Cortland Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Gage County · Population 504 (2020 census) · ZIP 68331 · Founded 1884 · Peak population 509 (1890)

About Cortland

Cortland is a village of 504 in northern Gage County on US 77, about 21 miles south of Lincoln and 16 miles north of Beatrice. The Homestead Trail passes through on the old Union Pacific grade, and students attend Norris schools.

History

A Highland Center post office served the area from about 1872. Joseph H. Millard of Omaha, a Union Pacific director, bought the town site from Alfred Gale in 1883, and the plat was filed on February 4, 1884, on the Union Pacific line between Lincoln and Beatrice; Henry Spellman opened the first store that winter. The post office was spelled Courtland for its first year. The name is said to come from Cortland, New York, and the early name Galesburg likely recalls the Gale land. The Bank of Cortland opened about 1885, and the census peak was 509 in 1890.

Highways and trails through Cortland

Route	One way	Other way
US 77North–south through the village	North to Lincoln (about 20 mi)	South past Pickrell to Beatrice; NE 41 joins it for 1.5 mi south of town

Nearby towns

Hallam	about 4.8 mi west-northwest	US 77 and county roads
Firth	about 6 mi east-northeast	County roads
Clatonia	about 8 mi west-southwest	US 77 and NE 41
Pickrell	about 9 mi south	US 77
Adams	about 11 mi east-southeast	US 77 and NE 41
Beatrice	about 16 mi south	US 77
Lincoln	about 21 mi north	US 77

Things to see

The Cortland Museum, 340 W. 4th St., in an 1883 house said to be the oldest building in town (first Saturday of each month) · Cortland United Church (United Methodist and UCC, united in 1981), 500 Sheridan Ave. · St. James Catholic Church, 500 W. 1st St. · the Homestead Trail north to Lincoln and south to Beatrice

Schools and health care

Schools: Norris School District 160 (one campus south of Lincoln; no school in Cortland)

Health care: No clinic in Cortland; Beatrice Community Hospital and Health Center, 4800 Hospital Pkwy. (US 77 North), Beatrice, 402-228-3344 (critical access hospital with a 24-hour emergency department)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Dobbs, History of Gage County (1918); National Park Service; History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Lower Big Blue NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; city, village, school, museum and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.