Crab Orchard Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Crab Orchard Area Cameras

Village · Johnson County · Population 46 (2020 census) · ZIP 68332 · Founded 1883 · Peak population 278 (1920)

About Crab Orchard

Crab Orchard is a village of 46 in southwestern Johnson County, on spur S-49C just off US 136, about 12 miles west of Tecumseh. Hickory Ridge WMA, 564 acres, is about 2 miles south.

History

A Crab Orchard post office existed before the village, about 5 miles southwest of Tecumseh in 1882. The present village was platted in 1883 when the Burlington built its line west toward Beatrice, and the post office name moved to it; the name comes from a grove of crabapple trees near the town site. By 1890 it had Methodist and Baptist churches, a G.A.R. post, a hotel, a bank and a weekly paper, and the census peak was 278 in 1920. Western film actor Roy Barcroft was born here, and dancer and artist Paul Swan grew up here.

Highways and trails through Crab Orchard

Route	One way	Other way
US 136Passes the village; spur S-49C leads in	East past Vesta to Tecumseh	West to Filley and Beatrice

Nearby towns

Vesta	about 4.7 mi east-northeast	US 136
Lewiston	about 6 mi south	County roads
Filley	about 7 mi west-southwest	US 136
Sterling	about 9 mi north-northeast	County roads
Adams	about 10 mi north-northwest	County roads
Tecumseh	about 13 mi east-northeast	US 136

Things to see

Hickory Ridge WMA, 564 acres, 2 mi south · Crab Orchard Cemetery · Vesta and its cemetery, about 5 mi east-northeast on US 136

Health care

No clinic in Crab Orchard; Johnson County Hospital, 202 High St., Tecumseh, 402-335-3361 (critical access hospital), with Tecumseh Family Health in the same building, 402-335-2811

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Nebraska State Gazetteers (1885, 1890); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nemaha NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; county, school, museum and parish websites; Nemaha Valley Observer. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.