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Local man celebrates long history in Nevada
By Steve Moyer
Nevada Daily Mail
He can't see as well as he used to, he doesn't drive himself around any longer, he takes awhile to walk any distance but 82-year-old Dr. B.N. Mendenhall still arrives early at his office and sees chiropractic patients. Patients and friends alike refer to him as Dr. Ben with both respect and affection.
Mendenhall has spent more than 50 years treating Nevada's aches and pains in his chiropractic practice and in that time he has also been active in the community. He has been a member of Rotary International for 50 years and served a term as the local chapter's president. He has also been on the Nevada City Council 13 years and served three terms as mayor.
The Chilicothe native was in the service when a friend convinced him to try chiropractic.
"When I was getting ready to get out of the service a friend of mine was going to go to chiropractic school," Mendenhall said. "It sounded good to me so I signed up. I graduated in February, 1950."
It wasn't long after that when Mendenhall came to Nevada.
"After I graduated I went to work for two other chiropractors in Kansas City," Mendenhall said. "I heard about Post who was selling his practice and I bought it. He went up to Kansas City for awhile, then came back and we worked together four years then went to separate offices."
Mendenhall has been in the same office for more than 45 years.
"I moved into this building in 1961 and I've been here ever since," Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall thinks Nevada is headed in the right direction, after a short detour.
"Right now I think things are going very well," Mendenhall said. "I'm proud of our community. It can be better than it is but it can grow. I thought things were fouled up for awhile but it looks like that's straightened up. I think we live in a city that can be very progressive, if things are done right. If they want to boost us and build us up there's no telling what we could accomplish."
Mendenhall was politically active and said everyone should be.
"I think everyone should be active in politics. Locally as well as state and nationally," Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall said one of the things going for Nevada is its location and availability of services.
"I think we have a great retirement community to live in," Mendenhall said. "People should look at Nevada to retire in. We have low crime and we have good medical care here and are close to better care if it's needed."
One of the things living a long live brings is the loss of friends. Mendenhall said there are several people he misses.
"I always counted on Franklin (Norman) for good advice when I was on the council," Mendenhall said. "It was always a good, enlightening visit when he came around. He never had anything to say that wasn't positive. L.F. Richardson always came up with good advice for the city. I'm old enough that a lot of the people I used to know that were good friends and gave good advice are gone now and I miss them."