Hooker County Courthouse, Mullen, NE (2)
**Hooker County Courthouse** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 89002218, date listed 1/10/1990
Cleveland Ave. between Railroad and 1st Sts.
Mullen, NE (Hooker County)
Built in 1912, the Hooker County Courthouse is an good, intact example of the Property Type, County Citadel. The courthouse has features uncommon for Nebraska courthouses, such as Chicago Style windows, yet carries a number of elements that reveal it to be a county courthouse.
Hooker County is located in west central Nebraska in the heart of the Sand Hills. As such, it was not settled until the 1880s when settlers established cattle ranches in the area. A factor in spurring settlement was construction of a railroad through the county in 1887, a line connecting Billings, Montana with St. Louis.
In 1889, two years after rail construction, county residents successfully petitioned to organize the county, and elections were held the same year. The present county seat, Mullen, was and is the only town in the county. It was platted in 1888 at a site one mile west from the present location, likely in expectation of receiving rail service. However, the town founder apparently refused to sell enough land to the railroad for rail yards, and the company placed its depot grounds at the present site. The original Mullen failed to thrive without rail connections.
For the sum of one dollar , the county acquired the present courthouse site. County officials built a small one-story wood frame courthouse and a separate jail in 1889. (1)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...
Hooker County Courthouse, Mullen, NE (2)
**Hooker County Courthouse** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 89002218, date listed 1/10/1990
Cleveland Ave. between Railroad and 1st Sts.
Mullen, NE (Hooker County)
Built in 1912, the Hooker County Courthouse is an good, intact example of the Property Type, County Citadel. The courthouse has features uncommon for Nebraska courthouses, such as Chicago Style windows, yet carries a number of elements that reveal it to be a county courthouse.
Hooker County is located in west central Nebraska in the heart of the Sand Hills. As such, it was not settled until the 1880s when settlers established cattle ranches in the area. A factor in spurring settlement was construction of a railroad through the county in 1887, a line connecting Billings, Montana with St. Louis.
In 1889, two years after rail construction, county residents successfully petitioned to organize the county, and elections were held the same year. The present county seat, Mullen, was and is the only town in the county. It was platted in 1888 at a site one mile west from the present location, likely in expectation of receiving rail service. However, the town founder apparently refused to sell enough land to the railroad for rail yards, and the company placed its depot grounds at the present site. The original Mullen failed to thrive without rail connections.
For the sum of one dollar , the county acquired the present courthouse site. County officials built a small one-story wood frame courthouse and a separate jail in 1889. (1)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...