Incorporated as a village in 1871, and as a town in 1856, Ponca is the fourth oldest town in Nebraska. Named for the Ponca Indian tribe native to the region, Ponca is the county seat of Dixon County. Adam Smith, his wife, and nine other settlers crossed into Nebraska in 1856, camping south of the Aowa Creek, since Indian territory was to the north. Frank West and a Mr. Carson, said to be an uncle to Kit Carson, removed the warning signs and laid out a 24-block town beyond the safe zone on the present town site. A post office was established in 1857, and Ponca was named the county seat when Ponca County was organized in 1858. Development slowed during the Civil War, but Ponca became a wild Western town following the war, complete with gunfights, hangings, gambling, and Indian raids. Ponca recovered from the grasshopper plagues of the early 1870s when the Covington, Columbus & Black Hills Railroad came through in 1876. Ponca is northeast of Martinsburg, southeast of Newcastle, south of Elk Point, and northwest of North Sioux City, near Nebraska’s borders with South Dakota and Iowa.
Recommended Resources
Located on North Iowa Street, the Ponca, Nebraska church’s schedules and calendar of events are published, and a statement of beliefs and values, photographs, and announcements are posted to its site.
http://www.ckcconline.com/
The annual PRCA rodeo is held in Ponca, Nebraska. Schedules, contest information, registrations, and advance ticket sales are featured, along with a history of the event, photographs of past rodeos, sponsorships, and contacts.
http://www.daysof56.com/
A guide to the Ponca, Nebraska area includes highlights of local attractions, event schedules, community services, housing information, and a business directory.
http://www.visitponca.com/
Directions, leadership and pastoral contacts, office hours, and a schedule of Sunday and weekday programs, a church bulletin, and an overview of the beliefs and practices of the Ponca, Nebraska church are given.
http://www.poncaefc.org/
Headquartered in Ponca, Nebraska, the school system operates Jackson Elementary School, Ponca Elementary School, and Ponca High School, offering a PK-12th grade curriculum. Schedules, registration policies, and district employment opportunities are posted.
http://www.poncaschool.org/
The youth softball programs for Ponca, Nebraska are featured, including team schedules, practices, coach information, contacts, and the locations of its reserve fields.
http://poncasoftball.com/
Ponca is located in the northeaster corner of Nebraska, two miles from the Missouri River. The official municipal web site offers general information about the town and its government, including administrative contacts and schedules.
http://www.ci.ponca.ne.us/
Affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Ponca, Nebraska congregation held its first services in 1857, one year after the town was established. Its history and a profile of the church is offered, along with schedules and contacts.
http://www.salemlutheranponca.org/
