Garden County Nebraska

The Rock School building was used as a school from September 1905 to 1914. It also served the community for church services, literary meetings, and other social functions when needed.

After 1914, when a much larger school had been built in the next block, the Rock School was used as a dwelling. Nearly always more than one family was living there at the same time. Numerous changes were made in the interior. Sometime in the 1950's, the building was no longer rentable and stood idle except as a place for children to play.

Rock School House Museum. In May 1969, the building became the property of the Historical Society of Garden County. It was restored and made into a museum.

In 1980 the Murray Lorenzen Hall (annex) was constructed as an addition to the rock school house museum. This annex contains memorabilia from the rural pioneers of the area.

Opera House (Silver Hills Theater) Museum
In 1898 the Woodman Hall was built. It served as society hall, a place for church services, in fact all gatherings of any size went to the hall. After the sale of the Woodman Hall in 1905, where the social life of the community had centered, the need of a hall was so apparent that Wynes and Bushnell erected the stone Opera House in 1907 just north of the Union Pacific right-of-way before the track was laid.

On April 14, 1974, the Historical Society of Garden County purchased the Silverhill and set up a second museum building. Its bird collection, period rooms, and numerous other displays can provide an informative and interesting experience for visitors of all ages.