David City Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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City · Butler County · County seat · Population 2,995 (2020 census) · ZIP 68632 · Founded 1873

About David City

David City is a city of 2,995 people (2020), the most it has had, and the seat of Butler County, at 1,624 feet on NE 15; NE 92 shares about a mile and a half of NE 15 just south of town, and NE 64 ends at NE 15 just north. It has the county’s hospital, Butler County Health Care Center, David City Public Schools and Aquinas Catholic Schools, the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, Thorpe’s Opera House, the Butler County Historical Museum, a city park with the Municipal Auditorium (both on the National Register), a golf course and the Rose Motel. David City is on Central Time.

History

After four elections in four years, David City took the county seat from Savannah in 1873 by 39 votes; voters chose the site that March, it was surveyed in May, and the county records arrived on August 6, 1873. The courthouse, built that fall for $1,470, was the town’s first building, and settlers moved houses and stores in from Savannah. The city says the name honors William Davids of Marion, Ohio, father of Phoebe Davids Miles, who gave the courthouse land, with the final “s” dropped; the popular story that it honors Governor David Butler is not supported. David City incorporated as a village in 1874. The Omaha & Republican Valley Railroad (Union Pacific) arrived in 1877 and the Lincoln & Northwestern (Burlington) in 1880, making the town a junction. A brick courthouse designed by William Gray followed in 1890; the present courthouse dates from the mid-1960s. Hallmark Cards founder J. C. Hall (1891), singer Ruth Etting (1896), Iowa State wrestling coach Hugo Otopalik (1890), U.S. Senator Roman Hruska (1904) and painter Dale Nichols (1904) were all born in David City.

Highways and trails through David City

Route	One way	Other way
NE 15North–south through the city	North across the Platte to Schuyler	South to Dwight and Seward
NE 92Shares NE 15 just south of town	West to Rising City and Osceola	East toward Wahoo
NE 64Ends at NE 15 just north of town	West to Bellwood and US 81	East end at NE 15

Nearby towns

Garrison	about 6 mi south-southwest	County roads
Octavia	about 7 mi north-northeast	County roads
Brainard	about 8 mi southeast	County roads
Bellwood	about 8 mi northwest	NE 64
Bruno	about 9 mi east-northeast	NE 15 and Spur 12B
Rising City	about 10 mi west-southwest	NE 92
Abie	about 11 mi east-northeast	County roads
Dwight	about 13 mi south-southeast	NE 15
Ulysses	about 13 mi south-southwest	NE 15 and Spur 12C
Schuyler	about 14 mi north-northeast	NE 15
Columbus	about 17 mi northwest	NE 64 and US 81
Seward	about 24 mi south	NE 15
Wahoo	about 26 mi east	NE 92

Things to see

the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, 312 N. 5th St., which calls itself the nation’s only agrarian art museum (free) · Thorpe’s Opera House, 457½ D St. (National Register) · the David City Park and Municipal Auditorium on NE 15 (National Register) · the Butler County Historical Museum, 200 W. D St. · the David City Golf Course, 899 Park Dr. · the Butler County Fair at the fairgrounds in mid-July

Events in David City

Butler County Fair
The Butler County Fair is held annually in July at the fairgrounds in David City, the county seat, at 62 L Street.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: David City Public Schools: David City Elementary and David City Secondary School (and Bellwood Elementary); Aquinas Catholic Schools: Aquinas Catholic Elementary, 1026 5th St., and Aquinas Catholic Middle/High School, 3420 MN Road, (402) 367-3175

Health care: Butler County Health Care Center (critical access hospital), 372 S. 9th St., (402) 367-1200; Butler County Clinic, 336 S. 9th St., (402) 367-3193; Witter Family Medicine, 358 S. 10th St., (402) 367-3322; St. Joseph’s Villa, 927 7th St., and David Place, 260 S. 10th St. (nursing homes)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890), NEGenWeb Butler County; Butler County; City of David City; History Nebraska markers; National Register; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Lower Platte South NRD; Nebraska Secretary of State; Nebraska Library Commission; TrailLink; Visit Nebraska; SchoolDigger. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.