Monday morning a former resident of Superior stopped by the newspaper office with questions about past happenings. Some I could answer and some I couldn’t.
He’s not the only one with questions about what may have happened. I have some of my own. For example, while skimming the Nebraska News column in an 1884 newspaper published at Nelson, I read of a fire which destroyed a store at Warwick.
I’m familiar with what is now a ghost town in Republic County’s Big Bend Township named Warwick.
I once took pictures of a Mobil Oil Company’s bulk plant at Warwick that was destroyed by fire and burned the tank truck driver I knew as “Squirt” Edwards. After that fire, a reporter for a Republic County newspaper called me and inquired as to the location of Warwick.
I remember when the Warwick depot was moved to Superior and made into a home. I remember when the Warwick elevator was torn down. Grandfather Blauvelt once operated a dray line moving freight between Warwick and Hardy.
But why would a fire at Warwick, Kansas, be published in the Nebraska news column?
Was there also a Warwick in Nebraska?
If the internet sources I checked are correct, there were two Warwicks in Nuckolls County. But that doesn’t seem right.
One internet source indicated Warwick Junction was on the B&M Railroad 1.2 miles from the Nuckolls County Fairgrounds. With stations at Superior, Smyrna and Nelson, why was there the need for a station about two miles south of Nelson? Sometimes a big shipper or a railroad junction warranted stations be placed in close proximity, but I am not aware of such features south of the fairgrounds.
Another internet source indicated Warwick Junction was a station on the CB&Q railroad near Hardy and not to be confused with Warwick, Kansas, which was located just across the stateline on a different railroad. I understand why the CB&Q railroad, hoping to capitalize on Warwick, Kansas, business may have had a siding across the stateline in Nebraska. When the CB&Q was converting from steam to a diesel power, it had a refueling station east of Hardy on the Kansas side of the line. Not sure why but I suspect the placement of the tanks was related to the price of fuel.
But that may not have been Warwick Station for the same source, the Nebraska Genealogy Society, also listed Stateline as a Nuckolls County railroad station along the Kansas-Nebraska stateline.
I decided to see what else the site could tell me about Nuckolls County. It indicated Valley Home was a Missouri Pacific Railroad station near Superior. (I suspect that was where the railroad maintained a stockyard for the movement of livestock.)
The site also gave the following information:
Nuckolls County, named for Stephen F. Nuckolls, Nebraska statesman and pioneer, was organized June 27, 1871. Early day post offices were often located in homes on the prairie. The surrounding area became known by the name of the post office. Most of those early communities never developed beyond a single building, a combination post office, small store and residence. Those offices included the following:
Abdal post office established in July of 1893, discontinued in April of 1902. The town is located southwest of Nelson on the Missouri Pacific railroad in Highland precinct. Only a large grain elevator remains at the site.
Alban is a precinct in west-central Nuckolls County. There are no villages in this precinct.
Angus had a peak population 118 in 1900. Post office name changed from Ox Bow in December of 1886, and discontinued in 1977. Angus United Brethren church organized about 1886; Methodist Episcopal in 1899. Methodist church burned in 1909. The Angus automobile factory operated from 1907 to 1909.
Arnsburg post office established November of 1887, discontinued in July of 1889. The town was located in northwest Alban Precinct.
Baird post office was established September of 1881, name changed to Beulah in March of 1885. Robert M. Baird was first postmaster. Located in Alban Precinct.
Beachamville post office was established in April of 1875. The name changed to St. Stephen in February of 1881. James S. Beacham was first postmaster.
Beaver Precinct is located in south-central Nuckolls County.
Beulah post office was located in Alban Precinct, name changed from Baird in March of 1885, discontinued in June of 1886. First postmaster was Charles Childress.
Blaine is a precinct in central Nuckolls County. There are no villages in this precinct.
Bostwick’s peak population (1920) was 157. Post office name changed from Irving in November of 1885, discontinued in 1970. Village is located about eight miles west of Superior. A Methodist Church was organized in the 1880s and a Presbyterian about 1900. Bostwick is also a precinct in southwest Nuckolls County bordering Webster County and the State of Kansas.
Cadams’ peak population (1930) was 101. Post office established November of 1897, discontinued in 1941. The town was platted in 1890 in Nora precinct. Cadams Progress newspaper available on microfilm June to December of 1916.
Coy post office established in February of 1900, name changed to Sedan in September of 1906.
Delphi was a station on the Missouri Pacific railroad located near Rosemont.
Elk is a precinct located in east-central Nuckolls County. Oak is located in this precinct.
Elkton post office established December of 1871 and discontinued in October of 1886. The community was located in Elk Precinct. The first county election was held here. A Presbyterian and a Methodist church were organized in the 1870s.
Elora post office was established in January of 1882 and discontinued in July of 1891. Was located in Bostwick precinct.
Garfield is a precinct in southern Nuckolls County bordering on Kansas.
Hammond is a precinct in northeast Nuckolls County bordering on Clay and Thayer counties. Sedan is located in this precinct.
Hardy’s peak population (1910) was 496. Post office name changed from Spring Valley in June of 1880. CB&Q railroad depot built in 1880. An Evangelical Lutheran church and a Methodist church were organized in 1881. Hardy is also a precinct in southeast Nuckolls County bordering on Thayer County and the State of Kansas. Hardy Herald newspaper is on microfilm from September 1882 to September 1957.
Henrietta post office was established February of 1871, name changed to Ruskin in June of 1887. First postmaster was Thomas B. Johnson.
Highland is a precinct in central Nuckolls County.
( to be continued at another time)
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