"Cutler's Park"
Located near Mormon Bridge Road and Young Street. ((
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On August 7th or 8th, 1846, the Mormons created Nebraska's first and shortest-lived planned community, complete with a governing council, and even a police force. The settlement was three to four miles to the west of present day Florence along what is now known as the Mormon Bridge Road and just south of Young Street.*
Approximately twenty days later (Aug 25th), about 150 Indian chiefs and braves of the Omaha/Ottawa/Chippewa and Oto/Missouri natives came to collect rent for staying on their land. Brigham Young, the leader of the Mormons (though not President of the Mormon Church at the time) met with the Indians. A war nearly broke out when the Omaha/Ottawa/Chippewa natives were offered the same rent as the Oto/Missouri natives. The Omaha/Ottawa/Chippewa natives had only been in the area since 1843 (three years earlier)* but the Oto/Missouri had been in the area since the 1700s. At that point, the Church leaders made an agreement with Big Elk, chief of the Omaha nation, to live on land closer to the Missouri River. Immediately, camp was moved back to the area known now as Florence. By September 11th, 1846 Cutler's Park had been completely vacated.
