Curtis, Sage Hill featured in Nebraska Life

CURTIS, Nebraska -- The March/April edition of "Nebraska Life" features a six-page spread called "Standing together in Curtis" and another seven-page layout that includes the story of Sage Hill Vineyard and Winery at Parks.

Curtis

The story and photographs of Curtis by field assistant editor Alan J. Bartels detail life in the community of 700 situated in northwest Frontier County in Southwest Nebraska.

The "Men's Club" coffee drinkers shared stories with Bartels about the scenic roads, lakes, the Indian lodge and the great-tasting water. Shush ... they don't discuss how the county seat is 10 miles down the road.

Mayor Kevin Brown -- sitting with his wife, Sheila, on a motorcycle riding down Center Avenue -- explained to Bartels the community's spirit. "When there's something important that needs to be done, we stand up and do it," Brown said.

The same spirit built the community in 1886, campaigned for and supports the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture and saved the "Star" Theater -- all activities archived in the 127-year-old county newspaper.

Every year since 1958, the community re-enacts Jesus' final days on earth in its Easter pageant. Gov. Charles Thone named Curtis the state's "Easter City" in 1981.

A new resident is impressed with the community. Kelli Wilson told Bartels, "Everyone in Curtis is so friendly. If you're sick, people bring you food. And everyone waves. It's comforting."

Sage Hill

"Wines: Take a Great Grape Journey West" tells of five "great western wineries" and opens with a two-page photograph of Carol and Hal Walker's Sage Hill Vineyard & Winery on Rock Creek Road. The story and photographs were compiled by staff writer/photographer Matthew Spencer.

The Walkers told Spencer they bought 16 acres in 2003 and started building the winery, which opened four years ago. It now turns out 600 gallons of red and white wines.

Carol credits Nebraska's "banana belt" weather to much of the winery's success. "We don't get the freezes that everybody else gets (in Nebraska), or the late frost. But we do have delicious wine," she's quoted.

The story includes a list of 35 other Nebraska wineries, including "Three Brother Vineyard & Winery" at Farnam.