St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area.

They brought the first settlers to the county in March 1871 and established the seat of government in St. Paul.

Stillman Hazeltine put up the first building for a general store and town hall in the summer of 1871.

[citation needed] During its first twenty years, Howard County was a typical western frontier with covered wagons, cowboys, huge cattle herds, rowdy railroad construction gangs, and Army detachments stationed within its borders.

As settlers and the railroad extended north and west, the town of St. Paul served as an important trade center and quickly grew to a population of 2,000 residents.

From 1882 until 1917, St. Paul was the home of Frank Iams, the nation's largest importer of European draft horses.

Irvine set record-shattering, long-distance flights in a B-29 shortly after World War II.

Herbert Paul was Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard for 19 years.

Dorothy Lynch invented her famous salad dressing in St. Paul, which is now sold nationally.

[citation needed] Grover Cleveland Alexander, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was born on a farm in the area and retired to St. Paul at the end of his sports career.

[citation needed] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2), all land.