PagePedia^™ History
Segments Presented by Lyle Harvey

Pleasant Valley
(Read at the Page Methodist Church on Feb. 17, 2008)

Page began as Pleasant Valley in 1882. The focal point of this community was a sod building that was erected in the northwest quarter of the section one half south of the present site of Page, Nebraska.

On November 20, 1883, upon the written petition of the majority of qualified voters, a meeting was called at the home of W. W. Page. The purpose of the meeting was to decide where the school building should be erected and what type of building it should be. R.B. Hunter was chosen as director, W.W. Page, treasurer and Duran Hunt, Moderator. Mr. Hunt leased the northwest acre of his farm, a site one-half mile south of present day Page, to the district for ninety-nine years for two dollars a year. The school was called Pleasant Valley, a suitable name because of the peaceable and pleasant settlers.

The sod, one-room building about fourteen feet by sixteen feet was made of footboards banked with sod. There were two windows in the east and two in the west. The door was in the south and a blackboard and recitation bench were placed across the north end. Benches served as seats and desks. Each student was to furnish his or her own books. School terms ranged from two to six months with no school being held during the coldest days of winter.

Mrs. Salinda Page was chosen as the first teacher. The Page’s lived just northwest of the school in the southeast corner of the section where Janice Morrill now lives.

This sod structure served as a school, community meeting place and place of worship until 1890. At this time all of the settlers of Pleasant Valley worked together and helped each other. This interaction of the settlers would lead to the building of friendships that would last their entire lives and into today. Today, we are very proud of our Pleasant Valley Heritage.

Lyle Harvey

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