William Stolley
Historical Photos courtesy of Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
William Stolley was from Holstein, Germany. He was 26 years old when he traveled from Davenport, Iowa to the Nebraska Territory in 1857. He helped organize the group of immigrants to settle Grand Island (the name that he chose to call their new location). The settlers arrived on July 4th. The first winter was very difficult.
Stolley was sent to Omaha for supplies. He was the first to have a homesteader claim in the county. He was very involved in Grand Island from the very beginning. On his homestead he build the first District School as well as Fort Independence. Fort Independence was a fortified underground stable built into a hill. Many trees were planted on William's homestead and in 1927 his homestead was declared a state park.
Grand Island is a better place because Stolley Park is a place for families to get together and children to play at Kids' Kingdom. William Stolley made Stolley Park possible because he worked to make sure his homestead was preserved for the city.