HASTINGS, a city of Nebraska, U.S.A., 75m. W. by S. of Lincoln, on Federal highway 38; the county seat of Adams county, and an important railroad centre, served by the Burlington, the Chicago and North Western, the Missouri Pacific, the St. Joseph and Grand Island and the Union Pacific railways. The population was 11,647 in 1920; 193o it was 15,490. Hastings is the seat of Hastings college (Presbyterian), opened in 1882, and of a State hospital for the insane. It is an important shipping point for grain and live stock, and has a large jobbing and wholesale trade. There are two large cold-storage plants. The manufactures (in cluding brick, brooms, harness and automobile pumps) were valued in 1925 at $4,421,417. The city was settled in 1872 and incorporated in 18i4. The population reached 13,584 in 189o; fell to 7,188 in 1900, following Nebraska's period of hard times; and increased 62% between 190o and 192o.