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History · Melbeta

Melbeta dates to 1911, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1898 on and the census since 1920.

1911founded
0on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Melbeta began

When was Melbeta founded?

1911

Melbeta dates its founding to 1911 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 129 in 19202020 census: 108115 years
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1912.The full story ↓

What stands out about Melbeta’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 Melbeta are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18983 editions of the USGS map, 1898 to 1985. Watch Melbeta change.Boom and bustPeaked at 151 in 1980; 108 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Melbeta’s homes were built before 1943.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Melbeta’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Melbeta on the map, 1898 to 1985

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

Melbeta on the 1898 USGS mapMelbeta on the 1965 USGS mapMelbeta on the 1985 USGS map1898Scotts Bluff sheet · 1:125,000

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

People over time

Melbeta, census by census

0100192019401960198020002020Peak: 151

Peaked at 151 in 1980; 108 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

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

The story

How Melbeta came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Melbeta.

Read it all →

Melbeta was established as a town in 1911 when the railroad was extended to that point. Melbeta is said to be derived from a German word meaning "sugar beet".

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Melbeta, 1898 to 1980

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1898On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 20th century
  4. 1908Born hereGlenn H. Randall Sr. is born here
  5. 1911
    FoundingMelbeta is established
  6. 1912Post officeThe Melbeta post office opens
  7. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 151
By decade

Melbeta, decade by decade

Today3 recent
Melbeta, Nebraska from NE92 face W 12013Melbeta, Nebraska from NE92 face W 1Melbeta, Nebraska Main Street face S 12013Melbeta, Nebraska Main Street face S 1Melbeta, Nebraska Main Street W side 12013Melbeta, Nebraska Main Street W side 1

Questions about Melbeta’s history

What year was Melbeta founded?

In 1911, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Melbeta’s post office opened in 1912, and the census of 1920 counted 129 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 (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.