U.S. Route 136 in Nebraska

US 136 and N-46 junction in downtown Oxford

US 136 begins north of Edison at a junction with US 6 and US 34. The highway heads south into Edison within the Republican River Valley. The highway leaves Edison headed east before turning to the southeast as it runs parallel to the river through agricultural fields on its way to Oxford. Here it runs along the south side of the village and comes to an intersection with N-46 which it runs concurrently with for several blocks. On the southeast side of Oxford, the two highways diverge and US 136 continues southeast. As the highway approaches Orleans it meets up with N-89 for 0.52 miles (0.84 km) into town. Near the center of Orleans, N-89 departs to the south while US 136 continues east out of town. After 4.21 miles (6.78 km) of eastward travel, the highway comes to a junction with US 183. Together, both highways head south into Alma. Alma is home to the Harlan County Reservoir. This 13,250-acre (5,360 ha) reservoir is one of the largest bodies of water within the North American Central Flyway and is a primary stopping point during migration for millions of birds including bald eagles, golden eagles, pelicans, osprey, ducks, geese, and gulls.[7] The highway continues east through vast fields before entering Republican City. Just south of the city is the Harlan County Reservoir Dam, accessible by Corps Road A. The dam was built in 1952 to prevent large scale flooding in the Republican River Valley similar to the 1935 Republican River Floods.[8]

Looking east along US 136 in Red Cloud, Nebraska

From Republican City the US 136 continues east along the northern bluffs of the Republican River as it passes to the north of the small communities Naponee and Bloomington. The highway then comes to a junction with N-10 on the north side of Franklin. The two routes run south, concurrently, for a half mile (0.80 km) to the center of town there N-10 continues south and US 136 diverges to the east. The highway then continues east for another 10 miles (16 km) before entering Riverton, a small village on the Republican River. The highway continues east passing the community of Inavale before arriving at an intersection with US 281 in the Webster County seat of Red Cloud. Red Cloud was an important pioneer community as eight passenger trains per day passed through its train depot. It was also the childhood home of author Willa Cather whose early novels recounted life during the homestead frontier in the late 19th century. Her childhood home is one block south of US 136 on Cedar Street.[9] The highway leaves Red Cloud, continuing due east for about 10 miles (16 km) before coming to an intersection with N-78 just north of Guide Rock. US 136 then continues due east through corn, sorghum, soybean, and wheat fields for the next 14 miles (23 km) before meeting up with N-14 north of Superior.[10] The two highways run concurrently to the north for 4 miles (6.4 km) before US 136 breaks off and continues its easterly trek. The highway then passes the communities of Nora and Ruskin before arriving in Deshler at an intersection with N-5. Deshler was home to the one of the nation's largest broom factory in the 1950s and 1960s.[11] The highway continues to the east, running parallel to Spring Creek as it approaches an intersection with US 81 just south of Hebron, home to the world's largest porch swing.[12]

Gage County Courthouse in Beatrice, Nebraska along 6th St six blocks north of US 136

After passing Hebron to the south, the highway continues on its easterly heading. For the next 20 miles (32 km), the highway continues to pass through the vast agricultural fields of southeastern Nebraska. Included in this stretch is the small community of Gilead, which the highway passes to its south. Just east of Gilead, the highway comes to an intersection with N-53 which heads to the north towards Alexandria. Continuing east the highway crosses the Little Blue River before entering the city of Fairbury. Fairbury was the home of the Western Division headquarters of the Rock Island Railroad until 1965. The Rock Island Depot was constructed in 1913 at a cost of $40,000 (equivalent to $773 thousand in 2019[13]) to accommodate increased passenger and freight loads. The depot is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture with brick pilasters topped with stone trim, a hipped roof of red clay tile, overhanging eaves and decorative brackets.[14] On the east side of the city, US 136 intersects N-15 before exiting Fairbury to the northeast. After leaving Fairbury, the highway begins to meander in a general northeasterly direction, a stark contrast to its almost due east path prior. It passes through the south end of Jansen then the north sides of the small communities of Harbine and Ellis before swinging to the north before it enters the city of Beatrice. The highway then turns back to the east and comes to an intersection with N-4. The two highways then head east into the heart of Beatrice. When the Homestead Act went into effect on January 1, 1963, Daniel Freeman persuaded a clerk to open the local Land Office so he could make a claim for a homestead 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Beatrice. In 1936, Congress dedicated the Homestead National Monument of America on the site of Freeman's claim.[15][16]

Auburn, Nebraska Post Office

After leaving Beatrice, US 136 and N-4 run concurrently for 7.89 miles (12.70 km), diverging southwest of Filley. Here, N-4 heads east towards Virginia and Lewiston while US 136 continues into Filley. The highway then continues into Johnson County where it begins to parallel Yankee Creek as it passes the communities of Crab Orchard and Vesta before entering the city of Tecumseh. On the east side of Tecumseh, the highway has an intersection with N-50 before continuing on to the east. For the next 8.5 miles (13.7 km) the highway travels through rural agricultural fields before entering Nemaha County and meeting up with N-105 south of Johnson. The two highways travel, together, north for about one mile (1.6 km) where US 136 heads to the east again. The highway travels east for another 8.5 miles (13.7 km) where it enters the city of Auburn. The post office in Auburn features a painting in the lobby that was part of a WPA project commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one of twelve paintings in the state.[17] In the center of Auburn, the highway intersects US 75 before continuing on to the east. US 136 travels 5.52 miles (8.88 km) east before coming to an intersection with N-67. The two highways travel concurrently to the east for 2.6 miles (4.2 km) before N-67 departs to the south on its way to Nemaha. Meanwhile, US 136 begins a slight descent into Brownville as it travels down rolling loess hills into the Missouri River Valley. The town overlooks a campsite used by the Lewis and Clark Expedition on July 15, 1804.[17] The highway then crosses the Brownville Bridge over the Missouri River and continues into Missouri.

Brownville Bridge carrying US 136 across the Missouri River

Prior to the automobile, travel across Nebraska was accomplished via old Indian trails and primitive territorial roads. The Oregon, California, and Mormon trails were popular overland routes across Nebraska for westward travel and was also a primary route for the Pony Express. The Oregon, California and Pony Express routes entered Nebraska in Jefferson County southeast of Fairbury and followed the Little Blue River to Rock Creek Station east of Fairbury. The trails then traveled in a generally west-northwest direction towards the Platte River valley and Fort Kearney. The section of these trails across Jefferson and Thayer County generally paralleled the present day US 136 corridor within a few miles to its north.[18]

1926 style Nebraska Highway 3 marker

In 1911, the opening of the Omaha-Lincoln-Denver (O-L-D) route introduced one of the primary east–west routes across southern Nebraska. This route traveled along and near the present day US 6 corridor. However, for a brief section between Edison and Oxford the O-L-D traveled along the present day US 136 corridor. From Arapahoe, the O-L-D followed along Chestnut Street, which is the modern day alignment of US 6 and US 34. From there it traveled south and east to Edison. The highway entered Edison along the line common to sections 27 and 34, which is now Second Street. At the intersection of Main Street and Second Street the O-L-D met up with the present day alignment of US 136. The highway continued east out of Edison for about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before turning south for one mile (1.6 km) along present day Road 432. It then traveled east for 3 miles (4.8 km) along Road 720. From here it followed the present day alignment of US 136 into Oxford just south of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. In Oxford the highway bent south around a stock yard then along South Railway Street where it turned north to cross the railroad along Ogden Street before turning back southeast along South Railway Street. It paralleled the tracks until Cornwall Street where it resumed due east travel. This marked the point where O-L-D left the present day US 136 corridor to continue on towards Lincoln.[19]

In 1921, one of the predecessor routes to modern day US 136 in Nebraska was designated N-67 between Culbertson and Oxford, this route followed the present day alignment of US 6 and US 34 and was also part of the Omaha-Lincoln-Denver highway.[20] In 1925 much of the route occupied by present-day US 136 was redesignated as Nebraska Highway 3. This former route traversed the state from the Colorado state line west of Haigler to Brownville where it crossed the Missouri River via a tolled ferry route.[21] The segment of N-3 west of Edison followed the present day alignment of US 34 and was redesignated as such in 1939. In 1951, US 136 was designated along its present-day alignment between St. Joseph, Missouri and Indianapolis, Indiana. It wasn't until 1960 when the highway was extended west and replaced the remaining portion of N-3 between Edison and Brownville.[2][3] Since US 136 was extended into Nebraska, the N-3 designation was decommissioned and hasn't been used since. The route of US 136 has remained relatively unchanged since it was designated in 1960.