Thurston

Formed January 1, 1889 (88^th county)

Thurston County (6,769), Pender (1,112)

The 1895 red brick school was remodeled in 1927 to become the courthouse.  The location is on Main Street between 5^th and 6^th streets.  Nebraska State Highway 9 is one block east of the site.  The architect is unknown for this Late Victorian and Romanesque structure.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county was founded on January 1, 1889 as the 88^th county from parts of Blackbird County (which no longer exists) and Native American Territory.  Pender has always been the county seat.  The county is named for United States Senator John M. Thurston.  Pender is named for railroad officer John Pender. 

The area of the county is 394 square miles.  It is 88 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 42 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 17.2 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 93 in the state.  Thurston County has 45.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 75 crosses the county from north to south from Dakota County to Burt County.  United States Highway 77 originates and heads south into Burt County.  The county is shaped like a small letter r sitting on its nose.  Pender is in the southwest corner of the county.  Pender is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 16.4% of the county population. 

Thurston County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Supervisors.  Three District Court Judges and Four County Court Judges serve Thurston, Burt, Cedar, Dakota, Dixon, Dodge, and Washington counties.  The county is in the northeast part of the state.  It borders Iowa across the Missouri River.  Sioux City, Iowa is north and Omaha, Nebraska is south of the county.  The county is 12.1 miles Northeast of Pender nearer Walthill.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Dakota County and Iowa and Burt, Cuming, Wayne, and Dixon counties.