Dakota County, Nebraska - Chapter 11, 1893

Dakota Count)' has siiiiered more from prairie tires than any otlier kind. Years ago when the county was sparsely settled the ravage of tlie prairie fire was indeed, appalling, as it went sweeping over the land uninterrupted, burning the lonely pioneers out of -'house and home," and almost devastating the reo-ion over which it passed. ^^

Probably the greatest prairie fire since the advent ot the pioneers to Dakota county was in the fall of 1867. A strong wind was screeching down from the northwest and darkness had just settled upon the land when the people of the ]VIissouri bottom and Dakota City were startled at a great mass of flames rolling over the hills between Pigeon Creek and Jackson. In a few minutes later the fire dashed down upon the bottom, over the swamp which was covered with grass more than ten feet high. At this time the crash of the flames resembled the roar of distant thunder and the earth and sky was grandly illuminated,it was almost as light as day at Dakota City. In less than thirty minutes the fearful fire had reached the Omaha creek at the old Rathbun place, burning everything that came 111 Its way - many horses, cattle and hogs were burned to death. The next day a wind set in from the south and carried the fire north through Dakota City and through the dense timber then standing between that town and Covington, doing great damage.

A. II. ]^akei-"s residence was burned, in Oniadi, in 1S58 with all Ins bonsehold goods. They had been out attending a party and relurned jnst in time to see their home destroyed.

In 1865 John Montgomery occupied a house in Dakota City as a barn for his horses. wJiich stood on the north side of Br(,)adway. and had formei'ly been used as a residence. Dni-iuLi;' the year it csuglit lire and w^as l)urned, destroying;' two valuable horses l>elouging to Mr. Montgomery,

In the winter of 1868, Jotichini Cesterlin^'s residence, which stood on tlie corner of Hickory and 15th street, in Dakota City, was burned to the ground. This building was the old Rouleaux liouse moved from Oniadl.

The next night aftei- the l)ui'ning of the Oesterling house, the old log Chihiialiiia IJcuse, wliich was occup'ed by Mrs. Peter Goodhue Mas burne(i. It stood on Broadway west of w^iere is located the present Court House.

On the 26th of November 1870 the old Eush, school house in the Meridian district which was made of logs in 1858, was destroyed by lire. It st(»od on the tract of land just west of Geo. Learner's place. Samuel Gamble taught the first scliool in this building,

On the 7th of May, 1871, Dakota City experienced one of the most destructive liies that ever occurred in Dakota county. Thei-e were four estab hshments burned, - C. F. Eckhart's store on the corner of Broadway and 14th street, and John Rhode's shoe shop, Jake Mikeseli's store, David Bales' harnets shop, all west of Eckhart's store and in same block. The

The Ogden House, situated on tlie corner of Walnut and 15th street was completely destroyed by fire, March 14, 1876. Loss ^6,000, insurance ^4,000. This was the old Wm. Lockwood building, erected in 1858.

Briton Willis' large two story house on his farm in Brusliy Bend was destroyed by fire March 27, 1876. This was the John Virden house moved from old Logan.

The SalcMi Evangelical Lutheran church, sitnated three miles directly west of Dakota City was struck by lightning and burned to ashes, Aug. 6, 1886- Another church was immediately erected on the same site.

The greatest fire, in loss of buildings, occured Jan. 30, 1890, in Stanton, where seven saloons, restaurant, etc., were burned to the ground. Total loss, about $40,000. with some insurance.

A fire broke out in Jackson at 1 o'clock Tuesday morning, December 30, 1892, in the merchandise store of Thomas Clark, burning it and an adjacent building, owned by Thomas Hartnett and occupied by Peter Gauthier with a small stock of dry goods and a restaurant in connection. Mr. Clark's goods were all consumed, but Mr. Gauthier's goods were carried into the street. The damage done, including the buildings and goods, is estimated at a})out $2,000, with a light insurance.