The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-05-01
NAME OF ROCK COUNY
DOUGLAS TAKES EXCEPTION TO
RAILROAD BOOK.
1T TOOK NAME FROM CREEK

Book Says, But From Rock Creek
Did the Name Come, According to
Rock County Attorney.
Commenting upon the new book just
published by the Chicago & North.
western and the Chicago, ST. Paul,
Minneapolis & Omaha railways, en-
titled "A History OF the Origin of the
Place Names" j. A. Douglas of Bias
sett, county attorney Of Rock county,
takes exception to the origin of the
name of Rock county, as interpreted
by w, II. Stennet, author of the book.
The book, portions of which were
given to News readers Saturday, says
that Rock county derived its name
from it's "rocky" soil.
Rock county, according to Mr.. Doug.
las, derived its name from Rock
creek.
Commenting on the quotation, Mr..
Douglas writes to The News, in part:
Soil is Good.
Generally speaking the soil of this
county (Rock) is not very heavy,
anu SUN IL ~ lIut lIdJ the DOOItSl
soil we nave is not poorer than some
of the soil in Madison county, and
Madison county ranks as one of the
good counties Of Nebraska. 1t is true
that there are good many sand hills
in Rock county, and there are also
< eat many exceedingly fine valleys
! in it, and for its size no county in
| the state produces more or better hay
! than does Rock county. There is also
4 good deal of excellent farm land in
the county, and in the localities where
the soil is adapted for farming as
good crops can be raised as are grown
| in Madison county.
Great Dairy Country.
A large portion of Rock county is
suitable only for grazing, and no
county in the state has greater pos
sibilities in the line of dairying thar
ii has, area considered. Some rea-
sons for this fact are: Practically
enough grain is raised to supply the
needs of the dairyman and stocliman
there is plenty of hay in all parts of
the county for home use, with thou
/ sands of tons left each year for the
outside markets; there are numerous
small streams, many lakes and under
flow water easily accessible in all
parts of the county, and no county in
the state eXcells Rock county in the
quality, quantity and accessibility in
this regard. The native grasses here
are as good as are the grasses in any
other part of the state of the same
altitude, and even the sand hills fur
nish splendid summer grazing.
People Are Prosperous.
A large per cent of the people II
this county are prospecting because OF
the quality of the soil" and the
many other natural advantages.
The statement concerning the sig
nificance of our countys name i'm
plies that either there is a great dea
of rock in this county or that its sol
is extremely poor. AS above stated
the soil is not all good nor is it al
bad, and in the main it answers very
well for the uses that are being made
of it.
The Real Origin.
1t might be of interest to your read
ers to know why this subdivision O.
the state is known as Rock county
In 1888, and when it was decided b!
the inhabitants of the territory com
prising this county to detach the same
J from Brown county, of which it wa!
a part, and erect new county, Ger
tain formalities had to be observed
and the first step necessary for the
formation of new county out of thu
territory Of the county to which i
then belonged was to present a petit
ton for an election, and in the peti
ton so presented the name Of thu
proposed county was necessary part
A few of the promoters of the new
I county idea met at the village o
Newport to perfect arrangements TO
the circulating of the petition and t.
select a name for the proposed county
and at that meeting it was agreed
that the county should be named afte
a stream of water than which Their,
is no more beautiful stream in all thu
state, to-wit, Rock creek. This stream
has its source in the hay flats abou
seven miles northeast of Bassett, an,
= it flows northward and empties int
2 the NiObrara river. About half wa,
between the source and mouth Of thi
stream is a deposit of EXCEPTIONAL
fine building stone, and undoubtedl
this stream took its name in an earl
=. day from said deposit of rock. o.
this stream is the only real rock quar-
ry in the county, and there are blu
very few places in the county wher
- rock is found at all on or near tn
surface