Magical and Matchless Young City

Friday, November 15, 2013
The author thinks this house may have be on the 600 block of East First.

By Susan Doak

SW Nebraska

Genealogy Society

MCCOOK, Nebraska -- The magical city was McCook, which in 1883 had grown to a population of "800 Souls" and had become the official division headquarters for the B & M Railway.

The Lincoln Land Company owned the town site and had lain out its boundaries, plus they had invested $25,000 in the Holly Water Works providing "pure river water" to even the remotest homes upon the town plat.

Patrick Egan, "the Irish patriot and land-leaguer," had plans to form an Irish Colony having purchased 2,000 acres of choice land within a few miles of McCook.

The railroad had built a brick round house and repair shop, an "elegant railway hotel and eating house," general offices, freight, passenger, and store houses. (A portion of the brick round house exists today while the rest has either been razed for new buildings or were consumed by fire as was the eating house). The railroads' hotel, The McCook House, was managed by Mr. Sanders. Mr. Alex Campbell, "a broad breasted-sensible and genial Scotch Highlander," was the superintendent of the railway division. Other railway employees included: Capt. Andrew Robb (also Scotch Highlander); T.G. Rees (a square, manly New Yorker); G.W. Irving (Massachusetts); Sam Wheeler (New York).

At the time this booklet, "Illustrated Hand Book of Red Willow County," was written, a 5,000 square feet opera house was being built plus a public school building was planned for the next summer. A chartered cornet band played out of a music house that they owned.

J.P. Isreal, founder of the Tribune, is running a "capital business in confections, fancy groceries, fruits, etc., and has lately opened a much needed ice cream, oyster and general dining restaurant." Darius Kendall is the proprietor of the billiard parlors and is a man of "character, candor and liberal public spirit," hailing from the Genesee Valley in New York. Mr. J. E. Cochran, the former superintendent of schools for York County, has become a real estate representative for people wishing to settle and build in the county. Mr. W. F. Wallace, a cashier for the Citizens Bank of McCook, also has the agency for the Lincoln Land Co. and quotes residential lots "at $40 to $50 and business lots at $250 to $800."

I.J. Starbuck, an attorney specializing in land litigation, has recently added Mr. Jennings, "a young attorney of decided ability and promise" to his firm. J.E. Cochran had moved his law practice from Oberlin to McCook.

The medical profession is represented by Dr. A. J. Willey (an old Army surgeon), Dr. Luther Lee Johnson, Dr. S.L. Green and Dr. Z.L. Kay (Louisville Medical College).

"The prettiest types of modern cottage architecture are well displayed in the charming homes of Messrs. Hocknell, Campbell, Phelan, Laws, Babcock, Fisher, Robb, Green, Franklin, Wallace and a score of others," the writer exclaims, adding, "There is not a rookery or sign of decadence in all the town"!

The author's final notes on the growing burg of McCook include: "The sound of hammer and chisel and saw is heard on the hill and along the plateau from sunrise to sunset and it is probable that a full hundred new buildings and 500 new people will be added to the town by the close of the year."

To research this booklet and more, join us at our SWNGS library, 110 west C, Suite M-3 on Thursday, Nov. 21, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: