(9) IF the state of Nebraska were divided into four equal parts by drawing a line through the center of the state north and south, and another line through the center of the state east and west, Antelope County would occupy the exact center of the northeast quarter of the state. From Neligh, the county seat of Antelope County, it is forty-four miles due north to the South Dakota line, eighty-nine miles east to the Iowa line, and one hundred forty-seven miles south to the Kansas line. The forty-second parallel of latitude is about five miles north of the south line of the county, and the ninety-eighth meridian of longitude runs through the county about one mile east of the center. Antelope County is thirty-six miles long north and south and twenty-four miles wide east and west, consisting of twenty-four townships, being townships 23, 24, 25 , 26, 27, and 28 north of the base line, and ranges 5, 6, 7, and 8 west of the sixth principal meridian, containing eight hundred and sixty-four square miles, or about 552,960 acres of land. The general surface of the county is an undulating or gently rolling slope, highest on the western border, and with a grade of about six feet to the mile, thus making the western part about one hundred and forty-four or perhaps one hundred and fifty feet higher than the eastern part. The elevation above sea level at Neligh, as given by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company, is 1,761 feet. The uplands throughout the county are from about fifty to about two hundred and (10) fifty feet higher than the valley of the Elkhorn at Neligh, making the average altitude of the county probably from eighteen hundred and fifty to nineteen hundred feet above tide water. About one quarter of the surface is valley land, lying adjacent to the streams, and about three fourths is upland. The valley of the Elkhorn varies in width from about one and one-half to three miles. The valleys of the smaller streams are generally from one-fourth of a mile to one mile in width, excepting towards the head, where they broaden out to two miles, and in some cases four miles in width. The valleys appear to be almost level, the slope from the hills to the streams being so gradual as to be almost imperceptible. The uplands in some parts are nearly level, in others gently rolling, and in other places somewhat hilly, but not often rough or broken.

     There are no broken, rough lands, cut up by canons and deep ravines, such as are found in some parts of the state. The nearest approach to this condition is found among the hills bordering the streams, where the land, though not extremely rough, is often too hilly for easy farming. In traveling through the county by railroad, a stranger would get the impression that the whole surface is either level or gently rolling, but in traveling by wagon road he would find generally a smooth, somewhat rolling country, with an occasional hill of considerable height, but of moderate slope.

     The Elkhorn River, with a number of small branches, waters and drains about seven-ninths of the county, while Bazile and Verdigris creeks drain about two-ninths. The Elkhorn takes its rise in Rock County, about ten miles south of Newport. It runs thence northeasterly about fifteen miles to Stuart, in Holt County, thence southeasterly through Holt County about fifty-five miles and enters Antelope County, on the west line of section 7 in Frenchtown township. Continuing its southeasterly course through Antelope County, it leaves the county on the east line of section 12, Burnett township. (11) Continuing in an easterly course after leaving Antelope County, through Madison and Stanton counties, thence southeasterly through Cuming and Dodge counties and south through Douglas County, it enters the Platte River on the west line of Sarpy County, being about two hundred and twenty miles long from its source in Rock County to its mouth in Sarpy County. The Elkhorn River has five small tributaries in the county, on the north side, known as Al. Hopkins Creek, Crandall Hopkins Creek, Trueblood Creek, Belmer Creek, and Hall Creek. These are all small streams, some of them being mere rivulets, and contain running water only from two to four miles back from the river, but they generally have valleys of considerable size. On the south side are found seven tributary streams: Giles Creek, Ives Creek, St. Clair Creek, Cedar Creek, Antelope Creek, Clearwater Creek, and Cache Creek. Cache Creek, however, comes in on the west line of the county and flows only about half a mile in the county before it enters the Elkhorn. These are all small streams, excepting the Cedar and Clearwater, both of which are good-sized mill streams. The valleys, especially of Giles, Ives, and St. Clair creeks, are very fine and contain some of the best farming portions of the county. In addition to these streams there are three or four little creeks that have permanent running water in the hills, but that sink into the ground on reaching the Elkhorn valley. Cedar Creek heads in Cedar township and has running water for only about ten miles, but it is fed by hundreds of springs and is very uniform in its flow. Clearwater Creek rises in northern Wheeler and southern Holt counties, and flowing northeasterly enters Antelope County on section 30, Clearwater township, and empties into the Elkhorn River near the line of section 6, Ord township. The Clearwater is about twenty-four miles in length and is the largest tributary of the Elkhorn in the county. Bazile Creek is a fine stream that drains all of Bazile and a part of Eden and Crawford townships, and flowing north through Knox County enters the Missouri River a short distance east of (12) Niobrara. The Verdigris is a large, rapid creek that flows into the Niobrara River near the mouth of the latter stream. Three of its main branches rise in Antelope County, draining all of Sherman and Verdigris townships and parts of Garfield, Royal, and Eden. It is a clear, beautiful stream of pure, soft water flowing over a gravelly bed, and abounds in trout. Trout are also found in one or two of the little tributaries of Clearwater Creek, but there are no trout in the county excepting those found in the Verdigris and the Clearwater. The Verdigris affords abundant water-power, which has been improved only to a very limited extent. Big Springs, in the northern part of Royal township, is the head of one of the main branches of Verdigris Creek, and in early days was a famous camping ground for immigrants, hunters, and explorers. Crawford and Willow townships are each drained by small branches of Willow Creek, which flows eastward to the north fork of the Elkhorn. Nearly all the streams of the county are fed by springs and are of a permanent character, never failing in dry seasons.

     The early settlers found in the country now called Antelope County, a handsome, inviting, rolling, prairie land, well watered by numerous streams, and a belt of timber skirting the Elkhorn River and most of the creeks, with occasional groves of considerable size. There was no timber, however, excepting in the immediate vicinity of the streams and along some of the ravines and pockets in the rough hills bordering the valleys. Some of the creeks also, as Antelope, Clearwater, and Willow creeks, were nearly destitute of trees. The native timber along the Elkhorn was mostly cottonwood, white elm, ash, and several kinds of willow. Along most of the creeks, in addition to the varieties named, were also found burr oak, red elm, hackberry, box elder, and linn or basswood. Wild plums, choke cherry, and sumach were abundant. There was plenty of timber to furnish the early settlers with logs for building log houses and stables, also for fuel and other necessary purposes. When a saw-mill was (13) started, lumber in considerable quantities was made from the cottonwood and oak timber.

     Antelope County is strictly agricultural. It has two kinds of soil, known respectively as clay loam and sandy loam, both of which are very fertile and productive. Nine tenths of the land of the county is composed of either the one or the other of these two kinds of soil mentioned. About one tenth of the surface is strictly sandy land, too sandy for profitable farming, but this part has considerable value as pasture land. The largest tract of this kind is found on the south side of the Elkhorn River, opposite Neligh, and extending from near Cedar Creek, west of Oakdale, nearly to the Clearwater Creek, and is from two to four miles in width. The next largest tract of sandy, pasture land, consisting of about ten or twelve sections, is found in the northeastern part of Elm and southeastern part of Willow townships. Clay-loam soil is found exclusively in Grant and Cedar townships and in nearly all of Logan, Burnett, and Elm townships. It covers also the greater part of Oakdale township, the southeastern half of Elgin, the central part of Neligh, that part of Ord north of the river, and the extreme southern part of Blaine township. A large part of Bazile township and that part of Clearwater township south of the creek have mostly clay-loam land. The remaining parts of the county have mostly a sandy-loam soil, but not exclusively so, there being frequent tracts of clay soil in nearly every township.