History of Bassett
Bassett, the county seat of Rock County, is located in north-central Nebraska in the famed and unique Nebraska Sandhills.
U.S. Highways 20 and 183 intersect in Bassett, and Nebraska Highway 7 extends from Bassett to the north through one of the most scenic areas of the Niobrara Valley. Bassett is 43 miles from the South Dakota border; 240 miles northwest of Omaha, Neb.; and 460 miles northeast of Denver, Colo.
In 1878, a few homesteaders settled on land by the river in what is now called Rock County. Later in the same year, the upper Niobrara country and the Sandhills caught the attention of large scale ranchers and they introduced large herds of Texas cattle to the area.
Andrew N. Bassett, known as Captain Bassett, was among the earlier arrivals, coming up the Elkhorn Valley in August 1878. He established his ranch on the upper reaches of Long Pine Creek and herded his cattle in the vicinity of present day Bassett.
The first mail to reach Rock County came a great distance by stage and on horseback. Two riders contracted to carry the mail from Niobrara to Keya Paha. By 1879, Keya Paha was a disbursing post office with five routes distributing mail to the settlers along the Niobrara River.
MAIN STREET - BASSETT - 1950S
Connie Blake from Bassett, Nebraska was "Miss Stock Grower" of 1969
“George Smith was born and raised on a ranch south of Bassett, Nebraska.
He ranched all his life with his wife Clarice, son Kent, and daughter Renae. He was not only a loving husband and father but a friend and teacher to all that knew him. If you took a vote from all the neighbors and people that knew George Smith, he would win this award hands down.”
George Smith was inducted to the Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2007.
The Cotterill Sisters Orchestra, made up of three sisters from Bassett, was practically a fixture at Hidden Paradise in the early 1910s.
U.S. Route 20 is called "Big Daddy" for good reason. It's the longest road in the U.S., stretching from Boston, Massachusetts, to Newport, Oregon. A mega road trip along this epic route will take you through 12 states and across 3,365 miles, with the middle point being exactly Bassett, Nebraska.
