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Saturday, June 7, the village of
New Holland marked its 150th anniversary with a full day of
celebrations that included several activities. The day’s theme was
“Celebrating the Past, Looking to the Future.”
In a book compiled by the 150th anniversary committee about the
town, Barbara Struebing said, [New Holland] “was a village located
on the western edge of Logan County [and] Oliver Holland (1823-1921)
laid out the original four blocks of this village.”
As Struebing said, “this town received its name during a
conversation among Oliver Holland, a neighbor and a surveyor.” They
“decided to call this small town ‘New Holland’ after the Holland
family with the prefix ‘New’.”
The day’s events began with the New
Holland Fire Department serving a donation only breakfast of
biscuits and gravy, bacon, coffee and orange juice.
From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., members of
the Antique Tractor Club lined the downtown street with over 30
tractors of various models.
Video - New Holland
Sesquicentennial Celebration Parade
The day’s events really got going
with at ten with a parade through New Holland featuring many local
participants and others from nearby towns driving fire trucks,
tractors or vintage cars.
There was also a couple dressed in
patriotic outfits from the 19th century. Long time New Holland
resident Wayne LaForge served as the Grand Marshall.
Families lined the street to watch the parade and children eagerly
waited to catch the candy being thrown.
Various generations of families participated in the parade. For
example, Richard Martin drove a vintage John Deere tractor and was
followed by his grandson Greyson Martin on another John Deere
tractor.
Outside the New Holland Historical
Society the committee that put together the New Holland 150th
anniversary book was selling copies of it along with 150th
anniversary towels, shirts, mugs and bowls. Inside the Historical
Society building, people could go in to see artifacts such as
photos, vintage clothing and a model of a one room schoolhouse.
There was also information about the history of the village.
Just past the downtown square was a
car cruise-in featuring many interesting vehicles, both vintage and
modern. There was even a kit car and a couple race cars.
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Children’s activities included
drawing with sidewalk chalk, participating in a Lego build-off and a
needle in a haystack challenge.
The slide was a big draw for
children, too, with long lines waiting to slide down.
All the activities can make people
hungry, so there were a few food options. One food truck sold
potatoes with various toppings. Another food truck had ice cream.
The Hollanders 4-H stand sold pork chops, chips, bottled water and
soda.
Ollie’s Diner and Candy Shop was open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving
beef, pork, chicken, burgers, “piglet shoes,” salads and a variety
of beverages. Their candy cabinet was also fully stocked with
chocolate dipped pretzel rods and a variety of candy.
Afternoon activities included a
kiddie tractor pull, bags tournament, Bingo and a cake walk.
At 6, Wayne LaForge and other speakers shared some history of the
town throughout the years.
Wayne LaForge is the great-great grandson of Garrett LaForge. As the
anniversary booklet says, “he is very proud of his link to the
village of New Holland. Garrett LaForge was the one who “sold the
land the village sits on to Oliver Holland for the establishment of
a town” [and] also sold 160 acres to Jacob Niewold, the first
settler in Sheridan Township.”
The book said, “It has been an understanding through generations of
the Jacob Niewold family that the village’s name came from Niewold
and Holland.”
Later in the evening, Deja Voodoo provided live musical
entertainment. The celebration was capped off with fireworks.
It was a great day to celebrate the town’s past, present and future
while enjoying food, fun and festivities.
[Angela Reiners] |
