Editing Antelope County, Nebraska (section)

== History ==
Antelope County was officially established on March 1, 1871, and named for the pronghorn antelopes that roamed the region. The first known settler in the area was George St. Clair, known as "Ponca George," who made a claim in 1868. The county's initial settlement was slow due in part to popular views of Great American Desert as unsuitable for farming without significant effort in land reclamation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Leach |first=A. J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TcaDswEACAAJ&dq=Leach,+A.+J.+A+History+of+Antelope+County,+Nebraska,+from+its+First+Settlement+in+1868+to+the+Close+of+the+Year+1883.+Chicago:+The+Western+Historical+Company,+1909.&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjtnujSgYGKAxUvvokEHcxTKV8Q6AF6BAgFEAI |title=A History Antelope County Nebraska: From Its First Settlement in 1868 to the Close of the Year 1883; December, 1909 (Classic Reprint) |date=2018-02-05 |publisher=Fb&c Limited |isbn=978-0-484-91521-2 |language=en}}</ref>

The growth of Antelope County was significantly influenced by the construction of railroads through the area. The Sioux City and Nebraska Railroad reached Neligh in 1879, which was then designated as the county seat. This connection to broader markets spurred agricultural development. Wheat, oats, and later corn became staple crops, and the county saw an influx of settlers after the railroad's arrival.<ref name=":0" />