Community Information

Elgin is a community with a population of 720 in south central Antelope County. The community has a rich history in farming and ranching, and continues to produce corn, soybeans, oats, rye and vetch, cattle and hogs. Elgin is the second largest town in Antelope County, and is situated at the junction of Highways 14 and 70, with the ranch country of the Sandhills lying just to the west, and more fertile soils to the east.

With the arrival of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad in 1887, Elgin became a trade center for the area, shipping livestock and grain from Elgin to points east.

Education has always been an important aspect of the Elgin community, which boasts two K-12 school systems – the Elgin Public Schools, as well as St. Boniface Grade School (K-6) and Pope John Central Catholic (7-12).

Some of the attractions in the Elgin area include the city park and swimming pool, Plantation House Bed & Breakfast, the Centennial Garden, Flobert Springs northeast of town, St. Boniface Catholic Church, St. Bonaventure Catholic Church at Raeville and the Headquarters Ranch Stone House west of town.

Elgin was once known as the “Vetch Capitol of the Nation” and has several local businesses processing vetch, the soil-building legume that is normally grown with rye. The vetch seed is harvested with the rye crop, then separated and sold as seed. The annual community celebration, Vetch Days, is held each year in June.

Irrigation development has helped farmers of the Elgin area to prosper. The community is situated above the Ogallala aquifer, and center pivot irrigation is in use on most area farms through the growing season.