Stanton County's Resources

Plain Facts Touching Its Wealth, Resources and General Prosperity

This rich county lies west of Cuming, east of Madison, north of Platte and south of Wayne Counties, thus occupying a commanding  position in the centre of the finest agricultural region in Northeastern Nebraska.  It is three townships in width from east to west and four townships long, from north to south, having as area of 432 square miles, or 176,480 acres.

The assessed valuation of the county for 1888 was $955,158, and its bonded indebtedness in aid for the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley railroad is $10,000. There is not floating indebtedness.  County warrants are always held at par value.

The surface of the county is boldly and beautifully diversified, consisting of 30 per valley, 13 percent bottom, 20 per cent tableland, and 35 per cent rolling prairie; all of which, except perhaps 10 per cent, is tillable.  All of the non-tillable land can be utilized as pastures.  Nearly one third of the county is valley land.  About 20 per cent of the soil on the uplands is a black loam and the remainder a dark clay loam.

The county is watered by the Elkhorn River, which has a length within the county of thirty miles and a valley width of from two to five miles.  Flowing into the Elkhorn from the north are Humbug, Indian, Mascantine, Pleasant Run and Spring Branch creeks; from the south, Rock, Elm, Butterfly, Oak, Union and Meridian, all of which flow through gently sloping valleys and have an abundance of water during the entire year.  These creeks together with many smaller streams, are so generously distributed that but few sections of land can be found in the county without a natural water supply sufficient for general stock purposes.  Good pure limestone water can be obtained at a depth of from fifteen to twenty-five feet in the valleys, and at from thirty-five to eighty feet on the uplands.

The resources of the county are about evenly divided between stock and agriculture.  In the vicinity of Stanton are a number of large ranches on which are large hords of cattle and other stock, the cattle being fatted for beef.   Nearly every farmer also has his herd of cattle or his drove of swine, the live stock industry being one of chief importance and yielding handsome revenues.  As for the agricultural possibilities of the county, it is best to let Stanton County farmers speak for themselves..

The County Schools

The county has 39 organized school districts, 40 school houses, 45 teachers and 1,463 children of school age – this giving it a population of about 5,000.  During 1888 the county expended for school purposes $17,701.5.   The total valuation of school property is placed at $22,977.40 and the average salary paid to teachers is $40 per school month.

Live Stock Census

The live stock census for 1888 shows that there were in the county at that time 15,606 head of cattle, 12,610 swine, 4,230 sheep, 2,938 horses and 205 mules.  This does not include colts, calves, pigs and lambs.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this is one of the richest and best counties in the West.  The climate is perfect, rainfall sufficient, productions varied and large in yield, and the grasses of all varieties are most luxuriant in growth provided ample sustenance for all manner of stock. 

Omaha Herald - April 21, 1889