OMAHA HISTORY When the Papio didn't flood, soldiers' thirsts kept Fort Crook City wet Stu Pospisil World-Herald Staff Writer Aug 2, 2026 1 hr 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 :? 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E@ E96 ?@CE9 @7 E96 G:==286]k^Am kAm%96 |:DD@FC: !24:7:4 @A6?65 2 DE2E:@?[ :?DE2==:?8 2 E6=68C2A9 H:C6 2?5 2? 286?E]k^Am kAmx? E96 7:CDE J62C @7 u@CE rC@@< r:EJ[ EH@ 9@E6=D 2?5 D6G6C2= 3@2C5:?8 9@FD6D @A6?65 ?62C E96 27@C6>6?E:@?65 D2=@@?D :? E96 3FD:?6DD 5:DEC:4E] #2:=C@25 pG6?F6 H2D @? E96 H6DE D:56 @7 E96 EC24<D[ H:E9 |2:? $EC66E 2?5 $2CAJ pG6?F6 CF??:?8 62DE\H6DE] u@CE $EC66E C2? D@FE9 7C@> $2CAJ]k^Am The weather-beaten Fort Crook City post office in 1948. THE WORLD-HERALD kAmp=G:? !9:==:AD H2D :?DE2==65 2D A@DE>2DE6C[ 9:D @77:46 @FED:56 E96 3FD:?6DD 5:DEC:4E @? E96 D@FE9 6?5] (:== !2EE6CD@? AF3=:D965 E96 7:CDE :DDF6D @7 E96 u@CE rC@@< r:EJ $F? H66<=J] ~9[ J629[ E96 !2A:@ 7=@@565 E96 G:==286 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6]k^Am kAm%@ 36 2? :?56A6?56?E G:==286[ 6?23=:?8 2 D6EE=6>6?E E@ 4@?EC@= =:BF@C 6DE23=:D9>6?ED 2?5 4@==64E =:46?D6 766D[ DE2E6 =2H DA64:7:65 2 A@AF=2E:@? @7 a__ C6D:56?ED] u@CE rC@@< r:EJ 8@E E@ a_a[ H:E9 D@>6 :? E96 E6>A6C2?46\=65 @AA@D:E:@? 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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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