Red Willow County, Administrative county in Nebraska, United States
Red Willow County is an administrative county in Nebraska covering around 720 square miles (1,860 square kilometers) of gently rolling terrain. The Republican River flows through its northern section, and McCook functions as the county seat and main population center.
The county was founded in 1873 and named after Red Willow Creek, derived from a Dakota term meaning Red Dogwood. The arrival of the railroad in subsequent years shaped its economy and made McCook an important transportation hub.
McCook grew around its railroad heritage and the California Zephyr Amtrak service still connects residents to major cities across the country. This train connection remains an important link for the community to the wider world.
McCook sits along US Highways 6 and 34, making it easily accessible by car through the main routes that cross the county. Most services and facilities are concentrated in McCook, which serves as the administrative and commercial hub for the area.
The area is very sparsely populated with around 6 people per square kilometer, making it one of Nebraska's most thinly settled regions. Despite this low population density, residents maintain a strong sense of local community.
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