The city of Kearney (CAR-nee) was named for nearby Fort Kearny, a government outpost established in 1848 to protect pioneers on the Oregon Trail, mail-carrying overland stages, gold rush prospectors and the crews constructing the Union Pacific Railroad. Because of its central location, Kearney was considered as a site for both the state capital and the capital of the country. Though these plans were scrapped, Kearney nonetheless prospered from an economy built on industry and agriculture. Learn More...