First place in Nebraska where white people farmed. The Army proved that eastern crops could thrive in Nebraska. Also the first time a dairy herd and other farm animals were introduced to Nebraska.
First white women to make their home in Nebraska were the laundresses who worked at the fort. Many women lived at the fort. The wife of an enlisted man could live there if she worked as a laundress. A few unmarried women also worked in the laundry. Officers' wives did not have to work.
First brickyard in Nebraska.
A panorama view of the reconstructed interior of the Ft. Atkinson Powder Magazine,
originally built out of bricks from the local brickyard.
Source - NETV. You can move around a QuickTime VR panorama of the Fort,
including the Powder Magazine, here. You'll need the QuickTime Player.
First bowling alley.
First library that included several hundred books. Fines of 2-cents a day were charged for overdue books.
First school. A grade school was taught by a soldier who received 15-cents a day for each student. At the time, children usually went to school for just a few terms. Class hours were 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., October through May. Still, education was thought to be important, and soldiers got into trouble if they didn't send their children to school.
First sawmill and grist mill for grinding wheat into flour.
First detailed record of Nebraska weather taken. These records included wind speed and direction, temperature, and rainfall.
Click this button to print this page of the story.
Forts Built to Protect Settlers
