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VOLUME I ~ ISSUE II Winter Dec 2013

.............................................................................Shop. Eat. Play. Stay. Wyoming


Q. What did W. C. T. Dobson invent?

The Christmas Card

Continued on page 4

History of: The Depot RestaurantBurlington Railroad Passenger DepotConstructed 1915 The Pacific Northwest was linked by rail to the Gulf of Mexico in 1914, when the Chicago, Burlington & Quin-cy Railroad, led by James J. Hill completed a line from Billings Montana down to the Northern end of the ex-isting Colorado & Southern Railroad. The culminating, historic splice was made near Orin Junction, Wyoming.At Douglas, 10 miles to the Northwest, August 13, 1914 was the day the railway came to town, it arrival heralded by local residents as a catalyst to further eco-nomic growth. One year later a new Burlington Rail-road passenger depot opened for business in Douglas, conveniently situated near the west edge of the business district, and just one block from the newly-constructed LaBonte Hotel. The local press reported that the Depot contained “a handsomely finished office, a commodi-ous general waiting room and separate waiting rooms


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History of the Memorial Hospital of Converse CountyMemorial Hospital of Converse County’s rich history starts like many hospitals of the Old West—out of des-peration. In the late 1800s Douglas, Wyoming was the end of the line for the railroad. Prospectors, land men, and immigrants all found themselves departing the train in Douglas, looking for a new life or for alternative routes through the West. At that time, agriculture was limited to huge ranches that spanned the county and health care was left up to fate and home remedies.Concerned that Douglas did not have a real doctor, area ranchers pooled their money together to bring a doctor to Douglas from back east. Families who paid to bring the doctor were able to use his services. Over time, more phy-sicians moved to Douglas, establishing individual prac-tices, working out of the homes of the sick or from their own offices.Memorial Hospital was established in 1942. The hospi-tal was located at a World War II prisoner of war camp infirmary just outside of Douglas. In 1950, a new “mod-ern” hospital was built just east of downtown. The building served as the hospital until 1983, when construction was completed on the current four-story hospital building. In

for men and women, with everything conveniently ar-ranged and finished in the most approved style.” Un-like its Spartan counterpart for the FE&MV Railroad, the Burlington Depot reflects the confidence railway officials had in the now relatively well-established town of Douglas. The Depot soon became a local landmark and focus of activity within the city, and handled daily passenger traffic for several decades. In the mid-1960’s, service to Douglas was discontinued, and since then the building has been occupied intermittently by a variety of com-mercial tenants-and has, accordingly, been subject to a succession of interior remodels. But the exterior of the sturdy masonry and concrete structure has retained its overall physical integrity. Moreover-although win-dows and doors have been boarded within the west wall adjacent to the tracks, and a large commercial sign affixed to the roof-at the North and south walls, original signboards attached to the eaves still spell out in uppercase, railroad-approved type, the seven letters that were once anticipated by passengers from points north-west, and from points southeast: DOUGLAS.

The Depot Restaurant- Continued


Q. Which Christmas song holds the credit as the most-selling Christmas single of all time?

White Christmas

2001, the hospital officially changed its name to Memorial Hospital of Converse County and opened a new two-story wing and new hospital entrance.While we recognize there is always room for improve-ment, we celebrate all we have accomplished so far at Memorial Hospital of Converse County. We look forward to one day realizing our dream of becoming “The Best Healthcare Organization in Wyoming.”

I KEEP MY SNOWMAN IN THE FREEZERby Ian McMillan

I keep my snowman in the freezerJust behind the piesHe likes it there, he told me soI can see it in his eyes.

I made him on a cold, cold morningWhen the snow was fresh and deepNow he sits in the freezerNear the fish that we got cheap.

I keep my snowman in the freezerAnd look at him each day.If I’d left him in the gardenHe’d simply have melted away.

But now he’s like my GrandmaLiving somewhere safe and nice;He’s in a frosty, snowy palaceOn a throne of coldest ice.

I keep my snowman in the freezerNear a lump of frozen beefAnd I’ve got a treat for him in August:I’m taking him to Tenerife!


Nativity Diorama


Q. What kind of bird can write?A. A pen-guin

Q. What do you get if you cross Santa with a detective ?A. Santa Clues!

Q. What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?A. It’s Christmas, Eve.

Q. Why does Santa Claus like to work in the garden?A. Because he like to hoe, hoe, hoe!

Q. What happened when the snow-woman got angry at the snowman?A. She gave him the cold shoulder.

HO HO HO

Q. Where is the world’s largest Christmas tree?

Kings Canyon National Park, California


Find the Hidden Pictures


The tradition of having an evergreen tree become a symbol of Christmas goes back past recorded written history.

The Druids in ancient England & Gual and the Romans in Europe both used evergreen branch-es to decorate their homes and public buildings to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Over the years, these traditions were adopted by Christians, who incorporated them as part of their Christmas hol-iday celebration.

Trees used specifically to celebrate Christmas are mentioned in the early 1600’s in Germany and surrounding countries. The families would set up these trees in a prominent location of their home and decorate them with colored paper, small toys, food, and sometimes candles. As these people moved or immigrated to other countries, they brought this tradition with them.

Through the years many different things were used to decorate Christmas trees. As the world moved into the 1900’s, many trees were deco-rated with strings of popcorn, homemade cards and pictures, cotton to look like snow, candy in all shapes and sizes, and occasionally, fancy store made glass balls and hand blown glass figurines.

Candles were sometimes used, but often caused devastating fires, and many different types of candle holders were devised to try to prevent tree fires. Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass pub-lic demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. The early Christmas tree lights were handmade and quite expensive.

Today, Christmas tree ornaments can be found in nearly every size, color, and shape imagina-ble, and they are used to decorate the millions of Christmas trees used throughout the world.Th

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Spot the Difference

............................................................................Shop. Eat. Play. Stay. Wyoming

The Little Christmas Tree This is the story of a little fir tree who dreamt of grow-ing up so that he could go and be a Christmas Tree amongst the Humans. The other, older trees, knew more about life, and they told him that being a tree with the Humans wasn’t as good as all that. But the lit-tle fir tree didn’t want to be-lieve the older trees – and he didn’t have long to wait. He was so pleased when one day some children came with their parents to choose a fir tree to decorate their living room. The children adored him at first sight.

So he was dug up, then brought into the living room, where he was hung with decorations. After they had finished decorating him, the little fir tree shone with a thousand lights.

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Christmas was getting closer and everyone admired the little Christmas Tree. The young fir tree thought: “All the bigger fir trees were wrong” and he lifted his branches even higher so people could admire him better. Up till January, he was the prince of the living room; but then he started to lose his needles.

Now nobody looked at him, touched him, or even bothered to gather up the tiny needles that fell. Then, the whole family decided to put him down into the cellar. The fir tree started to feel very sad that he had even been chosen by the family. After several days’ wait – it seemed never-ending to him -, the little fir tree was replanted. He was so hap-py to be back in this good old earth that he’d missed so much during those endless days when he was shut up in the cellar!! Suddenly he understood that the family had left him in the cold of the cellar to keep him healthy.

Each year, the family dug him up again to put him back into the living room. He was very happy with his new family. And yes, in the end the bigger trees were wrong about something - some humans are good after all...

A COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PRAYERBy S. Omar Barker (1894-1985)

I ain’t much good at prayin’, and You may not know me, Lord- I ain’t much seen in churches where they preach Thy Holy Word, But you may have observed me out here on the lonely plains, A-lookin’ after cat-tle, feelin’ thankful when it rains, Admirin’ Thy great handiwork, the miracle of grass, Aware of Thy kind spirit in the way it comes to pass That hired men on horseback and the livestock we tend Can look up at the stars at night and know we’ve got a friend.

So here’s ol’ Christmas comin’ on, remindin’ us againOf Him whose coming brought good will into the hearts of men. A cowboy ain’t no preacher, Lord, but if You’ll hear my prayer, I’ll ask as good as we have got for all men everywhere. Don’t let no hearts be bitter, Lord.

Don’t let no child be cold. Make easy beds for them that’s sick and them that’s weak and old. Let kindness bless the trail we ride, no matter what we’re after, And sorter keep us on Your side, in tears as well as laughter.

I’ve seen ol’ cows a-starvin, and it ain’t no happy sight:Please don’t leave no one hungry, Lord, on thy good Christmas night- No man, no child, no woman, and no critter on four feet- I’ll aim to do my best to help You find ‘em chuck to eat.I’m just a sinful cowpoke, Lord-ain’t got no business prayin’- But still I hope You’ll ketch a word or two of what I’m sayin’: We speak of Merry Christmas, Lord-I reckon you’ll agree There ain’t no Merry Christ-mas for nobody that ain’t free. So one thing more I’ll ask You, Lord: Just help us what you can To save some seeds of freedom for the future sons of man.


Many years ago, a candymaker wanted to make a candy at Christmas time that would serve as a witness to his Christian faith. He wanted to in-corporate several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. The white symbolized the virgin birth and the sinless life of Jesus.

He made the candy hard to symbolize the that Jesus is the solid rock and the foundation of the church. The firmness also represents the prom-ises of God.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a “J” to represent the name of Jesus, who came

to earth as our Savior. He thought it could also rep-resent the staff of Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

The candy maker then added red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received, by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could be forgiven and have the promise of eternal life.

The flavor of mint is similar to hyssop. In Old Testament times, hyssop was associated with purification and sacrifice. It was also used at the cross as they gave Jesus a drink of vinegar before He gave up the Ghost.

The Legend of the Candy Cane


Then

Commerce Block 1919

Hotel Higgins 1921

Glenrock’ Refinery early 1920’s

Glenrock , Wyoming

Now&

Glenrock, Wyoming 1909

“Big Enough to Enjoy - Small Enough to Care”

Q. How many reindeer drive Santa’s sleigh (counting Rudolph)? Nine



Advertise here for as low as $425 per year!

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VOLUME I ~ ISSUE II Winter Dec 2013

.............................................................................................Real Estate Roundup


Q. Which was the last US state to declare an official holiday for Christmas?Oklahoma

Buying a new home Buying a new home is exciting – and a big deal. If you’re searching for the perfect place, or you’ve already found it and are under contract, the next step in the process can feel more tedious: moving.Moving can be stressful, a bit expensive and plenty cha-otic. But with some planning, help from friends and a little organization, it doesn’t have to be as hectic as you imagine. Here are some tips to take the stress out of your move:

1. Make a plan of attack – Whether you’re moving across town or across the state lines, you’ll probably want to rent a truck. Do you have willing helpers to assist in the move, or will you need to hire some help? If you’re moving far-ther away, you’ll probably want professional help. Figure out what your moving needs are, and ask friends or your real estate agent for references to a trusted mover. Also, stock up on boxes, packing tape, permanent markers and packing peanuts/bubble wrap.2. Prioritize your packing – As you start packing your ur-rent home up, designate a few boxes for each room that you’ll need quick access to. For example, you’ll want to keep personal toiletries, shower curtains and liners, a first-aid kit and other necessities easily accessible for the bath-

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Q. Which popular Christmas song was penned by James Pierpont? Jingle Bells

room. Label these boxes “Open Now” so you know which boxes are filled with the essentials – and which ones can wait until later.3. Don’t go it alone – Packing is a monumental task. Invite some friends or relatives over, buy some pizza and make it a packing party! Delegate the tasks you feel most comfort-able entrusting others with, like packing up DVDs, books and other non-fragile items. A little help goes a long way to saving you some time – and sanity.4. Don’t take it all – If you realize you have 10 boxes of clothes and you haven’t worn half of them in a few years, it’s time to part ways. Create three piles: a “keep” pile, a “sell” pile and a “donate” pile. If time permits, hold a moving sale to unload some of the items you don’t want anymore. Bonus: Selling items before you move gives you extra money that you can put toward moving expenses. Added bonus: You reduce the clutter.5. Forward your mail – Believe it or not, people forget to do this all the time! It’s easy to change your address with the U.S. Postal Service. Simply visit the USPS website, and in a few steps you’re done!6. Turn off your utilities – Check with your local utility providers, as well as other services (trash pickup, news-paper delivery, cable/Internet, phone), to inform them that you’re moving. They’ll need to know an exact date

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for your move so they can transition or cut off service. You don’t want to be billed for charges after you move! No. 1 sign that demand for new homes is increasing.And several statistics show that demand is on the rise. The U.S. Census Bureau, for instance, has a Housing Vacancy Survey that shows household formations totaled 1 million in 2012, compared to just 400,000 at their lowest in 2008. That’s a huge jump. And of course, as demand goes up, so

do prices.Article Compliments of REMAX

Approach safety like your life depended on it, Because it does!!1. Do your homework “BEFORE” you buy.2. Size the appliance correctly for the job you expect it to do.3. “DO NOT” cut corners to save money on a heating appliance.4. Have your work done by an authorized and qualified heating technician.

5. “READ” your owners “MANUAL” thoroughly “BE-FORE” you use the appliance.6. Operate your appliance strictly within the manufactur-ers designed criteria, this is normally found in your owners manual.7. “NEVER” use any flammable fluids or fire starting gels, or paste unless the stove is absolutely cold. Remember these products are only to “start” the fire. Using them when the

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Q. Which popular Christmas food was an American discovery? Eggnog

stove is hot or warm (even a warm stove can have a hid-den hot spark) can have catastrophic consequences. KEEP YOUR FAMILY AND HOME SAFE.8. Use a quality magnetic temperature gauge on your stove or stove-pipe.9. “ALWAYS” use the highest quality carbon monoxide gas detector and check it regularly.10. “ALWAYS” use the highest quality smoke detector and check it regularly.11. Have a qualified and experienced heating technician clean your appliance at least once each year before the heat-ing season.12. Have a qualified and experienced heating technician clean your chimney annually.13. Only use fuel that your appliance is rated for. Never and I mean “NEVER” burn any material in a home heating appli-ance that is not a rated fuel for that appliance.14. Always keep a fire extinguisher rated for your fuel near-by and handy, make sure everyone in the house knows how to use it and where its at.15. Have your local fire department do a courtesy fire in-spection of your entire premises, they are generally free of charge and most fire marshal’s are more than happy to assist you with home fire safety tips and rules.

Article compliment of Magic City Stoves


Keeping Kids Busy During the Winter Break

Get OutsideWith snow dress-ing the streets in its glorious white coat, kids love nothing better than to get outside and play in it. Grab those to-boggans, hit the ski

slopes, get creative with your snowmen and snow-ladies, and then try out the newest trend: tubing.

“It’s one of the things that a lot of people don’t know about,” says Brian Simpson, the Operations and Media Relations Manger for Travelocity.ca, “but it’s actually a great way to spend the day. We grew up tobogganing or sledding but nowadays, it’s tubing that’s the big thing. It’s a great way to spend some outdoor time with your family, get some exercise, get some fresh air and not be cooped up inside your house.”

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Tubing, like its water-based equivalent, involves slid-ing down hills on an inner tube - some ski resorts even offer an exclusive area for the activity, especially around the winter break.

Another really popular idea for younger children is looking at neighbourhood Christmas lights. Pack eve-ryone into the car and head to the brightest suburb: those in the backseat can count how many Santas they see or vote on their favourite houses. For those in the city centre, go for a walk to see the best retail displays. If it’s too cold outside, you can always head to the mall and admire the decorations indoors.

Stuck insideSnowed in? There are still lots of things to do in the house to keep kids from get-ting restless. Before heading out to all those family dinners, get the kids busy mak-ing cards for the gifts.


Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:1 1/2 cups butter, softened2 cups white sugar4 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract5 cups all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt

Directions:1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar un-til smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. C

...........................................................................................Real Estate Roundup

Supplies can be bought from local craft stores or, if you’re on a tight budget, check out the loonie store.

For a cozier option, warm up the oven and get the family cooking! Baked goods can be brought as gifts during get-togethers or the kids can simply prepare a dish for their much-deserving parents. If all else fails, bring out the board games.

When choosing indoor or outdoor activities, make sure to assess “the skill level of your child,” advises Brian. “Do that very carefully and make sure you avoid activities that might be too difficult or even activities that might be boring. It’s really a matter of gauging the interest of your child.”

The Christmas SpiritFor those who want to teach their kids a lesson in generosity, what about volunteering this holiday season? A great way to give back is to organize a toy, winter coat or blanket drive. Children of any age can start this at school and parents can do one at work. The kids can help pack the boxes and take them down to the Salvation Army or local shelter.

Often time is the best gift you can give. Contact a nearby senior’s home and see if they would like some company one afternoon. Children always seem to brighten up the day of the older generation.

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Simplify Your Holiday Meal PlanningMeal planning in itself can be overwhelming, and even more so around the holiday season. Simplifying the process will help you save time and money, while enjoying a plentiful holiday meal with loved ones.

Hosting a potluck dinner is an easy way to organize holiday meal planning, and it gives everyone an op-portunity to contribute. Following a few simple tips will help you host a stress-free potluck:

Determine the Menu:Determine how many appetizers, main courses, side dishes and desserts will accommodate the number of people attending.

Designate Dishes:In order to avoid repeat dishes, designate one of the categories listed above to each person.


If you are like most people, the first thing that you notice when you walk into a house is the smell. Pet odors hit like a ton of bricks making the house uninviting. Musty, old smells make you want to run right back out the door. Opening the front door to the wafting aroma of holidays gone by is welcoming, inviting and cozy. Scents bring back memories and help to create new ones. If you want your house to be a place where everyone loves to be, add some holiday scent. And... no you do not have to spend hours bak-ing and cleaning.

Pour 2 quarts of water into a pot. Peel an orange and toss the peels into the water. Add a few fresh whole cranberries. Place five or six sticks of cinnamon into

the pot. Grab a small handful of cloves and flip them into the water too. Finally, measure 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract and pour it into the water. Put a lid on the pot and fire up the flame to bring the water to a boil. Take the lid off and lower the flame to the lowest setting, allowing the fragrant water to sim-mer. Check on the contents of the pot often to make sure the water doesn’t boil off. If the water level gets to the point where the orange peels are touching the bottom of the pot and sticking up above the water, add another quart of water, another cinnamon stick or two, a few more fresh cloves and a dash of vanilla. Mmmm... smell the holidays yet? Never leave the pot on the stove boiling if you are not at home or if you are going to sleep.St

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Encourage Re-heatable Serving Pieces:It will save time switching serving peices if each person is encouraged to bring their food items in oven/microwave friendly serving pieces.

Create Place Cards:Encourage guests to share what they are bringing, and ingredients if possible. You can easily create little place cards to help other guests identify the

items. Writing down the ingre-dients will help accommodate any guests with food allergies.

Potluck dinners are a great option for holiday meal planning that will save you a lot of time and stress.

Instructions1. Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)

3. Add ground beef and onion to a large frying pan and cook until meat is well browned and onion is clear. Pour off any excess fat, then stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add ketchup and beef broth and frozen vegetables.. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Pour ground beef in the bottom of a 2 quart casse-role dish and spread out.Top with the mashed potato mixture and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup sour cream salt and pepper to taste 1 onion, chopped 1 pound lean ground beef 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 cup beef broth 1 small bag mixed vegetables frozen 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Shepard’s Pie

Christmas Eve Gift!Christmas Eve Gift! is the unusual tradition of saying “Christmas Eve Gift” to someone before they say it to you. This is done all in the hope of receiving a gift of some sort. It can turn into a game of tag that leads to some people not answering the phone all day or being afraid to call. It seems most prevalent in the Southern/lower Midwest United States. No one is quite sure of the origins of the tradition. Many believe that it is a tradition that started “among poor African American and Anglo farming families”* and others think that it could be European in origin.The tradition is fading with each generation, but you can help pass it on. It can also be celebrated on Christ-mas. So beware tomorrow morning, because you just might hear… “CHRISTMAS DAY GIFT!!”

issue2

Documents

s douglas

burlington depot

femv railroad

new modern hospital

burlington quincy railroad

separate waiting rooms

new life

real doctor