And it happened in Vernon County

Recently I had the experience of telling a newcomer to our town about some of the many good things going on in all of Vernon County. I realize that those who have always lived in a big city might easily overlook many of the gifts of Nevada and Vernon County.

Let’s go back several decades and look around the farms and smaller towns in our county, much of the pleasures and things that are beneficial to us all. For example, you might see two or three teams of horses in Mr. Jones’s field, they are Mr. Jones’s neighbors who have come to get his crop harvested because Mr. Jones is in the hospital. You might also see several women carrying bowls of something that smells awfully good to the house of one of the workers who are starting to take the wheat to the threshing machine sitting in the field. The men share their labor with their neighbor and when it is his turn the machine will move to his farm and again the neighbors will join to provide the labor needed. The women were carrying food to add to the noon meal but the “hostess” has the responsibility of the rest of the meal, the drinks and a place for the men to wash up a bit before they eat.

In the rural areas in addition to bringing in the crops occasionally the residents would have a meal, square dance or play cards to have some recreation after their days work.

One of the big events for the whole county was the activities around the county becoming an official county. “The saga of faith” was a week-long centennial pageant held at Logan Field in which nearly every group of citizens were involved in the 15 scenes that enacted the growth of the county.

The Bushwhacker Days is a continuing celebration of the residents of Vernon County becoming involved. Committees are formed to take care of everything from ordering the port-a-johns to placing the floats in the parade and getting entertainment for the nights of the Bushwhacker Days. Often some group like the Boy Scouts of America will come up with an idea and carry it out on their own.

Groups and individuals of the county have used the courthouse building, lawn, and street adjacent to the courthouse to emphasize a project that group is working on. Seeing shoes, paper bags with sand in the bottom and names on them, clotheslines with white garments also with names is not surprising to people of Vernon County who are used to seeing such types of volunteer action.

Some advertisements are permanent buildings, a room or a window display somewhere. I will write about a few of these.

“Neighbors” is an adult day care on east Walnut where those over 18 can be cared for any time from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. so that person’s caregiver can hold a job, go to school, or play a round of golf. It was started by the family of a handicapped youth who talked to authorities about the problem of those in a wheelchair having to deal with curbs in the town of Nevada. From his efforts a committee was formed, a grant written and the building erected, staff hired and the “Neighbors” became a reality although there are still curbs in some areas where those who are handicapped have to cope with.

The Nevada Public Library and the Bushwhacker Museum are sharing two levels on the west Walnut street just off the square as they each had either moved or enlarged their services while still retaining the old jail and sheriff’s office to add to all the other public buildings.

Organizations such as the Lions Club, Rotary, Lodges, Churches often adopt some of the mentioned buildings for services. I can’t name them all but I will end with one of my favorite, the CCPA, “Community Council of Performing Arts”. After many years holding their performances in a stock sale barn, borrowed auditoriums and inadequate housing for their purposes finally were able to buy the Fox Theater on Main Street off the Square. The list of donors through the years shows that volunteers for this project are working with the board to continue bringing quality plays, musicals, events and opportunities.

Aren’t we proud to say Nevada and Vernon County have grown and are still growing to give us all opportunities for enjoyment and education?