In the Beginning............

.......there was sod and sagebrush and desolate land as far as the eye could see! A land with only occasional jackrabbits feeding on what meager food was available. But still, the early pioneers could see a bright future of breaking sod, farming the new land, homesteading and building a robust rural town.

Many of the towns and communities in northeast Colorado started in this same way...... with a vision for the future. A few good men with everything they owned on their backs, crossing the prairie land to head west in search of a homestead to build their dreams.

Haxtun Colorado started this way....with a dream......in the beginning.

This grainy photo is the first record of the town of Haxtun Colorado in existence. Its was taken by Hans Johnson in 1899. By the looks of the buildings, the town was started several years before 1899. as the town was developed around 1887-88. The largest building, the one in the foreground was the Beatrice Creamery. It was operated by Oscar W, Lohn, who later opened a real estate businesses. The cow shed to the left was owned by the Manual Anderson family. In the distance was the first school house and was taught by August Johnson (later brother Charlie Johnson owned the Johnson Meat Market.) The school house was also the meeting place of the first church. The store like building was the first mercantile establishment and again owned by the Manual Anderson family. Many local young people got there start in this store. The building had been located ten miles to the south, but when it became evident where the center of the community was, the building was moved. Another small store to the south was owned by Andrew Hendrix who actually came to Haxtun 1886, before any structures were built. It was six months before Mrs. Hendrix saw any other woman! The Hendrix Store also housed the post office and was later destroyed by fire in 1901. A blacksmith shop, a well drilling company, Farmers State Bank, were also part of this photo. Note: All the land on Haxtun's town site was owned by Kate Fletcher and Alice Strohm, the first original homesteaders, who sold their ground to the Lincoln Land Company c. 1887, thus the town was planted. Streets in Haxtun today are named after them.

Information in the following paragraph was taken from the Haxtun Herald, December, 1919.

Charlie Erickson....first pioneer......in the beginning.

Charlie Erickson, first pioneer, emigrated from Iowa, traveled to Julesburg Co, and walked 40 miles to his home south of Haxtun where he built his dugout.

Charlie Erickson's homestead, 1-1/2 miles south of Haxtun, Colorado, in 1898. Just after Charlie arrived in Haxtun ( 1885) he lived in a dug out for about 10 years.

Charlie and his team of traveling companions.....in the beginning.

Naming the town........in the beginning.......Little Dale?

Since Little Dale was quickly discarded as "unsuitable"" Alice Strohm, Haxtun's first official Postmaster, in 1887, inserted an M instead of an N.....and Haxtum was on the official postal records.(Even the railroad had trouble with spelling as they spelled it "Haxton.") It finally took an outspoken group of townspeople to get the name corrected in 1910, a long 23 years later! Information taken from the Haxtun Harvest, date unknown.

Post office prior to 1910 when it was spelled Haxtum! Actual date of this photo is uncertain.

A look at the first railroad..........in the beginning.

One of the first trains to run through Haxtun, after tracts were built in 1887.

According to the book Haxtun on the High Plains by Jean Gray, "President Abraham Lincoln sighed the Pacific Railroad Act in 1862, offering land grants and bringing the transcontinental Railway across the wide open frontier of the United States." Newly formed companies began setting their territories across the plains of northeastern Colorado, called "the high line" it provided service to the Haxtun, Holyoke, Paoli, Dailey, Fleming and Sterling towns, contracted by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy (CB&Q) line. Tracks were built in the late 1880's and soon homesteaders began arriving! Information taken from Haxtun and the High Plains by Jean Gray.

First water tower and depot for town of Haxtun Colorado, early to mid 1890's.

Many things have changed in 130 plus years since those beginning days of Haxtun's existence, but today it is still that quiet, stable town, where everyone knows your name and you can trust your neighbor. Family and community traditions are important to Haxtun, (or Haxtum) and I'm assuming that will hold true for years to come!

This quote was taken from the Haxtun Harvest in December of 1919. It reads.....

......"thus the march of civilization goes on. The old gives way to new, and day after day, and year after year, the story is written on the pages of history. But even the flight of time cannot erase the memories, and those who remain may look back with many a kindly thought on the days they saw when the land was young."

As we look back............In the Beginning!

Credit: Haxtun Harvest, and Haxtun Herald, Haxtun Colorado, newspaper publications; Wilbur Kipp photo collection, and Haxtun and the High Plains by Jean Gray.