Milford Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Milford Area Cameras

City · Seward County · Population 2,155 (2020 census) · ZIP 68405 · Founded 1864

About Milford

Milford is a city of 2,155 people (2020), the most it has had, on the Big Blue River in southeastern Seward County, at 1,467 feet about 3 miles south of I-80 Exit 382 on US 6. It is home to Southeast Community College’s Milford campus, Milford Public Schools and the Milford Family Medical Center, and Blue River State Recreation Area is nearby. Milford is on Central Time.

History

J. L. Davison settled here in the spring of 1864, by a limestone ford on the Blue River where the Nebraska City–Fort Kearny steam wagon road crossed, and became the first postmaster; the town was platted in 1866 and named for his mill at the ford, making it the oldest town in Seward County. Milford was the first county seat, until the early 1870s. The Quenchaqua flour mills ran from 1867 to 1934, and the Shogo mineral springs drew visitors. In 1877 the Ponca passed through on their forced removal to Indian Territory, and Prairie Flower, daughter of Chief Standing Bear, died here on June 5, 1877. The state ran an industrial home here from 1889 to 1953 and a soldiers’ and sailors’ home from 1895 to 1939; the grounds now belong to Southeast Community College, whose campus opened on May 1, 1941, as the Nebraska State Trade School. Milford adopted a city flag designed by Eagle Scout Nolan Eickhoff on March 5, 2019. Harry Culver, founder of Culver City, California, was born here in 1880.

Highways and trails through Milford

Route	One way	Other way
US 6Through the city	West to the NE 15 junction and Friend	East toward Lincoln
I-80Exit 382 (Link 80H), about 3 miles north	West to Seward and York	East to Lincoln

Nearby towns

Grover	about 1 mi east-northeast	County roads
Ruby	about 4 mi north-northwest	County roads
Pleasant Dale	about 6 mi east-northeast	US 6
Goehner	about 10 mi west-northwest	I-80
Seward	about 10 mi north-northwest	US 6 and NE 15
Crete	about 11 mi south-southeast	County roads
Beaver Crossing	about 12 mi west	I-80
Garland	about 12 mi north-northeast	County roads
Lincoln	about 19 mi east	US 6 or I-80

Things to see

the Historic Milford marker in Downtown City Park, 600 block of 2nd St. · Southeast Community College’s Milford campus, 600 State St. · Blue River State Recreation Area · the Milford Area Historical Society · Milford Fun Days in mid-August

Events in Milford

Milford Fun Days
Milford Fun Days is held in Milford, Nebraska, on a mid-August weekend.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Milford Public Schools: Milford Elementary (PK–6), 1200 W. 1st St., (402) 761-2408; Milford High School (7–12), 301 G St., (402) 761-2525; Southeast Community College, 600 State St.

Health care: Milford Family Medical Center (Memorial Health Care Systems), 119 S. C St., (402) 761-3307; Milford Meadows Care Center (Sunrise Country Manor), 610 224th Rd.; Hospital: Memorial Health Care Systems, Seward, about 10 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Cox, History of Seward County (1905); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (1925); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890); History Nebraska markers; National Register; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Nebraska Game and Parks; NOAA; Seward County; City of Seward; City of Milford; Village of Staplehurst; Village of Bee; Cultivate Seward County; Southeast Community College; Concordia University. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.