Keystone Nebraska 69144

Keystone was platted in July 1906 on land belonging to rancher William A. Paxton and named for his ranch's cattle brand, "Keystone." A Union Pacific spur line and a North Platte River bridge (both completed 1906) fueled quick growth, and the town reached a peak of roughly 175 residents in the 1920s with a hotel, lumber company, bank, and creamery. Its standout historic landmark is the "Little Church at Keystone" (1908), designed by noted Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball, which uniquely houses both a Catholic altar and a Protestant lectern under one roof — built that way because the community was too small to support two separate churches.

Keystone is an unincorporated community and census-designated place today, not an incorporated village, with a 2020 Census population of 73. Its ZIP code is 69144. Kingsley Dam's construction (1936–41) caused the railroad to relocate and most businesses to leave, and the area largely returned to its ranching roots; descendants of original settler families remain, and the community sits near Lake McConaughy's south shore, giving it some secondary connection to lake recreation.