George Ward Holdrege

Biography

George Ward Holdrege devoted his career to the expansion of the Union Pacific Railroad, orchestrating freight movements that opened Nebraska’s plains to trade and settlement. His name still graces the town of Holdrege, a testimony to the confidence his peers had in his leadership and the steady hand he kept on the rails.

He was equally proud of the friendships he formed with engineers, farmers, and merchants, insisting on fair treatment and reliable service that knit distant counties into a single community. His thoughtful stewardship of the rail network helped glue together a growing state.