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History · Davey

Davey dates to 1886, and 56% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1964 on and the census since 1920.

1886founded
0on the National Register
56%homes built before 1940
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Quick answers

How Davey began

When was Davey founded?

1886

Davey dates its founding to 1886 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 123 in 19202020 census: 135140 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1887.The full story ↓

What stands out about Davey’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Davey are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Davey’s homes were built before 1938.Boom and bustPeaked at 190 in 1980; 135 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Davey’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Davey’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Davey came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Davey.

Read it all →

Irish immigrants were the first Europeans to settle northern Lancaster county, followed by other Northern European immigrants such as Danes and Swedes with the passage of the Homestead Act in 1862. The area was originally known as Rock Creek and was served by a Pony Express station in 1871. In 1875, a Danish Lutheran church was built in the area. The town of Davey was founded in the Rock Creek area in 1886 when the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad was extended to that point and was named for Michael Davey, a pioneer citizen.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

People over time

Davey, census by census

0100200192019401960198020002020Peak: 190

Peaked at 190 in 1980; 135 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Davey’s Wikipedia page.

Timeline

Davey, 1886 to 1980

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1886
    FoundingDavey is established
  3. 1887Post officeThe Davey post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1964On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  6. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 190
By decade

Davey, decade by decade

Today8 recent
Nebraska History Museum 2025f2025Nebraska History Museum 2025fNebraska History Museum 2025e2025Nebraska History Museum 2025eDavey, Nebraska post office2012Davey, Nebraska post officeDavey, Nebraska downtown 42012Davey, Nebraska downtown 4Davey, Nebraska downtown 32012Davey, Nebraska downtown 3Davey, Nebraska downtown 22012Davey, Nebraska downtown 2Davey, Nebraska downtown 12012Davey, Nebraska downtown 1NEMap-doton-Davey2005NEMap-doton-Davey
On the map

Davey on the map, 1964 to 1972

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Davey. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Davey on the 1964 USGS mapDavey on the 1972 USGS map1964Davey sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Davey.

Famous people

Famous people close to Davey

Nobody well known was born in Davey itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
H
Hilary SwankAmerican actress · b. 1974
B
Brandon SandersonAmerican fantasy writer · b. 1975
Jack SockAmerican tennis player · b. 1992
Deb FischerAmerican politician · b. 1951
Janine TurnerAmerican actress · b. 1962
Bob CervAmerican baseball player · b. 1925
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Davey’s post office has been open since 1887.

Gone or out of use
Daveylocale

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Davey’s history

What year was Davey founded?

In 1886, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Davey’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1920 counted 123 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (8), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.