Cozad, Nebraska
Cozad is a city of 3,937 people in Dawson County, Nebraska, founded in 1873.
Why visit Cozad
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Allen's Opera House, Hendee Hotel, Robert Henri Museum and West Cozad State Wildlife Management Area.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Cozad
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cozad
Cozad is a city in Dawson County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Cozad had a population of 3,988. The town is on the Great Plains of central Nebraska, along the Union Pacific Railroad and U.S. Route 30, just north of the Platte River. The 100th meridian, which roughly marks the eastward boundary of the arid plains, passes just west of the town as is marked nearby on a prominent sign across U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Cozad, Nebraska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Allen's Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places
Opera house in Cozad, Nebraska
Museums and landmarks9
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Hendee Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic hotel in Cozad, Nebraska, USA
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes6
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi
315 South Meridian Avenue, Cozad
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
El Paraiso
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
328 South Meridian Avenue, Cozad
Tu-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 10:00-21:00; Mo closed
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.7 mi
320 South Meridian Avenue, Cozad
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
History
Cozad was founded in 1873 by John Jackson Cozad, murderer, gambler, Ohio native, and father of painter Robert Henri. Cozad was often regarded as immoral among the citizens of the early town. He purchased 40,000 acres of land from the Union Pacific Railroad and laid out the future town. He built houses on some of the land to entice people to settle. He sold off most of the land to future residents who named the town after him. Cozad also founded Cozaddale, Ohio, a small, unincorporated village 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
The city includes at least two museums: the 100th Meridian Museum and the Robert Henri Museum.
The Cozad Downtown Historic District, an area roughly bounded by 9th, 7th, H and F Streets, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. The Hendee Hotel, today the main building of the Robert Henri Museum, and Allen's Opera House are also NRHP-listed.
From the History section of Cozad, Nebraska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship15
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare1
Map of Cozad
54 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 16°F | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 18°F | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 27°F | 1.1 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 37°F | 2.7 in |
| May | 72°F | 48°F | 4.1 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 58°F | 3.7 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 63°F | 3.4 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 62°F | 3.3 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 52°F | 1.7 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 39°F | 1.9 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 26°F | 0.7 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 17°F | 0.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Gothenburg Hcn (10 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
Dawson County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-03-13: Morrill-Cottonwood Fire (Fire)
- 2024-09-24: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (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)
- 2010-07-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Jim Kelly Field (LXN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Gothenburg 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Lexington 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Eustis 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Elwood 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Brady 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Overton 25 mi east, about 40 min by car
- Cambridge 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Broken Bow 42 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- North Platte 44 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kearney 49 mi east, 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
- United States Post Office - Cozad, Nebraska (44840790054), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 29 329000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 26 275000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 19 801000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 23 098000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 16 628000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 13 543000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 32 185000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 41 935000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 35 677000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 45 498000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 38 858000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 10 264000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pony Express Relay Station - Historic Site in Cozad, Nebraska (45565764741), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 48 696000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Waypoint Bank - Cozad, Nebraska (45515421722), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 51 463000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Nebraska - Small Town (50961809638), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 57 794000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 07 54 728000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad is all about quilting the US states, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 50 201000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 47 237000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 37 087000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 53 266000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 34 019000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 21 241000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 57 066000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad Downtown Historic District 22 04 31 368000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Cozad, Nebraska - 100th Meridian - Lincoln Highway (44209277664), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Allen's Opera House from SW 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Hendee Hotel from SW 1, Ammodramus, Public domain
- 100th Meridian Museum, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Robert Henri Museum, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Robert Henri Museum 22 17 38 335000, Doncram, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Military Tanks - Rural Nebraska Railroad Transport (45113586382), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
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