Looking Back: Thompson Pony Farm And Rodeo

Today we look back at one of the most intriguing pieces of Dorchester's past: the Thompson Rodeo and Elmwood Pony Farm. 

If we reversed the calendar 100 years, chances are you'd be making plans right now to attend the Thompson Rodeo in late September.

Owned and operated by Colonel W.J. Thompson, the Elmwood Pony Farm was located in the northeast section of Dorchester. The farm sat on present day 10th Street, between Lincoln and Fulton Avenues.

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 was 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 doggers, concessions, rides, dancing and "whoopee." 

Pictured at the top of this story is an original banner from the Thompson Rodeo. The banner is now hanging in the Saline County Museum.

The Dorchester 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.

By 1942, the country was fighting WWII and the Thompson Rodeo closed its doors permanently, becoming another relic of our community's history.

(This is a reprint of a Times article that was published originally in August 2007.)

NEWS ROUND-UP: Fall Festival/History Day At Saline Co. Museum, Sept. 24

County Museum Fall Festival: We now have it from official sources. There will be a "Living History Day at the Museum" festival at the Saline County Historical Museum in Dorchester on Saturday, Sept. 24. The no-cost, family-oriented event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Historical skills and demonstrations will take place throughout the day, we are told. Food will be available for purchase. Attendees are encouraged to bring their family members, friends, and lawn chair and stay the entire day. Any donations will go towards new flooring in the main building, according to an email sent to the Times. This is sure to be an autumn highlight.

DHS Volleyball Prepares for Next Challenge: After handling East Butler last Thursday in three straight sets (25-23, 25-20, 25-17), the Dorchester High School volleyball team (1-0) is setting its sights on tougher challenges. The Orange and Black Attack will travel to Palmyra this Thursday, Sept. 1, for a triangular that features two Class C-2 opponents, Palmyra (1-1) and Weeping Water (2-0). Insiders tell the Times that this triangular will tell us a lot about the Lady Longhorns and their abilities. 

DHS Football Stumbles in Season Opener: The Dorchester High School football team lost its 2022 season opener on Friday, Aug. 26. In a road contest, the Longhorns fell to St. Edward 16-27. DHS led after one full quarter of play, 16-6. But Longhorns failed to maintain their momentum, giving up 21 unanswered points. Now DHS has a week off to regather and prepare for Red Cloud, which visits Dorchester and Nerud Field on Sept. 9.

Support the Longhorns - Join the DHS Booster Club: Dorchester Longhorn fans all across the state and the nation are invited to join the DHS Booster Club. The Booster Club supports Dorchester's student-athletes by raising money for much-needed supplies, equipment, uniforms, and/or capital items beyond what the school budget can provide. If you are a DHS parent, alum, or a friend of Dorchester, you may send your contribution to: DHS Booster Club, 506 W 9th St., Box 7, Dorchester, NE 68343.

Dorchester's Kevin Olson Passes At Age 69

Kevin L Olson, 69, of Dorchester passed away August 19, 2022 in Lincoln. Kevin was born in Oakland, Neb. on June 30, 1953 to Vernon and Norma (Lueninghoener) Olson. 

He graduated from Exeter Public School in 1971 and went on to Southeast Community College in Milford earning a degree in diesel technology in 1973. He was employed by Horizontal Boring and Tunneling in Exeter until starting his employment for the Saline County Roads Department in 1994, where he worked as a maintainer operator for 25 years until he retired in 2019. 

Kevin married Carol Vnoucek at the United Methodist Church in Exeter on Oct. 27, 1984 and to this union a son, Cale Robert was born.

Kevin loved to be outdoors, farming, fishing and hunting, especially with his son Cale, nephew Jerod and cousin Ed Olson. He raced ProAm stock cars primarily at Beatrice Speedway in Beatrice but also ventured to Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Midwest Speedway in Lincoln, Butler County Fairgrounds in David City, and the State Fair stock car races. He raced for over 27 years (1973-2000), making many memories with close friends Roger Klein, Tony Schweitzer, Jerome Ekeler and many more. Kevin was inducted into the Beatrice Speedway Hall of Fame in 2012. He was a big NASCAR fan, not to miss a race on Sunday afternoons on television.  His son Cale was named after NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Cale Yarborough.

Kevin loved being around kids, especially at the track, and was so proud when Cale and Jennie became parents of Waylon Harold and made him a grandparent. Kevin always had a dog and loved each and every one of them but especially Barn, Comet and Scout.

Kevin is survived by his son Cale (Jen) and grandson Waylon of Dorchester, former spouse Carol Olson of Dorchester, mother Norma Olson of Crete, siblings Mike (Sharon) Olson of York, Cheryl (John) Bullard of Lincoln and Keith (Michelle) Olson of Friend.  One nephew Jerod Olson of Seward and three nieces, Amy Jappert of Lincoln, Sarah Menyweather of Lincoln and Abbey Schluter of Gretna.  He is preceded in death by his father Vernon, sister Diane, and grandparents Ed and Fern Olson and Arthur Lueninghoener and Emma Sohl. 

Kevin’s wishes were to be cremated with no visitation or funeral service. A Celebration of Kevin’s Life will be held at the Dorchester Legion at a later date. Memorials may be given to the family for future designation. Arrangements entrusted to Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete.

Bump, Set, Spike: DHS Volleyball Ready To Shine

The Dorchester High School volleyball team's 2022 campaign is about to begin. And inside sources tell us this season could be a special one for the Lady Longhorns. (Notice how the team paid tribute to Longhorn teams of the past in the throwback uniforms above.)

With strong player participation of nearly 20 Lady Longhorns, the Dorchester roster has a solid core with sophomores and juniors comprising the majority.  

The mighty DHS will field a very competitive volleyball team that could be one of the top 10 percent squads in Class D, according to our sources. 

The new season gets underway Thursday, Aug. 25 with a home contest against East Butler.

Then this weekend, DHS will travel to Palmyra for a triangular featuring the Lady Longhorns, the host Panthers, and Weeping Water.

Here's a look at this year's DHS volleyball schedule:

Get ready for the Orange and Black Attack. Go Lady 'Horns.

Longhorn Football Season Kicks Off Friday

Bring out your black and orange! Dorchester High School's 2022 football season kicks off this Friday night, Aug. 26, at St. Edward up in Boone County. 

The Longhorns will do battle with the Beavers beginning at 7 p.m.

This is the fifth year of six-man football at Dorchester in the modern era. Just a few season ago, DPS revamped Nerud Field with a new lighting system. 

Insiders say this year's DHS team is short on numbers but big on heart. Expect a more physical style of play from the Longhorns, according our sources.

Here is the 2022 schedule:

Dorchester's football program has shown signs of strength after splitting from Milford five years ago and going to six-man. In 2020, DHS finished the year at 6-3, making the state playoffs. But last year, the Longhorns stumbled, going 1-7 due to injuries and low participation numbers. (DHS was 4-4 in its 2019 campaign and 3-5 in 2018.)

The 2022 campaign will be a tough test as the Longhorns will again be contending with a younger and smaller roster. To be competitive, DHS will be counting on young talent to mature quickly to fill in the missing pieces.

Stand by for season five of Longhorn six-man ball.

August Is 'Support Dorchester Businesses Month'

August is "Support Dorchester Businesses Month."

Raise your right hand and repeat: "I pledge to support my fellow Dorchester residents by buying local. From gasoline and dining, mechanical repair to cars, antiques and crafts, to banking services and auction services, and haircuts to wellness services and baked goods, I’ll buy from Dorchester businesses whenever possible because I know it supports my friends, neighbors, and community."

Throughout the entire month, readers are especially encouraged to support our community businesses by doing all their business in Dorchester whenever possible. 

Whether its dining out, getting your hair done, filling up the tank, buying a new set of tires, getting a loan, purchasing a used vehicle, or repairing the lawn mower, many forms of commerce can be conducted right here in town.

And every dollar counts, especially in these economically challenging times. In addition to doing your business in town, remind friends and family that it is important to keep their dollars in Dorchester. Also consider referring those who reside in the country and nearby towns to give Dorchester a try.

Help your fellow Dorchester residents who choose to do business here and employ others in our community.  

Let the remainder of this month be a reminder that the most important step in investing in the community is supporting its existing businesses.

NEWS ROUND-UP: School Open House Is Aug. 15; Village Shuts Down Water Well

Countdown to First Day of School: Dorchester Public School begins its new school year at 8:05 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Stay up-to-date on all school activities through the popular school newsletter, available here. Meanwhile, on Monday, Aug. 15, the school will hold an open house for all parents and students from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (A light meal of hotdogs and chips will be served; elementary students can drop off their supplies that evening.)

Fall Sports Preview, Aug. 18: Get ready for the DHS Fall Sports Preview. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18 -- in the school's rear parking lot -- Longhorn fans will get a firsthand look at the DHS volleyball and football teams. Both are expected to have big seasons! Wear your orange and black, and get in on the free-will hot dog dinner, too! Next Friday evening, Aug. 19, both the volleyball and football teams will hold scrimmages at the school. 

Contaminant Shuts Down Village Well: The Village of Dorchester recently shut off its No. 4 water well due to high levels of carbon tetrachloride -- a colorless liquid with a "sweet" smell that can be detected at low levels.  The state and federal drinking water standards for carbon tet are set at 5 parts per billion (ppb). The Dorchester well showed 23 ppb. Before 1970, the chemical was widely used as a cleaning fluid in home and industry. Until 1986, the chemical was used as a grain fumigant. Carbon tet is still used to manufacture propellants and other industrial chemicals. In homes, carbon tet may be found in containers of spot remover or in fire extinguishers made before 1970.

Village Zoning Permit Available Online: Is your Dorchester home undergoing construction? Repair? An addition? If so, you need to get a zoning permit from the village. Use this form to notify village officials.

20 Steps To Community Survival

Community survival is on the minds of many small town residents nowadays.

Several years ago in an editorial, we mentioned that Dorchester has been able to escape school consolidation and loss of population, both of which are crippling many small Plains' communities. But our community is not immune to the struggles facing small-town America.

We editorialized back in 2009 that Dorchester leaders (e.g., the community foundation, the planning committee, the town board) should establish a plan that establishes some goals for Dorchester, to improve the already-good quality of life we enjoy.

Whether a nation, or a community, or an individual, you cannot attain greatness without first establishing your goals. For Dorchester's list of goals, our residents should check out an old issue of VISIONS magazine, published some time ago by the non-profit Heartland Center for Leadership Development. 

The magazine lists 20 "clues to community survival" that were compiled following a case study of small towns in Missouri, Kansas and Texas that were thriving against all odds in the midst of the 1980s farm crisis.

The study of these successful small towns "offers positive examples and proof that the knowledge, skills and attitudes for community building are at work in many places," according to the VISIONS article.

The list isn't a recipe, nor does it represent the checklist for a perfect small town, say the authors of the study. However, we think the list serves as a useful tool for starting the conversation about community improvement and goal setting in Dorchester.

CLUES TO COMMUNITY SURVIVAL

1.) Evidence of Community Pride. ("Successful communities are often showplaces of care, attention, history and heritage," the study says.)

2.) Emphasis on Quality in Business & Community Life. 

3.) Willingness to Invest in the Future. ("In addition to the brick-and-mortar investments, all decisions are made with an outlook on the future.")

4.) Participatory Approach to Community Decision Making. ("Even the most powerful opinion leaders seem to work toward building consensus.")

5.) Cooperative Community Spirit.

6.) Realistic Appraisal of Future Opportunities. ("Successful communities have learned how to build on strengths and minimize weaknesses.")

7.) Awareness of Competitive Positioning. ("Local loyalty is emphasized in successful small towns, but thriving communities know who their local competitors are and position themselves accordingly.")

8.) Active Economic Development Program. ("There is an organized, public/private approach to economic development.")

9.) Knowledge of the Physical Environment. ("Relative location and available natural resources underscore decision-making.")

10.) Deliberate Transition of Power to a Younger Generation of Leaders. ("People under 40 regularly hold key positions in civic and business affairs in strong communities.")

11.) Celebration of Diversity in Leadership. ("Women, young people, and newcomers are elected officials, business leaders, and entrepreneurial developers.")

12.) Strong Belief in and Support for Education.

13.) Problem-Solving Approach to Providing Health Care and Housing Older Residents.

14.) Strong Multi-Generational Family Orientation. ("The definition of family is broad, and activities include younger as well as older generations.")

15.) Strong Presence of Traditional Institutions that are Integral to Community Life. ("Churches, schools and service clubs are strong influences on community development and the social network.")

16.) Sound and Well-Maintained Infrastructure. ("Leaders work to maintain streets, Main Street buildings, water systems and sewage facilities.")

17.) Careful Use of Fiscal Resources.

18.) Sophisticated Use of Technology Resources.

19.) Willingness to Seek Help from the Outside. ("People seek outside help for community needs, and many compete for government grants and contracts for projects and services.")

20.) Conviction That, in the Long Run, You Must Do It Yourself. ("Thriving rural communities believe their destiny is in their own hands. Making their communities good places is a pro-active assignment, and they are willing to accept it.")

FLASHBACK: Dorchester Was Nebraska's First Village To Crack Down On Neglected Properties Under LB 256

Note: The Times ran this story nearly three years ago in October 2019. Today, we revisit this article as a reminder that town leaders can make progress in addressing run-down properties.

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Small town residents across Nebraska for years have complained about vacant and neglected properties -- only to be told by lawyers or judges there is little the law allows town officials to do about addressing the problem.

Now, thanks to a recent state law, both residential and commercial property owners who have vacant and neglected properties will have to pay a lot more to keep them. And Dorchester is leading the way in implementing this policy change.

As we reported last year, the Nebraska Unicameral recently passed and the governor signed Legislative Bill 256, a bill to crack down on vacant properties. The bill passed 47-0 and provides communities a real tool to address neglected property challenges.  

Under LB 256 -- also known as the Vacant Property Registration Act -- municipalities have the authority to enact "vacant property registration ordinances" to identify and register vacant properties, collect fees to compensate for the public costs of property vacancy, plan for the rehabilitation of vacant properties, and encourage the occupancy of such properties.

Dorchester's Village Board recently enacted a village ordinance (No. 2019-694), authorized by LB 256. All Dorchester residents were notified by mail.

To our knowledge, and based on our research, Dorchester is the first village in Nebraska to do this -- demonstrating great leadership and courage by town leaders. We congratulate all of them. (For years, we advocated for such a move.)

Essentially, Dorchester's ordinance does the following:

• Creates a list of vacant properties. Properties (both residential and commercial) are considered vacant if conditions would lead anyone with common sense to believe the property is vacant. This includes overgrown vegetation; accumulation of trash or other waste; visible deterioration or lack of maintenance; graffiti or other defacement.

• Requires the property owner to submit a plan for occupancy for the property, detailing how and when the property will be occupied or used. This will be done when the property owner registers the property as "vacant," which must be done if the property has been vacant for more than six months (180 days).

• Allows the Village to impose a $250 "vacancy registration fee" for homes and a $1,000 fee for commercial buildings one year after the property becomes vacant -- or 180 days after the initial registration of the vacant property.

• After the assessment of the initial fee, the owner of the property must pay an additional "supplemental registration fee" of $500 for a vacant residential building or $2,000 for an vacant commercial building every six months. (The total supplemental fee cannot exceed 10 time the initial fee amount.)

• An owner who makes an honest attempt to sale or rent the property is exempt from the registration and fee requirements. Exemptions also apply to those who occupy the home seasonally; have had their property damaged by fire, weather or vandalism withing the past six months; are undergoing construction or renovation on the property; have demonstrated they are likely to return to the property after a temporary absence; or the vacant property is subject to divorce, probate or estate proceedings.

We have done our best to summarize the ordinance. However, property owners interested in the new Dorchester ordinance will need to read it in full by obtaining a copy from Village Hall.