Hansen Avenue project underway

Publishers Note:
The Hansen Avenue project is under construction. Water and sewer lines are the first phase of this project.  M. R. Hansen has put into his own words, some history and comments on the land that was owned by his father Dobby Hansen. This area originally encompassed approximately 400 acres of land that included development on both sides of Highway 14.
Publisher Don Ravellette

You probably noticed the massive equipment working on the north edge of Philip!  This is the construction of 17 housing lots and rapid progress is being made!  There is no word from the City as to when the lots will be for sale or the prices.  You can be sure they will be reasonably priced and hot real estate.

Last Thursday Don Ravellette and I went to the site to take photos and visit with the construction foreman for H & W Contracting, Sioux Falls.  He said they are now installing manholes, water, and sewer lines and prepping everything for concrete work.  The first part should be substantially complete this year.  In June, our wettest month, the area should be green and beautiful.

I thought you might like to have some background information because this entire area was developed by my dad Dobby Hansen (Virgil W. Hansen) who many of you knew; he died 34 years ago.  It all started just after WWII when Dobby came back and I was born shortly thereafter.  I grew up in that area and went to 12 years of school in Philip.
After WWII, Dobby’s father, Ralph Hansen, who some of you knew, helped Dobby buy 410 acres which extended from the top of the hill on N. Wood all the way north for about a mile and West to East from Highway 73 to about where the grain bins are now, including this subdivision of course.  It was buffalo country and I will include a “before” photo.
In 1954 a new alignment was being planned for highway 14 and it would run exactly through our old house, bypassing downtown Philip.  You can still see part of original highway 14 coming down the hill from the sale barn into town featuring the original guardrail posts with cable!  Many of you walk that way and it is dangerous with no shoulders.
Anyway, Dobby negotiated with the highway department and they gave him about $3000 for the right of way and inconvenience of moving; that was a lot of money in those days.  Dobby went to the country and bought our new house for $1000.  He traded our old house to Irvin O’Neill for the labor of moving the old house out and the new house in from the country.  Our old house became their new house.  Our big white house was like a glorious castle overlooking Philip.  There was plenty of room for 10 kids with the oldest one off to the Navy, 4 boys and 4 girls upstairs in 4 rooms and Dobby, Vivian, and baby downstairs with the pot belly stove; the outhouse was out back.
Dobby originally planted his oats field over by Hone St.  His dad was a dam builder all over this country and they soon built 3 dams on the place and leveled off the housing area.  We had our first golf course on his land north of the cemetery.  I mowed the golf course where I rode the rake and Dobby drove the little grey Ford tractor.  I remember waving to Archie McKay as we mowed and he played golf!  We planted potatoes by the north dam about a mile north.  Dobby got 22 calves to run loose and eat the meager forage.
My Grandma Palmer lived up there by us and I have many memories of going there.  She was the quintessential grandmother.  Thorvaldsons, Petersons, and Stevensons were our neighbors to the south and the only other people on top of the hill.  You all know Kay Stevenson Ainslie.  Over by Hone St. we saw Rainbow Row being built.  These were small houses painted pastel colors of the rainbow. 
After the new highway came through things were different.  Buddy Coyle moved his station up to the new highway at the intersection with Hwy. 73, the Park Inn came in, the Drive Inn Theater was built,  etc.  I delivered the RC Daily Journal up on the hills by Philip High School.  Leslie, Frank, Fuddy, and Hans delivered up to Rainbow Row and “Middle Hill,” and people were moving in
When the missile base boom was here the town swelled to 1300 friendly people.  The Thunderbird Motel was built, and Dobby gradually sold off the property.  His heart and talent were in painting signs, thousands of signs, including Wall Drug, Al’s Oasis, and many other tourist attractions along highway16. 
I graduated from PHS in 1964 and went off to college and to work, returning 50 years later for my 50 year high school reunion and stayed.  The 12 acres of this new subdivision was all that was left of Dobby’s acreage.  Barbara and I lived there for 8 years.  The maintenance got to be more and more and we became older and older, and something had to give.  We had offers to park farm machinery just north of the highway or let horses run wild up there. 
I wanted to develop housing for the city since we were desperately short.  No luck.  One person can’t do anything.  Finally, we sold out to Scotchman, took the money and spent it, losing money in the overall deal.  I figured anything we could do to help Scotchman would help the city.  A short time later they gave the land to the city.  A city can do a lot more acquiring grants, etc.
So, here we are!  Stay tuned for the next “town lot sale.”  There is no word from city hall when that might be or what the prices of the lots might be. I want one!  They will be cheap and amazing!  If you have any interest at all you should be ready to move fast.  In June, with rain, it will be beautiful!  If they could open the sale during Scotty Philip Days they would sell all the lots, I predict.  Just think, city utilities, water, sewer, and paved roads.  A far cry from the pot belly stove, outhouses, and muddy roads!   The city of Philip owes a great deal to Dobby Hansen, and Vivian of course, my dear mama who/whom all of you know!