Enjoying the Area

South Central Nebraska is the land that inspired Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather to write:

“There is something frank and joyous and young in the open face of the country.”
O Pioneers! Part II Neighboring Fields Chapter I

Natural Attractions

South Central Nebraska has been blessed with abundant natural resources that delight and benefit both residents and visitors to the area.

Rainwater Basin

Clay County is in the middle of the Rainwater Basin which is the name given to the 17 county area in South Central Nebraska that is dotted with shallow marshland basins which attract waterfowl during their spring migration. This Basin, covering almost a 4,200 square mile area, consists of 10,000 acres and approximately 400 wetlands.

These wetlands are depressions in the ground layered with clay which traps rainwater and snow melt and forms natural marshes. These marshes warm quickly in the spring and provide both food and rest to the millions of waterfowl who migrate through the area each spring.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and private conservation groups have worked together to restore drained wetlands and protect existing wetlands in the area. Rainwater Basin wetlands in Clay County include:

Central Flyway for Snow Geese and other Water Fowl

One of the great natural wonders of the world is the migration of water-birds, especially snow geese, from their wintering areas in the south through the center of the United States to their breeding grounds in the north.

This migration path is shaped like an hourglass. Located right in the center and most narrow part of the path is South Central Nebraska and the Rainwater Basin.

The Spring migration of snow geese through Nebraska is unmatched by any other place in North America and the path they take is called the Central Flyway. Waterfowl biologists believe this Midcontinent population of snow geese numbers 6 to 8 million birds.

Truly a bird-watching and waterfowl hunting delight.

Little Blue River

The Little Blue River, bubbling quietly along through South Central Nebraska, provides a geologic separation to the land on either side of the river. The flat fertile Plains lying above the valley are usually to the north side of the Little Blue and provide great agricultural opportunities.

The hilly Dissected Plains, eroded by water and wind, usually lie to the south of the Little Blue River. The steep slopes and sharp ridge crests of this hilly land provides beautiful scenery and wonderful wildlife habitat.

The Little Blue River in South Central Nebraska begins south of Minden and journeys in an east-to-southeasterly direction before leaving the Nebraska state boundary southeast of Fairbury, Nebraska.

The Little Blue River converges with the Big Blue River about 35 miles into Kansas and ultimately empties into Tuttle Creek Lake in northeast Kansas.

Republican River

The Republican River in south western and South Central Nebraska is considered one of Nebraska’s canoe trails. The river is flanked by hilly land with moderate to steep loess slopes and sharp ridge crests. The Republican River Valley is one to two miles wide and is occupied by farmland.

Among the stands of cottonwood and willows are deer, turkeys, beavers, herons, coyotes, foxes and channel catfish in the river.

The Republican River begins in extreme southwestern Nebraska where the North Fork Republican and the Arikaree Rivers out of Colorado converge. It is also fed by the South Fork Republican further east at Benkelman, NE. From there is flows more than 200 miles east through southwestern and South Central Nebraska until it enters Kansas south east of Superior, NE, eventually dumping into Milford Lake in northeast Kansas by Junction City, Kansas.

Clear Night Sky
A pristine, clear night sky, with very little light pollution, can be found in South Central Nebraska - perfect for phenomenal stargazing.

Sunsets
"The beauty of the sunsets compliments the peacefulness of life in"...South Central Nebraska.

Wide-Open Spaces
"The wide-open spaces allow for room to build, expand and enjoy life."

Conserving the Resources of South Central Nebraska

Various governmental groups are dedicated to preserving, protecting and providing access to the natural resources of South Central Nebraska. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 308-236-5015, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 402-471-0641, were previously mentioned as providing such services.

Nebraska Natural Resource Districts

Twenty-three (23) Natural Resource Districts in Nebraska are dedicated to the wise use and conservation of our water, soil, woodlands and wildlife. The primary goals of the Natural Resource Districts are to:

• maintain water quality
• reduce flood potential
• reduce soil erosion
• provide outdoor recreation
• develop/improve fish & wildlife habitat
• educate on natural resources

Natural Resource Districts in the South Central PPD service area include the Little Blue Natural Resource District, 402-364-2145, and the Lower Republican Natural Resource District, 308-928-2182.

Trailblazer RC&D

In addition, the Trailblazer Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council, 402-746-3560, is one of eight councils in Nebraska that tackles issues affecting the vitality of rural communities. The Trailblazer RC&D receives funding from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and includes the service area of South Central PPD. The Trailblazer RC&D is devoted to the environment, tourism and recreation, community leadership, entrepreneurship, and sustainable agriculture.

Man-Made Attractions

Many public and private groups have diligently worked to develop and maintain recreational and educational opportunities in South Central Nebraska.

Golf Courses in South Central PPD service area:

Clay County
Crooked Creek Country Club - Clay Center	402-762-3807
Fox Hollow Golf Course - Sutton	402-773-5365

Nuckolls County
Lawrence Country Club - Lawrence	402-756-7591
Elk Creek Golf Course - Nelson
Superior Country Club - Superior	402-879-3146

Webster County
Blue Hill Golf Course - Blue Hill	402-756-2418
Red Cloud Golf Course - Red Cloud	402-746-2567

Outdoor Adventures

The wide open spaces of the High Plains of South Central Nebraska provide wonderful habitat and hunting opportunities for that elusive pheasant, quail, upland bird, waterfowl or deer— game that thrives in this Rainwater Basin.

To make that hunt more pleasant, accommodating and rewarding, Hunting Lodges and Guide Services have been established in the area in the past few years. Each is unique and caters to those seeking a successful Outdoor Adventure.

Bunker Hill Hunting Resort, 402-463-0483, is located seven miles northeast of Glenvil, NE in part of the historic Naval Ammunition Depot. Rugged and rustic, the igloo-style ammunition bunker accommodations are located in a 2000 acre hunting preserve, of which 1000 acres are dedicated for controlled hunting.

Cadams Hunt Club and Outfitters Lodge, 402-879-3568, north and east of Superior, NE in the remodeled former Cadams Public School building, offers hunting in the heart of Nebraska’s ringneck pheasant country on 1200 acres of private controlled shooting and/or 5000 acres of available land for wild bird hunts. A showpiece of the operation is the comfortable lodge and a 14 run kennel for the bird dogs.

Deer Creek Hunt Club, 402-746-5123, southeast of Red Cloud, five miles north of the Kansas border on the Republican River, is headquartered in a remodeled farmhouse that was originally built in 1909. In addition to this house for lodging, the Deer Creek Hunt Club has an adjacent hunting lodge, 500 acres dedicated to controlled shooting and 1000 leased acres for wild bird hunts.

Rainwater Basin Adventures,402-224-5515, located northwest of Edgar, NE, is a family-run hunting operation using a remodeled farm building as its spacious and relaxing hunting lodge. Associated with a farming operation of 5000+ acres, there is abundant habitat for the cagey ringneck pheasant in this “hunter’s paradise”. Whitetail deer hunts are also a specialty of this hunting service as these deer live in the thick bedding timber of the Little Blue River valley and creeks in the area.

Recreation Areas

The Little Blue NRD maintains and manages Liberty Cove located 2 miles west, 2 miles south, ¼ mile west of Lawrence, NE.

This recreation area consists of 36 acres of water and 247 acres of land for hiking, picnics, boating, fishing, swimming, camping sites, horseback riding, small game hunting.

The primary benefits of this project are flood control, road and bridge protection, outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife habitat.

Swimming Pools

Clay County
Clay Center	402-762-3403
Edgar	402-224-5035
Sutton	402-773-4706

Nuckolls County
Nelson	402-225-4211
Lawrence	402-756-7163
Superior	402-879-3895

Webster County
Red Cloud	402-746-3399

Car Racing

Red Cloud Speed Bowl - 402-746-2312

Sports

Every school and community in South Central Nebraska fields and supports their home-town athletic teams.

Throughout the year you can find competitive sports events with dedicated participation by the local sports players and fans. There is nothing better than attending a sports event where the entire community turns out to cheer their players to victory. Come to South Central Nebraska and become a “fan.”

Historical Attractions

South Central Nebraska has a rich legacy of involvement in history-making events that shaped our country.

The Oregon Trail, the Pony Express and the railroads—historic corridors that passed through South Central Nebraska—provide a connection of people and places with these historical attractions.

The Oregon Trail started from Independence, Missouri, followed the Kansas River west and then the Little Blue River north into Nebraska. The quarter million pioneers that used this trail from 1841 to 1869 traversed Nuckolls County in South Central Nebraska as they followed this 2000 mile trail to Oregon. Many historical markers, sites and events celebrate the passage of this famous trail through the area of South Central Nebraska.

The Pony Express followed the same Oregon Trail route through South Central Nebraska in delivering mail between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. The fabled Pony Express only ran for 18 months, from April 3, 1860 to late October, 1861, as a means of drawing public attention to the dreams of the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company in gaining the million dollar government mail contract.

The completion of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1869 marked the end of the Oregon Trail and the need for the Pony Express. The history of the Union Pacific Railroad began while it was still common for many travelers to walk alongside their wagons across the Great Plains of Nebraska following this Oregon Trail. Today, the Union Pacific Mainline continues to follow the Platte River across the State of Nebraska with the southern branch of the UP mainline bisecting Clay County as it heads for Marysville, Kansas from the switching yard in Hastings, NE. The towns of Glenvil, Fairfield, and Edgar in the South Central PPD service area are on this Union Pacific line and share in the legacy of the UP railroad.

Catherland/Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial - The western half of Webster County was officially proclaimed as “Catherland” by the Nebraska State Legislature in 1965. The Willa Cather Pioneer Memorial has preserved and restored sites in Red Cloud, NE, important to the life and works of Willa Cather, a native of Red Cloud, NE.

The historic Naval Ammunition Depot (NAD) was the largest Navy ammunition plant (48,743 acres) in operation during WWII and is located in part of Clay County on Highway 6, east of Hastings. As part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s “Arsenal of Democracy”, construction on this military installation for the production and storage of bombs, mines and ammunition began within a matter of months after the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on Dec. 7, 1941. Many buildings and storage bunkers can still be viewed while driving through the grounds.

Starke Round Barn, located east of Red Cloud, NE, is Nebraska’s largest round barn.

Museums

Historical museums exist in South Central Nebraska that preserve and display the rich legacy of the area.

State Historical Site

The Nebraska State Historical Society operates a state-wide network of history facilities. The Willa Cather State Historic Site is located in Red Cloud and pays tribute to the Pulitizer Prize-winning author who grew up in the area. The historic site includes six period structures that influenced her writing, including her childhood home, the Catholic and Episcopal churches, the Garber Bank, the Burlington Depot and the Pavelka Farmstead.

Historical Markers

The State of Nebraska Historical Society has erected the following markers in Clay, Nuckolls and Webster counties in South Central Nebraska to describe historical events and/or locations in the area.

Events

Many of the rural communities in South Central Nebraska have wonderful festivals and events that provide family-oriented fun for everyone. For more information, visit http://www.VisitNebraska.org or call the Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism for a catalog of events, 1-877-NEBRASKA, to find that special event for you and your family.

Lodging Facilities

Many charming facilities exist in South Central Nebraska that will accommodate your visit and make your stay in the area very enjoyable.

Motel & Hotels

Meeting Rooms/Halls

Many facilities are available in South Central Nebraska to accommodate your meeting, reunion and get-together needs.

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