Gering, Scottsbluff, and Terrytown

The twin cities of Gering and Scottsbluff are located in the west Nebraska panhandle, just a stone's throw from the Wyoming border and separated by the North Platte River. Gering was established three miles south of the river in 1887 and became a thriving center of commerce. Gering founders gambled that the Union Pacific Railroad would build its track through town, but it was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad that arrived first and laid track on the north side of the river in 1900, prompting rapid growth in Scottsbluff. Some Gering residents moved their homes and businesses to the newer community, but others remained steadfast in their belief that the Union Pacific would soon arrive. The Union Pacific track did not reach Gering until 1911, giving Scottsbluff the advantage of years of railroad-spurred growth. Fast-forward to 1948, when latecomer Terrytown was incorporated on the south bank of the river, sandwiched between the two older, larger cities. United by a bridge and undistinguishable municipal boundaries, the three cities retain their separate identities.