22 Nebraskaland • May 2024
pulleys fashioned from car wheels.
The car, powered by hand pedals,
was initially constructed by Cherry
County for Krzyzanowski's daughter,
Margaret, to get from their home on
the south side of the river to meet
the school bus on the north side.
Even though Margaret tragically died
from illness 18 months after the car's
installation, the lift remained as a
landmark for people fl oating the river.
The cable car's origins were
among the stories visitors to the falls
remember Krzyzanowski telling them
as he visited the campground. The
contraption has been closed to use, but
still exists in place for posterity.
Krzyzanowski died at age 89
in August 1988. In 1990, the
Krzyzanowski family contracted
a private lease agreement for
management of the camping facilities,
known as "12 Mile Camp." Not long
after, the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission entered the picture.
Becoming a State Park
In January 1992, after considerable
discussion, the Game and Parks
Commission OK'd a 30-year lease
agreement with the Krzyzanowski
family for 244 acres on both sides of
the river. The agency agreed to pay
$10,000 per year and planned more
than $500,000 of improvements for
when the property offi cially became a
state park that May.
One of the fi rst priorities was
the path to the big waterfall. With
increased traffi c, offi cials realized the
need to improve safety and reduce
erosion caused by the wet feet trekking
up and down the single-track dirt trail
to the attraction.
With volunteer assistance of more
than 100 members of the Casper Yost
Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers
Old photo of the cable car that once crossed the Niobrara River. NGPC PHOTO LIBRARY
Postcard of Smith Falls
circa 1960 with just a dirt trail and no
walkway built yet.
