The Battle of Mud Springs and the Battle of Rush Creek between the US Army and Cheyenne, LakotaSioux, and Arapaho occurred in 1865 within what would become Morrill County. On 3 November 1908, voters in Cheyenne County passed a measure calling for the division of that county. Accordingly, the Nebraska State Legislature passed an act providing for the division of Cheyenne County, the line of division running east–west, south of the town of Bridgeport. The northern portion so divided was to be called Morrill County. In December of that year, another election determined Bridgeport to be the seat of the new county, and the new county's officials were determined. The county was named for Charles Henry Morrill, a president of the Lincoln Land Company.
Geography
The terrain of Morrill County consists of low rolling hills. A portion of the area is used for agriculture, including some center pivot irrigation. The North Platte River flows east-southeastward through the south-central part of the county, passing Bridgeport before exiting the county some 4 mi above the southeast county corner. The county has a total area of, of which are land and are covered by water. Chimney Rock, a rock formation tall with a spire, lies about 4 mi south of Bayard, in western Morrill County. The rock was a prominent landmark on the Oregon Trail, and has become a symbol of Nebraska, appearing on the state's license plates and on its commemorative quarter.
– runs northwest-southeast along the north side of the North Platte River
Nebraska Highway 92– runs southeast from the western border to its intersection with US 26 near Broadwater
Nebraska Highway 8 - runs east from a point north of the southwest corner of the county; turns north to its intersection with US 26 near Bridgeport
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, 5,440 people, 2,138 households, and 1,494 families resided in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile. The2,460 housing units averaged 2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 93.68% White, 0.07% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 4.12% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. About 10.09% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race. The people were about 40.5% were of 40.5% German, 9.2% English, 7.3% Irish, and 6.7% American ancestry. Of the 2,138 households, 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couplesliving together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were not families. About 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03. The county population was distributed as 27.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,235, and for a family was $36,673. Males had a median income of $27,107 versus $19,271 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,725. About 10.00% of families and 14.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.
Morrill County is in Nebraska's Nebraska's 3rd congressional district. As of 2017, it was represented in the US House of Representatives by Adrian Smith, a member of the Republican Party. As of 2017, the county was part of the state's 47th legislative district, and was represented in the Nebraska Legislature by Steve Erdman; Erdman is a member of the Republican Party, though the legislature is officially nonpartisan. As of late 2016, 3314 registered voters were in Morrill County. Of these, 2175, or 65.6%, were Republicans; 591, or 17.8%, were Democrats; 522, or 15.8%, registered no political party; and 26, or 0.8%, were Libertarians. Morrill County voters are reliably Republican in national politics. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
