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Only in Curtis...
by Mitzi Mickelsen

Even before living in rural Nebraska, we learned what an awesome place Curtis is to live. We were visiting here Easter weekend and as we drove into town, we were texted by some newfound friends and invited to go to the arena for horse 4-H. As we entered the arena, my oldest son was met by one of the wrestlers and invited to go to meet the wrestling coach. Previously, in Wausau, Wisc., my son had told me how mad he was that we were moving to a tiny town in Nebraska. He said that it would be so horrible and they wouldn’t even have wrestling T-shirts. As he met the coach that day in April, he was not only taken to the high school and given a tour, he was also given numerous wrestling T-shirts…. Only in Curtis!  

As we moved into our new home, we ran to the grocery store to buy a few needed items. Not knowing what time the store closed, we missed by about 30 minutes. We were all jumping back in the van when the owner of the store knocked on the window and motioned us to come in. She allowed us to get the groceries that we needed while she was closing up the store.... Only in Curtis! 

I had one of my children in North Platte at the doctor when I received a phone call from one of my high school sons. He was sick and needed to go home; he had been injured in a football game and had a cold that caused more pain from the injury when he coughed. As he was realizing I wouldn’t be able to get him and take him home, the superintendent came out of his office and offered to give him a ride home.… Only in Curtis! 

As we were driving home from a football game, I noticed there were some cars pulled off the road and that all had Frontier County plates. I pulled over and one of my children ran back to see what had happened. One of the sweet ladies from Curtis had hit a deer. There were probably 20 cars pulled over and each offered to transport the family in their car and help with anything that she needed…. Only in Curtis! 

During parent teacher conference we learned that in Curtis there truly was a “Christmas” concert. How refreshing and how nice to be able to wish neighbors Merry Christmas instead of just Happy Holidays…. Only in Curtis!

My mom came to see me and was taken such good care of the Aggie Inn Bed and Breakfast that she wants to come back. She was joined every morning by the owners and loved every minute of it … Only in Curtis!

Needless to say, the last nine months have been full of “Only in Curtis” moments too numerous to mention, but we know for a fact that we love living “Only in Curtis!”

Mitzi Michelsen was raised in a small town in Idaho and recently moved to Curtis with her husband, the Associate Dean at Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, and eight children. “I love rural America and am so thankful to have the opportunity to raise our large family in rural Nebraska,” she says. “We are so thankful to have hands and hearts so full.”

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