Kennard Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Kennard Area Cameras

Village · Washington County · Population 381 (2020 census) · ZIP 68034 · Founded 1869

About Kennard

Kennard is a village of 381 on a short spur north of US 30, about 7 miles southwest of Blair, between branches of the Papillion Creek. It has Emmaus Lutheran Church, Kennard Grace United Methodist Church and the Kennard Cemetery. NE 31 ends at US 30 just southwest of town.

History

Nathaniel Brewster settled here in 1856, and the railroad later bought the townsite from him. A post office opened in 1868 with Israel Swihart as postmaster, and the town was laid out in 1869 when the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad came through. It was named for Thomas P. Kennard, Nebraska's first secretary of state. A church shared by several denominations was built in 1880, and Kennard incorporated as a village in 1895.

Floyd Zaiger, the fruit breeder who developed the pluot and hundreds of other varieties, was born in Kennard in 1926. The 2020 census count of 381 was the village's highest.

Highways and trails through Kennard

Route	One way	Other way
S-89ASpur north from US 30 into the village	Ends in Kennard	South to US 30
US 30Just south of the village	East to Blair (about 7 mi)	West to Arlington (about 8 mi) and Fremont
NE 31Ends at US 30 southwest of Kennard	South to Elkhorn and Gretna	Ends at US 30

Nearby towns

Orum	about 6 mi northwest	County roads
Blair	about 7 mi northeast	US 30
Washington	about 7 mi south	County roads
Arlington	about 8 mi west	US 30
Bennington	about 10 mi south	NE 31 and NE 36
Fort Calhoun	about 13 mi east	County roads

Things to see

Brewster Cemetery and its historical marker, 2.5 mi west of US 30 on County Road 26 · Kennard Cemetery · Prairie View Cemetery

Schools and health care

Schools: Nearby districts: Arlington and Blair

Health care: No clinic; nearest hospital Memorial Community Hospital, Blair (about 7 mi)

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Nebraska Department of Transportation route mileposts. Distances marked "about" are estimates.