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Welcome To McPherson County Nebraska

McPherson County History:

The following information was taken from McPherson County History Book, published in 1986. Verbal permission to use the book online for this purpose was given by Betty Neal Rodewald Schroeder, Editor.

McPherson county, named for General McPherson of Civil War fame, was laid out by an act of the Nebraska Legislature in 1887. Before McPherson became a county, Logan county had jurisdiction over it and Arthur county. Some of our early land records were first recorded in Logan county.

McPherson county was organized in 1890 with the county seat where Tryon is now located. The county seat was named McPherson even though the post office named McPherson was located 4 miles away. In 1890 when the county was organized, the population of McPherson county was 401 and most of that was in the eastern McPherson county. and the unorganized territory now Arthur county was 91. Jan. 16, 1892 Arthur and McPherson counties were combined by a resolution. During the time Arthur and McPherson county were combined, the precinct was known as Arthur.

The Kinkaid Act in 1904 was responsible for the rapid settlement of the sndhill area of the state. It was possible for every settler to file on a full section of land and obtain a patent after 5 years of residence. The promise of a full section of land brought many people to the area. In 1900 the population was 517 which jumped to 2,470 in 1910. The county seat grew and new business opened rapidly.

The 1912-1913 legislature passed a second enabling act authorizing Arthur county to proceed with its organization. June 7, 1913 Governor Morhead appointed the first Arthur county officials. In May of 1914, officers of McPherson and Arthur counties met to settle issues of dividing the two counties.

The precincts of McPherson county changed several times. In 1890 there was Arthur,East McPherson and West McPherson. In 1893 they were reorganized to include Arthur, East, West and Central. In 1895 the 4 precincts were consolidated to 3 and named Omega, Largo and Lena. In 1897 the precincts were reorganized and named Tryon, Whitewater and Brooking. In 1901, Tryon precinct was divided creating Lemley pricinct. In 1906, Braden and Thune Precincts were created. In 1907, Hall precinct was added. In 1910 the precincts were Hall, Lemley, Worden, Tryon, Whitewater, Cottonwood, Brooking, Thune, Edward and Braden. In 1913 when Arthur county was formed, and deleted the precincts of Brooking, Thune, Edward and Braden from McPherson county. In 1914, the precincts were Worden, Cottonwood, Whitewater, Hall, Lemley and Tryon. In 1956, the precincts were consolidated: Lemley and Hall became Ringgold; Tryon and Worden became Tryon; and Cottonwood and Whitewater became Flats.

At one time, McPherson county had 20 post offices, 5 towns and 63 school districts.

In 1890, shortly after the county was organized, Russell and Manley Calhoun bought 4 4-year old steers and broke them to harness to plow. After plowing sod all summer, in the fall they plowed sod and hauled it to the courthouse site. John Godfrey, who was quite an expert at laying sod walls, was hired for the job. The roof was hip style, with rafters and sheeting covered with tar paper, overlaid with tough praried sod.

A brick vault with a strong door was built in one corner. A steel safe was purchased and record books obtained and the officers were ready for business.

The courthouse grounds were enclosed with barb wire fence to prevent roving livestock from entering the yard. If livestock rubbed the sod walls, there was unnecessary wear. There was a well on the grounds where man and animals could obtain a refreshing drink. There was a turn stile gate and a hitching rail south of the fence, where farmers and ranchers would tie their teams and saddle horses.

The county clerk lived in a part of this sod house. There was only one other building in Tryon at first. The courthouse was the social center of this little community and all meetings were held there.

The courthouse was also used for religious services whenever a traveling minister or missionary was in the neighborhood. On many occassions homesteaders and cowboys gathered for old time dancing to the music of fiddles, harmonicas or whatever, playing the popular tunes of the "gay nineties". These dances were usually held on friday night and lasted till daybreak. On saturday, they transacted their business. Sometimes weary travelers were permitted to spend the night in the comfortable old sod courthouse.

In later years, the sod walls deteriated. At that time walls of frame construction were made outside the sod walls which were later removed and the roof shingled.

Construction of a new courthouse was started in 1925 and the building was occupied by county officials during the summer of 1926. In 1926 a special election approved $6,000 to install a heating system and buy furniture. The courthouse is still in use today.