Belden Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Listings in Belden

Village · Cedar County · Population 112 (2020 census) · ZIP 68717 · Founded 1890 · Peak population 285 (1920)

About Belden

Belden is a village of 112 in southern Cedar County, where NE 57 meets US 20, 5 miles west of Laurel. It has Belden Grain & Feed, the Blue Heron Bar & Grill, The Candi Shop antiques and an American Legion post.

History

Belden grew from a handful of railroad shacks used by workers and as a water stop on the Pacific Short Line, built from Sioux City toward O'Neill and later part of the Great Northern. It was named for Scott Belden, the line's paymaster, and the post office opened on June 20, 1890. Great Northern work orders from 1904 to 1907 cover sidewalks, track to Randolph and a gasoline pumping plant here.

The population peaked at 285 in 1920. The Citizens State Bank, started in Belden, later moved its business to its Laurel branch. Baseball player Dale Alderson was born in Belden.

Highways and trails through Belden

Route	One way	Other way
US 20Runs together with NE 57 for about a mile through Belden	West to Randolph (about 8 mi)	East to Laurel (5 mi)
NE 57North–south; resurfacing north of US 20 through fall 2026	North to Coleridge (about 7 mi) and Hartington (about 15 mi)	South toward Carroll and NE 98

Nearby towns

Laurel	5 mi east	US 20
Coleridge	about 7 mi north	NE 57
Randolph	about 8 mi west	US 20
Hartington	about 15 mi north	NE 57
Wayne	about 22 mi southeast	NE 57 and county roads

Things to see

The Candi Shop, 201 Nebraska St. · Belden Cemetery

Health care

No clinic; Faith Health Laurel Family Medicine (about 5 mi) and Randolph Family Practice Clinic (about 8 mi); nearest hospitals Osmond General Hospital (about 20 mi) and Providence Medical Center, Wayne (about 22 mi)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; NEGenWeb Cedar County post offices; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Department of Transportation route mileposts. Distances marked "about" are estimates.