History comes to Light

Union Bank and Trust broke ground on April 21 for their new facility at the SE corner of 4th and # 34. It is on the 3 square block area of the old Seward Schools. The 1919 HS building is the only building remaining with all others demolished during the past year. Construction began following the ground breaking and sidewalk superintendents assumed the building would have a basement when some 5 feet of black soil was removed from the site. They were 

further confused when the “basement” hole was filled with compacted clay material. The area involved has been a school playground for as long as local senior citizens can remember and has not been disturbed. The Bank architects apparently took soil samples and found the old gulch that ran up through the area as shown in this 1879, artist rendition of the city. (The dark area running up from the river in the middle of the picture).  Many changes have occurred during the intervening 136 years including the filling in of the gulch, the moving of the river channel, location of the school facilities, etc, with the City growing to over 7,000 people.