Kearney, city (1990 pop. 24,396), seat of Buffalo co., S central Nebr., on the Platte River; inc. 1873. It is a commercial, industrial, and transportation center in an agricultural area. Plastic and metal products, machinery, and transportation equipment are among its manufactures. Fort Kearny (named for Gen. Stephen W. Kearny), established nearby in 1848 to protect the Oregon Trail, was abandoned in 1871. The site is a state park. A branch of the Univ. of Nebraska and a museum are in the city, and the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument is to the southeast.
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