Nebraska history spotlight: Rock County Historical Society Museum

The museum centers around the old Chicago Northwestern Railroad Depot, which the Historical Society acquired in 1968. The depot’s apartment, waiting room, stationmaster’s office, and freight room are filled with historical items from its early days as a busy train station. A vintage caboose sits to the north of the depot.

The museum includes several other structures. The log cabin was built by the Depression-era WPA program in 1938. This project was spearheaded by the Old Settler’s Organization in 1934 to preserve and house a collection of objects pertinent to pioneer ancestors. It is on the east side of the complex, next to the town’s original two-handled pump from Main Street.

Next to the depot is a display of antique farm and ranch equipment, then a one-room schoolhouse, Valley Grove District #17, which was built in 1890 and moved to the museum’s complex in 1973.

St. Michael’s Church was originally built in Stuart in 1897 as St. Boniface. When the congregation outgrew the building, it was sold to Newport, where it remained until 1978. Then it was moved farther west along Highway 20 to its new permanent home with the museum in Bassett.

The West Annex showcases a vintage windmill head, general store, a Chicago-built wagon from 1867, plus ranching and farming equipment, and hunting, fishing, and automotive items, vintage electrical supplies, and antique tools of all kinds. Newport’s original railroad water tank is of special interest.

The museum would not be possible without the many community volunteers contributing their time and talents. In April, the museum holds a Community Outreach Day to clean and display the facility, preparing it for the new season. Last year there were 57 volunteers; this year 33 community members spent a day at the museum. The Rock County Historical Society meets monthly, March through October, and welcomes everyone who would like to attend.

The Rock County Historical Society hosts many community events at the museum. In April 2025, for example, the museum hosted a car show, and then the following week hosted a Family Science Night for elementary students and their parents. Last September, the Society coordinated a Saturday “Fall Craw” in which participants could visit neighboring Keya Paha County Historical Society Museum in the morning, the Rock County museum in the early afternoon, and finish up in Long Pine at the Heritage House Museum. Visitors were given a punch card, and those that visited all three museums were eligible for a drawing for a homemade quilt. This event will be expanded on September 12, 2026, with the inclusion of the Meadville Museum in Brown County and The Coleman House in Ainsworth, also in neighboring Brown County.

In 2026 the museum celebrated America’s 250th birthday by joining forces with the local Masons and the Bassett Arts Council for a celebration at the museum on July 11. The event included singers, the national anthem, a flag salute, and a patriotic ringing of the 1889 Methodist Church bell. Games and activities included cornhole; Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button; face painting; a scavenger hunt; and patriotic coloring projects. A free meal was provided for all in attendance, provided by a Thrivent Financial Grant. Approximately 47 volunteers worked together to make this hot summer day a success and create lasting memories for all in attendance.

The Rock County Museum is located inside the entrance to the Rock County Fairgrounds in Bassett, along West Highway 20. It operates Memorial Day – Labor Day and is open every Wednesday and Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m. Private tours are available year-round by contacting Museum Director Ev Armstrong; call 402-760-0642 or email aearmstrong@warpnetworks.us; or contact Chairman Jim Keller, Vice-Chairman Laurie Andrews, or Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Allen. Check out other details and updates on the Facebook page: Rock County Historical Society Museum.

-Rock County Historical Society, August 2026

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