Near Springview in Keya Paha County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Norden Dance Hall

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

1. Norden Dance Hall Marker

Inscription. The first Keya Paha County Fair was held in September 1898. Ever since, the center of the fair’s activities has been the Barn Dance. The current fairground was purchased in 1921. A new dance hall was approved in 1929 and built by Fred Taylor. The first dance was held here on May 6, 1932. The Agricultural Society has since expanded the building, added electricity, and replaced the oak dance floor. The hall hosts the fair and multiple community and family gatherings each year.

Erected 2020 by Keya Paha County Agricultural Society; and History Nebraska. (Marker Number 563.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. In addition, it is included in the Nebraska State Historical Society series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 6, 1932.

Location. 42° 51.88′ N, 100° 4.373′ W. Marker is near Springview, Nebraska, in Keya Paha County. It is on Norden Road 0.3 miles south of State Highway 12. Marker is located at the Keya Paha County Fairgrounds entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 89983 Norden Road, Springview

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NE 68778, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Sand Hills

and in the Niobrara Valley.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and on the prairies.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.

More about this marker. Keya Paha County Fairgrounds & the Norden Dance Hall are located 19 miles west of Springview, Nebraska, on State Highway 12.

Also see . . . Loyal two-steppers keep the Keya Paha County venue going strong. Excerpt:

Hidden behind the trees and a scattering of double-wide trailers along lonely Highway 12, you’ll find a survivor of an era when ballroom dancing was king. It’s the Norden Dance Hall, a cavernous, barnlike structure, built by local people, that has hosted weekend dances, weddings and anniversaries since 1931. Lawrence Welk and other big bands once played here, but today, it’s country bands that draw the crowds. The hall has never been air conditioned, so fans provide an artificial breeze. And a beer garden
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

2. Norden Dance Hall Marker (at center)
(north side of dance hall visible in right background)
on the shady side of the hall, enclosed by metal hog panels, provides an outside patio to cool off.

(Submitted on August 9, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Keya Paha County Fairgrounds Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

3. Keya Paha County Fairgrounds Sign

(turn south here from NE-12 to access dance hall and marker)

Norden Dance Hall image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

4. Norden Dance Hall

(today known as the Keya Paha County Dance Pavilion)

Keya Paha County Arena (<i>adjacent to dance hall</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

5. Keya Paha County Arena (adjacent to dance hall)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 8, 2021

6. Keya Paha County Arena (adjacent to dance hall)

Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,333 times since then and 80 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 9, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.