North Platte, Nebraska

North Platte is a city within Lincoln County in southwestern Nebraska. It is located on I-80 where the South Platte River and the North Platte River join to form the Platte River. The population is estimated at over 25,000 residents and the median income for a city household is $34,181, while the median income for a family is estimated at $42,753.

North Platte is a railroad town; Union Pacific Railroad's large Bailey Yard (the world's largest railyard) is located within the city. Together with the efforts of many volunteer supporters, the Union Pacific Railroad is designing a new visitor's center called The Golden Spike. Today, North Platte is served only by freight trains, but during World War II the city was famous for the North Platte Canteen. Tens of thousands of volunteers from North Platte and surrounding towns met the troop trains passing through North Platte, offering coffee, sandwiches and hospitality greeting 6.5 million service personnel from Christmas Day 1941 through April 1 1946. North Platte also contains a Prairie Village with local landmark homes and other buildings including a Pony Express Station and pioneer church among many others.

One of the most prominent residents of North Platte was Buffalo Bill (Colonel William F. Cody), who lived there over 30 years. Ranch State Historical Park, located near North Platte, was once his home known as Scout's Rest Ranch. The park is two miles west of U.S. Highway 83 along U.S. Highway 30. Orchestra leader Glenn Miller was another famous resident of North Platte.