SHOOTEN' THE BREEZE EXPLORING THE OUTLAW TRAIL www.nebraskaoutlawtrail.org April 2007 BOYD COUNTY Continuing our trip west along the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway brings us to Boyd County. Before statehood outlaws found the canyons of what is now Boyd County a safe haven to hide both themselves and their plunder. One well known hideout was Horse Thief Gulch which lies along the Niobrara River. Boyd County was not opened for settlement until 1889 as it was part of the Ponca Indian Reservation. Until 1895 when the state line between Nebraska and South Dakota was accurately surveyed, settlers living in the “Three Mile Strip” did not know which state they were living in. Monowi is the first town on the Outlaw Trail after entering Boyd County. Monowi has a population of ONE and boosts a public library!! The library was the fulfillment of the late Rudy Eiler’s (Elsie’s husband) dream. A library where books are checked out on the honor system - no cards or deadlines involved. Tiny Monowi and its library has been featured in international, national and local newspapers. Elsie Eiler, sole inhabitant, owner/cook/bartender and mayor of the Monowi Bar has also welcomed and entertained hosts from the TV networks. Monowi is also featured in Dennis Kitchen’s book, “Our Smallest Towns” and is pictured on the front cover. Rudy, acted as a guide for film crews filming scenes on the Missouri River north of Monowi for films featuring the Lewis and Clark Expedition for the History Channel. Lynch sits between the Niobrara River to the south and the Missouri River on the north. Both rivers provide ample opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, etc. Old Baldy a/k/a the Tower, the Needle, etc., is a tall bare dome located 6 miles north of Lynch on the Missouri River Bluffs. Historians can prove beyond a doubt that Lewis and Clark actually climbed Old Baldy on their westward expedition. It was on the way back to camp from their climb that they discovered a prairie dog town and captured a prairie dog after carrying water all night and pouring down its hole. Old Baldy sitting on the west end of the Sunshine Bottom, served as a landmark for the furtraders and riverboats traveling the Missouri River. Sunshine Bottom was settled by German Russians that were driven out of their homes in Russia when Katherine the Great came to power. Sunshine Bottom is one of the few areas in Nebraska where the settlement patterns and homes were similar to what they left behind in the Ukraine. Lynch has an RV park complete with a dump station and bathhouse near the highway. The Niobrara Valley House of Renewal is located in the former Catholic hospital and convent and has been revamped for overnight stays, retreats and conferences and is available for rentals for family reunions anf other functions. The Lynn Theatre is a restored movie theatre run solely by volunteers and features first-run movies Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 PM. Movie tickets are adults $4.00 and $2.00 through 12th grade. Lynch also boasts a modern hospital and several doctors and a swimming pool. A modern library with computers available for the public’s use is also operated by volunteers. The Lynch Site, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was a large village of circular earth lodges occupied from approximately 1450 to 1550 A. D. An anthropologist, Dr. Bell, excavated this ancient prehistoric city in 1936. The mounds are still visible in the area and Indian artifacts are still being found. The tiny town of Gross, located 8 miles north of the Trail, was an important and booming town in 1903. The Fort Randall Military Reserve was ten miles north of Gross. Nine Mile Hill and Nine Mile Gulch lead from north of Gross to the Missouri River. Riverboats would unload their cargos at the tiny town of Tower located on the Missouri River north of Old Baldy and then the supplies were hauled by wagon to Gross. From there supplies were taken by team and wagon to Fort Randall and the growing town of O’Neill. Today two of the original buildings exist, The Nebrask Inn and the Community Hall. You can still get a five-cent cup of coffee in Gross. A turn to the south at the junction of the Outlaw Trail and Highway 281, brings travelers to the Spencer hydro-dam on the Niobrara River. Made of straw bales, the Straw Bale Saloon sits on the south side of the bridge. The Outlaw Trail follows the main street of Spencer and turns west to Butte. Tourists failing to make the turn can continue to the Fort Randall Dam in South Dakota. Spencer offers motel rooms and camping facilities. Two scenic formations, the Harvey Buttes, near the Village of Butte, are the source of the name of the community. Butte is the county seat for Boyd County. The former Three-story Saints Peter and Paul Parochial School was converted into a museum and houses an extensive geological collection, and numberous local artifacts. The Butte Community Historical Center and Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Twin Buttes warn travelers they are nearing the town of Naper. A Memorial marker in the cemetery on the north side of the Trail immoralizes the 28 Air Force pilots who lost their lives in a military plane crash on August 3, 1944, south of Naper. The world renown White Horse Ranch is a National Historic Site. The White Horse Ranch was home to the famous White Horse breed and the White Horse Ranch Troupe of trick riders. All animals on the ranch were white. Memorabilia from the troupe and the famous White Horse breed is housed at the Naper Museum in Naper.