The Maxwell-Zikmund Farm · Rising City, Nebraska

A Czech Heritage Property

Over a Century of
Nebraska Stewardship

Joe and Anna Zikmund immigrated from Czechoslovakia to Brainard, Nebraska in 1910, arriving with little more than a determination to build a new life on the Great Plains. Joe quickly established himself as a skilled craftsman and community leader — at one point serving as mayor of Brainard — before acquiring this land and establishing the farm in 1937.

For nearly nine decades, the Maxwell-Zikmund Farm has remained in family hands, tended with the same care and pride that Joe brought when he first broke this ground. Today, the farm is owned by Maxwell Family LLC and leased annually to an experienced local farmer, continuing the tradition of productive Nebraska agriculture.

The farm is designated a Czech Heritage Property — a reflection of the immigrant story woven into its history and the enduring connection between the land and the families who have shaped it.

Joe Zikmund working his farm implement business in Brainard, Nebraska, 1912

Joe Zikmund, Brainard, Nebraska — 1912, just two years after immigrating from Czechoslovakia

Maxwell-Zikmund Farm heritage sign, established 1937 by Joe and Anna Zikmund

Left: The Zikmund family | Right: Farm heritage sign at Maxwell East — corn harvest underway

Farmer and farm manager inspecting soil on Maxwell West, looking south toward Highway 92

Maxwell LLC members and farmer at the irrigation well and pump on Maxwell West

Looking north across Maxwell East from Highway 92, 345kV transmission tower visible

Top: Soil inspection on Maxwell West | Bottom left: Members and farmer at the irrigation well | Bottom right: 345kV transmission line along the east boundary

The Farm Today

311 Acres of
Productive Nebraska Land

The Maxwell-Zikmund Farm comprises 311 acres of flat, productive agricultural land in Reading Township, Butler County — divided into Maxwell East (155 acres, SW Section 12) and Maxwell West (156 acres, SE Section 11).

The farm grows primarily corn, supported by an active center-pivot irrigation system drawing from the High Plains (Ogallala) Aquifer. An experienced local farmer manages day-to-day operations under an annual lease with Maxwell Family LLC, maintaining the land's agricultural productivity while preserving the stewardship traditions established by the Zikmund family.

In 2024, the farm completed a meaningful infrastructure upgrade: the original diesel-driven engine powering the irrigation pump was replaced with an electric motor. The conversion reduces operating costs by eliminating expensive diesel fuel, lowers the farm's carbon footprint, and reflects an ongoing commitment to responsible land stewardship.

The farm sits at 1,588 feet above sea level with minimal topographic variation — ideal for large-scale row crop production and well-suited for future development requiring flat, accessible acreage. Direct frontage on Highway 92 provides convenient access from the south boundary, with county road grid access from the north and east.

Infrastructure

Four Critical Utilities.
One Remarkable Site.

What makes the Maxwell-Zikmund Farm exceptional is not just the land — it is the rare convergence of four major utility corridors accessible from a single property. High-voltage electric transmission, deep aquifer water, interstate natural gas, and long-haul fiber optic all come together here, at a scale that takes most industrial sites years and tens of millions of dollars to assemble.

In Nebraska's expanding infrastructure landscape, properties with this combination of on-boundary or near-boundary utility access are exceedingly rare. The farm's location in the Highway 92 corridor — between the Sarpy-Omaha-Lincoln data center market and central Nebraska's power backbone — positions it at the intersection of today's agricultural economy and tomorrow's industrial demand.

345kV NPPD transmission line running along the east boundary of Maxwell East

345kV NPPD transmission line — east boundary of Maxwell East

⚡

Electric Power

Dual-feed transmission access from Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD), a 100% consumer-owned utility with industrial rates 20–30% below national averages.

345kV NPPD backbone line along east boundary — no easement acquisition needed
115kV secondary line terminates at substation approximately 1.5 miles north
Dual-feed configuration enables N+1 power redundancy
NPPD Elm Creek–Tobias corridor — major central Nebraska transmission artery
Electric service already active on-site — irrigation pump converted from diesel to electric motor in 2024

💧

Water

On-site access to the High Plains (Ogallala) Aquifer — one of the largest freshwater aquifers in the world — through an active, high-yield irrigation well on Maxwell West.

Active irrigation well — high-yield capacity
Pumping water level at 97 ft; total well depth 226 ft
Suitable for closed-loop industrial cooling or large-scale agricultural irrigation
Rising City municipal supply approximately 1.5 miles west provides backup option

🔥

Natural Gas

Northern Natural Gas (NNG) interstate pipeline transits Butler County less than one mile north of Maxwell West — a critical proximity for industrial gas supply at meaningful scale.

NNG interstate pipeline — primary Midwest E–W corridor, high-volume capacity
NorthWestern Energy intra-state distribution network serves Butler County
Pipeline proximity makes a direct tap feasible for industrial-scale consumers
Enables on-site power generation, backup systems, or process heat applications

📡

Fiber Connectivity

Highway 92 is a confirmed, active long-haul fiber optic corridor forming the middle-mile backbone through Butler County, with multiple carriers operating along the route.

OPTK Networks — primary backbone provider along Hwy 92
Network Nebraska — public fiber serving Rising City, David City, and Brainard
Windstream/Kinetic — active 2025–2026 copper-to-fiber upgrade along Hwy 92
No last-mile buildout required — farm's south boundary fronts the corridor directly

Development Potential

A Site Built for
What Comes Next

The convergence of electric, water, gas, and fiber infrastructure — combined with 311 flat, accessible acres and a prime Nebraska corridor location — makes Maxwell-Zikmund Farm well-suited for a range of high-value industrial and energy development uses.

Data Center & Hyperscale Computing

Eastern Nebraska has emerged as a nationally recognized data center market, anchored by major hyperscale investments in the Omaha-Sarpy corridor. The farm's dual-feed 345kV + 115kV electric access, high-yield aquifer water for closed-loop cooling, and direct Hwy 92 fiber connectivity position it as a compelling Tier-2 expansion opportunity for colocation and hyperscale operators seeking capacity west of the primary market cluster.

⚡ 345kV on-boundary · 💧 Ogallala Aquifer · 📡 Multi-carrier fiber

Solar Power Generation & Battery Storage

311 acres of flat, unobstructed agricultural land in a high-solar-irradiance region presents a strong foundation for utility-scale solar development. On-boundary 345kV transmission access can support very large solar project power delivery. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) can be co-located to capture value from Nebraska's dynamic grid pricing and provide firm power delivery for industrial offtakers.

⚡ Grid interconnect ready · 🌞 High irradiance corridor · 🔋 BESS co-location

Gas-Fired Power Generation

The proximity of the Northern Natural Gas interstate pipeline — less than one mile north — combined with on-boundary 345kV electric transmission creates an unusually strong foundation for gas-fired generation. Peaker plants, combined-cycle facilities, or reciprocating engine installations can source fuel directly from the NNG corridor and deliver power onto the NPPD backbone with minimal transmission infrastructure. This configuration is well-suited for merchant generation or behind-the-meter power supply to a co-located industrial campus.

🔥 NNG pipeline <1 mile · ⚡ Direct 345kV export · 🏭 Merchant or dedicated

Agricultural Processing & Agri-Industrial

Butler County sits in the heart of Nebraska's corn belt, and the farm's existing agricultural productivity, abundant water supply, road access, and electric infrastructure make it a natural candidate for value-added processing — ethanol, grain drying, food manufacturing, or cold storage. The combination of Highway 92 frontage, county road grid access, and proximity to Rising City's municipal services reduces greenfield development costs considerably for agricultural-industrial hybrid operations.

🌽 Corn belt location · 💧 On-site water · 🚛 Hwy 92 frontage

Site Specifications

Property At a Glance

Attribute	Detail	Notes
Total Area	311 acres	Maxwell East 155 ac + Maxwell West 156 ac
Location	Reading Township, Butler County, NE	Near Rising City, NE · Highway 92 Corridor
Highway Frontage	Direct Hwy 92 frontage	South boundary of both parcels
Road Access	Hwy 92 + county road grid	County Road F between the parcels provides for multiple access points
Topography	Flat agricultural land	Minimal grading required for development
Elevation	1,588 ft above sea level	Consistent across both parcels
Current Use	Row crop agriculture (corn)	Leased annually to local farmer
Zoning	Agricultural	Rezoning to industrial feasible
Electric	345kV NPPD on east boundary	115kV substation approx. 1.5 miles north; dual-feed capable
Water	Active irrigation well — Ogallala Aquifer	Pumping level 97 ft; total depth 226 ft
Natural Gas	NNG interstate pipeline	Less than 1 mile north of both parcels
Fiber	Hwy 92 corridor	OPTK, Windstream/Kinetic, Network Nebraska and others
Ownership	Maxwell Family LLC	Oro Valley, Arizona

The Maxwell‑Zikmund Farm

Over a Century of
Nebraska Stewardship

311 Acres of
Productive Nebraska Land

Four Critical Utilities.
One Remarkable Site.

Electric Power

Water

Natural Gas

Fiber Connectivity

Where to Find This Property

A Site Built for
What Comes Next

Data Center & Hyperscale Computing

Solar Power Generation & Battery Storage

Gas-Fired Power Generation

Agricultural Processing & Agri-Industrial

Property At a Glance

Let’s Talk About
This Property

The Maxwell‑Zikmund Farm

Over a Century ofNebraska Stewardship

311 Acres ofProductive Nebraska Land

Four Critical Utilities.One Remarkable Site.

Electric Power

Water

Natural Gas

Fiber Connectivity

Where to Find This Property

A Site Built forWhat Comes Next

Data Center & Hyperscale Computing

Solar Power Generation & Battery Storage

Gas-Fired Power Generation

Agricultural Processing & Agri-Industrial

Property At a Glance

Let’s Talk AboutThis Property

Over a Century of
Nebraska Stewardship

311 Acres of
Productive Nebraska Land

Four Critical Utilities.
One Remarkable Site.

A Site Built for
What Comes Next

Let’s Talk About
This Property