Adams County Communities
Adams County named for President John Adams was created in 1867. The county was organized
and record keeping began in 1871. More information on the villages is available at Adams County Historical Society
Census Reports are available for 1870, 1880, 1885, 1900, 1910,
1920, and 1930.
Assumption
Unincorporated village in Roseland Township named for Catholic Church established
in 1883 by settlers from Luxembourg. Parochial school built in 1900, closed
in 1980. Matt Scholl opened a general store in 1899. Church and cemetery still
in use. A 253 page history of the community and people was printed in 1983.
Ayr
Village in Ayr Township, 12 miles south of Hastings. Post office established in 1878.
Peak population, 275, in 1880. Crystal Lake State park lies one mile north. Methodist
Church established 1879, closed in 1970s.
Ayr Junction
Former locality at junction of two branches of Burlington railroad, one mile north of
Ayr.
Blaine
A township in east central Adams County. Also a former railroad siding east of Hastings.
Brennan
Former St. Joe and Grand Island Railroad siding southeast of Hastings in Blaine
Township. A general store and two houses here in 1900.
Brickton
Former unincorporated village six miles south of Hastings established in 1886. Named for
brickyards there. Site now abandoned.
Bridgton
Former post office established in 1878 in home of John J Malone, section 10, Ayr
Township. Discontinued in 1879.
Cottonwood
A township in west central Adams County. Also a creek in the same area which flows into
the Little Blue River.
Deans
Former Burlington Railroad siding between Ayr and Pauline.
Denver
A township in central Adams County.
Farmers
Former St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad siding north of Hastings.
Ferrens
Former Burlington Railroad siding near Hastings.
Flickville
Former Burlington Railroad siding east of Hastings.
Gilson
Former post office established in home of Biggs Scott, section 28, Ayr Township.
Discontinued in 1878 when moved to Ayr.
Halloran
Former Burlington railroad siding east of Hastings.
Hanover
A township in south east Adams County.
Hansen
Unincorporated village in West Blue Township on Hall County line. Post office
established in 1879 and discontinued in 1956. Peak population 120 in 1880. School closed
in 1988. Village contains a few homes, and a grain elevator.
Hastings
Located 18 miles south of I-80 on Tom Osborne Expressway. County seat of Adams County,
population 24,000. Established in 1872 by the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad.
Wrested the county seat from Juniata in 1878 after a bitter struggle. Primary industries
are agriculture related. Hastings Museum and IMAX Theatre, and Crosier Monastery Asmat
Museum are tourist attractions. Good Samaritan Village, a large retirement center located
here. Hastings College, a private liberal arts college, established in 1882. Largest Naval
Ammunition Depot in US located here during WWII. For information on Hastings attractions
contact Visitors Bureau 1-800-967-2189.
Hayland
Former village in Verona Township founded in 1912 by Northwestern Railroad. Peak
population in 1920 was 33. Post office established in 1914, discontinued in 1943. School
closed in 1942. Nothing remains today but a large grain elevator.
Hazel Dell
Former post office established in 1879 in home of Frances M Thompson, section 32,
Juniata Township (six miles north of Roseland). Discontinued in 1889.
Highland
A township in north central Adams County.
Holstein
Village in Cottonwood Township, established in 1887. Many Danish settlers here. Peak
population, 325, in 1910. 446 students graduated from Holstein High School between 1905
and 1970 when it closed. St. Paul's Lutheran and United Methodist churches in operation.
Cemetery established in 1877. Centennial History book written in 1987.
Ingelside
Located one mile west of Hastings. A state insane asylum established here in 1888, now
known as Hastings Regional Center. Post office located here from 1905 to 1972. Residents
were asylum inmates or employees and their families. Peak population about 1,200.
Inland
Former village located four miles east of Hastings near Clay County line. Established in
1872, moved into Clay County in 1878. Cemetery at former town site is farmed over.
Juniata
Village in Juniata Township, established in 1871. First county seat from 1871 to 1878.
Cemetery established 1871, still in use. Juniata HERALD newspaper 1877-1917 on microfilm.
Peak population, 900, in 1995. High school 1896 to 1967.
Kenesaw
Village in Kenesaw Township, established in 1871. Peak population, 850, in 1980.
Economic center for northwest Adams County. Newspapers 1895 to 1942 on microfilm. Cemetery
established 1882 still in use. Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in
operation.
Kingston
Former village located section 32, Hanover Township. Post office 1872 to 1888. Abandoned
cemetery at site, no markers. Town died when bypassed by railroad.
Leroy
Former village located section 25, Ayr Township. Known as Dyersville in 1875 and
Millington in 1877. Post office 1889 to 1907. Dyer's Park located at site. Leroy Cemetery,
name changed to Blue Valley Cemetery, still in use.
Level
Former railroad siding southeast of Hastings.
Little Blue
Former post office established in 1873 in home of Rufus Dailey, section 8, Zero
Township. Discontinued in 1879. Also a township in south east corner of Adams County.
Logan
A township in the south west corner of Adams County.
Ludlow
Former post office established in 1880 in home of Gabriel Huff, section 11, West Blue
Township. Discontinued in 1887 when Trumbull was established in Clay County.
Mayflower
Former post office established in 1877 in home of David Griswold, section 4, Cottonwood
Township. Discontinued in 1896.
Millington
Former village located section 25, Ayr Township. Post office 1877 to 1881. A grist mill
owned by Dyer Brothers was located here. Renamed Leroy in 1889.
Moritz
Former elevator siding on Missouri Pacific Railroad in Verona Township.
Morseville
Former village located section 17, Logan Township. Post office 1877 to 1889. A GAR hall
was located here. Town died when railroad bypassed it. Nothing remains at town site.
Cemetery is semi-abandoned.
Mount Pleasant
Locality named for former Methodist Church and cemetery located Section 7, Ayr Township.
Muriel
Elevator siding on Missouri Pacific Railroad located section 5, Hanover Township.
Newmarch
Former elevator siding on Union Pacific Railroad northeast of Hastings.
North Blue
Former post office established 1872 in home of Lewis Keith, section 30, Silver Lake
Township. Discontinued in 1876.
Pauline
Village in Little Blue Township established in 1887. Post office 1888 to 1967. Peak
population, 175, in 1900. School closed in 1983. Methodist church located here. Centennial
history book written in 1987.
Prosser
Village in Verona Township near Hall County line, established in 1887. Post office 1888
to 1996. Peak population, 175, in 1900. School closed in 1980. Methodist Church closed in
1968. Centennial history book written in 1987.
Rosedale
Former post office established in 1877 in home of Darthula Jenkins, section 28, Logan
Township. Discontinued in 1881. There is also a Rosedale located in southern Hall County.
Roseland
Village in Roseland Township established in 1887. A rural post office of same name was
established in 1875 in section 22 and discontinued in 1888. Peak population, 254, in 1980.
Silver Lake consolidated high school located here. Catholic church established 1920.
Methodist church closed 1969. Cemetery established 1878 still in use. Centennial history
book written in 1987.
Shiloe
Locality named for former Evangelical Church and cemetery located section 30, Wanda
Township.
Silver Lake
Former post office established 1873 in home of John J Hoyleman, section 2, Silver Lake
Township. Discontinued 1887.
Spencer Park
Government housing built in southeast Hastings for Naval Ammunition Depot workers in
1940s. Now site of Good Samaritan Village retirement center.
Sportville
Former post office established 1884 in home of Peter Vote, section 32, Logan Township.
Discontinued in 1887.
Stroemer
Former post office established 1900 in section 5, Hanover Township. Discontinued in
1902.
Thirty Two Mile Creek
Pony Express station and freighters station, sometimes called Dinner Station or Clark's
Ranch, located in section 6, Ayr Township. Abandoned after 1864 Indian raids. Also a creek
which drains into the Little Blue River.
Verona
A township in north central Adams County, bordering Hall County.
Wanda
A township in west central Adams County, bordering Kearney County.
West Blue
A township in the north east corner of Adams County.
Zero
A township in south central Adams County, bordering Webster County.
Sources:
- A Research Guide to Genealogical Data In ADAMS COUNTY, NEBRASKA, compiled
by Catherine Renschler, © Nebraska State Genealogical Society, Jan 1986 [Available from
NSGS, POB 5608, Lincoln, NE 68505-0608, cost $8.00 Apr 1997]
- NEBRASKA, A Guide to the Cornhusker State, compiled and written by the
Federal Writers' Project of the Works Progress Administration for the State of Nebraska,
sponsored by the NSHS, Hastings House Pub, NY, 1939
- Perkey's Nebraska Place Names, by Elton A Perkey, J&L Lee Co, 1995
[Available for NSHS, POB 82554, Lincoln, NE 68501, cost $12.95+S/H $4.00 Apr 1997]
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