Ponca, Nebraska
20 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1898 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Ponca City. It lies in ZIP code area 68770. It stands on South Creek. The Survey maps it on the Ponca quadrangle. 907 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,148 feet above sea level.
On record in Ponca
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 3 records
Cook Blacksmith Shoplisted 1974
Dixon County Courthouselisted 1990
Ponca Historic Districtlisted 1979
Population over time
2 figuresPonca fell from 961 to 907 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 961 | |
| 2020 | 907 | -54 (-6%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
9 surveys from 20 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1898 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000, 2 printings
- 1901 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000
- 1907 USGS Elk Point quadrangle1:125000, 6 printings
- 1955 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1958 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000
- 1959 USGS Sioux City quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Ponca quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1986 USGS Sioux City North quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
- 1994 USGS Ponca quadrangle1:24000
In the county-history sources
1,997 words on this townshipHistory of Dixon County, Nebraska. Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, and Its Present Condition--its Villages, Townships, Enterprises and Leading Citizens, Together with Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men, Incidents of Pioneer Life, Etc, published 1896 names this settlement in its chapter on Ponca City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
Charles F. Putnam, one of the most respected of the pioneers, was born in Cavendish, Vt.,in 1835. Went to Massachusetts in '46, came to Ponca in '56, and made his home there or in Ponca township ever since. Roughed it in early times with the rest of the settlers. Lived in Ponca one year, then took as a homestead a place now owned by -I. G. Crowell, a mile west of Jeff. Wilbur's farm. The farm he now owns and has lived on for the past twelve years contains ISO acres, and is well located and cultivated. Mi-. Putnam was the first sheriff of the county, and has since usefully rilled several offices. He is in every respect a worthy citizen and highly esteemed throughout the county. His excellent memory of past events has greatly assisted in the preparation of this history. Mr. Putnam is married and has two sons and one daughter.
Passage source: History of Dixon County, Nebraska. Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, and Its Present Condition--its Villages, Townships, Enterprises and Leading Citizens, Together with Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men, Incidents of Pioneer Life, Etc, published 1896.
A Davis, another pioneer, came to this county January 3, 1861, and first located at Ponca. In the fall of '65 he w7as elected county treasurer, and held that office year after year by the almost unanimous consent of the citizens, until January. 1876 ten years. Much of the time, Mr. Davis, like Bisbee, carried his office in his hat, yet with such extreme carefulness, that every cent received was promptly accounted for. A few years ago he removed to Ponca township, wdiere, on an excellent farm and with a clear conscience, he passes his honorable days with his family in peace and comfort,
Passage source: History of Dixon County, Nebraska. Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, and Its Present Condition--its Villages, Townships, Enterprises and Leading Citizens, Together with Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men, Incidents of Pioneer Life, Etc, published 1896.
B. H. Beller and his' brothers, E. Beller and Phil Heller, came here at an early day. They first located in the township and B. H. now resides there. The others have removed to Ponca city. B. H. Beller wa; sheriff of the county in 1S74 and 1875. All are respected and worthy citizens.
Passage source: History of Dixon County, Nebraska. Its Pioneers, Settlement, Growth and Development, and Its Present Condition--its Villages, Townships, Enterprises and Leading Citizens, Together with Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men, Incidents of Pioneer Life, Etc, published 1896.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Ponca City - it names this place 13 more 13 times.
Fires near this place
26 since 1999Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 26 fires within 5 miles of Ponca between 1999 and 2020, burning about 267 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 13 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 7 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 September 1999 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department | GRASS |
| 20 July 2007 | Debris and open burning | 20 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | not named |
| 6 May 2017 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | 30 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 21 May 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department | NORTH FIRE |
| 9 April 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 30 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 6 April 2019 | Debris and open burning | 5.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 5 April 2003 | Debris and open burning | 30 acres | South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression | not named |
| 30 April 2020 | Equipment and vehicle use | 2.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Ponca: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schram Lime Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Producer |
Storms near this place
52 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ponca in 52 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 23 thunderstorm wind, 22 hail, 5 flash flood, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | 1 hurt | Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree damage, including some large trees blown down. Some of the tree debris caused damage to homes. The winds also caused other damage to buildings, including a garage which was destroyed, a shed overturned, windows broken, and roof and siding damage. Power lines and poles were blown down, resulting in power outages. A woman suffered a back injury and a broken arm when hit by debris. |
| July 1999 | Flash Flood | Ponca | $1,000,000 | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and large branches, resulting also in damage to vehicles. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused tree and power line damage. A few buildings were damaged by flying debris. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | $5,000 | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several large branches down. |
| March 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | A 58 mph thunderstorm outflow wind gust was measured by a personal weather station. |
| July 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station. |
| June 2025 | Flash Flood | Ponca | - | Running water and mud entered a local residence on the west side of Ponca. |
| June 2025 | Hail | Ponca | - | Occasional quarter to ping pong ball size hail fell during heavy rainfall. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds snapped several large tree limbs and overturned two irrigation pivots. |
| June 2025 | Flash Flood | Ponca | - | A five-foot diameter culvert was overtopped by runoff with a foot or more of water running over the road. |
| May 2024 | Flash Flood | Ponca | - | A persistent thunderstorm with high rainfall rates resulted in quick rainfall accumulations and flooding on some rural gravel roads and minor flooding along area creeks and streams. A persistent area of moderate rainfall after the heaviest rain had ended further exacerbated flooding issues into the evening hours. Rainfall totals across the area by the time rainfall ended overnight were in the 2 to 4 inch range. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds downed several 10 to 12 inch diameter tree limbs. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds peeled a layer of shingles off the roof of a single family home. |
| June 2024 | Flash Flood | Ponca | - | Heavy rainfall occurred between 0200-0400 CST causing a rapid rise in smaller creeks and streams. Significant water flow with debris washed over Nebraska Highway 12 near mile marker 232. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Ponca | - | Hail 0.88 inch in diameter fell 1 mile south-southeast of Ponca. |
| April 2023 | Hail | Ponca | - | Hail 1.0 inch in diameter fell in Ponca. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Multiple trees and powerlines were downed throughout Ponca. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Wind gust of 67 mph was measured by a personal weather station. |
| July 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Wind gusts to 65 mph were measured by a personal weather station. Dime-size hail accompanied the strong winds. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds blew down branches and power lines. |
| August 2011 | Hail | Ponca | - | Large hail caused widespread damage to corn and soybean crops. The amount of crop damage was not known. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including a large tree blown down, blocking a road. |
| July 2002 | Hail | Ponca | - | Large hail accumulated to a depth of three inches. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including trees and large limbs blown down. The winds also broke a window in a police building. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | Thunderstorm winds caused damage to 10,000 acres of crops. A few fields sustained extensive damage, but most was leaf damage with hope of some recovery. Most of the damage was to corn crops, while soybean crops withstood the strong winds with minor damage. No damage estimate could be given because it was not known how much the crops would recover. |
| April 2025 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| August 2020 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| September 2019 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| August 2018 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2017 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2017 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| September 2009 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| May 2004 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Tornado (F0) | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Tornado (F0) | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| July 1999 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| April 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| April 1998 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ponca | - | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Hail | Ponca | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury | 7.4 miles | 9 | |
| Martinsburg | 7.6 miles | 18 | |
| Ionia (historical) | 8.3 miles | 19 | |
| Lembke Landing | 8.8 miles | 19 | |
| Newcastle | 10.8 miles | 19 | |
| Allen | 12.5 miles | 9 | |
| Lime Grove | 17.1 miles | 19 | |
| Maskell | 17.1 miles | 19 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Ponca | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q955213 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 832300. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.








