Central City City Hall

Central City City Hall is the municipal office for Central City, Nebraska, at 1702 31st Street. Central City is the county seat of Merrick County, population 3,039. Founded 1866 as Lone Tree and renamed Central City on July 1 1875 to reflect its position in the state's agricultural belt. A full-service municipality: the city operates electric, natural gas, water, sewer and wastewater utilities, and residents sign up for utility service at City Hall. Departments include Police, Streets, Parks and Recreation with Bader Memorial Park, Cemetery, Library, Aquatic Center and the municipal Airport, plus City Administrator, Clerk, Treasurer, Building and Zoning and Economic Development. The Lone Tree Monument commemorates the landmark cottonwood used as a navigation reference by travelers on the Mormon, Oregon and California Trails. Six sites in the city are on the National Register, including the 1911-13 Merrick County Courthouse and the 1916 Martha Ellen Auditorium, a former opera house. Author and photographer Wright Morris spent his childhood here. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.