Niobrara

Formed February 21, 1911 (19^th county)

Niobrara County (2,469), Lusk (1,538)

The red brick Italianate structure was constructed in 1919 and remodeled in 1945.  The structure is on Elm Street at 5^th Street.  United States Highway 85 is one block to the west of the facility.  George E. McDonald is the architect.  A Justice Center has been added.  The county was founded on February 21, 1911 from Converse County as the 19^th county and Lusk has always been the county seat.  The county is named for the river which is Native American for “flat river.”  Lusk was named for settler Frank Lusk. 

Niobrara County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Four Circuit Court Judges serve Niobrara, Converse, Goshen, and Platte counties.  The county is on the eastern border with South Dakota and Nebraska.  Casper, Wyoming is west and Cheyenne, Wyoming is south of the county.  The county center is 22.2 miles North of Lusk nearer Lance Creek.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Weston County and South Dakota and Nebraska and Goshen, Platte, and Converse counties. 

The area of the county is 2626 square miles.  It is 16 out of 23 in the state.  It ranks 23 out of 23 in population in the state.  It has a density of 0.9 persons per square mile making it 23 out of 23 in the state.  Niobrara County has 67.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 18 enters the county from the northeast, South Dakota, and exits to the west, Converse County.  United States Highway 20 comes from Nebraska, east, and joins United States Highway 18 into Converse County.  United States Highway 85 passes north to south from Weston County to Goshen County.  The county is a rectangle.  Lusk is located in the southern quarter of the county.  Lusk is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 62.3% of the county population.  The county is pronounced NIE-O-BRAR-A.