ST. EDWARD
N 41° 34.193 W 097° 51.857
14T E 594688 N 4602645
The Pawnee Indians, whose permanent
earthlodge villages were a few miles to the south, claimed this area for hunting, fishing, and
trapping.
Waymark Code: WM3X4D
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 05/29/2008
Views: 12
For more than ten thousand years the Beaver Valley and surrounding prairie, with their abundant
water and wildlife, nurtured Native Americans. The Pawnee Indians, whose permanent
earthlodge villages were a few miles to the south, claimed this area for hunting, fishing, and
trapping.
On August 14, 1871, A. T. Coquillard, president of the St. Edward Land and Immigration
Company of South Bend, Indiana, purchased 320 acres from the Union Pacific Railroad. A
townsite called "Beaver City" was surveyed, but remained mostly undeveloped as settlement
slowed during the grasshopper plagues of the mid-1870s. Beaver post office was established in
1872 at the sod house of Capt. Robert Hardy, one of the first settlers. In 1874 the post office was
moved to the west side of Beaver Creek and the settlement was renamed Waterville.
The building of a grist mill in 1876-77 attracted settlers and businesses. The present townsite
was platted and named St. Edward in honor of Rev. Edward Sorin, founder of Notre Dame
University. St. Edward was incorporated October 6, 1884. It is the only town so named in the
United States.
St. Edward FCCLA/FHA and Community Foundation
Nebraska State Historical Society
St. Edward City park, adjacent to Nebr. 39
Boone County
Marker 398
Marker Name: ST. EDWARD
City: yes
Web Address if available:: [Web Link]
Roadside: Not Listed
Other: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
Post Pictures:
1. Close up of historical marker
2. Picture of surrounding area (would prefer to have the marker in the picture also). Thanks!