1541: Coronado is supposed to have crossed the 40th parallel, the southern boundary of Nebraska as (official) territory and state. He is said to have reached a significantly flowing river, most likely the Republican. Although it is extremely unlikely that he came so far north, the record of his journey provides one of the earliest known descriptions of the central plains.
1714: French explorer Bourgmont reaches the mouth of the Platte River via his ascent of the Missouri. His resulting map seems to indicate the first non-Indian use of the Oto/Omaha word "Nebraska" (as "Nebraskier"-meaning "flat water") for a feature/area of the northern Plains, as he used it to denote the Platte
1720: The Villasur expedition (Spanish) reaches Platte County, where half of the force is killed by Pawnee and Oto Indians. Spain's last signifcant entry into the Nebraska region (save for some trading with the Mandans and Poncas in the 1790's.)
1739: Paul and Pierre Mallet, French fur traders, search for an overland route to Santa Fe. The brothers trek from northern Illinois to Missouri River near the mouth of the Niobrara, then move south to the Platte, following the river westward to the Rocky Mountains.
Oct. 1, 1804-July 4, 1805: Nebraska part of the Territory of Indiana
July 27, 1804: Lewis and Clark meet with Omaha Indians near present-day Dodge Park in Omaha
July 4, 1805-Dec. 7, 1812: Nebraska part of the Louisiana Territory
1806: Zebulon Pike, of the U.S. Army, explores the southern and central plains. In Nebraska, he holds a council with the Pawnee in Webster County, near the Republican River, and travels west, moving between that river and the South Platte, until reaching what is now Colorado.
1812: Traders employed with the Astor Fur Company, returning from the Pacific Coast, find South Pass and descend the Platte River, arriving at its mouth in the spring of 1813. This is the first recorded instance of whites using the Platte River route (which would become, generally, the Oregon, Mormon, and California Trail.)
Dec. 7, 1812-1821: Nebraska part of the Territory of Missouri until 1821, when Missouri becomes a state
Sept. 26, 1817: Site for future Ft. Atkinson laid out
1819-20: Stephen H. Long’s expedition, which is commonly associated with labeling of region as "Great American Desert" or "American Desert," a notation found on many maps and geographies between 1820 and 1858. In 1820, Long traveled up the Missouri River (he had ascended it to the Yellowstone country in 1819) to the Council Bluffs, Iowa area, then crossed and travelled down the Platte River to its fork, where he followed the South Platte.
1821-1854: After Missouri statehood in 1821, Nebraska becomes part of an unorganized region usually called "Indian country”
1825-30: Peter Skene Ogden (Hudson Bay Co.) explores virtually all of interior West from north to south; this knowledge was recorded in the latest French and British maps by A.H. Brue of Paris and Aaron Arrowsmith of London
June 30, 1834: U.S. Congress defines the boundaries of the “Indian country” and passes the Indian Intercourse Act, which excludes white settlers and formalized relations between the United States and the Indians.
1842: Lt. John C. Fremont, an explorer with the United States government, is credited with popularizing the word "Nebraska" speaking of the "Nebraska" (Platte) River in his reports. The word came from the Oto Indian name "Nebrathka", which was their name for the Platte River. The descriptive name meant "flat water." Bourgmount, a French explorer, seems to have been the first non-Native American to use the word for the region, naming what would be the Platte river of today the "Nebraskier."
1843: Two years of very limited emigration, and news of Fremont's exploration (the report would be published in 1845) lead to the "official" opening of the Oregon trail. Prior to 1843, only missionaries and a few parties of emigrants-perhaps 1200 total in 1841 and 1842 combined-went west on the route; among them, however, was Rufus Sage, whose diary (written from spring 1841 through his return east in 1843) details much of the Nebraska region and whose map, published in 1846, may be the first to note the area around the Platte as "Nebraska.
Nov. 30 1844: William Wilkins, United States' Secretary of War, suggests in his report to the President that "the Platte or Nebraska River being the central stream would very properly furnish a name to the territory."
Dec. 17 1844: Stephen Douglas of Illinois introduces the first of several bills to organize Nebraska Territory, primarily as a means of abandoning the concept of a “permanent Indian frontier” and developing his Chicago as a national railroad center via and northern route of a transcontinental railroad west through the Platte valley. Although all of the bills are defeated, Douglas’ purpose was merely to serve notice on the Secretary of War not to locate any more Indians into the territory.
1846: A large (est. 3000-4000) contingent of Mormons, fleeing persecution, leaves Illinois, under the leadership of Brigham Young, and begins a westward trek toward a yet unknown destination. Despite a terrible winter in "Winter Quarters" (what would become Florence, Nebraska) where many died of cholera and exposure, a vanguard continues to Utah in spring 1847, founding Salt Lake City, and initiating a full Mormon exodus. 1848 saw the remainder of those at Winter Quarters head west.
1848: “New” Ft. Kearny at southernmost bend of Platte River replaces “Old” Ft. Kearny (mouth of Table Creek on Missouri)
March 15, 1848: Second attempt to organize the territory; position would be from the 40th to the 43rd parallels, but west to the Rockies and east to the Missouri. Laws of Iowa would govern the area.
1850: The creation of New Mexico Territory (as well as the Gadsden Purchase and Davis Surveys of 1853) gave proponents of a southern route for the transcontinental railroad a great advantage, spurring advocates of the northern route to press for a Nebraska Territory.
Feb. 2 1853: Rep. William A. Richardson of Illinois, chairman of the House Committee on Territories (Douglas was chair of the Senate Committee on Territories), introduces a bill to organize Nebraska territory. It passes the house (98-43), but despite Douglas’ efforts fails to pass the Senate.
Dec. 14 1853: Senator Dodge of Iowa introduces another Nebraska bill, with boundaries of 36 deg 30 min on the south, 43 deg. 40 on the north, the Rockies on the west and the borders of Iowa and Missouri on the east.
Jan. 4 1854: Douglas’ Committee on Territories reports out the earlier bill in an altered form, creating two territories rather than one (Nebraska and Kansas), with Nebraska between the fortieth and forty-ninth parallels north and south, and the Rockies on the west and the Missouri River and Minnesota Territory on the east. After acrimonious debate (over the slavery provisions, not the geography), the bill would eventually be signed into law May 30, 1854.
January 19, 1854: “Kanesville” Iowa is renamed “Council Bluffs”
March 16, 1854: Omaha Indians sign treaty for Nebraska Territory
May 30, 1854: President Pierce signs Kansas-Nebraska Act, creating Nebraska Territory. Because the Act gave the two territories the choice, by a vote of their inhabitants, on whether or not to allow slavery within their borders (thus repealing the Missouri Compromise) the act is often considered the "first match" in igniting the Civil War. In Kansas especially, blood was shed by anti-abolitionists who wanted to influence territorial voting, and this kept slavery at the front of the public consciousness.
May 30, 1854 - May 11, 1858: The first of Nebraska’s nine distinct boundary configurations with Nebraska Territory at its greatest extent, stretching from Kansas to Canada, and from the Missouri River to a western boundary beyond the summit of the Rocky Mountains
June 21, 1854: First claims under Nebraska Territory Act become effective
June 22, 1854: Claim Club formed in Omaha
July 28, 1854: Omaha Arrow, the first paper of Omaha City, Nebraska Territory, published (in Iowa)
1854: Acting Nebraska Territorial Governor Thomas Cuming creates by proclamation Nebraska's first 8 counties: (north of Platte): Burt, Washington, Dodge and Douglas; (south of Platte): Pierce, Forney, Cass and Richardson
October 16, 1854: Governor Francis Burt (formerly of South Carolina, appointed to the post) takes the oath of office as Nebraska's first governor, although still very sick from his journey to the west; Burt dies two days later, and Thomas B. Cuming takes his place on an interim basis.
Nov. 2, 1854: first surveying contract in NE, providing that by Jan. 20, 1855 the "baseline" (KS boundary) would be established along the 40th parallel for a distance of 108 miles (i.e. to the 6th Principal Meridian), the western border of the Omaha cession (the western border of present Jefferson county)
December 24, 1854: Omaha City named capitol of Nebraska Territory
1855-56 Blackbird County (paper county only) when Omaha Reservation created; would later become Thurston County
December 18, 1855 [?]: Second Territorial Legislature convened at Omaha; considerable attention given to rearrangement of county boundaries and the creation of new counties; under provisions of bill introduced by A.D. Jones of Douglas County, counties in the then-uninhabited parts of the territory were organized with boundaries 24 miles square, and were named for prominent leaders in the two great political parties; later some of these boundaries were modified to conform in some degree to natural boundaries (streams, etc.)
January 16, 1855: Territorial Legislature first meets near 9th and Farnam in Omaha
January 16, 1855: Saline County (SE) created; permanently organized in 1867
January 17, 1855: “Omaha Nebraskian” is published (first newspaper published in Omaha)
January 31, 1855: Acting Governor Cuming signs bill naming Omaha City capitol of Nebraska Territory
February 18, 1855: Boundaries of Burt County (E) approved by Territorial Legislature (although county had been formed in 1854); boundaries redefined January 10, 1862
February 22, 1855: Washington County (E) created (on anniversary of President Washington's birthday); redefined November 2, 1858; western boundary redefined January 12, 1860
March 2, 1855: Douglas County (E) approved by Territorial Legislature (although county created in fall of 1854)
March 2, 1855: Otoe County (SE) approved by Territorial Legislature; redefined January 26, 1856
March 2, 1855: Johnson County (SE) approved by Territorial Legislature
March 6, 1855: Dodge County (E) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined November 2, 1858 and December 22, 1859; reorganized January 13, 1860
March 6, 1855: Pawnee County (SE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 25, 1856 and reapproved January 8, 1862
March 6, 1855: Taylor County (C) (later to become Loup County) approved by Territorial Legislature; changed to Loup County in 1883
March 6, 1855: Lancaster County (E) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856
March 7, 1855: Cass County (SE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856
March 7, 1855: Richardson County (SE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856
March 7, 1855: Nemaha County (SE) (formerly part of Forney County) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856 and November 1, 1858
March 7, 1855: Dakota County (NE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856
March 15, 1855: Florence chartered
March 16, 1855: Cuming County (NE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined February 12, 1857 and January 10, 1862
March 16, 1855: Gage County (NE) approved by Territorial Legislature; boundaries redefined January 26, 1856
April 26, 1855: second surveying contract in NE providing for establishing the guide meridian between ranges 8 and 9 and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th parallel lines; another surveying contract provided for subdivision of the eastern tier of townships in Pawnee county, the SE corner of Johnson (Tecumseh) and the SW corner of Nemaha (Brownsville) by Dec. 1, 1855
January 18, 1856: Nebraska Territorial Bank of Florence, Florence, Douglas County; Bank of Nebraska, Omaha; Bank of Nemaha Valley, Brownville; Bank of Platte Valley, Nebraska City; Bank of Fontanelle, Bellevue, chartered by Special Act of the Legislature[2]
Clay County (SC) boundaries defined (although initially established March 7, 1855); boundaries redefined February 16, 1867
January 26, 1856: Clay County (SC) boundaries defined (although initially established March 7, 1855); boundaries redefined February 16, 1867
January 26, 1856: Platte County (EC) created; western half of present county was Monroe County, with Monroe as county seat (later to be absorbed by Platte County in 1859); boundaries redefined December 22, 1859
January 26, 1856: Polk County (EC) boundaries defined and established (previously part of Butler County); organized later by election August 6, 1870
January 26, 1856: Fillmore County (SC) boundaries defined; organized 1871
January 26, 1856: Greene County (EC) created; name later changed to Seward County January 3, 1862
January 26, 1856: Calhoun County (EC) created; redefined November 3, 1858; name changed to Saunders County January 8, 1862
January 26, 1856: Madison County (NE) established; organized 1867; redefined March 3, 1873
June 26, 1856: Butler County (CE) created
December 1856: Nebraska Territorial Tekamah Bank and Waubeek Bank of Desoto, chartered by Special Act of the Legislature. Charters for 3 other banks (Bank of Columbus, Pacific Bank, Bank of Plattsmouth) were also passed, but there were insufficient votes to override Governor Izard’s veto. Some issued notes (which had been already lithographed) nonetheless. Several insurance companies also obtained charters permitting them to do a banking business during this period.
February 12, 1857: Omaha City is incorporated
1857: Lt. Gouverneur K. Warren's general map of the west completed; Wheat concludes that "subsequent efforts in the way of maps may properly be deemed merely filling in the detail"
February 7, 1857: Sarpy County (E) (once part of Douglas County) created
February 10, 1857: L'Eau Qui Court County (NE) (currently Knox NE) established and boundaries defined; redefined January 13, 1860
February 12, 1857: Cedar County (NE) created; boundaries redefined January 13, 1860
February 12, 1857: Nebraska Territorial Bank of Tekama, Burt County, chartered by Special Act of the Legislature
February 12, 1857: Nebraska Territorial Bank of De Soto, De Soto, Washington County, chartered by Special Act of the Legislature
May 11, 1857: first issue of Omaha City Times published
Autumn 1857: The Panic of 1857, began in the East, eventually spreads to Nebraska, causing its many “wildcat” bank to suspend payment. Value of town site shares and town lots likewise dropped.
January 7, 1858: acting Governor declares Territorial meeting in Florence illegal
May 5, 1858: Omaha Republican (a weekly newspaper) first published
May 11, 1858: Nebraska Territory’s same boundaries exist, but now the western half of Minnesota becomes, unofficially, Dakota Territory. The lasts until the official creation of that territory on March 2, 1861.
November 4, 1858: Hall County (SC) boundaries defined; redefined February 1, 1864 and March 1, 1871
November 4, 1858: Merrick County (EC) boundaries defined; redefined February 1, 1864 and March 1, 1871
December 1858: Dixon County (NE) created (previously part of Dakota County)
February 14, 1859 - February 28, 1861: Nebraska Territory’s western border changes as the Oregon Territory disappears and Washington appears
November 10, 1859: first session of Omaha High School
December 22, 1859: Monroe County (E) (no longer existing) absorbed into Platte County by voter approval
January 7, 1860: Lincoln County (C) (previously Shorter County) established; name officially changed from Shorter County December 11, 1861
January 10, 1860: Kearney County (SC) established
January 11, 1860: Dawson County (C) established; boundaries redefined June 6, 1871
January 13, 1860: Nuckolls County (SC) established; organized June 27, 1871
October 5, 1860: first telegraph services to the East out of Omaha
Feb. 28, 1861: Colorado becomes a Territory, decreasing Nebraska’s size by 16,035 square miles; Colorado now shares Nebraska’s southern border with Kansas. Two Nebraska counties are established in the panhandle (in what is, today, Wyoming)--Morton and Wilson counties. Morton was named after J. Sterling Morton; Wilson was named after a land office official. The counties were trimmed from the territory with the creation of Idaho territory in 1863.
March 2, 1861: Dakota becomes a Territory, decreasing Nebraska’s northern extent by 228,907 square miles; however, Nebraska still extends out to the west beyond Green River, WY, creating a unique "long Panhandle" shape
1861: Kansas becomes a state under terms of the Wyandotte Constitution (1859)
January 1862: The Homestead Act is initiated, and allowed heads of households, or individuals 21 years or older, the right to "claim" 160 acres on any non-owned (but government surveyed, i.e. "mapped") land in any state or territory. Claimants needed to live on the land for five years, at the end of which they could "prove up" their claim (with witnesses who swore to their residency on the property) for a nominal filing fee (around $10-15.) The act brought a rapid increase in settlement to the western states and territories. (See "Prominent Government Acts" page for more information)
July 1862: The Morrill Act gives to (mostly western) states 30,000 acres of land per senator and representative for the establishment of agricultural and/or mechanical colleges. Known as the "Land Grant College Act." (See "Prominent Government Acts" page for more information)
July 1862: The Pacific Railroad Act is passed, creating the Union Pacific Railroad and the Central Pacific Railroad, two companies which, backed by the government, would race to join each other and create the world's first transcontinental railroad. The CP terminus was to be Sacramento, California, with the UP terminus in Council Bluffs, Iowa (but, since there was no bridge over the Missouri River at the time, Omaha, Nebraska was the actual starting point.) The roads joined in Utah in 1869.
January 3, 1862: Greene County (EC) changed to Seward County
January 10, 1862: Stanton County (NE) created (previously Izard County)
January 8, 1862: Calhoun County (formed January 26, 1856) renamed Saunders County (EC)
January 9, 1862: Holt County (NC) boundaries defined
March 3, 1863: Idaho becomes a Territory, becoming Nebraska’s western neighbor (later to become Wyoming) and reducing Nebraska’s long Panhandle by 45,999 square miles
August 23, 1863: First National Bank organized in Omaha
September 17, 1863: Fort McPherson established near Cottonwood Springs in what is now Lincoln County. It was situated about 6 miles former present town of Maxwell on south side of Platte. Originally named “Cantonment Fort McKean”, it was then called “Post of Cottonwood” and again to “Fort Cottonwood.” In 1866 the name Fort McPherson was given. It was abandoned as a military post in 1880 (Sheldon, NE Blue Book 1915 p. 507)
December 2, 1863: groundbreaking of Union Pacific
1864: Jefferson County (SE) first organized
1864: Montana Territory created
May 26, 1864: Dakota is extended to include what is essentially today’s Wyoming, but at the time had been a sprawling part of Idaho Territory
August 26, 1864: Omaha city is alerted to possible Indian attack (later proved false)
July 10, 1865: first Union Pacific rail laid in Omaha
October 2, 1865: First day of the “Omaha Herald” (now Omaha World-Herald)
March 13, 1866: 50 miles of Union Pacific tracks completed
July 2, 1866: Omaha National Bank organized
October 23, 1866: Union Pacific excursion to 100th meridian leaves Omaha
1867: Jefferson County (S) combined with Jones County to the west
1867: Thayer County (S) (originally part of Jefferson County) created
Feb. 16, 1867: Adams County (SC) created
Feb. 16, 1867: Webster County (S) created
Feb. 16, 1867: Franklin County (SC) created; organized in 1871
Feb. 16, 1867: Hamilton County (SC) created
March 1, 1867: Nebraska achieves statehood (containing only about 20% of the land defined as the original Territory of Nebraska)
July-Sept. 1867, Lincoln (formerly Lancaster) selected as Nebraska's capital; lots sold in Sept; by Dec. 1868 actual capital building was ready for occupancy
1867-68: The United States Geological Survey of the Territories, headed by Ferdinand V. Hayden, the biggest and best-known of the Great Surveys, explores and catalogs the natural resources of Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.
March 26, 1868: Decision to build Union Pacific bridge from Council Bluffs to Omaha (completed in 1872)
July 25, 1868: after defeat of efforts to name the territory Lincoln, the new Territory of Wyoming was created from lands once part of the Oregon, Dakota, Utah, and Idaho territories, spurred by the entering of the Union Pacific Railroad into Wyoming November 1867
February 3, 1869: Site of Nebraska capitol moved (for high school purposes); now Central High
February 15, 1869: Colfax County (EC) created (divided out of Platte County): boundaries redefined March 3, 1873
June 12, 1869: Chicago Times publishes “Has Thou Ever Been To Omaha”
January 20, 1870: Buffalo County officially recognized (although it had been approved by Territorial Legislature March 14, 1855)
April 1870: York County organized
1871: Jefferson County reorganized; Thayer County created
March 1, 1871: Greeley County (C) created
March 1, 1871: Sherman County (C) created
March 1, 1871: Valley County (C) created
March 1, 1871: Howard County (C) created
March 4, 1871: Wayne County (NE) created
March 28, 1871: Boone County (EC) created
June 3, 1871: Harlan County (S) created
June 6, 1871: Cheyenne County (W) created (separated from Lincoln County)
June 15, 1871: Antelope County (NE) created
June 19, 1871: first issue of Omaha Bee newspaper published (ended in 1937)
January 12, 1872: Grand Duke Alexis of Russia visits Omaha
January 17, 1872: Frontier County (SW) created
February 11, 1873: Phelps County (SC) created
February 21, 1873: L'Eau Qui Court renamed Knox County (NE)
February 27, 1873: Dundy County (SW) created
February 27, 1873: Furnas County (SC) created
February 27, 1873: Hitchcock County (SW) created
February 27, 1873: Red Willow County (S) created
February 27, 1873: Keith County (W) created
1876: Lt. George M. Wheeler completes his map of the progress of the U.S. Geological Survey West of the 100th Meridian, showing for the first time a division of the West into quadrants similar to those later used by the U.S. Geological Survey
Omaha investor Henry T. Clarke builds bridge across North Platte River near present-day Bridgeport (“Camp Clarke”) for $10,000, which he reportedly made back in only first 2 months of operations.
February 17, 1877: Custer County (C) created (named in honor of Gen. Custer's Little Big Horn battle of 1876)
February 17, 1877: Wheeler County (C) created
February 19, 1877: Hayes County (SW) created
February 19, 1877: Sioux County (NW) created; boundaries redefined February 19, 1885
August 4, 1877: Tornado hits Union Pacific bridge in Omaha
July 3, 1878: Omaha establishes street number system
Sept. 2, 1878: Creighton University opened in Omaha
1879: the "Great Surveys" consolidated into the U.S. Geological Survey
February 13, 1879: Nance County (EC) boundaries defined
April 30, 1879: Standing Bear’s trial opens in Omaha
January 25, 1880: first long-distance telephone call made from Omaha to St. Louis
March 2, 1881: Gosper County (SC) boundaries established (although organized August 29, 1873)
November 8, 1881: Garfield County (NC) formed from western portion of Wheeler County
January 9, 1883: First electric Nebraska Power Company (now OPPD)
1883: Loup County (formerly Taylor County, created March 6, 1855) organized
February 19, 1883: Brown County (NC) created by legislative enactment
February 23, 1883: Cherry County (NC) created by legislative enactment
May 19, 1883: First Wild West Show of Buffalo Bill Cody held in Omaha
January 1, 1884: J.L. Brandeis Store (The Fair) opened in downtown Omaha
March 11, 1884: first transcontinental fast mail service
November 4, 1884: Keya Paha County created (previously part of Brown County, and before that Holt County)
February 19, 1885: Dawes County (NW) established (previously part of Sioux County)
February 19, 1885: Logan County (C) established (previously part of Sioux County)
February 25, 1885: Sheridan County (NW) established
March 5, 1885: Blaine County (C) established
June 28, 1885: Douglas County Courthouse (17th and Farnam, Omaha) opened
August 24, 1885: first issue of Omaha Daily World published
1886: Chase County (SW) created by legislative enactment (divided from Keith County)
October 6, 1886: South Omaha incorporated as village
November 2, 1886: Box Butte County formed from southern Dawes County by vote
February 7, 1887: Omaha Federation of Labor organized
February 8, 1887: Omaha Charter adopted
March 4, 1887: Benson platted
March 31, 1887: Grant County (WC) created
March 31, 1887: Thomas County (C) created
November 8, 1887: Perkins County (W) formed by vote from Keith County
1888: Idaho formally recognized as Territory
November 6, 1888: Former Cheyenne county split into Banner, Kimball, Scotts Bluff, Deuel and Cheyenne counties
November 6, 1888: Rock County (N) formed from part of Brown County by vote
1889: Thurston County created (previously Blackbird County)
January 1889: Deuel County organized
March 29, 1889: Hooker County (C) organized
July 15, 1889: first Omaha World-Herald newspaper printed
Nov. 2 1889: Dakota Territory split into North and South Dakota
1890: McPherson County (CW) organized
In 1890, after nearly 22 years as a territory, Wyoming became the 44th state to join the Union.
July 3, 1890: Idaho becomes a state
October 23, 1890: Line drawn between the Keya Paha River and the Missouri River in the north/northeastern part of the state. This is now Boyd County, and the action marked, generally, the end of Nebraska's border changes
1891: Boyd County (NC) established, aided by 1889 treaty allowing for white settlement in prior Sioux Reservation of Dakota Territory
July 4, 1893: Populist Party convention opens in Omaha
June 1, 1898: Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition opened in Omaha
1904: The Kinkaid Act (1904), which granted to each head of household 640 acres of land in Nebraska's 37 west and west-central counties, stimulates intense filing and settlement in certain areas of northwestern Nebraska, bumping population from 136,000 in 1900 to 251,830 in 1920
November 3, 1908: Morrill County (W) established by general election (originally part of Cheyenne County)
November 2, 1909: Deuel County (W) divided into Garden County and (smaller) Deuel County
January 14, 1910: City National Bank completed at 16th and Harney in Omaha
1913: Arthur County (WC), officially organized and set off from McPherson County even though it had been approved by legislative act March 31, 1887
1922: Construction of the new (current) state capitol begins
Circa 1930: A "watershed" period for Nebraska’s 52 “most rural” counties, ie those with no town greater than 2500. 12 of these 52 peaked population in 1890, and all but one had peaked by 1930 (Rock County peaked in 1940). In 1998, 34 of these had less than half of their peak population.
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Sources:
Andreas, A.T. History of the State of Nebraska. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1882.
Croft, C. Notes on Nebraska.
Nebraska History. Nebraska State Historical Society, 1918-Present.
Hechenberger, Dan. The Lewis and Clark Journey of Discovery. National Park Service.
Mattes, Merrill J. The Great Platte River Road. Lincoln, Nebraska: Nebraska State Historical Society, 1969.
Olson, James C. History of Nebraska. (1955.) Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 1974.
Perkey, Elton S. Nebraska Place Names. (1982: First appearing as a serial in Nebraska History magazine
in 1977 and 1978.) Lincoln, Nebraska: NSHS Publications, 1995.
Library of Congress. Government Documents.