26 March 2010

Birdly Depictions of Historic Nebraska

These are some interesting pastoral scenes of historic Nebraska which feature birds in a variety of unique ways.

View of Hamilton County, south of Central City.

Platte River, south of Silver Creek.

Platte River and prairie, Merrick County.

Platte River near North Bend, Dodge County.

Platte River, near Central City.

Platte River valley, near Grand Island.

Loup River, near Columbus.

Charles Dana Wilber. 1881. The Great Valleys and Prairies of Nebraska and the Northwest.

1 comment:

semicolin1 said...

I didn't originally see the reference at the bottom of the page. Very interesting historical account. I think the following excerpt shows the sentiment that eventually led to increased settling and eventually the dust bowl:

Prof. Cyrus Thomas, of Hayden's survey, says:
" All this, it seems to me, must lead to the conclusion that since the
Territory (Colorado) has begun to be settled, towns and cities built up,
farms cultivated, mines opened, and roads made and travelled, there has
been a constant increase of moisture. Be the cause what it may, unless
it is assumed that thiere is a cycle of years through which there is an increase,
and that there will be a corresponding decrease, the fact must be
admitted upon the accumulated testimony. I, therefore, give it as my
firm conviction that this increase is of a permanent nature, and not periodical,
and that it has commenced within eight years past, and that it is in
some way connected with the settlement of the country, and that as the
population increases the moisture will increase." (p. 161)

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