49 topographic sheets cover 16 settlements here, and 9 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
9 National Register listings published here · the county-history sources name 1 person · people the book names include C. N, W. Rail Road (Seward City, 1905) (machine-read).
Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service
Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | John Cattle Jr. House | building | 1978 | 78001714 |
 | Deutsche Evangelisch Lutherische Zion Kirche | building | 1982 | 82003202 |
| Ella Eager House | building | 2024 | 100009512 | |
 | Germantown State Bank Building | building | 1984 | 84000512 |
 | Harry T. Jones House | building | 1990 | 90001771 |
 | Seward County Courthouse | district | 1990 | 89002245 |
| Seward County Courthouse Square Historic District | district | 1982 | 82003201 | |
 | States Ballroom | building | 1981 | 81000375 |
 | John and Philomena Sand Zimmerer House | building | 1993 | 93000060 |
Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 76 of them, burning about 2,504 acres. 3 started naturally and 1 was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 39 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 15 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 10 |
| Smoking | 4 |
| Natural | 3 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 March 2014 | Debris and open burning | 1,000 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 29 March 2014 | Debris and open burning | 450 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 11 March 2011 | Arson/incendiarism | 120 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 13 March 2009 | Debris and open burning | 100 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 10 May 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 80 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 10 May 2014 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 80 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 22 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 75 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 19 April 2018 | Debris and open burning | 60 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 405 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 18 injuries and about $66,179,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 207 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 126 |
| Tornado | 38 |
| Flood | 17 |
| Flash Flood | 9 |
| Lightning | 3 |
| Funnel Cloud | 3 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1957 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | 1 killed, 8 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| May 1985 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 4 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| May 1953 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 2 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Tornado (F4) | Ruby | 2 hurt, $1,000,000 | A slow moving tornado tracked from south of Seward to just east of town with a total track length of 8 miles. The tornado was caught on film by several chasers. The tornado destroyed an entire farmstead and a propane and anhydrous ammonia tank farm and machine shed. Several vehicles were tumbled and tossed into a field across from the farm house. The tornado was at its maximum intensity at the farmstead it destroyed. Northeast of highway 34 the tornado struck several sheds and barns. |
| June 1992 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | 1 hurt, $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| June 1992 | Hail | not stated | 1 hurt | no account filed |
| March 1990 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| June 1992 | Tornado (F3) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Tornado (EF3) | Cordova | $2,400,000 | This tornado crossed into Seward county from York county and was the most intense tornado during this outbreak with a track of around 14 miles in Seward county. The tornado moved just north of the city of Cordova crossing State Highway 76A. Here the tornado impacted several rural residents. High end EF2 damage was done to one brick home where the roof was completely removed and some external walls were knocked down. The tornado continued northeast crossing Yankee Hill Rd less than a mile from State Highway 76A, and this is where the most significant damage occurred. Here a well built brick home had the roof completely removed, exterior walls knocked down, and a couple of interior walls downed as well. The tornado continued northeast while widening, but generally decreasing in intensity as it crossed Denton and Old Cheney Roads. The tornado reached its maximum width to the southwest of Beaver Crossing before moving directly into town. Widespread damage was observed in Beaver Crossing with nearly every structure in town sustaining some damage. In the city scattered EF2 damage was noted with several structures having thier roofs removed. Otherwise most of the damage was tree, power line and outbuildings being destroyed. The tornado exited Beaver Crossing and moved northeast while decreasing in width and intensity eventually dissipating less than 1 mile south of Interstate 80. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cordova | $1,410,000 | A damaging wind event tracked across Seward County, Nebraska, on the morning of August 9th, 2025, impacting areas from the southwest to the eastern portion of the county. The storm produced a number of strong, measured wind gusts, with the highest recorded being 82 miles per hour from a public weather station 3 miles south-southwest of Seward. Other measured gusts were consistently severe, including 80 miles per hour 2 miles south of Milford, and 76 miles per hour 2 miles southeast of Seward, indicating a widespread high-wind event across the county.||The measured gusts translated into significant damage, with numerous reports estimating winds in the 70 to 80 miles per hour range. Structural damage was reported by an NWS employee 4 miles south-southwest of Garland, where a roof was torn off a shed and large trees were downed. Elsewhere, public reports detailed large trees down on a house and vehicle 3 miles east of Cordova, and a large tree impacting a roof in Seward. These widespread tree and minor structural damage incidents contributed to a final damage cost estimate for public infrastructure of $1,411,213.00. This estimate covers only public assets and infrastructure and does not reflect the total damage sustained by private homes and businesses. |
| June 1996 | Lightning | Goehner | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1991 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 1967 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1964 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 2015 | Flood | Beaver Crossing Arpt | $100,000 | Significant flooding occurred along the West Fork of Big Blue River, especially upstream of Dorchester near Beaver Crossing. Here some county road were closed and structures near the river channel at Beaver Crossing were flooded. Only minor low-land agricultural flooding near the river channel was observed near Dorchester. |
| September 1995 | Hail | Garland | $100,000 | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Flood | Milford | $25,000 | Rainfall of 3.5 inches fell overnight on July 15-16 in the Milford area. This caused flooding along Coon Creek which flooded a park and golf course on the south side of town and also closed a few county roads in the area. |
| July 1981 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1958 | Tornado | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1957 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Flash Flood | Krutz Arpt | $10,000 | Heavy rain caused flash flooding across several streets in the Seward area. Some vehicles were stalled in the flood waters and several basements were flooded. |
| June 2010 | Flood | Utica | $10,000 | Rainfall of at least 2 to 4 inches on 6/20 and 6/21 and additional rains a few days after that caused prolonged flooding along Lincoln Creek in Seward county. The Creek near Seward crested at a little over 18 feet during the morning of 6/23, flood stage is 15 feet. The creek was above flood stage near Seward from the afternoon of 6/21 until the early evening of 6/27. Flooding of county roads and farmland near the creek was observed. |
| October 2008 | Flood | Grover | $10,000 | Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches fell over much of the middle and upper sections of the Big Blue River basin on October 21 and October 22. The rain caused the Big Blue River to flood for a prolonged period from near Milford downstream to around DeWitt, which is in Saline County. The river near Crete, which is in Saline county, crested at 21.7 feet around 915pm CDT on 10/24, flood stage is 18 feet. The flooding affected agricultural farmland, closed a few county roads in the area and caused the delay of local bridge construction just south of Milford which was damaged by flooding over the summer. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milford | $8,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 mph split a large maple tree causing it to crush an SUV. No one was in the vehicle at that time. |
| August 2014 | Flood | Seward | $5,000 | Repeated thunderstorms on the 27th and 28th of August caused heavy rainfall and Lincoln Creek to go into flood. The creek rose above flood stage on the morning of the 28th, cresting on the morning of the 29th, and falling below flood stage on the 31st. The flooding was generally minor and confined to low-lying areas along the river. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Staplehurst | $5,000 | Heavy rain flooded farm fields and some county roads near Lincoln Creek and Branch Oak Road. Wild Cat Creek near 462nd St. and Davey Road north of Utica also flooded. The water eventually caused Lincoln Creek to flood later in the day. |
| May 1996 | Lightning | Milford | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Goehner | $3,000 | Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 60 mph took the roof off of an outbuilding near Goehner. The time was estimated from radar. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seward | $3,000 | Several wood pallets blown around by high winds causing damage to vehicles at Metromail parking lot. |
| May 1953 | Tornado | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| May 2014 | Flood | Seward | $2,000 | Heavy rain caused flooding along Lincoln Creek near and northwest of Seward. The creek reached a little over 18.5 feet during this time, flood stage is 15 feet. The flooding impacted surrounding farm fields and closed several roads in the area. |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Utica | $2,000 | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Lightning | Seward | $2,000 | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Tornado (F0) | Milford | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Beaver Crossing | $500 | Thunderstorm winds estimated at 60 mph snapped off the top of a tree. The tree then fell over into a backyard. |
| April 1986 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| April 1981 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $250 | no account filed |
| April 1958 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $30 | no account filed |
| March 2026 | Hail | Seward | - | Public report of hail measured at 1.00 inch in diameter. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Pleasant Dale | - | Public report of hail measured up to 1.75 inches in diameter near Pleasant Dale, NE. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Krutz Arpt | - | Public report of hail measured up to 1 inch in diameter near Seward, NE. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seward | - | Personal weather station measured gust of 61 mph, likely associated with the passing of an outflow boundary. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Bee | - | Public report of hail estimated up to 2 in diameter. |
| August 2025 | Hail | Krutz Arpt | - | Public report of hail estimated at 1 inch in diameter. |
| August 2025 | Hail | Ruby | - | Trained spotter report of hail measured at 1 inch in diameter. |
| August 2025 | Hail | Ruby | - | Trained spotter report of hail measured at 0.88 inches in diameter. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seward | - | Personal weather station measured wind gust of 73 mph. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seward | - | Public report relayed via social media images of large trees down, one impacting a roof. Time estimated from radar. Winds gusted to an estimated 70-80 mph. |
| August 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seward | - | Personal weather station measured wind gust of 76 mph. |
| August 2025 | Hail | Krutz Arpt | - | Public report of hail measured at 1.25 inches in diameter. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Tamora | - | Public report received via social media of power poles down near Tamora, NE. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Staplehurst | - | Trained spotter report of an uprooted tree. Time estimated from radar. |
| September 2025 | Flood | Goehner | - | On the morning of September 1, 2025, thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding concerns to portions of eastern Nebraska, including southern Seward County. Radar estimates for the event indicated total rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 6 inches. These estimates were directly corroborated by public rainfall reports, which documented amounts such as 5.51 inches four miles northwest of Dorchester, NE, 4.43 inches five miles north of Dorchester, NE, and 3.97 inches three miles west-northwest of Milford, NE. By 6:35 AM CST, after the excessive rainfall had concluded, emergency management reported that the resulting runoff had caused water moving over numerous roads located south and west of Milford, NE. |
| September 2025 | Hail | Staplehurst | - | Public report of hail estimated at 1 inch in diameter. |
| September 2025 | Flood | Milford | - | On the morning of September 1, 2025, intense thunderstorms generated heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding concerns across portions of eastern Nebraska, specifically Seward County. Radar estimated total rainfall for the event ranged from 3 to 6 inches. These assessments were strongly supported by public rainfall reports, which documented significant totals, including 5.51 inches four miles northwest of Dorchester, NE, 4.43 inches five miles north of Dorchester, NE, and 3.97 inches three miles west-northwest of Milford, NE. The resultant runoff from this excessive precipitation led to riverine flooding in Seward County along the Big Blue River near Crete, NE. The river officially entered flood stage at 8:30 PM CST on September 1, 2025, and reached its maximum height, or crest, of 21.30 feeta level corresponding to minor flood stageat 12:30 AM CST on September 2, 2025. The Big Blue River subsequently receded and fell below flood stage at 4:30 AM CST on September 2, 2025. |
| September 2025 | Hail | Staplehurst | - | Delayed public report of hail measured at 1 inch in diameter. Time estimated via radar. |
| May 2024 | Tornado (EF0) | Ruby | - | This tornado was a very brief spin-up causing minor damage to a center pivot. The peak winds in this tornado were estimated to be at 70 miles per hour. The maximum width was measured to be 20 yards with an estimated width also at 20 yards. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Milford | - | A 66 miles per hour wind gust was measured by NDOT station E0651. |
| May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Utica | - | The office received a public report of branches down and trees snapped just south of Utica, Nebraska. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pleasant Dale | - | A 58 miles per hour wind gust was recorded by a mesonet station. |
History of Seward County, Nebraska, and Reminiscenses of Territorial History devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. The one chapter is reproduced here in full. Each row shows the township's own shape and where it lies in the county, drawn from the Census Bureau's boundary. Which settlements belong to which township is computed from that same boundary, not taken from the book.
| Shape and position in the county | Township | Settlements in it | Length | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seward City | Seward | 22,903 words | 31 |
2 books written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 30 chapters in all. Every chapter is public domain, machine-read from the scan and reproduced complete. A chapter already given under one of the county's towns is not repeated in this list.
| Chapter | Length |
|---|---|
| Chapter 2 | 1,799 words |
| Chapter with an unread heading (no. 2 of those read) | 3,798 words |
| Chapter 6 | 3,338 words |
| Chapter 7 | 1,502 words |
| Chapter 8 | 2,710 words |
| Chapter 9 | 1,711 words |
| Chapter with an unread heading (no. 7 of those read) | 1,129 words |
| Chapter 12 | 3,769 words |
| Chapter 13 | 4,688 words |
| Chapter 14: Pioneer Schools of Seward County | 1,889 words |
| Chapter 16 | 2,240 words |
| Chapter 17 | 2,127 words |
| Chapter 20 | 4,869 words |
| Chapter 21 | 2,696 words |
| Chapter 22 | 2,189 words |
| Chapter 23 | 1,847 words |
| Chapter 25 | 5,384 words |
| Chapter 27 | 10,757 words |
| Chapter 29 | 1,540 words |
| Chapter 35 | 2,860 words |
| Chapter 37 | 7,239 words |
| Chapter 38 | 1,813 words |
Everyone History of Seward County, Nebraska, and Reminiscenses of Territorial History stops to write about, with the section that describes them. Among them are the men who founded the place and governed the Territory. Each name opens the passage itself, in the words of 1905.
Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
Precinct C · 68439 · Staplehurst quadrangle
14 sheets, 1934 to 1985
No longer a settlement
Precinct I · 68423 · On Culver Creek · Pleasant Dale quadrangle
15 sheets, 1897 to 1986
The vanished settlements of Seward County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
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