About Our County

Interesting Facts

Keya Paha County covers about 773 square miles in north-central Nebraska.
The county sits directly along the South Dakota border, with the Niobrara River forming much of its southern boundary.
The name “Keya Paha” comes from Dakota words meaning “Turtle Hill.”
About 97% of the county’s land is agricultural, and approximately 84% is pasture grassland, reflecting the county’s strong ranching heritage.
Keya Paha County has never had a railroad, despite railroad surveyors visiting the county in the 1880s.
Part of the Niobrara National Scenic River lies within Keya Paha County, and the river area provides opportunities for canoeing, tubing, fishing and hunting.
Highway 12, the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, runs east-west through the county.
The Keya Paha County Fair and Rodeo is held near Norden and continues to be an important annual community event.

The first settlers began arriving in the Keya Paha County area during the late 1870s, encouraged by homesteading and other federal land laws.
The area was originally part of Brown County before residents voted on November 4, 1884, to establish a separate Keya Paha County.
County officers were elected in January 1885, and Springview was selected as the county seat in March 1885.
By the 1890 Census, Keya Paha County’s population had reached 3,920 residents.
Ranching and farming became the foundation of the county’s economy, aided by the grasslands and fertile valleys along its rivers and streams.
The county developed without a railroad, making its rivers, roads and local communities particularly important to transportation and settlement.
The area has a colorful frontier history involving outlaws and vigilantes along the Niobrara River, which helped inspire its association with Nebraska’s Outlaw Trail.
The Keya Paha County Historical Society was founded in 1968 to preserve local records, artifacts and community history. Its museum occupies the former Keya Paha County High School building in Springview.