January-February 2021 • Nebraskaland 41
morning he waded through 2-foot-deep
snow — and did it again that afternoon.
Everyone on his route received their mail.
Young people, meanwhile, have always
had a diff erent perspective on winter
hardships. During the legendary winter
of 1949, Charlie Wright was 16 years old
and stayed at his uncle's farm northeast of
Scottsbluff .
Wright says the farmhouse was well
stocked with food, including a freezer full of
mallard ducks they had shot in November
and December.
"We enjoyed roast duck for just about
every noon meal until the county graders
were able to plow us out," he recalls.
One day, "By 2:30 it was snowing so
hard that you could not see the power
pole about 20 feet south of the house. The
cousins were playing poker and paid little
attention to the storm. [But Uncle Mart
and Aunt Doris] lacked confi dence in our
ability to ride out the storm, particularly if
we lost electric power that was necessary
to operate the oil furnace. This was OK with
us because Uncle Mart could teach us some
more poker games."
They didn't lose power, but Wright says
he learned "at least 75 diff erent poker
games" that winter, "enough to last me
through six years of college and two years
of active duty in the Navy."
N
Visit History Nebraska's website at
history.nebraska.gov.
A locomotive-driven snowplow approaches Kilgore, Cherry County, in
January 1949. History Nebraska RG1259-0-15
Clearing railroad tracks. Handwritten on reverse side: "Snow! Chadron, Neb
Feb 1949." History Nebraska RG3139-0-161
