Elgin Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Road conditions: Nebraska 511 — 511.nebraska.gov

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Travel corridor: Highway 14 Corridor →

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City · Antelope County · Population 717 (2020 census) · ZIP 68636 · Founded 1887 · Peak population 917 (1930)

About Elgin

Elgin is a city of 717 people (2020) in southern Antelope County, at about 1,929 feet in the Cedar Creek country. NE 14 runs through town between Neligh, about 10 miles north-northeast, and Petersburg and Albion to the south, and NE 70 ends here at NE 14. Elgin has two school systems, Elgin Public Schools and Pope John XXIII Central Catholic, the Elgin Public Library, an AMH clinic, the Elgin City Park with a campground, the Elgin Historical Society and the weekly Elgin Review. Elgin is on Central Time.

History

In 1883 William Eggleston asked for a post office at his homestead, near today's West Cedar Valley cemetery, and Gene Gailey picked the name Elgin by opening a postal guide and pointing at random; it matches Elgin, Illinois. When the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley built its Scribner and Oakdale branch through in 1887, the town was platted, and lots went on sale at a dedication on July 4, 1887. Elgin incorporated in 1889 with 421 people, and by 1892 it had three banks and a half-mile racetrack. A fire in 1895 took a whole block, including the Elgin State Bank, and led to a volunteer fire department; another fire followed in 1909. St. Boniface parish, founded in 1899 by German Catholic families from Iowa, opened a school in 1904, and the Franciscan Sisters of Milwaukee staffed its brick school from 1908. A tornado damaged Main Street in 1947. Open-air street dances from 1934 to 1954 drew more than a thousand people. The population reached 917 in 1930 and again in 1970.

Highways and trails through Elgin

Route	One way	Other way
NE 14Through town	North-northeast to Neligh	South to Petersburg and Albion
NE 70Ends at NE 14 in Elgin	West toward Bartlett and US 281	Ends here

Nearby towns

Oakdale	about 8 mi northeast	County roads
Petersburg	about 9 mi south	NE 14
Neligh	about 10 mi north-northeast	NE 14
Tilden	about 14 mi east-northeast	County roads
Clearwater	about 14 mi north-northwest	NE 14 and US 275
Albion	about 21 mi south-southeast	NE 14
Royal	about 24 mi north	NE 14 and US 20
Bartlett	about 25 mi west-southwest	NE 70 and US 281
Orchard	about 26 mi north-northwest	NE 14 and US 20

Things to see

Elgin City Park, 240 Pine St.: campground with electric, water and sewer, about $15 a night · the Elgin Historical Society, 360 Park St. · St. Boniface Catholic Church · Vetch Days in early June

Events in Elgin

Elgin Vetch Days
Elgin Vetch Days is held in Elgin, Nebraska, in early to mid June.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Elgin Public Schools, 101 N 4th St., (402) 843-2455: Elgin Elementary and Elgin High; Pope John XXIII Central Catholic, 303 Remington St., (402) 843-5325, with St. Boniface Elementary

Health care: AMH Family Practice Clinic, 101 W Cedar St., (402) 843-5444; nearest hospital: Antelope Memorial Hospital, 102 W 9th St., Neligh, about 10 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (1925); 1890–91 Nebraska State Gazetteer; Antelope County Historical Society (town histories); Antelope County (offices); History Nebraska (Neligh Mill, White Buffalo Girl, markers); National Register listings; Nebraska Game and Parks; University of Nebraska State Museum (Ashfall); Neligh-Oakdale, Elgin, Elkhorn Valley and Summerland schools; Antelope Memorial Hospital; Elgin Review; Summerland Advocate-Messenger; Norfolk Daily News; KNOP; VisitNebraska. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.