About Prairie Sands Inn Bed & Breakfast

A Nebraska Lodge Located in the Heart of the Sandhills

The Applegate Ranch, where Jim and Gail live, has been in the family for 3 generations, having been started by Jim’s grandfather buying some land north of town and then added on to by his father, Harvey, and two of Harvey’s brothers who also bought land north of town. The two uncles gave their land to Jim, his brother and three of their sisters. The land owned by the three sisters eventually also became a part of the ranch.

Until a few years ago the Applegate family leased out Angus cattle to many people in Nebraska with 1/3 of the calves, all heifers, being returned to the Applegate's as their share of the lease agreement. This plan was started by Harvey and carried on until Jim’s brother’s health failed, at which time all of the cattle were sold. Now, from May through October, cow and calf pairs are on the ranch.

The immediate Applegate family now consists of Jim, Gail, their three children and six grandchildren. Son, Jay, helps run the hunting enterprise at Prairie Sands Hunting. Hunting on the ranch for Pheasant, Chukar and Quail takes place from the first of September through the end of March.

Prairie Sands Inn is located in a house built in the early 1900’s and bought by Jim’s father, Harvey, in the 1950’s. Harvey built on to the house and remodeled it then it was also built on to and remodeled by Jim’s brother, John. After John’s death the house came into the possession of Jim and Gail who finished the work that still needed to be done on it and turned it into a bed and breakfast and hunting lodge. Gail made quilts for all of the 10 beds in the house as well as wall-hanging quilts and she was also in charge of decorating. Daughter, Jan, painted a mural on one of the walls in the living room. The house is very spacious with a 600 square foot kitchen.

Prairie Sands Inn is a member of the Nebrsaka Association on Bed & Breakfasts.