Click Image to Enlarge
Nebraska Counties
There is ninety-three counties in state of Nebraska. Despite the fact that Sarpy County contained the oldest settlement in the state, it was one of the last lands along the river to be recognized by law. Finally, on February 1, 1857, the land "where the cities meet the country" was officially created.Hitchcock County, Nebraska
Hitchcock County Education, Geography, and History
Hitchcock County is a county located in the state of Nebraska. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 2,908. Its county seat is Trenton
Etymology - Origin of Hitchcock County Name
The area would become known as Hitchcock County, named after Phineas W. Hitchcock, a United States senator from Nebraska at the time.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Hitchcock County History
In the late 1860s and early 1870s an
influx of cattlemen began moving into the area between the Republic and
Frenchman River Valleys in Southwest Nebraska. By the spring of 1873 the
population had increased so dramatically in this area that settlers sent a
petition to Gov. Robert B. Furnas requesting that a county be organized.
The settlers' request was honored by the governor, who on July 5, 1873, signed a
proclamation ordering an election be held to select county officers and a county
seat. The area would become known as Hitchcock County, named after Phineas W.
Hitchcock, a United States senator from Nebraska at the time. The first county
seat was located at a site just west of the present town of Culbertson. Instead
of building a courthouse, county officials' offices were located in the upper
story of a store.
Early development of what is today Hitchcock County can be traced back to the
days of the Texas-Ogallala Cattle Trail, which cut across the area diagonally.
Years later the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad would have an even
greater impact.
The summer of 1874 took its toll on the county, as a drought and an infestation
of grasshoppers forced many settlers to pack up and move on. Eventually the
county began to recover and in the early 1880s a series of townsites sprang up.
One of these was Trenton, which was established near the center of the county in
1884 by the Lincoln Land Company. Trenton, located on the Republican River,
would be named the county seat in 1894 and in 1906 the first courthouse was
built. This building would house the county's offices until 1969 when the
present courthouse was constructed.
With its dependence on agriculture, Hitchcock County realized early on the
importance of conservation, flood control and irrigation. This led to the
construction of a large dam on the Republican River just west of Trenton. In
1949, state and local officials dedicated the Swanson Reservoir. Today the large
lake, named in honor of Trenton conservationist and civic leader Carl Swanson,
is a popular recreation area.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2), of which 710 square miles (1,800 km2) is
land and 8.5 square miles (22 km2) (1.2%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Red Willow County (east)
- Rawlins County, Kansas (south)
- Dundy County (west)
- Hayes County (north)
- Frontier County (northeast)
Education
Click Image to Enlarge
