Brach, William, House
a.k.a. Brach-Coover House (AD04-64)
823 N. Lincoln Ave., Hastings, NEThe Brachs, father and sons, have long been prominent in the commercial and social life of Hastings. As prosperous department store owners, they were influential and respected members of the community.
William Brach came to Hastings about 1877 to manage a branch of Wolbach Brothers, after working in their home store in
after working in their home store in the nearby town of Grand Island. Wolbach Brothers was a growing dry goods store that became the largest of its kind in that part of the state. The business in Hastings prospered and was re-named Wolbach & Brach in 1887.
Wolbach & Brach was the prominent dry goods dealer and later department store for Hastings and the surrounding area. The firm was incorporated in 1907 with William Brach as president. His two sons, J. Frederick and Waldorf H., and his wife, Charlotte, worked in the business; and Waldorf succeeded his father as president. William Brach was praised by his fellow citizens for his community involvement and business ability. The name was changed to Brach's Incorporated in 1932 and remained the same until 1953 when Burton Thompson purchased the company and changed it to Brach-Thompson. In 1966 new owners changed the name to Schwesers, removing the Brach connection for the first time.
William Brach was born April 3, 1854 in Germany and emigrated at the age of eleven. Brach was one of many German natives who settled in Hastings and Adams County. In the Adams County census records of 1880 and 1890, the majority of foreign-born residents were German. Brach was a prominent and respected member of the community. He was a member of the Lutheran church, the Masons, the Kiwanis Club, and the Adams County Agricultural Society. He served as City Councilman in 1892. A music lover, he contributed funds for Sunday band concerts in Chautauqua Park. He and his family lived in three houses on N. Lincoln avenue, this being the second and least altered, which he sold in 1892.
The two subsequent owners, Mary Campbell (Mrs. Lemuel) and Miss Blanche Fullerton, were both unable to pay their mortgages and lost the property. Volney B. and Mary Blackman Trimble purchased the house in 1899; they were followed by their daughter, Helen Trimble Suis, who retained ownership until 1966. Trimble arrived in Hastings in 1887 and worked as a wholesale grocer, then after the turn of the century, became a real estate and insurance agent. He served as City Councilman 1922-25, chairman of the County Council of Defense during the Great War and was an active member of the Library Board, 1903-1938.
Wolbach Brothers, later Wolbach & Sons, who had established William Brach in their Hastings branch, began their business in Grand Island in 1874 and became the prominent mercantile firm for t Michael, Jacob and Samuel Wolbach were natives of New York City; and two of the brothers, Jacob and Samuel, had worked in dry goods stores there. Within the first ten years, Michael and Jacob sold their interests to Samuel who developed and expanded the store into a prosperous business. His sons, E. J. and Emil, joined the firm in 1901.
S. N. Wolbach was active in state politics and financial and commercial institutions. A member of the Democratic party, Wolbach served in the State house of representatives and senate in 1885, 1887 and 1889, respectively, and was an unsuccessful candidate for lt. governor in 1892. An organizer of the First National Bank of Grand Island, he was associated with several other banks around the state. The town of Wolbach in Greeley County was named in his honor.
Architecturally, the house exemplifies changing tastes in American architecture. It was built ca. 1884 in a simplified Queen Anne style and was remodeled ca. 1904 in a Classical Revival manner on the facade and principal interior rooms. The addition of classical details was a popular modification to Nebraska houses around the turn of the century, possibly as a result of the expositions of the 1890s. The Brach-Coover House is a typical example of these changes in stylistic taste which resulted in the alteration of the front porch and balcony, a usual practice, as well as the woodwork, mantelpiece and windows of the front and back parlors.
Concerning the other two houses in which William Brach resided on North Lincoln Avenue, it is doubtful the first house is extant and the third house has undergone extensive changes that have severely comprised its integrity.
Local significance of the building:
William Brach came to Hastings about 1877 to manage a branch of Wolbach Brothers, after working in their home store in
after working in their home store in the nearby town of Grand Island. Wolbach Brothers was a growing dry goods store that became the largest of its kind in that part of the state. The business in Hastings prospered and was re-named Wolbach & Brach in 1887.
Wolbach & Brach was the prominent dry goods dealer and later department store for Hastings and the surrounding area. The firm was incorporated in 1907 with William Brach as president. His two sons, J. Frederick and Waldorf H., and his wife, Charlotte, worked in the business; and Waldorf succeeded his father as president. William Brach was praised by his fellow citizens for his community involvement and business ability. The name was changed to Brach's Incorporated in 1932 and remained the same until 1953 when Burton Thompson purchased the company and changed it to Brach-Thompson. In 1966 new owners changed the name to Schwesers, removing the Brach connection for the first time.
William Brach was born April 3, 1854 in Germany and emigrated at the age of eleven. Brach was one of many German natives who settled in Hastings and Adams County. In the Adams County census records of 1880 and 1890, the majority of foreign-born residents were German. Brach was a prominent and respected member of the community. He was a member of the Lutheran church, the Masons, the Kiwanis Club, and the Adams County Agricultural Society. He served as City Councilman in 1892. A music lover, he contributed funds for Sunday band concerts in Chautauqua Park. He and his family lived in three houses on N. Lincoln avenue, this being the second and least altered, which he sold in 1892.
The two subsequent owners, Mary Campbell (Mrs. Lemuel) and Miss Blanche Fullerton, were both unable to pay their mortgages and lost the property. Volney B. and Mary Blackman Trimble purchased the house in 1899; they were followed by their daughter, Helen Trimble Suis, who retained ownership until 1966. Trimble arrived in Hastings in 1887 and worked as a wholesale grocer, then after the turn of the century, became a real estate and insurance agent. He served as City Councilman 1922-25, chairman of the County Council of Defense during the Great War and was an active member of the Library Board, 1903-1938.
Wolbach Brothers, later Wolbach & Sons, who had established William Brach in their Hastings branch, began their business in Grand Island in 1874 and became the prominent mercantile firm for t Michael, Jacob and Samuel Wolbach were natives of New York City; and two of the brothers, Jacob and Samuel, had worked in dry goods stores there. Within the first ten years, Michael and Jacob sold their interests to Samuel who developed and expanded the store into a prosperous business. His sons, E. J. and Emil, joined the firm in 1901.
S. N. Wolbach was active in state politics and financial and commercial institutions. A member of the Democratic party, Wolbach served in the State house of representatives and senate in 1885, 1887 and 1889, respectively, and was an unsuccessful candidate for lt. governor in 1892. An organizer of the First National Bank of Grand Island, he was associated with several other banks around the state. The town of Wolbach in Greeley County was named in his honor.
Architecturally, the house exemplifies changing tastes in American architecture. It was built ca. 1884 in a simplified Queen Anne style and was remodeled ca. 1904 in a Classical Revival manner on the facade and principal interior rooms. The addition of classical details was a popular modification to Nebraska houses around the turn of the century, possibly as a result of the expositions of the 1890s. The Brach-Coover House is a typical example of these changes in stylistic taste which resulted in the alteration of the front porch and balcony, a usual practice, as well as the woodwork, mantelpiece and windows of the front and back parlors.
Concerning the other two houses in which William Brach resided on North Lincoln Avenue, it is doubtful the first house is extant and the third house has undergone extensive changes that have severely comprised its integrity.
Commerce; Architecture
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
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During World War II, Nebraska was the site of several prisoner-of-war camps, which housed German and Italian soldiers.
About Adams County
Adams County Timeline
Adams County, Nebraska, has a rich history dating back to its early settlement in the mid-19th century. The area was originally inhabited by indigenous tribes such as the Pawnee and Otoe-Missouria, who relied on the fertile land for agriculture and hunting. In the 1850s, European settlers began arriving, attracted by the promise of land and opportunities for farming.
The county was officially established on July 19, 1867, following the Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged settlement in the west. It was named in honor of John Adams, the second President of the United States. The first recorded settlement in the county was made in 1863 by William McPherson and his family.
During this time, agriculture was the primary industry in Adams County, and settlers focused on establishing prosperous farms. The county's fertile soil and favorable climate made it an ideal location for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans. The arrival of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in 1872 further facilitated the growth of agriculture and connected the county to national markets.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the county's population continued to grow steadily. Towns such as Hastings, the county seat, saw the development of schools, churches, and businesses, becoming vibrant communities. The county also witnessed advancements in transportation infrastructure, with the construction of paved roads and the implementation of the Lincoln Highway, one of the country's earliest transcontinental highways, in the early 20th century.
Today, Adams County continues to thrive as an agricultural powerhouse, with farming and agribusiness remaining vital to its economy. The county also boasts a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, education, and services. With a strong sense of community and a rich heritage, Adams County holds a unique place in Nebraska's history and continues to grow and evolve in the 21st century.
The county was officially established on July 19, 1867, following the Homestead Act of 1862, which encouraged settlement in the west. It was named in honor of John Adams, the second President of the United States. The first recorded settlement in the county was made in 1863 by William McPherson and his family.
During this time, agriculture was the primary industry in Adams County, and settlers focused on establishing prosperous farms. The county's fertile soil and favorable climate made it an ideal location for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and soybeans. The arrival of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad in 1872 further facilitated the growth of agriculture and connected the county to national markets.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the county's population continued to grow steadily. Towns such as Hastings, the county seat, saw the development of schools, churches, and businesses, becoming vibrant communities. The county also witnessed advancements in transportation infrastructure, with the construction of paved roads and the implementation of the Lincoln Highway, one of the country's earliest transcontinental highways, in the early 20th century.
Today, Adams County continues to thrive as an agricultural powerhouse, with farming and agribusiness remaining vital to its economy. The county also boasts a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, education, and services. With a strong sense of community and a rich heritage, Adams County holds a unique place in Nebraska's history and continues to grow and evolve in the 21st century.
Adams County Timeline
This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Adams County, Nebraska.
- 1866 - Adams County is established.
- 1872 - The first post office is established in the county.
- 1873 - The county seat is established in the town of Hastings.
- 1880 - The population of Adams County reaches over 14,000.
- 1916 - The Adams County courthouse is built in Hastings.
- 1950 - The population of Adams County peaks at over 30,000.
- 1975 - The Adams County Historical Society is formed.
- 1995 - The Adams County Fairgrounds are renovated and expanded.
- 2010 - Adams County celebrates its 150th anniversary.