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Underground Railroad
While you are stopped, learn about Nebraska's First Oil Well
Falls City, Nebraska; Richardson County
Underground Railroad: The Dorrington House and Barn
The Underground Railroad was a secret organization that operated in the United States before the Civil War. Their mission was to help enslaved people escape the South and find safety and freedom in Northern states or Canada. Code words were used to disguise the routes and hiding places along the way. The secret network was organized by “conductors” and hiding places on the line were called “stations.” The Railroad had to remain secret since it was against the law. Most routes ended in Canada and the Railroad’s activities ended with the beginning of the Civil War in 1861.
The Dorrington Building in Falls City, Nebraska, is a designated National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom It was constructed on the site of the home of David and Ann Dorrington. The Dorringtons’ house and barn were used as a “station” on the most western line of the underground railroad. David had a contract with the government to transport mail between Falls City and Topeka, Kansas. Dorrington’s mail carriers, which included two of his sons, used mail wagons to transport enslaved people out of Kansas to the Dorrington barn. There, they remained under the care of Ann Dorrington until they could safely continue north at night.
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While you are stopped, learn about the First Oil Well
The first reported discovery of oil in Nebraska was in 1883. A newspaper reported that a “vein of petroleum” was found in Richardson County. Over the next 57 years, hundreds of wells were drilled across Nebraska looking for oil. The search for oil cost thousands of dollars, with no success. Searchers found small amounts of oil across the state, but not to build an oil well. An oil well is a hole in the earth dug to bring oil to the surface. Nebraska did not have an oil well until 1940.
The Nebraska Legislature offered $15,000 for the first oil well in the state. It had to produce at least 50 barrels of oil a day for sixty days. The Pawnee Royalty Company tried to drill two oil wells near Falls City but failed. They drilled a third well, known as Bucholz No. 1, on April 22, 1940. On May 29, 1940, the well began producing and averaged 169-1/2 barrels a day.
Bucholz No. 1 was located about five miles east of the “vein of petroleum” reported in 1883. Today most of Nebraska’s oil is produced in the southwestern panhandle. It is a major contribution to Nebraska’s economy.
Coming up next:
Eastern Deciduous Forest Habitat
Located 8 miles northeast of Schubert, Nebraska, Indian Cave State Park is named for the large sandstone cave within the park. Indian Cave State Park encompasses 3,052 rugged acres bordering the mighty Missouri River. The park is well-known for its beautiful camping and picnicking spots, as well as for its 22 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails. The park boasts sweeping views of the wide, winding Missouri... Read more
Steamboat Trace Trail
Steamboat Trace is a 22-mile long hiking and biking trail running from just south of Nebraska City to Brownville. It follows an abandoned railroad corridor along the Missouri River. The Nemaha Natural Resources District (NRD) acquired the trail through a Rails to Trails Grant and officially opened it for recreational use in October 1998. The trail winds through sandstone bluffs, cuts across open farm fields, and hugs the Missouri River... Read more
Kimmel Orchard
Richard and Laurine Kimmel believed in caring for the land and apple trees. Since 1925, Kimmel Orchard has grown apples, cherries, and dozens of other fruits and vegetables. The orchard is dedicated to research, historic preservation, and wholesome family experiences.
Did You Know?
- Apples are a member of the rose family.
- Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.
- More than 2,500 varieties (100 species of commercial apples) of... Read more
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