Crawford (Nebraska)

When the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad came through the Nebraska panhandle in 1886, a tent city sprang up three miles east of military post Fort Robinson. The town was named after the late cavalry officer Lt. Emmet Crawford, who had been previously stationed at the Fort.
In its early years, Crawford provided entertainment for the soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Robinson, giving the town a reputation for being wild and rowdy. It was an important point for commerce for many years, being located at the junction of two railroads. Crawford's economy also depended largely on Fort Robinson up through World War II, when the Fort contained a German POW camp and a training site for military dogs.
Crawford has since transformed into a quiet rural town. The main local industries are agriculture and uranium mining. The town has become popular as a hunting destination and is visited by tourists traveling to and from the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota. Fort Robinson, a state park since 1955, has become a travel destination in itself.

Crawford is located at the junction of U.S. Highway 20 and Nebraska Highways 2 and 71 and is accessible exclusively by car. The nearest airport is Chadron Municipal Airport, located approximately 25 miles east of Crawford in Chadron.

The city limits of Crawford are roughly one square mile in size, small enough to walk around in. Travel by car is obviously an option also. The town is connected to Fort Robinson by highway and also by a walking path, beginning at the entrance to Crawford's city park. Crawford's small downtown district can be accessed by turning west on Main Street from Nebraska Highway 2/71 or turning north on 2nd Street from U.S. Highway 20.

• Crawford Historical Museum

  address: 339 2nd St.
  Local hometown museum run by the Crawford Historical Society. Contains a variety of displays and research materials concerning Crawford and the surrounding area.

• Fort Robinson Museum

  phone: +1 308 665-2919
  address: Hwy 20
  A must-see if you're into military history.

• Post Playhouse

  phone: +1 308-432-6380 (summer), +1 308-665-1976 (off-season)
  address: Fort Robinson State Park
  Live theater venue with several showings every week during the summer.

• Trailside Museum of Natural History

  phone: +1 308-665-2929
  address: Hwy 20
  Lots of fossils and bones. If bones and fossils aren't your thing, don't go.

• Fort Robinson State Park

  phone: +1 308-665-2900
  address: U.S. Highway 20
  Trails, fishing, jeep rides, and an indoor swimming pool.

• Legend Buttes Golf Course

  phone: +1 308-665-2431
  address: U.S. Highway 20
  9 holes.

Crawford's small downtown district contains most of the town's shopping options. The businesses include a grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, quilt shop, second-hand store, several restaurants and bars, and a gift shop or two.

• Dairy Sweet

  phone: +1 308-665-1323
  address: Highways 20 & 2
  A vintage drive-up restaurant popular locally because of its barbecued fare.

• Fort Robinson Restaurant

  phone: +1 308-665-2900

• The Gate City Hotel & Grill

  phone: +1 308-665-1231
  address: 445 2nd St
  Located in Co-operative Block Building.

• Staab's Drive-In

  phone: +1 308-665-1210
  address: 110 McPherson St
  A vintage-style drive-up restaurant known locally for its fried chicken and curly fries.

• Diamond Jacks Corner Bar

  phone: +1 308-665-3993
  address: 304 2nd St
  Somewhat notorious location. Plenty of bikers during the summer.

• R Bar

  phone: +1 308-665-1257
  address: 342 2nd St
  Formerly known as the Frontier Bar. A well-kept establishment, although bikers are common here also in the summer.

There are also multiple bed-and-breakfasts in the rural area surrounding Crawford. Crawford City Park, located at the west end of Main Street, has free camping and electrical hookups; just be aware that the railroad tracks are close to the park and the trains whistle frequently.

• Fort Robinson

  phone: +1 308-665-2900
  address: U.S. Highway 20
  Camping spots and a varied assortment of cabins, barrack rooms, and officer's quarters available to rent for the night.

• Hilltop Motel

  phone: +1 308-665-1144
  address: 304 McPherson St
  Your best bet for a motel if you need to stay in the actual town of Crawford. It needs updating and is several blocks from a train track, but it's definitely better than Crawford's other motel.

Crawford does have cell phone coverage, although the networks of certain providers require some cell phone users to be out-of-doors to get good reception. Wi-Fi is available at the Crawford Public Library (601 2nd Street, on the south edge of the downtown district).

• Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

  phone: +1 308-668-2211
  address: 301 River Road, Harrison
  Fossils of ancient mammals, Native American history, hiking. Be aware that there is no camping at the monument.

• Toadstool Geologic ParkHiking trails in and around otherworldly rock formations. Camping permitted. Getting here requires driving on ten miles of unpaved roads, but it's worth it if the weather is good.

Scottsbluff and Scotts Bluff National Monument are approximately an hour and a half's drive south of Crawford. Chadron, with its museums and state park, is 25 miles east of town. Black Hills National Forest, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Sturgis, and Deadwood are all north of Crawford in South Dakota.