Location:
Hemingford is located in Box Butte County in the northwestern corner of Nebraska. State Highways 87 and 2
bisect the village and U.S. Highway 385 is five miles east of the community.
Hemingford is 59 miles northeast of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; 137 miles south of Rapid City, South Dakota;
273 miles northeast of Denver, Colorado; and 414 miles northwest of Omaha, Nebraska.
Population:
The 1997 estimated population for Hemingford is 924; for Box Butte County 12,984.
Local Economy:
Basic economic activities of Hemingford include farming, ranching, cattle feeding, and retail sales. Firms in the
community with retail sales tax permits reported net taxable sales of $5,295,790,000 in 1997.
History:
Hemingford was first settled by Canadian immigrants in the summer of 1885. A town company was organized
in 1886 and land was sold to the Lincoln Land Company, which formally platted the townsite. The cluster of
frame and sod buildings was named in honor of HemmingsFord, Canada, the settlers' former home.
Much of Hemingford's early history involved the location of the Box Butte county seat. After the county was
created from southern Dawes County in 1886, the courthouse was built in rival Nonpareil. Later, in an 1890
election, Hemingford secured the prize with the backing of the Lincoln Land Company, whose
goal was to promote the community's growth. County offices remained in Hemingford until 1899 when voters designated
Alliance the permanent county seat in still another bitterly-fought election. The courthouse was moved on the
Burlington railroad from Hemingford to Alliance.
This area became noted for the production of alfalfa seed and potatoes. In 1930, 1,893 carloads of potatoes
were shipped from Hemingford and the town was known as the "Potato Capital of the World." Today,
Hemingford remains an important agricultural center for the northern panhandle.
Churches:
Local churches in Hemingford include Catholic, Congregational Church - United Church of Christ, Seventh Day Adventist, and United Methodist.
Medical:
Clinic - The Hemingford Clinic operated by Box Butte General Hospital, 812 Laramie, is staffed by a general practitioner and physician assistants. For more
information call (308) 487-3322 or fax (308) 487-3323.
Rescue Squad - Thirteen Emergency Medical Technicians in Hemingford respond to emergency calls in an
ambulance owned by the village and the Rural Fire Protection District.
Hospital - Box Butte General Hospital (BBGH) in Alliance, 18 miles south of Hemingford, was built in 1975
and has a capacity of 25 beds. A major expansion was completed in 2002. A 24-hour emergency service is provided seven days a week as well as a
walk-in clinic on weekends and weekday evenings. They are JCAHO accredited.
Nursing Homes - The Hemingford Community Care Center is a village owned facility. It has a capacity of 30
care beds and 12 assisted living units. The home, opened in February 1990, is licensed as a Nursing Facility
by the state of Nebraska. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy are also provided by the Hemingford
Community Care Center.
Library:
The Hemingford Library, 812 Box Butte, contains 10,375 volumes and has an average annual circulation of
5,678 volumes. Library activities include a weekly story hour, summer reading program, and loan program. A newly renovated geneology room was made available in 2003 with a computer with internet access and geneology programs and subscriptions. Five
computers with access to the Internet is available for public use. For more information call (308) 487-3454.
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