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Nebraska Counties
There is ninety-three counties in state of Nebraska. Despite the fact that Sarpy County contained the oldest settlement in the state, it was one of the last lands along the river to be recognized by law. Finally, on February 1, 1857, the land "where the cities meet the country" was officially created.Valley County, Nebraska
Valley County Education, Geography, and History
Valley County is a county located in the state of Nebraska. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 4,260. Its county seat is Ord
Etymology - Origin of Valley County Name
NamedOrd, in honor of Gen. E.O.C. Ord, who was commander of the Army of the Platte at the time the county was organized.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Valley County History
Valley County derives its name from
the land conditions that exist in the area. Located between the North and Middle
Loup Rivers, the terrain is mostly prime valley land which lies between the
higher table lands.
The boundaries of what today is Valley County were originally created by the
Legislature in 1871. Two years later the Legislature adopted an act to permit
the county to organize. On March 18, 1873, the county's organizational election
was held. In addition to the selection of the county's first officers, voters
also selected the site of the present town of Ord to serve as the county seat.
At the time it was selected, however, the county seat had no name. After it was
surveyed in 1874, the site was named Ord, in honor of Gen. E.O.C. Ord, who was
commander of the Army of the Platte at the time the county was organized.
The first settlers in this area are said to have been two distinct groups who
had traveled from Wisconsin in 1872. The first was a small party of Danes who
settled on the west side of the North Loup River near the present site of Ord.
The second group of settlers consisted of a colony of Seventh-Day Baptists who
homesteaded farther downstream near the present day town of North Loup. Their
objective was to settle on the frontier in order that they might remain
undisturbed by those who observed the first day of the week as the Sabbath.
Throughout the early years there were persistent rumors that Indian raids were
about to occur in the county. Gen. Ord decided to station a company of soldiers
in the northern part of the county just in case. Although there were some minor
skirmishes and one that resulted in the death of one of Gen. Ord's soldiers, for
the most part they were just rumors.
In 1884 the settlers of Valley County were looking forward to a large yield from
their crops. That quickly changed when a wave of grasshoppers covered the state
and completely destroyed every living plant in its path. Losing the crops they
had counted on to survive the coming winter, many of the settlers left the area,
never to return.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 570 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 568 square miles (1,470 km2) is
land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Greeley County (east)
- Sherman County (south)
- Custer County (west)
- Garfield County (north)
Education
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