With McCook in the midst of celebrating Heritage Days, this is a great opportunity to reflect on the influential heritage McCook has on a regular basis….something that many of us take for granted.
Last week, I was hanging out in front of the Senator George Norris State Historical Site, or as it is more commonly known, the Norris Home. No, I don’t normally just hang out at historical sites, but was scoping out the yard for a future project.
As I sat on the bench on the front lawn of the Norris Home, next to a life-sized sculpture of the “Fighting Liberal,” an out-of-state car pulled up with two young men inside. While I continued my conversation with my fellow instigator-at-large, Denise Garey, I watched them out of the corner of my eye.
Their first stop was actually to the historical marker across the street at Norris Park. Next, they walked north to look over the Harry Strunk memorial, dedicated in 2018, followed by a short walk to the marker at former Gov. Morrison’s home. They then walked the two blocks south to the Sutton Home, or its more famous moniker, the home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. They stopped for a moment at Sen. and Gov. Ben Nelson’s boyhood home before wandering back to the Norris House.
After a brief conversation, I learned that the visitors were from the Kansas City area and were traveling to South Dakota. But they had purposely stopped in McCook because they had just finished John F. Kennedy’s famous book, “Profiles in Courage,” which includes a chapter on Sen. George Norris.
They wanted to see the house where the man who had influenced JFK had lived for more than 40 years. While researching the home of George Norris, they also discovered that McCook was home to the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Nebraska. Upon discovering these “treasurers,” they created a route specifically through McCook.
Day after day, we pass these historical markers but most of us don’t take the time to reflect on their importance, their significance or their uniqueness. Actually, that work is already done for us. There is a McCook Heritage Square Walking Tour brochure which is available throughout the community and a digital tour is in the works.
As the young men prepared to head leave town, one of their other comments stuck with me. After all their research, they were surprised when they reached the city limits and saw the population listed at less than 8,000. In their minds, the city had to be more like 20,000 to 25,000 people, based on everything that was listed and available online.
We have an opportunity to capitalize on the historical value of these leaders and significant sites. Like Willa Cather in Red Cloud, we should be celebrating George Norris, who had the courage to both stand up for what he believed was right and to reach across the aisle to compromise. Both sadly missing in many of today’s political leaders.
I have to admit that I had not read “Profiles in Courage” until speaking to these visitors. Since then, I finished the book and have even more respect for George Norris, who met with both success and failure. But the quote from JFK’s book which stuck with me most about George Norris was the following, “History asks: “Did the man have integrity? Did the man have unselfishness? Did the man have courage? Did the man have consistency?”
All of those apply to George Norris and that is something McCook can and should celebrate as its heritage.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
August 2025 Volunteer of the Month Bruce McDowell can be found walking around McCook for his health, to be helpful or maybe even attend a meeting.
It takes work and effort to be social but its vital to our community.
McCook's young people are shaping their hometown through a various projects.
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts shares how her perspective on McCook changed over the past few months.
With the McCook Aquatic Center closing soon for the season, another tradition - Mr. Bill and his 25-cent snow-cones - will likely be coming to an end soon too.
McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program
Getting Outside of National Night Out Nearly everyone can tell you their last interaction with the police or the fire department. And unfortunately because of the nature of the organizations, it is usually not at a positive moment. My last contact with the McCook Police Department was just a few weeks ago, when I was pulled over on B Street in McCook…on my scooter. I pulled into the wrong lane when making a turn, which is illegal. But in my defense, it was an act of self-defense to just get through the intersection of East B and Sixth streets alive. Since the drivers haven’t seen a stop-light since Holdrege, cars and semis regularly run the traffic light, which makes me a wee bit vulnerable as I pass through the lanes. I got off with a warning but the true punishment were the texts throughout the day from everyone who saw me with my scooter and the police officer. Since most exchanges with police and fire are not on good terms, National Night Out was created to have an evening of positive interactions, to remind the public that the police and fire departments are just normal people, doing their jobs, looking out for their friends and neighbors, trying to create a safe community for everyone. National Night Out is designed to simply join your friends and neighbors for an evening of fellowship and fun. It is an opportunity to meet local law enforcement, creating safer and more caring neighborhoods. McCook is joining thousands of other communities across the country in hosting National Night Out, which typically takes place on the first Tuesday of August every year. Planned for Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. in and around Norris Park in McCook, the night includes a bike parade, a walk, awards for bike decorating, desserts and more. In other words, it is simply a block party to hang out. Numerous organizations have come together to make the evening possible. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the McCook Rotary Club are hosting a bike parade that starts at 6 p.m. Linda Maiden with State Farm, a bicycle helmet advocate, will also be in Norris Park. The streets around Norris Park will be shut down to provide a safe area to ride, as well as more space to cruise around the block. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bike, scooter, roller skates or anything on wheels. This could mean streamers, pompom balls, markers or even the old classic - playing cards in the spokes of your wheels. Some supplies will be available at the park for use if you show up and realize you are the most underdressed person at the party. If your bike has an inch of dust on it, this is a great time to get it out, wipe it off and get it rolling. And if your bike needs minimal fixes like a flat tire or a brake adjustment, bike tools will be on hand along with myself and my hubbie, who know just enough about bike repair to be dangerous but did manage a 300-plus mile bike ride last week so we must be doing something right. But let’s say you don’t have a bike or biking isn’t your cup of tea? Then you are still encouraged to join the “Walk in the Park,” hosted by Community Hospital. Designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle, walkers will stroll around the park and the neighborhood at whatever pace you feel like with strollers and dogs on leashes welcomed. And perhaps most importantly, there will be a chance to meet members of the McCook Police and Fire Department, getting to see police cars and fire engines close-up in a non-emergency manner, always the best way to see them. And if the weather cooperates, there may be a fire hose, water and spraying involved. If you have been at the Culbertson Fourth of July parade, you know it is up to you to stay out of the line of fire if you want to remain dry. We all have excuses for why we don’t want to go out at night, especially after a long day at work. But National Night Out in McCook on Aug. 5 is a great reason to get out your bicycle and lace up your walking shoes. Hang out with your friends, get to know your neighbors and meet your first responders. That is what makes our communities just a little bit better.
Judy McCune named July 2025 McCook volunteer of the month
Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
