Pender, NE

Pender, Nebraska is a small town located in the northeast corner of the state. The population was 1,811 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Pender County Fairgrounds and Pender County Historical Museum.

The town was founded in 1881 when a group of settlers from Illinois arrived in what is now Pender. The town's name comes from Captain James Cook's ship, HMS Endeavour, which sailed by on its way to explore Australia in 1770.

Pender is located on Nebraska Highway 2, which runs east-west through the town. Interstate 80 passes just north of Pender, and U.S. Route 30 also runs through the town. There are no major commercial centers within miles of Pender; however, there are several small businesses located within walking distance of the downtown area.

The main industry in Pender is agriculture; however, there has been a recent trend towards tourism due to its location near several attractions (the White Sands National Monument and Fort Robinson State Historic Site are just two examples). Several bed and breakfasts have also opened up in recent years catering to tourists who want to stay close to these attractions without having to drive into Albuquerque or Lincoln City.