Morrill County, Nebraska—Signposts on the Western Trails

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October 31, 2026

Morrill County, Nebraska, is one of those places in the western Nebraska panhandle that outsiders might say is out in the middle of nothing. I hate that description of a place—”nothing.” Every place on Earth has “something”—ground, rocks, sky, sometimes people too. The only appropriate time to use the word “nothing” is when describing outer space, where there literally is nothing—no matter, no light, no energy.

In fact, Morrill County, Nebraska, is one of America’s most famous crossroads. Here, emigrants crossed the country from east to west along the Oregon Trail, the Mormon Trail, and the Pony Express Trail; people also went from north to south along the Deadwood Trail in Morrill County. Even words passed through this county along America’s first cross-country telegraph line.

Morrill County within the state of Nebraska

Although the wagon trains are a thing of the past, the signposts remain. The county is home to several famous sandstone monoliths—landmarks along the Oregon/Mormon/Pony Express Trails. Here, you can find the famous Chimney Rock, Courthouse and Jail Rocks towering above the otherwise featureless prairie. Travelers could see these rocks for several days’ travel along the trail.

Courthouse and Jail Rocks, Morrill County, Nebraska

A historical sign outside the Courthouse and Jail Rocks explains their significance to travelers along the western trails.

Another sign, shown below, takes the instance of a lonely trail-side grave to explain the magnitude of the migrations through western Nebraska.

Bridgeport, Nebraska, is nearby. This town, the county seat of Morrill County, has a population of 1,454. I walked through town one Wednesday morning in mid-October—two-story Main Street dominated by ag-business concerns. Storefronts were painted with purple-and-gold bulldog shapes for the local high school athletic teams. In fact, the sidewalk in front of the public library was splattered with purple and gold watercolor paint–it doesn’t rain much here, so old watercolors don’t wash off right away.

The Midtown Diner (below) does its best to evoke a “big city” atmosphere with its sign showing drawings of tall buildings. The menu was written on a whiteboard on the wall outside the building. They need cooks.

I saw a couple of town murals on the walls of Main Street buildings — Courthouse and Jail Rocks, and one lonely Indian.

A few blocks up Main Street, I found the Morrill County Courthouse. It was built in 1909, and the sheriff’s office and jail were added later. Keep it simple, and it lasts a long time. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds include a county veterans’ memorial (left photo).

I went inside the courthouse that morning; here’s what I wrote:

“It was court day in the old courthouse, and the lobby was overflowing. The court door was closed, but a sign read, ‘Quiet Please, Court in Session.’ The crowd waited outside, talking breezily. Defendants in orange jumpsuits and handcuffs, plaintiffs in jackets and ties, speeders in Huskers sweatshirts, a deputy with a badge and a pistol, and maybe one lawyer looking bored.”

That’s life in a small town, and it’s not “Nothing.”

Below are some fields outside of town. One of them has Courthouse and Jail Rocks in the background.

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The photos in this post were taken either on August 29, 2004, or October 6, 2010, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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Abingdon: The Heart of Southwestern Virginia

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September 30, 2026

The city of Abingdon in southwestern Virginia is a historic town with many buildings dating back to colonial times. It is a great town.

Map of Virginia highlighting a specific county in red — Washington County within the state of Virginia

I split this walk-around into five parts: historic buildings from the 1700s; the Washington County Courthouse; buildings along Main Street; the Sinking Spring Cemetery; and the Barter Theatre area. I hope you have a chance to visit Abingdon and enjoy it.

Historic marker for Abingdon, Virginia, detailing its origins, establishment, and significant events including the construction of buildings and the impact of the Civil War. — Abingdon, Virginia — state historical sign

Abingdon, Virginia, a town of 8,375, is a town in southwestern Virginia and the seat of Washington County. The area became known as Wolf Hill when colonial Americans first surveyed and settled it around 1750. Daniel Boone traveled through the area. The photographs below show some examples of original and restored colonial-era buildings in Abingdon. The top-right photo shows a monument to Daniel Boone. The middle-left photo shows “The Tavern,” established in 1779 as a waystation for travelers. The Tavern is now operated as an evenings-only restaurant, and reservations are suggested.

Just up Main Street from The Tavern, at the top of a hill, stands the Washington County Courthouse. This restored structure was built in 1869, just four years after the Civil War ended—an earlier building burned during the war. The courthouse features four white columns guarding the main entrance and a stained-glass window (middle photo on the right) memorializing World War I soldiers. An annex (bottom right photo) has recently been added next door to the old courthouse to accommodate the county’s growth.

Walking past the courthouse along Main Street, I found many higher-end gift shops or similar venues, interspersed with old and classic homes and churches. Some of the shade trees along the sidewalk may be as old as the buildings. Here are some examples:

Further down Main Street, I passed an old graveyard called Sinking Spring Cemetery. The historical sign (below) provides its history. Confederate General John Hunt Morgan is buried here. I was fascinated to see that the grounds have a section for the unknown Confederate dead.

My last stop along Main Street in Abingdon was the Barter Theatre. This theatre was built during the Great Depression and takes its name from its founding practice of allowing actors and performers to barter their work for farm goods during those difficult economic times. The building houses several stages, and something seems to be performed almost daily.

Just across the street from the theatre is the Martha Washington Inn. The hotel was built in 1832. It is a working hotel that offers accommodations for artists performing at the theatre, as well as visiting tourists and groups.

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The photos in this post were taken on September 3, 2024, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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History and Charm of Forsyth, Montana

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August 31, 2026

Welcome to the little town of Forsyth, seat of Rosebud County, Montana. This town of 1,600 souls is a key transportation hub along major rail and highway routes. The BNSF railroad has yards here, and there’s a hotel reserved for their workers. Interstate 94 also runs through town as it travels through the long Yellowstone River valley in southeastern Montana.

A giant cross and a giant “F” mark the apex of a hill overlooking the town of Forsyth, the BNSF, and the Yellowstone River.

Rosebud County was named for Yellowstone tributary Rosebud Creek, whose banks supported wild roses and highlighted the area’s natural beauty. In 1806, Captain William Clark passed through the Yellowstone Valley on the return portion of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, inspiring a sense of historical importance in Montana’s early exploration. For this portion of the Expedition, Lewis and Clark traveled separately — Clark explored the Yellowstone River Valley while Lewis explored farther north near the Marias River. George Armstrong Custer also came through this area in 1876 on his ill-fated journey to the Little Bighorn battlefield. The Yellowstone River valley remains a compelling magnet for east-west travelers through the Montana mountains and grasslands. Even the modern traveler sees the same vistas as the early ones did –- wide fields of short grasses, sagebrush, and wild canola plants blooming golden yellow.

Forsyth’s downtown lampposts celebrate Captain Clark’s exploration of the area.

Forsyth’s downtown businesses occupy one side of Main Street; the BNSF tracks and station take up the opposite side. The district includes a line of two-story casinos and saloons but is dominated by the three-story Howdy Hotel.

A Montana casino is often simply a bar with slot machines. Still, one of the Forsyth casinos included a stage for live music acts to entertain customers — most of whom are local cowboys working nearby herds and ranges.

The side streets off Main, however, were lined with nice, shaded houses, giving the town an overall hometown feel that evokes warmth and familiarity.

A quiet home off Main Street in Forsyth, Montana

I came to Forsyth to see the Rosebud County Courthouse, a historic landmark that reflects the town’s history. Built in 1914 on Main Street, it offers a glimpse into Forsyth’s past and stands in sharp contrast to the row of nearby casinos. This two-story neoclassical building features a fine copper cupola. Its front lawn is lush and full.

Rosebud County Courthouse. Forsyth, Montana

I went inside. The white marble walls and floors, along with bronze-trimmed pillars, evoke dignity and history, inviting respect for the building’s purpose. The granite stairs add solidity, reinforcing the space’s importance.

Underneath the rotunda on the third floor, next to the courtrooms, four murals are painted on the walls above the doorways. The murals celebrate four virtues: Justice, Liberty (living by laws made by the people themselves), Reverence (the Bible), and Obedience.

Some windows inside the building feature stained-glass red roses, fitting for the county’s name. Below and to the right is a photograph of the historical sign outside, which explains some of the courthouse’s features and history.

This last group of photos will provide a look around Forsyth, including some of the murals painted on buildings.

The historical sign below provides additional information about Forsyth and its main street.

Rosebud County within the state of Montana

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The photos in this post were taken on August 31, 2018, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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Georgetown, Colorado: Tourist Attractions and Historical Sites

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July 30, 2026

I asked Grok, “How many towns named Georgetown exist in the United States?” Grok answered, ” Between 30 and 35, depending on how you define a town.” This post covers only one Georgetown.

Georgetown, Colorado, county seat of Clear Creek County, is the Georgetown of the Rockies and lies at an elevation of 8,350 feet in the mountains, about 45 miles directly west of Denver along Interstate 70. Georgetown was founded as a silver mining camp along Clear Creek in 1859. At its height, Georgetown earned the nickname of “Silver Queen of Colorado” and had over 10,000 residents.

When the Colorado silver mining boom ended in 1893, the streets and buildings of Georgetown remained — like a museum. In 1966, the Federal government formally recognized this museum as the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District. Today, Georgetown, Colorado, is a thriving tourist destination with enough permanent residents to keep Clear Creek County’s services running.

Here’s what the “museum” looks like today:

The old fire station. Georgetown, Colorado

Georgetown has become a major tourist attraction in the Denver area.

Below is the Clear Creek County Courthouse along the banks of Clear Creek.

The fancy Hotel de Paris was established by one Louis Dupuy, a French immigrant and US Army deserter. Apparently, it was common for persons to enlist in the army and then desert after being transported and posted to the Western frontier. In fact, the name “Louis Dupuy” was just an adopted name of the hotel owner, meant to hide his identity.

Back in the day, the Hotel de Paris offered rooms at the exorbitant rate of four dollars per night. High-end hotel rooms in Boulder or Denver at the time would cost perhaps two dollars per night. Each room had steam heat (still working today) and a small wash basin in one corner. The trim was extravagant, and the dining room offered oysters and other delicacies. Interestingly, a guest was not offered his own bed in return for his four dollars; rather, he was purchasing only a place to sleep, whether that was in a shared bed, on a cot, or on the floor.

The common areas of the Hotel de Paris were quite extravagant:

Finally, here’s a view of Georgetown from the hillside above, where the mine shaft was:

Clear Creek County within the state of Colorado

Click here for a list of all TimManBlog American County Seats Series posts.
The photos in this post were taken on July 12, 2008, and are copyrighted by Tim Seibel.

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A Journey to Tierra Amarilla and Rio Arriba County

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June 30, 2026

Today I write about a visit to one of the most remote counties in New Mexico and in the United States. Rio Arriba County has a population of about 40,000 living in an area of only 6,000 square miles, resulting in a population density of 6 persons per square mile. Rio Arriba County residents must travel at least 90 miles to reach Santa Fe and at least 150 miles to reach an airport in Albuquerque, with no access to any interstate highways within the county. The county’s geography consists of high mountains (including Truchas Peak at 13,102 feet), high plains, and cold deserts. About two-thirds of the county population is Hispanic; 15% are Native American.

Rio Arriba County in the State of New Mexico

The drive from Taos took me over a high, tree-covered plateau to the county seat of Tierra Amarilla at an elevation of 7,400 feet. This is not an incorporated town but a census-designated place of only 297 people. There’s hardly a town here, just a cluster of buildings about a half mile off U.S. Route 64. As I approached, a rancher was feeding bales of hay to his cattle across the road from the courthouse.

The courthouse is adobe-colored, like nearly everything in New Mexico. The doors were locked today for some reason—probably related to the roadwork on the two-lane road that provides access to the courthouse.

Rio Arriba County Courthouse in Tierra Amarilla

Around the courthouse are a school, the county administration building, a volunteer fire department, and a small general store.

Almost all the buildings in the area, whether in use or not, have corrugated sheet metal roofs.

The historical sign indicates there has been trouble with land rights activists here as recently as the 1960s.

I took a bit more of a walk and came across the old Santo Niño Catholic Church. This charming adobe church is still in use today and makes for a beautiful photo against the backdrop of the distant mountains. It offers a peaceful and suitable conclusion to my visit.