Dannevirke was started by a group of Danish settlers in 1874. It is located in central Nebraska about 2 miles north and 6 miles west of Elba, Nebraska. If visiting ghost towns in the area, check out Nysted (on another Nebraska ghost town page), which is only a few miles away. The town was named in memory of a wall built by the Danes to stop German aggression. The post office opened on February 16, 1880. It operated until December 21, 1903.
There are a few good remaining structures here. They include a church built in 1906 that is on the Nebraska register of historic palces. Also remaining is a community hall built in 1901.
Very little information exists on the town of Poplan. It is located about five miles northwest of the town of Ashton in central Nebraska. There is a church, a cemetary and supposedly a store still here. When I visited about 8 or 10 years ago, I found the church and the spooky cemetary. The cemetary is supposed to be haunted. When I was there it was after dark to explore the cemetary. It was very eerie. I was not aware that there was supposed to be a store nearby, so I didn't look for it. It may be there, or it could have fallen down.
Legend has it, that one of the crypts in the cemetary will not stay sealed closed. After it is sealed, it will eventually be open one morning, as if someone or something does not want to stay inside very long. When a friend and I were exploring, we came across it, UNSEALED! It gave you a very wierd feeling, especially since it was in the middle of the night when we were there.
Belfast is in northwest Greeley County. This little town had a post office that operated from February 17, 1908 to April 30, 1909. It was named after Belfast, Ireland, by Irish immigrants who settled in the area. Today, there is an old two story house, a couple of old root cellars and an old one story house. It is located a few miles north of Greeley on highway 281 and then about 3 or 4 miles west.
Happy Jack Chalk Mine was started in 1877 to mine chalk out of the hillside near present day Scotia. It was named for Jack Swearegen, an early settler in the area. He was said to be very friendly and helpful to his neighbors. Therefore, he received the nickname "Happy Jack." The mine operated until the end of World War II. You can now take tours of the min for a minimal fee. It is the only chalk mine in the U.S.. It is an example of room and pillar mining. There are over 6000 feet of underground tunnels of all sizes. You can also climb to the top of Happy Jack Peak (the mine is below you) and look at the spectacular view of the North Loup River winding its way through the gently rolling sandhill scenery. Happy Jack Chalk Mine is located about 12 to 15 miles north of Elba, Nebraska on Highway 11. It is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day for tours.
At the 2nd Wind Ranch and Bed & Breakfast, you can experience the largest collection of standing and working windmills in the country. The windmill fans vary in size from 6 to 20 feet in diameter. There are dozens of windmills here, some over 100 years old. It is a majestic site to see all of them in the gently rolling hills fluttering in the non-stop Nebraska wind. The ranch is also a bed and breakfast. It is an older style ranch house with a wrap around porch that you can sit on a porch swing or in a rocking chair and enjoy the windmills against a peaceful Nebraska sunset behind the grass covered sandhills. This is as stress free and relaxing as it gets. The wide open spaces and peaceful tranquility give you the feeling that you have just stepped back in time 100 years.
The 2nd Wind Ranch is located just three miles northand one mile east of Comstock. To get to Comstock, follow the directions above. Their phone number is 308-728-3113 or 1-800-658-4443. The price range is $50-$75 per night.
The Dowse Family Sod House was built by pioneers in 1900. In the 1800's, many pioneers needed to build adequate houses, but the shortage of timber caused problems. The pioneers figured out that they could cut the thich, heavy sod, native to Nebraska, and cut it into squares. They would then stack these squares of sod into walls and anchor them together. These houses turned out to be better houses than their wood counterparts. This was due to their natural insulating qualities. Sod houses were cooler in the summer and insulated better from the bitter winter cold and winds. The were also fireproof, which was a plus due to all of the fires that commonly swept through the open praries. If you have never seen a sod house, it is worthwhile to take a look into the past and the history of our country. It is located in Comstock, Nebraska. If you checked out happy Jack Chalk Mine, then continue north on Highway 11 to Ord (about 15-18 miles). At Ord take a left and head west about 20 miles to Comstock.