Kearney

Formed January 1, 1860 (35^th county)

Kearney County (6,677), Minden (3,121)

A white domed masonry 1907 courthouse sits on Colorado Avenue, 4^th Street, Nebraska Avenue, and 5^th Street.  The courthouse is two blocks east of Nebraska State Highway 10 in the town.  George A. Berlinghof is the architect of this Beaux Arts courthouse.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds and music plays from the dome on the half hour.  The county was created on January 1, 1860 from Native American Territory as the 35^th county with Minden as the only county seat.  It is named for Fort Kearny and Calvary General Stephen W. Kearny.  He is also the namesake for the county seat of Buffalo County.  Minden is named for Minden, Germany.  Kearney County was the birthplace for 1 Nebraska Governor, Norbert T. Tiemann. 

Kearney County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two District Court Judges serve Kearney, Adams, Franklin, Harlan, Phelps and Webster counties and Three County Court Judges serve Kearney, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Harlan, Nuckolls, Phelps, and Webster counties (judicial.)  The county is located in southern Nebraska.  The Platte River forms its northern border.  Grand Island, Nebraska is northeast and Scottsbluff, Nebraska is northwest of the county.  The county center is in Minden .9 miles West-Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Buffalo, Hall, Adams, Webster, Franklin, Harlan, and Phelps counties. 

The area of the county is 516 square miles.  It is 75 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 44 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 12.9 persons per square mile making it 36 out of 93 in the state.  Kearney County has 64.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 6/34 travel east to west in the county from Adams County to Phelps County.  The county is shaped like a bowl of ice cream with a scoop taken out.  Minden is slightly south of center in the county.  Minden is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 46.7% of the county population.  The county is pronounced KER-NEE.  This county is in the Kearney Micropolitan Statistical Area.