New Rockford Transcript - Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Over time, humans have made many great tools and developments to aid in the carrying of our "things." From wheelbarrows to baskets, most carrying implements had an element of work involved. Even the...

Perhaps you remember the saying, "See a penny, pick it up. All day long you'll have good luck," but how many actually do this? After all, what can you buy with a penny these days? Or a nickel? Or...

For much of the past two years, the Stavanger Church at the Eddy County Museum has been undergoing renovations. As a result, museum-goers have had limited access - until this past week, when museum st...

A century ago, agriculture was a whole different business. Sure farmers had to contend with soil conditions and weather patterns, but the process of getting grain from field to market was markedly...

Porches are ubiquitious with Victorian Era homes. These large, open and welcoming spaces were often located at the front of the house and served some important roles. From day-to-day, porches served...

Celebratory family photos are something we have all been a part of. Whether the family gets together for Thanksgiving, Easter or a funeral­­, it's often likely that someone will herd all the bodies...

Once upon a time, before the craze of all things pumpkin spice, apples were the food that signaled a welcome change from the hot summer days to crisp autumn evenings. People embraced the crisp autumn...

Undergarments are one of those rarely talked about luxuries. Assuming (as I always have) that earlier generations were more prudish and cautious about such private matters, I am still surprised each...

After researching and writing about the history of cocoa, I succeeded in baking my first-ever, truly authentic homemade chocolate cake. It was delightful and immediately increased my household...

Did you ever rummage through your grandmother's kitchen storage cabinets? Did you find yourself equally delighted and perplexed by the variety of tools and implements? A whole range of specialized...

It is shocking to see people overdressed during the sweltering summer heat. But have you ever seen a group of young people go to the beach in full-length dresses? Of course not! But if you were...

The artifact featured this week is a metal cocoa tin dating back to the 1920s. Monarch cocoa was one of the many products produced and marketed by Reid, Murdoch & Co of Chicago, Ill., established...

Last fall I wrote about dogs and the role they played in the families of early settlers in Eddy County. After recently writing about friendships, I was reminded that canines (and felines) can offer...

For as long as I can remember, I've heard songs and jokes about the cookie jar. Yet somehow, I have never lived in a home that had a cookie jar. I guess my cookies resided in plastic packages (as...

It is all too easy to look back in history and create images of superhumans who were far stronger and wiser than people of today. We often talk of the hardships they endured; bitter cold, disease and...

This week's featured artifact is a photograph of Edgar and Joyce Mattson driving in the New Rockford Parade on July 4, 1957. Edgar and Joyce, the original owners of the 1903 Orient Buckboard, made...

Regular readers of Archival Anecdotes will likely have noticed that the Eddy County Museum has a healthy collection of fashion accessories. Folks from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were undou...

The art of hairwork is far more intricate than you might imagine. The Eddy County Museum holds two unique specimens of this craft. Both were created as a symbol of love and devotion from a wife to...

The boots featured this week are the only set of army boots in the Eddy County Museum's collection, and are among a limited number of artifacts from World War I. With a little research, I learned...

The time has come. The Eddy County Museum will soon be opening for the season. Every Sunday afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the public will be welcomed to...

Sometimes working through the archives at the Eddy County Museum is a bit like putting together a puzzle. Just as it is with puzzles, sometimes an answer seems to pop out. This week in particular,...

The arrival of the pasque flower (pulsatilla vulgari) is one of the most telling signs that spring has arrived on the prairie. But why stop there? Signs are all around us! Just look at the new growth...

We humans need a break from time to time. The constant barrage of information and emotion can be difficult. In the 21st century, we often equate a leisurely break with a dose of Netflix. A century...

Hat pins were once a commonly used tool that was both beautiful in design and strategic in function. The pins usually measured eight inches in length or more, and fulfilled one purpose­- to secure a...