Belmont, Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Belmont
Evergreen City (former)
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Belmont, looking east, September 2012
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| Etymology: Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad official | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Dawes |
| Elevation | 4,498 ft (1,371 m) |
| Population
(Late 1920s)
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| • Total | ~ 80 |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
Belmont is a semi-ghost town in Dawes County, Nebraska, United States. It's about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of Crawford. The town started around 1889. This was because of the building of the Belmont Tunnel.
Belmont was first called Evergreen City. But when the town was officially mapped out in 1890, only a few plots of land were sold. Belmont had its largest population of about 80 people in the late 1920s. The number of people living there started to drop during the Great Depression. Also, better cars made it easier for people to shop in bigger towns nearby. The railroad stopped carrying passengers in 1969, which also hurt the town.
Contents
Belmont's Past: How It Started and Changed
Shortly after Dawes County was formed in 1885, two areas in its southwest were named Evergreen Precinct. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad built a train line through this area from 1888 to 1889. They needed a tunnel because of the deep canyons there.
Building the Belmont Tunnel
A construction camp was set up near the tunnel site. By the time the railroad reached this temporary community, called Evergreen City, about 200 men were working on the tunnel.
Why the Name Changed to Belmont
When residents asked for a post office, their request was turned down. This was because another Evergreen City already existed in Nebraska. So, the railroad renamed the stop Belmont. It was named after one of their officials. The Belmont post office opened on November 9, 1889. It stayed open for 67 years before closing on May 11, 1956.
Challenges and Growth in Belmont
The area faced a drought and money problems in 1890–1891. Over the next ten years, the number of people in the Evergreen Precinct dropped by more than half. Because of this, after Belmont was mapped out in 1890, only five blocks were sold by 1893.
However, by World War I, the local economy started to get better. Belmont reached its highest population in the late 1920s. About 80 people lived there. At that time, Belmont had two general stores, two churches, a lumberyard, a brick school, and many homes.
Belmont's Decline: Why It Became a Ghost Town
Sadly, the Great Depression caused Belmont to start shrinking. Better cars meant people could easily go to bigger towns to shop and sell their farm products. Belmont's last store burned down in 1949 and was never rebuilt.
Also, Belmont depended a lot on the railroad. But the railroad stopped passenger service in 1969. This was because more people were using cars to travel. Belmont's train station closed soon after.
Today, Belmont is just a small group of buildings on a gravel road. Some old buildings are still there. These include the Belmont Tunnel, which trains no longer use, and the old Belmont School. The town cemetery is also still there.
Belmont School: A Center for Learning
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School District 39 was created on September 13, 1888. Its first school building was a small wooden one. It was built west of Belmont a year later. By the 1926–1927 school year, the building was old and too small. So, a new two-story brick school was built in Belmont in 1927. The old school building was moved and turned into a place to store grain.
The Belmont school stopped teaching high school classes in 1948. It started teaching Kindergarten in the fall of 1949. The school was also a place for town meetings and community dinners. It stayed open until 2008. Then, it joined the school district of Crawford. The building was sold in 2010. It is now being turned into a private home. This is true even after a fire caused by lightning in 2013.
