Wheeler

Formed February 17, 1877 (67^th county)

Wheeler County (772), Bartlett (107)

A white concrete Modern structure, built in 1982, is on 3^rd and Main streets.  United States Highway 281 is four blocks to the east of the location.  Ed Cable is the building designer.  The 1920 facility sits next door to the courthouse.  Two wooden courthouses from 1888 and 1920 were the previous versions also in Bartlett.  Cedar City was the first county seat until 1886.  Wheeler County was formed on February 17, 1877 from Native American Territory as the 67^th county.  It is named for Major Daniel H. Wheeler.  The county seat is named for settler Ezra Bartlett Mitchell. 

Wheeler County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Two District Court Judges and Three County Court Judges serve Wheeler, Blaine, Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Howard, Keya Paha, Loup, Rock, Sherman, and Valley counties.  The county is in central Nebraska.  Grand Island, Nebraska is south and Omaha, Nebraska is east of the county.  The county is 5.5 miles Northeast of Bartlett.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Holt, Antelope, Boone, Greeley, Valley, and Garfield counties. 

The area of the county is 575 square miles.  It is 53 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 83 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 1.3 persons per square mile making it 78 out of 93 in the state.  Wheeler County has 25.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 281 travels north to south from Holt County to Greeley County.  The county is a rectangle.  Bartlett is slightly southwest of the center of the county.  Bartlett is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 13.9% of the county population.