Kimball was originally called Antelopeville, and under the latter name was established circa 1870 when the Union Pacific Railroad was extended to that point.

[4][5] It initially consisted of a telegraph and coal station with a siding and section house.

[6] It was renamed in 1885 in honor of Thomas Lord Kimball, a railroad official.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.07 square miles (5.36 km2), all land.

[10] However, Kimball itself is not the Nebraska town with the highest elevation: that status belongs to Harrison, at 4,876 feet (1,486 m).

Kimball, like much of western Nebraska, has a climate on the border between humid continental (Köppen Dfa/Dfb/Dwa/Dwb) and cool semi-arid (BSk).

The climate is characterised by cold and extremely variable winters that can range from quite warm days due to chinook winds to bitter cold under the influence of Arctic air from Canada.

Spring is also variable, but heats up gradually, and features frequent thunderstorms that make this the wettest time of year, whilst summer is very warm to hot and can range from extremes of heat and drought to cooler weather with heavy rainfall.

The fall season is drier than the spring and gradually cools down, although warm spells due to the chinook are always possible.

Its annual power generation capacity is sufficient for approximately 11,000 homes.

[17][18][19] A number of small oil and gas producers are based in Kimball.