Nenzel Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Village · Cherry County · Population 17 (2020 census) · ZIP 69219 · Founded 1899 · Peak population 125 (1940)

About Nenzel

Nenzel is a village of 17 (2020) on US 20 in Cherry County, at about 3,123 feet, 28 miles west of Valentine. Spur 16F runs 19 miles south from the village across the Niobrara River into the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, past Niobrara Valley Vineyards on a working cattle ranch and Steer Creek Campground. The area is known for its dark night skies. Nenzel is on Mountain Time.

History

Nenzel grew up on the Chicago & North Western line and was incorporated in 1899. It was named for George Nenzel, an early settler who owned the townsite. The population peaked at 125 in 1940. The railroad was abandoned in the 1990s. The national forest to the south began as the Niobrara Forest Reserve in 1902; it became the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest in 1971, about 116,000 acres of Sandhills prairie with stands of hand-planted pines. Brothers Tim and Greg Nollette planted the first vines at Niobrara Valley Vineyards around 2002 and opened a new tasting room and event center in 2024.

Highways and trails through Nenzel

Route	One way	Other way
US 20Through the village	East to Kilgore and Valentine	West to Cody and Merriman
Spur 16FBegins at US 20 in Nenzel; 19 miles	South across the Niobrara to the McKelvie National Forest	North end at US 20

Nearby towns

Kilgore	about 7 mi east	US 20
Cody	about 7 mi west	US 20
Crookston	about 18 mi east	US 20
Eli	about 20 mi west	US 20
Doughboy	about 23 mi south-southwest	Spur 16F and county roads
Valentine	about 28 mi east	US 20
Merriman	about 30 mi west	US 20

Things to see

Niobrara Valley Vineyards, 90256 State Spur 16F: tasting room, Friday pizza and Saturday steak nights, and a 12-site Dark Sky RV Park (Wed.–Sun., May to September) · the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest (about 116,000 acres; no entry fee) and Steer Creek Campground, 18 miles south: 23 sites at $15, a horse corral and the Blue Jay Trail; bring water · Merritt Reservoir, about 23 miles southeast

Schools and health care

Schools: Students attend Cody-Kilgore Public Schools; Cutcomb Lake School (Valentine Community Schools), a rural K–8 school about 30 mi south

Health care: Nearest hospital: Cherry County Hospital in Valentine, about 28 mi east

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Who's Who in Nebraska, Cherry County (1940); NEGenWeb Cherry County; Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names; Nebraska Blue Books (1920, 1926); History Nebraska and its markers; National Register nominations; 49 CFR 71.7 (time-zone boundary); National Park Service (Niobrara National Scenic River); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Forest Service; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska Department of Transportation; FAA via AirNav; FCC; Cherry County; City of Valentine; Valentine Community Schools; Cody-Kilgore Public Schools; Cherry County Hospital; Visit Nebraska; Nebraska Arts Council; Flatwater Free Press; Nebraska Examiner; Rural Radio Network. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.