Dakota City Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

City · Dakota County · County seat · Population 2,081 (2020 census) · ZIP 68731 · Founded 1856

About Dakota City

Dakota City is the county seat of Dakota County, a city of 2,081 on the Missouri River about 4 miles south of South Sioux City, where NE 35 meets US 75/77. It has the 1940–41 courthouse, Dakota City Elementary, the Dakota City Public Library, Cottonwood Cove Park on the river and the Tyson Fresh Meats beef plant.

History

Dakota City was surveyed in 1855 and platted in September 1856 by the Dakota City Company, headed by Augustus Kountze, and named for the Dakota people. A territorial act of January 23, 1856, made it the county seat. In an 1858 removal vote St. John's outpolled it 263 to 260, but the seat stayed. A U.S. Land Office operated here from 1857 to 1875, and the town incorporated on April 5, 1858.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, organized in 1859 and built in 1860 by Augustus T. Haase, is the oldest standing Lutheran church building in Nebraska and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Missouri later carried away about a third of the original townsite. The present courthouse at 1601 Broadway was built in 1940–41 as a WPA project. The Iowa Beef Packers plant, now Tyson Fresh Meats, opened in 1966. Dakota City counted 2,081 people in 2020, its highest census.

Highways and trails through Dakota City

Route	One way	Other way
US 75/77Bypasses the west side of town	North to South Sioux City (about 4 mi) and Sioux City	South to Homer (about 8 mi) and Winnebago (about 14 mi)
NE 35Broadway; ends at US 75/77	West to NE 110 (about 2.6 mi), Hubbard and Emerson	Ends at US 75/77

Nearby towns

South Sioux City	about 4 mi north	US 77
Homer	about 8 mi south	US 75/77
Hubbard	about 10 mi west	NE 35
Jackson	about 11 mi northwest	NE 35, NE 110 and US 20
Winnebago	about 14 mi south	US 75/77
Emerson	about 20 mi southwest	NE 35

Things to see

Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1500 Hickory St. (1860, National Register) · Cottonwood Cove Park, 13th and Hickory Sts.: boat dock, Lewis and Clark overlook and 13 seasonal RV sites · Dakota County Courthouse, 1601 Broadway · Dakota City Public Library, 1710 Broadway · Old Dane Golf Club on NE 35

Schools and health care

Schools: Dakota City Elementary School (pre-K–5), 1801 Locust St.; older students attend South Sioux City Community Schools

Health care: No clinic; Dakota County Health Department, 1601 Broadway; clinics in South Sioux City (about 4 mi); nearest hospital UnityPoint Health–St. Luke's Downtown, Sioux City (about 6 mi)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Warner, History of Dakota County (1893); National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Department of Transportation route mileposts. Distances marked "about" are estimates.