Bright Ideas

Monday, May 29, 2017 was Memorial Day; and as every year, visitors come to Ekalaka. Some have family members who were in the military during past wars, others come to put flowers on the graves of parents, grandparents, or even earlier ancestors. All were buried in Beaver Lodge Cemetery after it was founded in 1901.

Visitors can find graves where family is buried with the help of a map and list located in the center of the cemetery. The people might know where early homesteads were located, and visit them, also. In summer other families come to investigate family graves, homesteads, or both.

When we owned the Ekalaka Eagle, they’d appear at the building to see obituaries of their relatives. All Brice or Jeanette needed was the year after 1909 when the paper was founded. Murder questions were even answered. Obituaries told where folks had lived, so locating homesteads was easier. If things were still unclear, the courthouse was their next stop.

We weren’t the equivalent of ancestry.com, but we could help a little. The complete collection of old Eagles is now housed at the Eagle’s new “nest” at Summit National Bank.

In 1901 it was Beaver Lodge I.O.O.F. Cemetery founded by the I.O.O.F. Lodge. Ekalaka had several different organizations for men and women which supported the cemetery. Today private donations fund upkeep and improvements to the cemetery.

Some private lawns are not cared for as well as the cemetery; the grounds keepers are determined to maintain the area the best they can. They can’t make it rain, but everything else is covered.

Military Rites were conducted last Monday as every year, with VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries placing two decorated crosses to honor fallen veterans. Buddy Poppies were available, where donations could be made to veterans. After services, Poppies were taken to Wagon Wheel Café and Main Street Market.

Many out-of-county licenses were visible at the cemetery, even the day before Memorial Day. Welcome visitors; come back and see us soon.