Chadron, Nebraska
Chadron is a city of 5,160 people in Dawes County, Nebraska, founded in 1884.
Why visit Chadron
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 14 places to eat, 7 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sunday Matinee, Chadron Commercial Historic District, Chadron Public Library and Finnegan Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 12°F, and about 50 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Chadron
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chadron
Chadron is a city in and the county seat of Dawes County, Nebraska, United States, in the Great Plains region. The population was 5,206 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Chadron, Nebraska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks8
Chadron Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Nebraska, United States
Chadron Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Library in Chadron, Nebraska, United States
Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Library in Nebraska, United States of America
Crites Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
University building in Chadron, United States of America
Edna Work Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building on campus of Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska
Hotel Chadron
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Chadron, Nebraska, US
Miller Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
College building in Chadron, Nebraska
Sparks Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Student dormitory in Chadron, Nebraska
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes14
Bean Broker
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.4 mi
202 West 2nd Street, Chadron
Mo-Th 06:30-20:00; Fr 06:30-21:00; Sa 06:30-01:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.9 mi
1519 West 6th Street, Chadron
Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-24:00
2 more on the map.
History
Succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples lived in the area for thousands of years. In historic times, tribes such as the Oglala Lakota (Oglala Sioux Tribe), Cheyenne and others lived in the area. The Sioux used this territory as a hunting ground after pushing other tribes to the west.
Chadron is named for Louis Chartran, a French-Indian (Métis) fur trapper who ran a trading post on
Chadron Creek in 1841. He was married to a Native American woman.
In 1884 the town was formally established when the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad was constructed through the area from Omaha, Nebraska, en route to Wyoming. Chadron was first named O'Linn for its founder Fannie O'Linn, who built a community at the confluence of the White River and Chadron Creek. This is where the railroad was expected to branch. When it was built six miles away on Bordeaux Creek, the townspeople packed up the entire town—buildings included—and moved it to the new location.
From the History section of Chadron, Nebraska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay7
Churches and places of worship18
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.7 mi
936 West 10th Street, Chadron
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran Church Missouri Synod · 0.6 mi
702 East 9th Street, Chadron
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare2
Map of Chadron
75 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 12°F | 0.6 in | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 14°F | 0.6 in | 8.6 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 23°F | 1.3 in | 7.9 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 31°F | 2.2 in | 5.6 in |
| May | 69°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 1.4 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 52°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 59°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 56°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 46°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 33°F | 1.4 in | 4.7 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 22°F | 0.7 in | 6.3 in |
| Dec | 39°F | 13°F | 0.6 in | 10.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chadron 3Sw (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Dawes County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-06-10: South Fork Fire (Fire)
- 2024-05-24: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2015-06-25: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Hay Springs 19 mi southeast, about 30 min by car
- Crawford 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Pine Ridge 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Rushville 28 mi east, about 46 min by car
- Oglala 29 mi northeast, about 47 min by car
- Hemingford 35 mi south, about 56 min by car
- Manderson-White Horse Creek 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Wounded Knee 39 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Gordon 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Alliance 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Chadron, Nebraska 200-odd Main, Ammodramus, CC0
- Mari Sandoz Center from E 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Chadron Public Library from SE 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Chadron, Nebraska 225-229 Main, Ammodramus, CC0
- Crites Hall from SW 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Edna Work Hall from SE, Ammodramus, CC0
- Joseph Sparks Hall from NE 3, Ammodramus, CC0
- Hotel Chadron from SE 2, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Adelaide Miller Hall from NW 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
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