Lodgepole, Nebraska, is a small town in Cheyenne County whose glory seems to rise and fall along with the Union Pacific Railroad. Lodgepole is just 19 miles east of Sidney, one of the earliest settlements in Western Nebraska. A journey through this county can seem like a trip back in time, with many features of the 1800s evident in these small communities. Despite its size, Lodgepole has played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States.
The Pony Express
The famous Pony Express mail delivery route passed through Lodgepole Creek Valley in 1860 and 1861. Two Pony Express stations were nearby. The Pole Creek No. 2 Pony Express Station was in what is now Lodgepole, while the Nine Mile station sat southeast of present-day Chappell. Pony Express historian Joe Nardone so enjoyed this particular stop on the Pony Express trail that he donated several items from his personal collection to the Lodgepole Depot Museum. This museum now houses several artifacts from the Pony Express, including maps, a saddle and a saddle pack. Nardone also gave the depot museum the 1984 Ford Bronco that he used to mark the route to the museum.
The famous Pony Express mail delivery route passed through Lodgepole Creek Valley in 1860 and 1861. Two Pony Express stations were nearby. The Pole Creek No. 2 Pony Express Station was in what is now Lodgepole, while the Nine Mile station sat southeast of present-day Chappell. Pony Express historian Joe Nardone so enjoyed this particular stop on the Pony Express trail that he donated several items from his personal collection to the Lodgepole Depot Museum. This museum now houses several artifacts from the Pony Express, including maps, a saddle and a saddle pack. Nardone also gave the depot museum the 1984 Ford Bronco that he used to mark the route to the museum.
  |  |
The Union Pacific Railroad
Of the five towns in Cheyenne County, Lodgepole is the second oldest. It was founded in 1867 when the Lodge Pole work station was established as part of construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. With the work station came the development of a small community centered around the railroad industry. A depot and water and coal stations comprised the entirety of the town for several years. Railroad workers lived out of outfit cars, while a detachment of soldiers protected the railroad from Indians. It took its name from Lodgepole Creek, where it was assumed the Native Americans had cut trees to make poles for their lodges.
The Growth of Lodgepole
Throughout the 1870s, Lodgepole gradually grew as cattle ranchers started establishing homesteads in the tall grasses of the valley. In 1876, a dry goods and grocery store opened in Lodgepole. Charles Morton, the store's owner, filed paperwork for the establishment of a post office in the town shortly after. In 1878 the town gained yet another store, and in 1883, Lodgepole welcomed its own doctor, Dr. Edwin Yarletz. The following year, Lodgepole was platted. In 1895, the town formerly known as "Lodge Pole" became simply "Lodgepole" when the postal department elected to change the town's spelling.
Growth and Decline
Lodgepole was incorporated in 1901, and many of the buildings established in prior years saw continued growth throughout the early 1900s. Immanuel Lutheran Church of Lodgepole, established in 1886, moved from sod buildings to a frame structure in 1912. The town's population peaked in 1925 with around 880 residents. Lodgepole's Union Pacific Depot remained in use until 1968. In the absence of the railroad, the town shrank drastically. According to the 2010 census the population is just 318 residents. The majority of residents are farmers, still enjoying the fertile grasslands of the area.
Of the five towns in Cheyenne County, Lodgepole is the second oldest. It was founded in 1867 when the Lodge Pole work station was established as part of construction of the Union Pacific Railroad. With the work station came the development of a small community centered around the railroad industry. A depot and water and coal stations comprised the entirety of the town for several years. Railroad workers lived out of outfit cars, while a detachment of soldiers protected the railroad from Indians. It took its name from Lodgepole Creek, where it was assumed the Native Americans had cut trees to make poles for their lodges.
The Growth of Lodgepole
Throughout the 1870s, Lodgepole gradually grew as cattle ranchers started establishing homesteads in the tall grasses of the valley. In 1876, a dry goods and grocery store opened in Lodgepole. Charles Morton, the store's owner, filed paperwork for the establishment of a post office in the town shortly after. In 1878 the town gained yet another store, and in 1883, Lodgepole welcomed its own doctor, Dr. Edwin Yarletz. The following year, Lodgepole was platted. In 1895, the town formerly known as "Lodge Pole" became simply "Lodgepole" when the postal department elected to change the town's spelling.
Growth and Decline
Lodgepole was incorporated in 1901, and many of the buildings established in prior years saw continued growth throughout the early 1900s. Immanuel Lutheran Church of Lodgepole, established in 1886, moved from sod buildings to a frame structure in 1912. The town's population peaked in 1925 with around 880 residents. Lodgepole's Union Pacific Depot remained in use until 1968. In the absence of the railroad, the town shrank drastically. According to the 2010 census the population is just 318 residents. The majority of residents are farmers, still enjoying the fertile grasslands of the area.
RSS Feed
