Wheeler County - American Courthouses

Wheeler County is named for a Daniel H Wheeler, who was secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture.

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Holt County

E – Antelope County and Boone County

S – Greeley County

W – Garfield County

Created: February 17, 1877

County Seat:

Cedar City 1881 – 1886

Bartlett 1886 – present

County Courthouse – Bartlett

Location: 301 3rd Street / Main Street

Built: 1980 – 1982

Style: Modern

Architect: Ed Cable

Contractor: Radec Construction Company of Hartington

Description: The building faces north and is a one white colored polished stone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Bartlett and the east side is dug into the slope of the hill There are doorways at the north and south sides. The roof line is flat. In the interior, the small County District Court and County Court courtroom is located along the east side. The building houses the County District Court and County Court of the 8th Judicial District.

Old County Courthouse – Bartlett

Location: SE – Main Street / 3rd Street

Built: 1918 – 1919

Style: Mission Revival / Classical

Architect: Sidney H Foster of Gordon

Contractor: Local trades

Description: The building faces north and is a two buff-white colored stucco and concrete structure. The rectangular shaped building sits on a hill on landscaped grounds overlooking the downtown area of Bartlett to the north with the courthouse on the west side. The north front has a central entrance on the first story with canopy and above on the second story is a Palladian window. The roof is hipped. Interior elements are simple and unaltered. Wood chair rails, baseboards, floors, window frames, plain newels, and doors without transoms are executed simply. The former district courtroom is located along the south side of the second story, and it spans the length of the south façade. The architect was Sidney H Foster of Gordon and the contractor was local labor. The building is now the Wheeler County Museum.

See: National Register of Historic Places – Old Wheeler County Courthouse

See: The 8th Judicial District includes Blaine County, Boyd County, Brown County, Cherry County, Custer County, Garfield County, Greeley County, Holt County, Howard County, Keya Paha County, Loup County, Rock County, Sherman County and Valley County.

History: The county was created in 1877 and Cedar City was selected as the county seat in 1881 when the county was organized. The county seat was moved to Bartlett in 1886 and the first courthouse, a two story wood frame structure was built in 1888 on the Courthouse Square. The courthouse was destroyed by fire on August 29, 1917. Funds were obtained from insurance plus $6500 to construct the 1918 courthouse. The second courthouse was constructed in 1917 to 1918 and is still standing. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1980 to 1981 at a cost of $237,000.