Orchard Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Find Businesses in Orchard

Dining · Lodging · Health Care · All Listings (10mi)

Village · Antelope County · Population 363 (2020 census) · ZIP 68764 · Founded 1880 · Peak population 532 (1910)

About Orchard

Orchard is a village of 363 people (2020) in northwestern Antelope County, at about 1,942 feet on US 20, about 6 miles west of Royal and 22 miles east-southeast of O'Neill. The BNSF line from Sioux City to O'Neill runs through town. Orchard has a village office, the Orchard Public Library, an AMH clinic, a municipal pool, ball fields and the Orchard Historical Society museum in the 1915 Rex Theatre. Its students attend Summerland Public Schools, whose consolidated school opened in 2021 in the country between Orchard, Clearwater and Ewing. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park is about 7 miles northeast. Orchard is on Central Time.

History

D. L. Cramer settled here on September 17, 1880, and a post office named Orchard opened on July 1, 1881, with S. P. Cramer as postmaster; W. E. Cramer opened the first store the same day. The name came from a large apple orchard planted nearby. The Pacific Short Line, the Burlington's route from Sioux City to O'Neill, reached Orchard on June 20, 1890, and the village organized that year. Orchard counted 532 people in 1910. The Rex Theatre opened in 1915 and showed movies until 1970; the Orchard Historical Society, founded in 1989, bought it in 1992. Orchard's school joined Clearwater and Ewing in Summerland Public Schools in 2020.

Highways and trails through Orchard

Route	One way	Other way
US 20East–west through the village	West to US 275 and O'Neill	East to Royal, Brunswick and Plainview

Nearby towns

Royal	about 6 mi east	US 20
Ewing	about 7 mi southwest	County roads and US 275
Clearwater	about 12 mi south-southeast	County roads
Brunswick	about 14 mi east	US 20
Neligh	about 18 mi southeast	US 20 and NE 14
Verdigre	about 21 mi north-northeast	US 20 and NE 14
O'Neill	about 22 mi west-northwest	US 20
Oakdale	about 23 mi southeast	US 20 and NE 14
Elgin	about 26 mi south-southeast	US 20 and NE 14

Things to see

the Orchard Historical Society museum in the 1915 Rex Theatre, 225 Windom St., with the District 57 one-room school next door; by appointment, (402) 394-1560 · the municipal pool · Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park, about 7 miles northeast · Orchard Free Days in late July

Events in Orchard

Orchard Free Days
Orchard's summer homecoming in late July, run by the Orchard Community Club, with a parade, street dance and historical society dinner.

More about this event: Orchard Free Days

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Summerland Public Schools, 51293 857th Rd., Ewing, (402) 626-7534

Health care: AMH Family Practice Clinic, 103 Washington St., (402) 893-5155 (part-time); nearest hospitals: Antelope Memorial Hospital, 102 W 9th St., Neligh, about 18 mi; Avera St. Anthony's, O'Neill, about 22 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.