About Our County

A Brief History of Merrick County

• Merrick County was established on November 4, 1858, and officially organized in 1864, following increased settlement in central Nebraska.
• The county is named after Elvira Merrick, the wife of territorial legislator Henry W. DePuy, making Merrick County the only county in Nebraska named for a woman.
• Central City became the county seat in 1869, replacing the earlier seat of Elvira, and has remained the governmental center ever since.
• Early development in Merrick County was closely tied to the Platte River and the expansion of the Union Pacific Railroad, which supported farming, trade, and town growth.
• The county’s original boundaries included land within the Pawnee Reservation; boundary changes in the late 1800s led to the creation of Nance County in 1897.

Interesting Facts About Merrick County

• The Platte River forms the county’s southeastern boundary, shaping agriculture, settlement patterns, and transportation routes for more than a century.
• Merrick County lies in Nebraska’s Platte River Valley, an area known for fertile soils, irrigation, and a strong agricultural economy.
• U.S. Highway 30 (the historic Lincoln Highway) passes through the county, following one of America’s first coast‑to‑coast highways.
• The county uses license plate prefix 46, reflecting its early vehicle registration ranking in Nebraska when the system began in 1922.
• Merrick County is part of the Central Platte River ecosystem, a critical migration corridor for wildlife, including millions of migratory birds each year.
• The Merrick County Courthouse, completed in 1914, is a prominent Classical Revival building and a central landmark in downtown Central City.