- September 13th, 1869. The
Denver Pacific Rail Road (later became Union Pacific Rail Road) started
laying tracks from Denver to Cheyenne. With the project complete on May 8th, 1870 the first train (UP No. 28) steamed it’s way through present day LaSalle signaling the beginning of our community.
The name LaSalle comes from an early settler to the area, DS Ellis. Mr. Ellis had come from LaSalle, Illinois a town on the outskirts of Chicago named for the LaSalle Street Rail Road Station in Chicago.Railroad improvements were made slowly from 1881-1906. A siding, additional wye, elevated coal facility and depot were constructed. The original depot burned in 1906 and was replaced in 1907 with a new larger depot (what is now the McMahan Community Center). By 1910 LaSalle had become the northern base of operations for the Union Pacific Rail Road. An engine round house, large livestock yard and 65,000-gallon water tank were constructed.With the railroad’s significant investment in the area the Town began to grow. In 1910 the LaSalle area had two pharmacies, a bank, general store, grocery store, pool hall, barber shop, and lumber yard, as well as a hand full of cafes and other service oriented businesses. The area citizens and business owners, looking to make common improvements to the area, formally put the question of incorporation to a vote. On April 18th, 1910 local citizens voted 67-39 in favor of incorporation. LaSalle was officially a town.The all-volunteer LaSalle Fire Department was incorporated in 1910. LaSalle had its first street lights installed in 1913. The water tower on the east side of Town as well as underground water lines and fire hydrants were installed in 1917. A town wide sewer system was installed in 1939. In the 1920’s and 30’s local residents enjoyed theatre, bowling and roller-skating in the two story Crystal Theatre on Union Ave. Baseball was the Towns favorite pass-time, an old informal ball field in between the rail road tracks was turned into a polished facility with lights and bleachers in 1948.In 1952 Maurice (Mac) McMahan was elected Mayor of the Town of LaSalle. Mac, owner of the Weld County Service Station, served as mayor for 28 years (until 1980). The old Union Pacific Train Depot has been restored as a community center and is named in his honor.Moderate growth and the centralization of services in Greeley over the past three decades has changed the face of LaSalle. Many of the long time businesses have been replaced and most shoppers find themselves in Greeley purchasing supplies. However, the LaSalle Community has thrived in its new roll as a bedroom community. Union Pacific Railroad and the agricultural industry remain central to our community. The oil and gas companies have found a new home in LaSalle likely driving our communities economy for the next few decades. One thing unlikely to change is the small town atmosphere.From the Town of LaSalle Website
Big Bend School
BeeBe Draw School
- History of La Salle SDA School (Beebe Draw)
Due to their interest in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, a group of Beebe Draw famers attended Bible studies and held baptisms as early as the 1890’s. Elder Henry Westphal, a returned missionary from South America, met with the group in the Box Elder School House.
In the late 1890’s the Beebe Draw families saw the need for their own county church. The first SDA church building was located near Milton Reservoir, and because of seepage, the building was moved in 1910 to the corner of John and Katie Oster’s farm (now Dan Oster Jr.’s), at the corner of Weld County Roads 42 and 43.
At this new location, the church building was enlarged by ten feet. Mr. and Mrs. John Oster, La Salle farm owners and members of the Beebe Draw German Seventh-day Adventist Church, donated the ground for the church relocation, and also later donated land for the Beebe Draw Cemetery.
Soon, a second congregation split off and built a church ½ mile east, then later this building was moved and attached to the original farm church, and used as a school, and the two church congregations joined as one again.
For the school’s first year of operation, 1913, Mr. Friesen taught sixteen children, ages five to sixteen or seventeen. One year, all of the school children were cousins to each other except one and he, Ben Dupper, was the uncle to all of them. In addition to regular classroom duties, each teacher was required to complete the janitor work and manage the heating stove.
Each La Salle SDA Church School (Beebe Draw) teacher, except for teacher Elsie Beltz Oster (nearby farm resident), boarded at nearby farmhouses, mostly John Oster’s. Other nearby farmers who boarded teachers include Edna Oster, Betty Oster Koke, Ray Oster, Talitha Oster Werner, and Evelyn Oster Werner.
La Salle SDA Church School (Beebe Draw) teachers include Henry Friesen (1913), Ethen Griese (1914), P.W. Peters (1915, 1916, part of 1917), Anna Meyer (rest of 1917), Helen Richards (1918), Esther Kraft (1919, 1920), No School (1921), Dan Schmidt (1922), Esther Kraft (1923, 1924), Bertha Ortner (1925), Fields (1926, 1927), Elsie Oster (1928, 1929), Arvalda Kraft (1930 till sick), and Elsie Oster (1930 finished year).
Students were taught German as well as English. Most students walked or rode a horse to school. A small horse barn was located at the school. Basic classes were taught, as well as penmanship, drawing, woodwork, and sewing. In 1918 the boys and girls each made quilts and woodworking projects, which were auctioned as a fundraiser for the Red Cross.
By spring 1931, many families had moved nearer to town, or had secured faster-moving transportation for the improved roads, so the school discontinued operation.
As reported by Edna Oster and Elsie Oster (verbatim or summarized) from http://greeley22.adventistschoolconnect.org/article/22/about-our-school/history
Looking for historical pictures of the homes or churches on Todd ave from the 1928's. If anyone had info I would love to see it.. ty
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