Henry Koenig, a business leader in Grand Island, founded a flour mill in the 1860's the State Central Flouring Mill. He sold his mill to Henry Glade in 1883. Glade tore down the old mill and built a new mill which was a Grand Island landmark for more than 50 years. It was Glade's mill that eventually became Nebraska Consolidated Mill. This business grew and relocated to Omaha. It is now ConAgra.

Spanish influenza was a big concern in Grand Island. The town had a quarantine that prohibited gatherings of 12 or more people. Schools, theaters and churches were closed. If a family had the flu, their house was quarantined. Quarantined means that other people can't go there.

Edith and Grace Abbott were both born in Grand Island, Nebraska. Both sisters are in the Nebraska Hall of Fame. Edith was famous for starting the nation's first school of social work. Grace was a champion of children's rights. She worked hard to protect children from working in dangerous jobs; she also worked for women's and immigrant's rights.