Fairfield Nebraska

About Fairfield

Fairfield is a city in Clay County, Nebraska, at an elevation of 1,778 feet. It covers 0.72 square miles and belongs to the Hastings micropolitan statistical area. The 2020 census counted 330 residents, down from 387 in 2010 and 467 in 2000. The town once held around 1,200 people.

History

Fairfield got its start in 1872 with the construction of the railroad through the territory. The settlement was first called White Elm. When the Union Pacific laid out an alphabetised line of stations between Alexandria and Hastings, the F slot needed a name, and Frankfort was chosen in 1872. The town was later renamed for George Washington Fairfield, the man who surveyed it. Fairfield celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1972.

The railroad years

For decades the town sat on two lines: the Union Pacific route to Kansas City and a local Burlington branch. Six passenger trains a day stopped at the depot, which contemporaries described as big and impressive. The population figures since then tell the rest of the story.

People

Samuel Roy McKelvie was born in Fairfield. He served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Nebraska and later as the state's 19th governor.

View All Fairfield Listings →