In 1841, parts of Clay and Lawrence Counties were taken to create a new community – Richland County, and more specifically, the city of Olney. Fast forward 175 years, and people are ready to show off the area’s successes and look to the future.
Olney City Clerk Kelsie Sterchi is a part of the committee that’s putting this weekend’s celebration together.
“175 years is a long time to have a lot of changes, victories, hellos, good-byes, sustainability, and community. So, really, if you can’t come together and celebrate for that amount of time, what can you celebrate?”
She says every community has its own story, and Olney is no exception. She says it’s a great place to visit, and to live.
“The first thing that comes to my mind, personally, is the amazing people that we have here. It’s hard to appreciate something like that until you leave for a while, and then you come back and your eyes are really kind of opened. I’ve never seen such caring and friendly people. It’s really easy to just walk down the street here and receive a smile or a wave from a stranger. In times of crisis, we see this community really pull together to help one another, and it doesn’t matter what the need is.”
Notable people who’ve counted Olney as their hometown include the late Congressman Terry Bruce, Actress Elaine Shepherd, and Major League Baseball Players Glenn Brummer, Dummy Murphy, Ollie Pickering, and Stan Royer.
Sterchi says taking a moment to look back at the past is a great way to help build the future, and this weekend’s celebration does just that.
“How can you appreciate where you are today, without recognizing the past and what got you there. You just can’t. So it’s important to use to give a nod to things that made this community what it is today. If it wasn’t for things that influenced us such as transportation, agriculture, oil, different kinds of industries, and of course – the white squirrels, then we wouldn’t have the foundation that we have today.”
Those white squirrels may be Olney’s most famous residents. The “Home of the White Squirrel” takes great pride in the animals, hosts a squirrel count each year, and goes to great lengths to protect them and highlight them for visitors and others.
Sterchi says the white squirrel may draw you in, but there are lots of other things that help make Olney a place people want to visit and to live.
“I think a lot of people may not know about the great lakes we have – and I don’t mean Great Lakes, like around Michigan – but we have three. We have East Fork Lake, Borah Lake, and Vernor Lake.… but, the fishing that we have here is top-notch.”
This weekend’s events include lots of live music, a parade, and a festival in the City Park. Sterchi says she hopes lots of people come out to learn more about Olney, and to celebrate what it’s accomplished along with what may be ahead.
“Well, I don’t have a crystal ball, but they say that the best predictor of the future is the past. So, if that’s true, I feel really confident that the future’s going to be pretty great.”
You can get more information about the 175th Celebration at www.Olney175.com, or find them on social media. I’m Jennifer Fuller.
