Part two of Abraham Isaak's story

Last week, we discovered the influence that kind-hearted Abraham Isaak had on early Lincoln. Isaak lived in Lincoln from 1910 to 1937. To recap, a group of anarchists established a colony in the Lincoln area in 1910 and the group's leader was Isaak. Isaak's ranch at 4300 Garden Bar Road was called the Aurora Ranch, part of the Aurora Colony, and colony members were fruit farmers. But Isaak was also a leader in the greater area. Founding the Mt. Pleasant 4-H Club in 1934, Isaak was a charter member and served a term as director of the Mt. Pleasant Farm Bureau. He was also director of the Mt. Pleasant Hall Association. Isaak served on the Nevada Irrigation District board and was secretary of the Lincoln Fruit Growers Association. Next week's question asks what were the earlier names of the Mount Pleasant area. If you know what some of those names are, please email it by Tuesday to carolf@goldcountrymedia.com. Last week's question Last week's question asked what Abraham Isaak specifically did for Mt. Pleasant Hall. The material cited below was taken by the Lincoln Area Archives Museum docents from former archives museum founder and historian Jerry Logan's book, "Mt. Pleasant." In 1892, an earlier, smaller version of the current Mt. Pleasant Hall was tucked among oak trees, six miles northeast of Lincoln. "For more than 100 years, Mt. Pleasant has been almost synonymous with Mt. Pleasant Hall, the hall having become a symbol for the entire community," wrote Logan. His "Mt. Pleasant" book indicated that there were three halls. The Mt. Pleasant Library Association in 1892 built a hall, which was torn down in 1910, the year Isaak arrived. Isaak was instrumental with others in finishing the next Mt. Pleasant Hall in 1917. The hall was a place to gather at the center of the rural community. The Lincoln News Messenger on Feb. 1, 1917 reported, "The Mt. Pleasant Farm Bureau Unit has decided to build a community hall and plans for it are about completed. Judge Walter D. Hayt, A. Isaak, A. Falconer, Fred Clark (the movie star's father), Mrs. Whittaker and other prominent citizens of the district are taking an active part in the project and will make liberal contributions to it." The Mt. Pleasant Hall Association formed and Isaak was one of its three directors. Merchants offered to donate the lighting system, cement and lumber at reduced prices. Other donations included furniture for the women's dressing room and a wall cabinet. Mrs. Susan Whittaker, who owned the land, agreed to grant two acres to the new Mt. Pleasant Hall Association on June 17, 1917 for $10. According to the "Mt. Pleasant" book, the dance platform, which had also served as a community fruit packing shed, was moved back to make room for preparing the ground for the new hall. Before the end of February, everything was ready for cement to be poured. Carpenters began building on May 24, 1917 under the direction of Garret Abbick, a Mt. Pleasant resident. By the end of September 1917, the hall that still stands today was completed. More than 2,000 visitors were at the grand opening featuring speeches, classical music, a dance and food. The most popular activities at the hall were dances, usually from 9 p.m.to 3 a.m. with a supper break at midnight. The first dance at the hall attracted more than 500 couples. Proceeds from the dances and other events helped pay for the hall's construction costs and operating expenses. Managing the hall was up to Isaak and the other Mt. Pleasant Hall Association directors. The association continued the tradition started by the Debating Society in 1878, the annual Mt. Pleasant Picnic. Abraham Isaak died in 1937 in Auburn. Clarification About last week's Out of the Museum story, James Haufler said the Isaak's ranch at 4300 Garden Bar Road, called the Aurora Ranch, was six miles northeast of Lincoln.