Pierce

Formed January 1, 1859 (33^rd county)

Pierce County (7,315), Pierce (1,837)                

The Modern brown brick structure was built in 1978 at Court, Brown, Pierce, and Lucas streets.  Nebraska State Highway 13 is Lucas Street.  Everett J. Simpson provided the building designs.  Pierce County was organized on January 1, 1859 as the 33^rd county from parts of Izard and McNeale counties, which no longer exist, and Native American Territory.  There were 1871 and 1889 courthouses earlier both in Pierce, the only county seat.  The county and county seat are named for United States President Franklin Pierce. 

Pierce County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Pierce, Antelope, Cuming, Knox, Madison, Stanton and Wayne counties.  Pierce County is in northeast Nebraska.  Sioux City, Iowa is east and Omaha, Nebraska is southeast of the county.  The county is 7.9 miles Northwest of Pierce nearer Foster.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Knox, Cedar, Wayne, Stanton, Madison, and Antelope counties. 

The area of the county is 574 square miles.  It is 54 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 39 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 12.7 persons per square mile making it 37 out of 93 in the state.  Pierce County has 58.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 20 crosses the county from east to west from Cedar County to Antelope County.  United States Highway 81 travels north to south from Cedar County to Madison County.  The county is a rectangle.  The City of Pierce is located in the southeast quarter of the county.  Pierce is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Norfolk Micropolitan Statistical Area.