Gibbon, Nebraska

Gibbon is a city in Buffalo County, in south-central Nebraska, a few miles north of Interstate 80. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 1,878 residents.

History

Gibbon was founded on April 7, 1871, when the first settlers arrived by Union Pacific Railroad as part of the Soldiers' Free Homestead Temperance Colony, a unique settlement effort that recruited mostly Union Civil War veterans. The colonists faced a recently burned prairie and a blizzard within their first two days, temporarily living in railroad boxcars while building sod and frame homes. Of the 129 founding families, only one ultimately failed to file a homestead claim. The town was named for Major General John Gibbon and briefly served as the Buffalo County seat before Kearney assumed that role in 1874.

Location & Access

Gibbon sits along U.S. Highway 30 and the Union Pacific mainline in central Buffalo County, just north of Interstate 80. Kearney, the county seat, lies about 10 miles to the west.

Nearby Towns

Gibbon is close to several other Buffalo County communities, including Shelton to the east and Kearney to the west, with Grand Island further east in Hall County.

Economy & Community

Agriculture and highway commerce anchor the local economy along the US-30/I-80 corridor. The Gibbon Heritage Center preserves the community's pioneer history, including a historical marker recounting the Soldiers' Free Homestead Colony. The Wood River runs near town and caused significant flooding in 2019.

Notable People

Gibbon is the birthplace of television host Dick Cavett and sociologist Edwin Sutherland.

Gibbon, Nebraska (68840)

City in Buffalo County on US-30 near I-80, founded 1871 by the Soldiers' Free Homestead Colony. Briefly the county seat before Kearney. Population ~1,878.

ZIP: 68840  |  Pop: ~1,878  |  Highways: US-30, I-80  |  Designation: City

Gibbon Town Page  ·  Cameras