In the late nineteenth century the U. S. Coast & Geodetic Survey undertook measurements to determine the nation's physical shape with absolute accuracy. This survey initially involved two triangulation networks. One survey stretched from coast to coast, while another stretched from Mexico to Canada. The north-south survey, known as the 98th Meridian Survey, came through central Nebraska during 1898-1901. Angles from observation towers were turned at night to lights on other towers located many miles apart. The distances between the points were computed mathematically by trigonometry.
To make the triangulation computations, base lines had to be measured precisely on the ground approximately every one hundred miles. One of these important base lines, measuring 5.127 miles, was placed north of Page in 1900 in a SW to NE direction. The ends of this base line were marked with special monuments. In 2007 the monuments were recovered by a group of surveyors. The monument located here once marked the northeast endpoint of the Page Base Line, approximately six miles northeast of Page.
]]>Originally the entire responsibility for highways in Nebraska rested with the counties. In 1917 the Legislature accepted the provisions of a federal law and appropriated money to match federal funds for highway construction. This act marked the beginning of the state highway system.
The route now designated U.W. 281, extending from Mexico to Canada, runs through east-central Nebraska from Webster County in the south through Boyd County in the North. By the mid-1920s all sections of this highway had been laid out in Nebraska. The number "281" was first applied to its entire length in this state in 1933.
In 1929-1930 a section of this road beginning four miles south of O'Neill and continuing to the south fork of the Elkhorn River was the subject of one of a series of federally directed projects to test construction methods for bituminous roads. These roads were covered with a mixture of oil, sand and gravel to a thickness of several inches. Although such a road surface had rarely been used in Nebraska to that time, so successful was the experiment that this bituminous mat became the principal type of paving used in the state until the 1950s. On March 30, 1960, U.S. 281 was formally dedicated as the national "American Legion Memorial Highway."
]]>One of the most colorful leaders in the early development of Nebraska was General John O'Neill, founder of O'Neill. After leading several ill-fated raids against British military posts in Canada, 1866-1871, O'Neill lost his leading position in the Fenians--an American organization promoting Irish independence. Born in Ireland in 1834, he was a U. S. Army Officer from 1857 to 1864, when he became active in the Fenians. In 1871, though in disfavor with the leading Irish-American society, O'Neill did not give up the cause.
Thousands of Irish were leaving troubled Ireland to settle in crowded American cities. O'Neill became interested in founding agrarian colonies in the West. For his first colony, he selected Holt County, on Nebraska's frontier. The first colonists arrived in May 1874, and his fourth and last group arrived in 1877. General O'Neill died the following year, but the town was already the county seat and growing.
Though there were numerous Irish settlements in Nebraska, O'Neill was the largest formal Irish colony. Its citizens have always been proud of their Old World Heritage.
]]>Near here was the scene of some of Nebraska's earliest experiments with flight in a heavier-than-air vehicle. Sometime before late 1907, Martin P. Savidge's sons set out to construct a flying machine.
They began by studying hawks, then went on to build model gliders, then full size gliders, and finally a self-powered airplane. The first public demonstration was successfully held on Sunday, May 7, 1911.
Following this success, the brothers spent five years barnstorming throughout the Great Plains. Matt Savidge was among the first to develop a method of skywriting. During these five years, the brothers built and flew three different biplanes.
After a barnstorming tour through Texas, the brothers returned home in the spring of 1916 to make repairs and adjustments on their plane. During a test flight on June 17, 1916, the plane crashed, killing Matt Savidge.
After this tragedy, the family of the young fliers insisted that they give up their dangerous pastime. Thus ended one of the earliest chapters of Nebraska aviation history.
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