North Platte is a city in and
the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in
the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of
the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River.
North Platte is a railroad town; Union Pacific Railroad's large Bailey Yard
is located within the city. Today, North Platte is served only by freight
trains, but during World War II the city was famous for the North Platte
Canteen. Tens of thousands of volunteers from North Platte and surrounding
towns met the troop trains passing through North Platte, offering coffee,
sandwiches and hospitality.
North Platte is the principal city of the North Platte Micropolitan
Statistical Area, which includes Lincoln, Logan, and McPherson counties.
North Platte was established in 1868 when the Union Pacific Railroad was
extended to that point. It was named from the North Platte River.
On July 13, 1929, black North Platte resident Louis "Slim" Seeman
shot and killed Edward Green, a North Platte police officer. Following the
incident, a mob of white residents of North Platte walked through the city,
telling black residents to leave North Platte. Fearing mob violence, most of
North Platte's black residents fled.