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County
Court House
For many years Deuel county rented quarters for the
transaction of the county’s business. The old frame school house that was built
in the early eighties, and in which was taught the first legally constituted
public school in Chappell, stood on the southwest corner of the present court
house grounds. It was used as the office of the county clerk for many years.
The school is now situated a block north of the old site.
Economical
administration and the danger of fire to records, together with the growing
prosperity of Deuel county, led to the building of a suitable court house which
would be representative of the county and its people. In 1915, such a
structure was erected. the corner stone was laid by the Master Workmen of the
Grand Lodge; Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Nebraska, May 15, 1915, A. L. 1915, Thomas M. Davis, Grand Master.
The board
of county commissioners at that time consisted of:
Simon Hopper, chairman
George Kalb, and James Brown; their names being cut in the corner stone with
those of J.J.Huddart, architect
M. J. Kenney.
The cost of the building at that time was about half what such a fine
building would have come to later. In the new structure the county offices
were suitably and well housed with every modern convenience to facilitate
county work and Deuel may well be proud of
her court house.
In 1918, J. W. Sjogren was the agricultural agent, the first to
hold that office in the county and since that time the county agent has taken
an active part in farming industries. He has been influential in introducing
new methods, to make the most of. the soil and has been of great aid and
benefit to the people of Deuel county.
The Deuel County Farm Bureau was
organized December 17, 1917, with G. B. Brown, president; Fred E. Smith,
secretary, and Sam Robb, treasurer. These men with William Mack, of Big
Springs, Emil Olson, of Swan precinct, and O. C. Brestel, of Chappell,
constituted the board.
Source: History of
Western Nebraska
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