Purple Cane, Nebraska facts for kids

Purple Cane is a small, former community in Dodge County, Nebraska, United States. It's not a town anymore, but it was once a busy place. Today, you can still find a cemetery and two special markers that tell its story.

Where is Purple Cane?

Purple Cane is located in Dodge County, Nebraska. It sits on a bluff, which is like a small cliff, north of the Platte River. It's about five miles west and four miles north of a town called North Bend. For about 30 years, from 1872 to 1902, Purple Cane was shown on most maps of Nebraska.

The Story of Purple Cane

The area where Purple Cane grew was first settled in 1858. An immigrant from Ireland named Edward Johnson built a simple home there. Soon, his brother Michael and brother-in-law David Scott joined him. By 1867, five more families had moved to the area.

The community officially got its name in 1872. A man named Samuel R. Mason asked for a post office for the area. He decided to name the community "Purple Cane" because of the purple cane raspberries that grew in his garden. By the 1870s, most of the land around Purple Cane was claimed by settlers.

Learning at School

In 1867, a school district was created for Purple Cane. It was called School District #7. A school building was built using wood brought from Fremont, Nebraska. Thomas Spence was the first teacher.

The school moved a couple of times over the years. In 1875, it moved to the nearby Hughes farm and was made bigger in 1894. Then, in 1904, it moved again to land owned by George Thrush, and a new school building was put up. In 1932, the school had 9 students.

Sending Mail: The Post Office

Samuel R. Mason applied for a post office in 1872, and it opened on April 15, 1872. The post office was just a box with a lid that hung on the wall of Mr. Mason's home. Mail was brought from North Bend to Purple Cane twice a week.

Later, the post office moved to Jane Avery's home. She was the postmaster from 1886 until the post office closed in 1892. In 1928, a special monument was put up to mark where the first Purple Cane post office was located.

Community Churches

The Purple Cane Methodist Episcopal Church started in 1869. Andrew Quigley gave land for the church, and a building was finished and opened in 1886. Sadly, the church was destroyed by fire in 1894, but it was rebuilt in the same year!

In 1925, a large gymnasium was added to the church property for everyone in the community to use. By 1920, the church had 160 members. However, over time, fewer people attended, and the church closed in 1964. The church building and its items were sold in 1980. A stone marker now shows where the church once stood.

Another church, the Plymouth Presbyterian church, was started in September 1890 by Edward Johnson, John Ruff, and J. G. McVicker. It was built on Edward Johnson's property and was active until 1912.

Resting Place: The Cemetery

The first person buried in the Purple Cane cemetery was Mrs. John McCarthy in 1873. The Purple Cane Cemetery Association was formed in 1881. They bought land for the cemetery just south of where the Methodist church was built.

In 1916, a very important businessman named Alexander Legge gave $1,000 to the cemetery association. He was the president of the International Harvester Corporation. This money helped create a fund to take care of the cemetery forever. The people living in Purple Cane also raised money, and the cemetery was improved with sidewalks and a fence.

Important Person from Purple Cane

• Alexander Legge (1866-1933) was a very successful American business leader.