Kearney, city, seat of Buffalo County, south central Nebraska, on the Platte River; incorporated 1873. It is a commercial, manufacturing, and distribution center for a rich grain- and livestock-producing area. Manufactures include motor-vehicle parts, farm equipment, and rubber products. The University of Nebraska at Kearney (1903) is here. Settled at a railroad junction in 1871, the city is named (with an added “e”) for Fort Kearny, a nearby U.S. Army outpost used from 1848 to 1881 to protect persons following the Oregon and Mormon Trails. The remains of the fort, named for General Stephen W. Kearny, are in Fort Kearny State Historical Park. Population 21,158 (1980); 24,39 (1990); 27,431 (2000).
