Wheeler County, Nebraska

Wheeler County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 774, and was estimated to be 789 in 2025.

In the Nebraska license plate system, Wheeler County was represented by the prefix "84" (as it had the 84th-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Wheeler County was created on February 17, 1877 and organized on April 11, 1881, The county was named for Major Daniel H. Wheeler, longtime secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture.

Following the establishment and rapid growth of the town of Cumminsville, in anticipation of a Union Pacific Railroad line through that town. Cedar City (now disbanded) was the site of the first seat of government for the county, which covered an area of 48 miles west to east and 25 miles north to south. On November 25, 1884, this area was halved, with the western portion becoming Garfield County, leaving the remainder as Wheeler County with its present boundaries.

The county's government was overseen by three commissioners, two from two districts in the more heavily populated southern half of the county, the third from the North. In 1885, the government was deemed to be outgrowing its small courthouse in Cedar City and two men, Cumminsville school superintendent Begelow and Ezra Bartlett Mitchell offered land options outside of Cedar City to build a new courthouse. In a heated election, Mitchell's site was chosen over Begelow's by a vote of 193 to 90, and the new courthouse led to the establishment of a surrounding town, named Bartlett (Mitchell's middle name), to serve as the seat of government. Cedar City collapsed shortly after the government offices there were abandoned.

In 1886, a spur line of the C.B.& Q. railroad was built into the county, ending at a point where the town of Ericson was established.

In 1895, while attempting to construct a ditchway to irrigate farmland between Ericson and Spalding, a dam was built across Clear Creek. Though the ditch construction was ultimately not successful, the dam created present-day Pibel Lake.

Wheeler County's population began to wane after the turn of the 20th century, but in 1904, with the enactment of the Kinkaid Act, a new round of settlers reinvigorated the population.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.07%) is water. It is the 47th-largest county in Nebraska by total area.

The terrain of Wheeler County consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the east. A local drainage, Beaver Creek, flows to the SE and east through the upper part of the county, exiting near the midpoint of the county's east boundary line.

Major highways

25px U.S. Highway 281
20px Nebraska Highway 70
20px Nebraska Highway 91

Adjacent counties

Antelope County – northeast
Boone County – southeast
Greeley County – south
Valley County – southwest
Garfield County – west
Holt County – north

Protected areas

Pibel Lake State Recreation Area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 774. The median age was 49.5 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 25.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 110.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 106.1 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% White, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.0% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.

There were 343 households in the county, of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 16.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.