Urbana was
platted in 1870. It was located on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. A post office was opened in Urbana in 1870, and remained in operation until it was discontinued in 1957. From 1877 to 1878 it was the site of the short-lived "Esperanza Community", which was described as "a colony of communists." They bought a hotel and ran a newspaper called
The Star of Hope. ==Demographics==