Davenport Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Thayer County · Population 321 (2020 census) · ZIP 68335 · Founded 1872 · Peak population 513 (1890)

About Davenport

Davenport is a village of 321 in the northwest corner of Thayer County, on NE 4 and the Union Pacific main line, about 15 miles northwest of Hebron. The Little Blue Natural Resources District has its office here.

History

When the St. Joseph & Denver City Railroad built west across the county in 1872, its stations were named in alphabetical order from east to west: Alexandria, Belvidere, Carleton and Davenport. The Nebraska Land and Town Company laid out Davenport on land bought from John Littig, and it was named for Davenport, Iowa, the home of settler Adam Littig. The school district was formed in 1877, and a Chicago & North Western line arrived in 1888.

Fire burned 12 businesses on Main Street in 1889 and most of the west side in 1917; a 2011 fire destroyed the town's only restaurant. The population peaked at 513 in 1890. The old line through town is now a busy Union Pacific main line.

Highways and trails through Davenport

Route	One way	Other way
NE 4East–west through the village	East past Carleton to Bruning and US 81	West into Nuckolls County

Nearby towns

Carleton	about 7 mi east	NE 4
Shickley	about 9 mi north-northeast	County roads
Edgar	about 9 mi west-northwest	County roads
Deshler	about 13 mi south-southeast	NE 4 and NE 5
Bruning	about 13 mi east	NE 4
Hebron	about 15 mi southeast	NE 4 and US 81

Things to see

The Little Blue NRD office, 100 E. 6th St. · the Davenport Public Library, 109 N. Maple Ave. · Christ's Lutheran Church and St. Peter Lutheran Church · Davenport Cemetery

Schools and health care

Schools: Bruning-Davenport Unified System: Bruning-Davenport High School (9–12) and the youngest grades at 340 Carroll St., Bruning; Bruning-Davenport Middle School (5–8) and grades 2–4 at 106 N. Juniper Ave., Davenport

Health care: Davenport Medical Clinic, 105 N. Linden Ave. (Thayer County Health Services); hospital: Thayer County Health Services, 120 Park Ave., Hebron, a 17-bed critical access hospital

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Who's Who in Nebraska, Thayer County (1940); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1917); History Nebraska and its historical markers; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Little Blue NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Heritage Highway 136; village, school, museum and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.