Madison

Formed January 1, 1867 (42^nd county)

Madison County (35,584), Madison (2,280), Norfolk (25,907)

The Modern brown and tan brick courthouse was constructed in 1977.  The building is on Main Street at Clair Davis Street outside of the city.  United States Highway 83 by-passes the town ¼ mile east of the courthouse.  Old farm equipment is displayed in front of the facility.  Everett J. Simpson provided the designs.  There was an 1887 version earlier also in Madison, the only county seat.  Madison County was organized on January 1, 1867 as the 42^nd county from parts of Loup County, McNeale County (which no longer exists), and Native American Territory.  The county and county seat are named for United States President James Madison. 

Madison County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Madison, Antelope, Cuming, Knox, Pierce, Stanton and Wayne counties.  Madison County is in northeast Nebraska.  Grand Island, Nebraska is southwest and Omaha, Nebraska is southeast of the county.  The county center is 9.1 miles Northwest of Madison nearer Enola.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Pierce, Wayne, Stanton, Platte, Boone, and Antelope counties. 

The area of the county is 573 square miles.  It is 57 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 8 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 62.1 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 93 in the state.  Madison County has 87.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 81 goes north to south in the county from Pierce County to Platte County.  United States Highway 275 passes east to west from Stanton County to Antelope County.  The county is a rectangle with the City of Madison located in the southeast corner.  Norfolk is in the northeast corner of the county.  Madison is the county seat and Norfolk is the largest city.  Madison is 6.4% of the county population while Norfolk is 72.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Norfolk Micropolitan Statistical Area.