At the county's establishment, the northern border was a straight east-west line across the northern most points of the existing land area. The southern border of the reservation was drawn to include both sides of the Loup River, thus leaving a very irregular northern border or Merrick County. Merrick County is the only county in Nebraska named for a woman. It was named for Elvira Merrick DePuy. Henry DePuy was serving in the Territorial Legislature at the time of the county's establishment.
Range wars are part of the history of the settlement of the West.
Prominent participants from both of these incidents found their final resting places in the Central City Cemetery. Luther Mitchell, one of the two homesteaders who were hung and burned by the Olive Gang in 1878, is buried in the G.A.R. plot. He had farmed north of Central City before moving farther west. Mike Shonsey, representative of the cattlemen, was active in events associated with the Johnson County War of 1892. After leaving Wyoming, he lived for many years as a productive citizen of Merrick County, living at Clarks, and is buried in the family plot.