U.S. Route 136 in Nebraska

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This article is about the section of U.S. Route 136 in Nebraska. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 136.

U.S. Highway 136 marker

U.S. Highway 136

Map
US 136 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length239.88 mi[1] (386.05 km)
Existed1960[2][3]–present
Tourist
routes		 Heritage Highway
Major junctions
West end US 6 / US 34 near Edison
Major intersections
East end
US 136 at the Missouri state line (Missouri River
)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNebraska
CountiesFurnas, Harlan, Franklin, Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, Jefferson, Gage, Johnson, Nemaha
Highway system
← N-133→ N-137

U.S. Highway 136 is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs for 804 miles (1,294 km) between Edison, Nebraska and Speedway, Indiana. It is a spur route of US 36 despite never intersecting its parent. Within the State of Nebraska it is a state highway that begins at a junction with US 6 and US 34 north of Edison and travels east across the southern part of the state to the Nebraska–Missouri state line in Brownville along the banks of the Missouri River. Throughout its 239.88-mile (386.05 km) length, the highway is known as the Heritage Highway, one of nine scenic byways in the state.[4] The highway travels across the grassland prairies of southern Nebraska to the woods of the Missouri River Valley encountering winding rivers, farmlands, and historic settlements.[5] These landscapes were featured in stories from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather recounting life on the Nebraska Plains during the end of the 19th century.[6] For its entire length, US 136 is a two-lane highway with the exception of a 0.51-mile (0.82 km) stretch of divided highway within Fairbury.[1]

Route description

Edison to Republican City

US 136 and N-46 junction in downtown Oxford

US 136 begins north of

US 183. Together, both highways head south into Alma. Alma is home to the Harlan County Reservoir. This 13,250-acre (5,360 ha) reservoir is one of the largest bodies of water within the North American Central Flyway and is a primary stopping point during migration for millions of birds including bald eagles, golden eagles, pelicans, osprey, ducks, geese, and gulls.[7] The highway continues east through vast fields before entering Republican City. Just south of the city is the Harlan County Reservoir Dam, accessible by Corps Road A. The dam was built in 1952 to prevent large scale flooding in the Republican River Valley similar to the 1935 Republican River Floods.[8]

Republican City to Hebron

Looking east along US 136 in Red Cloud, Nebraska

From Republican City the US 136 continues east along the northern bluffs of the Republican River as it passes to the north of the small communities

US 81 just south of Hebron, home to the world's largest porch swing.[12]

Hebron to Beatrice

Gage County Courthouse in Beatrice, Nebraska along 6th St six blocks north of US 136

After passing Hebron to the south, the highway continues on its easterly heading. For the next 20 miles (32 km), the highway continues to pass through the vast agricultural fields of southeastern Nebraska. Included in this stretch is the small community of

Homestead National Monument of America on the site of Freeman's claim.[15][16]

Beatrice to Missouri

Auburn, Nebraska Post Office

After leaving Beatrice, US 136 and N-4 run concurrently for 7.89 miles (12.70 km), diverging southwest of

WPA project commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of twelve paintings in the state.[17] In the center of Auburn, the highway intersects US 75 before continuing on to the east. US 136 travels 5.52 miles (8.88 km) east before coming to an intersection with N-67. The two highways travel concurrently to the east for 2.6 miles (4.2 km) before N-67 departs to the south on its way to Nemaha. Meanwhile, US 136 begins a slight descent into Brownville as it travels down rolling loess hills into the Missouri River Valley. The town overlooks a campsite used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition on July 15, 1804.[17] The highway then crosses the Brownville Bridge over the Missouri River
and continues into Missouri.

Brownville Bridge carrying US 136 across the Missouri River

History

Historic trails

Prior to the automobile, travel across Nebraska was accomplished via old Indian trails and primitive territorial roads. The

Fort Kearney. The section of these trails across Jefferson and Thayer County generally paralleled the present day US 136 corridor within a few miles to its north.[18]

Omaha-Lincoln-Denver Highway

1926 style Nebraska Highway 3 marker

In 1911, the opening of the Omaha-Lincoln-Denver (O-L-D) route introduced one of the primary east–west routes across southern Nebraska. This route traveled along and near the present day US 6 corridor. However, for a brief section between Edison and Oxford the O-L-D traveled along the present day US 136 corridor. From Arapahoe, the O-L-D followed along Chestnut Street, which is the modern day alignment of US 6 and US 34. From there it traveled south and east to Edison. The highway entered Edison along the line common to sections 27 and 34, which is now Second Street. At the intersection of Main Street and Second Street the O-L-D met up with the present day alignment of US 136. The highway continued east out of Edison for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before turning south for one mile (1.6 km) along present day Road 432. It then traveled east for 3 miles (4.8 km) along Road 720. From here it followed the present day alignment of US 136 into Oxford just south of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. In Oxford the highway bent south around a stock yard then along South Railway Street where it turned north to cross the railroad along Ogden Street before turning back southeast along South Railway Street. It paralleled the tracks until Cornwall Street where it resumed due east travel. This marked the point where O-L-D left the present day US 136 corridor to continue on towards Lincoln.[19]

State highway system

In 1921, one of the predecessor routes to modern day US 136 in Nebraska was designated

Indianapolis, Indiana. It wasn't until 1960 when the highway was extended west and replaced the remaining portion of N-3 between Edison and Brownville.[2][3]
Since US 136 was extended into Nebraska, the N-3 designation was decommissioned and hasn't been used since. The route of US 136 has remained relatively unchanged since it was designated in 1960.

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Furnas​0.000.00 US 6 / US 34 – Holdrege, McCookNational western terminus
Oxford9.9816.06
 N-46 south (Ogden Street)		Western end of N-46 overlap
Harlan10.4116.75
 N-46 north		Eastern end of N-46 overlap
​22.2035.73
 N-89 west		Western end of N-89 overlap
Orleans22.7236.56
 N-89 east		Eastern end of N-61 overlap
​27.3644.03
US 183
north		Western end of US 183 overlap
US 183
south		Eastern end of US 183 overlap
S-31C
south
​50.6381.48
L-31D
east		Western terminus of L-31D
Franklin51.6383.09
 N-10 north		Western end of N-10 overlap
52.1383.90
L-31D
west (M Street)		Eastern end of N-10 overlap; eastern terminus of L-31D
US 281
(Webster Street)
​85.28137.24 N-78
Nuckolls​99.19159.63
 N-14 south		Western end of N-14 overlap
​103.20166.08
 N-14 north		Eastern end of N-14 overlap
Pony Express National Historic Trail
​121.45195.45
S-85E
south
​128.26206.41
L-85F
south
​129.54208.47
US 81
​139.30224.18
 N-53 north
Pony Express National Historic Trail
​164.57264.85
 N-103 south
GageBeatrice176.02283.28
 N-4 west (Sherman Street)		Western end of N-4 overlap
177.52285.69 US 77 (6th Street)
​187.51301.77
 N-4 east		Eastern end of N-4 overlap
S-49C
east
Tecumseh211.03339.62 N-50 (12th Street)
Nemaha​219.99354.04
 N-105 south		Western end of N-105 overlap
​220.84355.41
 N-105 north		Eastern end of N-105 overlap
Auburn229.78369.80 US 75 (J Street)
​235.80379.48
 N-67 north		Western end of N-67 overlap
​238.40383.67
 N-67 south		Eastern end of N-67 overlap
Missouri River239.88386.05Brownville Bridge; Nebraska–Missouri line
US 136 east – Rock Port
Continuation into Missouri
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b c "Nebraska Highway Reference Log Book" (PDF). Nebraska Department of Roads. 2015. pp. 272–278. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Nebraska State Highways 1-10". Nebraska Roads. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Sanderson, Dale. "End of US highway 136". US Ends.com. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "Scenic Byways". Nebraska Department of Roads. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  5. ^ "Heritage Highway". Visit Nebraska. Visit Nice. Nebraska Tourism Commission. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "Heritage Highway". The Armchair Explorer - Nebraska. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  7. ^ "Harlan County". Heritage Highway Byway 136. Heritage Highway 136 Committee. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  8. ^ "Learn About the Lake". Harlan County Lake. US Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  9. ^ "Webster County". Heritage Highway Byway 136. Heritage Highway 136 Committee. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  10. ^ "Nuckolls County". Heritage Highway Byway 136. Heritage Highway 136 Committee. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  11. ^ "Thayer County". Heritage Highway Byway 136. Heritage Highway 136 Committee. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  12. ^ "Tourism". Thayer County Economic Development Alliance. Thayer County Economic Development Alliance. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  13. Gross Domestic Product deflator
    figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  14. ^ "National Register of Historic Places: Fairbury Rock Island Depot & Freight House" (PDF). Nebraska State Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^ Davey, Monica (July 25, 2010). "Cities View Homesteads as a Source of Income". New York Times. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  16. ^ "Teaching With Documents: The Homestead Act of 1862". National Archives Teachers' Resources. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Nemaha County". Heritage Highway Byway 136. Heritage Highway 136 Committee. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  18. ^ Krough, Mildred (May 1933). Geography of the Oregon Trail in Nebraska. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska. pp. 60–71.
  19. ^ Huebinger, M. (1911). "Huebinger's Map and Guide for Omaha-Denver Trans-Continental Route" (PDF). Ashland Historical Society. The Iowa Publishing Company. pp. 114–117. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  20. ^ Geelhart, Chris. "Nebraska Highway 1 to 30". Nebraska Roads. Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  21. ^ Nebraska Department of Roads & Irrigation (August 1, 1937). Nebraska State Highway System (PDF) (Map).

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U.S. Route 136
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