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Pioneers first inhabited this area of the Western
Nebraska Sandhills beginning in the late 1870's. Native Americans
were also in the area until military troops moved them all out by
1880. The railroad came through in 1887, and a depot named Mullen
was housed in a boxcar near the Trefren trading post. The town of
Mullen was established in 1888, and Hooker County was officially
formed in 1889.
Information can be obtained from the Historical and
Genealogical Societies at
Mullen, Nebraska.
Welcome to Mullen! 
See a cyber tour of attractions, events, businesses, lodging, and
photos.
Mullen, Nebraska
See a cyber tour of the "Biggest Little Town in Hooker
County" with pages
for attractions, businesses, churches, events, history, lodging,
organizations,
native athletes, community foundation, school, and photos.
Check information about reprints that are here now!!
There are new pages of families, businesses, and organizations.
Don't miss this great update on Hooker County History!!
Order your copy now or purchase at the Museum
The Sandhills of Nebraska is a
nearly 20,000 square miles subregion of the Great Plains and the
largest stabilized sand dune area in North America. The Sandhills
cover a twenty-one county area of north central Nebraska
including Arthur, Wheeler, Custer, Grant, Valley, Cherry, Howard,
Brown, Garfield, Sherman, Keya Paha, Logan, Rock, Boyd, Hooker,
Thomas, Loup, Blaine, Greeley, Holt, and McPherson Counties.
The village of Mullen started with a small general store or
trading post called Trefren Post, run by L. Trefren which was
located about one mile west of the present townsite. In the fall
of 1887, the Grand Island and Wyoming Railroad laid tracks across
what is now Hooker County. Mr. Trefren and the railroad could not
agree on land price, so they put in switches about a mile east of
the trading post. They converted a box car into a telegraph
station and called it Siding Nine, later named Mullen after
Charles D. Mullen of Lincoln. At that time Mr. Mullen was Chief
Clerk for Mr. D.E. Thompson, Division Superintendent of the
CB&Q, but the actual naming was done by T.E.Calvert, General
Superintendent of the railroad. Mr. Trefren moved his
"Post" to Mullen which was to become the county seat of
Hooker County. (Source: History of Hooker County Nebraska -
First Hundred Years; Used by permission. All rights
reserved.)
Mullen is the only town in Hooker County.
Other towns, post offices, and railroad stations that previously
existed are described in a Nebraska Place-Names book
published in 1925 by Nebraska University. The 1908 New
International Encyclopedia has a Nebraska map showing Mullen,
Hecla, Weir, and Abby. Area history and artifacts are housed in
an old 1916 hotel that has been reclaimed and converted to a museum
by the Historical Society.
Many of the Genealogical Society records are located at the
Hooker County Library. Inquiries sent to the County Clerk at the
Courthouse or the Editor of the Hooker County
Tribune newspaper will very likely be
passed on to the Genealogical Society in Mullen. The courthouse
does have land records and marriage records which can be
researched. Requests for these and other county records will be answered by the Hooker County Genealogical
Society. Birth and death records are at the Vital Statistics office in
Lincoln NE. Check the Genealogy
Research information about Nebraska
vital statistics for helpful guidelines.
Please leave a message if you have
any questions or suggestions for additional information or
related links.
Sandhills Roots Digger, Nina (Scott) Clark
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Site created on August 03, 2002
This page was last updated on Oct 19, 2006
