Lincoln

Formed January 1, 1860 (38^th county)

Lincoln County (34,680), North Platte (23,393)

The 1923 tan brick Beaux Arts style courthouse is on a square at Jeffers, 4^th, Dewey, and 3^rd streets.  Jeffers Street is United States Highway 83 in the town.  George A. Berlinghof and C. Coursey were the designers.  The building was enlarged in the 1960’s.  The courthouse features faux columns.  A Statue of Liberty replica is in front with veteran memorials on the grounds.  A previous facility dated from 1876 also in North Platte, the only county seat.  The county was formed on January 1, 1860 from Native American Territory as the 38^th county.  It is named for United States President Abraham Lincoln.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Lancaster County.  North Platte is a geographical name for its location on the North Platte River.  Lincoln County was the birthplace for 2 Nebraska Governors, M. Keith Neville and Robert B. Crosby. 

Lincoln County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three District Court Judges serve Lincoln, Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, Red Willow and Thomas counties (judicial.)  The county is in southwest Nebraska.  Grand Island, Nebraska is east and Scottsbluff, Nebraska is northwest of the county.  The North Platte and South Platte rivers combine to form the Platte River in the county.  The county center is 17.7 miles South of North Platte.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Logan, Custer, Dawson, Frontier, Hayes, Perkins, Keith, and McPherson counties. 

The area of the county is 2564 square miles.  It is 3 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 9 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 13.5 persons per square mile making it 35 out of 93 in the state.  Lincoln County has 76.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 80 crosses through the county east to west from Dawson County to Keith County.  United States Highway 30 parallels Interstate Highway 80 from Dawson to Keith counties.  United States Highway 83 goes north to south from Logan County to Frontier County.  The county is an overall rectangle.  North Platte is located slightly north of center in the county.  North Platte is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 67.5% of the county population.  This county is in the North Platte Micropolitan Statistical Area.

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