Nestled in the heart of Nebraska, Merrick County is a haven of scenic landscapes, rich heritage, and thriving community spirit. From cultural attractions to outdoor adventures, it's a place that welcomes both visitors and residents with open arms.
Merrick County, Nebraska, is steeped in history that has shaped its charm and character over the years. Established in 1858, this county is named after Elvira Merrick, a pioneering figure who symbolizes the grit and determination of the early settlers. Historical landmarks such as the Platte River Bridge and the Merrick County Historical Museum offer a glimpse into the county’s storied past. Visitors can walk the grounds of historical sites that once served as vital pathways during westward expansion, connecting the rich legacy of the county to the broader history of Nebraska and the Great Plains.
The natural beauty of Merrick County is nothing short of breathtaking. Nestled along the Platte River, the county is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Expansive prairies, lush riverside parks, and vibrant sunsets create an idyllic backdrop for relaxation and adventure. Central City, the county seat, is home to Riverside Park, which boasts family-friendly spaces and scenic walking trails. Fishing, kayaking, and birdwatching are popular activities along the Platte River, while nearby recreational areas provide ample opportunities for camping and hiking. Each season brings its own charm, from the blooming wildflowers in spring to the serene snow-covered landscapes of winter.
A hallmark of Merrick County is its warm and inclusive community, where neighbors become lifelong friends and cultural vibrancy is celebrated year-round. Local festivals such as the Merrick County Fair and Prairie Days showcase the county’s unique blend of agricultural pride and artistic expression. Community centers and arts programs foster connections, while institutions like Central City Public Schools and the Central Community College ensure access to quality education. With a strong emphasis on collaboration and shared values, Merrick County exudes a small-town charm that resonates with both long-time residents and newcomers alike.
For those seeking a place to put down roots, Merrick County offers a thriving economy and exceptional quality of life. The county’s economic base is anchored in agriculture, with expanding opportunities in renewable energy and small business development. Affordable housing, reliable healthcare facilities, and modern amenities make the area an ideal place to raise a family or enjoy a peaceful retirement. Proximity to larger cities like Grand Island ensures access to urban conveniences while maintaining the tranquility of rural living. Merrick County’s commitment to growth and innovation makes it a promising destination for professionals, entrepreneurs, and families alike.
Merrick County invites you to experience all it has to offer, from its historic charm and natural splendor to its vibrant community and economic potential. Whether you’re planning a visit or considering a move, this heartland destination promises a fulfilling and enriching experience. Discover a place where history comes alive, the landscape inspires awe, and the community welcomes you with open arms.
Resources
Merrick County Historical Museum – (308) 946-2050 – www.merrickmuseum.org
Riverside Park Recreation – (308) 946-3794 – www.centralcityne.com/recreation
Merrick County Fair Association – (308) 946-2303 – www.merrickcountyfair.com
Central City Public Schools – (308) 946-3055 – www.centralcityschoolsne.org
Merrick County Economic Development – (308) 946-3897 – www.merrickcountydevelopment.org
7,755
1858
21,217,185,280
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Central City
Central City
The Cahow Barber Shop in Chapman, Nebraska, is a hidden gem that encapsulates the historical and cultural essence of the Great Plains. Built in 1889, this quaint false-front building offers visitors a unique glimpse into the past while celebrating the enduring spirit of a small-town community. As a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Cahow Barber Shop is a testament to Merrick County’s rich heritage and the preservation of its architectural legacy. This historic site stands as a tribute to its founder, Luther Cahow, and its connection to famed author-photographer Wright Morris, whose family’s stories bring the building to life.
A visit to the Cahow Barber Shop transports visitors back in time to the turn of the 20th century. The shop’s authentic design, including its limestone foundation, original clapboard siding, and antique furnishings, reflects its early roots. Visitors can view artifacts such as the barber chair, mirror, and sink—now housed in the Merrick County Historical Museum—while standing in the very place where generations of locals gathered for a haircut and a chat. Its association with Wright Morris adds literary significance, as the building inspired scenes in his works and played a role in his parents’ meeting.
Beyond its historical value, the Cahow Barber Shop is a centerpiece of Chapman’s cultural and community life. Restored by the Lone Tree Literary Society, the building now serves as a venue for educational programs, heritage tours, and literary events. Its false-front architecture, rare among 19th-century buildings in the region, makes it a captivating spot for photography enthusiasts and history buffs alike. Visitors often find themselves charmed by the surrounding area’s small-town warmth and the pride the community takes in preserving its history.
Practical details make the Cahow Barber Shop an accessible and rewarding destination. Located just a short drive from Central City and Grand Island, Chapman offers easy access to nearby accommodations, restaurants, and amenities. After exploring the barber shop, visitors can enjoy local dining or take a scenic drive along the Platte River to experience the natural beauty of Merrick County. With its close proximity to larger urban centers, the Cahow Barber Shop is an ideal stop for day trips or weekend getaways.
Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a literary fan, or simply someone looking to connect with Nebraska’s small-town charm, the Cahow Barber Shop offers an unforgettable experience. Its combination of historical significance, architectural beauty, and community spirit make it a must-visit destination. Plan your trip today and discover why this little barber shop has captured the hearts of visitors and residents alike.
Resources
Merrick County Historical Museum – (308) 946-2050 – www.merrickmuseum.org
Lone Tree Literary Society – (308) 946-3055 – www.lonetreechapman.org
Merrick County Tourism – (308) 946-3897 – www.visitmerrickcounty.org
Chapman City Hall – (308) 986-2480 – www.chapmannebraska.org
Central City Chamber of Commerce – (308) 946-3891 – www.centralcityne.com
Medical experts are always available at poison centers, ready to assist with any poisoning emergencies around the clock, every day of the year. Anyone in need can connect with them through a free, nationwide hotline.
Central City Housing Authority • 2525 28th St • Central City • (308) 946-3981
Central City Muni Airport-07k • 1346 Ormsby Rd • Central City • (308) 946-3450
Central City Police Dept • 1616 16th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3003
Central City Public Library • 1604 15th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-2512
Chapman Fire & Rescue • 207 9th St • Chapman • (308) 986-2282
Chapman Village Hall • 203 9th St • Chapman • (308) 986-2266
City Of Central City • 1515 17th St • Central City • (308) 940-0454
City Of Central City • 1604 5th St • Central City • (308) 946-3057
Clarks Town Hall • 209 N Green St • Clarks • (308) 548-2412
Clarks Village Office • 209 N Green St • Clarks • (308) 548-2412
Commodity Credit Corp • 1708 31st St # 1 • Central City • Not Available
Farm Service Agency • 1708 31st St • Central City • (308) 946-3035
Fire Hall • 207 9th St • Chapman • (308) 986-2282
Fort Niobrara Natl Wildlife • 39983 Refuge Rd • Valentine • (402) 376-3789
Merrick County Assessor • 1510 18th St # 7 • Central City • (308) 946-2443
Merrick County Clerk • 1510 18th St # 5 • Central City • (308) 946-2881
Merrick County Clerk Office • 1510 18th St # 5 • Central City • (308) 946-2881
Merrick County Clerk-DIST Ct • 1510 18th St # 5 • Central City • (308) 946-2461
Merrick County Court • 1510 18th St # 1 • Central City • (308) 946-2812
Merrick County Development Cor • 1702 31st St • Central City • (308) 946-3806
Merrick County Extension Ofc • 1510 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-3843
Merrick County Highway Supt • 1510 18th St # 2 • Central City • (308) 946-2164
Merrick County Planning-Zoning • 1510 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-3120
Merrick County Sheriff • 1821 16th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-2345
Merrick County Surveyor • 1510 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-2164
Merrick County Treasurer • 1510 18th St # 4 • Central City • (308) 946-2171
Merrick County Veterans Svc • 1510 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-2466
Merrick Medical Ctr • 1715 26th St • Central City • (308) 946-3015
Natural Resource Conservation • 1708 31st St • Central City • (308) 946-3035
Palmer Public Library • 202 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-5305
Roads Department • 1416 6th St • Central City • (308) 946-2273
Silver Creek Public Library • 309 Vine St • Silver Creek • (308) 773-2594
US Energy Dept • 379 2nd Rd • Grand Island • (308) 382-5545
USPS • 2121 Archer Rd # 2 • Archer • (308) 795-2204
USPS • 1512 16th St • Central City • (308) 946-3272
USPS • 204 9th St • Chapman • (308) 986-2499
USPS • 303 N Green St • Clarks • (308) 548-2851
USPS • 907 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-3804
USPS • 215 Vine St • Silver Creek • (308) 773-2517
Village Of Palmer • 802 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-8665
AKRS • 1026 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3041
Andrew Simmons CPA PC • 1618 20th St • Central City • (308) 946-2710
Bosselman Energy Inc • 1106 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3834
Brandenburg Tree & Lawn Care • 508 H Ave • Central City • (308) 940-0750
Brandenburg Tree & Lawn LLC • 504 H Ave • Central City • (308) 940-0750
Central True Value • 308 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3386
Clarks Locker & Meat Processng • 208 N Green St • Clarks • (308) 548-2468
Clarks Lumber Co • 103 S George St • Clarks • (308) 548-2275
Corner Drug • 401 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2205
Dave's Do It Best • 904 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-2125
Daylight Donuts • 1501 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-5555
Diane's Beauty Shop • 2402 24th Rd • Clarks • (308) 548-2433
Dollar General • 1020 G St • Central City • (402) 745-1317
DQ Grill & Chill • 519 G St • Central City • (308) 946-5870
Embellish Salon • 419 G St • Central City • Not Available
Eyecare Associates • 213 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2612
Friedrichsen Seed & Feed • 1108 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-5794
Full Bloom • 1507 17th St • Central City • (308) 946-5159
Highway 30 Tavern • 706 Highway 30 • Silver Creek • (308) 773-8284
Hilder Implement Inc • 1703 15th Rd • Central City • (308) 946-3886
Huskerland Prep Report • 802 C Ave • Central City • (800) 323-3929
Independent Club • 417 G St • Central City • (308) 946-9819
Jackrabbit Run Golf Course • 2800 N Shady Bend Rd • Grand Island • (308) 385-5340
Jim's Foods • 15 Highway 30 • Central City • (308) 946-2341
Jim's Foods Central City IGA • 1414 16th St • Central City • (308) 946-2241
Lafayette Beauty Salon • 309 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2731
Lisa's Hair Salon • 219 Vine St • Silver Creek • (308) 773-2135
Local Market • 911 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-8081
M & M Liquors • 520 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2052
Magnolias Salon Spa & Boutique • 1702 16th Ave • Central City • (308) 624-4157
Nebraska Heating & Air • 1197 L Rd • Central City • (308) 946-3771
Pat's Hardwood Customs • 201 E Pearl St • Clarks • (402) 270-7316
Pump & Pantry • 1110 G St # 29 • Central City • (308) 946-2394
Pump & Pantry • 116 Highway 30 # 5 • Chapman • (308) 986-2234
Republican-Nonpareil • 802 C Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3081
Sack Lumber-Central CITY Ne • 1709 17th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3855
Trav's U-Save Pharmacy • 1414 16th St • Central City • (308) 946-3859
Triple B Feed • 861 T Rd • Archer • (308) 795-2307
White House Salon & Boutique • 1608 23rd St • Central City • (308) 946-3185
Yrkoski Clifford • 2845 X Rd • Clarks • (308) 548-2573
Bosselman Energy Inc • 1106 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3834
Central Ne Wings-N-Things LLC • 105 E Amity St • Clarks • (308) 548-2228
Daylight Donuts • 1501 18th St • Central City • (308) 946-5555
DQ Grill & Chill • 519 G St • Central City • (308) 946-5870
El Agave Mexican Restaurant • 1415 16th St • Central City • (308) 946-3096
Independent Club • 417 G St • Central City • (308) 946-9819
Lulu's Prime Time Steak House • 108 Highway 30 US • Chapman • (308) 986-2244
Mom & Paups' Family Restaurant • 820 16th St • Central City • (308) 946-5099
Nitecrawlers Bar • 1648 Worms Rd • Saint Libory • (308) 687-6322
Pizza Hut • 1202 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3013
Rosebud Casino • 30421 US Highway 83 • Valentine • (605) 378-3800
Runza • 914 G St • Central City • (308) 624-3322
Side Street Deli • 401 H St • Central City • (308) 624-4160
Subway • 920 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3969
Taco John's • 930 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2801
Vine Street Cafe • 202 Vine St • Silver Creek • (308) 773-2232
Waffles & More • 217 G St • Central City • (308) 946-2802
Wing Street • 1202 G St • Central City • (308) 946-3013
Central City Elementary School • 1711 15th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3057
Central City Middle School • 2815 17th Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3056
Central City Senior High Sch • 1510 28th St • Central City • (308) 946-3086
High Plains Cmnty Elementary • 205 W Pearl St • Clarks • (308) 548-2216
Lakeview School • 26886 299th St • Crookston • (605) 429-3339
Nebraska Christian High School • 1847 Inskip Ave • Central City • (308) 946-3836
Palmer Public Schools • 202 Commercial St • Palmer • (308) 894-3065
Twin River Public School • 609 5th St • Silver Creek • (308) 773-2233
Here’s a list of national crisis lines in the U.S., covering a variety of situations:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
SAMHSA National Helpline (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 741741
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
National Runaway Safeline: 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929) or text 66008
Elder Abuse Hotline (Adult Protective Services): 1-833-401-0832
Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255
National Bereavement Helpline: 1-800-395-5755
National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP to 233733
Emergency & Safety
Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov – Government resource for disaster preparedness and emergency tips.
Weather.com: https://www.weather.com – Real-time weather updates, forecasts, and alerts.
911.gov: https://www.911.gov – Information about emergency services and preparedness.
Health & Wellness
WebMD: https://www.webmd.com – Health information, medical advice, and symptom checkers.
CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): https://www.cdc.gov – Public health information, disease control, and safety guidelines.
MentalHealth.gov: https://www.mentalhealth.gov – Mental health resources, support, and information.
Education & Learning
Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org – Free educational resources covering various subjects.
Coursera: https://www.coursera.org – Online courses from universities around the world.
Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com – Language learning platform with fun, interactive lessons.
Finance & Money
AnnualCreditReport.com: https://www.annualcreditreport.com – Free annual credit report from the three major credit bureaus.
Investopedia: https://www.investopedia.com – Comprehensive financial education, including investing, budgeting, and money management.
IRS.gov: https://www.irs.gov – Tax information, tools, and resources for U.S. taxpayers.
Job & Career
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com – Professional networking, job searching, and career development.
Indeed: https://www.indeed.com – Job search engine with millions of listings across industries.
Glassdoor: https://www.glassdoor.com – Company reviews, salary insights, and job listings.
Travel & Navigation
Google Maps: https://maps.google.com – Navigation, traffic updates, and local business information.
TripAdvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com – Travel reviews, planning tools, and recommendations for destinations.
Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com – Short-term rentals and unique accommodations worldwide.
News & Information
Reuters: https://www.reuters.com – Global news coverage on a variety of topics.
BBC News: https://www.bbc.com/news – International news source with comprehensive coverage.
Snopes: https://www.snopes.com – Fact-checking site for verifying news, rumors, and urban legends.
Entertainment & Leisure
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com – Information about movies, TV shows, actors, and film trivia.
Spotify: https://www.spotify.com – Music streaming, playlists, and podcasts.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com – Video content covering everything from tutorials to entertainment.
Technology & Tools
Speedtest by Ookla: https://www.speedtest.net – Test your internet speed in seconds.
HowStuffWorks: https://www.howstuffworks.com – Explanations and guides about how various things work.
TechRadar: https://www.techradar.com – Technology news, reviews, and guides.