Henderson, Nebraska, Centennial 1887-1987

The census tracks the town the plaque describes. Henderson incorporated in 1899 and counted 208 people in 1900 and 391 in 1910. The hard years barely dented it, with 480 in 1930 and 495 in 1940. After the war it climbed from 536 in 1950 to 730 in 1960, 901 in 1970 and 1,072 in 1980, so the doubling the plaque gives to the 1950s and 1960s was complete only by 1980. The count dipped to 986 in 2000 and stood at 1,080 in 2020, more than five times the village of 1900.

What the plaque says

Henderson, Nebraska, Centennial 1887-1987 In 1887 the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad extended its tracks from York to Hastings. Henderson was built along the railroad on land sold by Cornelius Regier to the Pioneer Town Site Company in October 1887, for $15,000. The village, named for David Henderson, an early settler in Henderson Township, became a strong community center with businesses, homes, and a school established during the first year. The first church, built in 1906, was followed within a few years by two others. Railroad service continued to furnish the lifeblood of the town and aid its growth. Although the depression hit the area hard and the railroad decided to remove its tracks in 1941, community loyalty and resourcefulness helped overcome adversity. The development of deep well irrigation and the establish- ment of manufacturing plants to supply the irrigation business brought a new era of prosperity. During the 1950s and 1960s the town doubled in population, built a new hospital, a new school, and many new homes. The energy and cooperative efforts of its people have made Henderson a landmark among small, rural Nebraska communities. Henderson Centennial Committee Nebraska State Historical Society

Where it stands

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