60 Nebraskaland • November 2021
added followed by four caterpillar
tractors with Fresnos to speed up the
movement of dirt. Every night a crew
of six men kept fi res burning to keep
out frost and thaw the ground. Work
progressed with day crews as large
as 40 men to speed the work and in
an eff ort to be ready to impound the
spring rains." The construction was a
success, and with ample rain that year,
the reservoir fi lled quickly.
According to the newsletter, the
corps initially named the resulting 20-
acre reservoir Lake Bertha to honor the
wife of Louis Bash, a quartermaster
general who had recently visited Fort
Robinson. At some point, naming
honors instead went to Carter P.
Johnson, the cavalryman who served
fi ve tours of duty at Fort Robinson
while advancing through the ranks
and building a storied military career.
Having retired as a major in 1909,
and taking up residence on a nearby
ranch along the White River, Johnson
returned to the fort for a short stint
as commanding offi cer in 1916 — the
same year he died of heart problems.
His colorful reputation is reinforced in
a painted portrait by renowned 19th
century artist Frederic Remington.
Puƫ ng in Ponds
The conservation corps was busy in
'35. An annual report from hatchery
foreman Fred Engelhardt said the
work included "concrete outlets for
two nursery ponds on Cherry Creek,
lower ice pond dam of earth and
spillway, concrete outlet, earth dam
and spillway for lower Grable Springs
bass pond. One half mile drainage ditch
from Grable ponds to Grable Reservoir."
They also "began repair work on
lower ice pond dam and spillway,
damaged by erosion caused by a cloud
A 1986 photograph shows the well-kept grounds of the Crawford hatchery. NGPC LIBRARY
A watercolor portrait of Lt. Carter P.
Johnson by American artist Frederic
Remington, circa 1888. The largest
of Fort Robinson's ponds, Carter P.
Johnson Reservoir, is named for the
colorful cavalryman.
