GRANT (population 1,137) 00.0 miles

A town on the move, literally. In 1886, the town moved from its’ original location which was ¾ of a mile to the northwest. The town, plotted as a railroad stop, was established prior to the railroad being constructed that far west. Unfortunately, those who platted the town didn’t put it where the railroad eventually ran, and the town was moved. By moved, the buildings were placed on skids and literally moved. The first train rolled into town on July 4, 1887. We roll into town on June 4, 2016.

Surprising no one, the town was named after Hiram Ulysses Grant, the Civil War General and the twice elected 18th President of the United States. Ulysses S. Grant, as a name, was mistakenly written on his nomination to West Point Academy, by Ohio Congressman Hamer, and Grant used this name for the rest of his life.

Grant is the county seat of Perkins County. The county was named after Charles E. Perkins, the president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, no doubt as a nod of apology after putting the town in the wrong location. The railroad was built from Holdrege, Nebraska, to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Open Spaces . . . abound here, with only 4 people per square mile, you can find yourself alone and able to take in the gentle . . . Prairie Wind.

http://www.co.perkins.ne.us/

Madrid (population 227) 10 miles

Madrid was in a highly disputed rivalry with Grant to become the county seat. The estimated population (counting women and children as well) was 4000, while the eligible voting persons numbered 1700, in 1888. The election for the county seat totaled 8000 votes for Grant and 2700 for Madrid. Apparently, every cow also got a vote. Madrid was a real contender as it was formed prior to Grant and was a pass-through spot on the Great Western Trail used for moving cattle from Texas to Ogallala, Nebraska.

Madrid was, like the Beatles’ song “Rocky Raccoon”, originally named Trail City. The townsfolk, however, called it Elliston, and to make it even more complicated,

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everyone knew it as Madrid (pronounced Ma-drid, as in mattress). Madrid has had boom years and bust years. The community grew after World War I but then declined after World War II. The New Deal programs tried to support the community, but with the loss of businesses and population, Madrid wasn’t able to attain pre-war numbers and became mostly Open Spaces…. Madrid is now growing on energy with a Bio-Diesel facility, an ethanol plant and oil extraction, and may perhaps taking advantage of the ubiquitous ...Prairie Wind as an energy source.

http://www.madridnebraska.us/index.html

Elsie (population 105) 18 miles

Elsie is a railroad town if there ever was one! Set in Open Spaces… it was named for Elsie Perkins (is that last name familiar?), daughter of Charles Perkins (Perkins County), president of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. The streets in Elsie are, amazingly, Chicago, Burlington, Quincy and Perkins Avenues. Elsie once boasted an Opera House, two hotels, two hardware stores, a roller mill, a bottling company, a gas station, garage and barbershop. Over time, the …Prairie Wind has seen all the business blow away.

Grainton (population 15) 24 miles

Verl Harris, a resident of Grainton as a child, tells us that in the mid 1920’s the town had a hardware store, drug store, grocery store and a lumberyard. The post office was in the drug store. In 1930, there were 139 residents. Don’t blink now, or you’ll miss what is left of Grainton – a grain elevator, set in Open Spaces…. The town sat directly across the road from the grain elevator, where only …Prairie Wind now blows.

Lincoln County line (county population 36, 288) 26 miles

Welcome to Shorter County, whoops, I mean Lincoln County. The name was changed in 1866 to honor the recently assassinated 16th President. It seems

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whoever the original namesake was is lost in history and got the “Shorter” end of the stick. The county is known for Fort McPherson National Cemetery, the Union Pacific Railroad, Lewis and Clark’s foray into the area, and the Arikaree, Sioux and Cheyenne tribes.

http://www.co.lincoln.ne.us/

Wallace (population 357) 30 miles

Here we go again… the town moved its location when the railroad was built! Originally, the town of Kain’s Corner was a half mile south of the present town. The oldest building in town is the circa 1888 Methodist Episcopal Church. Wallace has seen its share of Open Spaces… burned through wildfires swept by the …Prairie Wind. Be careful as you ride through this area so your saddle isn’t burned. You might consider using Monkey Butt Powder to put out the fire.

http://www.wallacene.net/community.html

Dickens Bombing Run

Dickens has the distinction of having been a stop on Charles Kuralt’s CBS newsmagazine program “Sunday Morning.” Mr. Kuralt came to Dickens to report on the only town in Nebraska bombed during World War II. Unfortunately, it was bombed by our own Army Air Corps doing a practice run in the Open Spaces… northwest of town which you will pedal past. Poor bombardiering skills resulting in bombs (without explosives) being dropped through the roof of the lumberyard in Dickens, off course due to the …Prairie Wind.

NORTH PLATTE (population 24,534) 72 miles

Welcome to Mid-Plains Community College’s South campus, where the college offers associate degrees in general studies, Arts and Sciences. MPCC is an award winning scholastic institution in many disciplines.

http://www.mpcc.edu/

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North Platte, our host community, was established by two enterprising men who capitalized on knowing that the Union Pacific would be running through the area. During the time the railroad was being built, North Platte was known to be a rowdy town. We are the 21st Century equivalent of those short-term passers-through.

William Jeffers, a native of North Platte, started at the Union Pacific’s lowest position and rose to be the president of the Railroad. Jeffers established what is today Bailey Yard, the largest retarder yard in the world (also called a rail car classification yard or, in this case, a “hump yard”) for storing, re-organizing and dispatching trains to further destinations. An average of 139 trains per day are handled at Bailey Yard. North Platte also had the first lighted airport in the country (1921) so transcontinental airmail planes could land at night.

No mention of North Platte is complete without recognition of perhaps its most famous resident, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. Cody held a rodeo in North Platte in July, 1882, which was accepted so enthusiastically he took the show on the road. “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” show introduced people around the globe to what being in Open Spaces… was all about on the frontier, though some people think Buffalo Bill was full of the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.ci.north-platte.ne.us/

Fort McPherson National Cemetery (10,000+) 16 miles

The fort named for General James Birdseye McPherson was established in 1863 and stood about a mile to the south and east of the present-day cemetery. Fort McPherson was placed here to protect travelers on the Oregon Trail, whose ruts are still visible. The Oregon Trail and the Pony Express route ran through the location of the present-day cemetery.

The cemetery was originally on the fort property, but those interred were moved when the present location was chosen. Early burials in the fort’s cemetery and in the present cemetery were settlers killed in attacks coming from the bluffs to the south. Other early interments were from forts on the Open Spaces… in Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska, and some even came from the Philippine Islands.

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Four Medal of Honor recipients, Buffalo soldiers from Fort Robinson, 28 soldiers who perished in the Gratton Massacre (considered to be the opening battle between the Sioux and the U.S. Army, which lasted 36 years and ended with the Wounded Knee Massacre), as well as men and women who served in the Armed Forces throughout the history of our country are here. Long may they rest in peace under the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftmcpherson.asp

Brady (population 424) 29 miles

Brady was originally named “Brady Island” and was located in the Platte River. The town was named by John Fremont, the explorer and guide. For many years, Brady had the only saloon between Grand Island and Cheyenne, Wyoming—talk about Open Spaces…! Don’t forget to quench your thirst from the blowing ...Prairie Wind.

http://www.villageofbrady.com/

Dawson County line (county population 24,207) 38 miles

Dawson County is named after the first Postmaster of Lancaster County, Nebraska (where Nebraska’s capital city of Lincoln is located). The county has 11 towns or villages and a population density of 24 people per square mile. Open Spaces…, water, grain, grasslands and hard-working people are the attributes associated with Dawson County. Recently, Dawson County agronomists have diversified their markets by expanding into specialty markets of grapes, buffalo and popcorn, all of which do best when encouraged through gentle …Prairie Wind.

http://www.dawsoncountyne.org/

Gothenburg (population 3,558) 41 miles

Founded in 1882 by Olof Bergstrom and J. H. MacColl, Gothenburg was named after Gotenburg, Sweden, but is spelled in a German style, representing the two

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cultures of the people that first settled in the community. Early innovators, the community dug a canal and established a power plant to generate electricity in the 1890’s. Gothenburg is proud of the Pony Express that rode through these Open Spaces… and the new industries whose smells waft on the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.ci.gothenburg.ne.us/

Custer County line (county population 10, 972) 60 miles

Custer County was established in 1877, a year following George Custer’s defeat at the Battle of the Greasy Grass, or the Battle of the Little Big Horn. This was “the cattleman’s paradise,” the first settlers being ranchers who appreciated the Open Spaces… and the …Prairie Wind that blew over the buffalo grass. The ranchers were eventually overrun by the farmers, and today Custer County is Nebraska’s top agricultural producer.

http://www.co.custer.ne.us/

Callaway (population 531) 79 miles

J. Woods Smith thought he had it all figured out. Mr. Smith plotted the town at the location he believed two railroads would intersect. Mr. Smith was wrong. Although Callaway grew up along the Union Pacific, and named the streets after railroad personnel and avenues after local early homesteaders, the railroad eventual closed along this route. Callaway has always had strong ties to the defense of the United States and can boast a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Robert Booker. Callaway is in the midst of the Seven Valleys which contain both Open Spaces…and….Prairie Wind.

https://callaway-ne.com/

Democrat Hill Approximately 81 miles

You’ll have to decide where the hill starts, so don’t adjust your cyclometer here. There are many stories as to how this hill received its moniker, but in this election

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year, the pedal up will help you to decide which candidate will best help the nation. Don’t think about the Open Spaces… being created between you and the person in front of you on this climb, just enjoy how nice it is with the …Prairie Wind at your back. Stop at the top and take in the scenery!

BROKEN BOW (population 3,491) 100 miles

Broken Bow residents (Bowites) are a welcoming bunch who have benefitted from the bequeath of Jesse Gandy, who set the condition that a town could be built as long as no “…liquor be sold, or billiard parlor be built…” on the square. This is still true today, so look elsewhere in town for those amenities. The Burlington and Missouri Railroad played an important role in the development of the town, and today, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad still runs through it. Broken Bow attempted to move the state capital here under Governor Silas Holcomb, but the Open Spaces… of the center of the state did not let the …Prairie Wind of change bring that move to fruition. Pedal the rest of the distance to the school to meet the century ride challenge of BRAN’s late, beloved friend Kelly Smith to “Ride and smile, every darn day!”

http://www.cityofbrokenbow.org/

Berwyn (population 82) 9 miles

In a display of bravado, the surveyor for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad line platted the town and named it after himself. The over-abundance of rabbits in the area, able to roam the great flat Open Spaces…, allowed for “wagon loads” of rabbit meat and pelts to be exported to the east coast at the turn of the 20th century. Berwyn’s K-8 school is situated on the only hill to take advantage of the …Prairie Wind to cool the school.

http://www.berwynne.org/

Ansley (population 432) 16 miles

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The town was named for Eliza Ainsley, second cousin to George Custer and one of the first residents of the area. Eliza is said to have loved the Open Spaces… . The architect who drew up the village misspelled her last name, but the name stuck. Ansley is the smallest town in the world to have received a Rotary Club charter, was one of the first Nebraska towns with its own electrical plant (and therefore, was electrified), and had the first high school team to ever have played under electric lights. The …Prairie Wind has not always been kind to Ansley as it has been hit with tornados multiple times, but the residents keep on rebuilding and moving forward. Take a hint from the town’s motto: PUSH, that’s Ansley.

http://www.ansleyne.com/village-of-ansley/

Sherman County line (county population 3,106) 27 miles

Named after famed Civil War General William T. Sherman, who once commanded troops in Nebraska, the county was created in 1871. There aren’t a lot of people enjoying these wide Open Spaces… with only 5.6 people per square mile. Take the time to explore Sherman Reservoir and view the boats being blown across the lake by the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.co.sherman.ne.us/

LOUP CITY (population 1,020) 38 miles

The French word “Loup” came about from a Pawnee translation for the Skidi band of Pawnee natives that inhabited the area. “Skidi” means “wolf,” so be on the lookout in the Open Spaces… for the packs chasing cyclists on the road.

The “garden spot of the world,” Loup City was first settled in 1871. Loup City was a stopping-off point for gold prospectors headed for the Black Hills. They were welcomed by the community comprised of Swedes, Danes, English, Poles and Bohemians.

Loup City has had its share of notoriety. The Olive Gang and Doc Middleton both made their presence known, repeatedly. Dr. Edmund Jaeger, a noted botanist,

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naturalist and biologist was born here, and native son Michael Moeller was a captive during Iran’s holding of hostages.

An ill …Prairie Wind blew in 1934. A riot ensued between a contingent of village vigilantes and supporters of the Madison County Plan, a communist-supported organization of tenant unemployed farmers, chicken pickers from the local creamery and farm owners. A leader of this movement was Mother Ella Reeve Bloor, who after this riot, was tried in court for agitating, sentenced to three months in jail (in Omaha), and given a $100 fine. This trial ended the communist infiltration efforts in Nebraska during the depression.

http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH1966LoupCity.pdf

http://www.loupcity.com/

Austin (population 0) 8 miles

At one time, Austin was an ongoing interest, but it never got around to being an incorporated town. All that is left is the cemetery you will pass. The people of Austin never saw so much traffic passing through town as the riders on our Open Spaces…Prairie Wind tour.

Rockville (population 105) 14 miles

The early people of Rockville were forward thinkers, for sure. In order to obtain a license for a saloon, they had to secure four sections of land. They did, and the local saloon soon opened. Look for the Dam Bar at 136 Ley Street. Today, residents describe their Open Spaces… town as a place where “one can hear the howl of coyotes, and the calls of quail, turtle doves, cardinals and migratory birds…” flowing with the …Prairie Wind.

Howard County line (county population 6, 355) 20 miles

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As much as you might like to think so, the county was not named for the Howard brothers, Moe, Curly, or Shemp. Actually, Civil War General Oliver Otis Howard was honored with this county in Nebraska. Howard county has 12 people per square mile, the second-most densely populated county on the ride up to this point (Lincoln County just edges it out with 14 people per square mile!).

Boelus (population 189) 21 miles

Boelus was a made-up name from the last name of the Boesen family, the “L” from the Larsen family (two early settlers of the township), and “U” and “S” for the United States, but the legal name of the community is “Howard City.” Boelus capitalized on closing the Open Spaces… between the Middle and South Loup rivers by establishing ferry services on both rivers to get travelers across. No doubt the “fairies” are responsible for the …Prairie Wind that blows.

http://www.boelus.com/page.php?5

Dannebrog (population 306) 32 miles

Velkommen! Welcome to the Danish Capital of Nebraska! Dannebrog was established by a commission of five men from Wisconsin charged with finding a suitable place to have a Danish settlement. Named for the Danish flag, the populace believed the meaning of the flag (a red field with a white cross) represents beauty, goodwill, love, peace and God-given ideals. This flag is flown in Open Spaces… and waves in the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.dannebrognebraska.org/

St. Libory (unincorporated) 43 miles

St. Libory was originally just a whistle stop, established halfway between Grand Island and Saint Paul as a water and fuel stop for trains. A Catholic church was established early and named for St. Liborious, whose name was also lent to the town. St. Libory is growing as a result of its location, where people can enjoy the

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Open Spaces… and …Prairie Wind outside the confines of the larger communities of St. Paul and Grand Island.

Merrick County line (county population 7,802) 52 miles

Merrick was the maiden name of the legislator that introduced the bill creating the county in 1858. This is the only county in Nebraska named for a woman. Originally, it included the Pawnee Reservation, which was later removed from the county and made into Nance County. The removal left Merrick County with two panhandles, one on the west end and one on the east. Merrick County epitomizes the ideals of Open Spaces… and …Prairie Wind as you won’t find a hill ANYWHERE on the ride today. Merrick County has the greatest number of wells drilled in any county in Nebraska for irrigation purposes, so stop and take a drink of the cold water of the Ogallala aquifer. You can almost see across the county as there isn’t anything in the way of your sight line.

http://www.merrickcounty.ne.gov/webpages/about/history.html

Worms (unincorporated) 59 miles

Named after the Open Spaces… found in Worms, Germany, this German community has existed primarily due to the Zion Lutheran Church (with a school), tavern, and ballfield, which has seen many whiffs causing a lot of …Prairie Wind.

CENTRAL CITY (population 2,921) 74 miles

Originally named “Lone Tree” after a cottonwood tree that served as a landmark on the Mormon and Overland Trails standing solitary in the Open Spaces…, the name was changed by petition as ‘Lone Tree’ gave the impression of a desolate spot filled with “uncivilized” people, which would limit growth of the community. Central City was (and is) located at the crossroads of the Union Pacific and Burlington Railroads, guaranteeing a town which drew people and businesses to locate here.

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Years ago, Central City boasted a local college (on the left as you near the city limits), which was originally a Methodist college but became a Quaker college from 1899 to 1953. Central City has had two nationally known authors in Wright Morris and Cecil Curry as well as the first person to have a satellite link to China for educational purposes—Dick Galusha, who is BRAN’s Route Coordinator.

The only planning meeting for the Lincoln Highway held outside of Detroit was held here in Central City, which resulted in the Highway being routed through town. Central City has six buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Riverside Dance Pavilion, which has been a gathering place since the 1940s for young adults to meet and dance to the music of bands blown in by the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.cc-ne.com/ccne

Clarks (population 358) 11 Miles

As you ride through town, you can actually sing the song, “Last Train to Clarksville” as this was the original name of the community platted on the “Open Spaces…” along the Platte River, now known as Clarks. Originally, the town was a stop along the Union Pacific line and named for the superintendent of this section of the railroad. Clarks has never been a thriving metropolis, but has been a stalwart of businesses, many having been passed from generation to generation, much as the “…Prairie Winds” have passed along this way.

http://www.clarks.net/clarksne/

Nance County line (population 3,623) 30 miles

Nance County is the former reservation of the Pawnee Indian tribe. Drawn to the Open Spaces… of the reservation, Mormon settlers established the county’s first community. The county is named for the fourth governor of Nebraska, Albinus Nance. The Pawnee’s rights to the reservation were “extinguished” in 1867 and the land sold off in order to pay for the relocation of the tribe to Oklahoma. The

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…Prairie Winds of change were blowing hard against the original occupants of the land.

http://www.co.nance.ne.us/

Genoa (population 972) 36 miles

Genoa was established in the Open Spaces… by Mormons travelling toward Salt Lake City from Florence, Nebraska in 1867. By 1869, the residents were forced to leave when the Skidi Pawnee, on whose reservation the town had been established, claimed the land. Genoa has been known as the “Pawnee Capital of Nebraska” ever since. In 1866, Genoa’s indigenous people established the Pawnee Agency School, which was a vocational school. When the Pawnee were moved to Oklahoma, this became the United States Indian School. It continued in operation until 1934 and is said to have been one of the finest and most successful Indian schools in the country. Since 1934, the …Prairie Winds have seen the facility used as a prison farm, canning factory, packing house, nursery and seed farm, and, finally, a museum.

http://ci.genoa.ne.us/

Platte County line (county population 32,505) 37 miles

Platte County was developed out of the Open Spaces… solely for the sake of establishing another county in Nebraska and encouraging immigration to the state. Platte, meaning “flat” in French, borders the Platte River on the south. Being flat, the …Prairie Wind touches every inch of the land and provides a gentle “wind to the back” of bicyclists.

http://www.plattecounty.net/

Lindsay (population 255) 52 miles

Established in the Open Spaces... of Platte County in 1886 by five Canadian brothers of Irish descent , Lindsay grew quickly in the early years. The Lindsay

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Manufacturing Company was established here and later moved its corporate headquarters to Omaha. Lindsay Corporation makes the Zimmatic center pivot irrigation equipment that sends water into the air to be blown over Nebraska’s cropland by the …Prairie Wind. When asked where Lindsay is located, the town’s residents will tell you, “Right where it’s always been!”

HUMPHREY (population 783) 63 miles

After pedaling through Open Spaces… of rich and fertile farmland, as the first settlers did in 1868, you’ll arrive in Humphrey, named after a town in New York. The town was platted in 1880 along the Omaha, Niobrara & Black Hills Railroad and grew “as if it had sprung from the prairie.” This is a town of longevity. One of the first buildings constructed here is still in use as the City Meat Market; the mortuary has been a continuously family-owned operation since 1882; and the newspaper has been in print since 1888. There are two school systems in Humphrey—the Catholic parochial schools and the public schools, which have been in operation since 1884 and 1889, respectively. Humphrey is a clean and neat town that prides itself on many amenities not usually found in a community this size. Humphrey has a thriving business community, an enhanced athletic program for many sports, and a park that caters to public gatherings for a myriad of activities, including dancing, swimming, playing on the playground equipment, and picnicking. You can see Humphrey is not a town about to be swept away by the …Prairie Wind.

http://humphreyne.us/

Madison County line (county population 35,278) 5 miles

Madison County was established in 1878 by the state legislature, and its boundaries have never been altered. Madison County is named for James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. Carved from the Open Spaces…, the county was embroiled in controversy when a set of “American” settlers didn’t want the legal owners, who were German by descent, living next to them. They opted to live on opposite sides of the creek feeding the North Fork of

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the Elkhorn River. Madison County prospered greatly from the miners following the …Prairie Wind into the Black Hills, looking for gold.

http://www.madisoncountyne.com/

Madison (population 2,398) 10 Miles

Named after the county, Madison is the county seat. The residents were so dedicated to getting a railroad that they built the depot in 1874 in the Open Spaces…, but the railroad did not arrive until 1879. Keep your eyes open as the …Prairie Wind is apt to uncover the gold nuggets that are said to permeate the ground around Madison.

http://madison-ne.com/

Stanton County line (county population 6, 133) 15 Miles

Formed in 1865 after the assassination of President Lincoln, the county is named for Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War. Stanton County has only two communities set in its Open Spaces…. The smallest county in Nebraska, its first settlement was called “Humbug Settlement.” The county is now reliant upon cattle feeding, which accounts for the ”eau de feedlot” scent on the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.co.stanton.ne.us/

Colfax County line (county population 10,425) 29 Miles

You are entering the only county in Nebraska named for a Speaker of the US House of Representatives and US Vice-President, Schuyler Colfax. Colfax was a founding member of the Republican Party. He was one who conspired to fill the Open Spaces… with railroad tracks and, in return, received stock and cash for favorable action in Congress. Investigated, he left office when President Grant refused to have him on the ticket again as his running mate. Colfax took off on the …Prairie Wind, never to be seen in politics again.

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http://www.colfaxne.com/

Leigh (population 400) 31 Miles

Leigh lays claim to important events, such as collecting 13,440 DOZEN eggs to Fremont from the surrounding Open Spaces…. Leigh also claims the distinction of being the home of “Dazzler,” the world’s largest hog. Dazzler was the first of his species to ride the …Prairie Wind in an airplane!

http://www.cityofleigh.com/

Clarkson (population 626) 36 Miles

Here we go yet again!! Clarkson, the town, was moved in order to be where the railroad ran, a couple of miles away. The folks that settled this area were looking for something different in the Open Spaces… than their homeland of Bohemia held. Garden Club enthusiasts arrive yearly on the …Prairie Wind to view the blooms in the trial gardens of the Bluebird Nursery, Nebraska’s largest producer of bedding plants.

http://www.ci.clarkson.ne.us/

Schuyler (population 6, 143) 57 Miles

Established on the Mormon Trail, later the Military Road, Schuyler was originally a depot, water tower and fuel storage area on the Union Pacific rail line. The town started to thrive when the cattle drives from Texas brought the “doggies” up to Schuyler to catch a ride on the railroad. During a rainstorm, several hundred cattle were spooked and hungry settlers to the South found many of the cattle on the Open Spaces… south of the river and butchered them, starting the tradition of beef packing in the area that continues to this day. Being on the mainline of the Union Pacific Railroad, Schuyler braces itself as the whistles blow day and night disturbing the …Prairie Wind.

http://schuylernebraska.net/

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Butler County line (county population 8,312) 60 Miles

No one is quite sure who Butler County is named after; there are two stories, both of whom involve politicians. We are hoping NOT to see in the Open Spaces… a reoccurrence of the Great Prairie Fire of 1872 that burned the entire county, fanned by the …Prairie Wind.

http://www.co.butler.ne.us/

Octavia (population 126) 64 Miles

Octavia is a place of settlers. No really, the original inhabitants were on their way to Colorado to pan gold and met people returning, telling them they were wasting their time. The prospective miners then sat down in the Open Spaces… and decided they were going to put a town right where Octavia now sits. The village has seen a time of great prosperity and the agony of growing smaller, but the community is committed to making the best of what they have that hasn’t already disappeared like the invisible …Prairie Wind.

DAVID CITY (population 2,900) 73 Miles

Originally called “David’s City,” David City was named when absolutely NOTHING existed in the Open Spaces… in the middle of the county. Designated to be the county seat, David’s City was named after the Davids family who donated a speck of ground on which to build a court house. David City has had its share of distinguished people that felt the blowing …Prairie Wind on their faces. Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, was born here, as was Ruth Etting, a torch singer of the 1920’s who recorded many songs and appeared in many movies. Other dignitaries include artist Dale Nichols; maker of string instruments of the violin family David Wiebe; and Leo Bongers .

http://davidcityne.com/

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Bruno (population 98) 11 Miles

Welcome to Skull Creek Station, the original name of this whistle stop. This community in the midst of the Open Spaces… of the “Bohemian Alps” was settled by immigrants of Czech origin. Bruno is a town that “loves to party,” and regardless of the blowing …Prairie Wind, the Bruno Fall Festival (originally known as the “Legalized Beer Celebration”) is known as an opportunity to lift a stein or two.

Saunders County line (county population 20,929) 15 Miles

Welcome to Calhoun…whoops, Saunders County. Originally named for vice-president and senator John C. Calhoun, the honor was removed during the Civil War (Calhoun was an inspiration to secessionists), and the county was renamed for the territorial governor, Alvin Saunders. Something about the Open Spaces… attracted people from Sweden, Bohemia, Germany and Czechoslovakia to overlook the …Prairie Wind and settle into small rural communities.

Prague (population 298) 20 Miles

Very proud of their Czech ancestry, the town was named for the capital of Bohemia. You would be in need of Open Spaces…, too, if you had had to eat Prague’s “world’s largest kolache,” made from 700 pounds of dough, 250 pounds of cherry filling, and weighing 2,605 pounds when done. Apparently, they didn’t know to wait until BRAN riders were coming through this year on the …Prairie Wind! What a fundraiser that could have been!

http://www.pragueproud.com/

Cedar Bluffs (population 601) 36 Miles

Built on land sold to the town site company for $40, the community began to take shape beginning in 1886. Although it sat in the Open Spaces…, Cedar Bluffs was a “getting on” spot for taking the train to either Fremont or Lincoln. When the

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railroads pulled out after the end of World War II, the town suffered and almost vanished as dust in the ….Prairie Wind.

Colon (population 110) 43 Miles

OK, last time, we promise! Colon moved not once, but twice in the Open Spaces… of Saunders County. They couldn’t make up their minds where to place the town. That must have been a pain in the…Colon. In 1920, there was a terrible fire that destroyed half the town’s commercial property. Being a progressive community, however, Colon later became the first town in Saunders county to have dial telephones, so they no longer had to shout over the …Prairie Wind.

WAHOO (population 4,512) 50 Miles

It’s alright, go ahead and yell “Wahoo” at the ending location on the Saunders County Fairgrounds. It’s in the Open Spaces…on the southeast corner of town. This is the only WAHOO in the world, and that’s why we are finishing here. Wahoo was the center point of three merging railroads that brought people to the area to settle. We hope the journey here has been a great one for you, too, and that you have enjoyed the trek with the …Prairie Wind as your companion.

BRAN 2016 RIDER’S GUIDE Page 20 of 20