Webster

Formed January 1, 1871 (54^th county)

Webster County (3,396), Red Cloud (966)

A 1914 brown brick Classical Revival courthouse sits on a square at Cedar Street, 6^th Avenue, Seward Street, and 7^th Avenue.  United States Highway 281 travels one block east of the location.  William F. Gernandt is the building designer.  There was an 1878 courthouse also in Red Cloud, the only county seat.  The county was established on January 1, 1871 from Native American Territory as the 54^th county.  The county is named for American statesman Daniel Webster.  Red Cloud is named for the Native American chief. 

Webster County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Two District Court Judges serve Webster, Adams, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, and Phelps counties and Three County Court Judges serve Webster, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Franklin, Harlan, Kearney, Nuckolls, and Phelps counties (judicial.)  Webster County is located on the southern border with Kansas.  Grand Island, Nebraska is north and Lincoln, Nebraska is northeast of the county.  The county is 12.7 miles North-Northwest of Red Cloud nearer Cowles.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Adams, Clay, and Nuckolls counties and Kansas and Franklin and Kearney counties. 

The area of the county is 575 square miles.  It is 52 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 63 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 5.9 persons per square mile making it 56 out of 93 in the state.  Webster County has 64.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 136 crosses east to west in the county from Nuckolls County to Franklin County.  United States Highway 281 goes north to south from Adams County to Kansas.  Webster County is a rectangle.  Red Cloud is located near the southern border of the county.  Red Cloud is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 28.5% of the county population.