Love My Community: Milford
Milford, located a close 20 miles west of Lincoln and easily accessed off Interstate 80, is a friendly town of about 2,000 people. Their conservative, law-abiding history and traditions remain much the same, while their proximity to Lincoln, a new subdivision, new City Hall, and continuing improvements to Southeast Community College have brought more people to the town. Milford takes great pride in its schools and is an amazing place to raise a family.
History
Milford was founded in 1864. Borrowing “Mil” from an early flour mill built in town and “ford” from the word for a shallow place in the Blue River which allowed wagons to drive across, the townspeople combined both to form the town’s name: Milford. Remnants of the foundation of that mill still stand today. As do parts of a bottling plant that bottled and shipped water from Milford’s natural spring.
The history of Milford would not be complete without mentioning two large institutions and buildings that were repurposed. A sanatorium built in 1889 closed and became a state soldiers’ and sailors’ home from 1895 – 1939. That location is now the home of Southeast Community College. And the second, a home for unwed mothers from 1889 – 1953, is now Sunrise Country Manor, a nursing home.
Much of Milford’s historical charm and character still exists: the brick street, the sturdy, charming homes, and several original downtown buildings that have been brought back to life with renovations.
Life in Milford
Milford is a nice, safe community to live in. The short drive to Lincoln, Southeast Community College, a stable business base and terrific public schools make it a great choice for many folks to put down roots.
A strong business base exists, encouraging the growth of many existing businesses and welcoming a number of new ones to town in the last five years. There’s a new boutique in town, and a new restaurant coming in. Milford also has a Runza, a Nebraska food favorite, and a great general store that opened a couple of years ago.
There is plenty to do in Milford. On Saturday mornings, you can find people grabbing a breakfast sandwich and smoothie at Dragonfly Café. You’ll find folks shopping at its many local businesses, including Main Street Market – a bulk grocery store with a deli. Embracing its long Mennonite history, there are still active Mennonite churches that people attend every week, as well as churches of other denominations. Sundays will also find people eating at the ever-popular Pizza Kitchen. And Thornridge Golf Course is a terrific place to get in a round of golf.
Mark your calendars for a summer event you don’t want to miss – Milford Family Fun Days. There are lots of food vendors, a parade, the show and shine car show, softball games, and a quilt show. It’s one of Nebraska’s best events of the year. You and your family will have so much fun!
More family fun happens in October – Milford’s Trunk or Treat event hosted by Farmers & Merchants Bank. This is a fun and safe way for kids to ‘trick or treat’ and fill their bags with candy without having to walk all over town. It’s a great time for the community to come together to celebrate autumn.
What Milford is Known for
A huge driver in Milford’s growing population is Southeast Community College. There are about 832 enrolled students, and the number increases every year. They recently built two dorms and they are working on building a third and fourth to accommodate the growing enrollment. The College also just built a diesel mechanics building and are planning to build a new building for welding. And they are getting ready to remodel one of the older historic buildings into a student center.
But the college isn’t the only great school in town. Many families are moving to Milford to take advantage of their great school district – elementary thru high school, the community-centric feeling, and the proximity to Lincoln…whether making a daily commute there for work or a special weekend trip.
Throughout the years, Milford has kept a lot of its original character. From the buildings on Main Street to the houses that are passed down through generations, Milford will remain, and is now becoming for many, their one true home.
Farmers & Merchants Bank in Milford
The first Farmers and Merchants bank was founded in Milford in 1904. The Dunlap family purchased the bank in 1949 and over the years the bank has expanded into 12 cities across Nebraska. Gerry Dunlap, now the CEO and President of Farmers and Merchants Bank, took over operations of the bank from his father in 1977. In 1975, the bank was worth 14 million dollars. Due to growth coupled with sound and stable financial management, by 2021, the bank’s worth had grown to 900 million dollars.
Like its hometown, Farmers and Merchants Bank is known for having friendly, helpful people, always ready to serve you and your banking needs.