Concrete sidewalks began to replace wooden walks and electric lights replaced the gas lamp about the same time. A telephone system had been installed by the Platte Valley telephone company several years earlier. Citizens organized a private library early in their history and then supported the city involvement in providing this service. The growth and development of the health care industry over the years has reached a goal where Scottsbluff currently hosts the largest health care facility between the state capital at Lincoln and Denver. Serving an 11 county area in western Nebraska and 2 in eastern Wyoming, the facility provides care for 9,000 patients each year with another 35,000 outpatients.
Traffic flows together along the busy highway between the two towns.
Most of the commercial businesses serve both cities equally. There have been many discussions about joining the two towns into one government and one school system, but for the time being, the atmosphere in the area seems to be to leave the communities as separate units. The twin cities share much more than the North Platte River. The area within a 50 mile radius is also teeming with history. It is rich in prehistoric artifacts as well as in the American tradition of pioneer days and the brief but colorful Pony Express riders.