Grand Island in Hall County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Pioneer Park
Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, June 29, 2011
1. Pioneer Park Marker
Inscription.
Pioneer Park, site of the first Hall County courthouse, honors the courageous settlers who peacefully inhabited this area in 1857 when only Pawnee lived here. In 1866 the Union Pacific reached Grad Island and in 1868 the railroad donated Block 19 for the construction of county buildings. Three years later the county commissioners requested that General Grenville M. Dodge, agent and trustee of the railroad, exchange the property for Block 84 where this park is located.
Special elections were held in 1872 wherein bonds totaling $20,000 were issued for construction. A two story courthouse with a clock tower was completed June 28, 1873 at a cost of $16,500. In 1901 a special election voted bonds for a new courthouse and other county buildings. When the new structure was completed in 1905, the original courthouse was razed. Four elections were held from 1902 to 1905 to authorize the sale of this block, but dedicated work by the Women’s Park Association maintained this site was a memorial to Hall County pioneers. In 1964 action was brought to construct a new post office on this land and a 1970 election was held to locate a new library here, but the park was preserved on both occasions. Hall county Historical Society. Nebraska State Historical Society.
Pioneer Park, site of the first Hall County courthouse, honors the courageous settlers who peacefully inhabited this area in 1857 when only Pawnee lived here. In 1866 the Union Pacific reached Grad Island and in 1868 the railroad donated Block 19 for the construction of county buildings. Three years later the county commissioners requested that General Grenville M. Dodge, agent and trustee of the railroad, exchange the property for Block 84 where this park is located.
Special elections were held in 1872 wherein bonds totaling $20,000 were issued for construction. A two story courthouse with a clock tower was completed June 28, 1873 at a cost of $16,500. In 1901 a special election voted bonds for a new courthouse and other county buildings. When the new structure was completed in 1905, the original courthouse was razed.
Four elections were held from 1902 to 1905 to authorize the sale of this block, but dedicated work by the Women’s Park Association maintained this site was a memorial to Hall County pioneers. In 1964 action was brought to construct a new post office on this land and a 1970 election was held to locate a new library here, but the park was preserved on both occasions. Hall county Historical Society. Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 141.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this
Location. 40° 55.334′ N, 98° 20.738′ W. Marker is on Grand Island, Nebraska, in Hall County. Marker is at the intersection of West 2nd Street and Cleburn St. on West 2nd Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Grand Island NE 68801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Pioneer Park, site of First Court House in Hall County, built in 1875. Erected March 1953, Daughter of the American Revolution.
Photographed By Charles T. Harrell, June 29, 2011
3. Pioneer Park Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 681 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on July 29, 2011, by Charles T. Harrell of Woodford, Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.