History of Douglas County, Nebraska

New 116 Page Illustrated Booklet

Early days in Douglas County, Nebraska, and the City of Omaha are recalled through colorful tales and factual data in this 116-page spiral bound booklet excerpted from the rare 1882 book: History of the State of Nebraska, originally published by the Western Historical Co. of Chicago, and Nebraska, a Guide to the Cornhusker State, a 1939 project of the Federal Writers of the Works Progress Administration. The booklet is printed on 60# paper. A vinyl sheet has been added to protect the full-color front cover.

Among the many subjects included are: Early Settlers and visitors, including the Mormon Advent, and many others, such as James Mitchell, A.D. Jones, Bill Allen and others; Establishment of the first post office; Settlers in 1854; Tradition of the origin of name "Omaha"; Omaha surveyed and divided into blocks; Pioneer Events such as the first marriage, first birth, first house, first 4th of July celebration, etc.; Political Organization; Selection of Omaha as state capital; Gov. Thomas Cuming; First state capitol with drawing; An Executive Ball and other social events; The first Murder trial; Religious Awakening; Progress in 1856; Pioneer Justice; Panic of 1857; the "Omaha Claim Club"; Officers of Douglas County; County buildings; Agricultural Society; Old Settlers' Association; Periods of Depression and Prosperity; Lynch law; Omaha in the Pawnee War; the Union Pacific Railroad; Civil War period; George Francis Train and the Cozzens Hotel; An Indian scare in 1864; Post-war boom; Removal of the Capital to Lincoln; Omaha thru the years; View of Farnam Street in 1866, Various murders and crimes, including a detailed account of the unsolved murder of Watson Smith in 1881, possibly for his stand on temperance; a railroad strike in 1882; The burning of the Grand Central Hotel and other fires; Utilities; the Board of Health; Hanscom Park; Newspapers; Churches; Creighton College, Brownell Hall, Great Western Business College; Public Schools; Nebraska Institute for the Deaf and Dumb; the Legal Profession; Territorial Courts; Libraries; Medical Profession; Boyd's Opera House, Hotels; Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Temperance groups and other Societies; Banks; Stock Yards; Omaha Horse Railway; Manufacturing Interests; Brief histories of Millard, Waterloo, Valley and Elkhorn Station. and other items of interest.

The final part of the booklet contains a brief excerpt from Nebraska, a Guide to the Cornhusker State, compiled and written by the Federal Writer's Project of the WPA in 1939. This includes a description of Omaha, with two maps and 62 points of interest, and a brief item on Boys Town.

The booklet contains many names, but no biographies. We have a separate booklet available on eBay containing biographies of many prominent citizens of Douglas County in 1882.

Wouldn't this make a unique gift?