Kimball County, Nebraska

Kimball County Education, Geography, and History

Kimball County is a county located in the state of Nebraska. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 3,821. Its county seat is Kimball. The county was formed in 1888 and named after railroad pioneer Thomas L. Kimball.

Etymology - Origin of Kimball County Name

Namedin honor of Thomas L. Kimball, vice president and general manager of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Kimball County History

An election held Nov. 6, 1888 resulted in the western third of Cheyenne County being split to form Kimball, Banner and Scotts Bluff Counties. Following the election, Kimball County was organized and named in honor of Thomas L. Kimball, vice president and general manager of the Union Pacific Railroad.

As the railroad passed through this area in the 1860s, a settlement named Antelopeville sprang up. It was named as such because of the prevalence of antelope in the area. When attempts were made to recognize a post office as Antelope, it was discovered there was already a post office in the state by that name. So in 1885 the name of the townsite was changed to Kimball and it became the county seat.

Kimball County possesses many distinctive features. It is home to the highest elevation in the state - Panorama Point which is 5,424 feet and located in the southwest corner of the county near where Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming intersect. At one time, Kimball County was home to the world's largest complex of I.C.B.M. Minute Man missiles. This earned the county the title of "Missile Center of the United States."

Another title worn by Kimball County was "Nebraska's Oil Capitol." In the early 1980s, more than 1,400 active wells were operating across the county.

In addition to the railroad, the Kincaid Act of 1904 was credited with bringing many settlers to the area, primarily farmers. The native buffalo and gramma grass made cattle feeding a natural for the Kimball County area, while the rick, black loam soil proved good for farming.

Kimball County has had two courthouses. The first was built in 1890 and was used until 1928. In addition to housing the offices of local government, the building was the scene of many of the county's social activities. In 1928 the current courthouse opened. Built of Carthage stone, with floors of Ozark gray marble and fixtures made of solid walnut, the courthouse cost $180,000.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 952 square miles (2,470 km²), of which 952 square miles (2,470 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (0.06%) is water.

The highest natural point in Nebraska, Panorama Point at 5,424 feet (1,653 m), is located in Kimball County.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Banner County - north
• Cheyenne County - east
• Logan County, Colorado - southeast
• Weld County, Colorado - southwest
• Laramie County, Wyoming - west

Education

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