The City of Fullerton

The County Seat of Nance County and One of the.Best Towns in Central Nebraska.

It’s Mills, Business Interest, Grand Location, Water Power, Schools, Churches, and Beautiful Scenery

Fullerton, Nebraska., June 13.—[Special . Correspondence of The Herald.]—

Your Correspondent is  writing from one of the most charming localities and beautiful villages in the state.

Fullerton, county seat of  Nance County has a population of 1,500 and  is situated very near the centre of the county, the latter being situated a  little east of Central Nebraska.  

A prettier town site cannot be imagined.   It is at the junction of two magnificent rivers—the Cedar and  the Loup.   On one side is the lovely valley of the Cedar, on the other the Valley of the Loup. The town is the principal station on the Fullerton branch of the Union  Pacific Railway, which runs from Columbus to Genoa and on the Cedar Rapids, the terminus.  Here it lies—like a diamond between two bright ribbons of silver, and her is the home of a prosperous and enterprising people.

Fullerton was located in 1870 and incorporated as a village in 1880.   It still remains its village government, though nearly or quite large enough to don city airs.  The centre of a splendid stock and agricultural region it has grown steadily and accumulated wealth surely.

These beautiful valleys are extremely fertile and the uplands produce rich harvests of corn and all small grains.

   Well watered, sheltered and blessed with a healthfulness which comes of an almost perfect climate.  Fullerton is indeed a desirable place of residence.  The town site comprises 1,280 acres.  The village is laid out regularly and the streets are long, broad, well graded, drained and present an unusually fine appearance.

A drive about town reveals many elegant homes and finely kept grounds.  Culture and refinement are evinced everywhere.  This is not surprising, for a visitor finds, even though his visit be brief, that the citizens hail from all states and that they possess all the refinements of older and better established communities.

The town has every advantage usually enjoyed by places of this size.  There are four church societies, the Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic, the last three having houses of worship.  These churches are furnished neatly, well attended and supplied with able pastors.

Educational facilities are good.  The large two-story frame public school building contains six rooms, and was erected at a cost—including total valuation of property—of $7,000.  A principal and six assistants are employed.

Secret fraternities are represented by the Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knight of Pythias orders, the last named comprising fifty of the best men in town; while other societies consist of  a G.A.R. Post, and W.C.T.U. and Y.M.C.A.organizations.

Fullerton has two banking houses, one of which is a national bank having a capital and surplus of $86,000.  It is  the only national bank this line of railway.   The banking capital is ample and the bank management able, conservative and public-spirited.

Other important institutions consist of a roller flouring mill of 150 barrels capacity of 150 barrels capacity per day, and valued at $30.000;  two elevators, with a total storage capacity of 30,000 bushels; one cigar factory, employing three hands, and wholesaling exclusively; two brick yards, and one of the finest hotels in central Nebraska.

Newspapers 

 Fullerton has one democratic and one republican newspaper. The Post, democratic was established a year ago.  It is an eight-column folio, owned by a strong stock company, and edited by James W. Tanner.   The paper is well written and wields a powerful influence throughout Nance County.

The Nance County Journal, republican. in politics, was established in 1879, and is owned and edited by M. H. Barber, who has been in Fullerton five years and is thoroughly familiar with Nance County needs. The Journal is an eight-column folio and well patronized.

Real Estate and Rentals

No town in the state presents better investments for capital.  Business property is worth $100 to $1,500 per lot, and residence property of $100 to $200.  Stores rent for $20 to $30 per month.  Houses $10 to $15.  There are no vacant housed whatever.  Improved farm land, within five and ten miles of town, is valued at $12 to $30 per acre, according to improvements; while unimproved land can be bought for $8 to $15 per acre.  As a matter of fact, however, there is little improved land for sale.  Farmers are prosperous, satisfied and do not care to move.  Markets are good and large crops a certainty.  In truth, this is a favored locality.  The county is watered by the noblest streams in Nebraska, contains rich and inexhaustible soil, and is populated by skillful and industrious husbandmen.

Board of Trade

All progressive communities have either a board of trade or some sort of business men’s association.  Fullerton has the former.  It was organized on June 1, 1887, and numbers 50 members.  It is an active, public-spirited board, and comprises the best men in Fullerton.  Its officers are as follows:

President, Chancey Wiltse, who is also president of the First National Bank

Secretary, George D. Meiklejohn, Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska

The executive committee is constituted as follows:

S. H. Penny

M. H. Barber

S. S. Nonnamaker

J. E. Kridler

Dr. Odell

Dr. McMillian

E. G. Cook, County Treasurer

Business and Post office Statistics

A close estimate of the capital invested in business pursuits in Fullerton during 1888, exclusive of banking, livery, real estate, loans and all non-commercial interests, amounts to $160,000. 

As nearly as can be learned from personal inquiry, the total volume of business done by the merchants, lumber dealers and all, during 1888, amounted to the splendid total of $591,687.

The amount paid for freight alone was $26,375.  During 1887 there were shipped from the point

3,741 carloads of grain, 201 carloads of hogs and 247 carloads of fat cattle—all coming from a county twelve years old.  A grander record never was made. 

As a further illustration of business activity of this thriving town, it is but necessary to state that, during 1888, the post office orders from this point, under the efficient management of Postmaster Sturtevant, amounted to $7,561, postal notes, $3,024.40; sales of stamps and envelopes, $2,316.75; the total amounting to $12,831.25—one of the best offices in the state.  Mr. Sturtevant was a model postmaster and gave satisfaction to all.

Scenery

Visit Switzerland and you will see the glamorous Alps and you will see Italy; go to the Rockies and you will find canons and towering peaks; but for ever varying tranquilizing, yet magnificent scenery, you should visit this nestling town of Fullerton.  In company with the Messrs. Wiltse and Cook, your representatives were privileged to view this scenery in all it loveliness.  Just west and back of the village is a bold, high bluff.  The ascent is gradual and when you reach the summit you are nearly 300 feet above the town and on a broad and beautiful plateau which over looks two wonderful rivers and valleys.  One can see for miles and miles in all directions.  It is difficult to believe that one is in Nebraska; it is more like Colorado and Central Wyoming.  Below us—300 feet below—flows the “Impetuous Cedar River”.  The bluffs are precipitous.  For miles away, up or down the river, ranges this grandly picturesque escarpment—fringed with trees and creeping vines.  Down yonder flows the full volume of the river.  It winds about like an angleworm—forming miniature islands, almost, and it is timbered along its entire course.  It is one long succession of loops and this winding, bending, twisting stream of water courses like a mill-race through a broad verdant valley—covered with growing crops and glistening meadows.  On the other hand is seen the River Loup, and its attendant valley, while back of you, sheltered beneath the bluffs, lies Fullerton.  It is the place of all places for Chautauqua grounds—for a Grand army encampment—for a state park or assembly of any kind.

Omaha Herald - June 22, 1889