Drive long enough down any country road in Nebraska and you'll see the same type of sight over and over: abandoned buildings, long ago left to crumble in the elements with no one to look after them. Farms that were once thriving are now derelict; homes that were once full of families are now barren and desolate. The places themselves become like ghosts; they are what remains of a life that no longer exists. These ghost towns dot the landscape, some well-hidden and others presenting themselves to every traveler passing by.
Right on the Keya Paha River, not far from the near-ghost towns of Verdel and Monowi, is what remains of the unincorporated community of Brocksburg. You may catch a glimpse of it as you drive down Highway 137.
Brocksburg was never a booming metropolis, but it was large enough to have its own post office from 1899 to 1957. In the 1920s, it was home to a tragic incident in which three residents were knocked from the town bridge by an ice gorge and drowned in the Keya Paha.
Only a few buildings remain standing today. They seem to hide behind the trees, almost as if they are asking to be left alone.
The trees that hide the buildings also make them that much more visually appealing. The buildings have almost become one with the nature that surrounds them.
This tornado shelter still stands on what was the first homestead in the area. It is more than a century old, so it seems that the workmanship was solid.
In fact, none of the remaining buildings look ready to crumble into dust. It almost seems as if they are waiting patiently for their people to return.
But it seems unlikely that people will ever come back to Brocksburg. There are households not too far away, but this former town is destined to remain a ghost.
There's something inherently peaceful about the abandoned towns and villages, though some of them can seem quite creepy...almost as if the town itself is watching you. They don't give you shivers because they are scary, really; it's just that you can sense the lives that were lived out in that spot. Visiting after they are abandoned is like visiting a graveyard. Keep your eyes peeled the next time you venture out in the Nebraska countryside and see if you can spot any of these formerly-occupied little pockets of history.
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