Keith County, Nebraska: History
The first white people in the area were trappers active before the 1850s. The land was crossed by almost 350,000 during the Pike's Peak gold rush. Settlement was driven by ranching and cattle driving. In 1873, the settlers petitioned governor Robert Furnas to give them a county. The county was named for Morell Case Keith, grandfather of Keith Neville, a prolific rancher and real estate developer active in the area as well as in North Platte, who supported irrigation to the area. By 1873 he had a stock of cattle worth US$93,000.