The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Boom town of the railroad

Highway 6 provides today’s corridor through northeastern Colorado, but a century ago it was the railroad that showed the way west. The Burlington & Missouri Railroad laid tracks across the width of Phillips and Logan counties, creating a need for towns to service the line. Those wilderness enclaves were spaced every eight to 10 miles because that’s what the trains needed.

Some of these railroad towns still exist while others have disappeared. The Never-Ending Journey has visited four of these survivors in the past month, Paoli, Haxtun, Dailey and Fleming, as we continued our westward wandering. Here’s what we found.

The railroad has all but deserted the towns it helped create. Excepting occasional stops at local grain elevators, everything these communities need now comes by the way of highway. As a partial result, most towns along the tracks are having difficulty maintaining their existence. Of our four, only Haxtun seemed relatively stable. We decided to look into the history of the Haxtun area to see if a reason might appear to explain its success.

The Burlington & Missouri erected the first buildings at this site in 1885. In 1888, a post office was established but incorrectly identified the town as Haxtum. That error was finally corrected in 1922 and the name became Haxtun as originally intended.

Soon after the arrival of the post office, other businesses began operating. Many simply moved, lock, stock and building, from nearby Bryant causing that town to fade into the sandhills. No railroad meant no future back then.

Throughout its century or so of history, Haxtun has managed to balance the good times with the bad. One of the worst of times, may have occurred at its inception. The land selected for the town site sits near the bottom of a shallow geologic depression (it was reported to be swampland when it was platted.) Whenever heavy rains came, the town was awash with the overflow from surrounding terrain. Floods in 1911 and 1962 were particularly damaging.

After the 1962 flood, dams were built on the creeks flowing in from the west to reduce the danger. Today, Haxtun shows additional panning for future of its streets to carry water through town and out the east end.

Flooding has not been the only problem faced by community residents over the years. In 1887, a blizzard struck the few shacks that were present with such ferocity that men got lost walking from house to barn! Additional blizzards struck a larger Haxtun in 1895, 1949 and 1977. The 1895 event lasted three days.

The year 1894 brought severe drought. The rainless period was so intense that the traditional prairie green-up never materialized. Grasshoppers by the billions created the following year’s blight. Two years without crops, but still the citizens persisted.

In 1910 and 1912 major fires destroyed much of the business district. And, 1915 provided a bank robbery and murder. The culprit was quickly apprehended because of a rather unique trailer. Coins from a ripped sack dropped to the ground marking the route of his attempted escape.

One final blow spun out of the clouds as a tornado ripped through town in 1955. But, despite this and all other tragedies, Haxtun has showed a resiliency to overcome whatever could be thrown in its path.

In 1905, the town sported nine buildings and a population of 52. Today, there are hundreds of homes and commercial establishments with a population that is near 1,000. Furthermore, while a few store fronts are empty, we could find only three homes for sale within the city limits. Haxtun, it seems will remain stable well into the future.

And Haxtun has enjoyed good times as well. Inside plumbing was available in 1913 with the completion of the first water tower. That original tower has since been replaced to meet the growing water demands of the area. Four years later, electrification came to town as they built their own power plant. Though no longer in regular use, that plant is still maintained for emergency situations.

In 1919, the original high school was built. At least six additions improved the original structure over the years before it was replaced by a new facility. In similar fashion the community hospital and nursing home have been upgraded to ensure the best of current technologies.

The city park began in 1930 with tree plantings and has grown with the community. It now occupies four contiguous city blocks. The oldest section contains a lily pond and fountain from that original construction. Upgrading through the intervening years has brought flower beds, restrooms, picnic tables with barbeque facilities and a children’s playground to the area beneath a dense canopy of shade provided by the now mature trees. A gazebo was added in 1985.

In the more open areas, two tennis courts and a manicured baseball field provide for those with more active forms of exercise. But, Haxtun’s greatest recreational asset may be their natatorium. This enclosed and heated swimming pool is available both to the community and the school.

While currently operating only during the summer months, an effort is apparently underway to make the pool available year-round. I have been told that the schools are investigating use of the facility as part of their physical education program. As one resident stated, “Since it’s there all year, it might as well be used.”

So, why does Haxtun persist while its neighbors disappear? No obvious answer was found. But, one common thread appears to weave itself throughout our investigation. Whether during good times or bad, the community pulls together to accomplish what is needed.

Citizens twice rebuilt the downtown district following fires and put together the pieces after a tornado. They developed a flood plan that protects the entire community. The foresight of early resident planted the seeds for one of the best small town parks in the area. And they continue to insist on maintaining modern health and education facilities.

That word, together, may be the key. Community togetherness, sometimes called pride, can provide great incentive for improving the living environment for the citizenry. And these citizens began early, converting the town from a barren set of buildings into a community where families could be raised safely. Apparently Haxtun has what it takes.

And finally, there’s the great historical mystery. Some years ago, a farmer and his dog uncovered two rectangular stones from two feet below the surface of the prairie. Each slab was carved with the date June 10, 1787. No other markings were found. What was their purpose? Why were they buried? Who was here, 100 years before the railroad?