Ashford Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Ashford Area Cameras

Former town · Banner County · post office 1888–1902

About Ashford

Ashford was a settlement on Pumpkin Creek in northern Banner County, about a mile south of Funnel Rock near where NE 71, NE 88 and Pumpkin Creek Road meet, about 7 miles north-northeast of Harrisburg. Nothing of the town remains.

History

The Ashford family settled on Pumpkin Creek in 1885, and William Ashford became the first postmaster when the post office opened (sources give October 1887 or 1888); Gertrude Ashford received the first teacher's certificate issued in the new county. When Banner County was organized in January 1889, Ashford was named the temporary county seat. In 1890 it had about 30 people, two general stores, F. P. Reed's flour mill, a blacksmith and a dressmaker, and Grant L. Shumway, later the historian of western Nebraska, published the Ashford Advocate. Ashford lost the county seat to Harrisburg after two elections, and its post office closed on July 24, 1902.

Nearby towns

Harrisburg	about 7 mi south-southwest	NE 71
Gabe Rock	about 11 mi west-southwest	County roads
Melbeta	about 13 mi northeast	NE 71
Gering	about 13 mi north	NE 71
McGrew	about 15 mi east-northeast	NE 88