Communities Served:

Originally called Collinsville, the town's name was changed to Benkelman in 1880 when a cattle rancher by that name established one of Nebraska's largest cattle shipping points next to the town. Benkelman was named the county seat of Dundy County in 1884. Benkelman takes pride in the talent of its hometown boy, movie star Ward Bond. The city park is named in his honor.

The area around Culbertson was once inhabited by one of the great buffalo herds of the Great Plains. On August 5, 1873, the Battle of Massacre Canyon occurred between the Sioux and Pawnee Indians. This battle is considered to be the last major battle between two Indian tribes in the United States. A monument commemorating this last battle is located just east of Trenton, Neb. Carved in the 35-foot granite monument are the faces of Sioux Indian John Grass and Pawnee Indian Ruling-His-Son.

As the number of buffalo and Indians decreased, dozens of pioneer ranchers arrived with their cattle. The area became one of Nebraska's major ranching regions during 1875 to 1883. With the arrival of the Burlington and Missouri Railroad in 1880, thousands of homesteaders settled along the Republican River in what is now modern day Culbertson.

Haigler, Nebr., is home to the first female postmaster in the United States--Mrs. Arabelle Porter. Mrs. Porter was appointed postmaster in 1882. Haigler is also home to the James R. Porter family who developed and financed the Pioneer Irrigation Canal, one of the first irrigation systems completed in Nebraska. Retail electric service is provided to Haigler by Southwest Public Power District.

In 1880, the famous Texas cattle trail crossed the west part of Hayes County on the way to Ogallala. Located centrally between the Texas cattle trail and a military trail near the Frenchman River, the town of Hayes Center emerged in 1885. Hayes Center, the county seat of Hayes County, was named after President Rutherford B. Hayes. Retail electric service is provided to Hayes Center by Southwest Public Power District.

Imperial was constructed on land homesteaded by Thomas Mercier and M. L. Goodrich in 1885. Mercier and Goodrich were successful promoters and made gifts of land to anyone who would develop the property. Most of the town's original buildings were erected by the summer of 1886. The Burlington Railroad came to Imperial in 1891 and increased retail trade in the area.

Samuel L. True established the original town of Palisade in 1879. The land was located one and one-half miles east of the present Palisade. True named the little settlement Palisade because of the bluffs along the river and remains of an old palisade or stockade built by the U.S. Cavalry near the site. In 1886, the Burlington Railroad was unable to make a land purchase from Mr. True so they established a town named New Palisade less than two miles away. Soon the new town began to boom and all but one of the original Palisade buildings were moved to the new location. Retail electric service is provided to Palisade by Southwest Public Power District.

Stratton, first known as "Frontier," started with a log cabin built by C. V. Bailey in 1879. Miss Mary Stratton gave up her 80 acres of land for the townsite, and the name was changed to "Stratton." The railroad was built in 1882 and Stratton became an incorporated village of 200 inhabitants in 1886. Wholesale electric service is provided to Stratton by Southwest Public Power District.

Trenton, first called "Trail City" because of its location on the cattle trail leading from Texas to Ogallala, was laid out by the Lincoln Land Company in 1881. The town of Trenton, named after Trenton, New Jersey, was incorporated on August 11, 1887. Wholesale electric service is provided to Trenton by Southwest Public Power District.

This history of Wauneta begins in 1874 when a young cowboy named George Rowley brought his family to settle on the banks of the Frenchman Creek. A post office was established in 1877, discontinued in 1881, and reestablished in 1886. A flour mill was built on the banks of the Frenchman in 1887 by D. E. Polly. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1905. In 1906, George Theobald and H. E. Athey built a second mill which was completed in 1907. The second mill operated until 1921 when it too was destroyed by fire. Bert Maxfiled then built the Wauneta Roller Mills away from the river near the railroad. The mill is still in operation today and operated by the Maxfield family. The village of Wauneta is supplied wholesale power by Nebraska Public Power District.