Broken Bow, Nebraska

Broken Bow
	Location in county and state
Basic data
Foundation :	1884
State :	United States
State :	Nebraska
County :	Custer County
Coordinates :	41 ° 24 ′ N , 99 ° 38 ′ W Coordinates: 41 ° 24 ′ N , 99 ° 38 ′ W
Time zone :	Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 )
Residents :	3,491 (as of: 2000)
Population density :	831.2 inhabitants per km 2
Area :	4.2 km 2 (about 2 mi 2 ) of; which 4.2 km 2 (about 2 mi 2 ) are land
Height :	755 m
Postal code :	68822
Area code :	+1 308
FIPS :	31-06610
GNIS ID :	0827664
Website :	www.brokenbow-ne.com
Mayor :	RC McMeen

Broken Bow is a city and the county seat of Custer County in the US state of Nebraska .

history

Broken Bow ( English: broken bow ) got its name from settlers who settled in 1879 on the site of the present-day town. While looking for a name for their post office, they found a broken arch of Pawnee Indians . The name was finally recognized in 1880 and the post office opened. In 1882 the city was planned and built by James P. Gandy. The newspaper "Custer County Republican" appeared in June of that year. The city was officially registered in 1884 with 1600 inhabitants. The Burlington & Missouri River Railroad reached Broken Bow in August 1886 and by 1894 the town had three mills, three banks, one daily and three weekly newspapers, five hotels, seven churches and the South Ward Grade School . The first paved sidewalks were built in 1910.