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Early History Washington County
Washington County's history, like other counties bordering the Missouri River, dates back to the early 19th century. On Aug. 3, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark held council with six Indian chiefs on the western banks of the Missouri River. The site, later known as "Council Bluffs," was suggested as a military fort by Lewis and Clark. In 1819, Fort Atkinson was established on the site, becoming the first Union military post in Nebraska and the largest of its day. The fort served the Midwest until 1827, when it was abandoned. Eventually the community of Fort Calhoun was established on the site.

Washington County's first boundaries were established by the Territorial Legislature on Feb. 22, 1855, the anniversary of President George Washington's birth. Thus, the county was named in his honor. Fort Calhoun was selected as the county seat. When the boundaries were redefined three years later, the county seat was moved to DeSoto and then back to Fort Calhoun.  After the it was well established that Blair would become the railroad hub and major commerce center of the county the county seat was removed to Blair in 1869.

Washington County was originally slated to be the home of Nebraska's State Capitol. In 1855 the town of Fontanelle, located in the western section of the county and named after Omaha Indian Chief Logan Fontanelle, was platted expressly for this purpose. It also was the first home of Nebraska University. Plans for both eventually stalled and both facilities ended up being built in Lincoln.

The Railroad Town of Blair
The Missouri River passed through a natural opening in the bluffs, known as Carter Valley, some twenty river miles north of Omaha. To take advantage of this excellent river-level crossing site, the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad routed its line to this point in 1864. Five years later, investor John I. Blair acquired the railroad, purchased 1075 acres of land about 1-1/2 miles west of the crossing and platted a town, naming it after himself. The town of Blair grew quickly - almost overnight and in 1869, it was formally incorporated.

Faced with the prospect of building an expensive bridge spanning the Missouri river, the railroad ferried its trains aboard steam boats. Each fall, railroad crews erected "winter bridges" - temporary timber trestles supported by driven piles - to carry the trains over the frozen river. The winter tracks broke up each year with the spring ice melt. The transfer operations created tremendous bottlenecks during peak freighting seasons, snarling rail traffic far hours or days. For pedestrian and vehicle traffic, ferry transportation remained the only mode of crossing the river at Blair. Finally in 1881, work began on the a bridge spanning the Missouri River at Blair leading to a tremendous building boom in the main business district of Blair. Dozens of two story brick buildings were erected-- schools, banks, stores, churches and a towering castle-like county courthouse was completed in 1891.  The city of Blair was well established as the county center for government, commerce and transportation.

Blair Historic Preservation Alliance
More information about the history of Blair, Nebraska can be found at www.BlairHistory.com.  This website is maintained by the Blair Historic Preservation Alliance and serves as an online museum and archive of historical information including, vintage photos of city landmarks and buildings, maps and subject histories.

Photo Suggestions


Downtown Washington Street, Blair, Nebraska 
(Gutschow General Merchandise Store a.k.a. Mayle & Hungate Buildings on right side)                         
Photo taken of the south east corner Washington and old Walker Ave. (now 16th Street)  
(Photo courtesy BHPA, from the Nathan Krämer Collection)


Dana College Homecoming
Downtown Blair   (Fall 1959)
(Photo courtesy the Dana College Archives.)           

 


First Bridge spanning the Missouri River at Blair.
Taken from the south west in 1886.
Bridge completed in 1883 by George S. Morison for the Sioux City & Pacific railroad

http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ne/ne0000/ne0057/photos/103677pu.tif     (TIFF - 19327K bytes)
 http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ne/ne0000/ne0057/photos/103677pv.jpg   (JPEG - 178K bytes)
 


Washington County Court House in Blair
Built:  1889-1891.   Corner of 16th and South Streets

http://www.blairhistory.com/landmarks/court_house/WCH0009_650.jpg  (JPEG - 103432 bytes)
(a large resolution image will be available at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, April 19.)

 

Early Milestones in Washington County History