Rush Creek Ranch is a historic site and cattle ranch located across eight counties in the Sandhills of the Nebraska panhandle on the North Platte River.
| Rush Creek Ranch | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Wells House, located on the ranch | |
| Location |  Nebraska |
| Nearest city | Lisco, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41°25′04″N 102°35′42″W / 41.41778°N 102.59500°W |
| Area | 155,864 acres (63,076 ha) |
| Founded | 1890 |
| Founder | Thomas E. Wells |
| Owner | Wells family |
  Location of Rush Creek Ranch in Nebraska  Rush Creek Ranch (the United States) | |
History
edit.jpg)
After a debtor defaulted on their loan, Thomas E. Wells received several thousand head of cattle as collateral. In 1890, he initially purchased 10,000 acres of land in the Great Plains from the Union Pacific Railroad, establishing Rush Creek Ranch.[1][2]
The ranch spans Garden, Cheyenne, Morrill, Arthur, Sheridan, Cherry, Grant, and Hooker counties of Nebraska.[3] It maintains over half-a-million head of cattle and raises approximately 1,000 Arabian horses.[4] Rush Creek formerly raised salmon.[5]
A relic of the Homestead Acts and Free Soil policies, there are multiple homesteads located across the property.[6]
As of 2025[update], the ranch is still primarily owned by the Wells family through the Rush Creek Land and Live Stock Company.[1][7]
Notable residents
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Customer Highlight: Rush Creek". Points West Community Bank. July 19, 2021. Retrieved 2024-12-22.
- ^ Shumway, Grant Lee (1921). History of Western Nebraska and Its People. Western publishing & engraving Company. p. 263.
- ^ "Rush Creek Land and Live Stock Company". Bridgeport News-Blade. July 1, 1954.
- ^ "Rush Creek Ranch Horses Take Top Honors at Lisco". Alliance Times-Herald. June 24, 1965.
- ^ "Meet Tom Sr., the Pioneer of Points West's Growth". Points West Community Bank. April 7, 2021.
- ^ "Rush Creek Horses". Star-Herald. June 25, 1965.
- ^ Nolin, Robert (August 2, 2013). "Thomas Wells, family owns Riverside Hotel". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-12-27.