History of Spalding, Nebraska

Welcome to Spalding, a town where no one is a stranger.

We are a town of about 590 very friendly folks who are just waiting for an opportunity to tell you about our village; not only tell you but also take you on a tour.

This locality was first known as Halifax.   A post office was established in September 1875 on the homestead of William and Julianne Bellmore.   Mr Bellmore named the post office after his home town of Halifax, New Jersey.

In 1879 the Catholic Colonization Society purchased 25,000 acres of land in Greeley County; and the Irish, working in miserable conditions in the coal mines of Pennsylvania, were encouraged to come to the fertile plains of central Nebraska.   Around the turn of the century, 75 percent of the population was Irish, the balance being German, Belgian and Polish.

On May 20, 1881, the name of the community was changed from Halifax to Spaulding in honor of the Catholic Prelate, John Lancaster Spaulding.   The spelling was changed to Spalding on September 24, 1884.

The first frame building in town was a little store opened by O’Donnell in 1880.   The building later became part of the Spalding Hotel.   The second store building was built by Tom and Robert Fox.   The first frame houses in the area were built by Vincent Glaser with lumber hauled from Scotia.

	On our tour of Spalding, we will first visit St. Michael's Catholic Church.    Work was started on the present St. Michael's in 1909 and dedicated in 1914.   It was the largest Catholic Church west of the Mississippi River and could seat 1500 people.   The church was renovated in 1998 with the roof completely redone, and the interior restored to and beyond its original beauty.   St. Michael’s was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1983.
	Next we will stop by the Spalding Dam, Power Plant, and golf course that are also on the National Register.   The cement dam was built in 1923 to replace the original structure, which was made of logs, mud and brush.    It not only was used for power to grind flour and feed but to furnish power for electricity to be used in the village.   The Dam was in operation until 1993 when it was closed for restoration because water was getting under the structure causing sedimentation problems.   The rehabilitation began in 1994 and was finished in 1998.   The seventeen-acre holding pond was mechanically dredged to a depth of six feet to allow small boats to use the areas for fishing and boating
	The golf course was originally established in 1921.  Due to a flood in 1934 the course was abounded until 1989 when the popularity for the game came back.   The course consists of nine holes and is said to be one of the most challenging small courses in the area.   The congeniality and friendly atmosphere make for a large turn out all golfing season.    Next to the golf course, a park was a built with picnic tables, camping and fishing areas, plus walking trails.   This area is very popular during camping season.
	Next on our tour will be the Presbyterian Church.   The present church, dedicated in 1921, is described by the Nebraska State Historical Society as a well-preserved stucco church with a corner entry tower and eclectic stylistic details.
	There are several Spalding homes on the Nebraska Register of Historic Places.   The first one we will visit is the home of Bill and Maureen Thome.   This house, located just outside the city limits, was built for Michael Sullivan.   Mr. Sullivan was the first county commissioner to serve the Spalding area.
	Next is what is known as the Carlin home located on the corner of Walnut and W. Sullivan Streets and was built from bricks that were manufactured here in Spalding.
	The Ruth Smyth house at the extreme north end of Margaret Street....
	and the home of Dr. Ross Mosier located at the east end of Sullivan Street are also built from Spalding bricks.
	The Klein home located at the south end of Elm Street was built from cement blocks made by John Klein, Sr., the father of the present owner.   There are many homes in Spalding that are listed in The Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey.   This booklet may be found in the Spalding Public Library.

The Village has recently purchased the Microfilm of the Spalding Enterprise, our local newspaper, and a Reader Printer.   This will permit those interested in the history of Spalding to follow its development from 1901 through 1998.

We hope you have enjoyed your tour of Spalding and that you have found we are a friendly, caring community. Please know we are anxious and willing to help in any way we can.

Thank you,

Cora Esch
Spalding Historian