McCook grows rapidly in 1882 thanks to railroad

May 25, 2022, will mark 140 years since the first building lots were sold to create the town of McCook, Nebraska. The following excerpt comes from Andreas’ History of the State of Nebraska, written by William Cutler and published by Andreas in 1882.

“McCook: This town is situated on the north side of the Republican River, on the line of the Burlington and Missouri River R.R. (railroad) in Nebraska. It is in the western part of Red Willow County, about midway between Indianola and Culbertson, and about half way between the Missouri River and Denver, Colorado. The town as it now stands is built to the north of the railroad track on a surface, part of which is level and extending back over the slope of the low bluffs, which are at this point beautifully rounded at their apex.”

“To the south of the railroad track is a broad and level extend of second bottom land, which rises like a wild shelf from the low first bottom lands of the Republican River. This is the best location for buildings anywhere on the town site but is reserved by the railroad company for their own shops and improvements.”

“In the spring of 1882, McCook was designated by the railroad company as the end of the division, midway between the Missouri River and Denver, and preparations were made to build large round houses, and machine shops. Arrangements have already been made to put up a large roundhouse, to contain twenty-five stalls. This will be built south of the railroad track.”

“The town is a new one, laid out by the Town Site Company of the railroad company, known as the Lincoln Land Company. The sale of lots did not begin until May 25, 1882, but it was not long before a large number of lots were sold, and scores of buildings in process of building.”

“At this date of writing, July 1, 1882, the prospects for this new railroad division town were very flattering. There were by this time nearly one hundred buildings of very good quality going up, some of which were completed and occupied as business houses and residences. Among the business houses already completed are three banks, two hardware stores, three grocery stores, three general merchandise stores, one clothing store, one meat market and commission house, three hotels, three lumber yards, two drug stores, one furniture store, one shoe shop, one printing house, two real estate offices, one jewelry store and many other business houses. At this writing, it is only a little more than a month since the sale of lots began, but the one hundred buildings, now completed or building indicated the rapidity with which the town has grown.”

“The railroad roundhouse to contain 25 stalls is already commenced and is to be completed January 1, 1883. Machine shops and other buildings are soon to follow. A railroad eating house is now in progress which is to cost $ 8,000. A new depot is nearly completed, and is in dimensions 25 x 100 feet, and two stories high.”

“The first citizen of McCook was O.H. Phillips, mail agent on the railroad, who located in McCook In March, and contracted at once with H.C. Rider for the erection of his buildings.”

The book contains the history of the towns existing in Red Willow County in 1882 and is available on line for research. It has been said that some parts may not have happened exactly as discussed but note that the book was published the same year McCook was born. To have covered all of Nebraska meant that Mr. Cutler relied on quick observations and stories related to him by the inhabitants of each town. Never the less, McCook would not exist today in its’ current form had not the B & M River R.R. not chosen the location as a division point.

SWNGS library is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 PM at 322 Norris Ave, Rooms 2-7. We are reviving our day with genealogy again this October, so watch for announcements on our website, www.swngs.org, our Facebook page or the local papers. DNA will again be part of the conference.