Minden in Kearney County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Osco Cemetery and School

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

1. Osco Cemetery and School Marker

Inscription.
Pioneers settling in this area, including many Civil War veterans, bought five acres from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad for $25 and established a school in 1875. Osco School District No. 6 deeded two acres for the Pleasant Prairie Graveyard in 1876, and the earliest known burials took place that year. More acreage was purchased in 1898, and the name was later changed to Osco Cemetery. It is the oldest organized cemetery in Kearney County.

Two monuments honoring veterans are located in the cemetery, the newest one having been erected in 1995. On Memorial Day, formerly “Decoration Day,” veterans’ organizations from Campbell, Upland, Minden, and Heartwell have helped recognize the Osco veterans. Children from Osco School also took part.

The cemetery never affiliated with a church, but kept its ties to the school. Volunteers have always seen to the upkeep of both. In 1949 the Osco School closed its doors and was purchased by the Osco Cemetery Association. Through the years the building was used for cemetery meetings, as a polling place, and for serving lunch on Memorial Day.

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Osco Cemetery Association and Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 302.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Education • Patriots & Patriotism • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Nebraska State Historical Society, and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.

Location. 40° 22.334′ N, 98° 48.641′ W. Marker is in Minden, Nebraska, in Kearney County. It is on Osco Road 0.6 miles west of 40th Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Minden NE 68959, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Nebraska. It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and on the prairies.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 12 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies:

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

2. Osco Cemetery and School Marker

Looking northwest from Osco Road. The cemetery is on the west side of the marker.

Kearney County Pioneers (approx. 11.4 miles away); Civil and Spanish-American Wars Memorial (approx. 11.4 miles away); Kearney County Courthouse (approx. 11.4 miles away); World War Memorial (approx. 11.4 miles away); Center Pivot Irrigator (approx. 11.8 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Osco, Nebraska (GhostTowns.com).

(by Les Kruger) Excerpt: Osco was once the postal operation for the farming community called by the same name. Nothing remains except the cemetery. The original church was moved into Minden where it is now used as a residence. Osco was the home of the parents & family of two of the most wanted killers in the mid-west. Brothers Ed and Alonzo Maxwell were trying to make their way back to Nebraska after killing the sheriff of Calhoun County in Illinois during a gunfight on the Fox Creek. They were wanted by the law for the murders of two other lawmen, brothers Milton and Charles Coleman in Durand, Wisconsin. They are the only men in US history responsible for the killings of 3 sheriffs. Their parents, David and Susan Maxwell are buried in the Osco Cemetery along with 2 of their brothers. Another brother,
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

3. Osco Cemetery and School Marker
Looking northeast from Osco Road. The school is on the east side of the marker.
George Maxwell, was inducted into the National Trapshooters Hall of Fame and the equivalent for Nebraska. He was an excellent marksman. What made his ability so remarkable was that he only had one arm. One of his close friends was John Phillip Sousa, the great writer of march music.

(Submitted on November 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Osco Cemetery (Find A Grave). (Submitted on November 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
3. Osco Cemetery Association (Facebook). (Submitted on November 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Osco Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

4. Osco Cemetery

Looking north from Osco Road.

Osco School (<i>southwest elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

5. Osco School (southwest elevation)

Osco School (<i>southeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

6. Osco School (southeast elevation)

Osco School • Works Progress Administration • 1937 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

7. Osco School • Works Progress Administration • 1937

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 13, 2025

8. Osco School

The Works Progress Administration marker is mounted on the concrete foundation, at the southeast corner of the building.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 4, 2025. It was originally submitted on November 3, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 57 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 3, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on November 4, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.