McCool Junction Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

McCool Junction Area Cameras

Village · York County · Population 453 (2020 census) · ZIP 68401 · Founded 1886

About McCool Junction

McCool Junction is a village of 453 people (2020), the most it has had, in southern York County, at 1,578 feet on US 81 near the Big Blue River, about 5 miles south of I-80 and 9 miles south of York. It has its own K–12 school, the Mustangs, and Junction Motor Speedway, a 3/8-mile dirt oval just west of town, and it holds the Mustang Round Up each September. McCool Junction is on Central Time.

History

Settlers arrived in 1867, and the first town here was Niota, now the south part of the village. A new village was platted late in 1886 and named McCool for Daniel McCool, promoter and general manager of the St. Joseph & Grand Island Railroad. By 1888 it was a junction of two lines — hence McCool Junction — and in 1890 it had about 250 people. The village calls itself “The Magic City on the Blue.” Its school was rebuilt in 1916 after a fire, and the Mustangs have won seven state titles, including football and girls’ cross country in 2020. Junction Motor Speedway opened in 2003.

Highways and trails through McCool Junction

Route	One way	Other way
US 81Through the village	North to I-80 and York	South to Fairmont and Geneva

Nearby towns

Lushton	about 7 mi west-southwest	County roads
Charlestown	about 7 mi northwest	County roads
Fairmont	about 8 mi south	US 81
York	about 9 mi north	US 81
Exeter	about 10 mi southeast	County roads
Henderson	about 11 mi west-northwest	County roads
Bradshaw	about 12 mi northwest	County roads
Waco	about 13 mi northeast	County roads
Geneva	about 15 mi south	US 81

Things to see

Junction Motor Speedway, 1206 Road 4 · the Mustang Round Up in September

Events in McCool Junction

Mustang Round Up
McCool Junction’s September community celebration.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: McCool Junction Public Schools (K–12), in the village

Health care: Nearest hospital: York General Hospital, York, about 9 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Sedgwick, York County, Nebraska and Its People (1921); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890–91); History Nebraska markers; National Register; National Weather Service (Hastings); Nebraska Game and Parks; Upper Big Blue NRD; York University; York General; Henderson Health Care Services; City of York; City of Henderson; Village of McCool Junction; Henderson Heritage Park; Visit Nebraska. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.