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Miles Ranch
History of Dawson, Nebraska
The Miles Ranch, part of which lies within Grant township, and
Dawson, its nearest town, was the first ranch in the west. It
came about with a grant from the United States Government of several
thousand acres of land, and a contract with Stephen B. Miles to
transport the mail between Independence, Missouri, and Salt Lake
City, Utah, by pony express and a stage line in 1855. More acres
were added from time to time until it was composed of several
thousand more acres and became the showplace of southeast Nebraska.
A post office was established in the first crude home.
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The ranch was a city unto itself, employing many men to
do the work. Even rope was made there for the needs of caring
for the horses that were used by the riders and the stage
drivers. The ranch was a rest and recuperation place for
the stock needed to operate these businesses for Mr. Miles.
Homes were built for the hired men and their families. Food
was raised and processed for all these families and the
Miles family.
In 1871 Mr. Miles withdrew from the mail contract. Cattle
raising and feeding became the main industry and new records
were set in the cattle markets. A mammoth cattle barn was
built, an elevator with a capacity of 10,000 bushels of
grain, a sawmill and a blacksmith shop, all for the work
needed on the ranch, and a water system supplying the home
and out buildings. Huge silos were built, three of them,
in later years, the first seen in this part of the country.
The effort to top the market in Kansas City was usually
successful.
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Sign of Miles Ranch Entrance new Dawson
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Two story bunkhouse and home
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When a new home was needed for the Miles family, lumber
was ordered from St. Joseph, Missouri, which was sent up
the river to Rulo and hauled to the ranch by teams and wagons,
there being no railroad in Dawson at that time. The best
of everything was bought for woodwork, furniture, rugs and
other household details. Even a piano for the parlor was
ordered from St. Louis. Mr. Miles owned the first top buggy
in the country and a team of coal black horses, all bought
in St. Louis and shipped by boat to Rulo and brought overland
from that port.
Stephen B. Miles passed away in 1898. Since then major
portions of the Miles Ranch have passed into other hands,
however there are still many acres of the original ranch
owned by heirs of S. B. Miles and the big house built in
that early day is still in use.
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Old wooden peg bank barn
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Two left of the original silos to hold feed for early
cattle operation on Miles Ranch
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(This account of the Miles Ranch was written by Mrs. Elma Heim
Griffiths in 1976 for the Dawson Bicentennial.)
All pictures taken by Bob Williamson, Sunday April 10, 2005
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