Editing Fairbury, Nebraska

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Fairbury, Nebraska
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Fairbury, Nebraska downtown 1.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Downtown: west side of D Street
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Jefferson_County_Nebraska_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Fairbury_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Fairbury, Nebraska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Nebraska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Nebraska|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Jefferson County, Nebraska|Jefferson]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Kelly Davis
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 18, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 6.58
|area_land_km2            = 6.57
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|area_total_sq_mi         = 2.54
|area_land_sq_mi          = 2.54
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 3970
|population_density_km2   = 604.48
|population_density_sq_mi = 1565.46

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1414
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|08|42|N|97|10|35|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 68352
|area_code                = [[Area code 402|402]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 31-16410
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2394728<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394728}}</ref>
|website                  = [http://www.fairburyne.org fairburyne.org]
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}

'''Fairbury''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Jefferson County, Nebraska]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> The population was 3,942 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]].

Fairbury has been closely connected with railroading for much of its history. It was founded on the projected route of a railway, and grew as a shipping center. For nearly 80 years, it was the location of the Western Division headquarters of the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad|Rock Island Railroad]]. Fairbury prospered with the Rock Island, and lost business and residents as the railroad declined.

==History==

===19th century===
In 1868, James B. Mattingly, a freighter originally from Kentucky, established a sawmill on the banks of the [[Little Blue River (Kansas/Nebraska)|Little Blue River]]. Shortly thereafter, Woodford G. McDowell, a capitalist from [[Fairbury, Illinois]], came to Nebraska to plat a town along the route of the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad, which was to follow the Little Blue. In 1869, Mattingly and McDowell each contributed {{Convert|80|acre}} for a new townsite, which they named after McDowell's hometown.<ref name=survey/><ref name=casde/><ref name=fairhist/><ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n122 123]}}</ref>

The new town grew rapidly, even before the railroad's arrival. In 1870, a population of 370 was reported; in that year, the ''Fairbury Gazette'' was established. A year later, Fairbury was chosen as the county seat; in early 1872, the city was incorporated. By this time, its businesses included three hotels and five blacksmith shops.<ref name=survey/><ref name=casde/><ref name=nomform/>

In 1872, the St. Joseph and Denver City reached Jefferson County. (The railroad was subsequently acquired by the [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]] and operated as the St. Joseph and Grand Island branch.) Fairbury became a shipping center: in the first half of 1873, it shipped 255 cars of grain and received 143 of lumber. By 1874, there were 600 residents; 44 businesses operated in the city.<ref name=nomform/>

An 1879 fire, "supposed to have been the work of an incendiary",<ref name=andreas/> destroyed an estimated fourteen buildings, for a loss of $50,000, much of it uninsured. However, recovery was swift, and many of the destroyed frame buildings were replaced by more modern brick and stone structures. By 1882, the city's population had grown to 1,600.<ref name=nomform/><ref name=andreas/>

In 1885, the [[Campbell Brothers Circus]] began wintering in Fairbury. It continued to winter in and around the city until its closing in 1913.  At its peak, the circus was the second-largest in the world.<ref name=circus/>

In 1886, the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]] reached Fairbury. The city lay at the junction of the Rock Island's north-south and east-west lines; because of this, it was designated the headquarters of the railroad's Western Division. An extensive rail yard was constructed, including shops, storage and maintenance facilities, switching yards, and an 18-stall [[Railway roundhouse|roundhouse]]. The railroad had a major impact on Fairbury: by 1890, the population had grown to 2,630.<ref name=survey/><ref name=depot/>

[[File:Jefferson County, Nebraska courthouse from E.JPG|thumb|alt=Two-story stone building with one-story clock tower above|Jefferson County courthouse]]

The brick courthouse had survived the fire of 1879;<ref name=andreas/> but soon thereafter, it proved too small to handle the county's increasing business and store its growing records. In 1882, the county began renting the top two floors of the newly constructed Opera House, and moved its offices there; but this too was quickly outgrown. In 1889, a $60,000 bond issue for the construction of a new courthouse passed; the new [[Romanesque Revival architecture|Romanesque Revival]] building was completed in 1892.<ref name=courthouse/>

Fairbury continued to prosper as the home of the Rock Island headquarters, which employed many locals directly and in supporting businesses. Commercial and residential development continued apace in Fairbury. Both of the city's banks survived the [[Panic of 1893]]. Boardwalks were replaced with brick sidewalks between 1892 and 1894; an electricity and waterworks powerhouse was constructed in 1895; and in 1898, electric street lights were installed. By 1900, the population had reached 3,140.<ref name=survey/><ref name=nomform/>

[[File:South side of the courthouse square, early 1900's..jpg|thumb|alt=Old postcard, showing courthouse and commercial streets; several horse-drawn vehicles on street|South side of courthouse square in early 1900s]]

===20th century===
The decade from 1900 to 1910 saw the largest growth in Fairbury's history; the census of 1910 reported a population of 5,294, representing a sixty percent increase over the ten years.<ref name=nomform/>

A major fire in 1903 swept the commercial district, destroying almost the entire block south of the courthouse square; the only building to survive was the original brick courthouse. Within a year, however, the entire block had been rebuilt.<ref name=nomform/>

In 1909, E. J. Hested opened his dime store, The Fair Store, in one of the new buildings. Two years later, the name of the store was changed to Hested's. In 1925, the store moved into a new and larger building; the business expanded to over 150 stores in the Midwest and Mountain States before its acquisition by the [[J.J. Newberry]] chain in 1969.<ref name=hested/>

The 1910s and 1920s were the peak years for the Rock Island Railroad, with fourteen passenger trains passing through Fairbury daily, and with hundreds of Fairbury residents on the payroll. To accommodate this traffic, the railroad constructed a new depot, at a cost of $40,000.<ref name=depot/> The city's commercial district underwent a considerable expansion, including two movie theaters and several large retail stores.<ref name=nomform/> In 1915, civic leaders began promoting the brick paving of Fairbury's downtown streets; by 1930, there were {{Convert|10|mi}} of paved road.<ref name=survey/> The 1920s and 1930s saw a proliferation of automobile-related businesses, such as garages, gas stations, and repair shops.<ref name=nomform/>

Fairbury was better situated than many communities to weather the [[Great Depression]]. Beside the railroad, it had a variety of industries, including the Fairbury Windmill Company, with a payroll of 50 people in 1930. The city continued to grow through the Depression,<ref name=survey/> despite the difficulties of the Rock Island, which went into [[receivership]] in 1933 and did not emerge until 1948.<ref name=arkansas/> The population of Fairbury peaked in 1950, at 6,395 residents.<ref name=survey/>

[[File:Fairbury, Nebraska Rock Island depot from NW 1.JPG|thumb|alt=Two-story brick building with dormer windows|Fairbury Rock Island Depot Museum]]

The conversion of the Rock Island to [[diesel locomotive]]s, completed by 1952, rendered portions of the Fairbury yards obsolete. The decrease in passenger railway traffic after World War II led to the reduction of service, the closing of stations, and the abandonment of track. In 1965, the Rock Island's Chicago-to-Denver ''[[Rocky Mountain Rocket]]'' train ceased to run through Fairbury; in that same year, the railway relocated its Western Division headquarters from Fairbury to [[Des Moines, Iowa]].<ref name=depot/> 1965 was also the last year in which the Rock Island reported a profit. In 1975, it again entered receivership. A 1979 strike, unsuccessfully mediated by [[Jimmy Carter|President Jimmy Carter]], was the final nail in the railroad's coffin.<ref name=arkansas/> The railroad's routes were operated for 60 days by the [[Kansas City Terminal Railway]], to allow shipping of the 1979 Midwestern harvest;<ref name=kcterminal/> but in 1980, service to Fairbury ceased, and the depot was abandoned.<ref name=depot/>

==Geography==
The city lies on the [[Little Blue River (Kansas/Nebraska)|Little Blue River]].<ref name=sites/> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|2.40|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2012-06-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Fairbury, Nebraska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1895–present)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 78
|Feb record high F = 79
|Mar record high F = 93
|Apr record high F = 103
|May record high F = 103
|Jun record high F = 111
|Jul record high F = 114
|Aug record high F = 114
|Sep record high F = 112
|Oct record high F = 100
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 80
|year record high F = 114

|Jan avg record high F = 60.4
|Feb avg record high F = 66.3
|Mar avg record high F = 78.0
|Apr avg record high F = 85.8
|May avg record high F = 91.6
|Jun avg record high F = 95.7
|Jul avg record high F = 100.1
|Aug avg record high F = 98.2
|Sep avg record high F = 94.7
|Oct avg record high F = 87.8
|Nov avg record high F = 74.0
|Dec avg record high F = 62.8
|year avg record high F = 101.5

|Jan high F = 36.1
|Feb high F = 41.1
|Mar high F = 53.1
|Apr high F = 63.8
|May high F = 73.6
|Jun high F = 83.8
|Jul high F = 88.4
|Aug high F = 86.4
|Sep high F = 79.5
|Oct high F = 66.9
|Nov high F = 52.0
|Dec high F = 39.8
|year high F = 63.7
|Jan mean F = 25.1
|Feb mean F = 29.4
|Mar mean F = 40.3
|Apr mean F = 50.7
|May mean F = 61.5
|Jun mean F = 71.9
|Jul mean F = 76.6
|Aug mean F = 74.5
|Sep mean F = 66.4
|Oct mean F = 53.6
|Nov mean F = 39.8
|Dec mean F = 29.0
|year mean F = 51.6
|Jan low F = 14.1
|Feb low F = 17.7
|Mar low F = 27.5
|Apr low F = 37.6
|May low F = 49.3
|Jun low F = 60.0
|Jul low F = 64.8
|Aug low F = 62.5
|Sep low F = 53.2
|Oct low F = 40.2
|Nov low F = 27.7
|Dec low F = 18.2
|year low F = 39.4

|Jan avg record low F = -5.6
|Feb avg record low F = -0.4
|Mar avg record low F = 9.2
|Apr avg record low F = 23.1
|May avg record low F = 35.3
|Jun avg record low F = 48.3
|Jul avg record low F = 54.7
|Aug avg record low F = 52.4
|Sep avg record low F = 38.7
|Oct avg record low F = 23.0
|Nov avg record low F = 11.4
|Dec avg record low F = 0.2
|year avg record low F = -9.6

|Jan record low F = −25
|Feb record low F = −42
|Mar record low F = −18
|Apr record low F = 9
|May record low F = 25
|Jun record low F = 34
|Jul record low F = 42
|Aug record low F = 39
|Sep record low F = 23
|Oct record low F = 8
|Nov record low F = −9
|Dec record low F = −26
|year record low F = -42
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.77
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.96
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.70
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.96
|May precipitation inch = 5.10
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.00
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.33
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.55
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.10
|Oct precipitation inch = 2.39
|Nov precipitation inch = 1.45
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.08
|year precipitation inch = 32.39
|Jan snow inch = 5.7
|Feb snow inch = 5.6
|Mar snow inch = 2.4
|Apr snow inch = 0.8
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.4
|Nov snow inch = 2.4
|Dec snow inch = 3.4
|year snow inch = 20.7
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5.0
|Feb precipitation days = 5.2
|Mar precipitation days = 6.9
|Apr precipitation days = 9.8
|May precipitation days = 11.7
|Jun precipitation days = 9.9
|Jul precipitation days = 9.4
|Aug precipitation days = 8.6
|Sep precipitation days = 7.5
|Oct precipitation days = 6.7
|Nov precipitation days = 5.4
|Dec precipitation days = 4.8
|year precipitation days = 90.9
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 3.2
|Feb snow days = 3.1
|Mar snow days = 1.4
|Apr snow days = 0.4
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.2
|Nov snow days = 1.2
|Dec snow days = 2.3
|year snow days = 11.8
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name=nws>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=oax
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 27, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00252820&format=pdf
| title = Station: Fairbury 5S, NE
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = November 27, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1251
|1890= 2630
|1900= 3140
|1910= 5294
|1920= 5454
|1930= 6192
|1940= 6304
|1950= 6395
|1960= 5572
|1970= 5265
|1980= 4885
|1990= 4335
|2000= 4262
|2010= 3942
|2020= 3970
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref><br/>2012 Estimate<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012-3.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|access-date=October 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602094321/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012-3.html|archive-date=June 2, 2013}}</ref>
}}

With the decrease and eventual cessation of the Rock Island's activity, the population of Fairbury fell from its 1950 peak.  In the 2010 U.S. census, it had declined to 3,942 residents.<ref name=sites/> However, the city has remained the commercial, governmental, and retail center of the region.

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-06-24}}</ref> of 2010, there were 3,942 people, 1,782 households, and 1,007 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1642.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 2,145 housing units at an average density of {{convert|893.8|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.3% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.1% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.7% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.3% of the population.

There were 1,782 households, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.5% were non-families. 37.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the city was 44.5 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 23.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

===2000 census===
[[File:South side of square.jpg|thumb|right|South side of the courthouse square in the late 1920s or early 1930s. The Harbine Bank building is in the left foreground. At the far right is the original brick courthouse, which survived the fires of 1879 and 1903.<ref name=nomform/>]]
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 4,262 people, 1,884 households, and 1,130 families residing in Fairbury. The population density was {{convert|2,227.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 2,132 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,114.1|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.89% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.14% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.61% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.19% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.63% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.52% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.85% of the population.

There were 1,884 households, of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in Fairbury was 44 years. Persons under 18 years of age represented 21.5% of the population; 6.8% were aged from 18 to 24; 22.5%, from 25 to 44; 22.0%, from 45 to 64; and 27.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males; for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 81.7 males.

The median income for a Fairbury household was $29,261; the median income for a family was $37,778. Males had a median income of $26,955, versus $16,955 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,337. About 10.2% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
Thirteen manufacturing plants, with a total of 475 employees, are located in and near Fairbury. The largest among these are Endicott Clay Products, producing brick and tile in nearby [[Endicott, Nebraska|Endicott]], with 200 employees; Prairie View Industries, producing stainless steel and aluminum handicap ramps and food service equipment, with 80 employees; Fairbury Food Products, with 54 employees; and Tetra Micronutrients, manufacturing [[micronutrient]]s for use in fertilizer and animal feed, with 47 employees. Other major local employers include Jefferson Community Health Center (193 employees), Fairbury Public Schools (154 employees), the City of Fairbury (120 employees), Farmers Co-op Elevator Co. (118 employees), and Heritage Nursing Home (90 employees).<ref name=sites/> It is also home to [[Livingston Enterprises, Inc.]], which is headquartered in Fairbury, and all of their sites are within a 30 mile radius of the town.<ref>{{cite web |title=Home |url=https://livingstonent.com/ |website=Livingston Enterprises, Inc.}}</ref>

Fairbury serves as the retail center of Jefferson County. The historic downtown continues to prosper, with a variety of specialty shops.<ref name=survey/>{{rp|97}} Major retailing has tended to move toward the northeastern edge of the city, with the first [[Wal-Mart]] in Nebraska opening in 1982;<ref name=walmart/> with the move of Wal-Mart to a larger location, its site was redeveloped as an indoor mall. Other franchised business such as [[Dollar General]], Orscheln Farm & Home, and [[Ace Hardware]], have also located on the northeast.<ref name=shopping/>

==Sites of interest==
[[File:Jenkins Dry Goods Store, established 1879..jpg|thumb|The Jenkins Dry Goods store, c. 1879. The store was built in 1875 and described by the ''Fairbury Gazette'' as the "finest edifice in town".<ref name=gazette1875/> It was one of the first permanent brick structures in Fairbury, and remains the least altered surviving example of Fairbury's first generation of buildings.]]

The former Rock Island depot is now operated as the Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum, dedicated to the railroad's history.<ref name=depotmuseum/> The Fairbury City Museum, located in a former elementary school building, includes both indoor and outdoor displays pertaining to Fairbury's history.<ref name=museum/>

A ten-block area of downtown Fairbury, including the courthouse square, is listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]] as the Fairbury Commercial Historic District. Many of the buildings in the district have been little altered, and retain their original form and ornamentation almost intact. Three buildings remain from the first generation of Fairbury's downtown buildings, including the original Jefferson County courthouse and a false-front frame building; other architectural styles represented include [[Italianate architecture|Italianate]], [[Queen Anne style architecture in the United States|Queen Anne]], a variety of revival styles, and 20th-century commercial architectural styles.<ref name=nomform/>

[[Rock Creek Station|Rock Creek Station State Historical Park]], located southeast of Fairbury, was a station on the [[Oregon Trail|Oregon-California Trail]], and later served as a [[Pony Express]] station. Well-preserved wagon ruts from wagons on the trail are still visible at the park. In 1861, [[Wild Bill Hickok|James Butler Hickok]], who had not yet adopted the sobriquet "Wild Bill", was involved in a gunfight at Rock Creek Station, in which Hickok killed local rancher [[McCanles Gang|David McCanles]]. This was the first known killing in Hickok's career as a gunslinger.<ref name=hickok1/><ref name=hickok2/><ref name=hickok3/>

==Education==
Fairbury, a part of [[Fairbury Public Schools]], has two public elementary schools: Central Elementary, with pupils from preschool through second grade; and Jefferson Intermediate, covering third through sixth grade. The two schools have an enrollment of about 480. There is a single public junior-senior high school, located on the former college grounds, straightforwardly named Fairbury Junior-Senior High School, with an enrollment of about 370.<ref name=sites/><ref name=jeffs/><ref name=jeffco/>

==Media==
Fairbury has two news sources: ''Fairbury News Now'', which began in 2016, and the weekly ''Fairbury Journal-News''. It also has two radio stations, both owned by Flood Communications: [[KUTT|KUTT-FM]], broadcasting in a [[country music]] format at 100,000 watts; and [[KGMT|KGMT-AM]], playing [[oldies]].<ref name=sites/><ref name=kutt/><ref name=kgmt/>

==Transportation==
Although the Rock Island no longer operates, Fairbury is still served by the [[Union Pacific Railroad]]. [[U.S. Highway 136]] and [[Nebraska Highway 15]] intersect in the city. It is {{Convert|44|mi}} from [[Interstate 80]], the nearest Interstate highway.<ref name=sites/> Fairbury Municipal Airport has a concrete runway long enough to land a small private jet, and a shorter turf runway.<ref name=airport/>

==Notable people==
* [[Dakota Cochrane]], professional mixed martial artist and pornographic actor.<ref>{{cite web | last = Chandler | first = Rick | title = UFC Ultimate Fighter Dakota Cochrane admits gay porn past | publisher = NBC Sports | date = Feb 29, 2012 | url = http://offthebench.nbcsports.com/2012/02/29/ufc-ultimate-fighter-dakota-cochrane-admits-gay-porn-past/}}</ref>
* [[Robert Vernon Denney]], United States federal judge and Congressman 
* [[Bill Doleman]], professional sports broadcaster
* [[Lowell English]], [[United States Marine Corps]] general who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.<ref name=english-obit/> 
* [[Lulu Grace Graves]], first president of the [[Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics]], 1917-1920
* [[Ira Hanford]] (1918–2009), jockey
* [[Doyle Lade]], baseball player<ref name=lade/>
* [[Forrest McPherson]], football player
* [[Robert L. Scott]], professor of communications studies
* [[Irene Worth]], actress<ref name=worth/>
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 2) Each person MUST meet [[Wikipedia:Bio]] requirements to ensure notability (see [[Wikipedia:Notability]]).
 3) Each person MUST meet [[Wikipedia:Verifiability]] requirements to verify their notability and prove they resided in the community.
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==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Nebraska]]

==References==
<references>
<!-- References are arranged alphabetically by "name=" -->

<ref name=airport>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/fairbury_airport.html "Fairbury Municipal Airport".]  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=andreas>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030415145402/http://www.kancoll.org/books/andreas_ne/jefferson/jefferson-p3.html#fairbury Jefferson County, part 3.]  [https://web.archive.org/web/20021029043208/http://www.kancoll.org/books/andreas_ne/hon_tabl.html ''Andreas History of the State of Nebraska''.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=arkansas>Zbinden, Van.  [http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=5101 "Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway".]  [http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/Default.aspx Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111103084202/http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/Default.aspx |date=2011-11-03 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=casde>Carpenter, Estaline.  [http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/jefferson/fairbury/ "Fairbury--Jefferson County."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108081915/http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/jefferson/fairbury/ |date=January 8, 2011 }}  [http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/index.php Nebraska... Our Towns.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111123132824/http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/index.php |date=2011-11-23 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=circus>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/campbell-bros.html "Fairbury: Home To Campbell Brothers Circus".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726010450/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/campbell-bros.html |date=July 26, 2011 }}  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-03.</ref>

<ref name=courthouse>Kolberg, Persijs.  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120719202022/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/jefferson/JF04-050_Jefferson_Cty_Cth.pdf "National Register of Historic Places Inventory--Nomination Form: Jefferson County Court House".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=depot>Ahlgren, Carol.  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100616124811/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/jefferson/JF04-047_Rock_Island_Dpo.pdf "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Fairbury Rock Island Depot & Freight House".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=depotmuseum>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/depot.html "Rock Island Railroad Depot Museum".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808142252/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/depot.html |date=August 8, 2011 }}  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=english-obit>Williams, Jack.  [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051001/news_1m1english.html "Honored Marine fought at Iwo Jima".]  [http://www.signonsandiego.com/ ''San Diego Union-Tribune''.]  2005-10-01.  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=fairhist>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/fairburyhistory.html "Fairbury's History".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727024838/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/fairburyhistory.html |date=July 27, 2011 }}  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=gazette1875>''Fairbury Gazette''.  1875-07-31.</ref>

<ref name=hested>McKee, Jim.  [http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/article_b92aaf9e-a0e7-11df-aab6-001cc4c03286.html "Hested's and other dime stores inflate to dollar stores".]  [http://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''.]  2010-08-08.  Retrieved 2011-11-02.</ref>

<ref name=hickok1>[http://www.nps.gov/poex/planyourvisit/site5.htm "Rock Creek Station".]  [http://www.nps.gov/poex/index.htm National Park Service, Pony Express National Historical Trail.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=hickok2>[http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/parks/guides/parksearch/showpark.asp?Area_No=153 "Rock Creek Station State Historical Park".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111029050205/http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/parks/guides/parksearch/showpark.asp?Area_No=153 |date=2011-10-29 }}  [http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/ Nebraska Game and Parks.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=hickok3>[http://www.visitnebraska.gov/pdfs/myplanner/2000053.pdf "Rock Creek Station: A State Historical Park".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215135227/http://visitnebraska.gov/pdfs/myplanner/2000053.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111215135227/http://visitnebraska.gov/pdfs/myplanner/2000053.pdf |archive-date=2011-12-15 |url-status=live |date=2011-12-15 }}  Brochure issued by [http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/ Nebraska Game and Parks.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=jeffco>[http://www.co.jefferson.ne.us/about.html "About Jefferson County".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111091027/http://www.co.jefferson.ne.us/about.html |date=November 11, 2011 }}  [http://www.co.jefferson.ne.us/index_html Jefferson County Government Online.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111090911/http://www.co.jefferson.ne.us/index_html |date=November 11, 2011 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=jeffs>[http://www.fairburyjeffs.org/ Fairbury Public Schools], and subpages thereof.  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=kcterminal>"Railroad Ordered Service Resumed".  [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=0N-VGjzr574C&dat=19790921&printsec=frontpage&hl=en ''Kentucky New Era'', 1979-09-21], p. 2.  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=kgmt>[http://www.kutt995.com/ KUTT-95.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005045420/http://www.kutt995.com/ |date=October 5, 2011 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=kutt>[http://www.kutt995.com/the-kutt-story/ "The KUTT Story".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008144108/http://www.kutt995.com/the-kutt-story/ |date=October 8, 2011 }}  [http://www.kutt995.com/ KUTT99-5.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005045420/http://www.kutt995.com/ |date=October 5, 2011 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=lade>[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=ladedo01 "Doyle Lade Stats".]  [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ Baseball Almanac.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=museum>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/city_museum.html "Fairbury City Museum".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006042621/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/history/city_museum.html |date=October 6, 2011 }}  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=nomform>Kooiman, Barbara M., and Eliazabeth A. Butterfield.  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100616125251/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/jefferson/JF04_Fairbury_Comm_HD.pdf "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Fairbury Commercial Historic District".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=shopping>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/shopping.html "Shop in Fairbury, Nebraska"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728113200/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/shopping.html |date=July 28, 2011 }}, and subpages thereof.  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-03.</ref>

<ref name=sites>[http://sites.nppd.com/aedc/fastfacts.asp?city=Fairbury "Nebraska Community 'Fast Facts' Profile: Fairbury, Nebraska".]{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}  [http://sites.nppd.com/default.aspx Nebraska Public Power District: Economic & Demographic Information.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111126225337/http://sites.nppd.com/default.aspx |date=November 26, 2011 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=survey>Kooiman, Barbara M., and Elizabeth A. Butterfield.  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061116014756/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/reports/jefferson_county.pdf "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey: Reconnaissance Survey Final Report of Jefferson County, Nebraska".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

<ref name=walmart>[http://www.fairbury.com/pages/shopping/walmart.html "Walmart".] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901000932/http://www.fairbury.com/pages/shopping/walmart.html |date=September 1, 2011 }}  [http://www.fairbury.com/ Welcome to Fairbury.]  Retrieved 2011-11-02.</ref>

<ref name=worth>Sanders, Jean.  "Irene Worth: Acclaimed actress had Nebraska Mennonite heritage".  [http://www.nsea.org/news/media/Complete_Profiles.pdf Profiles of Nationally Distinguished Nebraskans.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331121222/http://www.nsea.org/news/media/Complete_Profiles.pdf |date=2012-03-31 }}  Retrieved 2011-11-01.</ref>

</references>

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fairbury, Nebraska}}
{{Collier's poster|Fairbury}}
* [http://www.fairburyne.org City Of Fairbury]
* [http://www.fairbury.com Fairbury.com]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110831095210/http://fairburyjournalnews.com/index.asp ''Fairbury Journal-News'']
* [http://www.fairburyjeffs.org Fairbury Public Schools]

{{Jefferson County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska county seats}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Cities in Jefferson County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:County seats in Nebraska]]