Brownville
On August 29, 1854, shortly after the Kansas-Nebraska Act had opened the territory west of the Missouri River to permanent settlement, Richard Brown arrived on the site of the town which was to bear his name. Other settlers soon followed.
Brownville quickly became one of the leading towns and cultural centers in the new territory. Located on the river, it became a transfer point for westbound wagon caravans. Here Daniel Freeman filed his homestead claim, recognized as the first in the nation. Brownville was also the site of the first telegraph office in Nebraska.
In 1872, both party candidates for governor were from Brownville. Robert W. Furnas, the Republican, won. Furnas had come to Brownville in 1856 and established one of the state’s first newspapers, the Nebraska Advertiser. T. W. Tipton, another Brownville resident, served in the U. S. Senate from 1867 to 1875.
Desirous of attracting a railroad, the town approved a huge bond issue in the late 1860’s. The contracting company built only ten miles of track. Deeply in debt, and without a railroad, Brownville was abandoned by many residents. In 1970 the historic importance of Brownville was recognized by its enrollment in the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected by Nebraska State Historical Society; and Brownville
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Nebraska State Historical Society series list. A significant historical date for this entry is August 29, 1854.
Location. 40° 23.842′ N, 95° 39.437′ W. Marker is in Brownville, Nebraska, in Nemaha County. Marker is on Main Street just west of South 2nd Street, on the left when traveling west. Marker is located beside the sidewalk in Brownville City Park, facing Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brownville NE 68321, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. 1854 Didier Log Cabin (a few steps from this marker); Co. C. 1st Reg. of Nebraska (a few steps from this marker); Late 1800's Road Grader (a few steps from this marker); Muir House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Large One-bottom Plow (about 600 feet away); The Nebraska State Teachers' Association (approx. 0.2 miles away); Brownville Bridge (approx. half a mile away in Missouri); Peru State College (approx. 6.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brownville.
Regarding Brownville. National Register of Historic Places
Also see . . . Brownville, 1859. Brownville in 1859 was a small but growing settlement on the Missouri River in Nemaha County. One of the town's early settlers, journalist and agriculturist Robert W. Furnas, that year published Brownville and Nemaha County in 1859, a short historical sketch that included the town charter and ordinances and a Brownville business directory. (Submitted on July 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 190 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
