National Register of Historic Places listings in Cherry County, Nebraska facts for kids

Location of Cherry County in Nebraska

Cherry County, Nebraska, is home to many important places that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This special list helps protect buildings, structures, and sites that are important to the history of the United States. Think of it like a Hall of Fame for historic places!

In Cherry County, there are 13 places currently on this list. These sites include old bridges, a courthouse, a church, and even a ranch. They tell us a lot about what life was like in Nebraska many years ago.

Historic Bridges of Cherry County

Cherry County has several old bridges that are recognized for their history and engineering. Many of these bridges cross the Niobrara River, which is a major river in Nebraska.

Adamson Bridge

The Adamson Bridge was once located on Nebraska Highway 97, southwest of Valentine. It crossed the Niobrara River. While the original bridge might be gone now, it was an important part of the area's transportation history.

Bell Bridge

The Bell Bridge was built way back in 1903! It's one of the oldest surviving bridges in Cherry County and in the entire state of Nebraska. This bridge is a great example of a "Pratt through truss" design, which was a common way to build strong bridges back then. It was also one of only four bridges in the county that survived a big ice melt flood in 1916.

Berry State Aid Bridge

The Berry State Aid Bridge was built between 1920 and 1921. It replaced an older bridge that had survived the 1916 flood. This bridge helped people travel across the Niobrara River, northeast of Valentine.

Borman Bridge

The Borman Bridge is another "Pratt through truss" bridge. It was built in 1916 to replace a bridge that was destroyed during the big flood that year. It's located southeast of Valentine.

Brewer Bridge

The Brewer Bridge is found east of Valentine, also crossing the Niobrara River. It's another one of the historic bridges that played a role in connecting communities in Cherry County.

Bryan Bridge

The Bryan Bridge carries U.S. Route 20 near Valentine. It's a significant part of the area's road network and is recognized for its historical importance.

Twin Bridge

The Twin Bridge crosses the North Loup River northwest of Brownlee. This bridge is another example of the important structures built to help people and goods move across the county's rivers.

Other Important Historic Places

Cherry County Courthouse

The Cherry County Courthouse is located in Valentine, at 4th and Main Streets. This building is where many important decisions for the county have been made over the years. Courthouses are often grand buildings that show the importance of local government.

Dry Valley Church and Cemetery

West of Nebraska Highway 97 near Mullen, you'll find the Dry Valley Church and Cemetery. This site tells the story of early communities and their spiritual life in Cherry County. Churches and cemeteries are often central to the history of rural areas.

Spade Ranch

The Spade Ranch is a historic ranch located northwest of Ellsworth. Ranches like this were very important for the economy and way of life in Nebraska, especially in the past. They represent the state's rich agricultural history.

US Post Office-Valentine

The old US Post Office in Valentine, at 348 N. Main Street, is a special building. It's known for having a unique mural inside, which was created as part of a government art project. Today, this building is used as the Valentine Media Center.

Valentine Public School

The Valentine Public School building, located at 3rd and Macomb Streets, is now operated as a museum. This means you can visit it to learn about the history of education in Valentine and see what old school buildings were like.

F.M. Walcott House

The F.M. Walcott House, at 431 N. Hall Street in Valentine, is a beautiful old home. It's important because of its unique architectural style, which is called "Neo-Classical Revival." It was also the home of F. M. Walcott, who was a very important lawyer and judge in the county.

Images for kids

• 

  The Adamson Bridge site.

• 

  The historic Bell Bridge.

• 

  The Berry State Aid Bridge.

• 

  The Borman Bridge.

• 

  The Brewer Bridge.

• 

  The Bryan Bridge.

• 

  The Cherry County Courthouse.

• 

  The Dry Valley Church.

• 

  The Spade Ranch.

• 

  The Twin Bridge.

• 

  The former US Post Office in Valentine.

• 

  The Valentine Public School building.

• 

  The F.M. Walcott House.