Hall County Markers
The first project of the Hall County Historical Society was to place six granite markers along the Old California Overland Trail, which was traveled by immigrants on their way to California in 1849 and later used by early settlers of Hall County who arrived in 1857. The first marker is on the eastern edge of Hall County with the last marker on the western edge of the county.
Marker Name |
Location |
Old California Overland Trail |
Seedling Mile and Gunbarrel Roads, Grand Island |
Old California Overland Trail |
Riverside Drive and Stagecoach Road, Grand Island |
Old California Overland Trail |
Stuhr Museum, east of Fonner Rotunda, Grand Island |
Old California Overland Trail |
Alda and Guenther Roads, Alda |
Old California Overland Trail |
Highway 11, 1/10 mile north of Old Miltary Road, Wood River |
Old California Overland Trail |
Old Miltary Road, 1/2 mile west of 190th Road, Wood River |
Before the Nebraska Legislature made the Nebraska State Historical Society (today known as History Nebraska) responsible for a statewide historical marker program in 1969, many counties, including Hall County, were marking historical sites on their own. Nebraska Revised Statute 82-123 states that no "person, public or private corporation, association, or organization" can place a historic marker or monument on any public street, road, or highway in the state without written approval from the Nebraska State Historical Society (now History Nebraska) after December 25, 1969.
The following list of historical markers were placed by organizations, including the Hall County Historical Society, who were committed to preserve and protect Hall County's historic sites.
The following list of historical markers were placed by organizations, including the Hall County Historical Society, who were committed to preserve and protect Hall County's historic sites.
Marker Name |
Location |
Description |
Blunk's Mill |
1/4 mile north of Highway 34 on South Blaine Street, west of L.E. Ray Park, Grand Island |
Brothers Ernst and Adolph Blunk built a mill on this site in 1877. Blunk's Mill was the first flour mill on the Wood River. In September 1941 Emil Stolley, a founding member of the Hall County Historical Society, led a project to mark the site with the turbine and two grinding stones from the mill. The marker placed on the site recognizes individuals and organizations who supported installation of the historic marker. |
Fort O.K. Cannon |
Courthouse grounds, 111 W 1st Street, Grand Island |
Hall County settlers received (but never used) this cannon for their protection at Fort O.K. (a fortified sod stockade) in Grand Island. This Cannon left at Fort O. K. August 22, 1865 by Major J. R. Curtis for protection of the settlement against attack by hostile Indians. Presented to Hall County, March 1, 1897 under Act of Congress, May 22, 1896. Erected 1939 by Betsey Hager Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. |
Grand Island Centennial |
Stolley Park Road, located in front of Barr Middle School, Grand Island |
Placed in July 1957 by Emil Stolley, a descendant of William Stolley, this marker marks the southern boundary of "Grand Island City" platted and financed by Chubb Brothers and Barrows Banking Company of Davenport, Iowa which sponsored the 1857 settler group. Unlike the "Original Settlement" marker placed at the same this marker includes William Stolley, who had been a member of the settler group but had returned to Davenport to secure additional funds for the group before they arrived in Grand Island on July 4, 1857. |
Junctionville |
South Locust Street and Schultz Road, 1/2 mile south of I-80 Exit 314, Grand Island |
This marker marks the site of the stage station, post office, and road ranche run by W.J. Burger in the early 1860s. The Old Fort Kearny Nebraska City road entered the Platte River valley here and merged with the old Ox Bow trail. The trail continues west through Hall County where it merges with the Oregon trail near the west edge of the county. In 1897, Burger helped found the Village of Doniphan. |
Martin Brothers |
South Alda Road and West Platte River Drive, Doniphan |
The granite Martin Brothers marker was placed in 1965 by the Hall County Historical Society. The marker is located near the site where the brothers encountered a party of Sioux in August 1865. While fleeing on horseback, Nathan (age 15) and Robert (age 12) were struck by two arrows, one of which pinned the brothers together. The boys fell from their horse and were left for dead, but survived. The site also marks the Martinville post office and stage station, which were located half a mile southwest of the marker. |
Original Home of the Stolley Family |
Stolley Park, 2103 Stolley Park Road, Grand Island |
In 1927, the Nebraska State Park Board approved the William Stolley homestead as a new state park. With 30 heavily forested acres, the 43-acre tract met the state's criteria for scenic beauty and historical background. Stolley State Park became the Nebraska's fourth state park. With a large number of tree species planted by William Stolley, the new park was reported to be second only to Arbor Lodge. The marker, placed in 1932, memorializes the dedication of Stolley State Park on October 16, 1927 and the members of the Stolley family who lived in the home located on the property. |
Site of the Original Settlement |
1/2 mile east of Stuhr Road, Grand Island access to this site is through the JBS parking lot on the southeast corner, walk straight east from the parking lot past the trees |
On July 4, 1957 Leo Stuhr, a founding member of the Hall County Historical Society, placed a granite marker on the site of the original Hall County settlers cabins. The following settlers arrived here July 4, 1857 R.C. Barnard • Lorenz Barnard • Joshua Smith • David P. Morgan • William Seymour • Heinrich Schoel & Wife • Heinrich Joehnck & Wife • Wilhelm Stier & Wife • Friedrich Doll & Wife • Christian Andreson & Wife & Child • Friedrich Hedde • Wilhelm A. Hagge • Heinrich Egge • Cornelius Alexson • Christina Menck • Anna Stier • Cay Ewoldt • Heinrich Schaaf • Peter Stuhr • Matthias Gries • Hans Wrage • Friedrich Landmann • Marx Stelk • Theodor Nagel • Herman Vasold • George Schultz • Friedrich Vatge • Johann Hamann • Detlef Sass • Nicholas Thede |
Statute in Memory of Defenders of our Country |
Courthouse grounds, 111 W 1st Street, Grand Island |
Placed in 1913 by the City of Grand Island and Lyon Post No. 11 GAR, this statute honors the veterans who served during the Civil War (1861-1865) and the Spanish American War (1898) |
Nebraska State Historical Markers (Hall County)
Marker Name |
Location |
A City Unto Itself |
**Coming in 2024** |
Husker Highway and 150th Road, Wood River |
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5537 St. Paul Road, Grand Island |
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Cairo: Oasis of the Prairie |
**Coming in 2024** |
Airport Terminal Building, 3773 Sky Park Road, Grand Island |
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Amick Acres, Monument Road and Island Drive, Doniphan |
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West of Old Potash and 90th Roads, Alda |
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Doniphan 1887 Fire |
**Coming in 2024** |
Farm Families Displaced |
**Coming in 2024** |
Farmstead Resettlement Community |
**Coming in 2024** |
Fonner Park |
**Coming in 2024** |
I-80 rest area, eastbound, 2.5 miles east of Exit 314, Grand Island |
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I-80 rest area, westbound, 1.5 miles east of Exit 314, Grand Island |
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Grand Island 1967 Flood |
**Coming in 2024** |
2300 West Capitol Avenue, Grand Island |
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Courthouse grounds, 111 W 1st Street, Grand Island |
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Highway 281 and Abbott Road, north of Grand Island |
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Stolley Park, 2103 Stolley Park Road, Grand Island |
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NW corner of Pioneer Park, W 2nd and S Cleburn Streets, Grand Island |
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Crane Meadows Center, south side I-80 Exit 305, Alda |
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Stuhr Museum, 3133 Highway 34, Grand Island |
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O.A. Abbott: Nebraska's First Lieutenant Governor |
**Coming in 2024** |
Fonner Park, 700 E Stolley Park Road, Grand Island |
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NW corner of parking lot at 1st and Walnut Streets, Grand Island |
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Amick Acres, Amick Avenue, Doniphan |
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Highway 30, 3 miles west of Wood River |
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NE corner of Pioneer Park, W 2nd and S Elm Streets, Grand Island |
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Platte Valley Academy |
West of 90th Road and Old Military Road, east of Shelton |
A Presidential Groundbreaking |
**Coming in 2024** |
Rerouting of the Lincoln Highway |
**Coming in 2024** |
Alda Road Crane Viewing Platform, 2 miles south of I-80 Exit 305, Alda |
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Schimmer's Lake |
**Coming in 2024** |
Highway 30 and Stuhr Road, east side of Grand Island |
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Highway 2 and Wiseman Road, 6 miles west of Cairo |
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East Pine Street, Doniphan |
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Ryder Park, Piper Street parking lot, Grand Island |
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WWI Red Cross Canteen |
**Coming in 2024** |