could be Buffalo's crossing the platte

 Research Papers


Today is:

Nantasket


April, 1991 THE TOWN THAT WAS NANTASKET by Rochelle A. Hunt
        (graduated from Ravenna High School. Attended Kearney Sate College, receiving her B.S. Degree in May 1991)

In 1880’s the town of Nantasket arose in Garfield township, Buffalo County, – two miles east of Ravenna
        Czechs, original settlers of the area, mid-1880's to the early 1890's.
                Came from an area of religious persecution, economic hardship and political oppression,
        Originally called Trocnov (pronounced Trots'-nof) after the hometown of John Zizka, a famous Bohemian soldier of the sixteenth-century Hussite wars.
        One of the first buildings was a meeting hall/post office for the Western Bohemian Brotherhood-ZCBJ, or more properly known at the time as "Zapadne Cesko-Bratrska Jednota".
 

1886 - Two Races:
1. Towns - Erastus Smith, the promoter of nearby Beaver Creek (now Ravenna),
                vs. Dr. McKinney promoter of Nantasket


                Began when railroad officials from the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (C.B.&Q.) came in the early 1880’s to decide where the division point of the railroad should be laid.


                The story goes that Dr. McKinney was called away to Kearney on false pretenses,
                        C.B.&Q. officials met with Erastus Smith and decided to change Beaver Creek's name to Ravenna and make it the division point of the new railroad.


2. Railroads –
        a. Grand Island and Wyoming Central – (1886)
                Burlington line from Grand Island to Broken Bow and on northwest

Entered Buffalo County near St. Michael.
Followed the South Loup River to Nantasket (on south side of river)
Crossed the river, entered Ravenna. (Ravenna is on north side of river)
Followed Beaver Creek to Sweetwater and on into Sherman and Custer Counties to Broken Bow and on northwest.

        b. Omaha & Republican Valley RR – (1886)

                 Union Pacific line north from Grand Island to St. Paul.

One branch to Ord, other to Loup City via Boelus.
Branch from Boelus (Howard City) west into Buffalo County at St. Michel
Also cross to the north side of the South Loup River through Poole to River View (Pleasanton).

                        Plan was to run it on up the South Loup through Sartoria, Pilot, Cumro, &

                            Georgetown in Custer County to Callaway but that never happened.

        Two tracks would have to cross each other two miles east of Ravenna at Nantasket

Apparently the rule was that the company that laid the track across the crossing first would get the right of way and would lay tracks on the ground, other on had to build an overpass


The story is told that one bitterly cold night the Burlington won the race by:

"lining the stomachs of the guards posted by the Union Pacific line with an ample supply of liquor; so ample, in fact, that the guards were unwilling, or unable to do anything when the Burlington crews laid their track through and beyond the crossing, thus earning the right of way."

Union Pacific had to give up control of that point - Determined to make the village into a station.

1886 - Town was platted and called Nantasket (named after a New York or Massachusetts town of the same name).
            Original plat shows Nantasket as more than three times the original plat of Ravenna.
            A few lots were sold


            The townspeople named the streets after trees and called them Willow, Elm, Oak, Maple, Cedar, and so on.
            A few buildings, including a school, depot, grain elevator, two hotels, a dry goods store


            Had a doctor, (Dr. Fletcher was the local physician and druggist),

                    a dentist, and

                    a post office (Post Office opened in Nov. 1887??)


            W. W. Hurd ran the general store which sat between the two Union Pacific tracks located there at the time.
            Fred Lytle operated a livery stable.

                    He owned land the town was platted on.


Nantasket is also known as "Bottle Town" for its "unsavory reputation" it earned from the four or five saloons it boasted and through the "exuberance of the patrons" of a large dance hall and bar.


Nantasket lost - "Early day promoters believed a town would flourish at the crossing of the Union Pacific and Burlington railroads at that point. But the Burlington established Ravenna a little further west and when St. Michael was started to the east, the town of Nantasket was squeezed out.”

1889 - pop 100 according to the Nebraska State Historical Society


1895 - mail service was transferred to Ravenna. (or 1908 or 1909)


1901 - sections of the plat were vacated.


People –
Fritz Stark, a local farmer.
        Stark moved to the area that later became Nantasket in 1876,
        His farm showed "thrift and good management ... and his residence and barns" were "large frame structures, surrounded by fine orchards and groves."


Jacob L. Blue, M.D., who was the hotel proprietor of Nantasket in 1890.
        He was a man of many professions throughout his lifetime
        Millwright – Physician – Farmer – librarian. - Civil War hero - businessman.


        He first came to Nebraska in 1875 and returned a second time in 1876 with his family and colony, numbering forty-three in all. Settled in Buckeye Valley.
                He then settled in Garfield township in 1883 , located homestead in the vicinity of Nantasket.

 
        Besides Hotel property in Nantasket, had a flour and feed store.
        Dabbled in real estate and owned over twenty-eight town lots


        Elder of the Presbyterian church and held offices including treas. and secretary.
        Justice of the peace; active in politics
        Deputy postmaster of Nantasket in 1890, the post office being located in his store and his son-in-law was the postmaster.


1959 - marked the town's official demise
        Final twelve lots of what used to be Nantasket were sold by Buffalo County School District #96

                to Frances O. Fiala for $25.
        School closed

                Building moved to Ravenna, used as a hay barn by the Ravenna Livestock Commission Company.
        Hotel building was moved a quarter-mile west of Hankins Comer on Highway #2 and became a home.


The bridge across the South Loup River one-half mile north of the townsite is still called the Nantasket Bridge by the local people.


As of 1990, one house still remains abandoned across the road.


Garfield Precinct Officers elected in 1890 –

        Clerk, S. Urwiller, Nantasket
        Treasurer, J. C. Bruckner, Nantasket
        Justice of Peace, G. M. Hawkins, Nantasket;
        Road Overseers: district 67, Frank Havlik, Nantasket.

In the news:

The Ravenna News
Thursday, August 2, 1888
        Sodtown Items: Miss May BUSH, of Nantasket, visited the Misses BERNET's Friday & Sat.
        Legal Notices: F William BOHEING, filed his intention to make final proof in support of his claim for NE l/4 Section 22, Town 12, Range 14, and witnesses to prove his residence and cultivation there included Fred LYTLE of Nantantasket P O & Frank WATT of Nantasket P O

Buffalo County Sun –
January 16, 1897
        The case of Hannah HAEKER against Ed WELLMAN of Nantasket, charging him with being the father of her baby was tried to a jury this week, and the verdict rendered in favor of the plaintiff. The court assessed a fine of $500 and costs against Wellman, $25 down and $25 every six months until the fine is paid in full to go toward keeping the child. [20 payments; 10 years. 20 divided by 6 = 3.33/mo]

January 23, 1897
        George FLEIBIE, of Nantasket, charged with the larceny of ties from the railroad at that point, was tried to a jury this week and acquitted.

October 16, 1897 - County Teachers
        Dist. 96 - Miss Hattie Wartnaby...Nantasket


Delayed Birth Records

GEHRT, William
        born 20 September 1881, Nantasket, Buffalo Co., Nebraska
        son Peter Gehrt, born 1824, Holstein, Germany
                Margaret ALPEN, born 1836, Holstein, Germany
GRAMLY, Luther William
        born 17 June 1891, Nantasket, Buffalo Co., Nebraska
        son William Luther Gramly, born 1862, Bellfonte, Pennsyl.
                Lizzie Catherine BLUE, born 1872, Rockaway, New Jers.

 


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