History of Hall County Historical Society
The Hall County Historical Society was founded in 1922 by a group of members belonging to the Liederkranz, a German singing society established in 1870. The founders of the Hall County Historical Society included both descendants of the 1857 group, who first established a colony in Hall County, and individuals who were committed to preserving artifacts and stories about the county’s origin. It is the oldest perpetual county historical society in Nebraska.
With an overwhelming majority of Hall County voters approving the building of a county museum in 1960, Leo Stuhr, a founding member of the Hall County Historical Society and the son of Hall County pioneers, donated land and funds to help build the museum. The Hall County Historical Society donated its collection of artifacts to help launch the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer and is proud to have contributed to the success of the museum.
In 1997, the Hall County Historical Society purchased its first piece of property, the Townsley-Murdock Site near Alda, which is a preserved site featuring Morman Trail and Overland Trail wagon wheel ruts. The following year, it was accepted for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
An opportunity to purchase one of Nebraska’s last Burlington depots, at Sixth and Plum Streets in Grand Island in 1999 gave the Hall County Historical Society a permanent location. The beautifully restored depot, Burlington Station, is used by the society for programs and events as well as by the public for parties, receptions and meetings.
After a massive renovation in 2002, led by the Hall County Historical Society and the City of Grand Island, the historic William Stolley House in Stolley Park was opened to the public. An endowment for maintenance of the house was established by Stolley descendants. The society and the city ensure the house is maintained and opened to the public several times each year.
The society’s largest ongoing project has been placing markers at historical sites throughout the county. The first were six markers of the Old California Overland Trail, traveled by immigrants to California in 1849 and pioneers of this locality in 1857. These markers extend from the east to the west in Hall County and were dedicated on July 4, 1923. Thirty-seven historical markers have now been placed in Hall County.
With an overwhelming majority of Hall County voters approving the building of a county museum in 1960, Leo Stuhr, a founding member of the Hall County Historical Society and the son of Hall County pioneers, donated land and funds to help build the museum. The Hall County Historical Society donated its collection of artifacts to help launch the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer and is proud to have contributed to the success of the museum.
In 1997, the Hall County Historical Society purchased its first piece of property, the Townsley-Murdock Site near Alda, which is a preserved site featuring Morman Trail and Overland Trail wagon wheel ruts. The following year, it was accepted for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
An opportunity to purchase one of Nebraska’s last Burlington depots, at Sixth and Plum Streets in Grand Island in 1999 gave the Hall County Historical Society a permanent location. The beautifully restored depot, Burlington Station, is used by the society for programs and events as well as by the public for parties, receptions and meetings.
After a massive renovation in 2002, led by the Hall County Historical Society and the City of Grand Island, the historic William Stolley House in Stolley Park was opened to the public. An endowment for maintenance of the house was established by Stolley descendants. The society and the city ensure the house is maintained and opened to the public several times each year.
The society’s largest ongoing project has been placing markers at historical sites throughout the county. The first were six markers of the Old California Overland Trail, traveled by immigrants to California in 1849 and pioneers of this locality in 1857. These markers extend from the east to the west in Hall County and were dedicated on July 4, 1923. Thirty-seven historical markers have now been placed in Hall County.