Buffalo County Boundaries

Research on original boundaries of Buffalo County

Source: Bassett, Samuel, HISTORY OF BUFFALO COUNTY, l9l6

Page 13 - Original boundary of Buffalo County –
Buffalo County was created by the Territorial Legislature meeting in 1854 and the boundary describes as beginning "...at a point in the center of the Platte River, ten miles east of the mouth of Wood River, running thence westward up the southern channel of the Platte, to the mouth of Buffalo Creek, thence north thirty miles - thence east to a point directly north of the place of beginning, thence south to the place of beginning. The seat of justice is hereby located at Nebraska Centre."
"In a general way it can be said the east line of the county thus established began at a point approximately south of the present City of Grand Island, and the western line of the county was near the present Village of Overton, Dawson County. Later, in 1858-1871, the boundaries were changed to conform to the present boundaries."

Area Surveys:
1848 - Fort Kearny military reservation
1866 - 2nd and 3rd standard township lines - by H. C. F. Hackbusch (a standard
is a row)Range lines were run by George F. McClure 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, &
18 Township and section lines in ranges 13, 14, 15, and 16 run by Edwin
R. Farnsworth and H. C. F. Hackbusch.
1868 - Township and section lines in Range 17 and 18 run by W. J. Allason

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Source: Wayne Humphery, County Surveyor, October 27, 1989

Boundaries of counties are set by statute, surveyors then, locate the boundaries described in the statutes. For Nebraska Statutes establishing Buffalo County boundaries, see SS 22-110. This law is based on GS 173 C12 paragraph 7, p 213.

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Source: General Statutes of the State of Nebraska, 1873
[Passed and took effect March 3, 1873]

"An act defining the boundaries of certain counties.....
Sec. 7. The county of Buffalo is bounded as follows: Commencing at a point where the dividing line between ranges twelve and thirteen, crosses the southern channel of the Platte river, thence up said channel to a point where the dividing line between ranges eighteen and nineteen intersects the same; thence east along said parallel to the northeast corner of township twelve, north, of range thirteen, west; thence south to the place of beginning"
References in margin:
1855 (paragraph) l,339.
1858 (paragraph) l,398.
1859
1871 (paragraph) 1,199.