Anoka, Nebraska -- Central looking down the street to the railroad tracks. ~Photo submitted by researcher, Joe Thurstenson, of the Anoka History Group.

~Below: Material gathered by Jane Graff

Anoka, Nebraska was organized as a town in 1903. The land in which the city sits on was bought from Jack Wyman and Anton Ziska by the railroad. The railroad company took the land they needed for their track and railroad station. All remaining land was sold at auction. The town was given the name of "Anoka," a Dakota Indian word meaning "on both sides." Anoka, Nebraska is located on the Ponca Creek.

The first building in town was The White House Saloon, which was built by T. E. Keeffe. He had to go to Jackson, Nebraska to purchase the lumber for it and hauled the lumber to Anoka himself by team and wagon. He and his family lived in this building until they had enough money to build a house.

Other early businesses in town included two grain elevators, one built by Nye Schnieder and the other by Nelson Updike. The hotel was owned and operated by Mr. Bill Stockwell and the Livery Stable owned and operated by the Richardson Brothers. McMeen and Mannen owned the General Store. The Eiseley Hardware Store was the first hardware business in Anoka . "The Anoka Herald" was the weekly newspaper and H.W. Parchen was its publisher. The Lumber Yard was owned by William Krotter and managed by Bert Green. Scofield's was the first Drug Store, Clinton Reed operated the Barber Shop, and the first bank was the Anoka National Bank, with William D. Forbes as President, James Forbes, Vice President, and W. W. Roberts as Cashier. Altogether, by 1905 Anoka had thirty-one operating businesses.

Among the first Postmasters in Anoka were Dr. Parchen, Fred Danker, Joe Sindler, Joel Bergstrom and Mabel Keeler. Rural mail carriers included Charlie Sinclair, who was Anoka's first, and also Art Hornback and Ray Stockwell.

Among the early pioneer settlers of Anoka were:

Charley Allison
Andrew Anderson
Jonah Bergstrom
Andrew Brood
Nels Brood
Fred Danker
John Donahue
August Erickson
Carl Erickson
August Fick
Henry Gustafson
Carl Holmquist
Al Lawson
Henry Mertz
John Nordquist
Nels Olson
Alex Peterson
Jake Thomsen
Pete Thomson
Joe Walker
Lester Walker

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Anoka Business district, dated July 19, 1907

~Submitted by researcher, Joe Thurstenson, of the Anoka History Group.

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The following photo was submitted by Roxie McCoy
	Photo of Anna Gertrude McAnally who organized the first 8th grade graduating class in Boyd Co., Nebraska in 1905. (Dist. 65) She homesteaded in South Dakota but taught School in Anoka, Nebraska Making the round trip of 90 miles by Horse and Buggy. One of her students was in another photo 50 years later her name was Mrs A.C. Allison Sr. who was one of her students in Anoka.

 

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