Mariaville Nebraska

Former post office · Rock County · post office 1882–1957

About Mariaville

Mariaville is the site of a former post office in northern Rock County, about 12 miles north of Newport on the south side of the Niobrara River, near the mouth of Willow Creek. An old county history puts the Mariaville store a few miles southwest, 9 miles north and 3 miles west of Newport. Nothing of a town is known to remain.

History

Thomas Peacock Sr. homesteaded here in 1879 and built a log cabin beside the trail to the Black Hills. The post office opened on May 9, 1882, with Peacock as postmaster, and was named for his youngest daughter, Harriet (Hattie) Maria Peacock, said to be the first white child born in the area. It closed in December 1942, reopened in November 1943 and closed for good on April 19, 1957. The store was run in turn by Frank Hutton, B. F. Leonard, Charles Hicks and others. The Kirkwood church, built in 1882 about 9 miles north of Newport and called the first church in what is now Rock County, was nearby.

Things to see

the Niobrara National Scenic River and the NE 137 landing · the Carns State Aid Bridge over the Niobrara at Carns, about 8 miles west-southwest