Cemetery Tour
By Terri Johnson, Republican Valley Library System (Nebraska) board member
Originally appeared in the October 2008 edition of Valleytalk, newsletter of the Republican Valley Library System
This past fall, the North Platte Public Library Foundation held its second annual Cemetery Tour at the North Platte Cemetery. Local actors portrayed some of the infamous characters associated with the “Little Chicago” era in the town’s history, a time of corruption and lawlessness that occurred during the teens, 20’s, and 30’s. More than 500 people attended this fundraiser, making it the most successful effort to date.
One of the best known and most scandalous characters of the era was Annie Cook. Her story is recounted by Nellie Snyder Yost in her book, Evil Obsession.
Annie came to North Platte as a plain, but ambitious, farm wife in 1895. Her husband Frank Cook owned 80 acres between Hershey and North Platte. She helped build that farm into a very profitable business, but her greed evolved into an obsession and by 1911 she had also opened a number of brothels in North Platte, and managed to gain control of law enforcement and many members of the governing bodies in the town and county. In 1923, the Lincoln County Courthouse was burned to the ground to get rid of evidence of illegal activity by some of North Platte’s most prominent citizens. The fire also destroyed records of tax payments allowing Annie to pick up more distressed property. She obtained the contract for the County Poor Farm where her cruelty caused the deaths of many people including her own daughter. She also virtually enslaved her own younger sister and niece and reigned through terror, blackmail, and bribery.
What a great character for a would-be actor to play! It has all the elements of a horror film, but is a true tale with no Hollywood ending. Mild-mannered librarian, Carolyn Clark, showed her dark side in the guise of Annie Cook. This was her second appearance as the embodiment of evil and avarice. There are rumors that she will be sent out to help collect overdues.