Linoma Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
Linoma Beach, now doing business under the name Linoma Lighthouse, is a privately owned recreation area developed around an artificial lake in Sarpy County, Nebraska
. The site was opened in 1924; in 1939, a 100 feet (30.5 m) lighthouse was added to it. The lighthouse is a conspicuous landmark on U.S. Highway 6 between Omaha
and Lincoln, Nebraska
.
Linoma Beach is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
about four miles (4 miles (6.4 km)) northeast of Ashland, Nebraska
. Quarrying continued until 1915, resulting in a collection of small lakes supplied by underground springs.
In about 1920, Harry E. Schellberg of Lyman-Richey and Lawrence G. Simpson of the Chicago Lumber Company of Omaha established the Inland Development Syndicate, which by 1924 bought portions of Lyman-Richey's holdings near Ashland. In 1924, the syndicate changed its name to the Linoma Realty Company; in that year, it opened the Linoma Beach resort at the old quarry site. The new resort was situated about halfway between and about 30 miles (48.3 km) from Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska's two largest cities; its name is a portmanteau, taken from the first three letters of each of the two names.
The company invested about $10,000 to prepare the site. The sandpit lakes were 50 to 60 ft (15.2 to 18.3 ) deep, and unsafe for swimming; to remedy this, 30000 cubic feet (849.5 m³) of sand was pumped into them. Additional sand was moved to create a beach over 100 feet (30.5 m) wide and extending 600 feet (182.9 m) along the shore. A "model, sanitary bathhouse" was constructed, furnished with "[p]late glass mirrors, electric lights, and many conveniences". Acres of picnic grounds were developed; and a farmhouse on the site was converted into a restaurant, surrounded by a veranda suitable for dancing. The restaurant's first manager was Alfred Jones, a well-known African-American cook from Omaha; at the time, it was unusual for a non-white to hold such a prominent position.
The new resort was accessible by road and by rail. To persuade the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
to stop at Linoma, the developers installed a platform and lighting. Three trains were available on both Saturdays and Sundays; the round-trip ticket from Omaha cost $1.11, and that from Lincoln $1.10.
Motorists could also reach Linoma. In 1911, the Omaha-Denver Transcontinental Route Association had been established in Nebraska as part of the Good Roads Movement
. The Association had laid out the route of the Omaha-Lincoln-Denver (O‑L‑D) Highway and begun work on improving it. In 1920, the highway was incorporated into the Detroit-Lincoln-Denver (D‑L‑D) Highway. The Federal Highway Act of 1921
had directed federal funds for highway improvement; this allowed Nebraska to begin gravelling the D‑L‑D Highway. By 1927, an advertisement for Linoma Beach pointed out that the route was entirely gravelled, and could be driven in all weathers.
Responding to this, Simpson, who bought out Schellberg in 1925, installed a dance pavilion and began charging five cents for dancing; local bands played on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. These were generally but not universally popular: the ministers of Ashland complained of decreased church attendance on Sunday nights. Unsatisfied with the results of a meeting with the Linoma manager, a delegation of three ministers called on the state attorney general, and were gratified to learn that Nebraska had a strict law forbidding Sunday night dancing. However, Simpson found a way to maintain the revenue stream. A perusal of the law revealed that it was illegal to conduct a public dance on Sunday; however, private dance clubs could rent the pavilion and court Terpsichore
with impunity.
The resort, including the evening dances, remained popular. For the 1927 season, the picnic grounds were expanded with the addition of 75 new tables and the planting of 300 maple trees. For weed control, the manager brought in a herd of one hundred sheep. For the 1928 season, the entire recreation area was fenced; this allowed the manager to charge an admission fee of ten cents on Sundays, although admission to the grounds remained free for the rest of the week.
The onset of the Great Depression
did not appear to diminish Linoma's popularity; 1,700 people were admitted on July 4, 1930. However, dancing was becoming less of an attraction. In 1930, dances were only held on one night a week. In 1931, the railroad line and the highway, now designated U.S. Highway 38, were re-aligned following a series of floods. The re-alignment necessitated the demolition of the dance pavilion, and it was not rebuilt.
To entice motor tourists, roadside businesses across Nebraska had installed whimsical and eye-catching structures. Wigwam-themed buildings were constructed in several places in Nebraska, including a motel court in Hastings
and a gift shop in Atlanta
. The Showboat complex near Hastings was built in the likeness of a Mississippi River side-wheeler
, complete with a paddle wheel dipping into the Nebraska sod.
As a waterside attraction, Linoma opted for a maritime theme. In 1939, a 100 feet (30.5 m) lighthouse was constructed beside the highway. The base of the lighthouse was a glass-and-masonry filling station. A central spiral staircase led to observation decks on the second and tenth stories; the tenth-floor deck ran around the lighthouse's beacon. The rooms above the first story have plumbing, stoves, and windows; although there is no documentation to support the conjecture, it is likely that they were intended for overnight guests.
Gasoline rationing during World War II put an end to automobile tourism for the duration of the war. When the war ended, the lighthouse's beacon flashed the Morse code
"V" for "victory". However, Linoma's fortunes declined. The lighthouse fell into disrepair, and the restaurant closed. A drowning in 2005 and another in 2009 led to temporary closures and raised liability concerns for the owners. In 2009, the resort's neighbors complained to the Sarpy County Planning Commission that the site was becoming an eyesore and that loose furniture and other items were being left out by departing summer campers, in contravention of floodplain restrictions.
. The lighthouse was judged especially significant, as representative of a vanishing type of early twentieth century roadside architecture.
In 2010, a group of five local investors operating as Linoma and Lighthouse LLC bought the property at a foreclosure auction for $905,000, an amount well below its tax-assessed value. The group proposed to maintain the campground, seek an operator to lease the restaurant, and hold special events at the resort. They also expressed the intention to transfer ownership of the lighthouse to a foundation established to restore, preserve, and protect it.
In 2011, Linoma Beach was open seven days a week during the season. The campground remained open; the swimming beach was re-opened, without the large iceberg-shaped inflatable floats that had been named as a liability concern in the 2005 drowning; and a beach-themed bar and grill, the Linoma Beach Bar, had been established under the management of a classically-trained and Caribbean-experienced chef. At that time, no one had been found to operate the restaurant. Although inclement weather caused the cancellation of the resort's first special event of the season, attendance was generally good: the 2011 Missouri River floods
had benefitted Linoma by closing a number of riverfront resorts and forcing their clientele to seek new venues of pleasure.
Sarpy County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 122,595 people, 43,426 households, and 33,220 families residing in the county. The population density was 510 people per square mile . There were 44,981 housing units at an average density of 187 per square mile...
. The site was opened in 1924; in 1939, a 100 feet (30.5 m) lighthouse was added to it. The lighthouse is a conspicuous landmark on U.S. Highway 6 between Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
and Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
.
Linoma Beach is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Development
In 1907, the Lyman-Richey Sand Company began extracting sand and gravel from a site on the north bank of the Platte RiverPlatte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
about four miles (4 miles (6.4 km)) northeast of Ashland, Nebraska
Ashland, Nebraska
Ashland is a city in Saunders County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,262 at the 2000 census.- History :Ashland is located at the site of a low-water limestone ledge along the bottom of Salt Creek, an otherwise mud-bottomed stream that was a formidable obstacle for wagon trains on the...
. Quarrying continued until 1915, resulting in a collection of small lakes supplied by underground springs.
In about 1920, Harry E. Schellberg of Lyman-Richey and Lawrence G. Simpson of the Chicago Lumber Company of Omaha established the Inland Development Syndicate, which by 1924 bought portions of Lyman-Richey's holdings near Ashland. In 1924, the syndicate changed its name to the Linoma Realty Company; in that year, it opened the Linoma Beach resort at the old quarry site. The new resort was situated about halfway between and about 30 miles (48.3 km) from Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska's two largest cities; its name is a portmanteau, taken from the first three letters of each of the two names.
The company invested about $10,000 to prepare the site. The sandpit lakes were 50 to 60 ft (15.2 to 18.3 ) deep, and unsafe for swimming; to remedy this, 30000 cubic feet (849.5 m³) of sand was pumped into them. Additional sand was moved to create a beach over 100 feet (30.5 m) wide and extending 600 feet (182.9 m) along the shore. A "model, sanitary bathhouse" was constructed, furnished with "[p]late glass mirrors, electric lights, and many conveniences". Acres of picnic grounds were developed; and a farmhouse on the site was converted into a restaurant, surrounded by a veranda suitable for dancing. The restaurant's first manager was Alfred Jones, a well-known African-American cook from Omaha; at the time, it was unusual for a non-white to hold such a prominent position.
The new resort was accessible by road and by rail. To persuade the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
to stop at Linoma, the developers installed a platform and lighting. Three trains were available on both Saturdays and Sundays; the round-trip ticket from Omaha cost $1.11, and that from Lincoln $1.10.
Motorists could also reach Linoma. In 1911, the Omaha-Denver Transcontinental Route Association had been established in Nebraska as part of the Good Roads Movement
Good Roads Movement
The Good Roads Movement occurred in the United States between the late 1870s and the 1920s. Advocates for improved roads led by bicyclists turned local agitation into a national political movement....
. The Association had laid out the route of the Omaha-Lincoln-Denver (O‑L‑D) Highway and begun work on improving it. In 1920, the highway was incorporated into the Detroit-Lincoln-Denver (D‑L‑D) Highway. The Federal Highway Act of 1921
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921 (Phipps Act)
The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1921, November 9, 1921, ,sponsored by Sen. Lawrence C. Phipps of Colorado, defined the Federal Aid Road program to develop an immense national highway system. The plan was crafted by the head of the National Highway Commission, Thomas MacDonald and was the first...
had directed federal funds for highway improvement; this allowed Nebraska to begin gravelling the D‑L‑D Highway. By 1927, an advertisement for Linoma Beach pointed out that the route was entirely gravelled, and could be driven in all weathers.
Opening
Linoma Beach held its grand opening on July 4, 1924. The company's 1924 financial statement suggests that there were several thousand visitors in that first year (for example, receipts for beach admission totalled $1,236, at 25 cents a person). The resort was popular at night as well as by day, and the nightly dances contributed significantly to its popularity.Responding to this, Simpson, who bought out Schellberg in 1925, installed a dance pavilion and began charging five cents for dancing; local bands played on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. These were generally but not universally popular: the ministers of Ashland complained of decreased church attendance on Sunday nights. Unsatisfied with the results of a meeting with the Linoma manager, a delegation of three ministers called on the state attorney general, and were gratified to learn that Nebraska had a strict law forbidding Sunday night dancing. However, Simpson found a way to maintain the revenue stream. A perusal of the law revealed that it was illegal to conduct a public dance on Sunday; however, private dance clubs could rent the pavilion and court Terpsichore
Terpsichore
In Greek mythology, Terpsichore "delight of dancing" was one of the nine Muses, ruling over dance and the dramatic chorus. She lends her name to the word "terpsichorean" which means "of or relating to dance". She is usually depicted sitting down, holding a lyre, accompanying the dancers' choirs...
with impunity.
The resort, including the evening dances, remained popular. For the 1927 season, the picnic grounds were expanded with the addition of 75 new tables and the planting of 300 maple trees. For weed control, the manager brought in a herd of one hundred sheep. For the 1928 season, the entire recreation area was fenced; this allowed the manager to charge an admission fee of ten cents on Sundays, although admission to the grounds remained free for the rest of the week.
The onset of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
did not appear to diminish Linoma's popularity; 1,700 people were admitted on July 4, 1930. However, dancing was becoming less of an attraction. In 1930, dances were only held on one night a week. In 1931, the railroad line and the highway, now designated U.S. Highway 38, were re-aligned following a series of floods. The re-alignment necessitated the demolition of the dance pavilion, and it was not rebuilt.
The automobile age
As automobile ownership increased and roads were improved, more and more patrons began arriving at Linoma by road. Simpson responded to this in 1933 by paving a parking lot and surrounding it with an octagonal stone wall. To accommodate the increased number of visitors, 100 new tables were installed, increasing the seating capacity to 5,000.To entice motor tourists, roadside businesses across Nebraska had installed whimsical and eye-catching structures. Wigwam-themed buildings were constructed in several places in Nebraska, including a motel court in Hastings
Hastings, Nebraska
Hastings is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Nebraska, United States. It is the principal city of the Hastings, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Adams and Clay counties. The population was 24,907 at the 2010 census...
and a gift shop in Atlanta
Atlanta, Nebraska
Atlanta is a village in Phelps County, Nebraska, in the United States. The population was 130 at the 2000 Census. During World War II the town was neighbored by Camp Atlanta, which housed more than 3,000 Nazi German prisoners of war over three years...
. The Showboat complex near Hastings was built in the likeness of a Mississippi River side-wheeler
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
, complete with a paddle wheel dipping into the Nebraska sod.
As a waterside attraction, Linoma opted for a maritime theme. In 1939, a 100 feet (30.5 m) lighthouse was constructed beside the highway. The base of the lighthouse was a glass-and-masonry filling station. A central spiral staircase led to observation decks on the second and tenth stories; the tenth-floor deck ran around the lighthouse's beacon. The rooms above the first story have plumbing, stoves, and windows; although there is no documentation to support the conjecture, it is likely that they were intended for overnight guests.
Gasoline rationing during World War II put an end to automobile tourism for the duration of the war. When the war ended, the lighthouse's beacon flashed the Morse code
Morse code
Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...
"V" for "victory". However, Linoma's fortunes declined. The lighthouse fell into disrepair, and the restaurant closed. A drowning in 2005 and another in 2009 led to temporary closures and raised liability concerns for the owners. In 2009, the resort's neighbors complained to the Sarpy County Planning Commission that the site was becoming an eyesore and that loose furniture and other items were being left out by departing summer campers, in contravention of floodplain restrictions.
Preservation and restoration
In 2003, Linoma Beach was listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The lighthouse was judged especially significant, as representative of a vanishing type of early twentieth century roadside architecture.
In 2010, a group of five local investors operating as Linoma and Lighthouse LLC bought the property at a foreclosure auction for $905,000, an amount well below its tax-assessed value. The group proposed to maintain the campground, seek an operator to lease the restaurant, and hold special events at the resort. They also expressed the intention to transfer ownership of the lighthouse to a foundation established to restore, preserve, and protect it.
In 2011, Linoma Beach was open seven days a week during the season. The campground remained open; the swimming beach was re-opened, without the large iceberg-shaped inflatable floats that had been named as a liability concern in the 2005 drowning; and a beach-themed bar and grill, the Linoma Beach Bar, had been established under the management of a classically-trained and Caribbean-experienced chef. At that time, no one had been found to operate the restaurant. Although inclement weather caused the cancellation of the resort's first special event of the season, attendance was generally good: the 2011 Missouri River floods
2011 Missouri River floods
The 2011 Missouri River floods are a flooding event on the Missouri River in the United States. The flooding has been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming along with near record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana...
had benefitted Linoma by closing a number of riverfront resorts and forcing their clientele to seek new venues of pleasure.