About North Bend
City Information
Population: 1,279 (2010 Census), up 102 from 2010
City Hall: Theresa Busse, Clerk
Business hours: 8 a.m. to noon, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
PO Box 401
607 Main Street, North Bend, NE 68649
Ph: 402-652-3584
Mayor: Rod Scott
City Council: President Bart Bosco, Ken Streff, Alex Legge, Chuck Krenzer
Police: Dodge County Sheriff's Office
Electricity: supplied by OPPD
Natural Gas: Black Hills Energy
Phone, TV, Internet: Great Plains Communications
Water and Sewer: City of North Bend
Public Library: 13th and Main streets. Library website.
City Ordinances: See City Hall page
North Bend Churches
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church
Rev. Keith Rezac
811 Locust St.
402-652-8484
Rev. Waltner Nolte
940 Chestnut Street
402-652-8361
Rev. Lawson Short
920 Linden Drive
402-652-8215
Organizations
North Bend has many social, civic, and service organizations, including:
American Legion - Wartime veterans organization based in Morse Bluff
Amvets - Veterans organization for those who served in war or peacetime.
Cub and Boy Scouts - Youth organization focusing on character, citizenship and activities
FFA Alumni - Supports NBC Future Farmers of America
Girl Scouts - Youth organization focusing on character, citizenship and activities
Goldenrod Garden Club - Gardening related programming and projects
Grand Passage Sportsmen Club - Supporting youth outdoors
Knights of Columbus - Catholic fraternal service organization
Masonic Lodge - Men's fraternal and philanthropic organization
Material Girls Quilt Club - Quilters club
North Bend Ambush - Town team basketball playing in the Farmland League
North Bend Area Community Foundation - Receives and distributes funds for community projects
North Bend Bowling Club - Youth bowling team
North Bend Benders - Town team baseball playing in the Dodge County League
North Bend Booster Club - Supporting athletics and activites at North Bend Central
North Bend Central Foundation - Solicits private funds to enhance programs at NBC
North Bend Community Band - Band of for all ages plays shows around the area
North Bend Area Chamber of Commerce - Supporting North Bend and Morse Bluff business community
North Bend MatCats - Youth wrestling program
North Bend-Morse Bluff Baseball Association - Supporting, organizing Legion baseball teams
North Bend Sharks - Summer youth swim team
North Bend Youth Tackle Football - Organizes, supports youth football teams
Optimist Club - Organizes and supports youth sports programs
Order of the Eastern Star - Community service and philanthropic organization for women
P.E.O. - Women's philanthropic and education organization
PTA - Parent, Teacher Association supporting North Bend Elementary
Purcell Initiative - North Bend's economic development committee
VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars
History
North Bend sits along what was once known as the Great Platte River Road, the waterway that served as a guide and resource to early pioneers and trailblazers. The route west was followed by Pawnee Indians originally, then fur traders and immigrants. In 1847, the route became known as the Mormon Trail during the great Morman migration. Soon after the route was filled with prospectors seeking their fortunes as part of the 1849 California Gold Rush. The Platte River and valley was also a supply line for wagons heading west until 1866, when the Union Pacific Railroad came through. Today, the UP rail line passing through North Bend is still one of the busiest in the nation. In 1913 the Lincoln Highway was established, the first coast-to-coast highway in the United States, which passed through North Bend following what is now Platte River Road, formerly Highway 30.
North Bend traces its history to July 4, 1856, when Scottish pioneers Robert Millar, George Young and their families climbed out of their wagons near the north bend of the Platte River. Seth Young was born on Nov. 3, 1856, to George and Ann Young, the first white male to be born in Dodge County. Seth went on to become a pillar of the North Bend community and a member of the North Bend School Board. He died in 1952 at the age of 95 while hoeing potatoes.
The town site was called Franklin before the town really got started. In 1867, Matthew Cotterell and J.M. Smith claimed the land and designated it as North Bend. On Aug. 12, 1869, the post office officially changed its name from Wallace to North Bend. In October 1867, Cotterell and the Union Pacific Railroad platted a new town called North Bend. Today, the two townships surrounding North Bend are named Cotterell and Union townships.
On April 20, 1876, North Bend was incorporated as a village with a population of 250. In April 1886, it was incorporated as a city. By 1900, the town's population was 1,010 and has held relatively steady ever since.
In 2006, North Bend celebrated its 150th birthday with a super-size Old Settlers celebration. One of the projects that year was the publication of a 524-page book titled "A 150 Year History of North Bend," written and edited by a group of local volunteers. There are limited copies of this book remaining, which can be purchased at the North Bend Eagle.
Pictured above: A 1903 view of what is today the intersection of Highway 30 and Main Street looking to the northwest. The brick building featured in the middle of the picture is the current site of Platte Valley Bank.