One Of The Weirdest Historical Markers In Nebraska Tells A Tale Of Pioneer Bravery
By Delana Lefevers|Published June 17, 2019
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
Throughout history, Nebraskans have done some pretty amazing things. From inventions to exploration to sports, we’ve accomplished plenty. Some of the most interesting stories come from the days of the pioneers when the area was wild and everyday life was dangerous and unpredictable.
One of the most remarkable stories is that of Robert and Nathaniel Martin from August 1864.
When they were 12 and 15, respectively, they were working on their farm with their father near the present-day town of Doniphan. A party of Sioux attacked suddenly, and the brothers hopped onto a horse to escape the violence while their father held off the attackers with his rifle.
They didn't get far, however, before their attackers caught up to them.
Near the present-day town of Alda, the boys were shot by two arrows. Nathaniel, who was sitting behind Robert, caught one arrow in the elbow and another in his torso. The force of the second arrow was so great that it traveled straight through Nathaniel and lodged in Robert's body.
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The arrow pinned the boys together in what must have been a painful and awkward situation.
They fell off of their horse and laid on the ground until the attackers moved on. The war party must have assumed that they were dead - but that wouldn't make for much of a story, would it?
Amazingly, both boys made it through the extraction of the arrow and lived for quite a while. Robert lived until the age of 47 and Nathaniel died at 79, though Robert was always plagued with lingering effects from the attack.
This picture shows Nathaniel holding the very arrow that pinned him and his brother together.
The arrow was once displayed at the Hastings Museum.
Several monuments to the brave boys and their unusual situation can be found in Nebraska. The white stone marker above (second picture from the top) is located near Alda, about 800 feet from where the incident happened.
There are also several identical bronze statues depicting the boys on their horse with arrows protruding from their bodies. One is at the Hastings Museum, another can be found at the Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer in Grand Island, and a third is in front of the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney.
Archway Monument Address: 3060 E 1st Street S, Kearney, NE 68847
Stuhr Museum Address: 3133 US-34, Grand Island, NE 68801
Hastings Museum Address: 1330 N Burlington Avenue, Hastings, NE 68901
Alda memorial Address: Alda Road, Alda, NE 68810
Have you ever heard the amazing story of the Martin brothers? Have you seen any of the statues or monuments yourself? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments!
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