Steele City, Nebraska         

History

Steele City, founded in 1873, was named for Dudley M. Steele, president of the St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad which was built through Jefferson County the previous year. The new town, established on land donated by settler Abner Baker, replaced the old town of Freeport and nearby Jenkins Mill, which had harnessed the fall of the Little Blue River in 1867 to grind grain. At one time, there were three mills in the Steele City area. Both Freeport and Jenkins Mill were located just to the south of the present town, on either side of the river.

The railroad was responsible for Steele City's survival and growth. The town grew to a population of nearly 400 citizens by 1890 and a variety of businesses included a pottery plant, cheese factory, lime kiln, drug stores, lumber and furniture stores, two hotels and three liveries, a blacksmith and two grain offices.

Drinking water was a main attraction to many of those who moved to Steele City. Spring Water flowed freely and was piped into horse tanks located on either side of the railroad tracks. People from miles around came to stock up on the "fine" drinking water.

The first official school district in the county was established at Jenkins Mill in 1868. In 1881, a brick school building was constructed on top of the hill in Steele City to accommodate the growing enrollment.

The school burned down in 1912 and a new school was built the next year that was used until 1994 when the district was dissolved. The building was acquired by the Jefferson County Historical Society and now houses a museum, complete with a Steele City School Room.

The first newspaper in the county was the Little Blue which was started at Jenkins Mill. Freeport's Western Sun, and then the Steele City Mail followed it in 1892.

A number of buildings have survived over the years, including Guy Taylor's pharmacy, which now houses the Salty Dog Tavern.

The downtown area has been designated as a national historic district with the stone Baptist church, built in 1882, the blacksmith shop, Hugh Clapp's bank, the stone livery barn and the school building all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings serve as museums and are open in the summer during living history weekends sponsored bye the Jefferson County Historical Society.

The firemen sponsor a consignment sale each spring and the historical society sponsors the annual Steele City Flea Market and Antique Machinery Show the third of each weekend of each September.