Once Upon A Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen

Once Upon A Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen by Bob Greene is another great book when it comes to recording the stories of the generations before us. Our grandparents introduced us to it. They grew up in Nebraska during the WWII years, and Grandpa remembers his mother sending a little money to help pay for the food that was served to the soldiers passing through the North Platte Canteen on the troop trains headed to California. While we don’t endorse the entire book (read with discretion/some sections not suitable for children), particular stories are definitely worth your time.

During WWII, events that would be talked about for years to come were erupting on a global scale. Meanwhile, in a small Nebraska town, events were taking place with equal impact on thousands of individual lives. Travel with journalist Bob Greene to seek out the firsthand accounts of what happened at the North Platte Canteen where myriads of American soldiers stopped on their way to war. These are the true stories of sacrifice, community, hard work and love that capture life on the homefront and show how a mere fifteen minutes of kindness can leave a permanent impression and alter the courses of many lives.

I greatly appreciate that Bob Greene realized the importance of recording these stories. It is remarkable that he was willing to go so far to collect them. Whether he knew it or not, he was practicing Deuteronomy 32:7.

My favorite stories are the ones about the angel food cakes, the boy who sold his shirt to raise money for the Canteen, how popcorn balls connected particular people, and all the stories about the kids offering to help their parents do the work. Overall, the interviews are so sweet and inspiring. I thought it was really interesting that many of the people who told their stories to Mr. Greene cried as they told them. Oh, and another of my favorites is about the father who actually took his children to North Platte after the war because he wanted to show them this place that had had such an impact on him. They were even able to find his name in the Canteen’s guestbook! 

Another part of this book that intrigued me particularly is that serving especially scrumptious homemade food out of the Canteen to the soldiers coming through was a private idea. It wasn’t a government project. It didn’t take a bureaucratic committee. It did take a host of volunteering, kind homemakers, farmers and country children. It’s such a great example of charity that is “relational, local and voluntary”. 

All in all, it was a productive read and a challenge. Could we be as dedicated as Mr. Greene to collecting the stories of those who have gone before us with a focus on God’s glory? Would we be willing to give of our time and resources with such gusto if given an opportunity as the women, children and men at North Platte had? Could they have used those fifteen-minute intervals more fruitfully for Christ’s Kingdom? Are there similar opportunities waiting for us today? Hmmm. Food for thought.

Photo from Amazon.com