Gothenburg Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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City · Dawson County · Population 3,478 (2020 census) · ZIP 69138 · Founded 1882 · Peak population 3,619 (2000)

About Gothenburg

Gothenburg is a city of 3,478 people (2020) in western Dawson County, at 2,559 feet on US 30 and the Union Pacific main line. Lake Avenue, the main street, runs south to I-80 (Exit 211), where NE 47 meets the interstate. Gothenburg has Gothenburg Health, with a medically integrated YMCA, Gothenburg Public Schools (the Swedes), the 1916 Carnegie library, Lake Helen Recreation Area, two campgrounds and the 18-hole Wild Horse Golf Club. Gothenburg is on Central Time.

History

Olof Bergström, who came from Sweden in 1881 and worked for the Union Pacific as a land agent, picked the site and made trips home to bring settlers; the railroad laid out the first eight blocks along the tracks in the summer of 1882, and the town took the name of Gothenburg, Sweden. Rev. William Ehmen, a Lutheran pastor, led German settlers here and founded the church that became Christ Lutheran; Ehmen Park was his land. A canal from the Platte, begun about 1891, fed Lake Helen and a hydroelectric power house that made electricity from 1894 for about 75 years. In 1931 the American Legion moved a log Pony Express station from a ranch to Ehmen Park; it is open April through October and draws 20,000 to 25,000 visitors a season. The Midway Stage Station of 1859, a Pony Express home station in 1860–61, still stands on a private ranch about 3 miles south. Ben Kuroki, born here in 1917 and raised at Hershey, flew 30 combat missions over Europe and 28 over Japan in World War II.

Highways and trails through Gothenburg

Route	One way	Other way
US 30Through town (the Lincoln Highway)	East to Willow Island and Cozad	West to Brady and North Platte
I-80Exit 211, at the south end of Lake Avenue	East to Cozad and Lexington	West to North Platte
NE 47Meets I-80 at Exit 211	South across the Platte to NE 23 east of Farnam	North to NE 40 south of Arnold

Nearby towns

Willow Island	about 5 mi east-southeast	US 30
Cozad	about 10 mi east-southeast	US 30 or I-80
Brady	about 13 mi west-northwest	US 30 or I-80
Farnam	about 15 mi south-southwest	NE 47 and NE 23
Eustis	about 19 mi south-southeast	NE 47 and NE 23
Lexington	about 24 mi east-southeast	US 30 or I-80
Elwood	about 28 mi south-southeast	I-80 and US 283
Callaway	about 28 mi north-northeast	County roads
Arnold	about 35 mi north	County roads

Things to see

the Pony Express Station in Ehmen Park, 510 15th St. · the Midway Stage Station (1859, National Register; private, view by arrangement) · the Sod House Museum and its barbed-wire bison, 300 S. Lake Ave. · the Gothenburg Historical Museum, 1420 Ave. F · the Gothenburg Public Library in the 1916 Carnegie building · the Swedish Crosses Cemetery northwest of town · the 18-hole Wild Horse Golf Club · the Gothenburg Disc Golf Course

Events in Gothenburg

Gothenburg Harvest Festival
Gothenburg's fall festival in mid-September, run by the chamber of commerce.
Gothenburg Pony Express Rodeo
Rodeo in Gothenburg around the Fourth of July, run by the Gothenburg Roping & Riding Club.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Gothenburg Public Schools (Swedes): Dudley Elementary School and Gothenburg High School (7–12), 1322 Avenue I

Health care: Gothenburg Health, 910 20th St., (308) 537-3661; The Medical Clinic at Gothenburg Health, 918 20th St., (308) 537-4066

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Dawson County (dawsoncountyne.gov); History Nebraska (markers, "Dawson County's True Namesake," "How a Lexington meatpacking plant changed Nebraska," "The Instant Town"); Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (1925); NEGenWeb Dawson County; National Register; National Park Service (Pony Express NHT); HMdb; Nebraska Game and Parks; KRVN; Rural Radio Network; 1011 Now; Gothenburg Leader; school districts; NE211. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.