Sidney, Nebraska was recently named one of the Top 100 Rural Communities in America, for communities under 50,000 population

The community has one of the fastest growing economies in Nebraska with a significant $300 million of community and economic development projects accomplished from1990-2006 and recognized nine times in recent years as "Nebraska's Community of the Year.

It's proud history has unveiled a story of triumph over reversals and setbacks, which would have destroyed the hopes and ambitions of lesser citizens. Sidney has known its share of adversity, but its citizen participation in every phase of growth and progress has persevered and built a community with a statewide reputation for success.

Sidney was considered the frontier territorial capital of Nebraska's High Plains region as the oldest settlement in all of western Nebraska. At one time Cheyenne County's boundaries expanded over 7,210 square miles of the Nebraska Panhandle and Sidney was its county seat. It's territorial jurisdiction was double that size over the entire Panhandle.

It was laid out in 1867 by the Union Pacific Railroad and named for Sidney Dillon, then President of the Union Pacific. Frequent skirmishes between native Americans and railroad workers led to the establishment of a military outpost. A town site was established the summer of the same year. Sidney Barracks later became Fort Sidney, but not until Oct 8, 1884, did the City of Sidney officially incorporate as a municipality.

Today Sidney is the center of a vigorous and healthy business and agriculture community. Our economic demographics have quadrupled over the past 15 years and Sidney has been recognized nationally and internationally with its strong growth. The Washington Post's front page article citied Sidney as a community that has more jobs per capita than any other community in America. Another national author cited Sidney in 2005 as one of Nebraska's four most successful communities in its community and economic development efforts.