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History · Hallam

Hallam dates to 1892, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1897 on and the census since 1910.

1892founded
0on the National Register
13%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Hallam began

When was Hallam founded?

1892

Hallam dates its founding to 1892 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1910.

First census: 168 in 19102020 census: 268134 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1893.The full story ↓

What stands out about Hallam’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Hallam are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18973 editions of the USGS map, 1897 to 1986. Watch Hallam change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hallam’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hallam’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Hallam on the map, 1897 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hallam. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hallam on the 1897 USGS mapHallam on the 1964 USGS mapHallam on the 1986 USGS map1897Lincoln sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hallam.

The story

How Hallam came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hallam.

Read it all →

Hallam was platted in 1892 when the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was extended to that point. The land was sold by Frederick Schneider, who was asked to name the village. However, Schneider's proposals were already names of towns in Nebraska, so the first landowner in the village, Jacob Schadd, was given the honor of naming the settlement. Schadd suggested Hallau, after his hometown in Switzerland. However, due to a transcription error at the post office, the name was recorded as Hallam rather than Hallau, similar to the error which altered Norfork to Norfolk, Nebraska.

Chapters2004 tornado

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hallam, 1892 to 1897

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1892
    FoundingHallam is established
  3. 1893Post officeThe Hallam post office opens
  4. 1897On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Hallam, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Untitled photo2016Untitled photoHallam, Nebraska grain elevator2013Hallam, Nebraska grain elevatorHallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 32013Hallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 3Hallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 22013Hallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 2Hallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 12013Hallam, Nebraska Main from Harrison 1NEMap-doton-Hallam2005NEMap-doton-Hallam
People over time

Hallam, census by census

0100200300192019401960198020002020Peak: 309

Between 168 and 309 people in every census since 1910.

12 censuses, 1910–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hallam’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Hallam

Nobody well known was born in Hallam itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Oliver KirkAmerican boxer · b. 1884
G
Gene L. CoonAmerican screenwriter, TV producer and novelist… · b. 1924
Janet ShawAmerican actress · b. 1919
J
John P. FultonSpecial effects designer · b. 1902
Kevin MeyerAmerican politician · b. 1956
Weldon KeesAmerican artist · b. 1914

Questions about Hallam’s history

What year was Hallam founded?

In 1892, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hallam’s post office opened in 1893, and the census of 1910 counted 168 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.