Morrill County is a county in Nebraska, United States, along the North Platte River in the state’s Panhandle region. It had a population of 4,555 at the 2020 census and covers 1,424 square miles (3,690 km2) of land, centred near 41°41′N 103°01′W.
Bridgeport is the county seat, and its postal code is 69336. The county has two incorporated cities, one village, and several unincorporated communities. Morrill County sits in the Mountain time zone.
Towns & Villages in Morrill County
Ten places from the historic list are carried over below; incorporated places (city or village) are distinguished from unincorporated communities and place names, most clustered along the North Platte valley and the region’s rail lines.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | City · seat | 1,528 | 69336 |
| Bayard | City | 1,090 | 69334 |
| Broadwater | Village | 158 | 69125 |
| Angora | Unincorp. | — | 69331 |
| Northport | Unincorp. | — | 69336 |
| Redington | Unincorp. | — | 69334 |
| Bonner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lynn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vance | Unincorp. | — | — |
| South Bayard | Unincorp. | — | 69334 |
A handful of names on the old page — Alden, Atkins, Craft, DeGraw, Kemp, Lakeview Mobile Park, Mohler, Moomaw Corner, Nebraska Boys Ranch, and Perrin — could not be independently confirmed as current Morrill County place names and were dropped rather than guessed; see notes.
ZIP Codes
- 69334 — Bayard (also serves Redington and South Bayard)
- 69336 — Bridgeport (also serves Northport)
- 69125 — Broadwater
- 69331 — Angora
Bonner, Lynn, and Vance are unincorporated crossroads without their own ZIP code and are served by the nearest listed post office.
Geography
Morrill County lies in western Nebraska’s High Plains, split by the North Platte River valley, with Chimney Rock — a 325-foot spire that guided 19th-century Oregon Trail travelers — rising from the valley floor south of Bayard. The terrain rises from irrigated river-bottom farmland along the North Platte to dry, grass-covered Panhandle tableland to the north and south, with occasional buttes and canyon breaks near the river bluffs. Water area is small, about 6.0 square miles (16 km2), almost entirely the North Platte’s channel and adjoining irrigation canals that feed the valley’s sugar-beet and corn fields.
It borders Box Butte County to the north, Sheridan County to the northeast, Garden County to the east, Cheyenne County to the south, Banner County to the southwest, and Scotts Bluff County to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 4,555 residents. Bridgeport and Bayard are the two largest communities, together holding more than half the county’s population. Median household income runs below the Nebraska median of $74,590, reflecting the county’s agricultural economic base. Population density is roughly 3.2 people per square mile, among the sparser counties in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Irrigated corn, sugar beets, and dry beans, along with cattle ranching on the surrounding rangeland, anchor the county economy. Bridgeport serves as the county’s commercial and government hub, with the Morrill County Courthouse, county fairgrounds, and the county’s public school district. Bayard, the county’s second city, supports grain elevators and agricultural supply businesses serving the valley’s row-crop farms, and hosts an annual Chimney Rock Pioneer Days celebration tied to the county’s Oregon Trail heritage. Tourism tied to Chimney Rock National Historic Site brings a steady flow of Oregon Trail history visitors through the county each summer.
History
Morrill County was organized in 1908, carved from parts of Cheyenne County, and named for Charles Henry Morrill, a Lincoln Land Company official who helped promote settlement along the Burlington Railroad line. The Burlington’s arrival brought the towns of Bridgeport and Bayard into being as rail and shipping points for the newly irrigated valley farmland. Chimney Rock, within the county, was one of the most-noted landmarks recorded in emigrant diaries on the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails during the mid-1800s, appearing in hundreds of pioneer journals, and is now a National Historic Site administered with the Nebraska State Historical Society.
Getting There
US Highway 385 and US Highway 26 cross the county, along with Nebraska Highways 92 and 88.
- Scottsbluff — 20 miles northwest
- Alliance — 45 miles north
- Ogallala — 75 miles southeast
- Sidney — 55 miles south
The Western Nebraska Regional Airport in Scottsbluff is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morrill County, Nebraska?
It sits in the western Panhandle of Nebraska, along the North Platte River, between Scottsbluff and Alliance.
What is the population of Morrill County?
The 2020 census recorded 4,555 residents.
How big is Morrill County?
It covers 1,424 square miles (3,690 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of Morrill County?
Bridgeport is the county seat.
How many towns are in Morrill County?
The county has two cities (Bridgeport and Bayard), one village (Broadwater), and several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Morrill County?
69334 (Bayard), 69336 (Bridgeport), 69125 (Broadwater), and 69331 (Angora).
What is Morrill County known for?
Chimney Rock, the iconic Oregon Trail landmark, stands within the county near Bayard.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Nebraska.