Nebraskaland

recreation resort that opened June 3, 1928. Admission was 10 cents per person and 10 cents per vehicle. An estimated 15,000 people showed up from all over Nebraska and nearby states at the grand opening. Practically its own city, the park offered 50 cottages, a café, shoe-shining parlor, barbershop, beauty parlor, popcorn stand, two large confectioneries, bathhouse, filling station, dance pavilion, a large amphitheater that seated 3,000 and other concessions. It had its own electric light plant. The park was 20 years ahead of its time, wrote Gary and Lenora Kuchar in their book, They Called it Meadow Grove. Dances accompanied by local bands and orchestras took place in the pavilion, while rodeos and ballgames happened outside. A merry-go-round was one of the park's highlights, as well as tennis, horseshoe and croquet courts. At that time, the Elkhorn River flowed to the south, providing visitors plenty of boating, swimming and fishing opportunities. Many Battle Creek locals believe that bandleader and television personality Lawrence Welk played at the pavilion, though in a letter, Welk said he couldn't recall. Yellow Banks was a great place for vacations, large gatherings, picnics and ethnic, family and community celebrations. A Prohibition-era park, a bootlegger could be found in every crowd. Moonshine was hidden in gallon tins and fruit jars, and often mixed with soda or non-alcoholic "near-beer," the only beverages legally sold on the grounds. Business was good until the Great Depression, when everything came to a halt. Yellow Banks Park closed its doors in December of 1937. Equipment was sold off piece by piece and the dance pavilion torn down. Over time, the river swung north – most of the park is underwater now. The Hermit Yellow Banks was always a popular campground, even before the resort existed. Those who have spent time there during the late- 1800s will most likely have heard of "Uncle Johnny" the hermit, a local legend who haunts the forests. Under the headline "Johnny, the Hermit, Going Insane," The Norfolk News wrote on Friday, August 17, 1906, "There is a mystery wrapped up in the life of Uncle Johnny. Nobody seems to know the truth of his story… a little, dried up old man who has lived a hermit's life at the Yellow Banks ever since anyone can remember." In August of 1907, the newspaper reported, "Living alone out in the wildwood for forty-one years, this hermit has lost his mind. For some years he has been deranged and today he is insane at all times. Much of the time he knows nothing at all." Though John McKerihan is long gone, living Battle Creek residents continue to pass down the myth of the old hermit. McKerihan had two homes, a log cabin and a dugout about the size of a cellar at Yellow Banks. He raised white Angora goats and walked around the woods with a stick, usually with an extra pair of shoes tied to it. He was usually seen barefoot and oftentimes with a shoe on one foot and a boot on the other. Files at the Commission's Norfolk district office on Yellowbanks WMA include brief accounts written by longtime local Mary Blair. She wrote, "I can remember high school classmates of mine from Meadow Grove warning me not to go down into the Yellow Banks at night. They used to say 'the old hermit will get you.'" In truth, Uncle Johnny was not as frightening as the old myths and newspapers said. McKerihan was friendly, and he often brought gifts during his visits with neighbors to buy goods such as eggs and milk. Though his history is unclear, before arriving at Yellow Banks in 1862, he resided in West Point and served as the first treasurer of Cuming County. During his appointment, he moved to Yellow Banks and took the county funds with him for safe keeping. When a new treasurer was elected, McKerihan walked all the way back to West Point to return the county assets – a grand total of 75 cents. Steeped in more history than two pages can tell, Yellowbanks WMA is still heavily used today. Its variable terrain, abundance of wildlife and scenic overlooks of the Elkhorn River and the namesake yellow banks make it a popular destination for local hunters, hikers and mushroom seekers alike. ■ ore se n Friday, ere is a mystery f U l Locals Onieta Hannen (left), Ruth Crook and Clarence Rosenau sit outside the dugout of hermit John McKerihan at Yellow Banks near Battle Creek in Madison County. JULY 2015 • NEBRASKAland 43 COURTESY OF GARY AND LENORA KUCHAR Yellow Banks Park in Madison County featured a dance pavilion where local bands and orchestras played. It also offered 50 cottages, as well as tennis, croquet, horseshoe courts and much more. All structures were torn down during the Great Depression. e ermit

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