Minersville was named for the coal deposits and mines in the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River. It is located in Otoe County in eastern central Nebraska about four miles south of Nebraska City and four miles east. It is located right next to the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks.
The town was first called Bennett's Ferry, due to a man named John Bennett, who operated a ferry across the Missouri River to Iowa. The post office in Bennett's Ferry opened on January 28, 1856. The name was changed to Otoe City on April 20, 1857. The name was changed again to Minersville on December 21, 1874.
At one time there was over 1,000 people living in Minersville. In 1901, a shaft cave in at the coal mines killed all but 14 men and boys working at the mine. The post office operated until February 15, 1923. The downtown area is still there, but is really run down.
The town of St. Deroin was the first settlement in Nemaha County. It is located on the Missouri River and was an important supply stop for riverboats and ferries. The townsite was laid out by Joseph Deroin and Robert Hawke in 1853. A sidewhell ferryboat was operated from St. Deroin starting in 1858. A general store opened in 1859 by Judge Andrew J. Ritter. On March 23,1861, the post office opened. The ferry stop made St. Deroin a very important town on the Missouri River. In 1871, a lodge and schoolhouse were built. That same year, coal mining started in the hillsides. Soon, St. Deroin had everything a town could possibly need. So much was available here that big steamboats stopped here to pick up grain, supplies, fruit and fuel. By 1900, the population was about 300. Unfortunately, what caused prosperity also spelled out the towns death. The Missouri River was the lifeline of the town, but a flood in 1911 washed most of the town away.
Today, some of St. Deroin has been restored and is located inside the boundries of Indian Cave State Park. To get to Indian Cave State Park, take Highway 75 south out of Nebraska City 19 miles to Auburn. Take a left on Highway 136 and go about 8 miles to Highway 67. Take a right (south) and go a few miles past the town of Nemaha to the Indain Cave turnoff.
John Kagi, one of abolishionist John Brown's most trusted collegues, went to stay with his sister and brother-in-law Allen Mayhew. It was the early 1850's and the area was the Nebraska City area of Nebraska. Their cabin was very close to the Missouri River. Across the river was Iowa and Missouri.
John Kagi, under the instruction of his friend John Brown, dug an underground room underneath the Mayhew cabin. It was accessible only from a ravine leading into a creek. The entrance was well camoflauged. There was also a hollow log put into the wall that lead to fresh air outside. This helped the ventilation when the entrance was closed up. This cave was to be used as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
At night, slaves would cross the Missouri River from Missouri (slave state) to Nebraska (free state). They would hide out in the cave for the night. Mrs. Mayhew would bring them cornbread. After a short stay, they would be ferried across the Missouri River again. They would be taken a little more north to Iowa (free state), to another stop on the Underground Railroad. Or else, as more recent evidence shows, they would proceed toward Lincoln to hide out in Robber's Cave (see Nebraska haunted sites on Nebraska page).
This cabin and cave are still standing where they were over a century ago. The Mayhew cabin is said to be the oldest standing building in Nebraska. It is open to tours and well worth the time. The phone number is 402-873-3115, in case you need more information.