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Cotesfield,
NE
A
Brief History of Cotesfield
Compiled by Doug
Boilesen 2019
Cotesfield is a village in Howard
County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 46 at the
2010 census.
Although the area was first settled
in the 1870s, the town site at Cotesfield was not built up until
1902.(1) It was named
for Miss Coates, the travel companion of the daughter of Christopher
C. Auger, a Department of the Platte official.(2)
(3)
Charles and James Adams were
the first to settle in the area in 1871. The railroad came through
the area in 1882. The first buildings on the present site of
the town were not built until 1902, on land owned by Robert
Kilpatrick.
The bridge across the river
and formation of the Farmer's Mutual Telephone Company came
in 1905, incorporation of the town in 1910, and electricity
arrived in 1926. A population high of 214 was reached in 1920.
Activity was brisk with a depot and an assortment of businesses,
hotels, banks, elevators, stockyards, "The Sun" newspaper,
and a doctor. (4)
Main Street Cotesfield,
1905 (5)
April 1, 1911 postcard
The Farmer's Mutual Telephone
Company came in 1905 to Cotesfield. The 'ring' for the party-line
phone for Chris and Elizabeth Boilesen was two longs
and a short.
When Betty Ann Barr was going
to school in Cotesfield in the early 1930's her girl friend's
mother was the telephone operator for the area and the switchboard
sat in the front room of their house. Betty Ann was always excited
to visit, or better yet to be able to spend the night and listen
to the calls that came through that switchboard. A switchboard
from that telephone exchange is now at the Howard County
Historical Village in St. Paul, Nebraska and is located
in the Bartle's General Store.
1914 Cotesfield
Grain Elevator and depot (Courtesy Howard
County Historical Society)
Cotesfield Train
Station and Hotel (Courtesy Ron W. Sack)
Cotesfield Hotel
(Courtesy Bonnie Wells)
Based on early historical
descriptions of Cotesfield, this stone building is likely the
one referred to as Doc Beebe's Hotel on the edge of town. (photo
and Information courtesy Historical
Survey of Howard County Final Report May 2020)
Main Street Cotesfield,
1988 (6)
Cotesfield from Hwy
11 looking westward down Main Street, 2018
Axel in front of
post office August 2003
Family gathering in 2013 in front
of the Cotesfield post office which had been moved to the Howard
County Historical Society, St. Paul, NE. A post office was established
at Cotesfield in 1871, and remained in operation until it was
discontinued in 1996. (7)
Inside the Cotesfield
post office in 2013
Inside the Cotesfield
post office in 2013. Garold Boilesen remembers that their box
in the post office was number 95.
Great-great-grandson of Chris
and Elizabeth Boilesen in 2007 sitting next to one of the postal
boxes that would have belonged to the Chris Boilesen family.
The Deland Drug Store offered
ice cream, soda pop, and candy that included frozen Snicker
Bars (introduced in 1930) which became a favorite of Axel's
when he had a nickel to spend.
West's Opera House c. 1908, later
owned by Harry Deland and renamed Deland Hall, was home for
visiting theatrical stock companies, regional dance orchestras
and the showing of moving pictures.
Performers for school
play, 1932
"Pilgrim"
play performers, L-R, Fern Boilesen, Joe Coufal, Marjory Ann Wells,
and Axel Boilesen on far right.
The Cotesfield United Methodist
Church started as the United Brethren in Christ in 1874. They
met first in a dug out. The next year they moved to the schoolhouse,
and by 1889, membership had grown to 45. (8)
The first church was built
in 1899 about half a mile south of town. Soon it was decided
to move the church building to the growing town of Cotesfield.
Church member Robert Kirkpatrick donated a lot, and the church
was moved in 1906. By 1911, membership had reached 91. On May
9, 1921, lightning struck the church and it burned. Members
worked quickly to raise money and build a new building, which
was dedicated on Oct. 30 of the same year. Several remodeling
projects were done to the 1921 building, such as the addition
of a restroom in 1967, but otherwise it remained much the same.
The Cotesfield United Methodist
Church held its last worship service on Dec. 11, 2011. The 138-year-old
church closed due to lack of attendance. (8)
Many family gatherings were held
in the Cotesfield church basement through the decades like the
Golden Wedding for Chris and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Boilesen in
April 1964.
(Singing left to right) Axel's
brother-in-law Rev. Albert Stroh, sister-in-law Bernice Boilesen,
sister Fern Stroh, brother Rev. Lester Boilesen and niece Gloria
Stroh playing the piano.
Unknown business
with Cotesfield school in background (courtesy Ron W. Sack)
Cotesfield school
built in 1905
Cotesfield school
circa 1920's
Cotesfield school
class of 1934
Axel visiting (circa 1988) original
homestead west of Cotesfield where he grew up. Cotesfield received
electricity in 1926, however, this farmhouse used kerosene lamps
and a carbide lighting system in the kitchen that was quite
bright when it was pumped up and turned on. They also had a
windcharger that could be used to charge their wet cell batteries.Garold
Boilesen thinks that they may have gotten electricity for this
farm in 1936.
Front of original
homestead with addition on right
Back of original
homestead
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