Kimball (Nebraska)

Kimball is a very small town in Kimball County, which is in the Nebraska Panhandle. As of the 2010 U.S. census the population was 2,569 people, all living within 2.71 square miles.

Understand

Many tiny places hidden in the United States are proud of their home town and Kimball is no exception.

History

Kimball has historically been called by two different names. Established in 1870, the plot of land that would become Kimball was called "Antelopeville" due to the large population of antelope in the area.

In honor of Uninion Pacific worker Thomas Kimball, "Antelopeville" became Kimball in 1885.

Kimball has seen periods of growth and decline. There was a little over four thousand people residing in Kimball in 1950. With a population half that size today, there remains an open question on what exactly caused the decline.

Get in

By plane

1 Kimball Airport (Robert E. Arraj Field)

By car

• I-80, take exit 20 for downtown, and 22 for the Nebraska 71 bypass.

Get around

By car

Distances between locations in Kimball are short and can easily be traversed by car. Trips are often less than 10 minutes unless you get lost.

You shouldn't remain lost for long, however. The street grid consists of numbered streets running from east to west (higher numbers are in the north) intersection with named streets and avenues that run north and south, on which the first number of the street addresses correlates with the number of the previous intersection. (e.g. 102 Chestnut Street is the first house past the corner of 1st and Chestnut Streets).

In the winter months, utilize caution as driving can be difficult due to the weather.

See

• 1 "High Point" Welcome Center, 204 Kimball Ave (Just South of I-80 at exit 22.), ☏ +1 308 241-0573. M-Sa 8:30AM-4:30PM. Welcomes you to Kimball and the Nebraska Panhandle, called the high point because the tallest hill is 40 miles SW of here. Kimball is really the high point! (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Kimball Events Center, 615 East 3rd Street, ☏ +1 308 235-3639. Hours and price will depend on show.. Small theater east of downtown at Washington and 3rd. Occasionally hosts shows, events, and gatherings. (updated Jun 2017)

The brick built city hall

• 3 Kimball City Hall (City Clerk Office), 223 South Chestnut Street. M-F 7:30AM-4:30PM. Miniature City Hall conviently located in Downtown, nice to look at from outside, ask if there's tours. (updated Jun 2017)
• 4 Goodhand Theater, 226 South Chestnut Street, ☏ +1 308 235-2767. Multiple screen theater with good reputation and seniority, being around for over 50 years. (updated Jun 2017)
• 5 French​man Valley Co-op, 3980 West Main Street (North of town, from Kimball you would turn just after the railroad bridge.), ☏ +1 308 235-3562. Whether you are leaving or entering Kimball, the grain towers are quite the sight, stretching over 150 feet into the air. (updated Jun 2017)

Do

• 1 City of Kimball Park, 250 East 5th Street. 24/7. Public park for all. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Four Winds Golf Course (4WGC), 4530 Gilliland Drive (east of Kimball on NE-71 Bypass, Take Kimball County Road 32 until KCR 45; take that to Country Club and follow it), ☏ +1 308 235-4241. Public golf course, runs on a tee setup, 18 holes. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 Kimball Public Library (KPL), 208 South Walnut Street, ☏ +1 308 235-4523. M W F 10AM-5:30PM, Tu Th 1-7PM, Sa 10AM-1PM. Kimball's place to rent books and read! (updated Jun 2017)

Buy

• 1 Main Street Market, 815 East 3rd Street, ☏ +1 308 235-3272. Daily 6AM-8PM. Food and gifts chain that can be found east of Kimball, doesn't have clothing or household items. (updated Aug 2022)

Eat

• 1 Kimball Bakery, 124 South Chestnut Street, ☏ +1 308 235-3541. A miniature downtown bakery with bread rolls and general breakfast items. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 The 1st Inn Diner (Owned by 1st Inn Kimball Hotel), 1701 South Chestnut Street (County road 41;Old NE-71) (south of town, final intersection before I-80), ☏ +1 308 235-4330. M-F 6AM-8PM; Sa Su 6AM-2PM. A specialty breakfast/lunch/dinner restaurant south of Kimball, directly across the street from the Super 8 motel. $5 to $50. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 Kwik Stop Mexican Stop (Inside of the Kwik Stop gas station), 230 South Chestnut (at the traffic signal, you can turn in from both 3rd Street and Chestnut Street), ☏ +1 308 235-4668. Decent, yet tiny Mexican fast food inside of Kwik Stop, serves tacos, burritos, and everything in between. (updated Jun 2017)

Drink

Coffee/breakfast drinks

• 1 Java Blend, 123 South Chestnut Street, ☏ +1 308 235-2004. M-F 8AM-7PM; Sa 8AM-3PM; closed Sunday. Coffee and snack espresso building, with classic wood design. (updated Jun 2017)

Alcoholic beverages

• 2 Kimball's Bar & Loathing Grill, 206 South Chestnut Street, ☏ +1 308 230-2223. M-F 10AM-1AM, Sa 11AM-1AM; Su noon-1AM. A bar and grill combination: food, drinks, music, parties. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 Windbreak Bar/Restaurant, 4552 Gilliand Drive (check out and use the Four Winds Golf Course directions, except you turn left onto Gilliand, instead of right into the parking lot), ☏ +1 308 235-3222. Tu-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM, closed Monday. Tavern with wine and beer on tap, full restaurant with American culture foods. (updated Jun 2017)

Sleep

• Days Inn by Wyndham, 611 E 3rd St, ☏ +1 308-235-4671. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Continental breakfast and WiFi included. Non-smoking. (updated Apr 2021)

Go next

Go on the interstates, and you will be led to explore the grandeur of the High Plains!

Inside Nebraska

• Gering is a nice small city that is about 55 miles north of Kimball on NE-71, lots of history
• Scottsbluff. You can't consider the Scottsbluff/Gering/Terrytown area done just by visiting Gering. Have to visit all three, including the largest, Scottsbluff, which has a zoo and historical theater.
• Sidney: Closest city on the list at only 30 miles east, museum.

Out of State

• Cheyenne is the largest city in Wyoming that annually holds the largest Western event, CFD, with rodeo, night concerts, and parades. So diverse that you feel like you aren't in Cheyenne the entire time! 63 miles west on I-80.
• Denver is the huge capital of Colorado, with 650,000 people and all that a big city offers (once you get past the congestion of I-25, of course). 150 miles via I-80/I-25 or 200 miles via I-80/I-76.
• Rapid City, the charter city of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, alongside Keystone. 241 miles via NE-71/SD-79/US-18.

Routes through Kimball

Rock Springs ← Cheyenne ←	W  E	→ Sidney → North Platte
Rock Springs ← Cheyenne ←	W  E	→ Sidney → North Platte
Scottsbluff ← Gering ←	N  S	→ becomes → Jct W E → Jct W E → Limon → La Junta