Attractions
The BIRDING TRAIL begins
on the west side of the Middle Loup River bridge. Go south
I 1/2 miles and you begin to see mourning doves, cardinals,
thrashers, golden shafted flickers, goldfinches, eastern
bluebirds, and many others. Watch the trees for wood ducks,
hawks and owls. Turn west for 1 1/2 miles and watch for
bobolinks which nest in the grass fields. Red-winged blackbirds
frequent the creek along the road. You can drive the road
most of the time although it is a minimum maintenance road
- but the best way to see all the birds is to walk these
two roads. Turn south and drive past the Dowse Sod House
(stop and visit, you will enjoy it). Drive on to Oak Grove
and take a walk down the minimum maintenance road south
(stay on the road as the area is private property). Watch
for an array of birds and wildlife. Drive or walk through
Comstock as many of the residents feed birds - you may
see rose-breasted grosbeaks, blackheaded grosbeaks, orchard
and baltimore orioles in May and June; goldfinches, cardinals,
robins, blue jays, redheaded woodpeckers, downy and hairy
woodpeckers, chickadees, red-breasted and white-breasted
nuthatches, indigo buntings, mourning doves and occasionally
a ringed dove. Also watch for rufous crowned and chipping
sparrows and as you travel the northeast comer of town
watch for thrashers and quail. Always watch for wild turkeys
who stroll through the streets.
CENTENNIAL GARDEN - Established
in 1997, visitors will be treated to an array of hundreds
of plants, trees, and shrubs as they walk the paths, one
of which is of engraved paving stones leading to a lighted
gazebo. Other pathways take you to a pergola, through arches,
over a bridge, and to a raised herb bed, with numerous
benches along the way for rest and reflection. One will
find whimsical characters, clever signs, and endless decorations
as you meander through the garden which covers one-half
city block. The remains of Comstock's first electrical
plant has been transformed into the Friendship Patio complete
with fire ring, where visitors are invited to have a cool
drink, picnic, or a wiener roast. Sandhills Labyrinth provides
a more serious stroll as this circle path meanders back
and forth leading to the center where you can sit to reflect,
meditate or pray. No matter how much time one chooses to
spend in Centennial Garden, or for what purpose, you are
guaranteed an unbelievable experience! 
COMSTOCK CITY PARK offers
family fun with tennis court, basket ball hoops, sand
volleyball, horseshoe pit, 3 basket disc golf course,
picnic tables and shelters, outdoor grills for barbecuing,
big slide made from old school's fire escape and other
playground attractions.
DIVERSION DAM, located
south of Comstock on the Middle Loup River, provides
fishing and hunting on public grounds as well as primitive
camp sites.
THE DOWSE SOD HOUSE - Earth
has reclaimed most of the sod houses which once made Custer
County the "sod house capital
of the world," yet the Dowse Sod house, built at the
tail-end of the sod house era, stands as one of the few'
remaining original and furnished sod houses in Nebraska.
William Ryan Dowse, son of the first white family to settle
in Custer County, constructed this sod house in 1900 for
his bride-to-be, Florence E. Murphy. Heavy earth matted
by bluestem grass was plowed when the ground was moist,
preventing crumbling of the soil. The plowed soil was laid
out in long strips, then cut into brick-size pieces 30" long,
4 to 5" deep.- Sod bricks were laid grass-side down
on' he rising wall and the tops planed level. The root
system held the sod together. Dirt "shavings" were
packed into crevasses of the newly-built rows. The thick
walls insulated the home from temperature extremes, being
2 1/2' deep. Although the windows appear very narrow from
the outside, inside the walls fan away to permit maximum
entrance of light without loss of insulation or structural
support. Across the completed walls Dowse laid two-by-fours.
Muslin was stretched beneath the ceiling: boards and fastened
by carpet tacks. This formed the ceiling for the
original rooms and was not replaced until about 1915.
Twice yearly Florence took the muslin ceiling down for
washing. Most sod houses were roofed by laying sod over
building paper-covered boards. Dowse used cedar shingles
which- still protect the interior. He later thrust the
sod exterior walls with cement, which account for it still
standing after it was abandoned as a dwelling in the 1950's.
Curt and Phillip
Dowse, two of the five sons born to this family, enlisted
the help of the Community Club to restore this historical
site to its existing condition. A 1" scale replica
of the sod house as it was originally constructed may be
seen at Gallery: Art and Creativity Center, 80880 Oak Grove
Road, Comstock.
The sod house is located southwest of Comstock.
On 183 between Ansley and Sargent, turn east onto 21-C
at the Comstock sign and continue six miles to the Dowse
Sod House sign. Go south on Oak Grove Road 3 1/2 miles
to the home. There is no admission charge. Guided tours
are available year-round by pre-arrangement. Phone 308-628
4370 or 308-628-4231.
GALLERY: ART & CREATIVITY
CENTER,
housed in a century-old church, is located one mile west
of Comstock on the 21-C spur, then one mile south to 80800
Oak Grove Road. The sanctuary displays work of the artist-in-residence,
Sue oiler Dowse, and many other Nebraska-related artists.
In addition to paintings, sculptings, photography, hand-blown
glass, painted furniture, and other aspects of two- and
three-dimensional art forms, one can find many specialty
gift items, both practical and fanciful. Most of the artwork
is available for purchase.
The art gallery was originally established
in 2000 in the spacious upper level of the Dowse home to
the south. When Wescott Baptist Church relocated in town
the facility was reinvented into a showcase for the arts
by spring of 2006. This affords area artists a showcase
for their work. It houses two major shows annually: the
Vissi d'Arte Club competition in May and the Association
of Nebraska Art Clubs traveling show whose exhibit dates
vary. One-man shows are on the calender affording a good
rotation of exhibits. The lower level is used as a gathering
place for the art club and is also teaching studio for
artists of all ages in groups or individually. Most supplies
are furnished and lessons taught at cost to develop art
skills and to encourage art appreciation.
Groups and individuals are cordially invited to enjoy
an art experience by touring the facility which is always
open by chance or by appointment by phoning 308.628-4370
or 308.215-0076. There is no admission charge, but donations
are gladly accepted towad the cost of supplies and equipment
in the learning center.
OAK GROVE, a state park west
and south of Comstock along the Middle Loup River, has
hunting and fishing and primitive camping
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