Hastings

The Queen City of the Plains

Monty McCord

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2001
• ISBN:
  9781439613245
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Railroads were responsible for establishing many towns in Nebraska, including Hastings. The location of the city was determined by the junction of two railroads, the Burlington and Missouri River, and the St. Joseph and Denver City. Hastings was founded in 1872 and named after railroad construction engineer Major Delmonte Hastings.

Hastings: The Queen City of the Plains includes over 200 photographs from the Adams County Historical Society and the author, Monty McCord. You will see Heartwell Park, which was originally established as a private park by James B. Heartwell in 1886. Other images show the Fisher Rainbow Fountain, one of the most identifiable landmarks in the city, located in front of the utilities building. This book also showcases images of the U.S. Naval Ammunition Depot, which was built during World War II, and had a large impact on Hastings' development.

Two

EARLY 20TH CENTURY 1900–1929

This is the only known photograph of Liberal Hall, which was built by the Free Religion Society in 1878. The name indicated the religious precepts. It was the only public meeting place until the Kerr Opera House and the Bostwick Hotel were built. It was used for a variety of religious services, theatre, and social gatherings, but it is especially noted for being the site where the trial of I.P. “Print” Olive and Fred Fischer was held. The Custer County ranchers were tried for the lynching and burning of two suspected rustlers.

The Loyal Mystic Legion of America, a fraternal insurance organization, was founded in 1892, after articles of incorporation were filed by city leaders, including J.B. Heartwell. The building was completed in 1901, which featured marble, granite, and pressed brick trimmings. The name of the society could be read in the mosaic style flooring inside the entrance. The building was later sold to John Kipp, a cigar maker, and in 1962, it was replaced by a J.C. Penney store. It currently houses the Eakes Office Products store.

The first fire-fighting apparatus had to be pulled to the scene by manpower. A few years later, horse-drawn equipment was utilized as shown in this 1900 photo, which was taken in front of the old engine house on Burlington Avenue. The mayor suggested as early as 1913 that the city should purchase a motorized truck with which to more effectively fight fires, but the department didn’t receive one until 1917.

The Congregationalists of Adams County were the first to establish a church organization in the county and in the city. Early services were held in a number of places, including covered wagons. Their first church was built at a cost of $3,000, and was dedicated in March 1879. The ornately designed wood framed building featured an eye catching bell tower.

The Kenesaw Times was moved to Hastings in 1878, and the name changed to the Central Nebraskan. Later, when the paper became a daily, the name was changed to the Hastings Central Nebraskan. It was purchased by the Daily Republican on January 12, 1889, and continued to publish until 1915 when Adam Breede consolidated it with his Daily Tribune. Fred Jasper, Ed Watkins, and George Hensman are shown at work at the Republican in 1903.

This is a view from the top of the old courthouse looking in a southwesterly direction about 1900. The three-story building to the right was the Madgett flats, and the empty lot in the foreground would be the location of the post office and federal building in 1905. The two-story residence in the lower left-hand corner is the present site of the Kensington (formerly the Clarke Hotel). The two-tone building in the left center portion of the photo is the Nebraska Loan and Trust building at Second Street and Lincoln Avenue (later the Clarke-Buchanan Building). At the far right is the spire of the old Methodist church, where the City National Bank is now located.

This is the elegant home of prominent Hastings businessman and city council member Ezra Langevin in 1904. Langevin, a native of Canada, came to the city in 1878. He was prominent in the grocery as well as food canning and ice businesses. His restored home still stands at 1000 West Ninth Street, now the proud home of local attorney Stephen Scherr.

In 1884, Claus and George Fraham erected a building at Second Street and Hastings Avenue, where they operated their apothecary until 1899. A.H. Brooke opened his drug store here in 1905, a classic, which included a marble-topped soda fountain. Brooke’s wife was the first woman on the city council. The store later became the Redfield Drug Store, and is now the First Federal Lincoln Bank.

The Exchange Bank moved into the newly finished Cameron Building at First and Hastings in 1883. It was built on the site of Charles Cameron’s original mercantile business. The bank re-organized as the Exchange National Bank in 1884, and remained there until merging with the First National Bank in 1926. This interior view was taken about 1905.

The Lindell Hotel was located on the northeast corner of First Street and Lincoln Avenue. It was built in 1880, by Missouri native Nicholas F. Damron. At the ...