Red Willow

Formed February 27, 1873 (63^rd county)

Red Willow County (10,705), McCook (7,430)

The 1927 masonry facility is at the intersection of E Street and Norris Avenue.  United States Highway 6 is three blocks to the south of the site.  The Classical Revival building’s designer was Marcus L. Evans.  A classier 1896 courthouse was previously in McCook.  Indianola was the first county seat until 1896 when McCook took over.  The current courthouse was remodeled in 1990.  Red Willow County was created on February 27, 1873 from Native American Territory as the 63^rd county.  The county is named for Red Willow Creek.  The county seat is named for Civil War hero Alexander McDowell McCook.  Red Willow County was the birthplace for 1 Nebraska Governor, E. Benjamin Nelson. 

Red Willow County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Three District Court Judges and Five County Court Judges serve Red Willow, Arthur, Chase, Dawson, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Keith, Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Perkins, and Thomas counties.  Red Willow County is on the southwest border with Kansas.  Grand Island, Nebraska is northeast and Scottsbluff, Nebraska is northwest of the county.  The county is 8.1 miles Southeast of McCook nearer Indianola.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Frontier and Furnas counties and Kansas and Hitchcock County. 

The area of the county is 717 square miles.  It is 35 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 23 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 14.9 persons per square mile making it 29 out of 93 in the state.  Red Willow County has 78.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 6/34 cross the county from east to west from Furnas County to Hitchcock County.  United States Highway 83 passes north to south from Frontier County to Kansas.  Red Willow County is a rectangle.  McCook is located in the northwest quarter of the county.  McCook is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 69.4% of the county population.