Adams County was established by an act of the Nebraska Legislature in February 1867, but it was not until December 1871 that the county was organized by an election held in the new village of Juniata. At that election the first county officials were elected and official county record keeping began.

COURTHOUSE

The Adams County courthouse is located in the 500 Block of West 4th Street, Hastings, NE. https://www.adamscounty.org/ Courthouse hours are Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm. Closed all holidays. Most county offices request that you contact the historical society before writing to the county official. When writing for information, ALWAYS INCLUDE A SELF ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE (SASE).

COUNTY CLERK

Mailing address P O Box 2067 Hastings NE 68902 Phone (402) 461-7107

Records include Marriage License and returns, 1872 to present; Military Discharges World War I to present; County Supervisors minutes 1871 to present; Voter registration 1966 to present; Election abstracts 1930s to present. Will check marriage license index free of charge if names and approximate date and a SASE are provided. Marriage license copy fee is $2, or $5 for a certified copy.

Adams County Historical Society has a detailed index to marriages and the original marriage license applications, license, and marriage returns.

COUNTY COURT

Mailing address PO Box 95, Hastings NE 68902 Phone (402) 461-7143

Records include probates, guardianships and adoptions, 1872 to present. Civil and criminal records are destroyed after 15 years.

Staff will NOT search civil or criminal records. Adoptions are sealed by state law. Staff will check probate and guardianship index and advise if a file is available. All files are microfilmed. Copy fee, if a file is found, is 50 cents per page. Original probate and guardianship files are housed at the Adams County Historical Society.

CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT

Mailing address PO Box 9, Hastings NE 68902 Phone (402) 461-7264

Records include civil and criminal district court records, divorce, and child support. Staff will check indexes if a SASE is provided. Copies 50 cents per page.

Naturalization Records and index are housed at Adams County Historical Society.

REGISTER OF DEEDS

Mailing Address PO Box 203 Hastings, NE 68902 Phone (402) 461-7148

Records include Deeds, Mortgages, and Miscellaneous, 1871 to present, and Plat Books 1919 to present. If requesting information, you must supply full name and time period. Staff will check the Grantor-Grantee Index as time permits. Cost of copies is 70 cents per page.

Adams County Historical Society has copies of all plat books.

COUNTY TREASURER

Mailing address 500 W 4th St Hastings NE 68901 Phone (402) 461-7121

Records include tax lists, 1870s to present, and auto registration. Tax lists are in storage and not accessible to the public.

Adams County Historical Society has microfilm copies of some tax lists.

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Mailing address PO Box 1088 Hastings NE 68902 Phone (402) 463-3285

This office is located at the Adams Central Jr-Sr High School, and is open during school hours. Summer hours vary. Records include school census taken annually 1876 to present and annual teachers reports 1920s to present. School census is filed by school district number, and is not indexed. Adams County had a total of 81 school districts. Search can be made ONLY if school district number is supplied. Staff can perform only limited research. Cost of copies is 50 cents per page.

Adams County Historical Society has microfilm of school census, 1876 to 1926.

. PLACE NAMES

Assumption: Unincorporated village in Roseland Township named for Catholic Church established in 1883 by settlers from Luxembourg. Parochial school built in 1900, closed in 1980. Matt Scholl opened a general store in 1899. Church and cemetery still in use. A 253 page history of the community and people was printed in 1983.
Ayr: Village in Ayr Township, 12 miles south of Hastings. Post office established in 1878. Peak population, 275, in 1880. Crystal Lake State park lies one mile north. Methodist Church established 1879, closed in 1970s.
Ayr Junction: Former locality at junction of two branches of Burlington railroad, one mile north of Ayr.
Blaine: A township in east-central Adams County. Also a former railroad siding east of Hastings.
Brennan: Former St. Joe and Grand Island Railroad siding southeast of Hastings in Blaine Township. A general store and two houses here in 1900.
Brickton: Former unincorporated village six miles south of Hastings established in 1886. Named for brickyards there. Site now abandoned.
Bridgton: Former post office established in 1878 in home of John J Malone, Section 10, Ayr Township. Discontinued in 1879.
Cottonwood: A township in west-central Adams County. Also a creek in the same area which flows into the Little Blue River.
Deans: Former Burlington Railroad siding between Ayr and Pauline.
Denver: A township in central Adams County.
Farmers: Former St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad siding north of Hastings.
Ferrens: Former Burlington Railroad siding near Hastings.
Flickville: Former Burlington Railroad siding east of Hastings.
Gilson: Former post office established in home of Biggs Scott, Section 28, Ayr Township. Discontinued in 1878 when moved to Ayr.
Halloran: Former Burlington railroad siding east of Hastings.
Hanover: A township in southeast Adams County.
Hansen: Unincorporated village in West Blue Township on the Hall County line. Post office established in 1879 and discontinued in 1956. Peak population 120 in 1880. School closed in 1988. Village contains a few homes, and a grain elevator.
Hastings: Located 18 miles south of I-80 on Tom Osborne Expressway. County seat of Adams County, population 24,000. Established in 1872 by the St. Joseph and Grand Island Railroad. Wrested the county seat from Juniata in 1878 after a bitter struggle. Primary industries are agriculture related. Hastings Museum and IMAX Theatre are tourist attractions. Good Samaritan Village, a large retirement center located here. Hastings College, a private liberal arts college, established in 1882. Largest Naval Ammunition Depot in US located here during WWII.
Hayland: Former village in Verona Township founded in 1912 by Northwestern Railroad. Peak population in 1920 was 33. Post office established in 1914, discontinued in 1943. School closed in 1942. Nothing remains today but a large grain elevator.
Hazel Dell: Former post office established in 1879 in home of Frances M Thompson, Section 32, Juniata Township (six miles north of Roseland). Discontinued in 1889.
Highland: A township in north-central Adams County.
Holstein: Village in Cottonwood Township, established in 1887. Many Danish settlers here. Peak population, 325, in 1910. 446 students graduated from Holstein High School between 1905 and 1970 when it closed. St. Paul's Lutheran and United Methodist churches in operation. Cemetery established in 1877. Centennial History book written in 1987.
Ingelside: Located one mile west of Hastings. A state insane asylum established here in 1888, now known as Hastings Regional Center. Post office located here from 1905 to 1972. Residents were asylum inmates or employees and their families. Peak population about 1,200.
Inland: Former village located four miles east of Hastings near Clay County line. Established in 1872, moved into Clay County in 1878. Cemetery at former town site is farmed over.
Juniata: Village in Juniata Township, established in 1871. First county seat from 1871 to 1878. Cemetery established 1871, still in use. Juniata HERALD newspaper 1877-1917 on microfilm. Peak population 900, in 1995. High school 1896 to 1967.
Kenesaw: Village in Kenesaw Township, established in 1871. Peak population, 850, in 1980. Economic center for northwest Adams County. Newspapers 1895 to 1942 on microfilm. Cemetery established 1882 still in use. Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian churches in operation.
Kingston: Former village located Section 32, Hanover Township. Post office 1872 to 1888. Abandoned cemetery at site, no grave markers. Town died when bypassed by the railroad.
Leroy: Former village located Section 25, Ayr Township. Known as Dyersville in 1875 and Millington in 1877. Post office 1889 to 1907. Dyer's Park located at the site. Leroy Cemetery, name changed to Blue Valley Cemetery, still in use.
Level: Former railroad siding southeast of Hastings.
Little Blue: Former post office established in 1873 in home of Rufus Dailey, section 8, Zero Township. Discontinued in 1879. Also a township in the southeast corner of Adams County, ordering Clay and Webster counties.
Logan: A township in the southwest corner of Adams County, bordering Webster and Kearney counties.
Ludlow: Former post office established in 1880 in home of Gabriel Huff, Section 11, West Blue Township. Discontinued in 1887 when Trumbull was established in Clay County.
Mayflower: Former post office established in 1877 in home of David Griswold, Section 4, Cottonwood Township. Discontinued in 1896.
Millington: Former village located Section 25, Ayr Township. Post office 1877 to 1881. A grist mill owned by Dyer Brothers was located here. Renamed Leroy in 1889.
Moritz: Former elevator siding on Missouri Pacific Railroad in Verona Township.
Morseville: Former village located Section 17, Logan Township. Post office 1877 to 1889. A GAR hall was located here. Town died when railroad bypassed it. Nothing remains at town site. Cemetery is semi-abandoned.
Mount Pleasant: Locality named for former Methodist Church and cemetery located Section 7, Ayr Township.
Muriel: Elevator siding on Missouri Pacific Railroad located Section 5, Hanover Township.
Newmarch: Former elevator siding on Union Pacific Railroad northeast of Hastings.
North Blue: Former post office established 1872 in home of Lewis Keith, Section 30, Silver Lake Township. Discontinued in 1876.
Pauline: Village in Little Blue Township established in 1887. Post office 1888 to 1967. Peak population 175, in 1900. School closed in 1983. Methodist church located here. Centennial history book written in 1987.
Prosser: Village in Verona Township near Hall County line, established in 1887. Post office 1888 to 1996. Peak population, 175, in 1900. School closed in 1980. Methodist Church closed in 1968. Centennial history book written in 1987.
Rosedale: Former post office established in 1877 in home of Darthula Jenkins, Section 28, Logan Township. Discontinued in 1881. There is also a Rosedale located in southern Hall County.
Roseland: Village in Roseland Township established in 1887. A rural post office of same name was established in 1875 in Section 22 and discontinued in 1888. Peak population, 254, in 1980. Silver Lake consolidated high school located here. Locality named for former Evangelical Church and cemetery located Section 30, Wanda Township.
Silver Lake: Former post office established 1873 in home of John J Hoyleman, Section 2, Silver Lake Township. Discontinued 1887.
Spencer Park: Government housing built in southeast Hastings for Naval Ammunition Depot workers in 1940s. Now site of Good Samaritan Village retirement center.
Sportville: Former post office established 1884 in home of Peter Vote, Section 32, Logan Township. Discontinued in 1887.
Stroemer: Former post office established in 1900 in Section 5, Hanover Township. Discontinued in 1902.
Thirty Two Mile Creek: Pony Express station and freighters station, sometimes called Dinner Station or Clark's Ranch, located in section 6, Ayr Township. Abandoned after 1864 Indian raids. Also a creek which drains into the Little Blue River.
Verona: A township in north-central Adams County, bordering Hall County.
Wanda: A township in west-central Adams County, bordering Kearney County.
West Blue: A township in the northeast corner of Adams County.
Zero: A township in south-central Adams County, bordering Webster County. Established 1920, Methodist church closed 1969. Cemetery established 1878 still in use. Centennial history book written in 1987.

CEMETERIES

CHURCHES

LIBRARIES

Hastings Public Library
314 N Denver Ave
Hastings, NE 68901
402-461-2346
https://www.cityofhastings.org/departments/library

MUSEUMS

Hastings Museum

1330 N Burlington Ave

Hastings, NE 68901

402-641-2339

Email info@hastingsmuseum.org

https://hastingsmuseum.org/

FUNERAL HOMES

NEWSPAPERS

SCHOOL RECORDS

SOCIETIES

Adams County Historical Society

PO Box 102

Hastings NE 68902

phone (402) 463-5838

email achs@inebraska.com

They have copies, either original or microfilm, of many county records.

WEB SITES