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Little Box on the Prairie #1 LbNA #12862 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Dec 31, 2004
Location:
City:Gretna
County:Sarpy
State:Nebraska
Boxes:1
Found by: RavenWolf
Last found:May 28, 2006
Status:FFFFFaaa
Last edited:Dec 31, 2004
*LAST FOUND 1/28/06

A bit of History:
The barren site of Forest City is 1.5 miles west of Gretna in the west end of the county. It was located on the stage road between Omaha and Ashland and had a post office, church, two stores, two boarding houses and a granary. School was held wherever room could be found to hold classes. By 1875 the town was eclipsed by the Burlington Railroad town of Gretna.
The settlement called "Forest City" in western Sarpy County was the actual beginning of Gretna. Several dugouts and log cabins were built in this vicinity by Irish immigrants in 1853. Known as "a lively group," many stories are told about their "carryings on." A pre-emption claim was filed by Wesley Knight and streets for a town were surveyed in 1854. Incorporation papers were filed in 1858.
It was not until the Burlington Railroad started building a line between Omaha and Ashland that a real town started to take shape. The line was built a short distance from the Forest City settlement, so the people, one by one, moved to the railroad right-of-way. The new town, located on "common school lands," was given the name "Gretna" for "Gretna Green" in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, the home of some of the Scottish residents. A deed was purchased by the Lincoln Land Company in April, with a plat surveyed and recorded on August 9, 1886. In a short time Forest City was no more.

To the box location:

Forest City Cemetery- (whose empty lots were bought and are now maintained by Holy Sepulchre, the first catholic cemetery of Gretna) is the only reminder left of the pioneers who called Forest City home.
It is located off of Schram Rd. at about 231st St. It contains one of only two mausoleums in the county. In 1922 Doris (Prehn) Schnack died and her husband Marcus erected the structure based on a design common in his native Germany. He died in 1941 and is buried in the mausoleum beside his wife.

At the very first entrance, turn left and park
hopefully there’s light, its spooky at dark.
Before you is the tomb, of a German Schnack
With your feet at its doormat, do not look back
walk 25 steps, when your feet are left set
you’ll find in the earth, Ernest a war vet
what day was he born, the day in May?
walk forward this number, straight up the way
you’ll find a large stone, at the end of your count
religious and wealthy- this is Susan’s mount.
turn right at her stone, and remember dear Ernest.
walk the same number steps, and don’t stop to-rest.
the box’s location, has a large base
you’ll find strange stone carvings, a mushroom? a vase?
It’s base also covers, wife of WJ Shields
Reach inside to find, what the box yields