OMAHA HISTORY When the Papio didn't flood, soldiers' thirsts kept Fort Crook City wet Stu Pospisil World-Herald Staff Writer Aug 2, 2026 46 mins ago 0 The Fort Crook City depot and the Oakley Tavern, at right, were among the last businesses in the village in 1952. ROBERT BECKMAN, THE WORLD-HERALD Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Stu Pospisil World-Herald Staff Writer Fort Crook City was built for one reason: booze for the troops.kAm“u@FC D2=@@?D 2C6 ?@H @A6? :? E96 G:==286 @7 u@CE rC@@<[ 2?5 E96C6 :D @?6 >@C6 :? D:89E] %96C6 :D ?@E9:?8 5CJ 23@FE u@CE rC@@<[ 2?5 E:>6 H:== 6G:56?46 E96 724E E92E E96 E@H? 92D C646:G65 2 36?67:E]’’k^AmkAm— !2A:==:@? %:>6D[ $6AE] `e[ `ghfk^AmkAm%96 G:==286 H2D H6E[ 2== C:89E[ 36J@?5 36:?8 2 “DFAA@CE E@H?” 7@C E96 pC>J A@DE E92E H2D E96 7@C672E96C @7 ~77FEE p:C u@C46 q2D6]k^Am kAmu@CE rC@@< r:EJ 7=@@565 6G6CJ E:>6 E96C6 H2D 2 4=@F53FCDE :? E96 !2A:==:@? rC66< H2E6CD965]k^Am People are also reading… Locals ask what’s next for Tyson; Pepplitsch says the city is working on it From nonprofit studies to deputy city manager: Bill Brecks steps up to replace Burnside Benefit volleyball tournament raises $5,900 for Dorita Glaze 3 arrested in Friday incident following a traffic stop in Lexington Lexington hit with thunderstorm late Thursday night, reports of 63 mph wind gusts Gill joins Lexington Regional Health Center; here's what patients can expect Weekley and Worm crowned as 53rd Elwood Rodeo royalty Nebraskans are asked to lower flags Saturday for firefighter Nathan Matthews Lexington's Levi Haines wins bull riding event at Elwood Rodeo Heat, humor and housekeeping part of short Lexington City Council meeting Grand Island man arrested for possession of cocaine after traffic stop near Elm Creek Karl Ravech, Cam Newton among those let go at ESPN Paying It Forward: UNK grad Erick Leiva Lopez starts school counseling career in hometown Ex-World Series hero overcame drug and alcohol abuse, says he's a 'changed man' TikToker's chilling video sparks important conversation after her death kAmx? 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E96 ?@CE9H6DE 4@C?6C @7 $2CAJ 2?5 #2:=C@25 H2D E96 D9@HA:646 @7 E96 3FD:?6DD 5:DEC:4E]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm%96 56A@E H2D D@FE9 @7 |2:? @? #2:=C@25[ E96 A@DE @77:46 ?@H 24C@DD E96 DEC66E] p 7@FC\4=2DDC@@> s:DEC:4E c_ D49@@=[ H9:49 @A6?65 :? $6AE6>36C `h_c[ H2D @? E96 D@FE9 6?5 @7 E@H?]k^AmkAmu@CE rC@@< r:EJ’D E6>A6C2?46 >@G6>6?E H2D?’E 8:G:?8 FA[ D66:?8 7:G6 D2=@@?D DFAA@CE65 3J 23@FE g__ D@=5:6CD] xE H2D F?DF446DD7F= :? `h_e E@ 92G6 E96 4@F?EJ C6G@<6 E96 G:==286 492CE6C[ E9FD D9FEE6C:?8 E96 D2=@@?D[ 3FE >256 2 56?E ?@?6E96=6DD] ~?=J EH@ D2=@@?D[ {@HCJ’D 2?5 E96 Ws@=A9X !2=>E28 U2>Aj W*]#] “sF<6”X ~2<=6J’D[ H6C6 @A6C2E:?8 3J E96 ?6IE DAC:?8]k^Am kAmp E@C?25@ <:==65 D6G6? A6@A=6 :? :ED ad\>:=6 A2E9 @? |2J `a[ `h_g[ =62G:?8 {@F:DG:==6 :? D9C65D 2?5 42FD:?8 2? 6DE:>2E65 Sfd[___ :? 52>286 :? u@CE rC@@< r:EJ 2?5 S`ad[___ E@ E96 2C>J A@DE]k^Am kAmx? E96 G:==286[ `_ 9@FD6D H6C6 56DEC@J65] {@HCJ’D 9@E6= 2?5 =:G6CJ DE23=6 H6C6 8@?6[ 9:D D2=@@? D6G6C6=J 52>2865] %96 |:DD@FC: !24:7:4 56A@E H2D =67E DE2?5:?8 3FE 52>2865]k^AmkAm~>292 >@CE:4:2? y@9? p] v6?E=6>2? H2D :? E96 G:==286 5FC:?8 E96 DE@C>] w6 H2D D=:89E=J 3CF:D65[ 3FE E96 9@CD6 H2D 4FE :? EH@ 3J 2 7=J:?8 49F?< @7 D=2E6] y]y] $9@CE 925 @?6 H:?8 @7 9:D 9@FD6 7=:AA65 @G6C[ E96 @E96C 92=7 C6>2:?:?8 @? E96 7@F?52E:@?] w:D 96? 9@FD6 H2D =:7E65 FA 2?5 3=@H? 2A2CE[ 3FE E96 96?D @? E96:C ?6DED H6C6 F?5:DEFC365]k^Am The 1908 Sarpy County tornado ripped through Fort Crook City during its path from Louisville through Bellevue. THE WORLD-HERALD kAmxE H2D 2 9:E E92E 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 G:==286 =@D:?8 faT @7 :ED A@AF=2E:@? 36EH66? E96 `h__ 2?5 `h`_ 46?DFD6D[ E@ a_b A6@A=6]k^Am kAmpE E96 A@DE[ H9:49 925 a[gg_ 6?=:DE65 >6? 2E :ED A62< 367@C6 E96 $A2?:D9\p>6C:42? (2C[ E96 56A2CEFC6 @7 E96 u@FCE9 x?72?ECJ :? `h`b E@ 8@ 27E6C !2?49@ ':==2 @? 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H92E H2D E96? 4@?D:56C65 E96 H@CDE :? 4@>>F?:EJ 9:DE@CJ]k^Am kAmx? `hc`[ H:E9 E96 |2CE:? 3@>36C A=2?E 23@FE E@ 36 :ED ?6:893@C[ C6A=24:?8 E96 7@CE[ u@CE rC@@< r:EJ 96=5 :ED 7:CDE 6=64E:@? D:?46 `h`c 7@C D6=7\8@G6C?2?46] sC] s]{] s:>@?5[ !]y] }@G2<[ t=:K236E9 $E6:?6C[ (]w] y@?6D 2?5 (:==:2> u:EKA2EC:4< yC] H6C6 G@E65 :? 2D ECFDE66D]k^AmkAm%96 C62D@?D H6C6 EH@7@=5 7@C D6=7\8@G6C?>6?Ei E@ 4@?EC@= H92E 3FD:?6DD6D 4@F=5 =@42E6 E96C6 2?5 7@C =:BF@C E@ 282:? 36 D@=5] u:EKA2EC:4<[ H9@ C2? E96 $E2C=:89E !=62DFC6 r=F3[ 2?5 ~2<=6J 2AA=:65 7@C =:BF@C =:46?D6D]k^Am A view of Fort Crook City's Railroad Avenue in 1940. THE WORLD-HERALD kAm$6=7\8@G6C?>6?E =2DE65 @?=J >@?E9D] r@F?EJ 4@>>:DD:@?6CD 56D:8?2E65 E96 G:==286 2D 4@F?EJ =2?5 :? `hca[ :7 ?@E 7@C E96 5:D4@G6CJ E92E :ED :?4@CA@C2E:@? H2D 5:DD@=G65 :? 2 `h`g 6=64E:@? W:E DE@AA65 9@=5:?8 6=64E:@?D 3642FD6 E96C6 H6C6?’E =:BF@C C6G6?F6D E@ 7F?5 E96 G:==286X[ E96? 7C@> =24< @7 @77:4:2= AC@4665:?8D]k^Am kAm~2<=6J’D E2G6C? H2D E96 =2DE 4@>>6C4:2= 3F:=5:?8 E@ 8@[ 8FEE65 3J 2 `hdc 7:C6] %96 4@>>F?:EJ D2H :ED D49@@= 2?5 E96 C2:=C@25 DE2E:@? 4=@D6 :? `he`[ E96 A@DE @77:46 :? `hed]k^AmkAm$A246 {2?6D 3@H=:?8 46?E6C H2D @?6 @7 D6G6C2= 3FD:?6DD6D :? E96 `hd_D 2?5 `he_D 3F:=E @? G:==286 =@ED 2=@?8 u@CE rC@@< #@25[ H9:49 925 366? 2 7656C2= 9:89H2J H96? H:56?65 E@ 7@FC =2?6D 5FC:?8 (@C=5 (2C xx] ~77FEE |@E@C r@FCE :D E96 =@?86DE 4@?E:?F@FD 3FD:?6DD @? E92E DEC:A]k^Am kAms@?’E 8@ =@@<:?8 7@C E96 89@DE E@H? E92E H2D u@CE rC@@< r:EJ] %96 A2E9 7C@> E96 9:89H2J E@ H92E H2D $2CAJ pG6?F6 :D 3=@4<65 @77 3J :C@? 82E:?8] p?5 ~2<=6J’D E2A :D 5CJ]k^Am stu.pospisil@owh.com, twitter.com/stuOWH 0 Comments Locations Omaha Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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