Jansen Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Jansen Area Cameras

Village · Jefferson County · Population 100 (2020 census) · ZIP 68377 · Founded 1886 · Peak population 308 (1910)

About Jansen

Jansen is a village of 100 in Jefferson County, on US 136 about 6 miles east-northeast of Fairbury. A state historical marker on US 136 west of town tells the story of the Mennonite settlement.

History

In 1874–75 Mennonite families from the Russian Empire, led by Cornelius Jansen and his son Peter, bought about 25,000 acres from the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad and settled in line villages; one, Russian Lane, had about 42 houses, churches and schools along a 4½-mile road by 1900. Peter Jansen (1852–1923), born in Berdiansk, built a sheep ranch of 20,000 acres, served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1898 and was a U.S. commissioner to the 1900 Paris Exposition.

When the Rock Island extended its line in 1886, the village was platted four miles west of his ranch and named for him. The population peaked at 308 in 1910.

Highways and trails through Jansen

Route	One way	Other way
US 136Along the south end of the village	East to Harbine and Beatrice	West to Fairbury (about 6 mi)

Nearby towns

Fairbury	about 6 mi west-southwest	US 136
Harbine	about 6 mi east	US 136
Endicott	about 7 mi south	County roads
Diller	about 9 mi east-southeast	US 136 and NE 103
Plymouth	about 10 mi north-northeast	County roads
Steele City	about 11 mi south-southeast	County roads

Things to see

The Jansen historical marker, on US 136 about 1 mi west · Jansen Cemetery · St. Paul United Church of Christ · Cub Creek Recreation Area, about 4 mi north-northeast

Health care

No clinic in Jansen; nearest hospital: Jefferson Community Health & Life, 2200 H St., Fairbury (the county hospital, with a 24-hour emergency room; called Fairbury Hospital until 2017)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890–91); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names; History Nebraska and its historical markers; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Little Blue and Lower Big Blue NRDs; Nebraska Department of Transportation; NEGenWeb Jefferson County; Visit Oregon Trail (Jefferson County tourism); city, village, school, museum and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.