Color postcard (14 x 9 cm) with a view of the Burlington Northern Railroads shops in Havelock, Nebraska. The smaller brick building at the right with smokestacks at either end is the brass foundry; the double-roofed brick building at left running behind the foundry is the boiler shop. The foreground is covered with green grass and loose dirt or sand appears to be piled in the center closer to the buildings. The caption "Burlington Shops" is in the top left corner and "Havelock, Neb." in the top right corner appears in red type.
As early as 1888, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad considered the establishment of shops to build and repair locomotives. With the Lancaster Land Company's gift of 300 acres of land and the railroad board's approval of $275,000 for initial construction, ground breaking in Havelock began in June 1890 for the initial building, a two-story double brick structure 400 x 130 feet with a glass roof. Later, a blacksmith's shop was built on the north and an 80 x 300 feet boiler shop was built on the west. By 1895 there were 400 men on the payroll. In 1904 the B&MR became the CB&Q Lines West. In 1909 there was a complete renovation of structures and five new projects valued at one $1 million were begun, including a trademark 200 foot concrete smokestack. On September 3, 1910, a gala dedication and dance hosted nearly 5,000 people. Source: McKee, James L. Havelock: A Photo History and Walking Tour. Lincoln, Nebraska: J & L Lee Company, 1993, p. 9-11. According to a map in the American Engineer and Railroad Journal, January 1911, the boiler shop was 130 feet, 4-1/2 inches wide and 400 feet, 5-3/4 inches long. The brass foundry was 56 feet wide and 140 feet, 8-1/4 inches long.
