling of you being followed closely."

Former 'Squeaky Bridge': According to GhostsOfAmerica.com, the site of the former ''squeaky bridge'' over Turkey Creek, south of Dorchester, is "extremely haunted" (County Rd. 1500 between county roads G and H). "According to legend several men were hanged on the bridge, which was closed and removed in or around 1994. However the ghosts still appear on a routine basis at night. They are transparent figures hanging by a noose right where the bridge once stood. Some have said the hanged men will occasionally look up and stare at observers."

Specter of Highway 33: For years, we've heard reports of a "man" who supposedly walks on Highway 33 as you near the west edge of Crete. People have reported seeing him on the road, or just off to the side, and swerve to miss him.  When they look back, he is gone. The Times has investigated the story further. Some say the apparition is that of a Dorchester lad who died decades ago in a very bad accident a mile west of Crete. Others say it is the ghost of an Oregon Trail pioneer who lost his way and died on the journey.  

Second Floor Above the Village Office:  According to GhostsOfAmerica.com, "there have been many reports of figures or shapes moving around in the second floor of the village office building" on main street Dorchester. The website claims to have a picture of the ghostly figure taken with a cell phone in 2009.

Dorchester School Boiler Room: We can confirm that the boiler room of the 1927 Dorchester School building is no longer haunted, if it ever was. The old school building was torn down in 2008 to make room for the current DPS campus. But when it existed, there were reports that in the late 1920s a child "locked himself in the boiler room and died." According to the old stories, school janitors in the modern era sometimes heard yells coming from the boiler room during the night -- and "when they went down into the boiler room, they didn't find anyone." So convincing were the reports that the Lincoln Journal Star in 2006 wrote a story on the the old boiler room.  The story quotes former school secretary Joyce Karl and former custodians Ron Sehnert and Sharri Kasl, who said: "I never go down there in the mornings if I’m ever here by myself." Another publication ranked the Dorchester boiler room the second-most haunted site in Nebraska.

Doane College Library: Doane College's old library seems to be haunted by a woman in a white dress, according to some reports. On a full moon, she will appear in front of one of the windows. She has been reported to roam about the basement as well.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Elmwood Pony Farm (And Rodeo)

Today we look back at one of the most intriguing pieces of Dorchester's past: the Thompson Elmwood Pony Farm. (Click on the accompanying pictures for a closer look.)

Owned and operated by Colonel W.J. Thompson, the Elmwood Pony Farm was located in the northeast corner of Dorchester. The farm sat on present day 10th Street, between Lincoln and Fulton Avenues -- home of the present-day "The Well" spa and health business.

Dating back to the 1890s, the Elmwood Pony Farm was one of the largest pony farms west of the Mississippi River. By the 1920s, the pony farm had become home to more than 300 ponies.  

Thompson's pony farm was a popular destination for children from miles around, according to accounts of longtime residents. Children who lived in the country were even permitted to take home a pony and ride it all summer, if they agreed to keep it fed well.

Each September, Colonel Thompson took as many as 35 Shetland ponies to the Nebraska State Fair for rides. He entered many more of the animals in the fair's show contests. All of the ponies were herded overland from Dorchester to Lincoln by Thompson farm employees.

In 1930, Colonel Thompson's son, Wallace, started the Thompson Rodeo. It was usually a three-day event held each fall, complete with fighting broncos, cowboys, clowns, trick riders, cowgirls, bull dodgers, concessions, rides, dancing and "whoopee." 

Dorchester's Thomspon rodeo attracted many top riders from around the country, as well as local talent.  An Oklahoma rider even came within 0.7 seconds of the world's record in calf roping at the Dorchester Rodeo.

At one time, more than 7,000 spectators were reported in attendance at the Dorchester Rodeo. 

Many people had high hopes that Dorchester would become a permanent rodeo on the famous circuit that included Cheyenne Frontier Days, as well as the Burwell and Sidney rodeos. 

But by 1940, the rodeo hit a spell of heavy rain and events were cancelled.

Then came World War II, and in 1942 the Thompson Rodeo closed its doors permanently, becoming another chapter in the history book of our community.

NEWS ROUND-UP: DHS Volleyball Makes Case For Top-10 Ranking

 

DHS Volleyball Sweeps No. 8 Osceola: Dorchester's Class D-2 volleyball team convincingly beat Class D-2's No. 8 Osceola Lady Bulldogs in three straight sets Tuesday night. In a contest held at the Dorchester gym, the Orange and Black Attack looked sharp, dominating Osceola (10-2) most of the contest. The DHS ladies are now 10-2 on the year and have adequately made the case that they should be ranked in Class D-2's top 10. Next up for the Lady Longhorns are High Plains Community (7-4) and Shelby/Rising City (4-7) in a Thursday triangular at High Plains. On Saturday, Sept. 28, DHS will travel to Waco to take on Omaha Christian Academy (6-4) and Nebraska Lutheran (6-6) in another triangular.

Shirley Kasl Turns 90: Shirley Kasl of Dorchester will celebrates her 90th birthday this week. She was born Sept. 25, 1934, in Wilber. Her family members include her son and daughter-in-law, George and Jen Kasl of Dorchester; four granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters. To help Shirley celebrate, cards may be sent to 1375 County Road I, Dorchester, NE 68343.

Farmers Cooperative to Build Major Facility Near Pawnee City: Farmers Cooperative has unveiled plans to build a grain shuttle loading facility near Pawnee City in southeast Nebraska. "The facility will feature a storage capacity of approximately 3.7 million bushels and will include a 110-car shuttle shipper on the BNSF railroad,” said Dale Hayek, senior vice president of grain at Farmers Cooperative. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and the facility should be operational by the fall of 2026.

NEWS ROUND-UP: DHS Volleyball Off To 9-2 Start

 

(Photo credit: Sharon Axline)

Longhorn Volleyball Starts Strong: The Orange and Black Attack, also known as the Dorchester High School volleyball team, is taking Class D-2 by storm. The Lady Longhorns have stormed out of the gate, winning nine of the first 11 games in the 2024 campaign. On Tuesday night, Sept. 17, DHS beat both Nebraska Lutheran and Cedar Bluffs at the Dorchester Invitational, improving to 9-2 on the young season. Dorchester's only two losses so far have been to Weeping Water and Falls City Sacred Heart. Next up for DHS is Osceola (5-0) next Tuesday, Sept. 24, in a contest at home.

DHS Football Off to Tough Start: The Dorchester football team is off to an 0-3 start on the season. The Longhorns dropped their latest contest on Sept. 14 to Grand Island's Heartland Lutheran by a count of 42-28. (Check out these great action shots of the contest.) This week, Dorchester is off. Next up for DHS is Harvard (0-3) on Sept. 27 in a contest at beautiful Nerud Field.

Homecoming Week is Next Week: Sept. 23-27 is homecoming week at Dorchester Public Schools. See the spirit week themes. The homecoming bonfire and pep rally will be Wednesday evening, Sept. 25.

Worship Service in the Park This Sunday: This Sunday, Sept. 22, the Dorchester United Methodist Church will hold services in the Dorchester City Park at 9:30 a.m. Dorchester UMC is inviting the entire village to this community worship service. Come and meet the new Pastor, Cameron Miller, and stay for a free lunch after the service. All are welcome to attend.

Community Fall Clean-Up is Mid-October: Dorchester's Community Fall Clean-Up will be from Saturday, Oct. 12 through Monday, Oct. 19. The dump site will be open Monday thru Friday 3-7 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Main Street -- South Side

The photo at the right shows Dorchester's bustling main street (Washington Avenue) as it appeared in the 1920s.

The image is from a 1929 postcard.

The photo shows the South Side Garage, located on the west side of the block that sits between Dorchester's 6th and 7th Streets (next to the modern-day car wash).

Henry Sehnert owned and operated the South Side Garage from 1925 to 1930, before moving north to the other side of the street, where he would operate his Ford garage for half a century. 

The South Side Garage was located near the present-day car wash.

Also housed in this building, in later years, was: Floyd Beck's John Deere dealership; the Dorchester skating rink; and Bob Wanek's furniture storage warehouse.

Today's Village Hall can clearly be seen in the photo, looking north.

At the time the picture was taken, the corner building actually housed Citizen's State Bank -- Dorchester oldest continuous business, despite the name change.

Also pictured is the U.S. Post Office, as well as the Masonic and Good Fellows Hall, which occupied the second floor of today's Village Hall building.

Prior to the 1920s (see photos on the left side), the south side of main street was home to Skinkle Cafe and the H. Oetkin Machine Shop, according to a 1914-1920 map of Dorchester. 

Just north of the machine shop were Ireland's Dry Goods and Grocery and Randell's Shoe Shop. 

Continuing north up main street -- separated by the narrow alley and present-day bank drive-through -- were the Bank of Dorchester and Dr. Waller's Drug Store.  

In later years, these buildings would house businesses such as the Dorchester opera house, a second fire department station, Dick's Auto Body and Repair, and Max Harling's "Brand X" tractor repair.

On the east side of the street on the same block -- circa the 1920s -- sat the Commercial Hotel; Cookus Blacksmith; Parker's Cream and Poultry; the Chamber of Commerce; City Hall; Dillon's Blue Front Cafe; and Malek's Butcher Shop.

Dorchester's main street was a hub of business activity and free enterprise.

We are certain that Times' readers would enjoy hearing feedback (in the comments section below) from residents -- past or present -- who have stories from friends or family about Dorchester's early days.  

Homes For Sale on Main Street

Dorchester's real estate market remains strong. This despite that easy, cheap money -- following several years of money printing due to massive government spending -- are coming to a close.

Many homes in large cities and rural properties have become unaffordable for the average buyer. Dorchester looks even more appealing now to most folks in the market for a home. Consider what Dorchester has to offer:

• TOP-NOTCH SCHOOL: A newer K-12 school with smaller class sizes and some of the state's best educators. This means individualized attention for your child.

• A SAFE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY: With an upgraded water and sewer system, and a surplus of funding at Village Hall.

• LOWER COSTS: Affordable living costs with lower property taxes compared to surrounding school districts.

• KEY BUSINESSES AND PRIME LOCATION: Headquarters for one of the nation's largest agri-businesses (Farmers Cooperative) and situated on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line and along two major highways.

• GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGE: A quick drive to employers in Crete, Milford, Friend, and Seward. Just 30 minutes to Lincoln and 12 minutes to I-80. Yet all the advantages of a small, close-knit community.

Here are two Dorchester homes that just hit the market:

1013 Washington Ave.: Built in 1901, this very affordable three bedroom, two bath house has a main floor with two of the bedrooms, full bath, living/dining areas, kitchen and laundry. Primary bedroom with full bath and walk in closet are on the second level. Basement area is very small for shelter and utilities, but is mostly crawl space. Is located on a corner lot with a large two stall attached garage. Has central heat and air and second level includes the window unit for added cooling. See the listing.

909 Washington Ave.: Built in 1900, this 1.5 story, three bedroom, one bathroom home in Dorchester is a great starter property. Primary bedroom, laundry and bathroom are on the main level with two bedrooms upstairs. Selling as-is. See the listing.

Looking Back: Dorchester's Firsts

Most area historians concur that Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska -- written in the late 1800s -- is the authority on Saline County's earliest days. No other collection of information is as detailed or thorough.

Through the online edition of Andreas' History, the Times has compiled a collection of Dorchester's firsts, including the first couple married in town, the first birth, the first death, and the first official sermon.

Here is a look back at some the firsts of our community, whose roots begin in the year 1870, when Dorchester's location was selected by the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad and the survey was made. 

* First Residents: Before buying the site that would become Dorchester from the U.S. Government, the railroad sent four men to claim an entire section of land, with each claiming 160 acres. Two of the four men who settled at that time were James Seely and Edward McIntyre -- Dorchester's first residents. Both made a permanent location here. The other two remained just long enough to secure the land and transfer it to the railroad.

* First Birth: The first birth occurred in early 1872, and was that of John, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hawkins. The next birth occurred October 10, 1872, and was that of Ed McIntyre Parker, son of Hon. and Mrs. T. B. Parker.

* First Death: The first death occurred in the spring of 1873, and was that of Burke, the infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Windrem.

* First Sermon: Sometime in late 1870 or early 1871, the first formal sermon in Dorchester was delivered by Rev. Frederick Alley, a Congregational minister.

* First Official Schoolhouse: The first schoolhouse was built in 1872.

* First Church: The Christian church was built in the summer of 1878. 

* First Bank: The Bank of Dorchester was established in October 1881.

* First Newspaper: The Dorchester Star was established August 21, 1881, and the first edition was printed Sept. 8, 1881. (Although three other newspapers have also been published in our village over the years -- The Saline County Express, The Dorchester Booster, and The Dorchester Leader.)

* First Village Board: Dorchester was incorporated as a village in 1881, with N. B. Alley, Thomas Jarrett, John Oberlies, S. G. Panter, and W. H. Pallett listed as Trustees; C. F. Thomas, Clerk; J. H. Clark, Treasurer; and M. O. Alley, Marshal.

* First Census Count: In 1879, two years before Dorchester's official incorporation, the village had 673 residents. A year later, it ballooned to 954.

Foundation Golf Fundraiser Is Sept. 15

Get your golf clubs ready. The ninth annual Dorchester Community Foundation Fund Golf Tourney is set for Sunday, Sept. 15.

The outing will take place at the Crete Country Club, according to a flyer.  

The event will have shotgun start at 10 a.m.

The tourney will be a two-person, best ball format. Cost is $65 per person, or $130 per two-person team. 

Cost includes 18 holes, cart, meal, and pin prizes.

Registration is due no later than Sunday, Sept. 8.

The payment is due on tournament day. Checks should be made payable to: Dorchester Community Foundation Fund.

For more information or to sign up, call Linda Easley at 402-641-0564 or email geasley5@windstream.net

All proceeds go to the Dorchester splash pad project.

Recycling Is Back In Dorchester

 

 

For those who want to recycle, you can do it in Dorchester once again.

The recycling trailer is located at the village dump site. 

The trailer can only be utilized during the dump's hours, weather permitting.

 Dump hours are:

• Monday and Wednesday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Glass is not accepted, we are told.

Accepted items are aluminum, cardboard, paper, and plastics 1-7.

Methodist Church Receives $6K For After-School Program

The Dorchester United Methodist Church has received a grant for $6,000 through the Nebraska Community Foundation. The grant will fund an after-school children's program at the church during this school year.  

Funds will be used to finance a program director and two additional employees at the church. This includes busing youth after school to the church, which will provide a safe place with after school activities until the parents pick them up after their work.  

The grant was facilitated through the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund with matching funds.

Special recognition goes out to the foundation's Carol Olson for recognizing the opportunity and applying for the grant, according to Dale Hayek, the foundation's president.

Dorchester Volleyball Serves Up New Season This Week

Bump. Set. Spike. 

The Dorchester High School volleyball team is ready to begin its 2024 campaign.

This year's DHS squad will likely be among one of the better teams in Class D-2. The Lady Longhorns, who finished at 16-11 last year and 15-13 in 2022, will return some key starters this season.

One insider who follows high school volleyball closely told the Times that this year's team will need to foster younger talent in order to overcome some of the tougher teams on the schedule. 

"On paper, they should win the majority their games," our source told us. 

"But the senior leaders will need to work hard to ensure their younger teammates contribute to their full potential."

DHS fans will know in short order how the 2024 Longhorn team stacks up. The team is scheduled to play four contests by Sept. 10, in addition to an unofficial "jamboree" contest versus Wilber-Clatonia at 5:30 p.m. this Tuesday, Aug. 27, at home.

The official season begins this Thursday, Aug. 29, with a 7 p.m. home contest against East Butler. A JV game will start at 6 p.m.

Here is the 2024 DHS volleyball schedule:

Meanwhile, the volleyball team is conducting its driveway painting fundraiser. It's a great way to demonstrate your Longhorn pride and support the volleyball team at the same time. See this Facebook post for more details or contact Coach Clouse or Coach Tachovsky.

Living History Day At Saline County Museum, August 24

We now have it from official sources. The annual Living History Day festival will be held at the Saline County Museum in Dorchester on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This free, family-oriented event has become a favorite in southeast Nebraska. It features roughly 25 historical demonstrations and a showcase of old-timer skills. Food will be available, including homemade ice cream. 

The food court will be serving from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their family members, friends, and lawn chair. Donations will be accepted.

Don't miss the end-of-summer highlight. 

In the meantime, the museum is open every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Crete Solar Project Part Of $30M Government Giveaway

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has just announced the agency is sending nearly $30 million in taxpayer money to a Nebraska company, which is planning a solar energy project in Crete as well as seven other Nebraska communities.

SE Municipal Solar LLC, based in Omaha, is receiving the money through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program, which is part of the federal Inflation Reduction Act. The program is essentially a grant in the form of "forgivable loans" if used for renewable energy projects powered by wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass, as well as for renewable energy storage projects.

The company plans to build eight solar photovoltaic generation facilities totaling 18.72 megawatts, about enough electricity to power 1,700 homes. Projects will be located in Alliance, Gering, Sidney, Imperial, Ansley, Pender, Crete, and Stuart.

Last summer, the Crete City Council voted to authorize citing the eight-acre solar farm near the intersection of highways 33 and 103, south of the former Schwan's facility.

Keep in mind that China owns the vast majority of the world’s solar panel supply chain, controlling at least 75 percent of every single key stage of solar photovoltaic panel manufacturing and processing. That makes the United States over 3 times as dependent on China for solar power than the United States was ever dependent on the Middle East for oil, according to experts.

Longhorn Football Kicks Off August 30

It's time to break out your orange and black! 

Dorchester High School's 2024 football season kicks off next Friday night, Aug. 30 in Sterling. 

The mighty Longhorns will do battle with the Jets at 7 p.m.

This is the seventh year of six-man football at Dorchester in the modern era. In recent years, DPS revamped Nerud Field with a new lighting system. Last season, a new field box was added to the friendly confines.

After last year's 1-7 record, insiders say this year's DHS team seeks to start a new chapter of Longhorn football as numbers begin to return. 

 

Sources say DHS' experience in coaching and game planning will start to pay dividends.

Here is the 2024 schedule:

 

 

Dorchester's football program has shown signs of strength after returning to Nerud Field seven years ago and going to six-man. DHS was 4-4 in its 2019 campaign and 3-5 in 2018.

 

In 2020, DHS finished the year at 6-3, making the state playoffs. But in 2021, the Longhorns stumbled, going 1-7 due to injuries and low participation numbers. 2022 was another tough sled with a 2-6 record.

To be competitive this season, DHS will need to stay healthy. Stand by for season seven of Longhorn six-man ball.

 

Looking Back: Dorchester's Main Street, Circa 1910

Today, let's go back in time -- way back to 1910.

Thanks to a loyal reader who sent us an image via e-mail (you may do the same at dorchester.times@gmail.com), we were provided this glimpse of the Bank of Dorchester and corner drug store just after the turn of the 20th century.

The image is from a vintage postcard. (Click on the pictures for a closer view.)

Notice the patriotic display in drug store window. A postcard rack can be seen through the storefront window.  

Much different times indeed.

According to our research, and some help from the 1981 Dorchester centennial book, the two businesses were housed on the southwest corner of 7th Street and Washington Avenue (Main Street).

Notice the windmill behind the building. This supplied water since it sat where Dorchester's old water tower stood prior to its removal in 2013.

Today, First State Bank resides at this location, but the building has long had a much newer front.

The Bank of Dorchester operated from 1913 through 1930, when it fell victim to the Great Depression. To the south of the bank was Randall's shoe shop, owned by William Randall from 1888 through 1917. The space separating the bank and the shoe store -- the public library today -- was there even in the early 1900s.

It is unclear which former Dorchester drug store is pictured, since Dorchester had at least a half-dozen drug stores from 1900 through 1920. Our best guess is that the pharmacy pictured belonged Dr. J.E. Waller, who owned and operated this store from 1909 through 1915. 

The Times would love to hear about any history our readers can share regarding these businesses.

$10K In Funds For New DHS Shot Clocks

It's the final countdown as the shot clocks go up this season in Nebraska Class D high school basketball.

And thanks to donations from the Dorchester Community Foundation Fund, Nebraska Community Foundation, and Farmers Co-op, there's funding to pay for those clocks.

The three entities raised a combined $10,000, according to social media.

While the clocks are supposed to speed up the game and put an end to the type of stall tactics that took down the best-ever Dorchester High School basketball team in 1987, there are concerns about their availability and costs -- especially at a time local school boards and officials are under the gun for spending. 

Also, finding a dedicated person to operate the clock could be a challenge at small schools. 

The estimated costs of the clocks run between $3,500 and $7,100, plus installation costs.

Like them or not, the shot clocks are coming. Get ready for the biggest change to high school basketball since the implementation of the three-point line in the late 1980s.

House For Sale: 712 Stephens Avenue

Dorchester's real estate market remains strong. This despite that easy, cheap money -- following several years of money printing due to massive government spending -- are coming to a close.

Many homes in large cities and rural properties have become unaffordable for the average buyer. Dorchester looks even more appealing now to most folks in the market for a home. Consider what Dorchester has to offer:

• TOP-NOTCH SCHOOL: A newer K-12 school with smaller class sizes and some of the state's best educators. This means individualized attention for your child.

• A SAFE AND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY: With an upgraded water and sewer system, and a surplus of funding at Village Hall.

• LOWER COSTS: Affordable living costs with lower property taxes compared to surrounding school districts.

• KEY BUSINESSES AND PRIME LOCATION: Headquarters for one of the nation's largest agri-businesses (Farmers Cooperative) and situated on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail line and along two major highways.

• GEOGRAPHIC ADVANTAGE: A quick drive to employers in Crete, Milford, Friend, and Seward. Just 30 minutes to Lincoln and 12 minutes to I-80. Yet all the advantages of a small, close-knit community.

Here's a Dorchester home that just hit the market:

712 Stephens Ave.: Built in 1900, this charming 2 bedroom, 1 bath home offers plenty of room with 1,025 square feet. It has been fully renovated offering a large kitchen with island, open concept dining area, and modern living. All in one level living, modern features, colors, carpet and tile flooring in the kitchen and dining. Each bedroom and living room have its own mini split for climate comfort. Turn-key, you will enjoy your new home and all the gorgeous fixtures, and natural light from the new windows and throughout. Main floor laundry area, corner lot and one detached garage with a new door. See the listing.