ANTIOCH: POTASH BOOM-TOWN - Nebraska Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Marker reads as follows :

For a few years, the Antioch vicinity was one of the most important potash-producing regions in the nation. Antioch grew from a small village to a town of about 2,000. When the First World War broke out, the United States was cut off from European sources of Potash, which was a component of fertilizer used in the cotton belt. Two University of Nebraska graduates in chemistry developed a method for separating potash from the alkaline lakes of the Nebraska Sand Hills. Large-scale production began in 1916.

The potash-producing brine was pumped from the lakes to reduction plants near the railroads. By the spring of 1918, five plants were in operation in this vicinity. Nebraska potash was used in the manufacture of fertilizer, epsom salts, soda, and other products.

With the end of the war, importation of foreign potash resumed. Because French and German potash could be produced more cheaply than the Nebraska product, the Nebraska potash boom collapsed. The last Antioch plant closed in 1921. Today, the ruins of reduction plants and pumping stations bear mute testimony to the activity which once made Antioch a major potash production center.


Sheridan County Historical Society
Nebraska State Historical Society


Hwy #2, west of Antioch
Sheridan County
Marker 213

Marker Name: Antioch Potash Boom Town Roadside: yes City: Not Listed Other: Not Listed Web Address if available:: Not listed

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1. Close up of historical marker
2. Picture of surrounding area (would prefer to have the marker in the picture also). Thanks!

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/05/2016 SM741 visited it 01/31/2009 k-n-k family visited it 05/20/2008 NevaP visited it

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