Arnold Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Custer County · Population 592 (2020 census) · ZIP 69120 · Founded 1883 · Peak population 936 (1950)

About Arnold

Arnold is a village of 592 people (2020) on the South Loup River in western Custer County, at about 2,704 feet. NE 92 runs through town as Arnold Avenue, east to Merna and Broken Bow and west to Stapleton; NE 40 begins here and runs southeast to Callaway, and NE 47 runs south to Gothenburg and I-80. Arnold has its own PK–12 school, a medical clinic of the Callaway Hospital District, the Finch Memorial Library, the Rialto Theater, a grocery, a golf course and Arnold Lake with camping and swimming. Arnold is on Central Time.

History

George Arnold, of the ranch firm Arnold & Ritchie, settled nearby in 1875, and Richard Allen’s family followed in 1880; the Allens’ 1887 frame house still stands. The town was laid out in 1883 in expectation of a railroad that took nearly 30 years to come: the Union Pacific extended its Kearney branch from Callaway to Stapleton in 1912, and the first train reached Arnold on June 14, 1912, cheered by nearly 6,000 people. Arnold reached 936 people in 1950 and celebrated its centennial in 1983. Its weather station has recorded 106°F (1988 and 2006) and −31°F (December 22, 1989).

Highways and trails through Arnold

Route	One way	Other way
NE 92Through town as Arnold Ave.	East to Merna and Broken Bow	West to Stapleton
NE 40Begins here	Southeast to Callaway and Oconto	Ends at NE 92
NE 47Meets NE 92 here	South past Etna to Gothenburg and I-80	Ends at NE 92

Nearby towns

Finchville	about 7 mi east-southeast	NE 40
Callaway	about 17 mi east-southeast	NE 40
Stapleton	about 17 mi west-northwest	NE 92
Etna	about 20 mi south	NE 47
Anselmo	about 22 mi northeast	County roads and NE 2
Merna	about 23 mi east	NE 92
Dunning	about 28 mi north	County roads
Broken Bow	about 29 mi east	NE 92
Oconto	about 30 mi southeast	NE 40
Gothenburg	about 34 mi south	NE 47
North Platte	about 36 mi southwest	NE 92 and US 83

Things to see

the Finch Memorial Library (National Register), a Classical Revival building of 1924 by Cal Empfield · the Center School Museum, a restored early-1900s schoolhouse that is also a guesthouse · the Rialto Theater and BrewBakers Coffee House · Arnold Lake, Hidden Valley Campground and the Arnold Golf Course · the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, an open-road time trial held each August since 2001 (August 4–8 in 2026)

Schools and health care

Schools: Arnold Public Schools, 405 N. Haskell St., (308) 848-2226: Arnold Elementary (PK–6) and Arnold High School (7–12)

Health care: Arnold Medical Clinic, 104 N. Broadway St., (308) 848-3259 (Callaway Hospital District); nearest hospital: Callaway District Hospital, 211 E. Kimball St., Callaway, about 17 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; NEGenWeb Custer County (place names); Custer County Tourism; Custer County Historical Society; History Nebraska (markers); National Register listings; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska DHHS hospital and clinic rosters; Nebraska 211; SchoolDigger; Nebraska Secretary of State; City of Broken Bow; Village of Callaway; VisitNebraska; NEBRASKAland; Geological Society of America abstracts; KRVN, KNOP, KOLN 10/11 and Custer County Chief reports. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.