"Except for the occasional Indian or white hunting parties, the scenic valley
of the Big Blue River was seldom visited prior to 1860. The establishment of the
Nebraska City-Fort Kearny Cutoff in 1861 brought through the region thousands of
overland freighting outfits, which crossed the river several miles south of
here. Road Ranches were soon established along the trail, and scattered
settlement began shortly thereafter. The Big Blue River played an important role
in the history of the area and provided the necessary power for numerous water
mills used in grinding grain for pioneer farmers. In the early years of the 20th
Century, its waters provided energy for the first primitive electric plants.
While spring floods are common in the area damage is usually minimal due in
part to the limited drainage of the river. This pleasant, rural valley is only
twenty miles west of Lincoln, the state capital of Nebraska. Those traveling
east will soon see Nebraska's Capitol, the "Tower of the Plains," designed by
Bertram Goodhue and recognized as one of the architectural masterpieces of the
world. Little more than a cluster of homes on the prairie when chosen as the
state capital in 1867, Lincoln has developed into a major Nebraska cultural and
population center." ~ marker text
Department of Roads
Nebraska State Historical Society
Milford Rest Area, I-80 East
Seward County
Marker 180