History

Schimmer's Lake early crowd photo
octagon ballroom at Sand Krog Originally the George Clayton Hall County Park was known as Schimmer's Sand Krog. The founder, Martin Schimmer, immigrated to Nebraska from Germany. Pictured to the left is the octagon-shaped ballroom at the Sand Krog. In the early years, Schimmer's was the hub of the local German community.
entrance to Schimmer's Sand Krog cabin at Schimmer's Lake
Not only was it a place to buy merchandise, but it was also a place to conduct other matters of business, like trade a horse, sell a hog or produce, listen to a political candidate's views, or maybe close a real estate deal. dining room/bar at Schimmer's Sand Krog
clearing area to construct sand krog
dam at Schimmer's Lake harvesting/storing ice at Schimmer's Lake
postcard depicting Schimmer's Lake Schimmer's Lake, depicted in this early postcard, was created by Martin Schimmer in 1898 by diverting water from the Wood River. It was a popular tourist destination for thousands of visitors until it was lost in 1942 when the dam that formed it was washed out.
dam overflowing Schimmer's Lake aerial view of Schimmer's Lake
The Sand Krog was later closed in 1959 to make room for Highway 281. In 1968 the property was given to Hall County. George Clayton, a Hall County Supervisor, was charged with the task of re-claiming the area for a park. Two years later the area was once again fit for public use, largely due to the efforts of Mr. Clayton. In 1981 the park was dedicated as the George Clayton Hall County Park. Since that time it has become known as an excellent wildlife refuge and popular recreation area. Hall County Park sign
 
The historical photos on this page are from the collection of the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island, Nebraska.