Oshkosh in Garden County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Consumers Public Power Building
| — | Old Town Historical Plaque | — |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023
1. Consumers Public Power Building Marker
In 1906, August Sudman sold this property to William H. Newkirk who in turn sold it in that same year to James Van Newkirk. When Mr. Van Newkirk passed away in 1910, his wife Elizabeth then inherited the property. She sold it to Floyd Jones in 1917.
In 1939, the building was then purchased by Lena Williams. She and her husband operated a double business. The south side of the structure was the cafe that was run by Lena, and the north side was a liquor store and bar operated by her husband, Bill. The couple then purchased the building to the south, (a small barn type structure) and had it moved to the northeast side of town to be used as a residence. They also tore down their existing cafe and bar on this location to build two identical structures. At the same time, Louise and Bill Munson also wanted to build and had their structure constructed at the same time to look like the Williams buildings. Today the “M” for Munson can be seen on the top edifice of the building to the south, and the “W” for Williams is visible next door. Williams built this structure for a rental so therefore no letter was used on the top of this
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In 1959, Consumer Public Power moved their offices to this location. Later, in 1970, several Districts combined to create Nebraska Public Power. The offices closed in 2000 and the building sold to Dan and Judy Small in 2005. They currently use the building for a workshop and storage.
Erected 2014 by Old Town Project and 2010 Garden County Centennial Planning Committee.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1939.
Location. 41° 24.311′ N, 102° 20.656′ W. Marker is in Oshkosh, Nebraska, in Garden County. It is on Main Street just north of East Avenue C (Robinson Avenue), on the right when traveling north. The marker is mounted directly on the subject building, near the center of the facade. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 307 Main Street, Oshkosh NE 69154, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Nebraska Panhandle. It is also in
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023
2. Consumers Public Power Building Marker
The marker is near the center of the west/front facade.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Williams Hotel and Original Garden County Courthouse (a few steps from this marker); Chase Hardware (within shouting distance of this marker); Original Campbell Drug (within shouting distance of this marker); Morris Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Masonic Lodge (within shouting distance of this marker); Nebraska State Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); The Corner Store (within shouting distance of this marker); Bar and Pool Hall (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Oshkosh.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 13, 2023
3. Consumers Public Power Building (west/front elevation)
The “W” for “Williams” can be seen on the parapet high above the door on the right. There is no corresponding letter above the door on the left (north building). The Munson building, with its corresponding “W”, is out of frame beyond the right edge of this photo.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 29, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
