Howard Stock Yard

[W. Gray]

How large was the Howard Stock Yard in terms of the number of pens?

What was the capacity of the Howard Stock Yard to hold stock cars?

[frawin]

Waldo, the only Stickyards I remember were the ones just North west of  the corner you turn South on to go to the Cemetery.  They were there in the 40s as my Brother Wes used them to break horses in. Also I remember walking down there when I was pretty small, I could hear Cattle bellowing and wanted to see why. They were loading Cattle in to Stock Cars for shipment to somewhere, I don.t remember where and maybe I never knew. Where the Stockyards was then was a Spur line they would back the cars down there and leave them. I seem to remember some old timers saying there had been an old Stockyards somewhere else, but I don't remember where. I think there were 4 to 6 separate  areas in the whole stockyard, again I don't remember.

[W. Gray]

That is the area I am speaking of. I remember them from the forties and fifties also--what was left of them, anyway, and they were there beginning in the 1880s. As was an engine house at that time. Until 1886 that area was end of track for the Howard Branch.

I think the spur you mentioned crossed the road and ended in front of the cemetery going to or almost to the present day white building by the road where they have funeral services.

You probably remember that road going south by the cemetery--now closed--went across the Elk at a low water crossing and then there was a rather large hill going up to where the cable tower later was located. Turning right at the top the hill and going for a mile or so was where my grandparents on my mothers side farmed. I have an aunt who recently passed away who claimed that in the late 30s or early forties when she was in high school she walked in high heels and fancy dress from that farm down that hill and across the Elk to the high school to appear in a play.

[Wilma]

I remember that hill and wondering how anybody could possibly drive up it.  I have even had dreams about it and I have never been able to get to the top.  In awake time I never did try to get up it because we always turned west at the corner north of the cemetery.  My husband's family farm was west and south of that corner, north of the river.

That is a very good aerial picture of the cemetery.  I can almost see my husband's grave.

[W. Gray]

I remember that hill and wondering how anybody could possibly drive up it.  I have even had dreams about it and I have never been able to get to the top.  In awake time I never did try to get up it because we always turned west at the corner north of the cemetery.  My husband's family farm was west and south of that corner, north of the river.

That is a very good aerial picture of the cemetery.  I can almost see my husband's grave.

It looks like part of the bridge is still there. The closing was in the mid fifties? I think there was high water that washed the bridge out and the county decided it would not be feasible to replace it. Come to think of it, I seem to remember going down that hill more often than going up. I recall it was a real strain on a car to go up. And the descent was rather scary, also.

I wonder how a team of horses and wagon made out in the really old days going up or down.

On the south side of the river and the west side of the road just a short distance from the remnants of that concrete slab was a farmhouse. Once upon a time, I knew their name.

[jpbill]

While taking Drivers Ed at Moline High School in the fall of 1957, I remember driving the drivers ed car, a new 1958 Chevrolet, down the road past the cemetery, where many of my ancestors are buried, then south across the low water bridge and up the hill.  The county road department was working on the gravel road and most of the gravel was buried under mud, since it had been raining the day before.  My Drivers Ed teacher, Keith Buchele, told me to go for it.  It was a miracle we didn't get stuck in that muck but we slowly made it to the corner just north of Bruce Fickel's  house and got back on K99 highway.  By this time, we were running late for the next class back at MHS and Mr. Buchele told me to step on it.  We were going 90 to 95 MPH down K99 with his blessing.  Made it back to MHS just as the next class was starting.

[W. Gray]

How large was the Howard Stock Yard in terms of the number of pens?

What was the capacity of the Howard Stock Yard to hold stock cars?

The Howard Stockyard at one time had six pens and a 14-car capacity.

[W. Gray]

While taking Drivers Ed at Moline High School in the fall of 1957, I remember driving the drivers ed car, a new 1958 Chevrolet, down the road past the cemetery, where many of my ancestors are buried, then south across the low water bridge and up the hill.  The county road department was working on the gravel road and most of the gravel was buried under mud, since it had been raining the day before.  My Drivers Ed teacher, Keith Buchele, told me to go for it.  It was a miracle we didn't get stuck in that muck but we slowly made it to the corner just north of Bruce Fickel's  house and got back on K99 highway.  By this time, we were running late for the next class back at MHS and Mr. Buchele told me to step on it.  We were going 90 to 95 MPH down K99 with his blessing.  Made it back to MHS just as the next class was starting.

I suspect the '58 Chevrolet came from Ames.

[frawin]

Wilma, the Family that lived there in the 40s and early 50s was Chuck Swinger, he moved and a family from your old neighborhood South of Piedmont moved in, Dave and Odessa Magers. I stopped there to visit and we went into the Kitchen and to my surprise they had a Hand Pump over the Sink and they could Pump from a Well outside. That was the first time I had ever seen anything like it. Later I saw one in another Farmhouse. If memory serves right, Dave and Odessa moved to the Farm just South the West Elk School, that was the Farm I was born . My folks were moving the day I was Born, my Mother told me she told my Brother Neil, "you better get me to a bed quick, and I popped out all smiles. I was number 15, my brother told me years later that Dr. Depew told my Dad, "Lester, this woman absolutely  cannot have anymore babies". My wife says they saved having the last Baby for the best one, which must be true because she is not biased.