Central City, Nebraska Central City, Nebraska Downtown Central City: G Street Downtown Central City: G Street Location of Central City, Nebraska Location of Central City, Nebraska Website Central City Central City is a town/city in Merrick County, Nebraska, United States.

2.3 Nebraska State Historic Places The inhabitants just before to the establishment of Lone Tree (Central City) were the Pawnee.

In the late 1700s, the Chaui had a village on the current locale of Central City.

An account that an old Chaui man gave to Major Frank North in 1875 about a battle that took place between two divisions of the Pawnee (the Chaui, Pitahauerit, and Kitkehahki, jointly known as the Southern Pawnee, on one side; and the Skidi on the other) in the late 1700s illustrates the political complexities of the early inhabitants of what would come to be Central City. All were men from the Chaui village, which was near Lone Tree and where Central City is now located.

The first pioneers passed by what would eventually turn into Central City on the Mormon Trail in 1847 and later on the Oregon Trail and the California Trail.

In 1858, the Nebraska Territorial Legislature establish Merrick county titled after Elvira Merrick, the wife of a Dodge County Nebraska Territorial legislator who introduced the bill creating Merrick County.

Nebraska Christian High school chief building, formerly Nebraska Central College chief building In 1875 a petition was presented to the Merrick County Court requesting a name change for Lone Tree to "Central City".

The proponents of change won out and on July 1, 1875, the name was officially changed to from "Lone Tree" to "Central City." Central City was meant to designate the city's key locale within the state's agricultural belt. By the 1880s, Central City was a "boom" town after the arrival of a second barns , the Burlington & Missouri River.

The college was Nebraska Central College, which opened in 1885 as a Methodist college and the first high school were built. The first journal in Central City was The Merrick County News, which presented its first addition on March 21, 1872.

In 1882, the Nonpareil opened and Central City again had two newspapers. In 1890, the Courier closed and Nebraska Central College closed in 1891.

Two new newspapers opened: the Record in 1895 (which would close in 1908) and Republican in 1896 (which would merge with the Nonpareil to form the current Republican-Nonpareil in 1953). The Society of Friends (Quakers) reopened Nebraska Central College in 1899. Perhaps the most notable citizen of Central City, Wright Morris, lived here from 1910 to 1919. In the 1950s, Nebraska Central College closed (1953) but a new hospital was assembled in 1959.

In 1975, an explosion and fire finished an entire town/city block, but Central City still reached its biggest population to date at 3,083 citizens in 1980.

Central City's populace has declined slightly since then. Six places in or near Central City are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. To qualify for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, a place (e.g., building, landmark, or location) must be at least 50 years old and have one or more of the following characteristics or associations: historic affairs, notable citizens , and/or architecture.

Name on the Register Image Date listed Location City or town Description 41 06 53 N 98 00 09 W Central City 41 06 58 N 97 59 18 W Central City 41 07 02 N 98 01 38 W Central City 41 06 22 N 98 05 27 W Central City 41 06 51 N 97 59 57 W Central City 41 05 57 N 97 57 58 W Central City Name on the Register Image Date listed Date removed Location City or town Summary 41 06 50 N 97 59 57 W Central City Nebraska State Historic Places A number of momentous affairs, citizens , places, sites, movements, and traditions in Nebraska history are marked by the Nebraska State Historical Society.

By law, a marker cannot be erected without permission of the Nebraska State Historical Society. There are presently two such locations marked in Central City: Lone Tree and the Mormon Trail, which passed near the historical locale of Lone Tree.

Nebraska State Historical Sites in Central City Mormon Trail Marker, Central City, Nebraska Mormon Trail Marker, Central City According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town/city has a total region of 2.32 square miles (6.01 km2), all of it land. The median age in the town/city was 42.4 years.

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,998 citizens , 1,212 homeholds, and 812 families residing in the city.

In the city, the populace was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older.

"Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Merrick County, Nebraska." Nebraska State Historical Society: State Historic Preservation Office.

"Nebraska nationwide Register Sites in Merrick County".

"Central City -- Merrick County".

Merrick County Historical Society (1981).

Merrick County Historical Society.

The Nebraska State Historical Society (1939).

"Merrick County Lookups".

Nebraska State Gazetteer and Business Directory, Vol.

"Nebraska Historical Marker Program".

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Central City Central City Public Schools Merrick County & Merrick County Courthouse Municipalities and communities of Merrick County, Nebraska, United States County seat: Central City Central City

Categories:
Cities in Nebraska - Cities in Merrick County, Nebraska - Grand Island micropolitan region - County seats in Nebraska - Populated places established in 1866 - 1866 establishments in Nebraska Territory