Ernie Hammer was a long time Kiowa County Press contributor. This week, we continue a series looking back at Ernie and his wife, Judy's, adventures. Last week's installment can be found here. To see Ernie's previous series, click here.

Editor's note: Ernie Hammer passed away in the early morning hours of September 15, 2025. The Kiowa County Press was fortunate to have him as a frequent visitor, including his most recent just a few days before he died. This series was written in the months before his death, and will continue over the coming months as we remember and celebrate his extraordinary life.

Second Time Around

My Dad farmed with horses. When tractors became popular my Dad quit farming and planted his land back to grass. I can remember seeing him moving dirt with a team of horses and a slip. It was very hard work.

I know my Mother loved me but sometimes I got away from her and got into trouble before she realized I was gone. We had a windmill at our house and a giant water storage tank right beside it. There was a plank across from the top of the windmill tower over to the top of the water tank. I think I was about three years old when I climbed up to the top of the windmill and over to the top of the water tank. My Mother found me up there. She was afraid of heights so she talked me down, across the narrow plank to the windmill and down to the ground.

I was four or five when we first got electricity. I remember we had a wind charger that we could run three light bulbs and a radio off of. They got electricity up in the mountains before we did. I went with my Dad and Uncle Gerhart up to a place west of Divide close to where Uncle Mart lived. They had a light plant (we called it) that they wanted to sell since they now had electricity. Dad installed it in our basement. It was 32 volt but I don’t remember what he used for fuel to run it. I know we had to go down and check the battery acid level every once in a while to know when to put fuel in it. We could run more lights off of it.

We had a refrigerator that run on kerosene. As I remember, we always had running water in the house and I remember a tin bath tub that was a permanent fixture. We did have an outhouse. We had a modern bathroom long before any of my Aunts or Uncles on my Mother’s side did.

I remember my Mother had a wringer wash machine that was run by a gas engine. The washing machine set out on the porch. She would fill it up with heated water and when it was through washing she would run the clothes through a wringer to get all of the water out. She would then hang the clothes outside on the line. One time I was standing by the wringer watching it. My Mother told me not to get to close, but I was inquisitive. I got my fingers stuck in the wringer and it pulled my arm through up to my elbow before Mother could get it stopped. She put the wringer in reverse and backed my arm out. Later she realized that there was a lever to release the pressure on the wringer.

My Aunt Ollie used to make her own soap. I don’t know what the ingredients were. I think lye and lard were two. She would build a wood fire under a big iron pot and mix the ingredients and then pour it out in pans and let it harden and then cut it into smaller pieces.

The Kiowa County Press invites those who live in or have ties to Colorado - especially the southeast, however all contributions are welcome - to share their story with our readers. Family history, current life, unique sites and adventures, and other aspects of living in Colorado are welcome. Contact us at editor@KiowaCountyPress.net.