Valentine S. Keppel Valentine S. Keppel Valentine S. "V.S." "Val" Keppel (February 21, 1865 – September 7, 1940) was an American farmer and politician. Born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin in Mormon Coulee, Keppel went to the public schools. He was a farmer and lived in Long Coulee near Holmen, Wisconsin. He was the manager and secretary of the Holmen Cooperative Creamery and was also secretary of the Holmen Telephone Company. Keppel was also one of the directors of the Holmen Bank. Keppel was a supporter of United States Senator Robert M. La Follette, Sr. and the Wisconsin Progressive Party. Keppel served on
Valentine, Nebraska located on a small stream tributary to the Niobrara River about east of Valentine in Smith Falls State Park. Just south of Valentine, a pair of bridges span the Niobrara River. The modern bridge carries traffic north and south along U.S. Route 83. Just to the west, an arched cantilever truss bridge named the Bryan Bridge is also open to through traffic. Designed by Josef Sorkin and built in 1932, the Bryan Bridge is made of steel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A large red neon heart (a star during the Christmas season) is found