Enjoy The Simple Life When You Visit This Tiny Rural Community In Nebraska
By Andrea Verschuyl|Published November 02, 2023
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Andrea Verschuyl
Author
Having grown up in Washington, Andrea is a self-admitted Pacific Northwest snob. In their opinion, there's simply nowhere else in the country with the Evergreen State's beauty. After attending university, Andrea devoted themselves to writing full-time. They're thrilled to represent Washington for Only In Your State while pursuing other professional and personal projects. They currently reside in Olympia, where they enjoy leaf-blowing their yard, perfecting homemade ramen, cuddling with their three tiny dogs, and feeding their pufferfish, Sea Biscuit.
With a population under 1,000, it doesn’t get much smaller than Red Cloud, Nebraska. Located in what was once Pawnee hunting land, historic Red Cloud, named for an influential Oglala Lakota leader, has had a corner on rural charm since settlers founded it in 1872. If you’re looking for the cutest rural town in Nebraska, we at OnlyInYourState think this postage stamp of Midwest nostalgia is the perfect getaway!
Lined with brick buildings, Webster Street is the heart of this quaint community. The well-preserved architecture dates back to the 19th Century.
In fact, Red Cloud's historic district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
Though it may be small, residents of this rural town have made significant contributions to American culture. Beloved author Willa Cather, who wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning works about the Nebraskan prairie, grew up in Red Cloud. You can still visit her house on North Cedar St.
There, she'd enjoy traveling theater and opera productions, exposing her to art and inspiring her creativity. The opera house is still operating today. Time your visit to catch a local play!
This conservation area comprises 612 acres of pristine prairie. Of this view, Cather wrote in My Ántonia, "As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea... And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
Other artists have also found creative refuge in Red Cloud. The 10,000-square-foot Mark Dahle Art Gallery is open on the first Friday of every month and by appointment.
Fill up on pizza and hospitality at Fat Fox's, our favorite eatery in town!
And to truly wind things down the right way, swing by nearby Superior Estates Winery only 30 minutes away for a glass of one of it's famous boutique wines.
If you’re pining to escape the busyness of big city life, a road trip tour of Nebraska’s quaintest communities may be in order. Brimming with culture, good food, and beauty, Red Cloud is our pick for the cutest rural town in Nebraska. Stop through and explore!
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