History

History
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We are the only Republican City in the world!

Republican City was named for the Republican River. A historical marker about 150 miles down the Republican River in Kansas says, "Long before white men settled here the region was the home of the Pawnee Indians. The French traders in the late 1700s named those along the river the Republican Pawnees, in the mistaken belief that their form of government was a republic. From them the Republican River and in turn Republic County and Republic (town) in Kansas took their names."

At first our town was called Republican. Soon after the post office was established the name became Republican City. When early resident Jason J. Drew was a small boy and came from Wisconsin with his parents in 1862, it was little more than a board driven into the ground with the name Republican City printed on it. This is where the original town was built. The Burlington Railroad called it Republican, however, and that was the name printed on the depot in the old town. The conductors always called "Republican."

The town was moved to a new location about 1950 because a dam was to be built across the valley to provide flood control and irrigation for thousands of acres below the dam. In order to call the new town Republican City, permission from the government had to be obtained. Early resident Lou L. Kammerer made a trip to Washington, D.C., to get government permission. The original town fluctuated between 500 - 700 people. Many had to move out of the old town before the new location was chosen and a new town laid out. The "new" town was laid out 2 miles north and 2 miles east of the old city. The first post office was established February 6, 1872 by Dr. John McPherson.

An old tax receipt shows that Republican City was once the county seat of Harlan County, NE. It was the first town in Harlan County, had the first school and the first Methodist Church. The first Lutheran Church was also located north of town.

About 200 people call Republican City home now. It is a vacation resort and a sportsman’s paradise. Many retirees have summer homes here. Republican City, located off Hwy 136, is about 400 miles east of Denver, CO, and about 200 miles west of Lincoln, NE.

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