71 Days Until Gameday – Day #23 Dawes County, Nebraska

[HuskerInCarolina]

We have 71 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Dakota County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/72-days-until-gameday-22-dakota-county-nebraska.8875808/


Dawes County, Nebraska

• Population ~7,900 (2025)
• License plate prefix #69 (nice)
• Chadron is the county seat and the largest city in the county.
• Established in 1885 and named for James Dawes, Nebraska’s Governor at the time (Nebraska’s 5th Governor)
• Area of Dawes County was originally part of Sioux County from 1877 until 1885.
• Approximately 1,400 square miles, the 9th largest county in Nebraska by land area.
• The High Rise (11-story dorm) at Chadron State College is the tallest building in the Nebraska Panhandle.
• The headquarters for the United States Forest Service of Nebraska is located in Chadron.
• The Museum of the Fur Trade is hosted by the original site and building of the Bordeaux Trading Post. The museum is the largest of its kind in the US.
• Every July, Chadron hosts Fur Trade Days, an annual community celebration honoring its early origins as a fur trading post.
• Dawes County area is rich in history of Ogalala Lakota, Cheyenne, and Sioux tribes.
• Gerald Ford is known for being born in Omaha, however his father and grandfather were from Chadron. His grandfather is was one of the original founders of Chadron.

Former Huskers (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 5 letterman football players from Dawes County, NE:

• John Russell Thompson – T 1933-1934, Whitney, NE.
  • Stood approximately 6’5”
  • Played at Chadron State for 1 year and was recruited by Link Lyman to play for Dana Bible at Nebraska.
  • Played 5 years in the NFL, 4 years with the Bears making $90 per game.
  • The 1934 Huskers was Dana Bible’s 6th season and went 6-3. The team only returned 1 starter from the previous season.
• William Gallaway – G 1928, Crawford, NE.
• James Milne – E 1933, Crawford, NE.
  • Played at Nebraska from 1929-1933, lettering in 1933.
  • Listed at 6’3” and 180lbs
  • Wore #28
  • The 1933 team was in its 5th year under Dana Bible and went 8-1, winning the Big Six championship, outscoring opponents 138-19.
• John Murphy – TE 2000, Crawford, NE.
  • Played at Nebraska from 1996-2000.
  • 1997 NCAA Champion
  • Walk-on program contributor
  • Wearing #43, stood 6’3” and 260lbs
  • Appeared in 11 games in his career
• Brad Ferguson – LB 1987-1988, Chadron, NE.
  • 6’1” 215lbs
  • Walk-on program contributor
  • Married to Barry Alvarez’ daughter. Sons (Joe and Jake) played football for Wisconsin. Jake plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Dawes County:

• Poe Ballantine – Author, essayist, novelist. Lives in Chadron.
• Don Beebe – Played college football at Chadron State. Drafted by Buffalos Bills in 3rd round of 1989 NFL Draft. First player in school history to score a TD in every game. Set school record for most all-purpose yards (1,661), points scored (90), and touchdowns (15). Chadron State Athletic Hall of Fame. Played 9 years in NFL. Chadron State football stadium is named after him.
• Mary Smith Hayward – First businesswoman of Chadron. Moved to Chadron when she was 43, where she lived and was engrained in the community for another 52 years. Owned M. E. Smith & Co. Twin Stores of Chadron.
• Charles Henry King – An original founder of Chadron, successful businessman throughout the Midwest. Grandfather of President Gerald Ford.
• Danny Woodhead – Played college football at Chadron State. 3rd player in D2 history to win the Harlon Hill Trophy twice. 3x 1st Team All-American. Set NCAA records for single season rushing and career rushing yards. First recipient of a full athletic scholarship in Chadron State history. Scored in NCAA record 37 straight games. Played 9 seasons in the NFL. Chadron State Athletic Hall of Fame. College Football Hall of Fame. Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Dawes County Husker Spotlight
William Gallaway

• Wore #57 playing guard at Nebraska.
• From Crawford, NE
• The first player from Dawes County to letter at UNL
• Listed at 203 lbs
• The 1928 team went 7-1-1 winning the Big Six championship and outscored opponents 144-31.

GO BIG RED


Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawes_County,_Nebraska

Home : Dawes County

dawescounty.ne.gov

Mission & History : About Us : Dawes County

dawescounty.ne.gov

 

[Anon1752115983]

We have 71 days until our first game of the 2026-2027 football season against the Ohio Bobcats on 9/5/2026.
Yesterday we looked at Dakota County, Nebraska.

https://www.on3.com/boards/threads/72-days-until-gameday-22-dakota-county-nebraska.8875808/


Dawes County, Nebraska
View attachment 1341207
View attachment 1341209
View attachment 1341211
View attachment 1341225
View attachment 1341218
View attachment 1341220
View attachment 1341222

• Population ~7,900 (2025)
• License plate prefix #69 (nice)
• Chadron is the county seat and the largest city in the county.
• Established in 1885 and named for James Dawes, Nebraska’s Governor at the time (Nebraska’s 5th Governor)
• Area of Dawes County was originally part of Sioux County from 1877 until 1885.
• Approximately 1,400 square miles, the 9th largest county in Nebraska by land area.
• The High Rise (11-story dorm) at Chadron State College is the tallest building in the Nebraska Panhandle.
• The headquarters for the United States Forest Service of Nebraska is located in Chadron.
• The Museum of the Fur Trade is hosted by the original site and building of the Bordeaux Trading Post. The museum is the largest of its kind in the US.
• Every July, Chadron hosts Fur Trade Days, an annual community celebration honoring its early origins as a fur trading post.
• Dawes County area is rich in history of Ogalala Lakota, Cheyenne, and Sioux tribes.
• Gerald Ford is known for being born in Omaha, however his father and grandfather were from Chadron. His grandfather is was one of the original founders of Chadron.

Former Huskers (years are letterman years)
According to University of Nebraska-Lincoln records, there have been 5 letterman football players from Dawes County, NE:

• John Russell Thompson – T 1933-1934, Whitney, NE.
  • Stood approximately 6’5”
  • Played at Chadron State for 1 year and was recruited by Link Lyman to play for Dana Bible at Nebraska.
  • Played 5 years in the NFL, 4 years with the Bears making $90 per game.
  • The 1934 Huskers was Dana Bible’s 6th season and went 6-3. The team only returned 1 starter from the previous season.
• William Gallaway – G 1928, Crawford, NE.
• James Milne – E 1933, Crawford, NE.
  • Played at Nebraska from 1929-1933, lettering in 1933.
  • Listed at 6’3” and 180lbs
  • Wore #28
  • The 1933 team was in its 5th year under Dana Bible and went 8-1, winning the Big Six championship, outscoring opponents 138-19.
• John Murphy – TE 2000, Crawford, NE.
  • Played at Nebraska from 1996-2000.
  • 1997 NCAA Champion
  • Walk-on program contributor
  • Wearing #43, stood 6’3” and 260lbs
  • Appeared in 11 games in his career
• Brad Ferguson – LB 1987-1988, Chadron, NE.
  • 6’1” 215lbs
  • Walk-on program contributor
  • Married to Barry Alvarez’ daughter. Sons (Joe and Jake) played football for Wisconsin. Jake plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

Other Notable or Prominent People from/born in Dawes County:

• Poe Ballantine – Author, essayist, novelist. Lives in Chadron.
• Don Beebe – Played college football at Chadron State. Drafted by Buffalos Bills in 3rd round of 1989 NFL Draft. First player in school history to score a TD in every game. Set school record for most all-purpose yards (1,661), points scored (90), and touchdowns (15). Chadron State Athletic Hall of Fame. Played 9 years in NFL. Chadron State football stadium is named after him.
• Mary Smith Hayward – First businesswoman of Chadron. Moved to Chadron when she was 43, where she lived and was engrained in the community for another 52 years. Owned M. E. Smith & Co. Twin Stores of Chadron.
• Charles Henry King – An original founder of Chadron, successful businessman throughout the Midwest. Grandfather of President Gerald Ford.
• Danny Woodhead – Played college football at Chadron State. 3rd player in D2 history to win the Harlon Hill Trophy twice. 3x 1st Team All-American. Set NCAA records for single season rushing and career rushing yards. First recipient of a full athletic scholarship in Chadron State history. Scored in NCAA record 37 straight games. Played 9 seasons in the NFL. Chadron State Athletic Hall of Fame. College Football Hall of Fame. Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Dawes County Husker Spotlight
William Gallaway
View attachment 1341199
View attachment 1341201

• Wore #57 playing guard at Nebraska.
• From Crawford, NE
• The first player from Dawes County to letter at UNL
• Listed at 203 lbs
• The 1928 team went 7-1-1 winning the Big Six championship and outscored opponents 144-31.

GO BIG RED


Resources:
https://storage.googleapis.com/husk.../ZD6pyAK8hFocPYXCFPaVccH8170tcm1uOYyc7u0R.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawes_County,_Nebraska

Home : Dawes County

dawescounty.ne.gov

Mission & History : About Us : Dawes County

dawescounty.ne.gov

Roger Hughes, longtime head football coach at Princeton and now president of Doane College, is also from Crawford.
I met John Murphy the summer after his HS graduation. He was working as the horse wrangler at Fort Robinson. He said he was going to walk on in Lincoln. Typical tough cowboy ranch kid who stuck it out with the Huskers and had a nice career

 

[HuskerInCarolina]

Roger Hughes, longtime head football coach at Princeton and now president of Doane College, is also from Crawford.
I met John Murphy the summer after his HS graduation. He was working as the horse wrangler at Fort Robinson. He said he was going to walk on in Lincoln. Typical tough cowboy ranch kid who stuck it out with the Huskers and had a nice career

Good shoutout on Roger Hughes! Thank you! And that’s so cool about John Murphy! Thank you for sharing. Wow!

 

[Anon1752071136]

Dawes County is God's country -- spectacularly beautiful and historic. Fort Robinson is the one the best state parks in the nation, though it burned pretty good this past month. Chadron State Park is up there with it, as is that entire Pine Ridge escarpment along Highway 20.

The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron is world-class.

I'm always surprised that so many western Iowa folks -- i.e., those living in Omaha who think Elkhorn or Fremont is the west -- have never visited.

 

[Anon1752115983]

Dawes County is God's country -- spectacularly beautiful and historic. Fort Robinson is the one the best state parks in the nation, though it burned pretty good this past month. Chadron State Park is up there with it, as is that entire Pine Ridge escarpment along Highway 20.

The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron is world-class.

I'm always surprised that so many western Iowa folks -- i.e., those living in Omaha who think Elkhorn or Fremont is the west -- have never visited.

Agree with you wholeheartedly about how great that area is. But you're mistaken -- no fire reached into the Fort Robinson boundaries. The amazing firefighters kept the flames away from the fort and Crawford

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Dawes County is God's country -- spectacularly beautiful and historic. Fort Robinson is the one the best state parks in the nation, though it burned pretty good this past month. Chadron State Park is up there with it, as is that entire Pine Ridge escarpment along Highway 20.

The Museum of the Fur Trade in Chadron is world-class.

I'm always surprised that so many western Iowa folks -- i.e., those living in Omaha who think Elkhorn or Fremont is the west -- have never visited.

Shoot at one time Boys Town was "west".

 

[Anon1752071136]

Agree with you wholeheartedly about how great that area is. But you're mistaken -- no fire reached into the Fort Robinson boundaries. The amazing firefighters kept the flames away from the fort and Crawford

I drove through there last week; the fire burned many acres of the State Park, including most of the Soldier Creek Wilderness area. The historic buildings and administrative areas were all saved, thankfully, but a large portion or even most of the 22,000 acre park burned. The nature areas will be rejuvenated and recover, but it will take many years.

I was surprised to see how close the fire came to Crawford -- great work by the firefighters, especially with Crawford being downwind of the prevailing westerlies.

 

[Anon1752115983]

I drove through there last week; the fire burned many acres of the State Park, including most of the Soldier Creek Wilderness area. The historic buildings and administrative areas were all saved, thankfully, but a large portion or even most of the 22,000 acre park burned. The nature areas will be rejuvenated and recover, but it will take many years.

I was surprised to see how close the fire came to Crawford -- great work by the firefighters, especially with Crawford being downwind of the prevailing westerlies.

Apologies. I assumed you were only referring to the area with the buildings

 

[HuskerHusaria]

Let's go Dawes!!