NRHP: William Stolley Homestead and Site of Fort Independence
Contents
William Stolley Homestead & Site of Fort Independence
NRHP Reference #: 76002281
NRHP Listing Date: 19760421
Location
area along ES of Stolley Park, Grand Island, Hall County, Nebraska
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Summary
William Stolley was one of a small band of German immigrants who came to the central Platte Valley of Nebraska Territory in 1857. Stolley filed the first squatter's claim in the county. He helped organize School District 1 in Hall County and served as a director for many years. He also helped organize the State Grange and promoted tree planting. In 1927 the Nebraska Legislature designated the farmstead as Stolley State Park. The homestead, near present-day Grand Island, includes the William Stolley house, a one-and-one-half-story log dwelling constructed in 1858-59; the frame school building erected in 1869-70; and a reconstructed log house. The property also includes the site of Fort Independence, a fortification erected by citizens during the Indian war of 1864.
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About the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the country’s official list of historically significant properties. To be eligible for the NRHP a property must generally retain their historic appearance, be at least 50 years old, and have the potential to be documented as historically or architecturally significant at either the local, state, or national level. The National Register of Historic Places is a National Park Service program administered by the Nebraska State Historical Society for the state of Nebraska. Visit the Nebraska State Historical Society's website to learn more about the program.
