National Register of Historic Places

Kelso Site

Mullen, Hooker County, Nebraska
Listed
January 21, 1974
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74001123

About this property

The Kelso Site, near Mullen in Hooker County, Nebraska, United States, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It was the site of a prehistoric village. The archeological site is designated by Smithsonian trinomial of 25 HO 23. According to Nebraska History: "Kelso is located on a sand dune overlooking the Middle Loup River near the town of Mullen. It is important as a rare example of a little known Woodland culture of the Sand Hills, Panhandle, and eastern Colorado dating A.D. 500-1100." The archeological site was partially excavated in 1947, when the proposed Mullen Reservoir project was planned. This was "the only major excavation of a Woodland site in the Sand Hills proper. Approximately one-quarter of the Kelso site was excavated. Two hearths were uncovered, but storage pits or architectural ruins were not located. Artifacts included pottery, stone tools, animal remains, and a bone awl. The animal bone sample reflected an emphasis on smaller game. The site is somewhere between 950 and 1,350 years old."

Location

Mullen, Hooker County, Nebraska

Categories

PREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Kelso Site

This page lists Kelso Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Kelso Site report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Kelso Site listed on the National Register?

Kelso Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Kelso Site?

Kelso Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Kelso Site?

The period of significance for Kelso Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Kelso Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Kelso Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hooker County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hooker County.

Explore HookerCounty ›

More historic places in Nebraska

Browse all historic places in Nebraska.

View Nebraskahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Nebraska history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Nebraskahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Kelso Site will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report