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History · Ericson

Ericson dates to 1886, and 22% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1954 on and the census since 1920.

1886founded
0on the National Register
22%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Quick answers

How Ericson began, and where its name came from

When was Ericson founded?

1886

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

First census: 192 in 19202020 census: 89140 years

How did Ericson get its name?

Ericson was named for Christensen Erickson, the original owner of the town site.

More on the name

The town grew slowly, and the first depot agent, named Dahl, also bought grain, sold coal, and took over the store being run by Peter Erickson, to keep the town viable.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1887. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Ericson’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 Ericson are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 279 in 1940; 89 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Ericson’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Ericson’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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People over time

Ericson, census by census

0100200300192019401960198020002020Peak: 279

Peaked at 279 in 1940; 89 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

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

The story

How Ericson came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Ericson.

Read it all →

Ericson was platted in 1886 by the C. B. & Q. railroad when the railroad's line to Greeley was extended to that location. It was named for Christensen Erickson, the original owner of the town site. The town grew slowly, and the first depot agent, named Dahl,

also bought grain, sold coal, and took over the store being run by Peter Erickson, to keep the town viable.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Ericson, 1886 to 1954

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1886
    FoundingEricson is established
  3. 1887Post officeThe Ericson post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 279
  6. 1954On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Ericson, decade by decade

Today9 recent
Ericson-Spalding Livestock Market from S2010Ericson-Spalding Livestock Market from SEricson, Nebraska downtown 52010Ericson, Nebraska downtown 5Ericson, Nebraska downtown 42010Ericson, Nebraska downtown 4Ericson, Nebraska downtown 32010Ericson, Nebraska downtown 3Ericson, Nebraska downtown 22010Ericson, Nebraska downtown 2Ericson, Nebraska downtown 12010Ericson, Nebraska downtown 1Ericson, Nebraska Volunteer Fire Department2010Ericson, Nebraska Volunteer Fire DepartmentEricson State Bank, Ericson, Nebraska from SE2010Ericson State Bank, Ericson, Nebraska from SENEMap-doton-Ericson2005NEMap-doton-Ericson
On the map

Ericson on the map, 1954 to 1985

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

Ericson on the 1954 USGS mapEricson on the 1985 USGS map1954Ericson 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 Ericson.

Questions about Ericson’s history

What year was Ericson founded?

In 1886, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Ericson’s post office opened in 1887, and the census of 1920 counted 192 people here.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
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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 (9), 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.