York Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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City · York County · County seat · Population 8,066 (2020 census) · ZIP 68467 · Founded 1869 · Peak population 8,081 (2000)

About York

York is a city of 8,066 people (2020) and the seat of York County, at 1,604 feet where US 81 crosses I-80 at Exit 353 and meets US 34. It is the commercial center for the county, with a dozen motels and hotels and truck stops at the interstate, York General Hospital, York Public Schools and two Lutheran and Catholic grade schools, York University, the Kilgore Memorial Library and the 1940 Art Deco City Auditorium. Recharge Lake, the Upper Big Blue NRD’s Bruce L. Anderson Recreation Area, is on the north edge of town. York is on Central Time.

History

Ghost and Sherwood took the townsite as a pre-emption claim in the spring of 1869 for the South Platte Land Company, and it was surveyed and platted that October. York became the county seat at the organizing election of April 26, 1870, and was incorporated on September 7, 1875. The first Burlington & Missouri River train arrived in August 1877, when the town had about 600 people. York College was founded in 1890 by the United Brethren Church; it closed in 1954, reopened under the Churches of Christ in 1956 and became York University in 2022. The State Reformatory for Women, now the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women, opened here in 1920, and the York Subway carried US 81 under the Burlington tracks from 1938–39. York reached its peak of 8,081 people in 2000. Film director Fred Niblo (Ben-Hur, 1925), Congressman Doug Bereuter and NFL punter Sam Koch were born in York.

Highways and trails through York

Route	One way	Other way
I-80Exit 353 (US 81)	West to Grand Island	East to Seward and Lincoln
US 81North–south through the city	North to Benedict, Stromsburg and Columbus	South to McCool Junction and Geneva
US 34East–west through the city	West to Bradshaw and Aurora	East to Waco and Seward

Nearby towns

Houston	about 4 mi northeast	County roads
Waco	about 7 mi east-northeast	US 34
Bradshaw	about 8 mi west	US 34
Thayer	about 9 mi northeast	County roads
Mccool Junction	about 9 mi south	US 81
Benedict	about 9 mi north	US 81
Henderson	about 13 mi west-southwest	I-80
Gresham	about 15 mi northeast	US 34 and NE 69
Stromsburg	about 17 mi north	US 81
Aurora	about 22 mi west	US 34 or I-80
Geneva	about 24 mi south	US 81
Seward	about 26 mi east	US 34 or I-80
Grand Island	about 39 mi west	I-80

Things to see

the Wessels Living History Farm, 5520 S. Lincoln Ave., a 1920s farm (seasonal) · the Clayton Museum of Ancient History at York University · the Anna Bemis Palmer Museum · the York Area Children’s Museum in the City Auditorium (1940, National Register 2023) · the old York Public Library, 306 E. 7th St. (1901–02), and the York Subway on US 81 (National Register) · Bruce L. Anderson Recreation Area at Recharge Lake · Yorkfest in September

Events in York

York County Fair
York County Fair is held at the York County Fairgrounds, 2345 Nebraska Avenue in York.
Yorkfest
Yorkfest is held in downtown York.

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Schools and health care

Schools: York Public Schools: York Elementary, York Middle School and York High School, plus the Preschool Learning Academy; St. Joseph Catholic School (PK–8), 428 N. E Ave., (402) 362-3021; Emmanuel-Faith Lutheran School (PK–8), 806 N. Beaver Ave., (402) 362-6575; York University, 1125 E. 8th St.

Health care: York General Hospital, 2222 N. Lincoln Ave., (402) 362-6671, with York General Family Medicine and York General Urgent Care, 309 S. 35th St.; Hearthstone nursing home and Willow Brook assisted living

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Sedgwick, York County, Nebraska and Its People (1921); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890–91); History Nebraska markers; National Register; National Weather Service (Hastings); Nebraska Game and Parks; Upper Big Blue NRD; York University; York General; Henderson Health Care Services; City of York; City of Henderson; Village of McCool Junction; Henderson Heritage Park; Visit Nebraska. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.