Adams

Formed January 1, 1867 (39^th county)

Adams County (31,202), Hastings (25,144)                

The Modern structure was built in 1962 at 4^th Street, Saint Joseph Avenue, 5^th Street, and Denver Avenue.  United States Highway 281 passes four blocks to the west of the courthouse.  There was an 1889 classier courthouse previously.  Henningsen, Durham and Richardson are the architects of this marble and concrete structure.  A Courthouse Annex has been added.  Adams County was organized on January 1, 1867 from Native American Territory as the 39^th county.  Juniata was the first county seat until 1878 when Hastings assumed the role.  The county is named for United States President John Adams.  The county seat is named for railroad officer D. T. Hastings. 

Adams County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two District Court Judges serve Adams, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps and Webster counties and Three County Court Judges serve Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster counties (judicial.)  Adams County is situated in southern Nebraska.  Grand Island, Nebraska is directly north and Lincoln, Nebraska is northeast of the county.  The county center is 11.3 miles West-Southwest of Hastings nearer Assumption.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Hall, Hamilton, Clay, Nuckolls, Webster, Franklin, Kearney, and Buffalo counties. 

The area of the county is 563 square miles.  It is 66 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 11 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 55.4 persons per square mile making it 8 out of 93 in the state.  Adams County has 87.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 6 crosses the county east to west from Clay County to Kearney County.  United States Highway 34 enters from the north, Hall County, and joins United States Highway 6 to exit west, Kearney County.  United States Highway 281 is joined with United States Highway 34 from Hall County, splits and continues south into Webster County.  The county is a rectangle.  Hastings is located in the northeast quarter of the county.  Hastings is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 80.6% of the county population.  This county is in the Hastings Micropolitan Statistical Area.