Dawson County Historic Resources Survey
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HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY OF DAWSON COUNTY HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY OF DAWSON COUNTY Prepared for: Nebraska State Historical Society Prepared by: Mead & Hunt, Inc. www.meadhunt.com [email protected] July 2011 Mead & Hunt prepared this report under contract to the NSHS. Architectural historians from Mead & Hunt who contributed to the survey and report include Emily Pettis, Timothy Smith, Katie Haun, Shannon Dolan, Dusty Nielsen, and Anniina Walsh. NeHRSI projects are administered by the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (NeSHPO) with the cooperation of the NSHS. The NeHRSI is funded in part with the assistance of a federal grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. However, the contents and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Regulations of the U.S. Department of the Interior strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, or handicap. Any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility operated by a recipient of federal assistance should write to: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-permanence of paper for printed Library Materials (ANSI 239-48-1984). Historic photographs within the report are used courtesy of the NeSHPO. Images shown in the glossary are adapted from Barbara Wyatt, ed., Cultural Resource Management in Wisconsin, vol. 2, Architecture (Madison, Wisc.: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1986). Other images are 2010 survey photographs taken by Mead & Hunt, including those on the cover. Historic Resources Survey of Dawson County – Page ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Nebraska State Historical Society (NSHS) contracted with Mead & Hunt, Inc. (Mead & Hunt) to con- duct a Nebraska Historic Resources Survey and Inventory (NeHRSI) of Dawson County. The survey was conducted in the fall of 2010 to document properties that possess historic or architectural significance. Prior to this survey, 487 properties in Dawson County were identified and recorded in the NeHRSI. These properties were reevaluated as part of this project. In addition, 809 properties were newly identified and documented. A total of 1,296 properties were evaluated for the 2010 NeHRSI of Dawson County. Surveyed properties were evaluated for their potential eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). Eighty-three individual properties and four historic districts in Dawson County are recommended as potentially eligible for National Register designation. In addition, ten individual properties associated with the Lincoln Highway are recommended as potentially eligible for National Register designation. Mead & Hunt would like to thank the following state and local organizations and individuals for assist- ing us with this study: Patrick Haynes, Jessie Nunn, and Bob Puschendorf of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office; the staff of the Nebraska State Historical Society Archives and Library; Judy Andres of the Cozad Historical Society/100th Meridian Museum; Barbara Vondras of the Dawson County Historical Society; Anne Anderson of the Gothenburg Community Department; Lennie Stubblefield of the Nebraska Lincoln Highway Association; the staff of the Wilson Public Library (Cozad), Gothenburg Public Library, and Lexington Public Library; and J.L. Schmidt and Elizabeth Chase. Historic Resources Survey of Dawson County – Page iii CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . III TABLES AND FIGURES . VII CHAPTER 1. HISTORIC OVERVIEW . 1 Introduction . .1 The Landscape and Environment of Central Nebraska . .1 Dawson County . .2 Community Development . .8 Notes . .16 CHAPTER 2. SURVEY METHODS AND RESULTS . 19 Introduction . .19 Survey Methods . .19 Survey Results . .22 CHAPTER 3. INTENSIVE SURVEY AND EVALUATION OF THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY IN DAWSON COUNTY . 35 Introduction . .35 History and Development of the Lincoln Highway . .35 Survey Methodology . .47 Survey Results . .48 Notes . .51 CHAPTER 4. AGRICULTURAL TYPOLOGIES IN DAWSON COUNTY . 55 Introduction . .55 Agricultural Development in Dawson County . .55 Illustrated Typology of Agricultural Structures in Dawson County . .62 Notes . .78 CHAPTER 5. RECOMMENDATIONS . 83 Introduction . .83 National Register of Historic Places Recommendations . .83 Future Survey and Research Needs . .98 CHAPTER 6. HERITAGE TOURISM IN DAWSON COUNTY . 103 Introduction . .103 Existing Heritage Tourism in Dawson County . .103 Recommendations . .106 Notes . .107 Historic Resources Survey of Dawson County – Page v CHAPTER 7. THE NEBRASKA STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE . 109 Introduction . .109 Nebraska Historic Resource Survey and Inventory (NeHRSI) . .109 National Register of Historic Places . .110 Certified Local Governments . .110 Preservation Tax Incentives . .111 Valuation Incentive Program . .112 Federal Project Review . .112 Public Outreach and Education . .113 Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office Contacts . .113 State of Nebraska Historic Preservation Board Members . .114 APPENDIX A. LIST OF SURVEYED PROPERTIES . 115 APPENDIX B. LIST OF SURVEYED PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY . 143 APPENDIX C. PROPERTIES RECOMMENDED POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES . 145 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 149 GLOSSARY . 157 Historic Resources Survey of Dawson County – Page vi TABLES AND FIGURES TABLES Table 1. Numerical Summary of Survey Results ................. .32 Table 2. Numerical Summary of Survey by Location ............. .32 Table 3. Number of Farms in Dawson County .................. .56 Table 4. Average Acreage of Dawson County Farms ............. .56 FIGURES Figure 1. Map of Survey Area, Dawson County, Nebraska ......... .19 Figure 2. Rural Surveyed Properties, Dawson County NeHRSI . .33 Figure 3. U.S. 30/Lincoln Highway Alignments, Dawson County NeHRSI ............................53 Figure 4. Distribution of Barn Types Included in Survey, Dawson County NeHRSI ...................81 Historic Resources Survey of Dawson County – Page vii CHAPTER 1. HISTORIC OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION In general, the terrain in the southern and central This historic overview provides a context in portion of Dawson.