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–Not graded
History · Prague

Prague’s post office opened in 1887, and 49% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1899 on and the census since 1890.

1887first post office
0on the National Register
49%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Prague began, and where its name came from

When was Prague founded?

1887

The Prague post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 185 in 18902020 census: 291139 years

How did Prague get its name?

Prague was named after Prague, capital of Bohemia (now the Czech Republic).

Founding year: the first Prague post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Prague’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 Prague are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18993 editions of the USGS map, 1899 to 1982. Watch Prague change.Boom and bustPeaked at 421 in 1930; 291 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Prague’s homes were built before 1947.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Prague’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Prague’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

Prague on the map, 1899 to 1982

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

Prague on the 1899 USGS mapPrague on the 1969 USGS mapPrague on the 1982 USGS map1899Wahoo 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 Prague.

People over time

Prague, census by census

01002003004001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 421

Peaked at 421 in 1930; 291 people lived here in 2020.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

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

The story

How Prague came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Prague.

Read it all →

Prague was platted in 1887 when the railroad was extended to that point. The fact that a majority of the early settlers were natives of Bohemia caused the name to be selected.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Prague, 1887 to 1930

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1887Post officeThe Prague post office opens
  3. 1899On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  4. 20th century
  5. 1930CensusPopulation peaks at 421
By decade

Prague, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Prague, Nebraska downtown 32011Prague, Nebraska downtown 3Prague, Nebraska downtown 22011Prague, Nebraska downtown 2Prague, Nebraska downtown 12011Prague, Nebraska downtown 1Prague, Nebraska city hall2011Prague, Nebraska city hallNEMap-doton-Prague2005NEMap-doton-Prague
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Prague’s post office has been open since 1887.

Gone or out of use
Praguelocale

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

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Chester TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townElk TownshipIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Prague’s history

What year was Prague founded?

The Prague post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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 (5), 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.