The Old Cochran Homestead

The Old Cochran Homestead is a terrific 7.63 +/- gentleman's acreage nestled in the beautiful North Platte River Valley in Garden County. The property boasts a very nice home and several usable outbuildings. The property is a short drive to Lake McConaughy and would make a wonderful full-time residence or weekend getaway. This acreage has it all and the location it perfect, you won't be disappointed with the Old Cochran Homestead. Land The Old Cochran Homestead consists of 7.63 +/- acres. The property is mainly level to rolling native grass with well established trees. The land also includes 1 acre foot of irrigation water from the Blue Creek canal. Seller may consider Seller Financing under the right circumstances. Improvements The Old Cochran Homestead was constructed in 1902 and soon after the beautiful 2 story home arrived by rail, it was one of the first Sears, Roebuck and Company kit homes in the area. Over time a few additions were added and the home has recently been remodeled. The partial basement is dry and provides additional storage. The home had all new energy efficient windows installed in 2020 along with electric cove heat. The home utilizes window AC units. The home has 4 large bedrooms, all with large closets, the primary bedroom includes a very large walk-in closet.  The 2nd floor bathroom has on demand hot water, a double vanity and large tiled shower. The kitchen is the original farmhouse style kitchen with a breakfast nook, there is also a formal dining area. The home also has a large entry with closet, large open living room, an office/den, a utility/laundry room and an additional storeroom. The Old Cochran Homestead includes a single car detached garage and 5 outbuildings; a drive-thru grainery that has been converted to a workshop and equipment storage, a 2-story barn, 2 utility builds that offer several options and also a livestock shed with an attached chicken coup. The outbuildings have metal roofs and most had fresh paint in 2020. Most of the property is fenced with barbed wire. Recreation The Old Cochran Homestead is only 15 minutes from beautiful Lake McConaughy, the recreational jewel of western Nebraska, is the largest lake in the state with over 100 miles of shoreline, 35,700 surface acres of water, 24 miles long, 4 miles wide, and is famous for its white sand beaches. Each year, thousands of boaters, campers and outdoor enthusiasts make the Lake McConaughy area their destination for fun!  In addition to Lake McConaughy which is fed by the North Platte River, you have Lake Ogallala at 320 surface acres “the little lake” nestled below Kingsley Dam (the 2nd largest earthen dam in the world). These two bodies of water provide endless opportunities for anglers of any skill level, young and old. The vast variety of fish you can catch between these two lakes include; Walleye, White Bass, Stripers, Wipers, Catfish, Northern Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Rainbow & Brown Trout. Lake McConaughy can accommodate virtually every type of watercraft you can imagine.  Lake McConaughy and the North Platte River Valley also provide tremendous opportunities for hunters. This area is famous for duck and goose hunting. In addition to waterfowl hunting there is small game, varmints, White Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, and Pronghorn in the area. The Seller has harvested both white-tailed deer and turkey on the property. Agriculture The Old Cochran Homestead is the perfect gentleman’s ranch with room for a couple horses or cattle, a nice chicken coup and several usable outbuildings. There is some additional equipment that the Seller is including with the property and a list will be provided to qualified Buyers. Water/Mineral Rights & Natural Resources There are 2 domestic wells (one with a new pump in 2021 and a new pressure tank in 2023) on the property. The property includes 1 acre ft. of ditch water coming from the Blue Creek Canal. This property is located within the North Platte NRD. General Operations The Old Cochran Homestead is a great acreage that will allow the new owner several options. Region & Climate Climate in Garden County, Nebraska Garden County, Nebraska gets 18 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year. Garden County averages 28 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. On average, there are 226 sunny days per year in Garden County. The US average is 205 sunny days. Garden County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 65 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure. Weather Highlights Summer High: the July high is around 89 degrees Winter Low: the January low is 12 Rain: averages 18 inches of rain a year Snow: averages 28 inches of snow a year History Area history: Garden County was formed in 1909 by popular vote. Voters in the general election of November 2, 1909 approved making the northern part of Deuel County into its own county. It is said the county was so named in the hope that this land should become the garden of the West or with allusion to the “Garden of Eden”. The county has lost population since the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The land was homesteaded for family farms that often turned out to be too small for subsistence farming under the arid conditions of the region. In the early decades of settlement by immigrants and migrants from the East, farmers did not know how to work the land on the prairies. Tons of topsoil were lost after droughts. The site of the September 1855 Battle of Ash Hollow (also called the Battle of Blue Water Creek and Harney Massacre), part of the First Sioux War, is near the modern-day settlement of Lewellen. The United States Army, with 600 troops under the command of William Selby Harney, made a surprise punitive attack on a Brule Sioux encampment led by Chief Little Thunder, in retaliation for the Grattan incident. Army infantry and cavalry killed a total of 86 people, including women and children, and taking another 70 women and children as captives. Samuel P. Delatour arrived in the area in 1884, founding a ranch at Blue Creek. Lewellen was platted (laid out) in 1906, around the time the railroad was extended to that point. Originally part of the Deuel County, Lewellen became part of Garden County in 1910. It was named for Frank Lewellen, who arrived in the area in 1886 and established a small store and post office. The population by the end of 1919 was about 400. Information provided by Wikipedia. Location The Old Cochran Homestead is located just a few minutes northwest of the pleasant Village of Lewellen and only a couple miles north of Hwy 26 in beautiful Garden County. The property is less than 10 minutes from the community of Osh Kosh and approximately 30 minutes to Ogallala and Interstate 80. The Old Cochran Homestead is 5 hours from Omaha, 3.5 hours from Denver, CO and a little over 2 hours from Cheyenne, WY.