The North Bend History Book

To mark North Bend's sesquicentennial in 2006, a volunteer committee organized a compilation of North Bend's history aptly named A 150 Year History of North Bend, Nebraska. The book tells stories of the area's earliest settlers and how North Bend evolved into the town it has become 150 years later.

The 524-page book has sections dedicated to telling the stories and showing photos of over 600 North Bend families, hundreds of current and former North Bend businesses as well as a histories of the town's agriculture, roads, organizations, schools, churches and sports teams. There is also a 21-page section the good, bad, bizarre and unique memories written by the people of North Bend.

Below are a few excerpts from the book:

From the "Memories" section, contributed by Zeke Beranek:
World War II also affected North Bend in that we had "Air Raid Drills" during which all lights had to be turned out. Air Raid Wardens would walk around North Bend making sure the lights were all out. Talk amongst the kids was that if anyone left their lights on, they would be German spies telling the Nazis where North Bend was located.

From the "Businesses" section:
Tapster Drug Store: ...The first soda fountain in North Bend was in the store- and it was elaborate. Rounded slabs of marble made up the front of the dispenser. Behind this was a large mirror encased in woodcarvings with an eagle atop. The serving counter on top of the fountain was also marble. In those days they made their own ice cream, five gallons at a time, in the back of the store... Mr. Tapster's specialty was celery phosphate and it was very popular with the young folks.

From "The Beginning" section:
Seth Young had been born at (the Young home) on Nov. 3, 1856. He was the first white male child born in what was to be called Dodge County... As a boy, Seth Young often had Pawnee Indian children as playmates during the winter months when the wigwams were set up in the timber area south of Young's lake... Seth lived to be 95 years old, an active, alert, leading citizen all his lifetime.

From the "Sports" section:
A mascot is born: For the first couple decades of North Bend High School athletics, the teams were without a mascot. In the early '20s the team was sometimes called the 'Black and Whites,' after the team colors. The first real mascot was claimed by the 1921-22 reserve basketball team. Superintendent C. M. Warwick was the assistant basketball coach, and his junior varsity team was known as Warwick's 'Wildcats." As the decade continued, the school's colors gradually shifted. The Oct. 16, 1924 Looking Glass (the school newspaper published in the Eagle) wrote, "There is actually some controversy whether our school colors are black and orange or black and white." The supporters of the black and orange finally won out. These colors eventually led to the school's official mascot. As the Jan. 31, 1929 Looking Glass explains: "For years our school has lacked an emblem. We have chosen colors and crest; we have won trophies. Now our success is assured since we have an animal to represent our school. Orange and black is symbolic of the tiger, and with our colors and emblem in full display, nothing can defeat us." The Tiger was introduced as the mascot at a January 1929 school assembly.

From the "Schools" section:

A 2006 day in the life of a North Bend Central Student: At school the hours seem to take days to pass, yet I never have enough time. A 15-page research paper, two tests, six chapters to read through, and a quiz to study for. It doesn't help that I won't be home until after 10 tonight. There is a basketball game I have to dance at after speech practice, and I still need to find time to run for track and write my article for the school paper.

From the "Sports" section:
In 2001, the NBC boys track team claimed its sixth straight conference championship. However, the real breakthrough came the following week at the Bergan Invite where the Tigers broke an astounding five school records in one day... At the state meet, North Bend scored at a rate never before seen in Class B. Matt Hampl improved on his own school record in the pole vault and won gold. Mark Richardson cruised to gold in the 800. In a mild upset, the 400 relay team edged out Seward for the gold medal when Jeff Phelps lunged at the finish line. Phelps also found the string first in the 200 and 400 as well and ran the anchor leg on the state champion NBC mile relay team for four gold medals on the weekend. Also medalling for NBC was Syd Hamilton and Chris Witthuhn. When all was said and done, North Bend had scored more points in the state meet than any previous Class B team, amassing 71 points to finish in front of Seward's runner-up score of 59.

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