A History Lover's Guide to Lincoln by Gretchen M. Garrison

Author:Gretchen M. Garrison [Garrison, Gretchen M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, United States, State & Local, General
ISBN: 9781467144452
Google: ONLpDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Published: 2020-06-15T01:00:28+00:00

6

FAIRVIEW, NORMAL AND COLLEGE VIEW

This area was once farmland. Outside the city limits, views presented wide-open possibilities. Like its locations, their history would be absorbed into Lincoln.

FAIRVIEW

4900 Sumner Street

Here at Fairview we expect to spend the remainder of our days except such time as may be devoted to travel. Here the children can find fresh air and healthy exercise; here I can indulge my taste for farming; here, too, the friends who are passing this midway point between the oceans can find a welcome and a word of cheer.

—William Jennings Bryan

A side trip to see an old college friend changed the course of William Jennings Bryan’s life. Adolphus Talbot practiced law in Lincoln, and Bryan liked the feel of the town. With his family, he decided to relocate. In 1877, Bryan arrived in Lincoln first. His family followed several months later. Mary Bryan’s parents helped them purchase their first Lincoln home at 1625 D Street. Its multiple porches and balconies provided perfect platforms for Bryan to speak.

Bryan soon took on a public role. Twenty thousand populists attended a Cushman Park rally. Soon after, he was elected to Congress. As the Omaha World-Herald editor, he practiced refining his policies. In his own paper, the Commoner, he wrote for the American laborer and farmer.

At thirty-six, he became the youngest presidential candidate. He was also one of the first to run from west of the Mississippi. He ran unsuccessfully for president three times. He also ran unsuccessfully for Presbyterian General Assembly monitor three times. Despite not being elected, he was well liked and popular. During his campaigns, he talked to a staggering number of people on America’s first whistle-stop tour. For the Methodist Chautauqua assemblies, he was a popular, frequent speaker.

In 1901, the Bryans built a country home east of Lincoln. Profits from his books paid for the property. Over time, the Bryans had purchased a few hundred acres along Antelope Creek. Designed by Artemus Roberts, Fairview was named for the panorama provided from the top of the hill. Bryan’s goal was for his home to be the Monticello of the West—a gathering place for democracy. Frequently, the community was invited for both political assemblies and outdoor get-togethers. When the days of presidential speeches were over in 1908, the chilly front porch was enclosed.

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