A Brief History of Hall County

March 2, 2026 by Mathew D. Friend

Hall County is one of the oldest regions in the state, having been organized in 1859. It is situated in the sixth tier of counties west from the Missouri River and is approximately 150 miles west of Omaha. It is bounded on the north by Howard County, on the east by Hamilton and Merrick, on the south by Adams, and on the west by Buffalo.

Grand Island is the Hall County seat. It is situated a short distance to the north of the Platte River, up on the level valley lands that extend far to the north. Grand Island is the terminus of the Union Pacific freight division, the terminus of the St. Joseph Western Railroad, and the terminus of the Grand Island, St. Paul, and & Loup Valley Railroad. It is fast becoming a railroad center and is already the largest city in Nebraska on the Union Pacific line west of Omaha.

How did Hall County get its name? There are two different "stories" on how the name Hall County came about. The first says the county was named in honor of Augustus Hall (1814-1861), Chief Justice of the Nebraska Territory in 1858. The second suggests that it was taken from the surname of a man who was an early partner to William M. Spiker in business here and later a resident of Colorado.

Hall County was organized, and boundaries were defined by an act approved by the Legislature on November 4, 1858. Check out the Map Page for past and present maps of Hall County.

The History of the Courthouse

March 21, 2026 by Matthew D. Friend

The Hall County Courthouse in Grand Island, Nebraska, is a Beaux-Arts classicist gem completed in 1904 for $131,793, designed by Omaha architect Thomas Rogers Kimball. Built with brick and limestone, it boasts a domed interior rotunda and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s now in the midst of a $40 million expansion and renovation.

The county’s first courthouse, a two-story brick building, was constructed in 1872–1873 for $15,750. The current courthouse replaced it in 1904, originally including a jail, and is known for its Germanic design influence. Over the years, the sheriff’s office moved to a new jail in 1969, and a separate administration building was added in 1979–1980.

The 2025–2026 renovation, led by Davis Designs, will preserve the historic structure while adding 60,000 square feet and three new courtrooms to meet capacity and security needs. A central landmark, it marked its 120th anniversary in 2024 before kicking off this major expansion.

As of early 2026, recent photos of the Hall County Courthouse in Grand Island, Nebraska, highlight a major construction project that includes a 60,000-square-foot addition and a 28,000-square-foot renovation, set for completion in spring 2028. Images from 2025 and 2026 show the site steadily taking shape at 200 South Sycamore Street.

Visit "Chief Construction" (dated January 20, 2026) of the latest progress of the renovation and expandsion progression; or view the vidwo below.

Cheif Construction vis Facebook

In Memoriam: Keylynn Loveland (1952-2010)

March 15, 2026 by Matthew D. Friend

These pages honor our first Hall County Coordinator, Kaylynn Loveland, who passed away on April 28, 2010, in Grand Island, Nebraska. Since 1997, she devoted her time and energy to helping Hall County family historians and researchers. Health issues forced her to step down in 2005, but she returned to her duties in late 2007 and continued until her passing. She will be deeply missed by the patrons of Hall County and friends across Nebraska. A tribute page in her memory has been created by the current county coordinator.

To Read the Tribute & Obituary to Kaylynn