History:
The warm welcome that awaits you at Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse and Lounge is nothing new.
It’s a direct reflection of the man who founded Nebraska’s favorite waterin’ hole. Rosser O. Herstedt (“Ole” to anyone that knew him) was one of a kind.
Born and raised in Paxton, Ole never tired of the friendly people and easygoing lifestyle of the tiny western Nebraska community. In fact, his desire to remain in his hometown was what led him to seize a unique business opportunity in 1933.
- On August 8, 1933, prohibition in the Nebraska came to an end.
- At 12:01 a.m. on August 9, Ole opened his tavern on Paxton’s main street.
The tavern quickly became the local gathering spot. Ole and his friends, all avid outdoorsmen, would spend hours swapping tales of their hunting exploits. In 1938, Ole bagged a deer he was especially proud of. He had the buck mounted and displayed it in the bar. That was just the beginning.
Stories of hunting trips became dreams of expeditions to far away lands in search of bigger, more exotic game. And Ole was always one to follow his dream. Over a period of 35 years, Ole traveled to every continent. Trophies from his hunting safaris became part of the more than 200 mounts now showcased at Ole’s. Photographs and other artifacts of his adventures line the walls. Ole made his last hunting trip in 1973, and in 1988 he retired as the owner of the Big Game Lounge. That gave another Paxton native a unique business opportunity.
As a boy, Tim Holzfaster had been fascinated by the animals he saw and the tales he heard at Ole’s. Now he had a chance to make sure that history lived on in Paxton. Tim became the new owner of Ole’s Big Game Lounge. (Read “Two Men and a Bar”)
Today, the lounge has been expanded to become Ole’s Steakhouse and Lounge. ‘Then and Now!’
It’s a link between the past and the future you won’t want to miss. Be sure to stop in Paxton. You’ll enjoy the adventure.
