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.
Jeremy Shaw named April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
While the Bison Alumni Newsletter will still be available digitally, a new printed service is available.
During a recent performance at the Fox Theater by the Lied's Arts Across Nebraska, there was one group who was not thanked: those who showed up for the event, which is a big deal.
Mark Friehe named March McCook Volunteer of the Month.
Although the Bodensteiners no longer live in Southwest Nebraska, they are still connected and wanted to see if prosper and thrive.
From long-term projects to weekly events, you cannot say "there is nothing to do" or "nothing is happening."
With the goal of reaching 200 subscriptions, the Bison Alumni Newsletter is launching a subscription service.
Long-time volunteer Don Harpst was recognized as the first McCook Volunteer of the Month in March 2025.
McCook's youth survey shows that young people now value safety in their community, something McCook provides.
Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
